Tutorial 8

Tutorial 8: Creatures of the Night (Event Triggers)

Goal: Let's create a monster that only reveals its true form when the sun goes down. We are going to create an Identity that automatically swaps a token's artwork to a Vampire whenever the scene's darkness level gets too high.

Prerequisites

• Role: Player or Game Master (We are making this a Local rule for a specific token)
• Required Modules: Visage

Concepts Covered

• Creating an Event automation condition
• Using the Darkness event trigger
• Understanding how Visage responds to environmental changes

Step-by-Step Guide

Phase 1: Creating the Vampire Identity

1. Create a New Visage: Open the Local Library and create a new Visage.
2. Set the Label and Mode: Name it "Vampire Form" and check the Mode is Identity.
3. Set the Appearance: With Token Appearance selected in the Layers list, tick the box for Image in the Identity section and use the file picker to select a terrifying vampire token. (If you want them to look bigger and scarier, you can also tick the Scale box in the Size & Fit section and set it to 120%.)

Phase 2: The Event Condition

1. Open the Automation View: In the header of the Visage Editor, switch the View to Automation.

2. Enable Automation: Click the Apply automatically power button at the top so it turns green.

3. Add a Condition: Under Add a condition, click the Event button. A new condition appears in the list.

4. Configure the Event:

   • Event Type: Click the dropdown and select Scene Darkness.
   • Comparison: Change this to above.
   • Value: Type 0.5.

   Tip: Foundry's scene darkness is measured on a scale of 0 (bright daylight) to 1 (pitch black). By setting the value to 0.5, this Visage will trigger as soon as the scene crosses into twilight/nighttime!

5. Limit the Target (Optional): Because this is a Local Visage, it only ever applies to tokens of this actor. If you built the same rule in the Global Library, every token on the map would turn into a vampire when it got dark! To limit a global rule:

   • Click the Attribute button to add a second condition.
   • Set the data path to name (the token's name), read as text, the comparison to contains, and the value to Strahd (or whatever your NPC is named).
   • Keep the rule set to all. Now, Visage will only apply the Vampire Form if the token is named Strahd and it is dark out.

6. Save: Save your Visage.

Testing It Out

1. Check the Canvas: Make sure your target token (e.g., Strahd) is on the canvas.
2. Change the Sun: Open the core Foundry Lighting Controls (the lightbulb icon on the left toolbar) and click the Transition to Night button, or manually drag the Darkness Level slider past 0.5.
3. Watch the Canvas: As the map darkens, your NPC will instantly transform into their Vampire Form!
4. Bring the Dawn: Transition the scene back to daylight (Darkness < 0.5). The token will automatically revert to its human disguise.

Pro-Tips & Creative Ideas

• The Combat Event: You can use Event triggers for more than just the environment! If you set the Event Type to Combat Encounter and the state to the token is in combat, you can create a Visage that automatically gives a token a "weapons drawn" appearance the moment the GM rolls initiative for them.
• The Elevation Event: If you play in a system with lots of verticality, create an Overlay with the Event Type set to Token Elevation, the comparison set to above, and the value 0. Add a dark, semi-transparent circle as a visual effect below the token. Now, whenever a token flies up into the air, they automatically get a drop-shadow on the ground beneath them!