tesc core 1.1.0 final
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The Elder Scrolls Chronicles larpThe Elder Scrolls Chronicles larpThe Elder Scrolls Chronicles larpThe Elder Scrolls Chronicles larp
The core rulesThe core rulesThe core rulesThe core rules
Version 1.1.0.Version 1.1.0.Version 1.1.0.Version 1.1.0.
Marko Zadro
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Table of Table of Table of Table of ContentsContentsContentsContents
1. The Basic Information ........................................................................................ 3
What is larp? ......................................................................................................................... 3
General information .............................................................................................................. 4
Requirements for participation ............................................................................................... 4
What you need to know ........................................................................................................ 5
2. General Rules ................................................................................................... 6
Game Items and Buildings..................................................................................................... 7
OUT items ....................................................................................................................... 7
PROTECTED items ......................................................................................................... 8
NON-PROTECTED items ............................................................................................... 8
Buildings .......................................................................................................................... 9
Safety Measures .................................................................................................................. 10
Markers, signals and their meanings: .................................................................................... 11
Meta signals ................................................................................................................... 11
Ribbons .......................................................................................................................... 12
Trap signals .................................................................................................................... 12
Spoken spell signals ........................................................................................................ 13
Spell projectiles ............................................................................................................... 15
3. Combat rules .................................................................................................. 16
General combat rules .......................................................................................................... 16
Weapons ............................................................................................................................ 17
Weapon damage ............................................................................................................. 18
Surprise Attacks ............................................................................................................. 18
Armor ................................................................................................................................ 19
Calculating Armor Points ............................................................................................... 20
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Armor Table .................................................................................................................. 21
Shields ........................................................................................................................... 22
Safety Measures .................................................................................................................. 22
ROUGH Combat Rules ...................................................................................................... 23
4. Injuries, Recovery, Status effects and Death ........................................................... 24
Injuries ............................................................................................................................... 24
Combat Status Effects ..................................................................................................... 25
Looting .......................................................................................................................... 25
Poisons ............................................................................................................................... 26
Death ................................................................................................................................. 27
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1111. The Basic Information. The Basic Information. The Basic Information. The Basic Information
he Elder Scrolls Chronicles is a fantasy larp set in the world of Tamriel, i.e. the world of
The Elder Scrolls series. This document contains the basic rules regarding safety
measures, game system and information regarding the world of Tamriel. These rules have
been inspired by many other rulesets, notably Chronicles of Demgard (written by
Mesterházi Sándor and friends from Hungary), as well as Conquest of Mythodea. Special thanks to
Klara Feldšar, Mirna Dremel, Domagoj Krpan, Matija Mihoković, my fellow organizers, as well as
Ivan Žalac, Andrej Štefan, Sonir Norend and Mesterházi Sándor for their advice and ideas, as well
as many other beautiful people who helped in playtesting and rule-checking (the list might be too
extensive, but you guys know who you are).
What is larp?What is larp?What is larp?What is larp?
The ruleset is divided into three chapters: Core, Character Creation and Gameplay. This particular
document covers Core rules, the basics of the basics.
T
Larp (or LARP) stands for Live Action Roleplay. Larp is many things - a form of
entertainment, a recreational hobby, a portal into new fantastic world, a storytelling
platform, a way to explore and create and many other wonderful things. Simply put:
"A live action role-playing game is a form of role-playing game where the participants physically
act out their characters' actions. The players pursue goals within a fictional setting represented by
the real world, while interacting with each other in character. The outcome of player actions may
be mediated by game rules, or determined by consensus among players. Event arrangers called
gamemasters decide the setting and rules to be used and facilitate play."
In larp, you play out a character with specific traits and skills, different or similar
(sometimes even identical) from your own. The players in a larp create a story in a
combined effort. It is not easy to present larp through mere words and theoretical
explanations, since larp is many things - all of which would require a whole dissertation
to be fully explained.
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General informationGeneral informationGeneral informationGeneral information
The focus of the larp is to replicate the world of TES series, creating an immersive and interactive
environment. Even though the larp is based on The Elder Scrolls Series, it is not a "canonic" part of
the lore, but rather an alternative version. This document contains the complete set of rules present
in the game.
Although the game has combat rules, the larp itself is not focused on combat. However, TES as a
video game series is a high fantasy, which means that encounters with players playing fantastical
creatures might be possible in a game.
The game has a pre-written and complete world and setting, although the game might take event in
different locations and time every time. The players are asked to create characters that will fit the
setting of the game, as well as the time and place of the event.
The group called The Elder Scrolls Chronicles exists on facebook, an open group for discussion, as
well as the development blog: http://elderscrolls.crolarper.com/
Requirements for participationRequirements for participationRequirements for participationRequirements for participation
� The minimum age of participants is 16 years. Deviation from this rule is allowed in specific
cases, but combat activities are forbidden for everyone under the age of 16. Minors have to
bring some sort of written proof of responsibility signed by a parent or a guardian.
� The larp is open for everyone who wishes to participate. However, dangerous behavior
will be sanctioned and might result in suspension from combat or larp itself. Any illegal
activity will be reported to the authorities. Off-game and similar immersion-breaking
behavior is heavily discouraged since it’s against the spirit of this larp, unless an urgent
situation occurs, in which case yell ‘CUT’ and the whole game stops immediately.
� A character written and created before the event and submitted by the deadline of the
game event. Players who appear at the event without submitting a character might not be
able to participate in the game, and/or will get a premade character instead.
� Equipment which meets the kit standards, as well as adherence to safety standards.
� Meeting any extra requirements written in the announcements of individual events. Not
meeting any of the requirements till the given deadlines, as aforementioned, will result in the
rejection of the player’s signup for the event.
The organizers reserve the right to reject any signup, character, equipment or character story element.
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What you need to knowWhat you need to knowWhat you need to knowWhat you need to know
� Reading this Core ruleset is the basic prerequisite for participation. All the ground
rules have been covered in this document.
� Two other documents, titled Character Creation and Gameplay rules are necessary in
order to create a character, as well as get more acquainted with Magic, Alchemy,
Enchanting, Traps and Diseases.
� Playing The Elder Scrolls video games, as well as reading about its lore will help your
immersion as a character. Although it is optional, it is still highly recommended to
have some kind of insight into the world of Tamriel.
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2. General Rules2. General Rules2. General Rules2. General Rules
ere are the general rules of the larp. These are not to be taken for granted, since they are
the foundation of the whole larp.
� All players are invited to play ethically, consistently and bona-fide. Rule-breaking,
exploiting and "off-game" misbehavior will not be tolerated.
� Breaking of basic rules will be warned once with a verbal warning and a yellow card. If a
player is persistent in breaking the rules he/she will receive a red card and will be politely
asked to remove himself/herself from the game.
� Consumption of alcohol is discouraged, but not banned. Drinking is allowed, as long as it
is done responsibly. Intoxicated players are not allowed to participate in combat and will be
removed from the event by any means necessary.
� Official game time will be announced by the organizers. It is advised to come to the event
on time, or even earlier, since the organizers will give short briefing about the game rules, as
well as important notices regarding the area in which the event is held. If someone is late to
the event and does not have a character ready, he/she will have to play a pre-designated role
prepared by the organizers, since it is hard to incorporate your character to the story on such a short
notice.
� During game time off-game activities are only allowed during arrival/departure, urgent
gameplay/organizing issues, dangerous situations (as is the case with injuries), or in an
off-game area which will be clearly marked. Outside of game time any activities which can
affect gameplay are forbidden – once the organizers announce the ending of the event, any
in-game interaction, generally speaking, ends. However, players can continue to stay in-
character if they still have a couple of loose ends to deal with. The game itself, however,
ends.
� The off-game zones and areas outside of the game boundaries are not part of the game,
therefore any in-game activities are forbidden there – including escaping into off-game zones
or using them to maneuver into advantageous positions. Leaving the in-game has to be
coordinated by the game organizers.
� Events will usually last around one day, starting around noon and ending either during
night or the next morning. Should someone decide to bring a tent, it has to be placed in the
off-game area if it looks too modern. Simply put, modern gear and equipment belongs
ONLY in the designated off-game zone.
H
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Game Items and BuildingsGame Items and BuildingsGame Items and BuildingsGame Items and Buildings
All items appearing in the game fit into one of these categories: OUT items, PROTECTED game
items and NON-PROTECTED game items.
OUT items
All modern camping and personal equipment (like cell phones and wallets) and items/documents
marked as off-game by the organizers (like a printed rulebook, a character sheet or spell reference
sheet) as well as envelopes and effect cards are protected OUT items. As these items don’t exist in-
character, they cannot be stolen, traded or given to another player, and cannot be used for proving
something in-game (e.g. I haven’t cast the Raise Dead spell on him, look, there is no such spell in
my reference sheet!).
If an item has an envelope with a lock marker on it, it signifies that an item or a door is
locked. Everyone can see locks, but only those with specific skills can see traps. Trying to
open a chest with a lock envelope on it will fail. Trying to break it WILL break it, but it will
also trigger the trap, if the lock had any. Envelopes, as such, are OUT items. They do not
actually exist in the game, but they represent a mechanism (such as a lock).
As it has been aforementioned, in-game doors and containers may have locks, marked by
an envelope with a symbol of lock on it, as well as a number. These locks can only be
opened with a key with the same number on the lock, or by using a lockpicking skill. The
locks CAN be broken by force, but if the lock had any kind of trap on it, it is automatically
triggered and hits the person who broke the lock. Locks with a star instead of a number
cannot be broken by any means, nor can they be lockpicked. Only keys can unlock them.
Effect cards are folded paper cards tied to an item. If the conditions written on the card are
met (e.g. for a potion when someone drinks it), the card must be opened and the effect
written inside will activate. People who are susceptible to allergies should open the effect card upon
deciding to drink or eat something, since effect cards describe what materials have been used to
create something. The cards themselves are OUT items, they do not exist in the game
world. Trap mechanisms are in fact effect cards placed in lock envelopes.
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PROTECTED items
Protected game items are the player’s own costume/clothing, armor and weapons (except when
marked by their owner as non-protected), props necessary for the role and the player’s own food and
drinks. These items exist in-game, but may not be stolen or taken away, but – as they are protected
because of fair-play reasons – their owner can voluntarily forfeit their protected status if he or she
wishes to do so. All of the protected game items must have an orange ribbon tied around them,
which represents that an item cannot be stolen or traded in any way. The in-game explanations are
various - either it's an item tied by some magical or spiritual bonds to a character, or it is a
soulbound item - whatever sounds reasonable enough in the confinements of the larp.
NON-PROTECTED items
Non-protected items are the in-game currency or similar resources, in-game documents, items not
marked with orange ribbons, as well as any item created during the event (such as potions and
enchanted items). If a merchant character brings his/her wares, they start the game as non-protected
items, unless the character voluntarily marks them with an orange ribbon.
The physical manifestations of spells are PROTECTED items. Keep in mind that physical
manifestations can be manipulated only by the users who know the specific spells. (More
details in Gameplay rules - Magic)
Divine/Almsivi shrines are marked with a symbol of the Nine or the Almsivi, depending
on the type of the shrine. The shrine is a protected item and cannot be stolen. If someone
uses the Divine/Almsivi Intervention spell, he is teleported to the location of the shrine.
Soul gems are non-protected items by default. Potions, enchantments and scrolls are all
non-protected items, as well.
Field traps are in their core non-protected, but they can be assessed only by skilled
trapmakers.
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Buildings
The following rules apply for any in-game building available in the game:
� Multiple in-game “buildings” can be found on the game site. The rule of thumb is that it is
strictly forbidden to cause any real damage to them, and only openings larger than 50x50 cm
can be reached/walked/climbed through, everything else counts as solid.
� There is NO special rule for detection through buildings (i.e. eavesdropping or visual
surveillance), what can be heard or seen through the building can be heard or seen in-game.
� During game time, any repairs, improvements and construction work on buildings can be
done ONLY when overseen by organizers.
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Safety MeasuresSafety MeasuresSafety MeasuresSafety Measures
In order to have a larp that will have as less possible injuries as possible, it is of high importance to
stick to these simple safety measures:
� Items such as knives and other sharp items can be used in the game, as long as they are
placed on a safe spot, out of reach or possible. The rule of thumb is – sharp items should be
placed somewhere safe, left either in some sort of container or in the off-game area. Players
should not be endangered with sharp items at all costs.
� Items marked as weapons can be boffer weapons, latex or foam-injected such as Calimacil.
All weapons will be tested on the player before the game begins. The rule of thumb is – "If
you do not wish to be hurt a lot, don’t bring the weapon that hurts a lot". As is the case with the first
rule, weapons should not have any really sharp and dangerous edges, that kind of weapon is
automatically banned from the game. Note: Boffer weapons should look as realistic as
possible, not like huge dildos on a stick.
� Any kind of armor is acceptable, as long as it doesn’t have very pointy and sharp edges.
Organizers will decide on the spot whether armor is safe or not.
� Items such as glass containers and vials are allowed in game, but the characters should be
very careful not to break them and injure themselves (especially those who fight under rough
combat rules). Should a potion break, the character can go out-game for couple of seconds to
check whether everything is alright, and then resume the game. Abusing the out-of-game
area in this manner is forbidden, and will be punished if it happens.
� Throwing any highly flammable or explosive items into open fire is forbidden. Doing this
will result in immediate red card and a ban from the game.
� Direct physical contact (wrestling and such) is not allowed by default, but if the players
wear a yellow bandana or a sash, they agree to Rough combat rules. (explained in the
Combat rules chapter) This means they agree to wrestling, shield bashing and grabbing.
Players who wish to play by rough rules agree to the same ON THEIR OWN RISK. Injuries
are more prone to happen in rough combat style. In any case, common sense, rational
judgment and agreement between players prevail. Larp is a game, not a place to get seriously
hurt. Combat and rough rules are explained in the Combat rules chapter.
� Surroundings must be checked when doing something very physical. Most injuries happen
because people do not look around themselves, so make sure you don't, for example, fight
around cooking pots and construction materials.
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Markers, signals and their meanings:Markers, signals and their meanings:Markers, signals and their meanings:Markers, signals and their meanings:
TESC has specific mechanisms to recreate magical effects, as well as special statuses that are hard to
act out. Even if you are not playing a character that uses particular effects such as magic, you are
supposed to know these signals in order to react to them properly.
There are few types of signals:
Meta signals represent various mechanisms used to resolve situations on a borderline between
in.game and off-game:
Meta signals
One fist/weapon
raised constantly
above head or
forehead
The player is out of game or talks out of game. It is strictly forbidden to exploit this other than in urgent situations or upon events such as character death, where the dead player (if no one intervened) removes himself/herself to the off-game zone. This is also used when the character uses the Divine/Almsivi
Intervention spell. (More info in Gameplay rules - Magic)
Someone yells
"CUT"
A person has been seriously hurt or some kind of serious problem has arisen that requires immediate attention. The game stops until the problem from the real world is resolved. This should be used sparsely, and ONLY in real emergencies.
Someone says
"BRAKE"
A person wants the intensity of an action to decrease. Either the person finds the action as inconvenient, hurtful or just "too much". For example, you are being tied with a rope, and someone makes a really hard knot that hurts you. By saying "brake", the person must adjust the firmness of the knot in order to reduce the intensity. You still have to roleplay being actually tied up.
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Ribbons are usually placed on items or worn by people to represent a specific attribute or feature of
an item (or the person). They could be used for spells cast or upon manufacturing specific items:
Ribbon signals:
Orange ribbon on an
item The item is a protected game item, which means it cannot be stolen or traded by any means, unless the owner of the item voluntarily removes the ribbon.
Purple sash or
bandanna The person is under influence of a Daedric Fortitude spell, granting him/her additional resilience (+1 hit point). (Details in Gameplay rules - Magic)
Bright green ribbons
on a dagger or an
arrow
The dagger on an arrow is poisoned. The ribbon should have an appropriate sign for specific poisons. (described in 4th Chapter regarding Poisons)
Blue sash or a
bandanna The person has a Mage Armor spell cast on him/her. He/she has a glowing aura that provides +1 bonus to armor. (Details in Gameplay rules - Magic)
Yellow sash or a
bandana
The person agrees to Rough combat rules. Note that you can fight in a rough manner only if both you and the person/s have the sash/bandana. Everyone else should stick to standard combat rules. Either way, common sense and agreement prevails. (Details in Combat Rules)
Glowing items Have no specific effect; the glow is only for the show.
Trap signals are used for traps you can find in the game. Depending on what you hear and see, the
different effects take place
Trap signals
You knock a plastic bottle
wrapped in cloth, and it rattles
A bear trap. You receive 2 points of damage to your hit points, unless you had armor on your legs. (Details in Gameplay -
Traps)
You rattle a can on a rope A sap trap. You fall down unconscious for 5 minutes. (Details in Gameplay - Traps)
You step on something that
makes the sound of metal
crunching
A snare trap. You must stand where you are, or try to wriggle out (for 5 minutes). (Details in Gameplay - Traps).
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Spoken spell signals are phrases and words used when a specific spell is cast. The details regarding
each spell can be found in the Gameplay rules, but this covers all the things you need to know when
encountering one of the spells.
Spoken spell
signals:
Someone says
"Fireburn" and hits
you with a spell
You take 3 damage, in a form of a fiery burning ball. Armor counts normally against it.
Someone says
"Frost" and hits you
with a spell
You take 2 damage and cannot run (but you can still walk) for 30 seconds, since chills and freezing feeling envelop your body. Armor counts normally against damage, and slowing effect always happens.
Someone says
"Shock" and hits
you with a spell
You take 2 damage and stagger for a second, since you have been electrocuted. Armor does not protect against it at all.
Someone says
"Disintegrate" and
touches your armor.
Your armor starts to fall apart. You lose 4 points of armor immediately.
Someone says
"Sickness" and
touches you.
You start to feel sick, as if you want to vomit. Technically, you are not capable of doing anything besides trying to get better. This lasts for about 5 minutes, after which you are ok.
Someone says "Heal
Wounds" and
touches you.
The caster heals wounds and restores 1 hit point. This also stops bleeding, if the spell restores the last hit point required for the character to get to his maximum health pool.
Someone says "Cure
Disease" and
touches you.
The symptoms of a disease you had are gone. However, you still need to rest for about 10 minutes, or the symptoms reappear.
Someone says
"Relieve Poison"
and touches you.
You are free of poison's effects. You immediately feel better after about 2 minutes.
You see someone
saying "Ward"
while twirling a
ball.
The caster has a Ward spell on him. He cannot be harmed, nor can any spell hit him as long as he twirls the ball. He may only twirl, slowly walk and speak very slowly.
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Someone says
"Burden" and
touches you.
You have been burdened with terrible weight. You may not move in any direction for 30 seconds, but you can freely turn around, attack and cast spells. You just can't leave your position.
Someone says
"Mage Armor" and
touches you.
You have been granted with a Mage Armor. You need to have a blue sash or bandanna tied around you, to represent a glowing blue aura around you. You now have additional Armor point for 15 minutes, or until someone hits you.
You see flour or any
kind of white
powder on the floor.
You have found a magical barrier. You may not cross it in any physical way, but you can cast spells through it.
Someone points at
you and says
"Anger!"
You become angry and unpredictable. You are not enraged, but just really angry and prone to outbursts of hate for the next 5 minutes.
Someone points at
you and says
"Calm!"
You become docile and suggestive. You are not a mindless puppet, but you react peacefully to everything for 5 minutes. You may still defend if being attacked etc., but you act as if you are a pacifist.
Someone points at
you, has one eye
covered and says
"Blind you!"
You are blinded! You must close your eyes for 5 seconds, after which your sight is returned.
Someone points at
you, has a finger on
his lips and says
"Silence!"
You are mute! You cannot talk (or cast spells!) for the next 5 minutes, or until someone hits you.
Someone says
"Dispel X", where
"X" marks which
spell is dispelled.
The caster dispelled a specific spell on a target. It is gone now.
Someone comes
close, looks you in
the eyes and says
"See Thoughts".
Your thoughts are visible to the caster! If caster asks you a question, you must answer it truthfully, without lying at all. But only ONE question, unless the caster casts the spell again.
Someone points two
fingers at you and
says "Telekinesis!"
You drop whatever you had in your hands. Note: If it is something really fragile, just put it down, but you MUST throw away weapons and other sturdy items. As long as the caster is concentrating on the dropped item, you cannot pick it up again.
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Someone waves
his/her hands and
yells "FEAR ME!"
You are terrified! You must run for 10 seconds, screaming and yelling, or until you can't see the caster anymore.
Someone comes
close to you and
says: "I command
you..."
Your mind has been manipulated! You must do one command that the caster just told you. If you see that the command involves directly hurting anyone (including you), it automatically fails. The command lasts for maximum of 30 seconds, and you DO NOT REMEMBER anything that happened in that period, including who did that to you.
Someone says
"Raise!" and
touches you while
you are dead.
You rise as an undead minion of your caster. You retain your maximum health (and armor, if you have any and it is not broken), and obey your new master. You have no feelings or memory, just mindlessly follow the orders of your master for the next 5 minutes. Then you fall down again.
Someone roleplays a
kiss (and you accept
it), and says:
"Lover's Kiss".
You have been paralyzed by a power called "Lover's Kiss". You are paralyzed for the next 5 seconds, as if you were petrified.
Spell projectiles are physical manifestations of spells cast like projectiles. Note that these
projectiles usually have "effects" upon hit, but only upon hit. These don't do anything in hands of
their caster or if they miss someone:
Spell projectiles
Orange or red soft
throwable balls
Physical manifestation of Fireburn spell. The target takes 3 damage. Armor counts normally against it.
White soft throwable
balls
Physical manifestation of Frost spell. The target takes 2 damage and cannot run (but can still walk) for 30 seconds. Armor counts normally and the slowing effect happens regardless of armor.
Blue soft throwable
balls
Physical manifestation of Shock spell. The target takes 2 damage and staggers for a second. Armor does not protect against it at all, This hits hit points directly.
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3. Combat rules3. Combat rules3. Combat rules3. Combat rules
ombat is not the default "mood" of this larp. However, a situation might occasionally
occur that characters would have a fight with weapons between themselves, so in that
case, there are a couple of rules to follow in order to execute realistic and interesting
combats.
General combat rulesGeneral combat rulesGeneral combat rulesGeneral combat rules
The point of fight is to make it look good. Simulating weapon weight of a foam sword is a
questionable debate and no one can say for sure how one is supposed to wield such a weapon and
make it look realistic enough. No one is able to wield a two-handed sword like a twig, nor is anyone
able to swing an unbalanced weapon like an axe without recoiling from the weapon's momentum.
However, bona fide and fair play is what matters the most in TESC. Acknowledging that you have
been hit in a fight, as well as properly roleplaying the weight and size of a weapon is of outmost
importance.
Regardless of fights happening or not, all the characters start the game with 3 hit points by default.
Hit points represent the overall ability to withstand injuries. Every time a person gets injured in-
game, a specific amount of hit points is lost. Once 0 hit points are reached, the person falls
unconscious.
Therefore, getting hit by a weapon has to be roleplayed - staggering back and groaning out of pain.
Getting hit through armor won't make people scream, but it will definitely not be a pleasurable
experience for them. There are no specific rules whether the weapon has hit the target or not. If the
character has scathed his opponent with his weapon, it depends on the player to act out whether it
was really a hit or merely a scratch. If a player abuses this rule and acts as if no weapon can damage
him whatsoever, he/she will be warned about his behavior with a yellow card.
CRemember, it’s not about who has the most armor and who wins a fight; it’s about the fight
looking good. The focus on this combat system is realistic view on the combat. There is a bit
of math here, and it doesn’t matter if players forget a point here and there. Characters who
keep on stopping the game in order to resolve hits and armor lost will be warned with a
yellow card. If they persist, they will receive a red card and get excluded from the larp.
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WeaponsWeaponsWeaponsWeapons
In TESC, a wide array of weapons
must be kept in mind that all of the weapons have to be SAFE, i.e. half
potentially dangerous ones that can hurt someone will
various sources on how to make realistic weapons for a small amount of money.
Weapons that are allowed are boffer weapons (made out of foam and duct tape), latex weapons and
foam-injected ones (such as Calim
dildo sticks. Compare the following examples:
The picture on the right shows a “wrong” way to make weapons.
This kind of weaponry will not be allowed in
doesn’t look realistic enough. Moreover, the cost to make the
weapons on the right picture is the same as the one to make
weapons on the picture above.
a wide array of weapons can be used, from swords and axes to bows and crossbows.
that all of the weapons have to be SAFE, i.e. half
potentially dangerous ones that can hurt someone will not be allowed for use. The internet is full of
various sources on how to make realistic weapons for a small amount of money.
Weapons that are allowed are boffer weapons (made out of foam and duct tape), latex weapons and
injected ones (such as Calimacil). Note: Boffer weapons need to look like weapons, not like
dildo sticks. Compare the following examples:
The picture represents a sword, an axe and a
club. Upon closer inspection, one can see they
are indeed made out of duct tape and foam.
This kind of weaponry is good and looks
realistic enough. You won’t spend more than
cca €5 per weapon piece if you make it
yourself.
On the other hand…
The picture on the right shows a “wrong” way to make weapons.
This kind of weaponry will not be allowed in the game, as it
doesn’t look realistic enough. Moreover, the cost to make the
weapons on the right picture is the same as the one to make
, from swords and axes to bows and crossbows. It
that all of the weapons have to be SAFE, i.e. half-made weapons and
not be allowed for use. The internet is full of
various sources on how to make realistic weapons for a small amount of money.
Weapons that are allowed are boffer weapons (made out of foam and duct tape), latex weapons and
acil). Note: Boffer weapons need to look like weapons, not like
The picture represents a sword, an axe and a
club. Upon closer inspection, one can see they
are indeed made out of duct tape and foam.
d of weaponry is good and looks
realistic enough. You won’t spend more than
cca €5 per weapon piece if you make it
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Weapon damage
As it has been already mentioned, all characters start the game with 3 hit points by default. This is
prone to change if a character has specific skills, or is of certain race and birthsign. In any case,
weapons in this game can cause damage.
Surprise Attacks
A surprise attack from behind is any attack in which the target is unaware. “Surprise” attacks from
behind are not the attacks in the middle of combat. Spell surprise attacks do not exist.
One-handed weapons, ranging from daggers to longswords, deal 1 point of damage.
Thrown weapons, as well. Two-handed weapons deal 2 points of damage. Exception goes
to spears and staves, which still deal 1 damage, like one-handed weapons.
Missile weapons, like bows and crossbows, deal 1 point of damage, and they ignore armor,
if any. Moreover, ranged weapons do not make a character bleed. Additionally, thrown
weapons DO NOT ignore armor.
Surprise attacks with sharp weapons are executed in a way that an unwary target must
have its throat slit from behind. This makes the target fall to 0 hit points immediately.
But, if the target notices the “assassin” in any way before the surprise attack, it
automatically fails and counts as a simple attack that deals 1 hit point of damage to the
back, in which case armor counts!
Surprise attacks are possible with blunt side of sharp weapons and are executed in a
similar way, by saying “thump” and gently tapping someone’s head with a hilt of a
weapon. Surprise attacks are also possible with blunt weapons as well, by saying
“thump” and gently tapping someone’s head. The target does not need to be precisely
“unaware” of the attack, you can do it even if the target is in front of you, but the target
must be calm and dormant. You cannot do this if the target is obviously moving and not
being still. This attack deals no damage to hit points. Weapons for this purpose should
not be larger than a short sword in size.
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ArmorArmorArmorArmor
Armor is used to protect people from attacking blows and from some spells. Wearing armor, just as
it is with weapons, does not require any particular skill. Armor can be worn by anyone who feels
like wearing one. The armor is split into four types:
� Unarmored - no armor, or simple cloth, too thin to realistically protect against harm.
� Light armor - padded cloth, leather and anything that resembles chitin is considered to be
light armor. It offers freedom, but does not fully protect against harm.
� Medium armor - brigandine, lamellar, scale mail and chainmail fall under this category, as
well as anything that looks like bonemold. A bit more rigid that light armor, medium armor
is fairly balanced armor that offers both flexibility and a reasonable amount of protection.
� Heavy armor - full plate armor falls into this category. It offers the greatest amount of
protection, but very limited freedom of movement. Anything that resembles daedric armor
also falls under this category.
Depending on the amount of armor a person carries, he/she receives a specific number of
Armor Points. Armor points add to Hit Points, the only difference is that the armored person
only staggers a bit upon being hit instead of roleplay being wounded.
Being hit to the armor slowly diminishes its Armor Point value. The only way to repair it is
via the use of some in-game skills, like blacksmithing. The Armor Points do not
automatically regenerate.
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Calculating Armor Points
A person can have up to three different layers of armor, each of which must fall into different
category. Unarmored class is never included into this number. So, for example, padded cloth can be
worn, on which a chainmail is placed, on which a breastplate is placed. Players can combine
different types of armor, but layering must be in accordance to the ground rule.
� Helmets, along with providing armor, serve the purpose of being an anti-surprise attack
mechanism. As long any kind of sturdy, strong helmet is worn (cloth caps and similar do not
count), the character does not suffer the physical effects of blunt surprise attacks – sharp
weapons still count, though.
� Moreover, those who wear helmets are immune to knockout. (explained in chapter dealing
with knockout).
Armor need not be actually made of corresponding material, but if it looks and feels like real armor, and can
withstand the same amount of physical damage like actual armor, the organizers may approve that armor as
usable.
The math should not be such a problem. When in doubt, a character can just roll with the blow
and roleplay as accordingly as possible. If characters lose count of armor points, they can just
resume from some reasonable number, like 1/2 of their total armor points. If they get overwhelmed
by people and start getting hit continuously over and over, they may generally skip counting and
simply fall down.
Whenever your armor has been hit (regardless where), you lose your Armor Points. Once
your AP reaches 0, you are considered to be completely Unarmored, meaning that every
blow that hits you effectively hits your health points directly.
Your body is divided into Seven Armor Zones: Front Torso, Back Torso, Left Arm, Right
Arm, Left Leg, Right Leg and Head. Head is a rather specific armor zone, since it is
forbidden to intentionally hit someone in the head in this larp, but it adds to Armor Points
nevertheless.
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Armor Table
Here is a table that shows how much armor a character can have depending on which part of the
body is covered:
Above: Type of armor
Below: Number of Zones Unarmored Light Armor Medium Armor Heavy Armor
Head +0 +1 +2 +3
1 Armor Zone +0 +0 +0 +1
2 Armor Zones +0 +0 +1 +1
3 Armor Zones +0 +1 +1 +2
4 Armor Zones +0 +1 +2 +3
5 Armor Zones +0 +2 +3 +4
6 Armor Zones +0 +3 +4 +5
Full Set (6 Zones + Helm) +0 +4 +6 +8
� Theoretically, the maximum of armor points that can be had is 18 only by wearing armor
(i.e. if you have full set of padded cloth, chainmail and full plate, for example)
� Armor only counts on those parts that are actually protected. Getting hit on an
unprotected body part counts as if there is no armor at all.
� At least 50% of the body part must be covered with the armor to count it as being armored.
For an example - Having a simple piece of leather around wrist does not count as armor. A
bracer covering everything from wrist to elbow does.
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Shields
Having a shield is always smart. It can be used to block incoming attacks and some spells, as well as
provide cover from arrows and bolts. Shields absorb any kind of damage, but they do not provide
any armor points, nor do they count as armor, themselves.
� A shield will absorb any number of one-handed attacks, as well as attacks with a staff or a
spear.
� However, two-handed weapons will eventually break a shield. If a two-handed weapon hits
a shield 5 times, it is considered as shattered. Sixth hit counts as a hit to that arm.
� Players can cover from arrows and bolts with a shield, but they should NEVER try to hit the
projectiles with a shield (or any other weapon) during flight, simply because an arrow or bolt
can fly rather unpredictably after being slammed with a shield.
� Some spells can be blocked with a shield - specifically, those that look like balls.
Safety MeasuresSafety MeasuresSafety MeasuresSafety Measures
� Full attacks on head, neck and groins must be avoided. These kinds of attacks should
happen only by accident, NOT by purpose. If a character gets hit on one of those areas,
he/she can accept it as an in-game injury, but ONLY if he/she wants to. It is optional. Even
though helmets have a function in game to prevent in-game knockouts and they do provide
armor, they still adhere to this rule.
� Equipment of others must be taken care of. Grabbing, pulling or yanking on other players’
costumes or equipment must be avoided if not necessary. Arrows should not be knocked out
of flight with a weapon, as well.
� Most players put a lot of effort and money into their equipment; their experience can be
ruined by damaging their stuff. In case of damage, the one who directly caused it will be
warned with a yellow card or a red card if the attack was on purpose or in spite.
� Combat style must be realistic, it should be believable that the way a character fights is a
feasible way of using the weapon.
� Ranged weapons may not have more than 25 lbs of launching force. Arrows and bolts
must be isolated with foam and duct tape properly, like any other weapon.
� When using ROUGH combat rules (explained later), players must be especially careful
about them. These are to be taken seriously and with common sense. Extensive use of force
might lead to serious injury, as well as a permanent ban from TESC events.
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ROUGH Combat RulesROUGH Combat RulesROUGH Combat RulesROUGH Combat Rules
For those who want to experience combat in a more realistic way, they can agree to play with
Rough combat rules enabled. Once a person decided he/she wants to play rough, he ties a yellow
headband (bandana) or a sash around him/her. Should a serious injury or a problematic condition
occur, the character can remove the yellow sash/bandanna.
Rough combat rules stick to all the existing combat rules, with a few exceptions.
If a "rough" player fights someone who is not "rough", and vice versa, the standard combat rules are
used.
Wrestling is allowed if you a player has two free hands. This means the player can grab
the opponent and try to hold him or pin him to the ground. Heavy leverages are
forbidden. In case two players start wrestling, they must DROP the weapons they had in
their hands. If the "punished" character taps the ground and/or yells "BRAKE", lower
the intensity, and play out as if the character has been subdued. Yell "CUT" if a real
injury occurs. This stops the game.
Shield-bashing is allowed. Note that shields must adhere to the safety measures, having
no sharp edges and being insulated with enough of cloth in order not to seriously damage
anyone. Shield bashing does not deal damage. Take care of the surrounding objects.
Avoid shield bashing near cliffs, sharp objects and dangerous places. Common sense
must be the top priority.
Grabbing is allowed. This means players can manipulate their weapons into grabbing an
opponent's hand and hold him. DO NOT attempt to pin or throw down your opponent
while doing this heavily armored, because it can lead to serious injury. Use common
sense.
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4. 4. 4. 4. Injuries, Recovery, Status effects and DeathInjuries, Recovery, Status effects and DeathInjuries, Recovery, Status effects and DeathInjuries, Recovery, Status effects and Death
uring your adventures in Tamriel, there is a realistic chance that your character
might get hurt, poisoned, maybe even diseased. If Gods really do not favor you,
your character might even die! Of course, TESC does not have real poisons or
diseases. Instead, there are elements and mechanics with which you can roleplay
that!
InjuriesInjuriesInjuriesInjuries
Whenever characters get hit and lose hit points, they receive injuries. Getting hit to the arm, for
example, cripples it a bit, and the injured cannot use it as effectively until someone patches them up.
If a character reaches 0 hit points, he/she falls unconscious. Lying unconscious for 15 minutes due
to injuries makes a character die. However, even the character is on 0 hit points, someone can still
provide some First Aid, prolonging the time before he/she dies to some extent, so that he/she can
be brought to a healer that could help.
D
Whenever you are hit by a sharp weapon on your bare skin, you bleed. Every 15
minutes, you will lose 1 hit point due to bleeding. Everyone is able to give First Aid to
someone by bandaging his/her wounds. This way, the bleeding will stop. One hit point
is naturally regenerated every 30 minutes. If the character has more than 3 hit points, the
regeneration of the 3rd hit point counts s a regeneration of all. Regeneration is not
possible when bleeding.
However, if a character has fallen to 0 hit points, he/she is bleeding heavily, or has been
damaged in other ways too heavily. You can still give that character First Aid, but it will
provide only a couple of minutes of time. These characters have to be carried to a
professional healer (A mage, alchemist or a physician) who can tend the wounds of the
wounded character.
Mages have spells that can instantly heal wounds at the cost of their own Magicka
reserve. (More details in Gameplay rules - Magic). Magical potions heal hit points
instantly, but do not stop bleeding. (More details in Gameplay rules - Alchemy).
Physicians can stop bleeding almost instantly, and treat wounds very fast. The speed of
recovery depends on the skill of the Physician (More details in Character Creation)
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Combat Status Effects
There are some consequences that might be experienced in a fight, or after it:
� Knocked out: The character lost consciousness or is helpless because of the (in-game) pain
and concussion from a surprise hit of a blunt weapon. Regardless of how it is acted out, the
character is considered helpless. The character wakes up automatically after 5 minutes.
� Bleeding: The character that was hit with a sharp weapon such as a sword or an axe (but not
a ranged weapon) will bleed. Every 15 minutes, the character will lose one hit point unless
someone tends to the bleeding wounds. A simple First Aid will do the trick, but a
professional medical help is needed in order to get better. Hit points cannot be regenerated if
the person is bleeding.
� Helpless: The character is unable to act for some reason (heavily wounded, dying, knocked
out dead). Helpless characters can be looted, carried away or – if they are not already dead –
killed by coup de grace. Coup de grace is enacted by "hacking and slashing" a helpless
character and yelling "KILLING BLOW" as loud as possible 5 times consecutively. (fully
explained later)
Looting
If characters happen to be knocked out, helpless, or simply threatened into it or manipulated by
magic or any other means, they might get robbed and looted. There are only a couple of basic rules
when it comes to looting someone:
� All non-protected game items can be stolen. There are no special skills for stealing;
everything is based on player’s actual skill.
� Helpless character can be looted, in that case the looter can take any non-protected items he
or she can find. Forbidden search zones are body surfaces from waist to knees, and the
female breast area. Any game items hidden here must be revealed when the looter
announced searching.
� If two or more players wish to loot at the same time, they can do it either by agreement or
fight for it. In any case, there is no first-come-first-served rule.
� If the player decides that he or she doesn’t want to be searched for real, the character
being looted has to reveal ALL non-protected items in his/her possession.
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PoisonsPoisonsPoisonsPoisons
It is not odd to encounter a poison or two during adventuring in Tamriel. There are people who
make these and there are people who are the designated targets of poisoning.
� Details regarding poisons are explained in the Gameplay rules - Alchemy. Weapons that
can be poisoned are knives, daggers, arrows and bolts, NOTHING else. Poisoned weapons
should be marked with a green ribbon and a sign regarding the nature of the poison. Note
that poison works ONLY on unarmored targets. Armor will negate the poison, except if
placed on arrows or bolts. There are three types of poison:
Note that some players will not be aware of the arrows being poisoned, especially during fight. In
this case, it is good to have someone note the character with which kind of poison he/she has been
hit, since it could create problems to search for arrows in mid fight in order to check the marker.
This is why all poisons have an incubation period of 5 minutes.
Even though players CAN see green markers on arrows, the characters, however, CANNOT.
The only exception goes to characters who have a skill in Alchemy (see Character Creation - Skills,
Alchemy for more info).
Ravaging: The poison does one hit point of damage every five minutes. The first point of
damage comes AFTER five minutes. If the target has been reduced to 0 hit points, the
character drops down, and dies in 15 minutes. The ribbon must be marked with "R".
Sleeping: The poison makes the target fall asleep after 5 minutes. The character
automatically wakes up after 5 minutes, or earlier if forced to smell the antidote. The
ribbon must be marked with the letter "S".
Maddening: The target goes through a couple of stages of madness. After five minutes,
the target will start to have minor fits and twitches. After five more minutes, the target
will have outbursts of anger, and after 10 more minutes, the target goes completely mad,
enraged, attacking everything on sight, and falls asleep after 30 seconds of rage. The target
wakes up without any memory from the last two hours. The ribbon is marked with the
letter "M".
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DeathDeathDeathDeath
The last chapter of this core ruleset elaborates on the worst part of this larp - death. To make
gameplay more fluid, it is not easy to send a character to permanent death and usually there are
various ways to come back:
� If a character reaches 0 hit points, he/she dies after 15 minutes if no one helps him/her.
� Dead characters have to lie at their place of death (or at the place where other characters
carried their body) for some time, reasonably till the end of the current scene.
� After that they go to the off-game zone raising as little attention as possible (using the
“out of game” signal), and spend at least half an hour there out of game. During this time,
they should come up with how they actually survived that.
� Any amount from that half hour can be substituted by spending that time somewhere
where they were previously accepted to stay (for example, a hospital or a healer’s hut)
playing out being between life and death and slowly recovering.
� When that half hour passed, the character can return to play, although not on full health -
technically his or her wounds count only as stabilized, but not healed. The character is no
longer helpless, but their ability to make any physical efforts are severely limited until their
complete recovery.
Permanent death can also be achieved by doing coup de grace. Coup de grace is enacted by
"hacking and slashing" a helpless character and yelling "KILLING BLOW" as loud as possible 5
times consecutively. Dead characters going towards the off-zone are fully out of game, cannot be
targets of any effects, and may only confirm their out of game status when talked to.
In some cases the characters can die a permanent death. In most cases, the player can decide
that his or her last death was a permanent one, but on specific occasions, permanent death
may occur without the player’s permission - like an execution accepted by the organizers, or
by utilizing some rare methods which automatically mean permanent death for the
character. The exact conditions of character death may vary between events, but any
deviation from these rules will be explicitly stated in the event announcement. In the case of
character death, the player - after a brief consultation with the organizers - can return in a
modified costume to play a new character with new goals and motivations.