Discarded World Rules (Summary)
Storyteller’s LAW:
Storyteller’s word is LAW. The Storytellers keep the game running and are the ultimate ruling on any issue. Storytellers can go so far as to override the rules written here. If there is a legitimate concern from players that a certain ruling is completely incorrect or harmful, they may appeal to the Game Master or the Player Liaison for a final ruling.
The Golden rule of Role Playing games is if any of the Rules get in the way of your story, just ignore it and tell whatever kind of story you enjoy. The Storytellers will be employing this when necessary.
Whistle, “Hold”
Storytellers will "freeze" game with a whistle (either with an instrument or from their mouth,) or they may yell "Hold!" When this call is heard, all players should repeat it to make sure everyone knows the hold is being called. Players may sit down while waiting, but otherwise expect that action is completely frozen in place. This is used to handle injuries, weapon and wardrobe malfunction or disputes.
Medical Sash
A Red and White striped sash, arm band or head band is worn by someone who has a medical reason to be completely non-combatant. Do not, under any circumstances, engage them in combat. These sashes are usually for temporary reasons. However, they can also be used in conjunction with Incorporeal to alert other players of their medical danger.
Out of Character
Place your hand on top of your head in a fist. Generally used to pass through an area but may be used to impart information that cannot be seen, or to clarify.
Thumbs up? Safety Check
Throw a thumbs up at someone with a questioning face. The question is “Are you alright with this?” Responding with a Thumbs up means “All is good!” a Thumb or Hand sideways means “I’m walking the line of my limit, please don’t push beyond,” and a thumbs down will result in an immediate Hold to discuss what the problem is and likely end the situation. This is usually used for uncomfortable role plays. Please remember that if you are hurt, uncomfortable or feel unsafe that you may always call a Hold.
Unconscious Pose: Lay or sit down with a weapon or arm over your head. If you are in the way of combat, move just out of the way, but only as much as is needed for your safety.
Death Pose: Hold your arms crossed across your chest. Lay or sit down. If you are in the way of combat, move just out of the way, but only as much as is needed for your safety.
Foreign Language: This signal is made by placing an “L” with your fingers on your forehead, on top of your head, or held above your head. This means that the character is speaking in a language other than common.
-Conflict-
Skill Check: Whenever a character wants to perform an action where one would be unsure of the outcome, the Storyteller will give a target number, if the character’s skill rating is higher than the target then the character wins automatically. In a Tie, the storyteller may ask for Rock/Paper/Scissors to determine who wins.
Opposed Check: are most commonly done when two characters are actively trying to keep the other one from succeeding in something. Sometimes this involves the same skill and other times it involves separate skills from each character. Both Characters compare the skill rating used. The higher one wins. In the case of a Tie, the defender wins, although the Storyteller may have to make a call as to who the defender is, or may call for a Rock/Paper/Scissors test.
Speech: is a Free action and as such it is instant and can happen at any time during game (but not when the game is frozen). Alert others! Recite a spell! Unless you are unconscious or dead, make some noise!
Combat
The Combat system for this game is very simple. To Deal Damage make contact with a Strike of your boffer weapon against an opponent. Strikes are to be no harder than “half strength.”
Non-Combat: In town is always a "safe" non-combat zone, protected In Game from the Innominatam by Name Stone which is generally marked where they cannot cross. Storytellers are expected to immediately break up any Player Vs Player fights, as are any Authority NPCs, as fighting is Forbidden in town. There will occasionally be situations in which combat has to occur in town, but it will always be as part of an Encounter
Invalid Hits: Never hit anyone in the head, neck, genitals or privates (including direct hits to the breasts). If it accidentally happens that's why we pad the weapons so much. Back off and allow the person to recover before continuing combat. A Hold may need to be called.
Weapons: must be approved by staff at check in. Boffers are foam weapons. See staff for approved mass manufacturers and approved construction methods. Unmodified Nerf, and other foam dart firearms and archery toys are allowed, however the staff team may impose a minimum firing range.
Protection Points
Armor/Shield + Resilience= Protection Points.
Armor & Shields: There are two types of armor, Natural and Artificial. Natural armor is defined as armor that is growing from the creature's body and cannot be removed, Artificial armor is defined as armor that is worn. Shields are the same as armor, except carried, and the protection granted by the shield only applies when the shield itself is hit.
Breaking:
If a single hit deals Twice the armor or shield’s Armor Rating, then the armor or shield breaks and must be repaired before it will offer protection again.
Health Points
Character Level+ Resilience Rating = Health Points
A Character’s Health Points are their Character level+ their Resilience Rating. If damage is Dealt above Protection Points, it is THEN subtracted from Health Points.
Damage Points
Strength+ Weapon Material +Skill= Damage Points
Once a successful hit has been made, now comes Taking Damage. The player calls their total Damage, that is subtracted from that the character's Protection Points, for the total damage dealt. The Damage Rating is the Character’s Strength plus the Weapon’s Base Rating plus the Character’s skill in that weapon.
Surprise Attacks- the damage from their FIRST strike is doubled. They must Call the type of surprise attack and meet the other criteria.
⬧ Sucker Punch: Sucker punches can only be performed while using small, handheld weapons such as knifes, or handguns. To successfully setup a Sucker Punch, the target must not be suspecting combat is about to begin or be engaged in combat with someone else.
⬧ Ambushes: Ambushes can be performed with any kind of weapon or ability, but it requires the character to already be successfully hiding in a designated area and must be attacking someone in that area.
Weapon Base Rating= Weapon’s Rank + its Material Rating.
Two Handed Weapons: Using both hands adds +1 point to damage.
Firearms and Crossbows: when figuring out a ranged weapon’s damage, swap out Strength for Perception.
Taking Damage If a hit is more points than the Protection Points, then take Health Point damage. Once you have no Health points left, you fall unconscious. Unconscious characters may be revived with Healing, either Mundane or Magical by someone else. They may take no actions but might be able to whisper something theatrical. They may not heal themselves. The character has hours equal to Twice their Core Points left to live before they bleed out and die.
+Healing Damage+
Healing is performed either Mystically or through Mundane means. Either way, a character needs to have at least one rank in Healing Skill. Healer calls how many points they heal for.
⬧ Healing by Magical =Healing Spell Rank + Healing Skill
⬧ Healing by Mundane = Healing Skill + Intelligence
Patch up: In Battle Wrap a Wound at a 10 Count per Damage Point, seek Hospital/ Magic after battle, or Damage Returns after combat.
Hospital Medical: Performed by a character with Rank 3+ in Healing Skill and in a shelter of some sort with medical supplies. The Wounded character will be healed, but needs to rest for 3 hours per point of Damage.
Mystic Battle Healing: "Flying by the seat of my pants." Under duress, a mystic may Reduce Damage dealt to themselves (unless unconscious) or others by points equal to their Healing Skill plus their Core Points by expending one Ardor Point. May be repeated as necessary. This is not the Heal spell and proper medical care must be sought after combat.
Resurrection: A Mystic may use Ritual Resurrection to raise a character that was completely destroyed as long as they had at least one core point left.
Hack: After a foe is dead and mystics to begin to Resurrect the character strikes the foe again, calling “Hack,” reducing the foe below zero and therefor killing them again. If they still have core points, Rinse and Repeat until the foe has run out of Core Points.
~DEATH~
If Double a character’s Core Points are Dealt in Damage after becoming Unconscious, the Body is unable to sustain life and the Character DIES. Or damage equal to the Character’s total Health Points +1 + Twice the Characters Core Points are dealt in a single blow or from an Area Effect.
Death Quest & the Graveyard:
A Dead Character can make their way through the Death Quest to return to the Living and reform in the Grave Yard, Less one Permanent Core Point.
When a character has been killed and no one is available or capable of raising them from the dead, they may embark on the Death Quest. The player will rise from the location of their death and head to the Graveyard. The way beckons the dead on with black banners showing the way. But here, in the space between life and death is where the Innominatam lurk, hungry for Core. If they catch wind of the dead, they will hunt them all the way to the Graveyard and in this state, every hit an Innominatam lands steals a Core. But, if the dead can make it into the Graveyard, the Nameless will not be able to follow, and if the dead still has at least a Core point, they can pay it as a toll to the Great Arch between the living and the dead and re-enter the land of the living. The Ritual “Portable Graveyard” makes the journey much shorter and allows the dead to return to the land of the living very close to where they died. This allows them to rejoin the battle which took their life. But, just because the trip is shorter, does not mean that it is without Peril. Especially if the battle is being fought with the Innominatam, who exist in between the worlds, they can simply pursue the dead from the battle to the Portable Graveyard.
~Magic~
Spells- A known magical formula with a known particular effect.
-Incantation: are oral recitations. Must be spoken aloud.
-Potions are prepared beforehand and consumed. Each potion had a particular "recipe" that must be followed.
-Ritual is a combination of the other types. Requires 1) a Place of Sanctity, marked out by a physical Circle on the ground and not disrupted by enemies, 2) a series of ingredients, defined by the ritual, and 3) an incantation. Multiple Casters often participate in Rituals. This raises the Total levels in the spell, there by increasing the effect of the spell. The casters must work in concert, moving and incanting in unison. Storyteller may call for each Caster to spend a Determination.
-Enchantments: are items with a mystic effect forged into it. Requires the proper spells, and that all spells be of the same kind of magic
Wards: are enchantments applied to objects and areas creating an effect in an area.
Magic Types
Elemental: Easy, readily available, safe, stable and legal. Need a Magic Foci.
Alchemy: uses magic in ingredients, not the caster. Unstable
Dichotom (Dark): Illegal, dangerous, magic of the Nameless/Innominatam
Blood: Need to have blood. Some powers are Illegal.
Fae: Need to have Dreams. Very Flexible, but can also be unpredictable
-Calls-
Calls are the way we explain the magic or other effect we are using in a short, simple way
Adjective Calls
Used in combination with the below calls to add more information, especially when the Effect could be caused by several different Sources that may have different counters.
Combat: This effect is done without magic
Light: Light magic, cannot use Dark magic for the duration
Dark: Dark Magic, Cannot use elemental magic for the duration
Element: Elemental magic, one of the 7 elements
Fae: Fae magic
Blood: Blood magic
Alchemy: Alchemical concoction
Faith: Faith magic
Arcane: Arcane magic, such as Sirrush abilities
Duende: Meraki abilities, does not effect things without emotions, but lasts until the caster stops singing
Effects Calls
These are usually effects caused by Combat Maneuvers or Spells of some form.
(A Number Called): Causes damage of that amount
Heal: Restore ranks health
Purify: remove ranks poisons or toxins effecting
Buff (Attribute): Increase attribute by ranks for one encounter
Immune: Whatever you just did, has no effect
Root: such as tangle root and Quicksand, Become unable to move your feet, but you can still be damaged and speak
Paralyze: Become unable to move or speak for 10 seconds per rank
Freeze: such as freeze or banishment, Unable to talk, move, or be damaged for 10 seconds per rank
Fear: Run away from the caster for 1 minute per rank
Push: Target must go 5 normal steps away from the caster per rank
Disarm: Such as Fumble or Disarm: Drop all weapons or held items, cannot pick them back up for 10 seconds per rank
Grounded: You become forced to the ground and are unable to travel in any form other than walking or running for ten seconds per rank
Reduce (Attribute): Lower Attribute by ranks for one encounter
Revert: Return all stats to their base values and your stats cannot be buffed for one minute per rank
Parry: Receive ranks damage back from your target
Piercing: Deals damage directly to health, can never be more than 5 in one attack
Thorns: Take damage equal to the number said on contact
Curse: Take ranks direct to health damage when cast and at the end of every scene including the one you are In until dispelled or death
Feeble: you take Ranks extra damage from all attacks
Terminal: If the caster reaches the end of their countdown, you die.
Disorient: Cause extreme disorientation for ten seconds per rank.
Charm: Become friendly towards the caster
Goad: Such as Goad or Antagonize: Only attack the caster for 10 seconds per rank
Truthful: You become unable to lie for 1 minute per rank
Obfuscate: (Nightmare Justice) You become unable to speak the truth for one minute per rank
Incorporeal: Person saying this cannot be harmed, or touch anything, but can be cast on
Dreamless: You become unable to dream for ranks Days
Rested: get the effects of a full nights rest
Command: Become compelled to fulfil ranks orders from the caster
Blindness: become unable to see
Silence: Become unable to speak for 10 seconds per rank
Skip: Caster is temporarily out of character, you cannot see or hear them for the duration
Visible: prevents you from turning invisible for 10 minutes per rank
Invisible: (Also Silent Code) Characters cannot see this unless they have Clear Sight above the ranks in Invisible
Null: Magic lower than this call ends
Dispel: Removes magic under its own rank from the target
Taint: You are not able to be healed for 1 minute per rank
Cancelled: You are unable to use your most recently used spell for 1 minute per rank
-Cards-
EDGE CARD: Players are Awarded Edge Cards by the storyteller for Great Role playing moments. Played during any Check to Automatically win the check, or to add 5 ranks or levels to any single spell or damage hit.
HINT CARD: Players can Find Hint Cards by searching the area, killing things and interacting with NPCs. A Hint card can be played when a player needs a clue or hint. May point characters in the right direction or unlock a secret.
WILD CARD: Every player is given one Wild Card per season. A Wild Card can be played during any Check to automatically win the Check. But its real power is as a Wild Card. By handing one to a Storyteller, they will find a fun solution or addition to current events. Perhaps it unlocks a secret room, reveals a plot twist or summons a dues ex machina. More likely it reveals a clue in the current story, or a hint in the right direction.