Clocks

A clock is either a track or a pool of dice that measures the ongoing progress of something changing in the fiction.

A track is a clock with a string of boxes or circles that are marked off or filled when it progresses.
🔳 🔳 🔳 ⬜️ ⬜️ (3/5 marked)

A pool is a clock with a group of d6's that are rolled when it progresses. When you roll a pool, drop 1d for each 1-3 result.
🎲🎲🎲🎲 (4d pool)

When a rule tells you to tick a clock, mark one off on the track or roll the pool.
When the last box is marked in a track or when a pool reaches 0d, the clock ends and the fiction changes.

Clocks always have a name, size, type, and ➡️ outcome.
They may also have
⏺ traits,
✴️ suggested GM Actions, and
❇️ particular tick triggers.

Pools

Obstacle Pools

Create: when the PCs need to deal with or overcome a more complex obstacle. Make it about the obstacle that is in the way, not the method or the PC's goals.

Tick: on messy or better action rolls, or if PCs otherwise make progress against the obstacle.
Some abilities will allow PCs to push (link needed) to drop the last die in an Obstacle Pool.

Outcome: happens when the obstacle is dealt with or overcome. (Most of the time the outcome will be "there is no longer an obstacle".)

Clock size: 8d—multi-layered, 6d—difficult, 4d—stubborn.
The players will usually want obstacle pools to deplete as fast as possible.

Examples: Barroom brawl, zombie infestation, magical fear aura, judgmental Masquerade guests.

Pressure Pools

Create: when you need to track the world making progress against the PCs.

Tick: on messy or worse action rolls, when significant time passes, or when the danger needs to increase for pacing.

Outcome: happens when the danger comes to fruition— the threats appear, the negative effect completes, or the opportunity passes by.

Clock size: 8d—looming, 6d—nearing, 4d—imminent.
The players will usually want pressure pools to deplete slowly or not at all.

Examples: A faction gaining power, the portal closing, suspicion growing during a seduction, closeness of pursuers chasing the party, alert level of guards on patrol.

Resource Pools

Create: when the PCs have a precious or limited resource.

Tick: on use of that resource.
The pool can increase if the PCs gain more of the resource.

Outcome: happens when the resource is used up or gone. (Most of the time the only outcome will be "the resource is gone".)

Clock size: 8d—many, 6d—some, 4d—few.
The players will usually want resources pools to deplete slowly or not at all.

Examples: Manpower during a siege, a quiver of fire-charge arrows, armor durability.

Tracks

Timer Tracks

Create: when you need to track time counting down or events unfolding. If time can be clearly or obviously tracked (or you want more than 5 ticks on average), use a timer track instead of a pressure pool.

Tick: when significant time passes, when the PCs delay or are stalled, or when the PCs take enough time in their actions.

Outcome: happens when the time has passed the established amount, and the event completes or a new event begins.

Clock size: 7-box—approaching, 5-box—nearing, 3-box—imminent.
The players may want timer tracks to be filled slowly or quickly.

Examples: Reinforcements arrive, the time it takes to heal a wound, the household wakes up.

Goal Tracks

Create: when the PCs have a specific or obvious goal, and they can make definite progress towards accomplishing it. Make it about the party's intention & purpose, not the method or the obstacles.

Tick: on messy or better action rolls, when the PCs are helped by others, or whenever the PCs make active progress towards the goal.

Outcome: happens when the goal is accomplished, and may include a reward or payoff. (Most of the time the only outcome will be "the goal is accomplished".)

Clock size: 7-box—daunting, 5-box—formidable, 3-box—tough.
The players will usually want goal tracks to be filled as fast as possible.

Examples: Earn a new faction’s trust, search for a lost treasure, research overnight in a library.

Long Term Project Tracks

These are the same as goal tracks, but progress is marked in a special way.

When you make progress on a long term project and tick the clock, roll the relevant approach. The highest die result is added to the tally total.

If you roll a perfect, you can make another project roll as part of the same downtime activity.

If a threat is ever applied to a Long Term Project roll, it cuts the result by 2 per threat result (5→3).

Using Clocks

Linked Clocks

One completes, another begins.

Racing Clocks

Opposing, competing. Simultaneous. Chases.
Sometimes only one outcome happens (racing vehicles, chase (goal) vs escaping (pressure), sometimes both (search vs sunk ship)

Often an Obstacle Pool or Goal Track should be paired with a Pressure Pool or Timer Clock.
As the PCs are trying to overcome or achieve something, there should be

Impact

basically, if the fiction calls for it, tick more than once.
"pushing" to drop 1d or make a tick

Open, Hidden, Secret

Stealing from Wildsea
Most tracks are open - everyone at the table can see how
many boxes they have and when they’re being marked
or cleared. This usually gives a good sense of how much
progress it will take to trigger an event.
Some tracks are hidden - you know they exist, but
not how long they are or how much you’ve marked
them. With these tracks, the Firefly may give you some
in-game hints when you’re getting close to marking the
final box.
Finally, some tracks are secret - they’re created to
track your progress toward something without your
knowledge. Perhaps a particular course of action you take
has unintended side effects, or a trusted friend is slowly
working up the courage to stab you in the back. Whatever
they’re counting toward, you’ll only become aware of
secret tracks when you unwittingly mark the final box
and the Firefly reveals their secret.

Challenges

Bringing it all together (especially linked and racing clocks) to create an encounter!

This will be mostly during the "Conflict" phase.