The Oracle Engine
The game master of the mythological sagas: gods who keep score, oaths you must keep, and a hero whose pride can bring down the heavens.
The Oracle Engine runs Myth Through Time. It shares the Hourglass Engine's foundations (your Ledger, the Librarian and people with their own minds) and adds the rules of legend.
The gods keep score
Every god and monster you meet has their own favour and wrath towards you, shown in the Pantheon tab. Gods hold their lines just like mortals do: flattery won't buy a miracle, only the price they ask for.
The Altar
Pray and make offerings at the Altar.
- Sacrificing something you carry removes it for good and earns favour. A relic is worth far more than an everyday item.
- Demanding a miracle without an offering angers the gods.
Oaths
Instead of goals, heroes swear oaths. You have one active oath at a time, a small and immediate step towards your destiny, such as "find a ship" or "consult the oracle". Break an oath and your patron's favour turns to fury, and something is sent to hunt you.
Your three scores
Myths track three scores: your body, your pride and your honour. Each culture names them its own way:
- Olympus: Stamina, Hubris, Glory
- Midgard: Fjör, Ologi, Lof
- Duat: Ka, Isfet, Ma'at
- Avalon: Vigor, Corruption, Chivalry
- Shenzhou: Qi, Defiance, Mandate
- Iram: Ruh, Kibr, Barakah
- Aztlan: Tonalli, Tlazolli, Teotl
What they do:
- Body: if it reaches zero, your hero dies.
- Pride: using relics and magic or defying the gods raises it; only real penance lowers it. Let it reach the top and the gods' retribution is catastrophic.
- Honour: grows as you keep your oaths and perform great deeds.
Omens
Every so often the gods send an omen, a cryptic prophecy that appears on screen. When a god's wrath runs high, expect one sooner.
Chapters
Each saga is told in seven chapters. The engine won't move you on until you've actually done what the chapter needs, however long that takes, and your saga ends with its final chapter. See Myth Through Time.
See also
Last updated 2026-10-08