Introduction - What is Anomaly?

Anomaly is a gaming system. It is a series of guidelines that can be used to describe many settings and their inhabitants. These guidelines are used to describe how well characters succeed when they accomplish something, how badly they fail when they do not succeed, and what the natural and artificial difficulties are for them to accomplish their goals. Regardless, these are all guidelines that serve a higher rule than themselves. That rule is to have fun. If you are not having fun, there is no point in playing the game and why they are merely guidelines not rules themselves.

Because this is a gaming system that can stretch across multiple settings, anomaly books come in two varieties: This book and setting books. This book is the core rule book, and has the rules for almost everything you'll need. Setting books have lists of races, religions, setting-specific rules, and other cultural items that are necessary for that setting.

Theme

At it's core, roleplaying games are about having fun living through a story. So it's good for players and the GM to get on the same page about the game's themes.

Our meaning of theme here is a grand cosmic rule. A "thing" that happens without fail when circumstances are right. There are no exceptions to a theme. It can be delayed, it can be spread out, but it will play out eventually. A grand cosmic rule.

For examples, "What goes around, comes around" is a 'theme.' If you do something wicked to someone else, wickedness will be done to you. If you help people in their time of need, you will be saved in yours. When the players and GM understand or even shape the themes of the game, it will help the game flow better.

Anomaly as a system has been designed around three default themes.

• If you don't acquire power, you will have no power.
• If you have no power, you will have no say.
• If you have no say, you will stop no evil.