To clear stress, PCs can relax when they have downtime.

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To relax and clear stress:

1. Say what activity the PC does to blow off stress. This can be a brief description, or a longer freeform RP scene.
2. Make a fortune roll. The GM can pick a relevant stat for the roll, based on the activity.
3. Read the single highest result:
   • 6 means the PC relaxes without any problems.
   • 1-5 means the PC’s relaxation triggers some immediate or future trouble.
4. Clear all marked stress. </aside>

As mentioned above, a brief description of where the PC goes & what they do to relax is enough to clear stress.

However, if there’s time, downtime relaxation is a great opportunity for a roleplaying scene. This is a chance to dig into who a PC is outside a high-stakes job. What are their interests & hobbies? How do they act differently in their everyday life? What are their relationships, and how do those grow & change from job to job?

As a bonus, downtime RP can net a player xp for expressing beliefs, drives, or background and/or dealing with traumas or personal flaws.

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Notes on relaxing & clearing stress:

• Relaxation scenes don’t have to be solo. In fact, downtime relaxation is great for building crew relationships outside a job. A PC can invite others’ to their relaxation activity. Or, multiple PCs can do the same relaxation activity.
• Stress always fully clears after a relaxation activity. This happens regardless of how the fortune roll goes.
• On a 1-5, the GM can opt to not immediately say what trouble occurs. Ideally, relaxation trouble is related to the PC’s activity, but it doesn’t have to be. The GM can “hold” the trouble as a complication for later.
• Relaxation trouble is a narrative consequence. It shouldn’t deplete resources or punish the player for relaxing. </aside>

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