Microscope: Chronicle Notes
System: Microscope: Chronicle (Playtest 2025) Author: Ben Robbins Status: PRIMARY history system for Western Horizon Use Case: Single-location history (settlement, object, organization)
Why Chronicle is Perfect for Western Horizon
The Scaling Insight
Chronicle for Lower Tiers → Full Microscope for Higher Tiers
The scope of what players need to know should scale with their tier and settlement size:
Tier 1-2 (Hamlet/Town):
- Use Chronicle - Focus on THIS settlement’s history
- Anchor characters are local: founders, early settlers, key NPCs
- Periods span the settlement’s lifetime (decades, maybe a century)
Tier 3-4 (City/Capital):
- Use Full Microscope - Zoom out to regional/world history
- NEED to know: neighboring cities, kingdom structure, major conflicts
- Periods span centuries, include multiple civilizations
What Chronicle Does
Creates the history of a single Chronicle (city, sword, secret society) through the lives of Anchors (characters connected to it).
Core Difference from Standard Microscope
| Microscope | Chronicle |
|---|---|
| Entire civilization/world | Single thing (city, object, org) |
| Broad, sweeping history | Personal, character-focused |
| Can lose focus | Stays tightly focused |
| Good for Session Zero world | Good for settlement history |
Chronicle Procedure (Abbreviated)
Setup
- Pick Our Chronicle — The thing you’re creating history for
- Bookends — START Period and END Period (each Light or Dark)
- Palette — Yes/No lists for tone and content
- End Discussion — No coaching on others’ turns
- First Pass — Each player makes one Period or Event
- Second Pass — Each player makes one Event or Anchor
The Three Elements
Periods — Major chunks of time (years, decades, centuries). Light or Dark.
Events — Specific things that happen within a Period. Complete description with outcome.
Anchors — Named characters tied to specific Periods. Show the Chronicle through their eyes.
Integration with Street Magic: Anchors from Chronicle → Residents in Street Magic (add sensory details and vignettes)
Integration with Western Horizon
When to Run Chronicle
| Tier | When | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 (1-4) | At founding or reaching Tier 2 | 1-2 hours |
| Tier 2 (5-10) | When established or reaching Tier 3 | 2-3 hours |
| Tier 3+ (11+) | Switch to full Microscope | 2-4 hours for Chronicle of specific locations |
Handoffs to Other Systems
- Chronicle creates → Ex Novo details (founding periods → districts, resources)
- Chronicle creates → Street Magic details (Anchors → Residents with true names)
- Chronicle creates → Beak, Feather & Bone details (events → headquarters buildings)
- Chronicle creates → Ex Umbra hooks (sealed temples → rumor-based dungeons)
Key Modifications for WH
- Abbreviated Chronicle: Set Period target (3-5 for small, 5-8 for larger), time-box sessions
- “Current State” as END Bookend: END isn’t destruction—it’s where the settlement is NOW
- Living Chronicle: Can be reopened at later tiers, END bookend shifts
- Integrate with Palette: Use Palette step for campaign tone + safety tools
The Tiered Approach Summary
- Tier 1-2: Chronicle for settlement history (local scope, 1-3 hours)
- Tier 3+: Full Microscope for world history, Chronicle for specific locations
- Session Zero: Optional Microscope for world → Chronicle for starting settlement
Processed from: Microscope_Chronicle_playtest_2025_05.pdf