The Mystwood Core Rules

Rulebook Version Date: Oct 28, 2011

Safety Rules
General Safety Notes - Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) is exciting, but it is a contact sport. You
wander the woods, have daring escapes, close calls, delve into ruins, and battle against your foes with padded nerf swords. All these things can be dangerous. You must keep real life safety firmly in mind at all times. It is a game, and the most important thing is keeping everyone safe. Common sense must be used at all times no matter how much fun you are having. Dont hesitate to stop the game or take other steps to protect yourself and others from injury.

Non-Combatants - Not everyone chooses to fight with padded weapons in Mystwood, and by choice,
or for medical reasons, one can be a Non-Combatant. Rather than attacking them, an enemy may merely place their weapon to the non-combatants chest and state I strike you down. This causes the noncombatant to drop to 0 hit points. Non-combatants must wear a yellow armband, or yellow glowstick at night, to denote their status. Never strike a non-combatant under any circumstance, and always be aware of who the non-combatants in the game are.

Physical Contact - No physical contact is allowed without the other players permission. No direct
physical contact is allowed in combat AT ALL, and if you are within arms length during combat YOU ARE TOO CLOSE.

Running at Night - The single greatest safety risk you face in LARP is NOT combat. It is running at
night over rough terrain, risking falling and bashing your brains out on a rock. Always use extreme caution when running. Avoid pursuing other players at night.

Weapon Safety - The staff must inspect all weapons before they are used for the first time. It is a
players responsibility to maintain their weapons and keep them in safe condition. Using a weapon that has become unsafe (worn out foam, broken off tip, etc.) is grounds for disinvitation.

Blocking Doors - Blocking or holding a door with your body or furniture is not allowed. Doors may
not be secured without some in game ability that allows you to do so. While a hook and eye latch is great for keeping out NPCs who don't want to damage the site, it wouldn't really keep out a determined attacker.

Carrying Other People - Unless the person is a close friend of yours and gives you permission to
carry them, you may not move another player. The exceptions are if you have some in-game power that allows you to do this (Animate), and for safety. If someone is down in a position where they are likely to be stepped on, you may say something like I kick your body to the side, in which case they can move quickly out of the way.

Combat Force - When fighting with padded weapons, you must always pull your blows so as not to
strike too hard. No blow should cause real pain. If you are struck by a blow that you think is too forceful, say Excessive Force. The hit DOES NOT COUNT! Everyone is different, so you will have to adjust to your opponents level of comfort. Blows that some players would hardly notice are quite unpleasant for others. No one should feel uncomfortable about calling Excessive Force. It doesnt mean you are a wimp. You are actually helping the game by keeping things under control.

Combat Targets - Do not strike the head or groin. Hits to the hands do not count, though if you
purposely block a blow with your hand you will take the hit.

Drugs, Alcohol, Real Weapons - These are NEVER allowed. You will be instantly disinvited if
you are found with these. This includes coming to an event under the influence. You may bring a pocketknife or similar tool to use outside of the game for cooking or utility purposes.

Fire - No unattended flames are allowed at any time. Fire rules may even be stricter depending on the
situation and current fire hazard in the woods. No combat may occur within 10 feet of an open flame. Please do not yell Fire! unless there is really an out-of-game emergency.

Light - No lights with directed beams may be used, at all. You can modify flashlights and lanterns so
that they arent aimed by adding a diffuser or film. Glowsticks are also safe and useful.

No Unsafe Stunts or Climbing - Please do not climb trees or buildings, or jump out of windows.
You may be able to pull off such stunts safely, but others less capable might imitate you.

No Cross Level Combat - MASI's buildings are mostly theatrical structures of cloth and tarp
over a wooden frame. They are not sturdy enough to engage in combat while leaning out of windows or the like. Therefore, you may never attack someone who is on a different level of a structure than yourself with hand-held weapons. You may still shoot crossbow bolts, throw spells, and so on between levels. If someone is up in a tower and all other defenders have been eliminated, they must descend and fight, but they must be allowed to do so before being attacked.

Safety Calls
Caution! - When you see a safety problem, call Caution! This is used for things such as someone
about to back over a rock or into a tree. The caution creates a sort of mini-Hold during which you should be ignored by others, as should the person at risk.

Hold! - In the case of MAJOR safety problems, injuries, lost glasses during combat, and the like, call
"Hold!" ALL action stops within line of sight, and should start again only when the problem is resolved and a "Lay On" has been called. Do not call "Hold!" for in-game reasons, but do not hesitate to call one when you think it might be needed.

Clarify! - When you did not hear or do not understand a spell or in-game effect, call Clarify. The
person should explain what has happened or answer your question.

Excessive Force - When you are struck for a blow that is uncomfortable or hurts call Excessive
Force. The blow does not count. See combat above for further clarification.

Lay On - Lay On is called when a hold has been resolved.

Rules of Courtesy
-Do Not Use Obscenities -Do Not Cheat -Do Not Insult Others Out-of-Game -Do Not Litter -Smoke in Designated Areas ONLY -Maintain Atmosphere

Role-Play! - MASI is about role-playing. Not everyone likes to role-play every minute of a game, but
NO ONE likes to be trying to role-play while someone else is blatantly out of character nearby. Being outof-character while others are role-playing is rude, and will not be tolerated. Certain areas of the game are role-playing zones. It is REQUIRED that you stay in character in these places. Some sort of horrid ingame penalties may be levied, such as curse from the gods, accusations of heresy, etc., against anyone not observing this. Specific Role-Playing Guidelines You should try not to use modern terms like OK in conversation if you can help it. You must always role-play the pain of injury in combat. You should always strive to portray the character you are playing to the best of your ability. You are an actor, your audience is the other players, and they will enjoy it much more if you do your best. When dead, you should fall and lie still, until everyone leaves, if at all possible. Having people standing around after a fight chatting with the dead TOTALLY ruins the atmosphere of the battle.

Stay in Control - Blatantly losing control of your actions or emotions leads to dangerous situations
and out-of-game offensiveness. If you feel like this is happening, just step back from the situation for a moment to settle down and remember it is just a game. You may certainly role-play that your character has lost control, but even in that situation you must always keep safely first, and stay within the boundaries of good taste. Having someone raving and shouting in your face is rarely fun, even if it is part of the game. Whenever extreme emotions become involved, you should be a bit theatrical, and try to avoid creating a tense situation between players. The same applies to berserk fighting. When your character is enraged, leap forward, give a great shout, and then FIGHT NORMALLY.

Searching Another Person - In many games you will encounter situations where someone has
something you want. In this case you may (once they are dead or helpless), say I search you. The person will then get out their stuff in a leisurely fashion (often while doing their best to act like a dead body). This should be handled as discretely as possible.

The Rules of Reality - The MASI rule of reality is quite simple: The game is real. What this means
is that you can never say you are doing something. Nor can you ask other players out of game questions, generally. Questions like Do I recognize you? What do I see? What happens if I do X? are irrelevant. There are a few cases where you will need another player to clarify a situation, but they should be rare.

The Core Effects

Calling Effects - Effects are caused by spells or weapon attacks. They can be delivered in a variety of ways, but they must always be called BEFORE the weapon, spell packet, or whatever strikes the target. You cannot swing a weapon, strike another player, and THEN call Lethal, for example. Called effects do only their stated effect, and do no other damage. In most MASI games being hit with a sword (or any padded weapon) does 1 Hit Point of damage, but if someone calls Maim before they hit you, you DO NOT take a point. You only suffer the Maim effect (see Offensive Effects below). Duration of Effects - Unless otherwise noted, all effects last about 5 minutes, or until you receive the appropriate Purge effect (see Other Effects section below).

MASI Effects Used in the Mystwood Game

Psychological Effects
Charm - You become favorably inclined toward the person who called the effect. You will not attack the caster unless attacked first by the caster, and will go along with any reasonable suggestion he or she makes. You are NOT a mindless slave and will not give away (important) possessions, attack friends, or betray a trust, etc. The effect is broken if/when the caster or casters allies do something unfriendly towards you. Compel you to <Instruction> - You are Compelled to follow the instruction to the best of your ability. The instruction must be a short, uncomplicated action. If there is no duration given as part of the instruction, the Compulsion ends after you have followed the instruction. Enslave - You are a mindless automaton. You are bound to serve the caster without question. You will even slay your friends or yourself if so ordered. Frenzy - You are overcome with rage and attack the nearest person in your field of view (i.e. in front of you), even if it is an ally, until rendered unable to do so, or until the effect ends. If you here a Frenzy at me you will only attack the person who called it, similarly if you compelled to Frenzy at Bob you will only attack Bob. Torment - You must scream loudly once, and briefly role-play mental anguish and horror. No physical damage is associated with this effect.

Medical Effects
Animate - Allows the person calling the effect to cause the recipient to move at a shambling walk within arms reach, under the casters control. For example, Animate Wounded could be used to move a wounded or incapacitated character to a safe place to perform healing. Any damage sustained ends the effect. Diagnose You must tell the person calling the effect if you are unconcious (knocked out), unstable, dead, or just wounded. If you are wounded, you should tell them your remaining hit points an total, for example zero out of 5 or three out of 8 Heal - You are restored to full Hit Points (Life Points plus Armor Points); and any maimed limbs are restored. This will not work on a dead character. Heal followed by a number (e.g. Heal 2) restores only that many Hit Points. Life - Will only affect someone who is dead. It will restore a character to life, with full Hit Points. Tend - This effect restores you to half your Hit Points, but it only works once per adventure. This will not work on a dead character, but will work on a character who has taken the Lethal effect. If you rest for 15 minutes in a place of safety (unless you are told otherwise by an NPC, only the town is safe), you regain the ability to be tended again.

Offensive Effects
Bind - Your arms are bound to your sides, and you must drop your weapons. # Crushing - Indicates extra-powerful damage that will still do half damage (round down) even if blocked with a shield or weapon. Thus a strike that causes 4 Crushing will do 4 points of damage if it strikes your body and 2 points of damage if it strikes your shield or weapon. This effect may not be used to damage an opponent by merely tapping their weapon. # Damage - You take the indicated damage. Death - Death causes you to enter a Near Death state. Only the Life effect will return you to a living state. You should stagger into a few steps to a safe area, collapse and lie still. You linger about five minutes, your life slipping away before the Book of Life transforms you into a spirit. See the Death and Dying section below. Disarm - Your weapon or hand-held item falls from your hand. You must drop it and do a silent 3-count after it hits the ground before you can pick it up. Doom - You will fall into a dead state after approximately one minute (a 60 count). If you receive a cure for the trait of the attack (for example a Purge Poison or a Purge Doom) within one minute, you will suffer no ill effects. You must role-play the effect of the Doom during the minute, but can still fight and use skills normally.

Knockout - You are unconscious, but do not lose any Hit Points. Lethal - In order to be effective a Lethal attack must strike the torso. Lethal causes you to drop to Zero Hit points. Maim - You lose the use of the target arm or leg. If delivered by a weapon, it affects the limb struck (no effect on the torso when struck by a weapon). If no target is specified, you may choose which limb suffers the effect. Maimed legs are a special case. Hopping is discouraged for safety and silliness reasons. With one crippled leg assume you can drag it around behind you slowly. With two Maims to the legs (the same leg or different, it doesnt matter), you will have to prop yourself up, sit down, or go down on one knee. In any case, you cant move. With three Maims to the legs you must go prone, since they do not support any weight at all. Maim is PERMANENT until cured by a Heal or Purge Maim effect. Paralyze - You cannot move any part of your body but you are fully aware of what is going on around you. Root - Both your feet are stuck to the ground and cannot be moved until the effect ends. Shatter - The target item is damaged. A Shatter (weapon or object) will damage that item so that it loses any special properties it has (rip any and all tags). In Mystwood Shattered weapons can still be used by anyone with the right skills, but cannot be used to call any effects. Your sword may be bent, broken, or blunted, but it can still be used to bludgeon the enemy. However, Shattered shields are useless and must be dropped. In Mystwood, it is assumed that after the battle you can repair your weapons or shield or find new ones (there are probably plenty of swords and shields lying around!). However, if the weapon was magic or had any special properties, they are lost.

Defensive Effects
Defensive Effects are called when you are struck by a spell or attack, to let your foe know it didnt work, because you had some sort of defense against it. Bladeturn - This effect can be called against normal weapon attacks and effects delivered by a weapon. The attacker suffers the designated effect. For example, if a Mirror Beast was struck with a sword, it might call Bladeturn Damage 1. A Bladeturned effect cannot be Bladeturned again or reflected back in any way. Lesser Effect the attack did some damage, but did not have its full effect. You may also choose to roleplay this. For example, a Troll is too strong to slay with a simple lethal blow, but it would still damage it. The person playing the troll could indicate this by either roaring in pain when lethaled, or saying lesser effect. Reflect - the attack or effect bounces back and hits you instead!. You suffer the effect the reflect was called against. A Reflected attack cannot be Reflected a second time.

Resist - The blow or effect is countered. How exactly is not important - perhaps the person hit twisted out of the way at the last moment, or gritted their teeth to tough it out. Resist is different from No effect in that it indicates that an effort was required to ward off the effect. The same effect might work next time, as it is rare for a character to be able to Resist something more than once. No Effect - The particular blow or spell did nothing and it never will. Once someone has called No Effect to something, you may not continue using that attack against them. This is so that the person can accurately keep track of what is happening to them, without being confused by extraneous hits. Not Taken - The effect was Not Taken because it did not hit or was not delivered properly. You may roleplay this instead of calling Not Taken. For example: Hah! Your blow was mighty- too bad it missed! Is that the best you can do?

Other Effects
Afflict you with <Affliction>

- You have received the indicated Affliction. This has no immediate effect.

At your earliest convenience, you must travel to the Library and look in the Book of Woe. This book contains listings of possible Afflictions you may encounter, with descriptions of the effects of each and the required Cures. Read the description of your Affliction. If it is a progressive Affliction, there may be postings for Day 1, Day 2, etc., in which case you should only read the appropriate one. Bestow <Effect or Benefit> - You receive the indicated enhancement. For example: I Bestow 1 Resist Fire or I Bestow 1 Lethal. You may have multiple enhancements bestowed on you, however you may not have multiples of the same benefit (i.e. "1 Resist Fire") Bestowed on you at a time. This means that Bestows do not stack. If someone Bestows +1 Hit Point on you, and someone else Bestows +2 Hit Points on you, you only get 2 extra Hit Points, not 3. Bestow lasts for 6 hours. If not used during the time, the benefits are lost. Bestowed Hit Points increase your total for the entire 6 hours. So if you had two Hit Points and received 2 more, you would have 4 for all purposes, and a Heal effect would bring you back to 4 Hit Points, not 2. Time spent sleeping or napping does not count towards the 6 hour duration. Curse you to <Curse> - You suffer from the stated Curse. For example: I Curse you to howl like a wolf, or I Curse you to take double damage from Fire. Curses last longer than other effects- you must get an appropriate Purge. (A Purge Curse, or, if the effect was By Magic, a Purge Magic would work.) Detect <Type or Item> - If you fit the type or possess the item being detected, you must indicate this to the caster. A simple wave or statement of Here is sufficient. Detect Health - A special ability that lets you tell how many Hit Points the target has. When you are targeted by a Detect Health you must say how many hits (Armor Points + Life Points) you have. Detect Health works on only one person at a time.

Disengage - You must immediately fall back from the person calling the Disengage until a distance of about 10 feet separates you, or if you cant get that far back, as far as you can safely move. The spirit of this effect is that the person calling it drives their enemies back to get some breathing room, to make a hole in the line, or to escape. Disengage cant force you into a damaging area, such as an area of Dragons Teeth. Disengage doesnt work through doorways or narrow gaps either, so you cant use it to push defenders out of a fortification, though you could use it once you get inside to make room for others to follow. Disengage is basically immediate- once youve seperated out 10 feet, you are free to move closer again. Purge <Trait or Effect> - This effect removes ONE effect with the stated trait after a few seconds of roleplaying. A Purge Poison would remove ONE effect By Poison. A Purge Maim would remove a Maim effect, no matter how it was caused. Note that you do not have any choice about having effects removed- a Purge Magic will remove one effect caused By Magic on you, including a defensive spell caused By Magic if that was the only By Magic effect on you. If there are several effects that a Purge could remove, YOU choose which one is Purged. The Purge effect will NOT counter an effect that happens instantly. So if you get smacked by a Death by Magic effect, you can't Purge Magic it. You can't Purge Damage either. Renew - Once Renewed you regain all of your used Renewable abilities from your gifts, skills, and advantages. Any ability that says is it per Renew or per Refresh is renewed. Craft Points (see Skills), and per day abilities are NOT effected by renew. Examples of Renewable abilities: Mana from the Gift of Wisdom, special attacks from the Gift of Prowess, Healing Hand from the Gift of Empathy, etc. Repel - You must stay at least 10 feet away from the caster for the duration for the effect (5 minutes). This effect cannot be used to drive back targets; if the caster advances upon the target, the target may hold ground. Subdue - You are stunned and sent reeling. Prevents you from doing ANYTHING for a 10 count. While Subdued you can (perhaps) stand, or reel backwards, and can defend yourself (weakly!) with your weapons, but thats all. It is important to give your foe an advantage by role-playing the effect on your fighting skills. Silence - You are unable to speak or make any vocal noise. You may still call appropriate out of game effects, however you may NOT cast spells while Silenced. Slow - You become unable to run, and can only walk SLOWLY, though you can fight normally.

Traits
Many effects have Traits, which tell you WHAT caused the effect, or HOW it was caused. They are called as Effect by Trait. For example: Root by Magic Slay living by Poison or Disengage by Will. Traits do not change the effect in any way, but may determine if you able to resist the effect in some way. For example if your character is immune to poison, you would call No Effect to Paralyze by Poison, but not to Paralyze by Magic.

Flavor Traits
Traits also help you to know how to role-play the effect. These are referred to as Flavor Traits. The following traits are used in Mystwood; By Fire/Water/Air/Earth, by Magic, by Will, and by Poison. Effects without traits are generally divine powers making them more difficult to deal with. For example, consider Paralyze, which states that you cannot move. This effect could be interpreted differently for roleplay purposes depending on the trait that caused it: Paralyze by Will would indicate that your character was frozen in place in panic and horror. You would stand in place quaking or gaping until the effect wore off. Paralyze by Magic would indicate that you were basically frozen in place as a magical statue. You would hold your exact posture from the moment the effect struck you. Paralyze by Poison would be an effect like spiders venom. You may, for example, curl up into a ball. Flavor Traits also tell you if you are affected by something. If an effect is called To a certain trait, you take the effect only if you have that trait. For example Heal to Dwarfs would work only if you were, in fact, a Dwarf. All players have the Chosen of the Book trait, and Mortal as a trait. You have the Oathbreaker trait if you have ever broken an oath sworn by a God. You have the Enemy trait if you consider yourself an enemy of the person calling the effect. You have the Ally trait if you consider yourself a friend, (or at least fighting on the same side) as the person calling the effect. You also have your name, whatever name you put on your character sheet. You are required to use your true name unless you have the Alias Advantage.

Delivery Traits
By Gesture - Effects By Gesture only require that the person point at you to call the effect. If you are fortunate enough to have a By Gesture effect, be aware that it will not work on enemies who cant see you - in other words you must have their attention. The best way to get it is to use their game name (you may not use real life names). In fact, many forms of magic require that you know the targets name. By Packet - Effect by bean bag packets represent magical assaults that envelop your whole person. They affect you if they strike a weapon or shield. Again, all beanbag attacks are assumed to be By Packet. You dont have to call them.

By Voice - Effects called By Voice affect EVERYONE who hears them (or should have- the fact that you were not paying attention doesnt mean you werent affected if everyone around you was). You cannot stop up your ears or talk really loud to avoid this kind of effect. By Name - Effects called By Name require that the person say (and know) your name to call the effect. Any name you use will work - if your nickname is Axe Biter that works just as well as John the Gamekeeper. Occupations or trades, by which many introduce themselves (I'm the Juggler) will NOT work. See the Alias advantage however. By Weapon - Effects by weapon represent a physical attack - a dart, a sword, a knife, a fist, etc. They must strike you in order to take effect, and they CAN be blocked by weapons or shields. If you swing a weapon and call an effect, it is assumed to be By Weapon; you do not have to say it every time. If someone throws a packet and calls and effect By Weapon you CAN block it with a shield. Magestrike - Effects that are Magestrike are swung with a weapon, but count as though a packet had struck you on the location hit. They WILL go through your armor, weapon or shield.

Hand to Hand Combat

Hand to hand combat is conducted using SAFE padded weapons.

Hit Points - Every character has a certain number of Hit Points which is basically the number of times
they can be hit in combat before collapsing unconscious. Hit Points reflect physical toughness, armor, magical protections, and luck. Characters begin with 2 Hit Points, but most will find ways to increase that number.

The Three Swing Rule - You are allowed to swing at a foe three times in quick succession before
you must break and fall back, or, if you cannot fall back for some reason, you may pause for a few seconds, or attack another foe. This means that no one foe can ever do more than 3 points of damage to you in a single flurry, and usually less. If anyone presses on after three swings in the heat of combat, you should say Break to remind them, and not count any damage they cause after the third swing. Assume that since they were swinging so quickly, the blows did not have much force behind them.

Judging Hits - Judging when you have been hit by a foe is solely your responsibility, but you MUST
at all times do so in as fair and scrupulous a manner as possible. You are hit by any blow that, had it been struck full force with a razor sharp weapon, would have drawn blood. Thus most contacts are hits.

Do Not Count
Any blow after the first that lands on the same body part. This is called machine gunning. Before legally scoring another blow on the same part of the body; a foe must strike at another body part, or parry a blow. A blow that strikes only cloak or a dangling pouch, unless that blow, if it had cut straight though the gear, would have damaged you. A blow that is too hard. A blow that overcomes your parry by force.

Do Count
Blows that strike capes, backpacks and the like, if they would have hit you if the item were not there. Blows that are very light. Blows that hit your weapon and then hit you.

Combat Targets - Hits to the groin, hands, or head do not count. Damage and Hit Points - Every player has a number of Hit Points, depending on the character they
are playing at the time. These are reduced when you take damage from magic or combat. All hits with a melee weapon do one point of damage, UNLESS the foe calls something else when striking you, in which case the damage done is the number called, or you take the effect they call. Thrown weapons also do 1 point of damage, unless otherwise noted. Arrows and crossbow bolts do 1 point of damage.

Falling In Combat - Feel free to stumble off to the side of battle so that you do not get stepped on.
Do not just fall down where you are killed, if you are likely to be a tripping or movement hazard.

Weapon Construction Guidelines - Most players will want to make their own weapons. MASI
will provide weapons to players for their first event, free of charge, but what you get is luck of the draw from the NPC weapon stockpile. If at all possible, it is better to make or buy your own. For those with the cash, excellent weapons can be purchased on the Internet.

Special Rules for Weapons and Armor

Weapons Use
You may only use weapons that are, of course, padded and safe, and which you have the in game ability to use. The ability to use weapons can come from your Gifts (see Chapter 2), or sometimes your Occupation. However Any character may use a single, one handed weapon of up to 42 in length. And Any character may use a two handed crossbow. Smaller hand crossbows require the Gift of Dexterity, as do bows, thrown weapons, etc. Your character is assumed to be armed with weapons suitable to you at the start of game. If you somehow lose your weapons (or armor) it is assumed that you can find more without much difficulty.

Shields
Shields are the only "weapons" that are totally useless and must be dropped if they suffer the Shatter effect. After the battle you may, however, pick up your shield and use it in future battles. It is assumed that there are a plentiful amount of shields around or that you are skilled enough to repair your shield. All shields must have a padded rim and no sharp or otherwise dangerous projections. The maximum size of a shield usable without some special skill in Mystwood is 36 in its longest dimension.

Miscellaneous Rules
Per Renew Powers - Per renew or per refresh powers are powers that must be renewed. Once you
exhaust a per renew power you must do something to renew it if you want to get it back. There are a wide range of activities that can renew your abilities, for instance drinking and dicing in the tavern is one way, performing your duties around the town, uplifting entertainment and ceremonies, and many other things. While you are out on adventures you must conserve your per renew powers as you may not be able to regain them until you get back to town. The only automatic renew you receive is at 6 PM on Saturday.

Per Day Powers - Some skills are usable "once (or more) per day". The Mystwood Game Day starts
and ends at 6:00 PM. So essentially each event has two game days, one day prior to 6:00pm Saturday, and one prior to the end of the event on Sunday.

Per Event Powers - Some skills are usable "once (or more) per Event". This means that you can use
the ability a designated number of times over the course of the event.

Locks - Anything locked is assumed to be strong enough to resist being broken open - the only way to
get inside is to pick the lock. Be warned, Mystwood strives to have large, heavy replica locks, and the standard paperclip may not be much use in picking locks.

Thieves Clips - Those with quick enough hands can lift coin and other game items. If you find a
Thieves Clip attached to a pouch or pocket, someone has thieved your belongings. You must take any game items (not props) in the clipped container (which can be no larger than a pouch) and place it in the envelope at the back of the tavern with the symbol that matches the one on the clip.

Traps
The most common form of trap used in Mystwood is the trusty Dart Trap, represented by a mousetrap. It affects whoever sets it off. Other forms of traps are possible- falling rocks, swinging beams, scything blades, poppers that you step on and cause to explode, etc. Traps are deadly. If hit by one you take the Death Effect, and become dead. Traps may NEVER be used offensively. They cannot be carried around and used on enemies. They must wait, passively, until someone sets them off. If you set off a special trap (such as a deadfall) to strike another, it doesnt count as a trap. It may still do damage- if the yellow card attached to it says it does. This is to keep players (or NPCs) from rigging up a falling rock they drop on everyone who comes through their door. Unusual traps may have other effects than killing. If so, this will be made clear, either by an NPC using the Forsooth call, or by a yellow card. Not all traps are fully represented- for example, a pressure plate could be placed on the floor, represented by a square of plywood, and the effect of stepping on it called by an NPC. Traps cannot be set, reset, or constructed without special skills. Only one with a special skill can actually attempt to make safe a trap to prevent it from going off by cutting trip wires and the like.

Poisons
Ingested poison, aka poisoning someone's food, is represented by a Yellow Card. If you find a Yellow Card very close to your food that says Poison rip the card and take the Doom by Poison effect. Appropriate dramatic role-playing is required. Contact Poison is represented by petroleum jelly smeared on something. Touching it produces the Doom by Poison effect. This can ONLY be used as a passive defense- you cannot attack someone offensively using contact poison. They must touch it of their own volition. Special Poisons. There are a wide variety of special poisons in the Mystwood Forest, with a variety of effects and a variety of means of administration. These will either be represented by an NPC using the Forsooth call to inform you of what has happened, or a Yellow Card.

Forsooth
A forsooth call is a special call meaning that anything spoken after it is literally true in game. For example: Forsooth you feel an aching sense of despair. It may or may not include a flavor trait or a means to avoid it, and is typically used to explain things or provide sensory details we cannot otherwise represent through props. This call is typically only used by NPCs, and is something of a Verbal Yellow Card.

Grey Wanderers, aka Grey Monks

Hooded and cloaked, often bearing a light or a heavy tome, these strange folk have existed for as long as history has been recorded. They are human, they eat, they wander, they are highly obscure, but they are guided by the gods. They can use "Forsooth" to make clear when they are serving as referees, rather than just role-playing. They give up their names and pasts when they join the Grey Order, and are sworn to strict nonviolence and neutrality. Their power is undoubted. No one is certain what, if anything, they cannot do. Fortunately, they rarely do anything at all. They serve good and evil with equal impartiality. Grey Wanderers serve as the referees of the Mystwood game. They bestow divine intervention, oversee battles, serve as guides on some adventures, and generally keep the game on track. Minor infractions of rules or role-playing may be punished by death or cursing by grey wanderer. Nothing personal- everyone messes up sometimes. Anything a Grey Wanderer tells you is true if they use the Forsooth call. Grey Wanderers are fully in game. You can see them and talk to them, though treating them with disrespect is never wise. If an action requires a Grey Wanderer and one is not present, you cannot perform the action. Any player can summon a Grey Wanderer by going to the NPC building, and leaving a note as to the place and time the Wanderer is needed. It is best to summon an hour in advance, there is no guarantee of one appearing, and it is unwise to summon without great need. Grey Wanderers are not on your side. They will aid only if required to do so by their own strange code. Do not expect them to aid or help you without reason.

Yellow Cards - Generally in Mystwood, what you see is what you get. If there is a sword stuck in a
stone, you will see a reasonable representation of a sword and a stone. Generally nothing will be described to you. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to convey extra information. For this Yellow Cards- pieces of yellow paper are used. When reading a Yellow Card, you should be as discrete as possible, to avoid breaking the flow of the game. If you see a Yellow Card, you must read it. Sometimes it will simply give you information; sometimes it will inform you of an effect.

Yellow Hands - If you see a door or area marked with a yellow hand, you cannot go there and should
ignore anything you see in the yellow hand area. You can invent any plausible reason you like for not going through the door- the best generally being that its not actually there.

Flags - Yellow Cards present information that everyone should have. Sometimes, however, there may be
information available only to those with special skills. These are represented by small pieces of paper called Flags. The Flags are marked with text and symbols. Special skills may be necessary for reading a Flag, so if you don't have the proper skill do not read the Flag. When reading a Flag, you should be as discrete as possible, to avoid breaking the flow of the game. Sometimes Flags will instruct you to remove them after reading- this helps keep the site clean and represents the fact that the information can only be gained once. Flags may be of any color.

Waystones
In Mystwood, it is common to find these structures, rough stones with Fae inscriptions. They allow you to travel swiftly to interesting places, but there is a price for passing through. Some of those passing through will be possessed by the forest, and forced to play the roles of the entities beyond the gate, basically becoming NPC's for a few minutes. Essentially, a Waystone is an adventure with no NPCs. Follow the rules stated on the plaque. The chosen ones then pass through, and locate the tote of props and items needed for the adventure (under the fake rock made of cloth). They read the instructions, don the masks provided, and act as NPCs for the duration of the adventure. The parts they are called upon to play are quite simple, usually basic combat parts. Sometimes a Waystone has nothing but combat and danger behind it, but often there are useful items or components, or information to be gained. Waystones are not Teleportation portals you cannot use them to whisk yourself away to Thule, or go visit the Triach in Byzantium. Rather they are hidden paths allowing you to travel to locations that otherwise would take you hours to hike to in a few minutes. In game those who become NPCs are drawn down into the earth, where they sleep. Their dreams are the price the Fae demand for granting passage through the waystone. The dreamers and their belongings are completely safe, but are not aware of what transpires during the adventure. Some waystones can be entered as often as desired, some only once per event or day. This will be specified on the plaque. If you become unconscious beyond a Waystone and are left behind when everyone else leaves, you die. You may not enter a spirit gate that is "in use", the only way in is to be part of the original party and take your chances with being possessed. Those beyond a Waystone Portal are spirits to anyone not in their own party and vice versa.

Conventions of Fortification
The walls and gates of Mystwood are assumed to be much stronger than they actually are (or sometimes look). They may not be breached without some special ability. Gates are assumed to be bared whenever they are shut, and thus may be opened only from the inside. There are special cloth covered gaps in the town walls - these are useable only be spirits or creatures like spiders who are allowed to creep through the walls.

Player Vs. Player in Mystwood

Mystwood is, ultimately, the story of the struggle between good and evil. No one who is truly evil can write their name in the Book of Life, and thus there are no evil player characters in Mystwood. That is not to say there are not mean spirited, intolerant, dishonest or bloodthirsty characters, and not to say that characters may not be temped into evil over the course of their career. Mystwood is a world of harsh realities. A game filled with saints would be boring anyway, and is just about impossible to achieve. But whatever their flaws, the player characters are all, ultimately, on the same side. They will certainly quarrel and disagree at times, indeed one would be surprised if a Knight Paladin of Mercy and a Witch Hunter did not, and may even attack or kill each other in certain situations, but there are limits. Crossing the Line. A character who joins the side of evil is said to have Crossed the Line. You are free to do this, of course. It is your character after all. However, since the game is centered around the good side of the conflict, you cant continue to play that character after the event in which you Cross over. You can ask the Nine to allow you to play the character as a NPC villain, which they may or may not do. Otherwise the character is assumed to have fled far away. Crossing the Line is defined as actively allying with the forces of evil, Unlife or Chaos against the town. It is allowable (though always dangerous) to have dealings with the powers of evil, to try to achieve a good goal, to try to redeem evildoers, or in search of power. However, when you open the gate for the undead, fight on the side of chaos against other players, hand over a vital artifact needed to destroy a vampire, or the like you have crossed the line, even if you didnt get caught. Murdering another player character in cold blood is also crossing the line. You can also cross the line involuntarily by acquiring seven Marks of Chaos. In the unlikely event of a player ascending to noble rank they would also become an NPC, as they would then have lands to attend to and little time for adventuring.

The Guild of Shadows and the Town Guard.

Some players enjoy pitting their wits against other players (they are the best competition, after all), for them Mystwood provides a way to do that without destroying the structure of the game. The Guild of Shadows and the Town Guard are natural antagonists. The Guild takes the side of the common folk against oppressive lords and masters, stealing, raiding, poaching and the like, and giving a portion of their loot to the poor. In extreme cases the Guild even sanctions assassination. Joining the Guild requires various tests, of course. Guildfolk cant openly admit their affiliation, there is no Thief occupation. Instead they appear to be normal folk. The Town Guard upholds law and order, and thus seeks to thwart the activities of the Guild, and bring them to account for their crimes. There is an unspoken agreement between the two groups - the Town Guard often knows who the Guildfolk are, but does not take action against them without evidence of a crime, and in exchange the Guild does not engage in direct combat against the Guard. Most punishments

handed down (such as ordeals, branding, tar and feathers, flogging, etc.) are survivable - killing a Guard is not, so it is generally better to try to get off in court if caught, or accept the consequences. Naturally, the two groups both work to protect the town, each in their own way, and there is often a level of professional respect between the two groups.

NPC Conventions
Fair Escape - At times, players and NPCs will be chasing each other around in the woods. Player characters fleeing from monsters can generally escape by reaching the town, but it's a bit harder for NPCs. NPCs with players in pursuit cannot simply sprint to the NPC building, since it is out of game and that would be cheesey. Instead, they must get out of line of sight from players and remain motionless for 3 minutes. If they do that successfully, they are considered to have slipped away into a swamp or the like. The NPC may then become a spirit and return to the NPC building. Recycling - At times, NPCs may "recycle" or "re-spawn" to represent new enemies arriving to join a battle. Generally they can only do so a limited number of times, how many times being determined by the staff. Area Recycling - When Area Recycling is used, NPCs must move out of line of sight of the players and wait for a specified amount of time (usually a minute) before returning. Gate Recycling - In this form of recycling, NPCs emerge from some sort of gate or door - be it chaos portal or rat hole. They may call a "disengage" when they emerge. Totem recycling - In this form, when NPCs die they become spirits, travel to a talisman, banner or the like, tag it, and then return to the battle. If a PC is within 10 feet of the Talisman, NPCs may not "tag in" and should stay out of the way. Regeneration - Some creatures can regrow their lost limbs and restore themselves even when horribly mauled. Such creatures always regain all their Hit Points if they remain motionless for 1 minute. They are also cured of all hostile effects such as Root or Maim when they do this. They may be unconscious while regenerating. Striking the Regenerating creature does not prevent Regeneration. The only way to prevent the Regeneration is a Doom or Death effect. Most Regenerating creatures have a weakness, often fire damage. If they are struck with such an effect while they are unconscious, they will not Regenerate. Threshold - Some creatures are so tough that ordinary weapon blows and attacks doing 1 point of damage will not harm them. Lethal will not reduce them to zero Hit Points, maim will not cripple their limbs, and Death will not kill them. Such creatures take only one point of damage from a Lethal Effect, Doom, maim or any damaging attack, no matter how much. Thus a "5 fire" would do only 1 point. The Death effect does 5 points of damage. When attacked the NPC should state "Threshold" - however it is not necessary to repeat it every time they are struck. It is poor form to keep hitting a creature you can't hurt, as this just bruises the NPC to no purpose.

Human is as Human does. NPC characters who are human must follow the rules for player characters. If an extraordinary character is needed, they must be a Vampire, Daemon, Chaos Knight, or other obviously supernatural being. There is no way for a character to resist a Lethal without wearing armor, for example, and thus no mortal NPC may do this. This means that NPCs and PCs are often on a fairly equal footing however, mortal NPCs should be played to the best of your ability, and should not hold back in combat. They should be played as though they were characters - for example most will loot or finish off any fallen foe if they can. Unless an NPC's name is in the Book of Life, there is no way for them to return from death, short of reanimation as one of the Undead.

Death and Dying in Mystwood

Death is a frequent hazard for Player Characters. Fortunately, your character is an individual with a heroic destiny, and thus not (very) likely to die PERMANENTLY in any given combat. As long as magical healing is available, your character can be restored from all but the most horrible wounds. Once magical healing is used up however, you will have to rely on mundane first aid, and that carries with it a significant risk of death. Thus a wise player will carefully consider when to keep fighting and when to run away.

Wounded - If you have fewer current Health than your max Health, you are considered to be Wounded.
Tend or Heal can help you return to full health. You will also return to full health after roughly 15 minutes of resting in the town. Outside of town you may rest only if an NPC tells you you are in a place of safety. While wounded you may fight and act as normal.

Unstable - If you have 0 or less Health, you must fall down, preferably far off to the side so that you do
not get stepped on. You are only semi-conscious, enough so to sputter a few last words, moan feverishly, and stumble out of the way of combat. After FIVE minutes of being unstable without receiving healing you reach a Near Death state. Tending and healing still work while you are in the Unstable state.

Near Death and The Book of Life - The Library of Mystwood is a wonder. It rivals that of any
lord in size, with many ancient texts, some said to have come from the Library of Alexapolis before it was destroyed. Yet the most treasured tome with in is the Book of Life, said to be a blessed gift from the gods themselves. Many come and attempt to write their names upon one of the book's blank pages, yet few succeed. How the book chooses those who may write in it is unclear, for many a great lord or paladin has been rejected by the tome, while simple peasants may scratch their name in charcoal. In time, the book is filled and the Lady of the Mists brings a new, pristine book. Attempts to remove it from the Library, or indeed any tome, invariably fail.

A new arrival's first act in Mystwood is attempt to write their name in the book. This must be done in their own hand and the person in question must be reasonably literate to do so. If they succeed, (and all player characters automatically succeed) then they are under the protection of the book, and generally assumed to have a reasonable chance for a heroic destiny. One page, (both sides) in the book is dedicated to them. The moment someone who has put their name in book is about to die (i.e. has bled out, or been struck by the Death effect, or one minute has passed since taking a Doom effect), they transform to a spirit, and as a spirit journey to the book. During this journey they may not speak. Upon arriving at the library, they must enter the date and circumstances of their Near Death experience into the book, at which point they are fully restored, healed, and renewed. The power of the book is not unlimited. It can always restore you once per event, for this is the gift of the Goddess of Mercy. It can also restore you once per calendar year, for this is the gift of the God of the Wild, to be replenished by the turning of the seasons. In addition, the Lord of Justice grants that you may be restored once more, but only once more, at any point in your life. The book also cannot restore those who are beyond walking distance from the library. It is possible to lose one's connection to the book - either by acquiring seven Marks of Chaos, or committing a Heinous Act of True Evil. To Summarize: One Restoration to life per event, PLUS One Restoration to life per year, if you die twice in an event, PLUS Once ever you return to life even if you have used the two gifts above.

Though the lure of the book is great, the risks associated with living in Mystwood more than counter its benefits in most cases. In time, all mortal kind must die, and in dying, sleep in the grave until the world is made pure of all evil and chaos and the gods awaken them. There is but one exception to this, save for the blasphemy of the Undead, and that is Sainthood. Those who have lived exemplary lives may, upon dying, be taken into the presence of the Gods themselves, and then, for a single day, return to walk the land, to teach others of what is good and holy, and to accomplish their last tasks. There have been many, many Saints, and it is through their teachings that mortals come to know the nature of the Gods, to separate what is holy from what is Chaotic, and to know the Gods Will and Plan. Though they have stood in the presence of the Gods, Saints remain mortal, and thus they are not infallible, nor are those who record their teachings. The Acrophia of the Saints sometimes contradict each other, and it is only by pondering the lives and words of many saints that one truly comes to know the Gods. Return to Battle - The book serves little purpose if you are cut down in a losing battle, are restored, then rush back to the same battle to be slain again. Therefore, you must wait until the current battle is concluded and all enemies are slain or have departed if the battle takes place near the Library. You may petition a Grey Wanderer or NPC for an exception to this if the battle is long.

If None Survive.... It is possible, usually during a mass assault on the Mystwood Keep, for all players to be slain. If this happens you may not be restored to life until the enemy has had a chance to loot the workshops, pillage everything in sight, and carry out any other nefarious designs they may have. During this time the spirits of the near - dead should stay out of the way. On the plus side, the spirits of the neardead are almost always safe from any further harm... Sanctuary - The Book of Life is sacred, and the library is holy ground. Those who are returned to life are safe in the library, and must be granted safe passage out of the town if desired. Final Death - If the Book of Life will not save you, you are dead. Instead of turning into a spirit, you should simply lie there. You should role-play your body for a while, to allow others to mourn you and swear vengeance. Eventually you may travel as a spirit to the NPC building for a proper funeral. You may at this point make a new character if you wish, and as consolation for the loss of your previous one, the new character may take an extraordinary background, unusual or advanced occupation, or other unique abilities as agreed by the Nine.

Creating a Mystwood Character

It is encouraged that every participant in Mystwood create a character (or even more than one). Even members of the Nine may have characters, though they may not play them during their tenure. Your character is your persona in Mystwood. Like an actor in a movie, by portraying your character well you will add to the enjoyment of those around you. Some people like to create very elaborate characters with all sorts of roleplaying traits, an elaborate backstory and highly detailed persona. Others prefer to create a simple character that is basically their real self with a sword. You must choose a name for your character (history and fantasy provide many great names if youre having trouble thinking of one - but dont choose one that is too well known - there is only one Gandalf and youre not him!), and fill out a character sheet that will be kept by the Nine (the game staff). Its a good idea to keep a copy for yourself as well. There are five aspects to Character Creation. 1. Adventurer or Townsperson? 2. Gifts 3. Occupation 4. Advantages and Disadvantages 5. Religion 6.Character History Character Creation is guided on the website.