What it is
- Your remaining connection to the person you were before arrival.
- A persistent resource that matters beyond a single death.
- Both a gameplay system and a roleplay truth.
Memory
You have Memory. In Outworld, Memory is the currency of your existence. It allows you to return through Rebirth, and it is also the remaining connection to the life you had before arriving. If it runs out, that connection is gone. Your next death is final.
Core Summary
Memory is a resource you should protect. You begin with 80%, already diminished by arrival. Each Rebirth costs 25% Memory. If you ever die without enough Memory left to return, that death is permanent.
What spends it
- Rebirth costs 25% Memory.
- Each return requires giving up part of your past.
- The cost is permanent and cumulative.
What is at stake
- Not enough Memory to Rebirth means permanent death.
- Some ways to recover Memory exist.
- They are rare enough that you should never depend on them.
Important: Memory is not a normal currency. When you spend it,
you are giving up pieces of your past and the person you used to be.
What Players Should Actually Care About
Memory defines your long term survival margin. Dying determines whether you fall. Rebirth determines whether you return. Memory is what pays the price for that return.
Because of this, every risk carries weight. A failed expedition does not just cost supplies or progress. It costs another piece of your identity.
The safest mindset is simple. protect your Memory whenever you can. There will be times when you must spend it, but it should never feel disposable.
Memory & Identity
Memory also affects who your character is able to be. The following ranges act as a roleplay guideline for how clearly your life before arrival still exists in your mind.
| Memory | Roleplay feel |
|---|---|
| 81–100% | You have strong recall. Most of your past remains intact. Minor details may blur occasionally, but the important parts are clear. |
| 61–80% | Your past is still present, though cracks appear. A name may slip or a face may be harder to picture than it should be. |
| 41–60% | Your old life feels distant. You can still remember it, but details often require effort to retrieve. |
| 21–40% | Only the broad themes of your life remain clear. Specific memories feel hazy and incomplete. |
| 1–20% | Very little remains. You may remember your name and brief flashes of the past, but most of your life is gone. |
| 0% | Your life before the Dead World has vanished. Even if others tell you who you once were, it no longer feels like it belongs to you. |
Roleplay Guide
High Memory
Your past still feels real and personal. You can recall people, places, beliefs, and loyalties without hesitation.
Mid Memory
The structure of your old life remains, but details begin slipping. You remember what mattered, even if the reasons feel less clear.
Low Memory
Identity becomes fragmented. Your past appears as scattered memories rather than a continuous life.
Empty Memory
Your previous life no longer feels like yours. That person exists only as a story others may tell you.
RP note: As Memory declines, the connection to your old
identity weakens. Names, loyalties, and personal history become less certain.
How To Treat Memory
Do not think of Memory as something that can easily be replaced. It represents the remaining pieces of your former self.
Outworld will tempt you to spend it. Sometimes that choice will be necessary. The system is designed so that Rebirth is possible, but never free of consequence.
Surviving long term means respecting the cost, avoiding reckless deaths, and remembering that every unnecessary return makes the next one more dangerous.
Quick Answers
- How much Memory do I start with? 80%.
- What is Memory used for? Most importantly, Rebirth.
- How much does Rebirth cost? 25% Memory.
- Can Memory go below 0%? No.
- Can I rely on getting Memory back? No. Recovery exists, but it is rare.
- What happens if I die without enough Memory? Permanent death.
- Where do I read about going down in combat? See Dying.