Challenges are storied moments in the adventure. For there to be a Challenge there has to be an obstacle or threat and significant stakes.
When faced with a Challenge Adventurers describe their approach. Bearer then considers whether approach fits one of three categories.
Fitting: The Adventurers approach to the challenge is fitting, they overcome the challenge.
Searching from the right place. A convincing argument. Spending enough time or resources.
Impossible: Challenge cannot be overcome this way. A different approach, tools or help is required.
Persuading an enemy to work against their interests. Climbing a wall of glass. Jumping over a wide ravine. Recalling details about civilization lost to time.
Uncertain: Challenges are uncertain when approach to challenge is risky or character is under great pressure. Uncertain challenges require a Test.
Fighting. Resisting poisons. Navigating without landmarks. Avoiding hidden threats. Persuading an enemy to help you accomplish something they also want.
Arduous Challenges
When a challenge is especially taxing it is an Arduous Challenge.
Arduous Challenges consists of several individual Challenges. Each involved Adventurer describes their approach to one of the Challenges.
Each success advances the Arduous Challenge into Adventurers’ favor, each failure causes a Setback.
If Adventurers gain as many or more successes as they suffer Setbacks they win the Challenge. If more Setbacks are suffered they end up in a new situation and the chance to solve the Challenge in this manner has passed.
When there are more Adventurers than Challenges two or more Adventurers can work together on a Challenge one making the Test and other helping.
Intense negotiations, Great rituals, chases and infiltration of a hostile keep can be resolved as Arduous Challenges.
Stakes
Stakes are goals and Setbacks that vary from Challenge to Challenge. Success in Challenge causes Adventurers to reach their goal and failure causes a Setback making their lives more difficult.
In battle defeating an enemy is a clear goal and Setbacks are suffered blows. During a journey reaching a destination is the goal and Setbacks can be loss of direction or dwindling supplies. In a meeting with a villainous sorcerer goal could be gaining their secret knowledge and Setback is rousing their suspicion.
Setbacks change current situation introducing complications and requiring new approaches.
Success at a cost is always a possible Setback. This deal can take any form but all parties have to agree to it.
Obstacles
Obstacles bar the path forward. They are often static and may force character to choose a different approach. Locked door, jagged ravine and strong currents are obstacles. Situationally a bridge knight or jailkeeper can take the role of an obstacle.
Obstacle can become a Threat if the approach goes wrong.
Threats
Threats cause harm and hindrances.
Adversaries are active: They investigate suspicious events, attack those who are in their way and lay traps for unsuspecting enemies. Direct confrontation with an Adversary is a Conflict, see Conflict chapter for more details.
Hazards are static: They remain in place until removed or act in easily predictable manner. Traps, poisons, cliffside with loose stones, storms and burning buildings are Hazards. Situationally a horde of Adversaries can be a Hazard.
Lasting Threats
Lasting Threats are part of the environment or lingering Hazards such as blood clotting poison and sleep inducing mist.
Lasting Threat is resisted when the character comes into contact with the Threat and at the start of their Turn while they remain threatened.
Success in resisting Lasting Threat protects from the Threat for now but does not end it. Poison can be resisted for one round but in a moment poison affects the character again if it still has some potency.