Prophecy LARP Rulebook - MIT

Prophecy LARP RulebookBut true to the Prophet’s words, another power had arisen. In the lands of the east, the Empire of the Grith bared itsteeth and began stretching out its powerful hand to grasp all within reach. Relentless and ruthless, the GritheanImperium had only grown stronger over the ages. Their conquests provided the wealth and plunder to feed theirarmies and the slaves to work their great mines and workhouses. Conflict was inevitable, and thus were several warswaged over the centuries between the two powers. But Arden stood fast with the Bloodline of the True Sovereignsupon the Winged Throne, and did not break or bow.Then, in Year of the Prophet 598, the Grith launched a new offensive.King Roderick, the much loved bachelor king of Arden, rode forth once again with his army to do battle. During theheight of the campaign in y.p. 599, his forces seemed on the verge of throwing back the Imperial menace. Then, theunthinkable happened King Roderick disappeared! His body could not be found, and the Grith did not admit tohaving taken him prisoner. His brother, Prince Rupert, was declared Regent in his stead.Less than a year later, another blow fell upon the struggling people of Arden. Prince Rupert was slain in the Battle ofTortheld’s Gap, leaving his infant son Mallius as the only heir to the throne. Prince Rupert’s wife, the PrincessMalleraine, served as Regent. With the war still raging and an infant on the throne, the times were dark indeed. Ofthe missing King Roderick, there was no word, but in his name the people fought on, defending their land againstthose who would take it and bleed it dry.In these dark hours, stalwart citizens of Arden known as the Defenders of Vaurendale answered a call to service fromVauren Abbey in y.p. 601. Thrust into a maelstrom of combat and political intrigue, these brave adventurers rose tothe challenge. They discovered a dastardly scheme by which Princess-Regent Malleraine and Earl Ranulf ofShotwick would ascend to the Winged Throne and gain power. These two usurpers were responsible for thedisappearance of the good King Roderick and the death of his brother, Prince Rupert.Vaurendale, at the time, was the site of a convergence of fates, where several events crucial to the health of all ofArden were played out. The Defenders, stretched thin but still courageous, divided the tasks at hand and set aboutthem with zeal. A cursed bannerman of a dead Arden army was freed from his eternal torment, helping to turn theGrith advance aside in Ramalthy. Defenders sacrificed their lives to help thwart the destructive ambitions of Ingoth,a dark and hungry god. The Defenders were instrumental in freeing a large number of goblins from slavery, and infreeing the Venelasque people from an ancient musical curse known as the Threnody. Eventually, with theaccomplishment of this and a multitude of other deeds, the Defenders gathered the evidence to lay Malleraine’s evilscheme bare. In y.p. 604, King Roderick was rescued and restored to power, and the Earl of Shotwick was slain forhis crimes. The fugitive Malleraine escaped, and was never found. Through the aid of a magical scroll given to himby the Defenders, the King brought Prince Rupert back from the dead.It is now y.p. 606, and King Roderick has ridden to the east to end the Grith threat once and for all. His wife, QueenVanneth, has been left in charge of the affairs of state. Prince Rupert, it is said, begged his brother to let him lead thevanguard of the thrust into Grith lands, but the King insisted he stay to oversee the rebuilding of the shattered Duchyof Rachenza. The King could trust no one else with the task. So important is Rachenza to the health of Arden, thatno time could be wasted restoring it. Defeating the sinister elements preying on the lawless duchy, and rebuildingthe institutions of commerce and learning, can once again help Arden to thrive. The citizens of Arden face a greatchallenge, this time from within.What is Live Action Roleplaying?Live Action Roleplaying, or LARP as it is often called, is a form of art, recreation, and social gathering all rolled intoone. LARP events are often referred to as Games,Games and may take place at an outdoor or indoor location, and couldlast a few hours or an entire weekend.The chosen physical location will represent a Setting,Setting and a number of people known as Cast populate the settingwith characters ranging from monks to brigands to ghosts to wild beasts. Cast members will usually play severaldifferent Characters during an event. The actions of the Cast are guided by a number of inter-connected Plots,Plots whichare written and directed by the Prophecy Staff.Staff6

Prophecy LARP RulebookA Player will create a single Character, with personality, desires, goals, motives, skills, etc., using this rulebook. ThePlayer will then portray that Character, and interact within the world of the Setting. So while Cast Characters(sometimes called Non-Player Characters or NPCs) must for the most part follow a pre-written Plot, as directed bythe Staff, the Player Characters (or PCs) are free to do what they will within the confines of the Rules. A good way tothink about it is that the Game is like a sweeping epic novel, in which the Players are the main characters, while theCast and Staff provide the opposing forces, setting, and side characters.For this second Prophecy campaign, we plan to run mostly weekend events at a rural wooded site, several times ayear, for 3 to 4 years. The events will be part of an overall Campaign,Campaign with a main over-arcing Plotline that has adefinite ending point. Depending on the actions of the Players, that ending point may be reached earlier or later.The Game revolves around “real” actions. What this means is that when you choose to do something you mustactually do it. You can never “say” you are doing something and have it happen for you. You must actually do it. Ifyou say, “I climb up this wall”, all it means is that your character has just said that, which will get you some odd looks,but won’t save you from your enemies.There should be no need for you to ask other players out-of-game questions, such as “Do I recognize you?” or“What do I see?” These questions should be avoided. There may be a few cases where you will need to ask anotherplayer to clarify a situation, but these should be rare.You can do anything that you are capable of accomplishing without breaking the rules, endangering another player oryourself, disrupting the flow of game, calling a Hold, or damaging other people's property. There are some thingsyou just can’t do, even if “realistically” your character could do them.The reasons for this are to avoid situations like the following:Player A: “Okay, I set the hut on fire. You guys must be roasting in there by now, come on out!”Player B: “Actually, I broke down the back wall and climbed up that tree.”This sort of thing confuses the continuity of the game. Examples of things you cannot “say” you are doing include:cutting off limbs, breaking down doors, violation of another’s person, and burning items. There are also somereal-life actions we would ask you to refrain from for your own safety, and the safety of others. This information canbe found in the Rules and Policies section of the Rule Book.What to ExpectProphecy is a game intended for people who enjoy complex plotlines, intensive roleplaying, and tough, meaningfulfights. The person who will get the best experience out of Prophecy is someone who attends regularly, is eager toroleplay and get into plots, and enjoys challenges. While we expect that someone who comes occasionally or evenjust once can still have an enjoyable time, we intended Prophecy as a series of episodes in a continuing plotline, thusit will be more meaningful to a person who can participate regularly.The Prophecy rules are more complex than some other systems, so please expect that you will have to spend sometime reading this book at least once through in detail. You will have a difficult, and probably less enjoyable, time ifyou arrive at an event without having read the rules and created your character ahead of time. We could have chosena simpler rules system, but chose the current rules because we felt they would best allow us to create the complexworld and plots of Prophecy.BetweenBetween-Game Actions (BGAs)(BGAs)Throughout these rules you will see references to “BGAs” or Between-Game Actions. For those who are familiarwith the rules for the first campaign, this replaces what was known as “Time Blocks.” BGAs are a feature of theProphecy Rules that are used to account for what your character does between Events. A Prophecy Event portrays a“high point” in your character’s adventures, but the world does not grind to a halt simply because the weekend isover! A great deal happens between events. Your character may train to learn new skills, spells, recipes, cures orcrafts. Your character may make craft items, or perform divinations, or do research or travel. All of these thingsrequire BGAs to accomplish. You are not required to use your BGAs if you do not wish to. See the “CharacterAdvancement & Between Games” section of this Rulebook for more information on BGAs.7

Prophecy LARP RulebookA Note on the RulesThese rules are meant as a guideline. It would be impossible to include every single detail on the possibleinterpretations of all rules. We ask that you follow the spirit of the rules and not be a “Rules Lawyer”. It is reasonable to ask questions, but if you are constantly demanding the clarification of minute points purely in the interest of“power”, the Prophecy Staff may be forced to define the rules to such an extent it becomes unpleasant to play thegame any longer. Remember, we are all here to have fun!RULES AND POLICIESSafety RulesThese are the most important rules in this book.Follow them above all others, and at all times.Running at NightThe single greatest safety risk you face in live roleplaying is NOT combat. It is running at night over rough terrain,risking falling and bashing your brains out on a rock. Prophecy plot is written to avoid such situations, but to totallyforbid running at night would stifle too much of the action. HOWEVER, always use extreme caution when running.Try to avoid pursuing other players at night.Combat ForceWhen fighting with padded weapons, you must always pull your blows so as not to strike too hard. No blow shouldcause real pain. If you are struck by a blow that you think is too forceful, say “Excessive Force”. The hit DOESNOT COUNT! Everyone is different, so you will have to adjust to your opponent’s level of comfort. Blows thatsome players would hardly notice are quite unpleasant for others. No one should feel uncomfortable about calling“Excessive Force”. It doesn’t mean you are a wimp. You are actually helping the game by keeping things undercontrol. If you feel a player is abusing this rule, smile, make nice, and inform the staff.Combat TargetsDo not strike the head or groin. Hits to the hands do not count.Weapon SafetyAll weapons must be inspected by the staff before every event. For guidelines on weapon construction, consult the“Combat” section of the Rule Book.Blocking DoorsBlocking or holding a door with your body or furniture is not allowed. Do not try to physically force doors open.FireNo unattended flames are allowed at any time. No combat may occur within 10 feet of an open flame. Please donot yell “Fire” unless there really is an out-of-game emergency.LightNo lights with directed beams may be used, at all. You can modify flashlights and lanterns so that they aren’t“aimed” by adding a diffuser or film. Glowsticks are also safe and useful. Blue and yellow lights have in-gamesignificance, so please avoid using these colors unless you are instructed to do so by a staff member.Drugs, Alcohol, RealReal WeaponsThese are NEVER allowed. You will be instantly “disinvited” if you are found with these. This includes coming toan event “under the influence”. You may bring a pocketknife or similar tool for utilitarian purposes.8

Prophecy LARP RulebookPhysical ContactNo physical contact is allowed in game without the other player’s permission. No direct physical contact is allowed incombat AT ALL, and you should avoid getting within arm’s length, unless using a fist-sized packet.No Unsafe Stunts or ClimbingPlease do not climb trees or buildings, or jump out of windows.Carrying Other PeopleThere will be many instances during the course of the Prophecy Campaign when your character will want to lift orcarry another character. We strongly encourage you to “roleplay” this action, rather than actually picking up andcarrying the other person. Take them by the arm and say, “I carry you”, at which point the person you are carryingshould get up and move with you, slowly, as if you are carrying them. Both of you should move no faster than a slowwalk while you are roleplaying this action. We would rather see roleplaying of this sort than have someone get hurtby picking up another person, or being dropped by another person.You may actually pick up a close friend and carry them, IF, and only if,if you ask them “May I really carry you?” andthey agree. In this case, you may move as quickly as you see fit. Again, we discourage this type of realism in thegame for safety reasons. Other competitive players may see your action as a challenge and want to outdo you, only tohurt themselves or others in the process. The person to be carried may NEVER insist on actually being carried, norcan they make you carry them if you do not wish. They must always agree to roleplay the action if that is what youdesire. Remember the policy of Prophecy is no physical contact; so be sure to ask the other person before takingthem by the arm, to avoid possible miscommunication.CAUTION!When you see a safety problem, call “Caution”. This is used for things such as someone about to back over a rockor into a tree. The caution creates a sort of mini-“Hold” (see below) during which you should be ignored by others,as should the person at risk.CLARIFY!When you did not hear or do not understand a spell or in-game effect, call “Clarify”. The person should explainwhat has happened or answer your question. This also creates a mini-“Hold” (see below) during which othersshould ignore both you and the person answering you.HOLD!In the case of MAJOR safety problems, injuries, or the like, call “Hold”. ALL action stops within line of sight, andshould start again only when the problem is resolved and a “Play On” has been called. Do not call Holds for ingame reasons (like someone not noticing the spell you hit them with). But do not hesitate to call Holds when youthink it might be needed, such as for real-life injuries. We would rather be safe than sorry!PoliciesDo Not Use ObscenitiesSwearing is p

Prophecy LARP Rulebook The second campaign of Prophecy is dedicated to the memory of Larry Swedis. You are deeply missed. . as the world was cast into the Age of Darkness. From those chaotic and harsh times arose many kingdoms and powers, scattered across the