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Start your first session

Select the play button on a world card. The start dialog asks for:

  • the session name;
  • the playable character;
  • which opening to start with, when the world offers several;
  • when the story starts (local time in the story's zone, like 1912-04-14T23:40:00), when the clock is simulated; empty keeps the world's own start. A story that follows the real clock starts now;
  • optionally a preset of writing instructions, when you have any or the world suggests one;
  • optionally lorebooks of background knowledge to start with (the world's suggestions are ticked);
  • optional reusable avatars to bring into this session;
  • advanced roleplay settings.

Starting validates the complete cast, creates a UUID-named session folder and SQLite database, copies the world's initial definitions and state, and creates a DSH chat. If any step fails, the incomplete session is removed.

Before the first message, a card above the input lists anything the world check found unfinished (for example a place no one can reach, or a character who is in no place). It does not stop the start; it goes away with the first turn.

The world's opening message becomes the first completed roleplay output without calling a model. The player's first message starts the normal game-master loop.

For that first action, write naturally rather than trying to prompt the whole system. Describe what your character says, attempts, examines or waits for. The roleplay preset already supplies the world rules, current scene and the tools needed to update state.

Examples:

  • I keep my voice low. “Who else knows the observatory is open?”
  • Search the desk carefully, especially anything that looks recently disturbed.
  • I say nothing and watch how Arthur reacts to the name.

The resulting turn may involve several character decisions before the GM narrates. Longer is not necessarily better: bounded rounds keep one message from turning into an uncontrolled simulation.

The world remains unchanged during play. A session owns its evolving character state, relationships, knowledge, items, clock, memories, plot progress and generated media.

Open existing stories from Role Play → Sessions. See Sessions and timelines for branching, take-back and deletion.