Realms

This is the front art from chapter four, "Scenes and Narration."

I wanted an image that captured the essence of the game's approach to scenes. In Covenant each scene must be described with reference to the following criteria:

• An emotional connection between a protagonist and the events
• A conflict to be resolved
• Urgency

The scene in question was inspired by one of the opening scenes from the demo I ran at Conpulsion. Our female protagonist arrives, her friend lies near death on the floor, and the perpetrator has just left... What does she do now?

This snippet comes from the third chapter of Covenant, "Preparing for Play."

The first stage in preparing a Covenant game is a discussion between the players about the game's themes, approach and how it is likely to flow. The purpose of this is to brainstorm details of the cell to which the player's characters will belong, define the areas that interest you in the setting and avoid conflicts of expectation later on. Details are filled in on the cell playsheet (there is one at the end of the book) and should include:

• A list of elements you want to see in the game's fiction, divided into conventions and motifs
• The cell's former purpose
• The cell's name and location
• People important to the cell

Conventions and motifs are a great part of the game. The group uses them to agree the ground rules, both in terms of how the fictional world works and the recurring elements that describe it. However, you don't just brainstorm them and then file them away, they become an intrinsic part of the resolution system.

This is the top half of the front piece for the first chapter of Covenant, "The End of the World Never Happened."

This unnamed character is one the recurring protagonists from the illustrations. The idea being that a story is implied by the series illustrations, but you can decide what it is for yourself. As to the sanctum he's walking in on, well, you'll have to buy the book to see...

Here's a snippet from the introductory chapter, to give a taste of the feel of the game's setting:

For five thousand years, the secret society known as Covenant prepared for the apocalypse. Insinuating itself into every government, bureaucracy and religion. Preparing for a day it knew would come. Armageddon.

On January 1st 2000, they awaited the sign that would herald the end of the world. It didn't arrive. Soon the society that had manipulated governments, built ideologies and overthrown religions was in turmoil. It split into a whirlwind of warring factions and conflicting opinions. Why had prophecies failed, where before they had succeeded? Who was to blame? What does the future really hold?

Here's a bit of Covenant preview material for you to admire. This is the top left part of one of Cliff's excellent illustrations. I asked for a tense hostage situation on an Eastern-European rooftop, and that's what I got.