From the introduction: Atla is a tabletop game and a collaborative storytelling device. In a game, you have a goal to accomplish: you can achieve or fail that goal, and you will have a different outcome when you achieve it from when you fail. Stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Your job as a collaborative storyteller is to control a character in the story. Your character serves as your avatar in the game - they will succeed or fail at their goals.