You now hold a copy of the Player�s Guide, the first of several books showing the rules and details of how to play in the Free Kingdom of Drakenfjord, a chapter of the High Fantasy Society. Hopefully, this will not be the last book you get, but it�s enough to get by on. It is the foundation on which the rest of the game is built.
The game is easy to start. At the minimum, you need to get a copy of the Player�s Guide (that�s this book), build a persona, acquire some garb, and start attending meetings. Everything else is optional.
The Player�s Guide:
The Player�s Guide contains the basic information of what goes on in the Kingdom, the sort of activities we do, and how we do it. Since this is a class-based game, the lower levels of the various fighting classes are listed along with how to advance in the classes, the various rules of magic, and more. With a little initiative, this book will give you all you need to know to start playing.
Persona Guidelines:
A persona is the �character� you will be portraying in the game. It can be as simple or as complicated as you wish. For example, one player is named �Bob the Warrior�. He prefers to wear dark browns and blues. That�s about the extent of his persona. On the other extreme is Wilhelm Andermann von Nuremberg, who can tell you the exact day in 1233 that he was born, where he has spent every day of his life, how much change he has in his pocket and what countries those coins came from and how he got them. He speaks in a German accent all the time and occasionally bursts out in a German rant that few understand.
If you need help building a persona, ask a few of the local members how to go about it. Most of players can give you good guidance, but it�s best to get several opinions (we are all biased to our personal favorites, after all). Personas can be reality-based, fantasy-based, or a combination of the two.
Reality-based personas should be based on people who could have lived before 1700 AD. The name, weapons, clothing, etc. are encouraged to be historically correct. Do not impersonate a famous historical figure. It�s bad form that will get you a lot of sneering looks and off-color comments.
Remember: Every persona must be either from an ancient, medieval, or swords-and-sorcery related background.
Fantasy-based personas should be based on a book, movie, historical mythology, or a unique creation of your own. Again, do not impersonate a character from the medium you choose.
Ultimately, all personas tend to develop into a combination of the two. If you are playing a fantasy-based elf from the Redwood of Verdenfield, and your best buddy is a reality-based Viking from Oslo, just the interaction between the two of you will cause some �Leakage� from one persona to another. That�s not a bad thing. A persona should grow and develop over time. It enriches the experience and ultimately improves the game for everyone.
Meetings:
There are many types of meetings with a variety of activities. Most are weekly or monthly affairs, and something is often going on several times each week. Here are some examples of meetings;
General Meetings � also called �fighter practice�, this is when most people gather to socialize, run battlegames, and hold quests or tournaments.
Populace Meetings � there are general business meetings, usually held once each month.
Guild Meetings � these are meetings which focus on research and development in a field of the arts and sciences (such as bardic performance, garbing, heraldry, illumination, etc).
Events - Periodically, the group will hold a large activity where everyone gathers, including many visitors. These are usually day-long events, but are sometimes weekend camping trips. There are many activities and games going on, including;
Tournaments � competitions between individuals or groups, usually combat-related, though there are also arts and sciences and bardic competitions, workshops, and others.
Battles � combat competitions between two or more large groups for various reasons.
Quests � competitions between small groups of players. A good quest requires not only fighting skill but also sharp wits, good role-play, and a lot of creativity, both to organize it and to play in it.
Feasts � These are group-sponsored dinners where everyone can gather in a social environment, pulling out their finest garb and best table wear. Typically, feasts correspond with an activity called Court, where the monarch makes announcements, grants awards, and takes care of any other social business.
Demos � These are special day-long events with the main purpose of making a strong public appearance and for recruitment. People typically pull out their best garb and feast gear, the combat is usually more flashy and dramatic, and everything is done to a slightly higher standard to give a good impression.
Other events include revels, faires, workshops, and many more.
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Chapter 2 : Garb
Garb is a vital component to giving the game the proper mood and ambience. Anything that conceals the obvious mundane (modern-day) appearance of clothing is acceptable as a minimum, and this usually takes the form of a tunic or tabard. There are many people and places that sell quality garb (and some that sell not-so-high quality garb), but the best garb is made specifically for you. Newcomers should have some form of garb within a month of beginning to play. Note that all battlefield participants must be in "period" garb (tunic, robe, armor, etc.).
The basic garb is quite easy and cheap to make. The simplest garb is a plain tabard and a pair of sweatpants. A tabard is a essentially a section of cloth, covering from shoulder to shoulder, with a neck hole cut in the middle, worn like a poncho and belted in place. More advanced garb includes simple or fancy tunics, cloaks and capes, breeches, mantles, and a huge variety of other garments. Every local library will have books on costuming, and most veteran players are masters at taking common items and converting them to fine quality garb.
Garb Restrictions:
Each class has its own particular garb parameters (usually some form of sash). In addition, there are certain other garb elements that denote special positions:
� White belts (any belt at least 50% white) are reserved for knights.
� Red belts (any belt at least 50% red) are reserved for squires.
� Yellow belts are reserved for Pages (aka Men-at-Arms or Armsmen). A non-fighting page must also wear a silver "enchantment" strip if on the field.
� Unadorned large gold chains are reserved for Masters.
� Unadorned large black chains are reserved for Class Masters.
� Spurs are reserved for company Captains.
� The Phoenix can only be worn by Paladins or Anti-paladins or displayed as part of a kingdom's heraldry. Paladin and Anti- Paladin symbols must be at least 5 inches by 5 inches.
� The use of crowns and coronets is reserved for royalty and nobility.
� Most companies and many individuals choose to register their personal symbols and colors. Use of these personal symbols by others are disallowed. Personal symbols and colors must be registered with the Guildmaster of Heraldry and the Prime Minister to enjoy this protection.
Class Garb:
For the purpose of determining what class people are playing, class sashes must either run diagonally across the chest from one shoulder to the opposite hip, or prominently around the waist with a segment hanging at least one foot. They must be at least two inches wide. You may not wear sashes for classes you are not currently playing. If a player is not wearing a sash, it is assumed he is a 1st level Warrior.
Class Sash Colors
Archer . . . . . Orange
Assassin . . . . Black
Barbarian. . . . Fur
Bard . . . . . . Blue
Bushi. . . . . . White
Druid. . . . . . Brown
Healer . . . . . Red
Monk . . . . . . Grey
Pirate . . . . . Maroon
Scout. . . . . . Green
Warrior. . . . . Purple
Wizard . . . . . Yellow
Reeve. . . . . . Gold
Non-Combatant. . Silver
In addition to the standard class sashes, gold and silver are also used, but they signify special status.
Gold is used to identify Reeves, who are the referees for the battlegames. If you need a clarification of the rules or a decision if something unusual is possible, ask someone wearing a gold sash. Reeves might also be wearing a gold headband or tunic.
Silver is reserved for those non-Reeve players who do not fight. Special rules cover their participation, and they are found in the Non-Fighting Classes section of this book. However, one deserves special mention.
A Page is a non-fighting player who is usually below the legal age for participation (14 years). A Page is a personal retainer of a Squire, Knight, or Noble (much like a Squire is the personal retainer of a Knight). Garb consisting of his master's device is optional.
Neither of these two classes fight and they should not be purposefully hit or touched in an offensive manner.
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Chapter 3 : Combat Rules
Combat is only a small part of the game, but it the most athletic activity and involves direct physical contact between players. Therefore, extensive rules have been developed to ensure the safety of all participants.
Damage and Wounds:
Head and Neck � Out of bounds. Will not count as a hit and is illegal. Deliberately parrying with your head or neck is also illegal.
Arm � A hit to the arm will result in the loss of use of that arm. Any following hits to that arm have no effect (except in the case of magic balls and some siege weapons). The theory is that the first shot will cripple the arm, and that later shots cannot further cripple it and can be ignored. A struck arm must be kept behind your back. Hand shots count as a hit to the arm unless you are holding a melee weapon in that hand, in which case it counts as hitting the weapon. Wrists are considered part of the arm, not the hand. Shots to the hands are discouraged but still happen rather a lot, so a good pair of gloves is advised.
Leg � A hit to a leg results in the loss of use of that leg. You must drop to at least one knee as soon as is feasible and place the dead knee on the ground. Any following hits to that leg will have no effect (the only exceptions are magical balls and siege weapons). You can move around on your knees and may make short springs at opponents, but cannot use your feet for movement under any circumstances. Hopping is not allowed.
Torso � (Includes a person�s shoulders, groin, chest, back, and buttocks) instant death. The Torso is divided into front and rear for armor purposes. The chest, belly, and sides are considered �Front,� while the back is considered �rear.� Shoulders are called at the player�s discretion, but the general idea is that the front of the shoulder counts as front torso, and the back of the shoulder counts as rear torso.
Feet � Do not count as a hit if they are on the ground when struck (exception: magical balls and siege weapons); otherwise they count as a hit to that leg.
Combat Notes:
Any combination of wounds which disables your ability to move and fight result in death. This is usually the loss of both arms and at least one leg. In some specific instances (such as tournaments or non-class battlegames) the Reeve may make exceptions to this rule, but they will be well announced before the battlegame begins.
A single shot to a hit location, regardless of weapon type or point value, only counts as one blow to the hit location and any �extra� damage never carries through to another hit location. Example: You are struck in the arm with a 2-point Red weapon. One point cripples the arm. The second point is lost into space and ignored. It does not injure the torso.
Shots that strike only garb or equipment do not count as a hit unless said items blocked a blow that would have struck a combatant (i.e. - garb, equipment, sheathed weapons, etc. are not shields and do not count as armor).
Blows that nick or lightly glance off of a target do not count as hits. Any shot that stops or any shot that hits then deflects at an angle is considered a hit. See also �A Valid Shot� below. Be aware that there is no such thing as a �light hit.� If the shot lightly connected, but did not nick or glance, it is a hit. Projectiles and arrows that nick or lightly glance still count as hits.
The �chain� portion of flails are not legal striking edges and do not count as hits. The same applies to all weapon hafts, hilts, hand guards, and courtesy-padded shafts.
Deflections that then strike true on a target are hits, with the exception of shots that deflect off the head or neck. Deflections from illegal targets don�t count.
Shots that knock aside a parry and then strike the target are counted as hits.
Strikes from projectiles, magic balls, and arrows that bounced off another object do not count as hits unless specified in the individual effect descriptions.
If a person is wounded in an arm throwing a shot, or killed, shots they threw into motion before being struck still count as a hit if they land within a half second of being struck. In the case of a two-handed weapon, the wielder must remove his wounded hand from the weapon within a half second for the shot to count. This should be a clear case of finishing an already thrown shot, meaning that it requires no significant change of direction and the last action required to finish the shot has already been started prior to being struck. If you have any questions, ask a Reeve. A Reeve�s call is always final in deciding if a shot is in time or late.
Illegal shots stop pause the action if necessary for your opponent to recover (i.e. if you hit your opponent in the face, stop combat until he indicates he is unhurt). This is called a Personal Hold.
A player who consistently breaks game rules, cheats, causes mundane problems with authorities or safety issues can be barred from participating by joint agreement of the Monarch and either the Prime Minister or the Guildmaster of Reeves.
Players may not wield more than one weapon in a single hand. Firing multiple arrows simultaneously is an exception to this rule. (Wield = holding and using a weapon in an offensive or defensive manner. Just carrying it does not count as wielding it.)
Direct contact with another player with anything but a weapon is forbidden (except as allowed by certain special abilities), as is grappling, rough or dangerous contact, or contact which can be deemed offensive. Shield-bashing is also forbidden, defined as the act of act striking an opponent or his shield with your own shield in a forceful manner. Violations can result in being banned from play indefinitely.
If you have to think about whether or not a shot was �good enough,� it probably was. Always try to have unquestionable honor when calling your shots. Your peers will respect you and return the favor.
Do not call another person�s shots unless you are a Reeve. It is rude and considered poor form, and is just cause for removal from the field. If you consistently have problems with a player not taking their shots, inform a reeve who will deal with them appropriately.
A Valid Shot:
A valid shot is anything that hits and stops or deflects at an angle. The best way to learn what constitutes a valid shot is to ask your Guildmaster of Reeves. That having been said, there are some shots that partially meet these requirements but are not valid. Included here is a list of shots that do not count. These are just guidelines, and you should never attempt to use these rules to cheat your way out of a valid strike. Also remember that, in all situations, the Reeves call is final.
�Wiggling' � A shot (normally a stab) that misses its initial target, but is then jerked back and forth weakly in order to hit your opponent.
�Draw Cuts' � A shot that slides along your opponent with little force exerted towards your opponent. This normally happens on a missed stab. Note that a shot that hits your opponent legitimately, and then turns into a draw cut will still wound or kill the opponent as per the initial blow.
�Whipping' � A shot from a non-hinged weapon that is blocked, but the non-hinged weapon bends around the block to strike an opponent. These shots are common from exceptionally small weapon cores, or very long weapons, and should not be taken. This is not to be confused with your opponent pivoting or �wrapping' a shot around your block using your weapon as a fulcrum. Whipping only applies when the core of the weapon itself bends around a block, enabling a shot that would have otherwise been stopped.
�Bouncing� - When using heavily padded weapons, sometimes a hit will rebound and hit the target a second time. Only the initial strike counts as a hit, not the rebound. This includes those shots that are intentionally rebounded (rabbit-shots).
Part 2
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