This chapter covers how conflicts are resolved in the game.
Hits
In order to understand how to attack an opponent we first need to define what is and isn't a legal hit.
Weapon hits only count when they make contact with a person's body. For example, hits with a melee weapon that strike someone's cloak, but don't make contact with the person, are not legal hits.
Players can never hit themselves with their own weapons by accident. They can deliberately do so if they wish to role-play that for some reason. Allies can hit you, both intentionally and by accident.
Players in heavier armor need to be more aware of hits against them than others. A hit at the appropriate force for a player outside of armor may not be felt in plate.
Any player can voluntarily take a hit that would otherwise not be legal if they wish to be a good sport or because they think doing so would be interesting/ entertaining.
Melee Hits
Melee attacks should always have a controlled amount of force behind them. Not too hard and not too soft. Every player goes through a tutorial their first event to help them calibrate how hard is the right amount. Players who have trouble with this can work with the Player Outreach & Education Marshal (Brandon Febles and Michael Maneri) to address the issue. A player who regularly has issues with calibrating how much force to put into swings will not be allowed to wield weapons for a period of time so they can practice more and work on getting it right.
Melee attacks also need to be at a reasonable speed. Real weapons are heavier than foam ones, and take time to use. Tapping someone in rapid succession is not allowed. As a general rule a legal hit should require bending your elbow to at least a 90 degree angle before hitting again. Holding you arm fully extended and flicking your wrist for hits for rapid attacks are not legal hits.
Melee attacks should only be done with the portion of the weapon intended for striking. If a portion of the weapon has less padding so you can hold it, that is not a legal part of the weapon to strike with. Some weapons will get damaged if used improperly. This typically means they need to be used exclusively as slashing weapons, or more rarely only as jabbing weapons. Knowing this and practicing good management can help increase a weapons longevity.
Ranged Hits
Ranged weapon hits should be taken regardless of how hard they may hit. These weapons are difficult to control the exact force of and rarely hit too hard: bows have a limit for how much force they can exert.
Once any ranged weapon has hit the ground or another character it is no longer dangerous to anyone else. Ranged weapons can only ever hit one person at most.
Projectile Weapons
Projectile weapon hits only count if you are hit by the head of the projectile. You may not use a weapon to deflect incoming missiles, real projectiles are much faster than slow moving larp arrows, and this will damage arrows. If you deflect an incoming projectile with your weapon, even by accident, that counts as a hit. Shields may block missiles like they block any other weapon.
For the purposes of determining weapon hits, count thrown Javelins and Great Javelins as missiles instead of throwing weapons (they otherwise still count as thrown weapons). This means that you only count the hit if the head of the javelin makes contact with you and you can't deflect them with your weapon.
Thrown Weapons
A character can only throw one thrown weapon at a time.
Thrown weapon hits count no matter what part of the weapon strikes you. These weapons may be blocked by shields and deflected by weapons. Thrown weapons are different than missile weapons because of how the props are constructed, they are safer and also less likely to be damaged.
Tag Bags and Boulders
Tag bags (which are used to deliver spells) and boulders count as hitting if they make contact with ANYTHING worn by a player. A hit from a tag bag or a boulder is never too light.
Some attacks delivered by tag bag do not count as spells. For these tag bag attacks shields may block them. You can tell if this is the case based on the call used.
Characters can only throw one tag bag at a time unless a rule allows them to throw more than one. When a rule allows a character to throw more than one tag bag at a time, characters hit by those tag bags only ever take at most one hit regardless of how many tag bags may make contact.
Tag bags must be thrown to deliver calls, players may not reach out and touch other players with a tag bag.
Traps
Level based traps always count as hitting the torso. Some other traps such as pit traps will have their own special rules telling you where you are affected by them.
The Next Legal Hit
Some effects will say they take occur on the next legal hit. You may use that attack for each swing you make until you successfully land a legal hit on your opponent. If they block with a shield, another weapon, or you simply don't make contact, you have not hit them yet, and may continue to use that call. When you finally land a legal hit anywhere on their person, even if they prevent it (and that person calls 'No Effect!') you have now landed the hit and consume one use of the effect (if the effect has a fixed number of uses).
Hit Locations
When you are legally hit the next thing we need to determine is where the hit landed. Legal hit locations are a character's right & left arms, right & left legs, and torso.
Head and Neck
The head & neck are off limits for weapon strikes, and should never deliberately be attacked. Feigning as if to hit someone's head is also off limits. Tag bag's should not be aimed at people's heads, but if they happen to hit someone in the head that IS a legal hit and count as hitting the character in the torso.
Torso
Hits to the shoulders, chest, stomach, sides, back, groin and buttocks all count as torso hits. You should never deliberately aim for another player's groin, but accidental hits to that location should be accepted as legal.
Hands
If a hand is holding an object it is not a valid hit location. We don't want to see objects not intended for fighting broken (or worse instinctively swung back), and we don't want someone's hands to get injured by a strike. This is why we leave hands as a safe location when something is held. An empty hand is a valid target, and is treated as part of the appropriate arm. Players should not deliberately block attacks with their hands, and should never use items not intended for combat (things that are not inspected shields) to block.
When you are hit in the hand you should use the 'Hand!' call.
Feet
Feet that are on the ground are not a valid hit location. If someone is running, jumping or otherwise moving and their foot is off the ground if you happen to hit it that is a legal hit.
Worn Items
When something worn or held is hit, the hit is considered to be located where ever that item connects to the body. Common examples include; A tag bag hit to a cloak is a torso hit because cloaks attach to the shoulders. If you deflect a missile with your weapon, that's a hit to the arm holding the weapon. When a shield is hit by something it can't block, that's a hit to the arm holding the shield.
Calling Attacks
Each time you attack with a weapon you'll make what is known as a call to tell your opponent what happens if the attack lands. You generally make this call as you swing before you know if it will land, and do so repeatedly over the course of a fight.
The most basic call is just a number, you declare how much damage you are doing. This is most commonly based on the might for melee attacks, and accuracy for ranged weapons.
All characters attack for 1 damage by default, so they could call '1' each time they swing their weapon. When attacking for only 1 damage with no other calls involved, you do not have to call anything. An attack with no call can be assumed to be 1 damage.
If a weapon has a special damage type, you must add that to the attack's call unless you use a replacement call.
Example: A silver weapon wielded by someone with 2 Might would call '2 Silver!' with each swing of their sword. If this same character only had 1 Might they could call for either '1 Silver!' or 'Silver!' either is acceptable. |
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Example: A character with a goblin iron weapon must call for 'Poison!' with each attack. Because the poison call doesn't always deal damage, a character with 1 Might and a goblin iron weapon should always call '1 Poison!' if they attack with this weapon to make it clear they are doing damage. |
Replacement Calls
Some effects give calls that replace a weapon's normal damage. These calls are used instead of the call the weapon would normally make. With each swing of your weapon you may call EITHER the weapon's normal call, or the replacement effect's call. You can chose which with each attack.
A replacement call uses the damage or call provided by the source of the effect and never uses the damage type of your weapon. They only use your Might or Accuracy if they say they do.
Often these replacements apply only to the next legal hit. If you choose to use the weapon's normal call, your next legal hit still consumes a use of whatever effect is happening.
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Example: You attack your opponent with a Thermium sword (which has the damage type Nature), and you have the skill Might proficiency. Your normal attack is '2 Nature!' with this weapon. However, you have used the alchemical Scorpion's Kiss on the weapon which lets you call for 'Poison Weaken' instead. When you attack you may chose to call '2 Nature' or 'Poison Weaken', but not both. Whichever choice you make, after you successfully hit an opponent the Scorpion's Kiss is consumed and from that point on you can only call for '2 Nature!'. |
Modifier Calls
Modifier calls get added on to existing attacks instead of replacing them. These specific calls: 'Blunt', 'Pierce', and 'Slay'; are the only calls that will ever get added to an existing call, and only if a rule specifically tells you to modify your normal attack. This will only ever happen to attacks that deal damage. When one of these calls is added to an attack, simply add it to the end of the attack. Only one modifier can be applied to a call at a time.
These calls can also change the amount of damage you deal. The specific rule or effect being used will tell you if any changes to the amount of damage happen.
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Example: A character has Might Mastery and is swinging a Goblin Iron great weapon. Great weapons can deal half damage to add the slay call to an attack. The character with this weapon can choose to call for '4 Poison' or to call for '2 Poison Slay' with each attack. |
Tag Bag Calls
Tag bags never deal damage using Might or Accuracy. The effect allowing you to throw a tag bag will always tell you exactly what to call when throwing it.
Taking Damage and Hostile Effects
Once you have been hit, know where the hit landed, and what call was used, we need to apply the results of the attack. This procedure is followed for weapon attacks as well as effects generally delivered by a tag bag. Triggering a trap also follows this procedure. An attack is anything seeking to harm you.
Prevention Effects
The first step of applying a hit is to check to see if you have a prevention effect related to that subject.
Any time you prevent an attack you call 'No effect!' to let your opponent know that they successfully hit you, that you know this, and that nothing happened.
Immunities
Immunities are unlimited use prevention effects. They stop EVERYTHING related to a certain subject. When you are hit if you have a relevant immunity the entire attack is prevented. Call 'No Effect!' and nothing further needs to be done for that attack.
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Example: You are hit for '4 Poison!' and you currently have immunity to poison, it will prevent the damage, and you will not become poisoned. When this happens you would call 'No Effect!'. The same thing would occur if the attacker called '4 Poison Pierce!' or 'Poison Pin!'. All of these calls include the word poison and because you are immune to it, you prevent the entire attack. |
One-Time Prevention Shields
If you don't have a relevant immunity (most times you will not), the next thing we check for is a one-time prevention shield. These are spells or effects that shield you from the next time a specific thing affects you. If you have a one-time prevention shield that is relevant to the attack it stops the attack completely.
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Example: You are hit for '4 Magic!' and you are currently benefiting from Warding Amalgam, which creates a one-time shield that stops the next magic call that hits you. First you call 'No effect!' and then you mentally make a note that the Warding Amalgam has been consumed. If another '4 Magic' call hits you, then you will not have this defense available to stop it. |
Taking Hostile Effects
You've been hit, you don't have a relevant immunity to stop the attack, or a relevant one-time prevention shield. If the call doesn't deal damage, you now take whatever effect the call has. As long as there is no damage, that's it there's nothing more to process with this attack.
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Example: You are hit by an attack that calls for 'Pin!'. Currently you don't have any relevant immunities or a one-time prevention shield relevant to that call. So you now gain the Pinned condition: your feet are pinned to the ground and they can't move for the next 10 minutes. You'll continue fighting from here. |
Taking Damage
If an attack is not prevented and it deals damage, now we have to figure out what happens. Characters have four types of defenses that can prevent damage.
In the order they are applied, these defenses are:
Magic Armor -> Physical Armor -> Natural Armor -> Body Points.
Each of these defenses will have a value 0 or higher. You assign your damage taken first to magic armor, reducing its value by the amount of damage taken. If the magic armor doesn't absorb it all, then any remaining damage is applied first to any relevant physical armor, then to relevant natural armor and finally to body points. If after all of this any damage remains, regardless of if it is 1 damage or 100 damage, you will take a Wound condition to the location that was hit. Only one wound can be caused by an attack. Additional wounds require additional hits.
The word 'relevant' is used with natural and physical armor, because both defenses often apply only to locations of the body where the armor is present.
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Example: A character is hit in the torso with an attack that calls for '4 silver!'. They have no relevant prevention effects so they are taking damage. They have 0 magic armor, 4 physical armor, 0 natural armor and 4 body points. They have no magic armor to reduce the damage with so next we move to physical armor. The character has a magical chain shirt, it provides physical armor for being made of chain. The damage is applied there, reducing their physical armor to 0. All of the damage has been applied, the attack does nothing further. Should that character then get hit this time in the leg for '4 Silver!', it will apply to their body points next (because they have no magic, physical or natural armor left), reducing their body to 0. If once more the character is hit in the left arm after that. They no longer can reduce the damage. This means that arm takes a (Left) Arm Wound condition. |
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Another Example: A character is has 2 magic armor, 3 physical armor, 0 natural armor and 2 body points. They are hit for '4 Primal!' damage in the torso where the physical armor is located. First the magic armor reduces 2 of the damage, lowering the character's magic armor to 0 and leaving 2 damage remaining. That remaining 2 damage is then reduced by using 2 points of the physical armor. The character now has 0 magic armor, 1 physical armor, 0 natural armor, and 2 body points remaining. Should they be hit in the torso again for '4 Acid!', 1 point of damage will be reduced by the physical armor, leaving 3 left. Then 2 points of damage will be reduced by their body points, leaving 1 damage left. This last point is has not been prevented. The character takes a Torso Wound condition. |
I'm Confused
If at any time you don't know how much damage you've taken, err on the side of the attacker and take an immediate Torso Wound condition. In other words if you are in doubt or confused it's always ok (as long as you aren't doing it for a tactical advantage) to take more damage to make sure you got it right.
If you don't wish to fight, it's also ok to take any hit as a Torso Wound condition.
Combat Summary
When you are hit do the following in this order:
- Check for on-going prevention effects (immunities such as the spell Mind Blank).
- Check for one-time prevention effects (effects like the spell Spirit Shield).
- Apply remaining damage to Magic Armor.
- Apply remaining damage to Physical Armor.
- Apply remaining damage to Natural Armor.
- Apply remaining damage to Body Points.
- If any damage remains take a Wound condition in the location hit.
Special Circumstances
Killing Blows
A special kind of attack, known as a killing blow, is available to characters circumstantially. Killing blows can only be performed if an opponent has the Torso Wound condition. To make a killing blow you role-play giving the character a fatal wound. There is no special call made when you perform a killing blow.
Sometimes you'll hear someone say 'Killing Blow!' aloud when they perform one, this is incorrect and shouldn't be done. |
A killing blow gives a character the Dead condition.
The Helpless Condition
A character with the Helpless condition is unable to defend themselves by any means. They can't execute any actions even if they are still conscious. The character is treated as having no free hands, and may not cast any spells even if the spell requires no incantation.
| Condition Name | Effect | Duration | Common Sources | Common Cures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helpless | You are unable to defend yourself. | Variable | Torso Wound and Terrorized conditions | Removing the source. |
Master's Strikes
A master's strike is a type of modifier call granted by some abilities and items. When used a master's strike modifies the characters next successful hit. Using a master strike a character can add either the 'Slay!' call or the 'Pierce' call to a weapon attack (for the purposes of this ability a projectile weapon delivering a tag bag spell does not count as a weapon attack). Additionally when using a masters strike Might and Accuracy are capped at 4 while dual wielding, with a sword and shield, or when using throwing weapons instead of the normal caps of 2. Remember, only one modifier can be applied to a call at a time. If a modifer is already present, no additional modifiers can be added.
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Example: A character is using a great weapon and they attack for half damage to apply the slay call to the attack. They may not then apply a master's strike to that attack to also add the pierce call. |
Damage and Defenses
When characters take damage there are 4 defenses that can be used to reduce that damage, hopefully allowing the character to avoid becoming wounded.
Body Points
Characters primarily gain body points from Body Skills. Other ways to get temporary body points include the Toughness spell, the Elixir of Toughness alchemical and the Alchemical Ascension ritual.
Regardless of the source, characters cannot have more than 4 points of body unless one or more of those sources explicitly says that they 'break cap'. Those sources can potentially take a character to 5 body or higher.
Characters who have lost body points will automatically have them replenished at the start of the next event through natural healing. It's rare that this is fast enough, and so there is also magical healing available.
Spells like Heal Body, items like Rejuvenation Elixir, and other effects that heal body points restore all lost body points, including any temporarily gained from spells or items.
When a character gains temporary body points, this immediately increases both their current number of body points and their maximum number of body points. This can cause a character to gain current body points, without the maximum number changing (due to the cap).
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For example: A character has 4 body points. They get hit in combat for '4 Elven Steel!', now they have 0 body points currently remaining. If you were to then cast the Toughness spell on that character they will then have 2 current body points, but their maximum number remains at 4 (because of the cap on body points). |
If a character gains extra body points from an effect, then takes damage which they don't heal, when the effect wears off they stay at their current number of body points.
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For example: A character has 2 body points. They gain 2 extra body points from the spell Toughness. They now have 4 total body points. In combat they are hit for '3 Silver!' putting them to 1 body point remaining. If the character isn't healed in the next 10 minutes (when the toughness spell wears off) they will still have 1 body point remaining. |
Physical Armor
Physical armor points, often referred to as simply 'armor points' or even just 'armor' generally come from wearing real armor. This defense only applies to hits that make contact with the armor (or the clothing over the armor).
Physical armor doesn't stack unless an effect specifically states that it does so.
Regardless of the source, characters cannot have more than 4 points of physical armor unless one or more of those sources explicitly say they 'break cap'. Those effects can take a character to 5 physical armor or higher.
It takes time for a competent blacksmith to repair armor. We assume any costs for doing so are earned by a character during downtime. As such all physical armor is repaired for free between events.
This probably isn't soon enough for most characters. That is why the Mend Armor spell is incredibly useful by repairing lost armor points right away. This includes repairing any temporary bonuses to the armor such as from the Enhance Armor spell. Physical armor works just like body when it comes to temporary points. Mend armor will repair all physical armor points at once even if you are wearing multiple items or types at the same time (such as a chain mail shirt with plate bracers). The spell will not repair other natural armor at the same time, that will take additional casts.
Magic Armor
Magic armor almost exclusively comes from spells, such as the Magic Armor Spell. It represents a skintight forcefield protecting the character from harm and protects against any damage the character takes regardless of where a hit may land.
Magic armor doesn't stack unless an effect specifically says that it does.
Regardless of the source, characters cannot have more than 4 points of magic armor unless one (or more) of those effects explicitly say they 'break cap'.
Magic armor cannot be repaired, it must be reapplied. If you start with 4 magic armor such as from the Improved Magic Armor spell and lose 2 points of it, you can keep what you have left, or drop it and cast Improved Magic Armor again to set yourself back to 4 points.
Natural Armor
Natural armor represents a creature with a shell, a thick hide, or extra tough skin. It is frequently location based like physical armor for creatures, but when player characters get access to it, natural armor functions everywhere.
Natural armor does not stack unless a source explicitly says that it does.
There is no maximum amount of natural armor a character can have.
Natural armor, much like body points will heal on it's own given time. Between events any non-temporary natural armor a character has will automatically restore itself to full value.
Generally this is not soon enough for most characters. The Mend Armor spell can be used to restore one piece of natural armor to full value. Not all natural armor can be repaired in this way, each source of natural armor will specify if it can be repaired. A separate cast is required for any physical armor a character needs repaired.
Monstrous Characters
A character who is monstrous is immune to all 'Pin!' calls regardless of effect type and all pit traps. They also cannot be restrained by non-magical means.
Monstrous characters can break the normal cap on might while dual wielding or wielding a weapon and shield. If they have enough might they can hit for up to 4 damage.
A character who is monstrous gains the benefits of both monstrous armor and monstrous body. Some rules give only one of these qualities. Monstrous armor can apply to all armor types on a character or to just one type (or even one piece) of armor, the rule giving the monstrous effect will specify what it applies to. Monstrous body only applies to a character's body points. Monstrous creatures benefit from all types of armor and body being monstrous.
When a character takes damage to a trait with the monstrous rule if the attack does not include 'Slay!' as part of the call, reduce the damage to exactly 1 before applying it.
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Example: A character is wearing plate armor. It provides 4 monstrous physical armor. The character is hit in the chest for '8 Nature!'. They have no magic armor, so the next thing to apply the damage to is the monstrous plate. Because the plate has the monstrous rule, it reduces the 8 damage to 1 before the damage is applied. The character has 3 monstrous armor points remaining. The character could get hit in the armor 3 more times like this before their natural armor, followed by body points would be used for defense. |
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Another example: A character has 4 monstrous body points and no armor of any kind. They are hit for an attack for '4 Slay!'. Because it has the slay call the monstrous rule doesn't apply. They reduce the damage to zero using all 4 points of monstrous body. The next attack the character takes will inflict a wound because they have no armor or body left to defend with. The fact that their body was monstrous is no longer relevant because they have no points of it left to use. |
Prevention Effects
When a character get's hit by an attack, prevention effects are those things that stop the entire attack completely. You never need to know how much damage an attack did if it is prevented. For non-damaging spells, where they either succeed or they don't, prevention effects are the only protection available.
Damage Types
Each attack that deals damage will always have a type. Even if that type is nothing (aka mundane) damage. For most damage types characters only need to pay attention if they have a special defense that works against that damage type or requires a certain damage type.
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A couple of damage types cause conditions: 'Acid!' when it hits a shield; 'Disease!', 'Poison!', and 'Blight!' when they hit characters. Players should pay attention to those specific calls even when they don't have protection that cares about damage types. |
The damage types are:
- 'Acid!' (Causes the Broken condition if it deals 4 damage to a shield)
- 'Blight!' (Causes the Poisoned condition if it hits a character)
- 'Disease!' (Causes the Diseased condition if it hits a character and does body damage)
- 'Elven Steel!'
- 'Magic!'
- 'Nature!'
- 'Poison!' (Causes the Poisoned condition if it hits a character)
- 'Primal!'
- 'Silver!'
Some damage types count as another damage type at the same time. For example 'Elven Steel!' counts as 'Silver!' for anything requiring 'Silver!' damage. You do not need to memorize these, creatures that are vulnerable to the second damage type will list the advanced types associated with it. For example a creature that has a damage requirement for 'Silver!' will say 'Damage Requirement: Silver or Elven Steel' |
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'It's immune to everything!' a character exclaims as they fight a creature they've never faced before. Their party has hit it with every damage type and none of them seemed to work. |
Effect Types
Some attacks have a category of effect associated with them. This is especially true of many tag bag attacks. Much like damage types you only need to know what categories an attack belongs in if you have a relevant defense against that type of thing.
Any spell call can be converted into an 'Acid!' call or a 'Poison!' call by some items. This removes the school normally associated with the spell.
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Blockable (Non-Spell) Attacks: '3!', '4 Acid!', '4 Disease!', '2 Elven Steel!', '1 Pierce!', '1 Poison!', '4 Silver!', '4 Slay!' |
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Acid Calls (all non-spell, shield blockable): 'Acid Charm!', 'Acid Curse!', 'Acid Disengage!', 'Acid Dominate!', 'Acid Enfeeble!', 'Acid Grounding!', 'Acid Memory Loss!', 'Acid Pin!', 'Acid Silence!', 'Acid Terror!', 'Acid Weaken!' |
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Poison Calls (all non-spell, shield blockable): 'Poison Charm!', 'Poison Curse!', 'Poison Disengage!', 'Poison Dominate!', 'Poison Enfeeble!', 'Poison Grounding!', 'Poison Memory Loss!', 'Poison Pin!', 'Poison Silence!', 'Poison Terror!', 'Poison Weaken!' |
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Spell Calls (Cannot be blocked by shields): 'Banish!', 'Charm Humanoid!', 'Charm Wild!', 'Curse!', 'Dispel Magic!', 'Dominate Wild!', 'Enfeeble!', '4 Magic!', '4 Magic Slay!', 'Pin Undead!', 'Pin Wild', 'Silence Humanoid!' |
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Compulsion Spells Calls: 'Charm!', 'Disengage!', 'Dominate!', 'Memory Loss!', 'Pin!', 'Silence!', 'Terror!', 'Weaken!' |
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Circumstantial Calls (blockable non-spells from a weapon, unblockable spells from a tag bag): '4 Nature!', '4 Primal!' |
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Untyped Attacks (non-spells, blockable from a weapon, unblockable from a tag bag): 'Dispel Alchemy!', 'Smite!', 'Torso Wound!' |
Unpreventable Effects
Sometimes effects will duplicate an attack or call, but they will state that they are 'unpreventable'. When this happens even if a character has a relevant prevention effect (either a one-time shield or an immunity) they still take that effect. Absolutely nothing can stop an unpreventable effect.
One Time Prevention Effects
A one-time prevention effect stops an attack of a particular damage type or effect type. After it has done this once the prevention is done. Whenever a character benefits from a one-time prevention shield they should call 'No Effect!'.
Examples of one time prevention effects include the spells Anti-Magic Shield, Spirit Shield, Ablative Armor, and Enchant Shield. Items that provide one-time shields include Warding Amalgam and Base Paste.
Prevention effects always take place after you check for a relevant immunity, so you'll never lose a shielding effect if you are immune to the type of attack. Also, shielding effects only apply to attacks that could potentially affect you.
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For Example: If you are playing a human character who has Anti-Magic Shield protecting you (which prevents the next spell to hit you), and you are hit by a tag bag that calls for 'Pin Undead!': nothing happens. The spell doesn't affect you because you are not undead. Because the spell doesn't affect you, the shield is not lost. You still call 'No Effect!' because the tag bag does not affect you. |
Immunities
Immunities prevent every single instance of a given type that hits you. Nothing is lost, the immunity remains for whatever the duration of the effect is. When a character benefits from an immunity they should call 'No Effect!'.
Because immunities are very powerful, those immunities that last for a game day (as well as continuous or event duration) are mutually exclusive. Characters have a cap of one of these immunities at a time. If a character would gain another immunity like this when they already have one, they must choose to relinquish one of them before they can benefit from the other.
Characters cannot gain immunities that would make them immune to all damage types. If that situation occurs for some unusual reason, the last immunity to be gained does not work.
Damage Requirements
Some creatures are hard to injure and only vulnerable to one (or more) damage types. We call this mechanic a Damage Requirement which is sometimes abbreviated to 'DR'. When a character has a Damage Requirement they are immune to all other damage types except the ones listed. Only attacks that call for a required type of damage are capable of hurting that character. Characters with Damage Requirements cannot gain an immunity if that immunity would make them impervious to all types of damage.
Kill Conditions
A creature with a kill condition has incredible regenerative abilities. They can heal from most wounds and will return to a battle if not taken care of. When a character with a kill condition is not actively fighting for a full minute (including when they are not fighting because they received a Torso Wound condition) they will heal any lost body points, and lose any Wound conditions (as well as the Bleeding Out condition) they may have suffered.
If a character with a kill condition gains the Dead condition they will stop healing.
Basic Kill Conditions
A basic kill condition is any kill condition that can be met by a damage type. These characters are immune to all killing blows that do not have one of the damage types listed. Characters who are immune to killing blows who also have a kill condition will count as having the kill condition met if they are hit by an appropriate attack even if that attack is then prevented because of the immunity to killing blows (they don't become Dead, but they stop healing).
These are the most common kill conditions, and some spells can even temporarily give them to player characters.
Special Kill Conditions
A special kill condition is one that requires a particular spell or other unusual circumstance to take place in order for the kill condition to be met. Most often this is "Kill Condition: Reap Spirit", meaning the spell Reap Spirit must be cast on the creature to meet its kill condition.
When the special condition is met, treat it as a killing blow and give the character the Dead condition.
Conditions
Definition
When a character drinks a potion that makes them stronger, they get a bonus of some kind. We call this an effect. Conditions are a type of effect. They also modify the character in some way. The difference is that conditions are generally more complex in scope, generally last longer, and may have multiple mechanics that may interact with that condition.
Condition Durations
Most conditions last until the duration listed on the condition runs out or the end of the event, whichever comes first. The exception to this is if a condition explicitly says it lasts for longer than an event. In these cases the condition will last for the duration listed.
For conditions that modify other conditions such as the Poisoned condition if the condition that is modified lasts longer than an event, the Poisoned condition will also last longer than an event.
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An example of this would be something calling for 'Poison Memory Loss!'. Because the Lost Memories condition has a duration longer than an event, the Poisoned condition that comes with this call would last longer as well. |
Other than time, conditions can be removed by things that remove either the condition by name or things that remove that condition based on it's effect type. When the 'Poison!' or the 'Acid!' call modify another call they change what effect type the second call is.
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'The Lost Memories condition is normally a Compulsion spell. However, with the 'Poison Memory Loss!' call where it has been modified by 'Poison!' the Lost Memories condition counts as a Poison. Anything that would remove a Compulsion effect (like Smelling Salts) or a spell effect (like the Dispel Magic spell) will not remove this condition. Instead things that remove the Poisoned condition remove the Lost Memories condition. |
Fields
A field is a condition that covers an area; either a circle of a fixed diameter, or a building. If a field is a circle it will have the center of it marked by a flag or some other way to indicate where it is. Buildings will have all entrances and exits (including windows) marked. Fields are never mobile, once a field is set up, that is where it will remain.
Fields created by a spell or ritual can be ended by their creator at any time (if the creator is present and conscious). Some fields have additional ways they end. Other characters can dispel a field, generally with the Dispel Magic spell (each field will specify any additional ways to end it). When a character casts Dispel Magic, and wants to 'Dispel!' a field they only need to hit somewhere inside the field with the 'Dispel!' call. They do not need to hit the creator, in fact hitting the creator with an appropriate 'Dispel!' will not dispel the field. The two are separate entities. Any defenses on the creator do not protect the field.
All fields are tied to announcement calls. Players who know the field is there should make sure others do as well by announcing the type of field as needed to make others aware of it, even if they are not the creator.
Equipment Conditions
Conditions that affect items are rare, but they do happen from time to time. Generally they relate to breaking the object in question. The equipment condition will always tell you how to fix it in its description.
Most of the time when equipment gains a condition the character who owns it will repair it in short order. If for some reason the character wants to put the item down for later, it is entirely possible (even probable) someone will unknowingly use a broken item not knowing that it has a condition on it. We accept that as one of the challenges of live action role-playing. Do what you reasonably can to let anyone who might use the item know it has a condition on it. As long as the person is attempting to use the item in good faith, simply educate them when you find out this is happening, and move on with things from there.
Wound Conditions
General Information
Most of the time Wounds conditions come from taking damage that isn't prevented in some way. Characters can sometimes be assigned a Wound condition automatically, such as from pit traps or being hit by boulders (which use the 'Torso Wound!' call). When a Wound condition is automatically assigned to a character it isn't damage and can only be prevented by effects which prevent 'Wound!' calls. In these situations no damage is inflicted, the character takes the appropriate Wound condition, but they do not lose any body or armor.
When role-playing remember, Wounds hurt. Whatever the cause of the Wound is, it was probably violent, and it almost certainly wasn't clean.
Limb Wounds
Each arm and each leg can be wounded separately from the others.
| Condition Name
| Effect | Duration | Common Sources | Common Cures
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limb Wound
| One or more of a characters limbs have been injured. | Event | Damage, Pit Traps | The Restore Limb spell |
Arm Wounds
When you get an Arm Wound condition it means that arm is injured, you must drop anything being held by that arm. You may not transfer an object from the wounded arm to your other arm. Drop the object first. Then, you may then retrieve the object from the ground. Wounded arms do not count as free hands for the purposes of casting spells. A wounded arm may not pick up, manipulate or carry anything at any time.
Should an arm with an Arm Wound take damage that would cause another Arm Wound, you take a Torso Wound condition instead. If however, an effect automatically inflicts an Arm Wound on an already Wounded Arm (such as from a trap), nothing happens - not even a 'No Effect!' call, an effect happened, it was redundant.
Leg Wounds
When you get a Leg Wound condition that leg will no longer support any weight. You can still remain standing on the other leg, but should not start rapidly hopping up and down on the non-wounded leg. Drag your wounded leg slowly across the ground avoiding supporting yourself with it. If forced to support yourself with the wounded leg you should fall over.
Should you get wounded in the both legs at the same time you should immediately drop to your knees. You may also do this voluntarily if only one leg is wounded. In either case, once you are on your knees you may not voluntarily stand up until after any fighting is done or the wound is healed. While on your knees you must avoid hopping up and down to fight. Try to stay at a fixed height from the ground.
When a leg with a wound takes damage that would cause another Wound, you take a Torso Wound condition instead. If however, an effect automatically inflicts a Leg Wound on an already Wounded Leg (such as from a trap), nothing happens - not even a 'No Effect!' call, an effect happened, it was redundant.
Torso Wounds
A Torso Wound is a catch all injury for anything that would result in a character taking enough damage to fall unconscious. When a character first gains the Torso Wound condition they also gain the Bleeding Out condition at the same time. If the Bleeding Out condition is later removed we refer to this as the character being 'stable': they still have a Torso Wound, but are in no danger of dying.
Any damage to a character with a Torso Wound will result in that character dying immediately. This is known as a killing blow. Accidental damage, such as from a tag bag that hits the fallen character instead of it's intended target, will also kill the character.
| Condition Name
| Effect | Duration | Common Sources | Common Cures
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torso Wound
| The character has received a grave injury and is unconscious. | Event | Damage, Boulders | The Heal Mortal Wound spell, a Catholicon |
Bleeding Out
A character that has the Bleeding Out condition will die if they don't receive medical attention. After 10 minutes if this condition is not removed (healed) the character gains the Dead condition.
Any character with first aid may role-play taking care of someone with the Bleeding Out condition to extend the time it takes before they die. This adds an additional 10 minutes (for a total of 20). The first aid doesn't need to be started until the standard 10 minutes are nearly up (though it is good role-playing to do so prior to that). During the additional 10 minutes a person with first aid must maintain steady role-play. If at any point during the additional 10 minutes no one with first aid is actively paying attention to the individual Bleeding Out that person will die immediately.
This condition can be cured with items like Stabilizing Concoction. Anything that removes a Torso Wound condition will also automatically remove the Bleeding Out condition.
| Condition Name
| Effect | Duration | Common Sources | Common Cures
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bleeding Out
| The character has a wound bleeding uncontrollably, they will die soon if not treated. | 10 Minutes | Torso Wounds | Stabilization Concoction, the Heal Mortal Wound spell |
The 'Dead' Condition
A character with the Dead condition is dead, just as described. In the world of Novitas this isn't the end for them however. Powerful healing available from the Revive spell can remove the Dead condition returning a character to life.
This condition remains until it is removed. If the Dead condition lasts for 2 convergences the condition can no longer be removed: the character is permanently dead. Tracking these two convergences can get very complicated, and if a character ends a shift while still dead (and will not PCing for the following shift) they should seek out a the plot marshal or second (Ryan Green and Donald Tyson) immediately to let them know. They will give them instructions on how to proceed.
When a character first gains the Dead condition they lose the Bleeding Out condition if they had it.
| Condition Name
| Effect | Duration | Common Sources | Common Cures
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dead
| The character is dead. More powerful magic is needed to heal them. | Permanent Unless Healed | Killing Blows, Bleeding Out | The Revive spell |
Sparks
Description
In the setting of Novitas the concept of a spark is of pivotal importance. Every even remotely complex lifeform native to Illumina has a spark, including many animals and plants. Even those animals and plants have a lesser version of a spark referred to as a glimmer. The difference between a glimmer and a spark is mostly academic, with the most popular theory being that a full spark is required for sentience.
In many ways a spark is required for life. It isn't a tangible object, though Mediums are capable of sensing the presence or absence of a spark. When sparks get damaged (through mystical means) the life sustained by that spark suffers with it. After death sparks can sometimes remain. Many believe that ghosts are sparks lingering on after it's associated life has ended. Undead are typically sparks clinging to dead bodies (sometimes their own, sometimes not).
There are some examples creatures that live but do not have sparks. Fae and elementals both fit most definitions of life and yet neither type of being possesses a spark.
It is commonly held belief that sparks go to 'The Well' after they depart. This is believed to be the domain of the Stranger where sparks are purified and before ultimately sent back with the Mother to bond with new life. There is some evidence to support this, but it is not something the average person has tangible experience with.
Kingdoms of Novitas was originally hosted at a Christian summer camp. The camp director there was actually a long time player. They requested that the game not ever deal with the concept of 'souls' and so the idea of a spark came about. This was not only an alternative, it eventually grew into some new territory. |
Mechanics
All player characters have a spark. As long as a character has a spark healing effects work normally on that character. There are no special rules for having a spark, it's only when something happens to a spark that conditions apply.
Sparks can be damaged by some creatures and they can be stolen by the spell Reap Spirit. When a character takes a spark with the Reap Spirit spell they gain the Stolen Spark condition for the next hour while the character who lost their spark gains the Sparkless condition for that same hour.
All Mediums can detect conditions related to sparks. This is done by asking (OOG) while standing within arms length of the person being checked. That player is obligated to tell the correct answer. If the character has no conditions related to sparks, they should reply that they have a spark (assuming they do) and that it is normal/ healthy.
When an NPC takes the spark of a player character they should always remain in play for the full time period they are holding the spark to allow that player's allies opportunity to regain it. Sitting around for an hour with no chance of being healed is not generally considered a fun experience.
The Final Rest ritual can be used to send a spark to the Well forever, resulting in permanent character death.
The Sparkless Condition
A character without a spark gains the Sparkless condition. This can only be fixed by returning that character's spark to them. A spark naturally returns to its owner after an hour, ending this condition. Some very rare effects can hold a spark longer than an hour. A player using one of these abilities will notify the victim who's spark is being taken at the time it happens if this is the case.
If for some reason they do not already have it, taking someone's spark always gives the Torso Wound condition and the Dead condition. This cannot be prevented if a spark is taken.
For as long as the character has the Sparkless condition: Wound conditions cannot be removed and body points may not be healed.
If a Medium checks, this character's spark they will automatically detect this condition.
| Condition Name
| Effect | Duration | Common Sources | Common Cures
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparkless
| The character's spark is missing. They are dead and can't be healed without getting their spark back. | 1 Hour (Typically) | Reap Spirit | Mediums, killing the person with your spark |
The Damaged Spark Condition
When a spark becomes damaged it will remain that way until something that specifically repairs the exact cause of the damaged spark is used. Typically this is a reversal of whatever created the Damaged Spark condition in the first place.
Characters with the Damaged Spark condition are immune to Restoration magic. That generally means they are dependent on alchemical healing effects to fix wounds and body damage.
If a Medium checks, this character's spark they will automatically detect this condition.
| Condition Name
| Effect | Duration | Common Sources | Common Cures
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damaged Spark
| Due to a damaged spark the character is immune to Restoration effects. | Indefinitely | Rare dangerous creatures | Specific items, special plots. |
The Stolen Spark Condition
A character with the Stolen Spark condition has taken the spark of another individual, typically through the Reap Spirit spell. A character can only have this condition once, unless another ability specifically allows them to carry more sparks. Attempts to take additional sparks fail automatically, but can still might take place to meet kill conditions.
Diagnosis does not reveal the Stolen Spark condition.
If a Medium checks this character's spark they will automatically detect this condition, but they will not know who the stolen spark belongs to.
This condition may not be ended voluntarily. There are only three ways to end the Stolen Spark condition: time (1 hour), if the person with the Stolen Spark condition is killed (gaining the Dead condition, or help from a Medium trained in returning sparks to their owners. When any of these circumstances take place this condition immediately ends and any held sparks are returned. This can sometimes lead to strange situations where a player is physically no where near the player who's spark was taken. Player's should collaborate to relay that information as quickly and efficiently as possible so that the victim becomes aware they no longer have the Sparkless condition.
| Condition Name
| Effect | Duration | Common Sources | Common Cures
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stolen Spark
| This character has used magic to take another beings spark. | 1 hour | Reap Spirit | Mediums, time, death |
Spark Destruction
Some creatures, such as Kazvaks, are capable of completely destroying sparks. This works like the Sparkless condition, except the spark cannot ever be returned: it has been destroyed. This almost always means the character is dead forever and must be retired.
As a result, these creatures are taken much more seriously than others. You can identify such creatures because when they use abilities that might destroy a spark they will start counting aloud loudly something like 'Destroying Spark 1, Destroying Spark 2', etc.
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