Storytelling

Creativity
Presence
Memory

Short Description

Storytelling is the skill of weaving narratives, often with a moral or cultural significance, using vivid language and engaging delivery.

Success Criteria

Effects

Modifiers and Restrictions

Action Examples

Captivate a small crowd with a powerful tale to distract or delay: DR 80 (receptive audience), DR 100 (neutral), DR 120+ (uninterested), DR 140+ (hostile)

Share a myth that improves team morale or resolve: DR 100 in good mood, DR 120 after set back, DR 140 after set back etc. Effect: Allies gain +5 to Fatigue Threshold per 15 success rate in the first roiund.

Long Description

Storytelling brings your world to life, swaying hearts and sharpening minds through narrative. Use it to aid spellcasting, inspire allies, disarm foes with parables, or shape how events are remembered. It's not just entertainment—it's a strategic tool.

Pairs well with:

  • Poetry & Writing – for crafting written versions of tales
  • Battle Chant – to channel stories into rhythm and action
  • Humanistic Sciences – to draw on cultural lore for deeper resonance
  • Acting – for immersive performance delivery
  • Psychological Warfare – to plant fear, pride, or doubt through story framing

Sequencing

Potential Counters

How to use this page

All the information above is intended as a guide to help you navigate the many situations that can arise during your game. Since it's both impossible—and frankly uninspiring—to plan for every possible outcome, players are encouraged to think creatively when using their skills. Game Masters, in turn, are encouraged to embrace and support that creativity.

Whenever possible, aim to resolve situations through narrative choices, logical thinking and role playing. If that’s not feasible, agree on a Difficulty Rating (DR) using the provided Success Criteria and Modifiers. These are not rigid rules, but suggestions - starting points to help you find the right level of challenge. The player describes their intended action, and the Game Master proposes a DR. This should be open to brief discussion at the table, ideally resulting in consensus. If not, the Game Master has the final say.

It’s important to emphasize that all suggested effects, modifiers, and action examples are exactly that: suggestions. If you’re unsure how to resolve something, they offer a reliable fallback—but wherever possible, we encourage you to push boundaries. That’s where some of the most memorable and exciting moments in play are born.

Sequencing and Potential Counters are far from exhaustive. With hundreds of skills, spells, and tech modules in the game, the possibilities are too vast to list. You’re encouraged to explore combinations that make sense in your story and setting and in the situations that arise in your game. Sequencing and countering are core to Cosmic Odyssey - they’re where strategic depth meets dramatic flair, and where legendary moments often take shape. Even if no sequencing and counters are mentioned, some certainly exists and can be smartly utilized.

So explore boldly, improvise wisely, and enjoy the game as it unfolds around your choices.