Combat

Rules of Combat

Combat Rules

Combat in the Kingdoms of Novitas can happen at any time with no notice. It moves as fast as the players make it move. Understanding what is happening can be very important to keeping the flow of the game going.

Hit Locations and Legal Strikes

A legal strike is one that is clearly and distinctly felt on the receivers body in an eligible hit location.

There are 5 hit locations on a persons body. They are the Torso, Legs, Arms, Hands, and Head & Neck. The head & neck are listed here only to point out that they are off limits to weapon strikes. Feigning as if to hit someone's head is also off limits.

A player can take a wound in their Right Arm, Left Arm, Right Leg, Left Leg, and Torso.

As long as a player is carrying a weapon hands are treated as being part of the weapon, so hits to the hands don't cause the player to take damage. You should indicate this to your opponent by announcing "hand". Empty hands are considered part of their respective arms and in this case a hit to the hand will cause the player to take damage.

A person's torso includes, shoulders, chest, stomach, sides, back, groin and buttocks. Although aiming for a persons groin is forbidden, accidental hits should be accepted as torso hits.

Any effect that takes place on the next hit, must be used when the next legal strike lands or they are wasted.

Melee strikes need to be heavy enough to be felt but not so heavy that they inflict real injuries. If a player feels that an attack connected but was significantly too light (such as grazing a cloak) they can call "Light" to indicate this and disregard taking the wound. This should not be abused for tactical advantage (that's cheating and will be dealt with accordingly). Likewise strikes represent attacks with real weapons, and no melee strike should be a series of repeated taps. Players should call "Too Fast" when this happens to indicate the rapid hits. Again this should not be abused for tactical advantage. When hit too hard a call of "Hard" can serve to notify the attacker of the hard swing. As a general rule hits should be just as hard as is needed for the player to feel the hit connected.

Ranged weapons hits should be taken regardless of how hard they hit.

Missile weapon hits only count if you are hit by the head of the missile. For this one rule javelins and great javelins count as missile weapons. Missile weapons may not be deflected by weapons however, doing so will cause you to take the hit in the arm of the hand holding the weapon.

Thrown weapon hits count no matter what part of the weapon strikes you. These weapons may be blocked or deflected by both shields and melee weapons.

Spells and some items use tag bags. If a tag bag makes contact with anything worn by a player it counts as hitting that player where ever that item makes contact with the player (so arm for a melee weapon, torso for a cloak). Tag bags never hit too light. Although tag bags should not be aimed at the head if they happen to hit a player's head the player should take the hit to their torso.

Players will never inflict damage on themselves with their own weapons, this does not prevent "friendly fire" however.

Inflicting Damage

Damage is dealt in combat through a wide variety of means such as: melee weapons, thrown weapons, missile weapons, spells, and items. If an attack connects to a legal hit location you have successfully caused your opponent to take damage.

When you make an attack you announce the damage you will deal to another character by making a combat call, such as "3" or "3 normal" both of which indicate that you are dealing 3 points of normal damage. If no number is announced when you attack with a weapon it is assumed that you are dealing 1 point damage with your attack. Some attacks have no calls at all in which case they inflict 1 normal damage. Other types of damage can be dealt by stating the type after the number, so "2 magic" means 2 points of magic damage.

Spells and items always deal a specific amount of damage based on the spell or item being used. Weapons deal damage based on the wielders combat skills. Some items will replace a weapons normal damage with a specific number.

Taking Damage

When an opponent's damage dealing attack successfully connects with a legal hit location you need to figure what effect it will have.

The first thing you do when you take damage (or are hit by a spell call) is check to see if you have any immunity effects. So if you are hit for "4 Poison" and you have the spell Poison Immunity up, it will prevent that damage and you will not proceed any further in taking damage. An ability such as a damage requirement would also be checked at this time. A "No Effect" call must be made whenever an attack successfully hits you but does not inflict damage (or does not take effect in the case of spells) so that the attacker knows-that-you-know the attack successfully hit and so that they know they may need to attack with something different.

After you have checked for immunity effects you check to see if you have any limited use prevention effects. These are often called "one time" effects because they generally only work once. One example of such an effect is from the spell spirit shield. Remember to call ''No Effect" if the damage is prevented outright by an effect.

After prevention effects, apply any effects that change the amount of damage taken. Namely the monstrous rule.

At this point damage is going to be dealt in some form. Characters have four possible pools that damage might be applied to before the character takes a wound. Those pools are magic armor, physical armor, natural armor, and body. Damage is always applied to magic armor first, physical armor second, natural armor third, body fourth and finally as a wound last. If the damage has the "Pierce" trait it cannot be applied to any type of armor.

Applying damage to a pool is done on a one-for-one basis. For example if an attack deals 4 damage and have 2 magic armor, 1 physical armor and 3 body, after the damage is dealt you will now have 0 magic armor, 0 physical armor, and 2 body remaining.

Finally if you no longer have any magic armor, physical armor, natural armor or body left damage is applied as a wound to the location hit: Right Leg, Left Leg, Right Arm, Left Arm or Torso.

Keep in mind that a single hit can only ever cause one wound. If you are hit in the arm for 2 damage, you only take an arm wound, not an arm wound AND a torso wound.

If at any time you don't know how much damage you have taken, err on the side of the attacker by taking an immediate torso wound. Or in other words if you are in doubt or confused it's always ok to take more damage and remove yourself from the fight.

Wounds

When a character takes damage and they cannot prevent it, they receive a wound. A player can take a wound in their Right Arm, Left Arm, Right Leg, Left Leg, and Torso.

A wounded arm must drop anything it is holding. You may NOT use a still healthy arm to instantly grab an item such as a weapon. Drop it first, then you may attempt to retrieve it from the ground.

A wounded leg will no longer support weight. You may only drag your foot slowly across the ground to move around. If you are forced to put weight on the wounded leg, you must fall over. You should also act like the leg is injured and is causing pain.

You may also choose to drop to your knees. If you do, then your other leg will become wounded. This means you may not stand up after voluntarily dropping to a knee.

If you sustain leg wounds in both legs you MUST drop to your knees.

A torso wound will knock a character unconscious. Once unconscious they will "bleed out" in 10 minutes. Characters with the first aid skill can increase the time it takes to "bleed out" by an additional 10 minutes with appropriate role-playing. If the bleeding isn't stopped in time the character will die. Death requires stronger healing to recover from than a standard torso wound. Should your character remain dead at the end of the event you run the risk of permanent character death. If your torso is further wounded while you are already suffering from a torso wound with an attack called a "killing blow" you stop bleeding out and go straight to being dead.

If a character who has suffered a torso wound is in a location where others are likely to trip over them, it is appropriate and encouraged to move out of the way until it is safe to return.

When an effect causes an "automatic wound", ignore any armor (of any kind) or body the character may have. An appropriate immunity effect can still prevent an automatic wound, however damage requirements will NOT prevent automatic wounds.

Killing Blows

When a character has received a torso wound they will bleed out and become dead in 10 minutes. By delivering a killing blow to that character they will cease bleeding out and immediately be considered dead.

Some creatures you encounter have an ability called a kill condition. After a creature (generally an npc) with a kill condition receives a torso wound, that creature will not die unless a killing blow is delivered that uses the specific type of combat call required by the kill condition. If an appropriate killing blow is not delivered the creature will arise again fully healed after a minute.

When a creature with a kill condition is injured but not killed (lost body or wounded) they heal fully if completely out of combat for one minute. Out of combat is defined as being both free from being threatened and not threatening anything else.

In the event that a creature is immune to killing blows, such as from the resilience spell an attack that would have met their kill condition will prevent the creature from healing.

Helpless Condition

A character is considered to be helpless whenever they are affected by terror, unconscious, suffering from a torso wound, or dead. Whenever a character is helpless they can't execute any actions, even if they are conscious. Not even at will spells can be used because in order to cast an at will spell you still need to have a free hand.

Monstrous creatures who are helpless cannot remove mundane physical bonds for as long as they are helpless.

Preventing and Healing Damage

Immunity

Characters can become immune to some combat calls by a variety of effects. When a character is hit by an attack that makes a call the character is immune to, that attack has no effect on the character. A "No Effect" call must be made whenever an attack successfully hits you but does not inflict damage (or does not take effect in the case of spells) so that the attacker knows-that-you-know the attack successfully hit and so that they know they may need to attack with something different.

If a character becomes immune to a school of magic, then any buffs from that school already on them remain for their normal durations, but no further effects can be applied to them for as long as the immunity remains. This includes spells cast, consumables (such as scrolls and potions) and rituals as well.

No combination of effects can make you invulnerable to all damage. The last effect received that would create an invulnerable situation is automatically prevented.

The following spells and effects may not stack with each other unless an ability explicitly allows them to:

Body Stat

Body represents advanced physical conditioning that allows a character to take more hits in combat before succumbing to serious wounds.

Body is a stat possessed by both characters and creatures. When a character is damaged by an attack once the characters armor has been overcome the damage is next applied to the characters body. Location does not matter, body is applied to damage taken in any location. Limb wounds and torso wounds occur when a character takes damage after all body has been used up.

Effects that give characters additional body points can be healed for as long as the effect lasts.

Body has a cap of 4 points.

Armor (aka Physical Armor) Points

When a player wears armor as part of their garb their character gets to enjoy the benefit of gaining points of "armor". Armor points are sometimes also called "physical armor points" in order to differentiate them from magic armor or natural armor.

Points of physical armor only benefit you in places the armor covers. If an opponent hits a part of your body that is not covered by the armor you are wearing, you may not apply the damage to your armor points. Some rare magic items may give "floating" coverage which covers even places the armor does not.

Should your character take damage, physical armor soaks that damage. Attacks with the "Pierce" combat call, ignore any physical armor you might have (as well as any other armor such as magic armor or natural armor).

Your total physical armor is based on the armor you are wearing plus any effects that specifically improve your armor, such as a helmet, spells like enhance armor, or special magic items. Wearing a chain shirt and a leather vest will not stack together for a better armor value

Physical armor has a cap of 4 points.

Wearing a helmet allows a character to break the physical armor cap and have 5 points of physical armor.

Magic Armor Points

A character can gain magic armor from spells like Magic Armor, magic items, and or other unusual abilities. Unlike physical armor, magic armor covers the entire body and applies no matter where a hit lands. Characters benefiting from magic armor must wear a visible blue flag on their person.

Magic armor does not stack with other sources of magic armor, if you are affected by multiple instances of magic armor only the greatest number applies.

Magic armor has a cap of 4 points.

Natural Armor Points

Natural armor is a trait that some creatures have and is granted by some very rare magic items. By default natural armor behaves like magic armor: namely absorbing damage anywhere, not just locations covered by physical armor. Some specific creatures have their own rules for where their natural armor applies much like physical armor.

By default natural armor does not stack with other sources of natural armor, if you are affected by multiple instances of natural armor only the greatest number applies.

Healing Damage

When your character takes damage from an attack you will eventually want to know how that damage gets repaired. Body points, leg, and arm wounds will heal automatically at the start of the next event you attend. Torso wounds lead to "bleeding out", so they do not typically heal between events, in fact if they are not treated soon enough you will be dead which could lead to permanent death if you are not revived. A character who has taken a torso wound but has been stabilized from an effect such as stabilizing concoction will heal that wound between events.

Naturally no one wants to wait a full month for damage to heal. To heal faster requires restoration magic or healing items such as a catholicon or rejuvenation elixir.

Characters can also acquire conditions that require healing.

A character who has the poisoned condition cannot have wounds or their body points healed until the poisoned condition is removed. Typically the poisoned condition is removed by the spell Purify Spirit or an item such as a Theriac or a Catholicon.

Another condition that must be cured is the diseased condition, it will not wear off naturally. The diseased condition is challenging to remove, there are no spells that accomplish this goal. Instead alchemical items must be used such as a Theriac, a Catholicon or a Rejuvination Elixir.

Calls

Calls in Combat and Types of Damage

Combat calls are used to convey information about attacks and special abilities characters have. Some calls are used only with attacks, others are used to announce defenses, and some calls just let people know that you benefit from an ongoing effect.

An attack counts as all things called. Sometimes one call can change some properties of other calls attached. For example the poison call makes an attack not a spell even if the other parts of the attack normally indicate spells.

If a player is using a weapon they have not yet identified but they recognize it as being made of a special material because of the weapon's color that player should make the corresponding call when attacking with that weapon.

When an effect allows you to call for something different with a weapon than you would normally call, you must choose which call to use when you make your attacks. If the something different only applies to the "next successful hit", and you choose not to use it when you make that hit, the effect is wasted.

For example if a character who deals 2 damage with each melee attack has a sword that deals "Nature" damage and they apply Scorpion's Kiss to that weapon so that it can deal "poison weaken" damage for the next successful hit. When they make that successful hit against an opponent they can choose to call "2 nature" or "poison weaken". They may not call "2 Nature poison weaken". Regardless of the effect they choose, the Scorpion's Kiss will be expended after that successful hit.

Basic Calls

Normal Calls

If a player calls "normal" during combat it means that their weapon has no special damage types. Players are not required to call "normal", thus calling "2 normal" has the same effect as calling for "2". If a player has a special weapon that makes calls other than normal, then they may not choose to call normal, they must call that special call.

When a tag bag deals normal damage with no additional calls it may be fully blocked by a shield preventing that damage with no further effect.

Blunt Calls

This combat call can be made voluntarily by someone wielding a melee weapon. When used the "blunt" call is added to the weapons normal call (instead of replacing that call). It interacts normally with magic armor and physical armor, inflicting lasting damage that must be mended normally. What makes blunt damage different is that any blunt attacks that cause loss of body points or wounds will only last for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes are up any wounds caused by blunt damage are automatically healed.

A character with the first aid skill can wake a character who is unconscious from a blunt torso wound before the wound heals from 10 minutes passing. This counts as healing the torso wound. Limb wounds and body points cannot be healed by first aid in this way.

Should a character take "blunt poison" damage, the poison condition will wear off in 10 minutes. A character with the first aid skill can remove the poison condition in this circumstance (and only this circumstance). "Blunt disease" damage works the exact same way including removing the diseased condition with first aid in this situation (and only this situation).

No Effect Calls

This is one of the few defensive calls in the system. It is used to indicate when an opponents offensive combat call doesn't have any impact on another character. This could be because of an immunity or because of a one use spell or effect such as from Spirit Shield.

A "No Effect" call must be made whenever an attack successfully hits you but does not inflict damage (or does not take effect in the case of spells) so that the attacker knows-that-you-know the attack successfully hit and so that they know they may need to attack with something different.

Weapon Types

These calls only affect you differently if you have a rule that cares about what type of damage you are taking.

Acid Calls

Acid damage is a special kind of damage that can destroy shields.

When a shield blocks an attack with the acid call it prevents the effect of that attack to the bearer but this has an effect on the shield, which could become destroyed.

Should a shield block four points of acid damage during an event then that shield is temporarily destroyed. While it is destroyed the bearer automatically takes any damage that is inflicted on the shield, so it immediately should be dropped. In order to repair a destroyed shield, it must be set down, and someone must role-play repairing it while someone casts mend armor on it.

When the acid call is part of an attack, that attack never counts as a spell. This means that an immunity to spell effects does not apply. The attack is an acid effect.

Elven Steel Calls

Elven Steel is a combat call that counts an advanced version of the silver call. If the target of an attack has a damage requirement or a kill condition that requires silver, or elven steel the character will inflict damage or kill the target respectively.

"Elven steel" calls is not prevented by effects which prevent or grant immunity to silver.

Magic Calls

Magic is a combat call that will affect creatures with damage requirement: magic or kill condition: magic, inflicting damage or killing the target respectively.

The magic call always comes from spells.

Nature Calls

Nature is a combat call that only has special meaning if the target has damage requirement: nature or kill condition:nature which allows the wielder to inflict damage or kill the target respectively.

Primal Calls

Primal is a special combat call that also counts as an advanced version of the "nature" call. Primal has a special meaning if the target has damage requirement or a kill condition requiring: nature or primal; allowing the attacker to inflict damage or kill the target respectively.

Primal damage is not prevented by effects which prevent or grant immunity to nature damage.

Silver Calls

Silver is a combat call that only has special meaning if the target has damage requirement: silver or kill condition: silver which allows the wielder to inflict damage or kill the target respectively.

Condition Causing Calls

These are weapon type calls that give special conditions if you take damage from them.

Disease Calls

When a player loses body or takes a wound from any attack with the "disease" call they gain the diseased condition.

Diseased Condition

A diseased character is not allowed to run, they are too ill to move quickly. Furthermore while diseased the character has -1 to their total body and -1 to any weapon damage.

The diseased condition is challenging to remove, there are no spells that accomplish this goal. Instead alchemical items must be used such as a Theriac, a Catholicon or a Rejuvination Elixir.

Poison Calls

When a player is successfully hit by an attack with the "poison" call they are now considered poisoned until the condition is cured.

When the poison call is added to any attack even a spell effect such as pin that attack no longer counts as a spell. This means that immunities to spell or compulsion effects no longer apply. The attack is now a poison effect.

A shield may fully block any attack that makes the poison call, preventing any effect to the bearer.

Poisoned Condition

A character who has the poisoned condition cannot have wounds or their body points healed until the poisoned condition is removed. There are a variety of different ways that a character might gain the poisoned condition but not all poison effects give the poisoned condition

Typically the poisoned condition is removed by the spell Purify Spirit or an item such as a Theriac or a Catholicon.

Other Combat Calls

Pierce Calls

Damage with the "Pierce" call ignores any physical armor, magical armor, or natural armor the target might have. This means that damage not prevented by an immunity or a prevention effect is applied to the targets body first and as a limb or torso wound if they run out of body.

Slay Calls

Monstrous creatures only take, at most, one point of damage from any attack without the "slay" call.

Monstrous armor points are gained from specific types of worn armor. These points takes damage just like ordinary armor points do but reduce any damage dealt to them without the "Slay" call to one. With monstrous physical armor only the physical armor points benefit from this damage reduction, damage dealt to magic armor and body are not reduced.

Smite Calls

A target affected by "smite" loses (and can't gain) damage requirements as well as any kill condition (damage type). Furthermore a target affected by a "smite" call may not be affected by the dissipate effects or the ley lines spell. The effect lasts for 10 minutes.

A "smite" call does not remove a kill condition (special) from its target.

Special Calls

These calls are created by monsters or from special items.

Detect <Type> Calls

Detect calls, such as "detect life" and "detect undead", are an out-of-game radar used by a spell and some creatures. When you hear someone call "detect <type>" you must answer by yelling that type back if you are part of that group. So "Detect Life" would be responded to with "Life!" (assuming you are a living creature and not currently dead or an unliving NPC). This is an out-of-game interaction, so your character would not be any more aware of whoever called "detect life" than you were before it was called and should role-play accordingly.

Spell Calls

These calls indicate a spell or ritual has been cast.

Banish Calls

Banish is an effect that forcefully dissipates the person affected for 10 minutes. The target is helpless and cannot voluntarily dispel this dissipate effect.

The banish call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) banish is a nature spell effect.

Brains Calls

The brains call is used to announce that a character has an illusion that makes them appear to be undead to other undead. To other living creatures, the character appears normal.

Mindless undead will treat the character as one of their own as long as the character does not provoke them such as by attempting to attack them. Intelligent undead are not affected by the brains call.

Charm Calls

A charm effect forces its victim to become friendly with the charm's source. The target hit by charm is overcome with a powerful feeling of friendship towards the charm's source. Charm effects last for ten minutes during which time the victim will not harm or conspire to bring harm to the charm's source.

Sometimes charm only affects certain types of creatures. When this is the case, the attack that calls for "charm" will list what types of creatures in the attack, such as "charm nature". In this example if you were not a nature creature the attack would have no effect on you.

On some unusual occasions there will be no obvious source for a charm effect. If there is no obvious source for a charm effect, the character influenced will become charmed by the first person they see.

Charm effects do not allow a character to issue commands to the charmed character or otherwise compel them to act in any other way. The charmed character will not act in a fashion that will bring harm to themselves or their party members in an attempt to protect the charm's source.

The charm ends immediately if the charm's source attacks or directs an attack on the charmed character, this includes telling others to attack the character. Simply drawing a weapon or starting to cast an offensive spell in the presence of the charmed target does not warrant the charm being broken unless the charm's source directly voices their intention to attack the charmed player.

A charmed character will not give up their possessions without good reason, though they might sell or barter them away to the source for a better price than they would under normal circumstances.

A few rare creatures (and the third rank of status) allow characters to charm others without making an attack. A charm aura is generally communicated by the character looking someone in the eyes and saying "charm" as clearly as possible. Because this effect is unlimited use it is not broken if the charmer attacks the charm victim, but the charm victim may defend themselves (aggressively if desired) they just feel somewhat bad about it. A good example for some is how some siblings might defend themselves from another sibling in a fight.

The charm call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) charm is a compulsion spell effect. Compulsion spells do not count as compulsion spells if there is a type listed, such as dominate undead.

Curse Calls

A curse call causes a character's body to be reduced to a maximum of 1 (curse has no effect if the target has one or zero body) for 10 minutes. If the character already had damage done to their body points they have 0 body remaining with a maximum of 1 body and do not take any sudden wound.

When the curse ends the character regains any body points they didn't have access to because of the curse but any damage taken remains the same.

The curse call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) curse is a necromancy spell effect.

Disengage Calls

The disengage call prevents it's victims from attacking or otherwise acting in a hostile manner towards the source of the call.

When struck with a disengage effect, a target cannot make any attacks against the disengage call's source for one minute. The target is also afflicted with a mild compulsion to avoid approaching the source of the call. The target should be focused on always staying at least five feet apart.

During this time the person affected by disengage is free to attack other people or take other actions. They do not forget that a hostile effect has been used on them.

If at any time the source of the disengage attacks the target or moves within five feet of the target with an unsheathed weapon or active spell tag bag, the disengage effect is broken. The target is now free to once again attack the source if they wish. Due to the compulsion to avoid the source a target can't break the effects of disengage simply by moving towards the source with an unsheathed a weapon or active spell.

The disengage call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) disengage is a compulsion spell effect. Compulsion spells do not count as compulsion spells if there is a type listed, such as dominate undead.

Dispel Calls

The dispel magic call represents focused anti-magic that can be used to disrupt all of the magical effects on a target. When a target is hit by the dispel call, all non-permanent magical effects currently active are said to have been "dispelled". This means that they end immediately. Any spell cast on you with a duration longer than instant creates a magical effect until the duration runs out.

Items such as dilution solution create the dispel alchemy call which removes all effects from alchemical compounds on the target, other than poisons.

Tinkering items hit by a dispel magic call, have any active abilities turned off and the item’s magic is suppressed for 10 minutes. The affected item(s) must be “turned on” again to work. Please note that this effect does not apply to ornamented or weaponsmithed items, only tinkering items.

It is possible to target a magical field (spells that affect an area instead of single person or object) with a dispel effect. Magical fields include effects like sanctuary or sanctify. To do so simply requires the dispeller to hit the specific object protected (such as a building protected by Sanctify ?) by the field or the ground inside the field’s area of effect. Magical fields are always separate from the caster who created them, defenses their caster might personally have active are irrelevant to preventing the area effect from being dispelled in this way.

Once effects are dispelled, they may be reapplied at any time assuming the target has the means to do so.

It is possible for this call to affect other scenario specific magic, but a game master will deal with these situations on a case-by-case basis. As a rule of thumb, dispel affects only creatures and their spells.

A caster can voluntarily dispel a spell they have cast at any time by touching the spell's target. If the target is conscious and unwilling to have the effect dispelled then they may not be dispelled this way. If the caster of a spell dies, spells they have cast continue functioning as normal.

The dispel magic call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) dispel magic is a spell effect.

Dissipate Calls

Dissipate is an effect that allows a character to escape from a dangerous situation by merging with a surrounding element, magically melding with it. Most often this means dissipating into the air.

The result is that the being become invisible, intangible, and unable to move (except for real world safety reasons, see below) or take any action until the dissipate ends.

After being affected by dissipate a character they must raise a blue flag over their head and then call "dissipate". This effect does not begin until the flag is held overhead. The blue flag must be in an empty hand and can't be tied to anything. For up to 10 minutes maximum, as long as the blue flag is held up the character is dissipated. While dissipated the character can't move but others no longer "know where they are" (and should role-play accordingly). When the player lowers the blue flag the spell is voluntarily dispelled. Characters can always voluntarily dispel a dissipate effect as long as it was not caused by a banish call. A character that is dissipated can only be dispelled by a character who has a special ability allowing them to see someone who is affected by dissipate.

For safety reasons you should never dissipate while in front of a group of people who are running, or where you could otherwise be a trip or collision hazard. If you dissipate in such a situation it is ok to leave a marker such as a tag bag to indicate where you were and to step aside.

If a character uses the detect life call near you while you are under the effects of dissipate you do not answer.

Dominate Calls

A dominate call causes its victim to follow one of five standard orders from the dominate's source. It is also possible to issue custom orders. A dominate call lasts for ten minutes. Some domiante calls have limits on what type of creatures it can affect. If the call includes a creature type after the word dominate, only that type of creature is affected. For example if you are hit by a "dominate undead" call you will only be affected if you are playing an undead.

The five basic orders that can be issued to the controlled being are: “attack”, “defend”, “move”, "stop", or "loot yourself". A character affected by a dominate effect doesn't know in-character that they are being controlled and must role-play to the best of their ability following orders as if the order were their own idea.

When orders other than the five basic orders are issued, the person being commanded should exercise reasonable judgement on how to comply. If the spontaneous order is something the player is uncomfortable doing they are not required to carry out that command. This should not be seen as an excuse to avoid doing something you don't want to do in-character, but rather is specifically related to doing things you don't want to do out-of-character.

Attack: The attack order allows the dominate's source to point at a target and compels the controlled creature to attack at once. The controlled creature will attack the target without question or concern for its own preservation and will use every available power and ability to carry out the attack. It is possible to word the attack order in a fashion that will compel the controlled creature to attack multiple targets. For example the source could order the creature to “attack all humans”.

Defend: A defend order allows the dominate's source to point at a target, such as a person, and compels the controlled creature to defend that target. In this case the controlled creature will attack anything that comes near the object or person it was ordered to defend, and may never move more than five feet from the object it was ordered to defend. Like an attack order, it is possible to word the defend order in a fashion that will compel the controlled being to defend multiple targets or large areas. For example, the dominate's source could order the controlled creature to, “defend all living things in the town”.

Move: A move order simply compels the controlled creature to move in a direction of the dominate source’s choice for the duration of the effect. The controlled creature will move at any speed the source desires that it is physically able to do and will only walk/run/float when under orders to move. It is legal for the dominate's source to order the controlled being to follow them or walk in front of them. The creature will not perform even the simplest of actions such as the opening of a door or dropping of weapons, but will move into a situation that might cause it harm or injury, such as ordering a waspoid to walk into an open pit.

Stop: The stop order compels the controlled creature to halt a particular action, as demanded by the dominate's source. Some examples include: "stop talking", "stop moving", "stop killing my friends", and so on.

Loot Yourself: The affected creature should place any valuables not contained in a blue bag into a convenient pile on the ground

The controlled creature will not attack the source of the dominate that controls it, unless for some reason the dominate's source orders it to do so.

Living creatures who are dominated are allowed to deal themselves a killing blow at any time to represent their final act of defiance to their controller, or to avoid taking an action they cannot morally accept, such as murdering someone.

The dominate call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) dominate is a compulsion spell effect. Compulsion spells do not count as compulsion spells if there is a type listed, such as dominate undead.

Enfeeble Calls

The enfeeble call prevents it's target from using incantations for spells or rituals for 10 minutes. Any spell or ritual effect that would require an incantation is prevented.

If a character is capable of casting a spell with no incant required they may still cast that spell while enfeebled.

The enfeeble call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) enfeeble is a necromancy spell effect.

Grounding Calls

A target struck by a grounding call is unable to utilize extra-planar movement effects or magical disguises.

Grounding prevents the following spells and effects from happening:

Grounding dispels the following effects:

Ghastly Visage
Dissipate if the caster has a method to see the target only.
Banish if the caster has a method to see the target only.

The grounding call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) grounding is a nature spell effect.

Memory Loss Calls

A character struck by a memory loss call instantly loses all recollection of the previous ten minutes. This effect lasts indefinitely and will become permanent (uncurable and undiagnosable) if not cured by the end of the next event after the effect takes place.

Nothing physically happens to a character when they are inflicted with memory loss, wounds remain the same, gear remains the same. The target will simply concoct some reason why things are the way they are. No amount of logic or reasoning will ever make the subject remember the lost ten minutes. Players who are failing to play in the spirit of this spell may be directed by a game master or member of the rules staff on how to better role-play their loss of memory.

In order to cure memory loss the effect must first be diagnosed with the spell diagnosis. Once it has been diagnosed the effect can be removed by either the dispel magic or memory loss spells. If one subject has been affected by several memory loss effects, they can all be diagnosed with a single casting of the diagnose spell but each memory loss effect must be cured individually.

The memory loss call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) memory loss is a compulsion spell effect. Compulsion spells do not count as compulsion spells if there is a type listed, such as dominate undead.

Pin Calls

A character affected by pin must keep their feet both firmly adhered to the ground for the next 10 minutes. The victim is otherwise unhindered and may turn and twist in any fashion they like so long as they do not move their feet. Nothing can prevent the character affected by pin from being attached to the ground by both feet. The only exception is that if the character is on their knees when the pin hits they will have their knees pinned instead of their feet.

If the pin was caused by a spell it represents the belief that you can't move your feet. When the pin come from a creature ability or an alchemy compound like a tanglefoot bag, it represents a substance keeping the character from moving their feet.

The pin call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) pin is a compulsion spell effect. Compulsion spells do not count as compulsion spells if there is a type listed, such as dominate undead.

Sanctify Calls

Sanctify seals a building with magical energy that prevents the undead from entering it. Sanctify will not protect temporary buildings. This effect also does not prevent undead from casting spells, tossing thrown weapons or firing missile weapons into the warded building.

When cast on a building, all of the building’s doors and windows glow with magical energy and no undead regardless of their strength may enter. When cast on a period tent, the doors are considered to be the only valid entry points; no other means of escape or access are permitted, such illegal actions include, but are not limited to: crawling under walls, disassembling tents, and so on.

Anti-magic shield will not allow any undead to pass through the barrier. An undead creature protected by anti-magic aura or an ethereal sealant may freely enter and move around in a sanctified structure as they desire.

The source of the sanctify effect must be inside the building when the effect is created but may enter or exit once the effect is in place. The effect will force out any undead that are in a building once cast. Undead being forced out of the building may cast spells as they are exiting, and any affected undead that become dissipated count as having exited the building. If the undead's only means of exit is blocked by enemies, the undead may fight their way out of the building. Should escape be impossible, affected creatures should cower in terror, taking no action.

Within one minute of creating this effect every ingress and egress point of the building must have a blue flag visibly attached to it. If the effect's creator fails to do this, the effect fails and undead may freely move in and out of the building. It is not legal to hang blue flags on portals in preparation to create this effect, however it is not required that the creator hang the flags personally and may employ as many free hands as needed to get the flags in place.

Sanctuary Calls

A sanctuary is a twenty-foot diameter bubble of magical force, focused on a spot indicated by the source. Even though the bubble appears as a dome, it is assumed to form a complete bubble with the lower half manifesting below the ground. In order to use this effect, a blue flag or tag bag must be placed on the ground indicating the center of the sanctuary. The sanctuary does not move from that point and the source must stay within the effect's area or the sanctuary will end immediately. If the source of a sanctuary dies while within the sanctuary this does not end the spell, though the caster could be dragged out to force the effect to end.

Only magic spells and beings who have an effect on them making them immune to spells (such as from Anti-Magic Aura or Ethereal Sealant) can enter a sanctuary effect. This allows magic users to cast from inside the bubble but also makes them vulnerable to spell from the outside. Physical objects are prevented from entering the sanctuary, so those outside of the effect may not fire ranged weapons into the sanctuary.

Some effects that protect against magic can allow a character to enter a sanctuary. Gasses will not enter the sanctuary but it is assumed that the bubble contains enough air to support any number of people for the duration of the effect.

Physical objects, including characters may leave the sanctuary at any time. This means that ranged attacks may be fired out of the sanctuary bubble.

All beneficiaries may move around inside the sanctuary without ending the effect as long as they stay in its area of effect. If an occupant other than the effect's source decides to leave the sanctuary, the effect does not end and that character may not reenter the sanctuary. Any character, friend or foe, within ten feet of the sanctuary's center at the time of its creation are automatically enclosed in the bubble.

Because only magic may enter the sanctuary effect if a character partially exits the effect (including, but not limited to, swinging a weapon outside of the effect), the parts of the character (and any gear) that exited the sanctuary can't be brought back into the sanctuary effect.

If a sanctuary is raised in a place where a twenty-foot diameter bubble would not have room to form, such as a tunnel, it is assumed to manifest completely but will not effect adjoining areas that might contain other characters. This means that players with no reasonable way to know a sanctuary is in play are not affected by being within 20 feet of it until they move to a location where they can be made aware the effect exists.

Players in a sanctuary effect may call "sanctuary" at any time while the effect is up to make others aware of the effect.

Second Breath Calls

This call is obsolete and should no longer be used.

Silence Calls

A target struck by this a silence call is unable to speak for one minute.

Spellcasters who are unable to speak their incants cannot cast spells.

Players should still call damage in combat as normal, but may not call out or say anything in-character. It is possible to still make noise through other means, such as banging two objects together.

The silence call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) silence is a compulsion spell effect. Compulsion spells do not count as compulsion spells if there is a type listed, such as dominate undead.

Unhallow Calls

Unhallow seals a building with foul magical energy that prevents the living from entering. Unhallow will not protect temporary buildings. This effect does not prevent creatures from casting spells or firing missile weapons into a protecting building.

Limited use effects like anti-magic shield and aura of reflection will not allow a creature to pass through the barrier. A dispel effect can end the unhallow effect. Living creatures under the effects of the spells ghastly visage, abomination, or anti-magic aura, as well as the alchemy compound ethereal sealant may enter an unhallowed area.

When cast on a building, all of the building’s doors and windows glow with magical energy and no living creatures, regardless of their level, may enter. When cast on a period tent, the doors are considered to be the only valid entry points; no other means of escape or access are permitted, such illegal actions include, but are not limited to : crawling under walls, disassembling tents, and so on.

An unhallow effect's creator must be inside the building when the effect begins but does not need to remain present for the effect to continue afterwards (and in fact they may be forced to leave the area by the effect). The unhallow effect will force out any living creatures that are in a building once the effect is created. Creatures being forced out of the building may cast spells as they are exiting, and any affected creatures that become dissipated count as having exited the building. If a living creature's only means of exit is blocked by enemies, the affected creature(s) may fight their way out of the building. Should escape be impossible, they will instead cower in terror, taking no action.

With in one minute of creating this effect every ingress and egress point of the building must have a blue flag visibly attached to it. If the creator fails to do this, the effect fails and creatures may freely move in and out of the building. It is not legal to hang blue flags on portals in preparation to create this effect, however it is not required that the creator hang the flags personally and may employ as many free hands as needed to get the flags in place.

Weaken Calls

The weaken effect causes it's victim to inflict half of their weapon damage (rounding down to a minimum of one) for the next 10 minutes. Multiple weaken effects do not stack.

Weaken does not reduce the damaged caused by spells or thrown poisons. It does affect blade poisons and effects that increase weapon damage (magic weapons, weapon with Enchant Weapon cast on them, etc.).

The weaken call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) weaken is a compulsion spell effect. Compulsion spells do not count as compulsion spells if there is a type listed, such as dominate undead.

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Page last modified on January 10, 2022, at 06:47 PM