The premise of Totem: Ice Age Roleplaying in a World of Spirits is that the PCs are a group of hunters who encounter wild animals and natural spirits. Characters get a talent from their clan, and can choose another. These talents are semi-magical and are lost if the hunter loses a physical focus. Success or failure on a task is determined by the color of a stone drawn from a bag. Relevant talents or particularly easy tasks allow an extra stone to be drawn; difficult tasks require additional stone to be drawn, which must all be the correct color for success. Spirits are everywhere, and must be appeased when anything natural is damaged or taken.