ENDING A CONFLICT

As with any scene in the game, the Game Master has the right to declare the ending of a conflict. This generally happens when one side has prevailed, when everyone is no longer able to oppose them, or when the participants negotiate some sort of truce.

• Remember: once people find an agreement, there's no conflict anymore — until they later regret or reconsider said agreement, at least.
• Sometimes, the end of a conflict scene might mark the beginning of a different one. It is not uncommon for a brutal battle to turn into a chase as the losing side retreats, or a failed negotiation might turn to violence. Some characters could even have this change as their conflict goal if they excel at a specific type of situation instead of the current one.
• When a conflict ends, all effects that last "until the end of the scene" will also cease to be. Keep this in mind when deciding whether you should switch to a different conflict or simply let the current conflict evolve in a different direction.

In the end, remember that conflicts should only be used for high-stake moments and aren't the default resolution method for every tense situation.

TURN-RELATED EFFECTS

Effects that concern themselves with "the start of a character's turn" or "the end of a character's turn" follow a set of specific rules:

• The effect ends automatically when the conflict scene reaches its conclusion.
• The effect also ends if you die, fall unconscious, or leave the scene.
• If an effect begins, ends or recharges at the start or at the end of a character's turn (such as the Guard action on page 70 or the Protect Skill on page 197), that effect also begins, ends or recharges immediately if you help another character through teamwork (see previous page).

If such an effect is somehow used outside a conflict scene (this doesn't happen often, but it's still a possibility), it will last for a few seconds – enough to influence the outcome of a single Check, generally.

Philip Forlenza (Order #)