Clarify failure for me

[Aramis]

Essentially, the mission failure conditions are "Give Up" or "lose a conflict", and the twists taking away so far that going back is a form of Give Up....

That being said, since almost any obstacle can be made into a conflict, the GM has a lot of power to put failure on the line, and in some seriously surprising ways.

Any A intent vs B intent roll can be either a quick-roll contest or dragged out into a conflict.

Make it from Lockhaven through the snow in winter, with winter's intent to Injure the PC's... can be handled as a single roll of Pathfinder vs Winter (8).... or as an extended conflict, with Attack being Pathfinder, defend being survivalist, Feint being Loremouse or Pathfinder, and Maneuver being survivalist or Loremouse. Winter simply rolls nature for each... Party Dispo is base Health, plus roll of Pathfinder. Winter is Nature + Roll of Nature.

If taken as an extended conflict, it's quite possible to lose, and accept 'we don't make it to lockhaven, and instead hole up with a squirrel for a month' instead of injury...

[sirogit]

I would emphasize that while any action that results in a Twist-Fail is definitely failed, the challenge that created it is rendered irrelevant, at least as far as this mission goes:

Eg:

Mice failed in a roll to find food to calm the nerves of a village? That might be a Twist involving conflict with surly mice. But after that conflict, the story doesn't go back to finding food for mice, the GM has to present a new challenge.