Getting Started #

To play Society of Rafa for the first time, you do not need to read the entire Society of Rafa Handbook and other game materials. They are here for you to delve into as deeply as you like and reference during gameplay. This introductory “QuickStart” chapter and then the “Character Creation” and “Gameplay” chapters will give you enough guidance to get started.

Storytellers would do well to read through the entire Handbook and Book of Spirits for a more in-depth understanding of the world. The subsequent chapter “Storyteller Guide” will give you tips on how to run a successful Scenario. You can use the provided starter scenarios or create your own.

Players and Storyteller have symmetric information in this game. All materials are open to both players and storytellers to use and build upon, with the caveat that players should not read the Starter Scenarios in order to avoid spoilers of their adventures. As players’ characters are members of the Kahal community and trained Rafa, they have almost as much knowledge of the world as the Storyteller. 

Your First Session  #

Your first session with a new Rafa Circle consists of four main activities:

1. Discuss Player expectations amongst your Circle
2. Create your individual characters
3. Form your Rafa Circle’s internal relationships
4. Play your first scenario

Step 0: Circle Expectations #

Discuss what each member of your play circle wants to explore in the game and what themes are off limits.  Share what excited you about the game – themes, mechanics, emphasis on magic or community, etc. A great First Session activity is to create a physical or virtual post-it board with three categories:

What do you WANT to do in the game?

• Are you gung ho to interact with spirits?
• Do you really want to help birth a baby? 
• Do you want a lighthearted game or are you interested in darker storylines?
• Do you want to play with any simplified rules?

What do you NOT WANT to do in the game?

• Do you want to avoid excess blood?
• Do you dislike fiddly mechanics, like tracking your expenses?

What themes or story elements are off limits?

• Should the Storyteller provide content warnings?
• Do you want to avoid body horror?
• Should you avoid sensitive themes, such as rape or alcoholism?

Each player spends some time quietly adding sticky notes for each category to the board. Players can add stars to others’ stickies to show support for others’ ideas. Then the group discusses, so that future sessions can integrate what collectively excites everyone.

As Society of Rafa can address stories of healing community and personal trauma, it is important for players to have the opportunity to request that certain themes are off limits. Every player can place an X on any sticky note to veto anything they are uncomfortable with, even if it is something another player wants. For example, if one player wants a story to include Necromancy and another player does not want zombies, you can compromise with ghosts or just avoid such topics altogether. The wonderful part of defining these early is learning about one another before the Storyteller commits to a plan.

Step 1: Create your character (or use a starter one) #

Start composing your character on the Character Sheet.

You can also use or modify one of our starter characters:

• Maya, Apothecary — Courteous and respectful woman from Terida. She’s very near-sighted and uses talk to navigate.
• Freida, Surgeon — A woman from Kahal, who carries great guilt for failing to save a friend.
• Yona, Shepherd of Souls — Sari youth from the Avodai Quarter in Terida, slightly acerbic.
• Tav, Counselor — Gregarious timtum who was born in Terida and converted to Avodai. They have big personality in a big body.

Fill out Page 1 of the Character Sheet. Characters are the heart and soul of Society of Rafa. Therefore, the first step in Playing Society of Rafa is creating a unique Rafa, healer, to play. You pick a Rafa Specialty, personality, and backstory. You should start wherever makes sense for you, and there’s nothing you can do wrong. Once you choose a few details, it becomes easier to expand on your character in areas that stumped you previously.

You do not need to know everything about your character before starting. You just want a starting base of how your character fits into the village of Kahal. Once you have created a character, you may use them each time you play. 

You can find more detailed guidance on creating a character in the “Character Creation” chapter. 

Step 2: Who are your important relationships?   #

Start Page 2 of the Character Sheet.  Do you have a spouse, lover, and/or children? Who are your parents and/or siblings? What are your relationships like with them? 

You can create your family and friends or choose them from existing villagers found in the Medical Records. (If you really want to go beyond, you can even create Medical Records for any family members you create.) Leave space on this page for the Rafa in your Circle.

Step 3: Healing Circle’s Relationships #

Continue Page 2 of the Character Sheet. Each player should share what  they know of their character so far. Then you will discuss how your characters relate to each other. Propose something and see if other players want that shared reality. Creating these relationship details makes roleplaying more fun and dynamic.

• Is Rafa Hayli a mentor to Rafa Yair? 
• Or does Rafa Yair’s over exuberant personality annoy the refined Rafa Hayli? 
• Does Rafa Midwife Meira have a side matchmaking business and keeps trying to set up her single, uninterested colleagues? 
• Did Rafa Idit marry Rafa Shiri’s ex-wife? Or are your characters in-laws? Or best friends? 

Step 4: Pick your Rafa skills #

Now that you know your specialty, it is time to choose your healing skills. 

Beginner Roleplayers 

First-time role players are encouraged to start with the six skills marked as Recommended Starter Skills on each Specialty page.

Experienced Roleplayers and Gamers 

If you have played role playing games before or just comfortable with games in general, along with your six basic skills for your specialty, you may also choose three additional actions: 

• Learn an advanced skill for which you have the prerequisites
• Become an expert in one of your existing skills (making it easier to succeed) 
• Learn another skill from any specialty for which you have the prerequisites

Step 5: Stock your Rafa Bag  #

Beginner Roleplayers 

One player in your Rafa Circle always carries the Book of Spirits as a reference book. Characters in the specialty of Counselor or Shepherd of Souls usually take on this responsibility, if you have one in your Circle.

Each Specialty page also lists starting equipment that lists herbal remedies and medical supplies found in your Rafa Bag. Beginners should review what they have access to in their bags, but more experienced role players can specify additional supplies as desired.

Restocking

Any time you are in the House of Healing, you may get additional supplies or switch them out. In particular, your supplies for herbal remedies (Apothecaries) and amulet crafting (Physicians) might be good to customize based on what you encounter in each scenario.