2. CORE CONCEPTS OF PLAY

2.1 Seekers, Labyrinth, and Discord

You are a Seeker, one of the few who dare to traverse the fractured geography of Solis. The Labyrinth is not merely a place, but a sentient, hostile engine born from the Demon of Discord.

2.2 The Discord Value and Discord Check

Discord is the tension dial of Solis. The Discord Value (Starts at 5) represents the local density of entropy. The Discord Check is the mechanical procedure for shifting this value over time, reflecting the ever-shifting nature of the Labyrinth.

2.3 Timescales of Play

Scene: Immediate interaction and roleplay.
Segment: A unit of travel or exploration within a realm.
Journey: A series of segments leading to a destination.
Campaign: The overarching story of your Seeker’s descent.

2.4 The Truth System (Augmented Mechanics)

In ITSOS, interaction is governed by Truths (Tags). A Truth is a mechanical augmentation that alters the behavior of an entity or environment. Unlike traditional systems, Truths do not “deny” player action; they introduce Savage Friction that must be overcome or endured.

Truth Tags

Tags are written in square brackets (e.g., [ARMORED]). If an enemy has [ARMORED], they possess a mechanical advantage (such as damage reduction) that makes the encounter more dangerous.

Bypass Verbs

Every Tag can be countered by a Bypass Verb. A verb is a tactical “key” that negates the advantage provided by a Tag. Verbs are granted by your Gear, Class abilities, or Discoveries.

Tag	Bypass Verb	Effect of the Bypass
`[ARMORED]`	`PENETRATE`	Ignore the enemy’s Damage Reduction (ARM).
`[SHIELDED]`	`SHATTER`	Remove the shield; enemy takes double damage for 1 turn.
`[CORRUPTED]`	`PURIFY`	Negates source of corruption; enemy loses [VOID] traits.
`[SHROUDED]`	`ILLUMINATE`	Negates the enemy’s visibility-based CV bonus.
`[LOCKED]`	`BREACH`	Grants access to a restricted area or loot without a test.

The Table Rule: You can always act against a Truth without the required Bypass Verb, but you must suffer the friction. If an enemy is [ARMORED] (+2 ARM) and you do not have PENETRATE, you still attack, but your total damage is reduced by 2.