Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Basic Questions​

• What is a table top role-playing game (TTRPG)? A TTRPG is a game where players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting, guided by a Game Master (GM), who describes the environment and events. Like being an actor in an improvised play or a protagonist in a book.

• What do I need to start playing a TTRPG? Typically, you'll need rulebooks, character sheets, dice (especially a set of polyhedral dice), pencils, and imagination. Some games also use miniatures and maps. In Awakenings the players only require the Player Guide to create characters, the GameMaster will need the GM Guide and Player Guide to have a full understanding of the rules.

• What is High Fantasy? High Fantasy typically takes place in a completely fictional universe, often with its own geography, history, and rules of magic. The protagonists are usually larger-than-life heroes, often on a quest or mission that holds great significance for the fate of their world. (e.g. The Lord of the Rings).

Character Creation

• How do I create a character? Character creation typically involves choosing a race, class, and background, and then assigning ability scores, skills, and equipment based on the game’s rules.

• What are ability scores? Ability scores are numerical values that represent a character’s core attributes, such as Strength, Agility, Stamina, Intelligence, Will, and Charm. Often a GM will call for a roll when interacting with the world around you based on an attribute (e.g. Trying to break down a door might require a Strength roll).

Gameplay Mechanics

• What are Hit Points (HP)? Hit points represent a character’s health. When a character takes damage, their HP decreases, and if it reaches zero, they may become incapacitated or die.

• How do dice rolls work in a TTRPG? Dice rolls are used to determine the outcomes of actions. Different games use different types of dice, denoted by “d” followed by a number (e.g., d20 for a 20-sided die).

• What is The Fade? In the world of Awakenings, there exists a realm unseen by the naked eye, a layer that envelops the world like a shroud, this is The Fade, the umbral realm of magic. All caster’s draw upon its energies, channeling them through their will to shape reality. It's touch can be seen in every spell cast, every potion brewed, and every enchantment woven.

• What dice system does Awakenings use? The game requires 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12 and 1d20 dice with the core mechanics reflecting a percentage based system.

Advanced Topics

• What is a campaign? A campaign is a series of interconnected adventures and sessions that form a larger story, usually played out over a long period of time. 

• What is a One-Shot? This refers to a single game session often over a number of hours, unconnected to a campaign or longer story arc. (e.g. Like going to see a movie for a couple of hours instead of a campaign which would be more like seeing a trilogy or an entire season of a show on TV).

• Are there any critical tables? Yes there are critical tables covering several aspects of play including Spell Casting, Summoning, Fumbles, Melee and Ranged criticals.

• Will there be more content? Yes there is a lot of additional content in the works. Currently 2 new Races and Classes are being play tested along with new spells, abilities, monsters and magical items. The Blood Plague campaign is 16 episodes long and is currently being converted to PDF along with three one-shot adventures.

• Will there be Hardback books? Hopefully! We are due to launch a Kickstarter campaign to do a print run of books in 2025.

• Will there be a VTT version (Virtual table top)? The VTT version already exists but requires some serious time and financial investment to adapt it and make it available across a number of VTT platforms. If the book Kickstarter goes well, VTT will be the next stage. So any and all support is always appreciated.

• Why have you used AI art? As a solo creator, my goal is to bring worlds and ideas to life in the best way possible while managing the constraints of time, budget, and resources. AI-generated art allows me to maintain creative control, experiment freely, and produce high-quality visuals without needing an ever-flowing bag of funding. It’s a tool that helps me efficiently craft immersive experiences. I respect and admire traditional artists, and AI art isn’t a replacement, but rather another way to bring my vision to life when solo development requires flexibility and cautious use of project funding. If the game takes off, I have several friends who are artists by profession and I would love to take them on for commission work.