The best way to really see how a roleplaying game works is to play one. However, there are also many ‘actual play’ videos online, where you can watch gaming groups playing a variety of different RPGs. You may also find there is a gaming group, game club, or convention in your local area. You can often find more detail where you bought this book. In the meantime, we offer an example of how a game might run…

On the streets of Arrakeen:

“The assassin is getting away,” says Helen, the gamemaster.

“Taran isn’t worried about that at the moment,” replies Sam, who plays Taran, a Suk doctor. “He’s more concerned about Nasir. You said he just collapsed the instant he was hit with a dart from the assassin? Sounds like poison. I want to examine him quickly to see if there is anything I can do. We don’t want the heir to House Corsare getting killed on our watch!”

“Well, Kara isn’t a doctor, so she’s going after the assassin,” says Claire. Her character Kara is a Bene Geserit-trained noblewoman.

“What? You’re the heir to our House! We can’t lose both you and Nasir!” says Sam.

“Nasir is my fiancé and anyone trying to assassinate him is going to have me to deal with. Anyway, Kara isn’t waiting around to discuss this, she’s chasing down the assassin. You said he was getting away, didn’t you Helen?”

“I did, but there’s still time to catch him.”

“Good! I’m after him.”

“Damnit. We can’t leave Nasir lying here. I knew we should have taken more guards. This is the last time we ignore security because ‘it’s just a shopping trip in the bazaar’!” says Sam.

“So, you’re splitting the party?” grins Helen. “Let’s deal with Taran looking over Nasir first. Then we’ll come back to Kara and the assassin.”

Helen knows that there was a deadly poison on the dart that hit Nasir. She decides that for Taran to neutralize it he needs to beat a Difficulty of 4 on an Understand skill test. Taran decides his Faith belief applies, and he luckily brought some of his medical equipment, a useful asset. His ‘Suk Doctor’ trait also gives him a bonus. It’s still going to be a tough test to succeed at, though.

“I think I should use some of our Momentum on this one,” says Sam.

“Not so fast,” replies Claire. “Kara needs to chase down the assassin and take him down. Don’t spend it all.”

“Ok, I’m spending 1 point, but I could do with more.”

“You can always give me some Threat points,” Helen quietly suggests.

“I don’t like the way she’s smiling. Spend a couple more Momentum if you need to, but leave me something,” says Claire.

Sam spends the points from their Momentum pool and gathers his dice. Thankfully, the roll is a success and he administers an antidote in time. Nasir will still be unconscious for a while, but he won’t die.

With Nasir stable, Helen returns to Kara chasing the assassin. They need to make opposed tests to see if Kara can catch up with the assassin. Luckily, he doesn’t have much of a head-start, and Kara can utilize a talent she learned from her Bene Gesserit training to push her muscles to run faster. She catches up with the assassin as he ducks into a small alleyway.

“I’m drawing my knife,” announces Claire as Kara closes in on her prey.

“Realizing he’s not going to escape, he turns to face you, drawing a nasty looking blade himself.”

“OK, he wants to play. Let’s do this.”

Kara and the assassin engage in a conflict action. While Kara is faster, they are evenly matched for skill. As the assassin knows the area, the street itself becomes a trait he can use for a bonus. When they engage, neither manages a clear victory, but Kara rolls a complication and becomes wounded.

“So, the wound in your leg is going to be a penalty, and you’ve got no Momentum left.”

“Okay, okay. You can have some Threat: I need some more dice.”

“Excellent, that’ll come in handy on the assassin’s attack roll.”

Helen and Claire roll the opposed contest between Kara and the assassin. This time the assassin wins. It is then up to Helen to describe the action.

“The assassin has Kara backed up against a nearby wall, so he shoulder-barges her against it, knocking the wind out of her. Kara’s knife arm is pinned and she struggles to break free before he can drive his knife into her. But before he can deliver a killing blow, Kara sees the flash of a white-bladed knife held high before it is driven into his back. He falls to the ground, dead.”

“What? Who? Damnit, we wanted to capture the assassin, not kill him.”

“You realize Kara is alive right? Standing over the assassin’s body is a Fremen woman dressed in a standard aba robe like everyone else. You think she might be the same one you noticed was watching you before you set off for the Bazaar this morning. She looks at you intensely and says ‘Someone does not want your wedding to happen. We Fremen need to see it succeed.’ Then she vanishes back into the crowd on the main street.”

“Kara will chase after her!”

“Not with that leg wound she won’t. You might want to return to where you left Taran and Nasir again, as Kara doesn’t know if Taran managed to help him.”

“Fair point. Looks like this wedding is going to be a lot more complicated than we expected. I’d better go and see is my fiancé is still alive!”