The Five Tools of Living

Narrative, Direct, Instincts, Rewind and the Story button: the five ways you interact with the world.

You interact with the world using five tools. Together they give you precise control over your actions, the pace of the story and even time itself.

1. Narrative (action, speech and observation)

Your main tool. Write naturally; you don't need to say which kind of action it is.

• Action: "I draw my revolver and kick over the table."
• Speech: "Listen here, I don't want any trouble."
• Observation: "I carefully inspect the wax seal on the envelope."

2. Direct

Speak to the narrator as co-author to skip ahead, set the scene or nudge events: "Skip to the next morning", "It begins to rain". Time skips move the clock; see Time & the Clock.

3. Instincts

Stuck? Press Instincts (the sparkle icon) and the narrator offers three options that suit your exact situation and era. Pick one to use it as your next move.

4. Rewind

Made a fatal mistake? Rewind undoes your last turn so you can try something else. It turns the clock back too. See Rewinding Time.

5. The Story button

Sends an empty turn, in effect "and then what happened?". Use it to let the world react, or to let someone finish speaking.

Dictation

Both desktop and mobile have a microphone button next to the input bar. Tap it and speak; your words are transcribed as you go.

Going further: Timekeeper Mode

For more control, switch on Timekeeper Mode to edit your character, the world, the hidden rules and the narrator's last reply.

See also

• Rewinding Time
• Time & the Clock
• Timekeeper Mode

Last updated 2026-10-08