Vault Voice

Writing Style Guide

This document defines the consistent voice and style for all Today’s Specials documentation.

Tone Principles

Cozy & Funny

• Light-hearted and humorous
• No dark themes, death, or heavy consequences
• Think Futurama-style hijinks and Delicious in Dungeon’s food enthusiasm
• Failures are comedic disasters, not tragedies

Accessible & Clear

• Short sentences and paragraphs
• Active voice over passive
• Concrete examples over abstract concepts
• “Show don’t tell” — provide examples of play

Encouraging & Energetic

• Fast-paced and action-oriented language
• Emphasize flipping cards and creating things
• Celebrate player creativity and improvisation
• Use exclamation points sparingly but with purpose

Writing Rules

Mechanics Documentation

✅ DO:

• Lead with “what you do” before “why it matters”
• Use bullet points for scanability
• Include concrete examples with card flips
• Keep rules to one page maximum per topic
• Use consistent formatting (bold for key terms, italics for flavor)

❌ DON’T:

• Use RPG jargon without explanation (GM, d20, DC, etc.)
• Write long paragraphs of exposition
• Include “strategy tips” in core rules (save for separate guides)
• Over-explain — trust player creativity
• Add pass/fail conditions where the rules don’t have them

Example Format:

## Exploration

Flip a card. Check the suit on the reference card — it tells you what kind of situation you're in.
Then check the rank — it tells you the specific prompt.

- **Hearts** — Something friendly. Maybe it wants to help.
- **Clubs** — Something in motion. Chaos incoming.
- **Diamonds** — Something unexpected. Not what it looks like.
- **Spades** — Something hidden. Proceed carefully.

Draw what you find. Pass the sketchbook. Move on.

Flavor & Narrative Voice

When Writing Flavor Text:

• Keep it punchy (1–2 sentences max)
• Focus on sensory details (sights, smells, sounds)
• Emphasize the absurd and unexpected
• Genre-neutral unless in a specific example

Punctuation:

• Avoid em dashes. Use periods, commas, or ellipses instead.
• Break long thoughts into short sentences for flow
• Let fragments and short bursts create rhythm, not mechanical punctuation

Example:

The dragon steak sizzles on the enchanted griddle, filling the dungeon with the smell of char and magic. Your rival chef across the cavern shoots you a glare — they wanted that ingredient.

Document Structure

Every document should have:

1. Tags — For organization
2. Title — Clear and descriptive
3. Brief intro — What is this document? (1–2 sentences)
4. Sections — Organized with headers
5. Examples — At least one concrete example of the mechanic in play

Terms & Consistency

Use These Terms:

• Flip (not “roll” or “draw”)
• Class (not “specialist”, “role”, or “job”)
• Calling (not “backstory” or “motivation”)
• Job (not “quest” or “mission”)
• Session (not “adventure” or “game”)
• Dish (not “meal” or “creation”)
• Prompt (not “encounter” or “event”)

Do Not Use:

• Dice notation (d20, d6, etc.) — there are no dice in this game
• “Roll” for any mechanic — always “flip”
• “Pass/fail”, “succeed”, “fail” — there are no pass/fail conditions
• “Score” or “points” — there is no scoring

Formatting:

• Bold for mechanical terms and key concepts
• Italics for flavor, examples, and emphasis
• Code blocks for card tables and structured data

• Block quotes for in-game narrative examples

Genre Adaptation Guidelines

When writing genre-specific content (fantasy, sci-fi, cartoon):

Keep Mechanics Identical

• The rules never change between genres
• Only the narrative skin changes

Parallel Structure

• Use tables to show equivalent terms across genres
• Maintain the same whimsical tone regardless of setting

Example:

Revision Checklist

Before finalizing any document, check:

• Does it use active voice and short sentences?
• Are there concrete examples with card flips (not dice rolls)?
• Is it under 1 page (or chunked into digestible sections)?
• Does it maintain the cozy/funny tone?
• Are terms consistent with this style guide?
• Does it use “flip” not “roll”?
• Does it avoid pass/fail language?
• Would this make someone excited to play?