Editing Unwritten: System Reference Document/Aspects and Fate Points (section)

==Situation Aspects==

By default, a situation aspect is temporary, intended to last only for a single scene or until it no longer makes sense (but no longer than a session, at most). Situation aspects can be attached to the environment the scene takes place in—which affects everybody in the scene—but you can also attach them to specific characters by targeting them when you create an advantage. Situation aspects describe significant features of the circumstances the characters are dealing with in a scene. That includes:

* Physical features of the environment (Freezing Winds, Humming Crystal Shards).
* Positioning or placement (Behind Cover, Poised to Strike).
* Immediate obstacles (Piles of Rubble, Crumbling Bridges).
* Contextual details that are likely to come into play (The Natives are Restless, Walls Covered in Ancient Symbols).
* Sudden changes in a character’s status (Blinded, Off-Balance).

Who can use a situation aspect depends on narrative context— sometimes it’ll be clear, and sometimes you’ll need to justify how you’re using the aspect so it makes sense based on what’s happening in the scene.

GMs, you’re the final arbiter on what claims on an aspect are valid. Sometimes situation aspects become obstacles that characters need to overcome. Other times they give you justification to provide active opposition against someone else’s action.

===Reserving situation aspects===
As a rule, situation aspects last as long as makes sense. Rarely does this extend past the end of the scene (though occasionally you create aspects for use in the next scene). Situation aspects are transitory by design.

You might want to make something that lasts for longer. Maybe you want to set up something that you might use later, but not necessarily in the next scene. Another possibility is that you want to take some situation aspect and extend its usefulness.

You can choose to ‘reserve’ an aspect for later usage by spending a fate point. That aspect sticks around. When you invoke the aspect, it becomes active; the clock starts ticking. It will be available for use but may go away soon like any other active situation aspect.

Unused reserved aspects go away at the end of the chapter. Or a character can release the aspect at any point. Additionally, a change in the situation may nullify the aspect. Something might have happened to counteract it, or it simply might not make sense anymore. It goes away. Here is the tricky thing: reserved aspects can still be compelled. And a compel does not necessarily activate the situation aspect like invoking it does.

Boosts cannot be reserved—they are simply too momentary.