Cameos

A Cameo is a story-bearing Companion. Its SORC Card defines its support abilities; its linked story provides its personal history, questions, responses, and conditions for loyalty or permanent departure.

Before the first interaction, the GM reads one concise history paragraph. The GM then reads Serein’s question and the available Character responses. The Player chooses; the GM submits that response and reads Serein’s spoken reply aloud. Recent interactions appear above the current scene, and the Full Log preserves the complete record.

Standing, Contribution Points, and Mood are separate values. Standing identifies the current relationship tier; Contribution Points track progress within that tier; Mood records the Companion’s current emotional and behavioral state. The story specifies loyalty and departure conditions. The Cameo’s Card and Companion rules govern support: defense begins at Respected Standing and Calm Mood; fighting alongside the Character requires Adored Standing or higher and the appropriate Mood. Read the Companion rules.

The GM records Standing and the Character’s current-tier Contribution Points in the Cameo workspace. The tier selector lists Exalted, Cherished, Adored, Respected, Liked, Neutral, Tolerable, Disliked, and Hated. Contribution Points are the running total within the selected tier. They reset on promotion; demotion follows the Standing rules. Exalted has no cap.

Serein’s authored progression gates are set at 25% and 75% of each capped tier: Neutral 1,625 / 4,875; Liked 14,375 / 43,125; Respected 24,325 / 72,975; Adored 61,350 / 184,050; Cherished 154,675 / 464,025. Exalted uses two uncapped story milestones, 154,675 and 309,350. These are Serein-specific gates, not universal access requirements or universal Standing rules.

Crossing a gate upward opens its associated question, followed by two to four authored follow-up questions along the selected story branch. Each standard question offers three to five Character responses; the GM uses Next between beats and Close after the final reply. An event or GM interruption presents exactly two choices. If Standing falls, or Contribution Points fall below a reached gate, Serein presents a short warning with no Character choices and a Close button. A point change that crosses no gate leaves the current dialogue in place.

The floating GM reminder keeps Serein’s established forms of address in view. Begin with Organic at Neutral; the GM may occasionally foreshadow a higher-standing form before its gate, then use it consistently when reached. The GM may use a fitting descriptive alternative such as “Bloated Bladder.” Roll Success Dialogue and Roll Failure Dialogue generate authored praise or mockery and do not change Standing or Mood.

GM-only random event controls can roll an Insult, Attack, Abandon, or Self-Destruct event for review. A roll is only a preview; the GM chooses whether to apply it. The GM resolves an Attack using SORC combat rules. Abandon records withdrawal according to the story’s rediscovery conditions. Self-Destruct requires explicit confirmation and permanently records Serein as destroyed. An Insult is dialogue and changes no Standing or Mood unless its authored outcome says otherwise.

At Tolerable Standing, Serein does not initiate harm, though the GM may resolve retaliation if the Character wrongs him. Disliked and Hated Standing require the GM to resolve an attack when the Character enters detection range; Hated is permanent. Annoyed or Distressed Mood causes Serein to leave independently of Standing. An insult has no automatic Standing or Mood effect unless Serein’s story defines one.

A story choice changes Standing, Mood, loyalty, or departure status only when its authored outcome says so. Every submitted response and GM dialogue beat is saved with the timestamp, node title, active prompt, selected Character response, reply, and GM note. Submitted choices are not restored or edited; start a new run for another playthrough.

Read the Cameo Core and the Standing rules alongside the story.

1. Select the campaign and run. Create or select the named campaign, then choose the story, Character, and run. Confirm the selected campaign before recording play.
2. Set the current tracker. Select Serein’s Standing, enter the Contribution Points in that tier, and set Mood independently. The tier list runs from Exalted to Hated. Exalted has no score cap.
3. Present the story. Read the one-paragraph history briefing before the first interaction. Then read Serein’s active question and all available Character responses as written. The Player chooses; do not answer for the Character.
4. Submit and continue. Submit the Player’s exact choice and read Serein’s reply aloud. Use Next when the reply leads to another authored question; use Close after the sequence’s final reply. Story events and GM interruptions have two choices.
5. Apply point-gate transitions. When updated Contribution Points cross an authored Serein gate, present that story sequence. On a downward tier change or a fall below a reached gate, read the warning and close it. If no gate is crossed, keep the active screen unchanged.
6. Use the GM tools when they fit. Keep the GM reminder above the active dialogue, add missing table details in the GM Log Notes field, and use the success/failure dialogue buttons after the corresponding roll. For a Serein event, roll its category, review the preview, then apply or dismiss it. Attack resolution stays with the GM; Self-Destruct requires confirmation.
7. Check the Full Log. Verify the timestamp, node title, active prompt, selected Character response, Serein’s reply, and any GM note. A new run preserves earlier logs; submitted choices are not restored or edited.