Disclaimer: This project uses AI art from Midjourney. It is a $0 budget single creator project. 

Genre and Tropes

Aurora started Eidolon Alpha as the base framing of the mechanics from CPGH. It started as a way to reimagine the summoning mechanic as a transformation instead. This 2nd edition has begun to take on more of a life of its own.

It borrows heavily from holiday tropes and traditions to paint in very broad strokes a world of challenged hope. Do not feel guilty at all if you do the same at your table. Be as Hallmark and cheesy as you like. It’s a popcorn setting. Enjoy! 

Hidden World Holiday Fantasy

The idea of supernatural creatures hiding in the modern world isn’t new. Instead of them being werewolves or vampires, they are toy making elves or snowfolk. 

Transforming for Battle

Eidolon Alpha summoned giant spirits to do battle for you. Aurora makes this a little more personal. You are a supernatural creature and when you make that readily apparent your powers grow. 

What You Need to Play

Dice - virtual or otherwise, character sheets, a GM, this document. All relevant Cortex Prime rules are included in this document with alterations to fit the game. For a deeper look at what Cortex Prime offers as a toolkit you can find the core book here.  

Cortex Prime Rules and Variants

Distinctions: One is tied to an Archetype which also confers Powers and SFX

Attributes: Dedication, Delivery, Discernment, Wrapping, Wonder

Roles: 3 Primary Roles: Crafter, Judge, Enforcer. You may substitute one of these with Watcher, Logistician, Baker, Caroler, Transporter

Conflicts are resolved with tests and contests. Difficulty is established by difficulty dice pairs or GMC pools. 

Consequences are represented by stress on attributes and complications. Attribute stress is further augmented with Shaken and Stricken. 

Winter and It’s Children

Some of us weren’t born in the lands of humans with their busy streets and bulging communities. Some of us were born in the North, beyond the Aurora, in the lands of holiday myth and legend. These immortal spirits hide amongst the mortals. You are an Auroran. You are descended from the great myths, like the one true Santa Claus or Gryla. Those are colloquially referred to as the Rents. It is from them that your essence is given strength. 

You can walk freely in the mortal realm taking on a consistent human form. You can manifest your northern form during the winter months with relative ease. Furthermore, you can also take on any hybrid form between human and auroran. As the season turns, so too does the strength of your powers. Come springtime your powers will fade until the first snow falls again. 

There are ten primary families of spirits, referred to as archetypes - with two subtypes each. They are all open for play. Though some rivalries are alluded to these are not firm lines. The Ghost of Holidays End is not detailed for play and is appropriate only as a true foe. They are considered the common enemy of all Aurorans. Without the magic of the holidays in the mortal realms the holiday realms will cease to exist or so the story goes. No one has any desire to test their faith on this point. 

Full Game is available here on google docs where you can make a copy and modify to start making your own Primed by Cortex games.