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This is where I want to dump ideas that I definitely want to include into the system and/or Setting Overview.

(2026.01.20) - From this point forward, I'm not adding anything new to this document. Anything new that comes up goes in Planning 0.07.04. This avoids scope creep. Any issues from the next playtest will go there. By the time I hit 0.07.09, I really should be ready to release something.

Planning

As stuff from this list gets implemented, I'll need to mark it off, but I don't think I want to remove it because it helps remind me where my inspiration came from, and what I'm trying to "recreate". You'll notice a strong tendency toward intrigue/politics (I believe the "impulses, values, and goals" system from SubVersion will assist with this). I like these types of games. But I want to allow for more than just political games, not everyone is into them.

Kaernest System

See Core System * ~~Blades inspired "flashbacks"~~ * ~~3rd d12 (why/when?)~~ * ~~As benefit~~ * ~~As penalty~~ * ~~SubVersion/Blades inspired "community/crew" (both?)~~ Community Gifts * ~~SubVersion inspired "regard"(?)~~ Renown Reputation & Intrigue * Chronicle inspired "intrigue" * ~~SubVersion inspired "impulses", "values", "goals"~~ Foundations & Ambitions * ~~Swap out Bruintaur (I liked the idea, but they don't fit very well) and replace with fishy race.~~ * ~~Perception - Allow other skills to fill in for Perception; "What do you know that would allow you to read the situation?" Also, Gifts for certain types of Perception, like "Cold Read" to read body language or get a feel when someone isn't being totally truthful.~~ This turned solidly into using a character's other skills to define what they might notice. Skills

  • ~~XP and Spent-XP~~ Rewards Spent XP opening a different avenue for legacy and retirement. It also makes good sense for some of the Community stuff.
  • ~~Backgrounds and Background Evolutions~~ Background Evolution
    This starts to feel a little bit like a class system, but I think it gives a bit of the positive side of a class system without forcing you into a narrow class.

Kaernest Setting

~~See Setting Overview~~ * ~~Racial conflict without overpowering play (See also Conflict)~~

~~Next Steps for Research - Dazhdvog Kaiju~~

~~You’ll find fertile ground in Russian and Slavic folklore, which has:~~ - ~~Zmey / Zmiy / Zmey Gorynych — dragon-serpents, often underground or volcano-linked.~~ - ~~Chudo-Yudo — many-headed monstrous beings, sometimes living in rivers or the underworld.~~ - ~~Koschei the Deathless — not a beast, but a great figure tied to hidden life/immortality, sometimes imprisoned underground.~~ - ~~Alkonost & Gamayun (prophetic birds) — not underground, but relevant for prophecy/dreams.~~

~~It might be that your “Buried Beasts” merge traits of dragon-serpents and Chudo-Yudo: colossal, shifting, half-living embodiments of the earth’s power.~~ Am I even keeping this with the re-work done on the Dazhdvog? No. The Dazhdvog have become the "memory-people". They don't need 2 jobs. This felt a bit out of place, so it's not staying. It's also a threat that only the Dazhdvog worry about? No. Yeah, no.

~~Speaking of which; Dazhdvog went from Dog people to Stone people, and from Grim and determined, to Memory-people~~

Rules Gaps from Solo Playtest

More NPCs/Monsters !!!!

~~NPC rules Page~~

  • ~~Morale System ala AD&D2E - Intrigue/Social actions during combat to link to this~~
  • See NPC Doctrine

~~Bonus Dice~~

  • ~~How they're earned; they shouldn't be too easy~~
  • ~~Prepared positioning bonuses~~
  • ~~How much setup is “enough” for a bonus die~~ - see Core System

~~Downtime...~~

  • ~~Personal Projects~~
  • ~~Spending coin~~
  • ~~Creating new hooks and complications (Community Gifts, Expert/Master)~~
  • ~~Crafting~~
  • ~~Planning (in character)~~ * see Downtime

~~Define Conditions Better~~

~~Equipment Rules~~

~~- Costs and Lists~~ ~~- Weapon traits: grip changes, reach nuance, and condition bias~~ ~~- How long to don heavy armour?~~

~~Affecting a Group instead of an individual~~

  • ~~How should this be handled? A step raise in TD? Something more?~~

~~GM Equivalent to Effort~~

~~Movement Rules~~

~~Session 0~~

  • ~~Actually include some RP - Tie characters together/background~~
  • ~~2 characters per player, GM picks one~~
  • ~~2 Friends & 2 Allies (GM will only pick one, or both are out there?)~~

~~Remove the bureaucracy from the empire?~~

Kaernest: Next Pass Goals

  • Finish Updating File/Note Names - Yeah. Keeping this in scope for 0.07.03
  • ~~Take Links out of Headings~~ - Done (at least, I believe so)
  • ~~Add Internal Links (lots of them) -~~ This is pretty big. I'm going to plan this for 0.07.05
  • ~~3rd Opinion -~~ This will be more of a 0.07.06 item.
  • ~~Add Commissioned Artwork~~ - This probably won't happen until either I start looking at a Kickstarter, after the Kickstarter, or when I win the lottery.
  • ~~Convert Setting Overview Page to 1st Person In-Setting Voice~~ - This is more of a 0.07.09 item.