Mytharc

Mytharc is a methodology and supporting system intended for game-runners that would like to focus on creating narrative-driven live action games.

My decision to create Mytharc came out of a general feeling of dissatisfaction with available systems to both handle narrative progression as well as elegantly handle conflict and combat resolution. It is my feeling that systems should be employed when they support or reinforce the themes of a game, but that many systems over-complicate a creator's intention. Mytharc is an attempt to create navigable systems that are lightweight enough to support story without becoming the focus of the story. The goal is to focus both game creators as well as players on how they can collaborate to create meaningful, enriching stories together.

This document is divided up into a few distinct parts.

The methodology explains the thought process behind system choices; the safety section sets out some expectations to create a fun and safe environment; and the system section lays out rules to support the framework in order to encourage collaborative, story-driven games.

Mytharc is heavily inspired by Nordic LARP tradition and the FATE RPG2 system, taking the tack that great characters and stories are not defined by their stats or abilities, but by their choices and interactions. At the same time, Mytharc takes into consideration some traditions from more well-known LARP systems such as Accelerant3 and Cthulhu Live4.

Mytharc is setting-less, and is intended to be flexible enough that any setting desired can be created and applied to the system. In general, Mytharc's systems support the type of game that is more gritty and deadly than epic and dashing, but the system could be reasonably tweaked to support either.

Mytharc is not intended to be the "right" way to run games- many games are perfectly suited with other systems. Mytharc is focused primarily on collaborative narrative, and secondarily on simulation, and in any case where the two clash, Mytharc takes the position that the story should drive the outcome.