Glossary

Glossary

Terminology

These are terms used by the game and their definitions.

Master List of Terms

Term Name

Description Abbreviation or Synonyms Rule Type

Adventuring Party

A party is a group of characters who wish to work together on an ongoing basis Party Character

Alternate Character

A second (or third, etc) character controlled by a player who already has another. Alt Character

Attack

Anytime you successfully make contact with your opponent in combat or deliver harm to them through some game mechanic is an attack. hit, shot, strike, swing Gameplay

Body Points

Body points represent a character's physical heartiness, their ability to shrug off what would debilitate others. Body Gameplay

Cap

A cap is the highest a trait is allowed to go unless effects specifically say they 'break cap'. Limit, Max Gameplay

Character Death

When a character? permanently dies through circumstances in play. This is different than the Dead condition Permanent Character Death, PCD Character

Condition

An ongoing issue that has rules impacting a character. Generally negative, but not always. When it applies to an area it is called a field. Gameplay

Costuming

Any clothing or make-up a player wears that is NOT period appropriate that is used to represent the fantasy elements of the game. Costume Basic Rules

Consumable Items

A consumable is any item that has a finite number of uses, eventually being permanently destroyed when fully used. Gameplay

Craftable Items

Craftable items are permanent or semi-permanent items player characters can create for themselves. Gameplay

Crafting Points

A measure of the potency (or quantity) of permanent items a character can create between events. CP Gameplay

Damage

When you are hit by an attack or effects like traps, you take damage. Damage can be reduced with armor and body points. If it is not fully reduced a character will take wound conditions. Gameplay

Damage Requirements

Some creatures are immune to all damage except for a certain type. DR Gameplay

Damage Types

Different types of damage are prevented or required by some other mechanics. Gameplay

Duration

How long an effect from an item or spell will last if not dispelled or otherwise ended early. Gameplay

Effect

Any game ability that temporarily modifies a character either positively or negatively. Gameplay

Effect Types

Hostile effects are associated with different keywords that determine how to prevent them. Gameplay

Encampment

Each party may have one location on site which they use as a sort of base of operations. Character

Encampment Items

A subtype of tinkering items that are not lootable? and provide abilities to parties at their encampments. Gameplay

Enchantment

A story created game effect that lasts longer than an event which is not covered by any other rule. Gameplay

Epic Items

An epic item is a subtype of magic item that cannot be crafted by player characters. Gameplay

Experience Points

Points earned for taking actions outside of the game that improve the game for everyone. These lead to character advancement. XP, EXP, Experience Character

Flag

A strip of cloth attached to an object to give game information Basic

Free Hand

Having a hand free is required to cast magic in most situations. Gameplay

Garb

Time period appropriate clothing (both in terms of appearance and materials used) that players wear to look like a character Basic Rules

Hexed Item

Any object that by design harms its user or is otherwise impossible to get rid of Cursed Items Gameplay

Immersion

Anything that keeps players thinking about the game world, and not thinking about reality is immersion Basic Rules

Immunities

Sometimes characters cannot be affected by a certain type of damage or effect. Gameplay

Incantation

Words used to announce you are casting a spell and to roleplay the act of channeling magic. Incant Gameplay

In-Game

Things that happen in the world of the game and affect characters are 'in-game' IG, IC Basic Rules

Kill Conditions

Some creatures will heal unless dealt a fatal blow from a certain type of damage. KC Gameplay

Levels

How advanced a character is, determined by total XP. Character

Magic Armor

Magic Armor represents a magical barrier protecting the character Gameplay

Magic Items

Magic items have unusual properties that can duplicate spells or have other special abilities. Gameplay

Magic Power Points

A character's ability to access or channel magical Power, used to fuel spells. Power Points, Power Gameplay

Mastery Titles

When a character learns all skills in a given category they gain a special ability. Character

Main Character

The primary character played by a player. Main Character

Monstrous Armor

Armor that is so thick it is difficult to damage. Gameplay

Monstrous Body

A character that is so tough they are difficult to damage. Gameplay

Mundane Items

A mundane item? doesn't need to be crafted to be brought into game, but it may still have rules. Regular, normal, simple, basic, average Gameplay

Natural Armor

Natural Armor represents tough hide or leathery skin that can shrug off blows. Gameplay

Non-Player Character

Any character who is not directly controlled and owned by a player. Game masters assign these characters to be played by players temporarily NPC Character Rules

Numbered Items

An item that is in our item database so that players can find out what rules it has. Basic Rules

One-Time Prevention Shields

A defense that stops the next attack of a particular kind to affect the character Shields Gameplay

Out-of-Game

Anything not taking place in the game world is out-of-game. This can be rules being discussed or real world matters such as your car needing repairs. OOG, OOC Basic Rules

Physical Armor

Physical armor is typically provided by real armor worn by players Armor Gameplay

Player Character

A character who is run and controlled by a player. PC Character

Pre-Production

The system the game uses to allow players to create new items between games. Gameplay

Production Points

These points determine how many consumables a character can create each event using the pre-production system. PP Gameplay

Props

Any object used in game. Sometimes these items are fake like the weapons we use, or they can be a real item that represents what it actually is. Basic Rules

Range

How far you can be from your target for an item or spell to have its effect Gameplay

Reserved Items

An item or concept that has rules associated with it should only be brought into game if it is following those rules. reserved Basic Rules

Retirement

When a player voluntarily stops playing a character, either transferring them to non-player character status, or having them deliberately die a storyful death. Character

Role-playing

When role-playing is used as a game term, we're specifically talking about acting out something where there are no rules beyond: do what you think is reasonable to represent this action. RP Basic Rules

Scarce Items

A scarce item is exclusively intended to be found as loot from encounters. These items can't be crafted, produced, duplicated, or otherwise used for free. Gameplay

Skill Points

These are used by a character to learn new skills. Earned based on level. SP Character

Spark

Part of what animates life in the world of Illumina Character

Species

One of the many types of beings who inhabit the world of Novitas. Character

Stacking

When two effects both apply to the same trait or the same situation they stack if both are allowed to apply, and do not stack if only one can apply. By default bonuses for most traits stack unless a rule for that trait says otherwise. Gameplay

Staff

The people who run the game Marshals Out-of-Game

Target

Who or what a spell or item is intended to effect. Gameplay

Tinkering Items

These items might by mystical, but are not 'magical'. Many of these items are tools that follow something closer to science. Gameplay

Valuable Items

Any item with a fixed currency value is a valuable item, these can be traded in by merchants for coin. Gameplay


Categories: Terminology


Site Index About Us Event Calendar Novitas Linktree Contact Us
Page last modified on February 17, 2024, at 04:32 PM
Powered by PmWiki