The Realms is a world far different from our own. It isn't based on our world's history, and only loosely based on our own geography. Within the Realms such things can be found as terrifying monsters, magical powers, armored knights, and pious monks. The only limit to the contents of this new world is the limit of the creative mind.

The Realms is a world where you can become a valiant fighter, a sneaky thief or a powerful sorcerer. You can become a ruler of men, a soldier of fortune or a peasant farmer.

Enter the Realms and learn the ways of the sword become an apprentice mage or squire to a knight; grab a goblet, join the feast and listen to the bard's tale as you gather at the banquet; compete in the tourney and improve your swordsmanship; take up your bow and fire at the approaching army.

This is the rulebook of the Realms, a Live-Action Role-Playing (LARP) game system. The building blocks for playing the game are contained here, but there is more to the game than could ever be explained in one small book. Covered here you will find what you need to know about combat, magic and other aspects of playing the game.

The Realms is a LARP system. This game has been in existence since the late 1980s. The term, "The Realms," is also used to refer to the community of LARP enthusiasts who attend events held by these rules. The Realms has evolved considerably since its conception through the participation and imagination of more people than can be credited. Unlike most LARPs today, the Realms has a skill-based combat system, and is community-based rather than being run by a single, static council or corporation.

For those who aren't familiar with what playing in a LARP entails, it is a lot like acting. The difference is that while the Event Holder (EH) sets the stage, the lines are all yours. You decide what "part" you want to play. Are you a mage, a warrior, a noble, or all of the above? Once you arrive at the event site you slip into your character's persona. You stop acting like yourself and begin acting like your new part. Now this is all fine and good until you decide your character would pull out a sword or wand and slay some other character in front of you. For one thing, really killing people with real swords isn't legal or nice. For another, there isn't any magic in the real world, so when you wave your wand at someone, nothing really happens. This is why there is a system involved. The system is designed to help resolve situations that we cannot practically resolve on our own. The Realms uses foam-padded weapons to resolve melee combat (sword-fighting) and the game supports a magic system as well (for all manners of wondrous things not possible in real life). Specifics of the Realms system will be discussed in more detail later on.

First off, read this rulebook. Read the whole thing. That might seem self-evident, but you would be surprised how many people dont follow that simple suggestion. The Event Holders of the game get together and modify the rules every year. It is a good idea to re-read the Omnibus each year, so you can be up-to-date on rules modifications and changes.

Next, you will need to make a character (the persona you play while at events). This alter-ego will be the vehicle you experience the Realms through. Creating a character is old hat to many who have played table-top role-playing games, or other LARPs. If you are unfamiliar with creating a character or want some tips, please see the Creating a Character section. Characters are often referred to as Player Characters or PCs.

After creating a character, the best way to become acquainted with the Realms is to simply go to an event. Most people will be happy to explain what's going on to you. There is so much that can happen at an event that it is better experienced than explained. Attending practices is also helpful, as you not only become acquainted with the combat system, but also get introduced to other players.

Anyone who is a danger to themselves or others will not be allowed to participate. Before carrying out an action that might be considered unsafe to yourself or others, check with a marshal(referee).

For the safety of all participants, any form of unwanted physical contact is strictly forbidden.

Any acts considered unlawful in the mundane world, such as rape or out-of-game theft, are considered unlawful in the Realms, and any perpetrators of such will be handed over to the authorities.

Participants' tents, bags, packs, pouches and possessions are completely off limits and out-of-play. No exceptions. Even if officially in-play items such as Realms currency, magic items or magic weapons are concealed within a participant's belongings - you may never, under any circumstances, go into and remove those items from their tent, bags, packs, pouches or possessions without the occupant/owner's explicit permission.

Failure to follow the above laws can and will be punishable by sentences that are as light as sitting out of a tourney to as severe as being removed from an event site and prosecuted for violations of Federal and/or State law.

The safety rules are out-of-character (OOC). They must be followed at all times. They are for our safety, and provide the guidelines that we should all be playing by.

1. We should all be doing this to have fun. If you get mad or uncontrolled, it is up to you to remove yourself from the game. A marshal may remove you from the game if you do not.

2. This is a sport of personal honor; treat it as such. You are responsible for keeping track of many aspects of this game, such as weapon blows and known spells. Failure to report or accurately respond to any of these aspects is cheating, and a stain on your personal honor. If you are caught cheating, a marshal may remove you from the game or any combat.

4. If something looks unsafe, it most likely is unsafe. Report safety concerns to a marshal immediately. If you have any questions, it is up to you to ask.

5. HOLD: If you see a harmful or unsafe situation (e.g., someone is about to run into a tree, gets their glasses knocked off, has had their weapon really broken in combat, someone is about to fall off a cliff, etc.) yell the word, "Hold". If someone is injured, it is the primary responsibility of the person who is hurt to call a hold. Before calling a hold for someone else in an otherwise safe situation, you must first ask if they are all right. Holds should only be called in the event of a dangerous situation, and should never be used to discuss the rules. If you hear the word "Hold" stop immediately, then say "Hold" until everyone else has stopped moving. Once the emergency has been dealt with, a Lay-On (continue play) will be called either by a qualified marshal, or the person who originally called the Hold. Do not resume play until a Lay-On has been called.

6. Only weapons and shields that have been made following the construction guidelines (see the section on Weapon Construction) are to be used. A qualified marshal may be requested to check the safety of any weapons or shields at any time. Any new designs or materials must be inspected and approved by the EH or a designated marshal before use.

7. There is to be NO real steel in any combat situation, or in any potential combat situation, at any time. Real steel is defined as metal knives, swords, axes, darts, spikes, spurs, etc. - anything that could really hurt a participant. Real steel that is sheathed is still a potential hazard.

8. Acts considered unlawful in the real world, such as theft of non-game items or assault, are also unlawful in the Realms. For the safety of all participants, any form of unwanted physical contact is strictly forbidden.

9. Any spell props, weapon props, or materials not specifically allowed within the Omnibus must be inspected and approved by the EH or a designated marshal before they are used.

10. This is a lightest touch sport. ANY contact with a weapon to a body is to be taken as a hit. Ignoring a "light" blow is cheating and a marshal may remove you from the fight. There are to be NO full-strength swings. A marshal may remove you for excessive blow strength.

11. The face (eyebrows to chin) and throat area are "off-target". Do not aim for these areas. If you are hit in these areas you may choose not to accept the blow, but you must call the location hit (e.g. if you are hit in the face, call "Face" and keep fighting if you wish to). This alerts both the other combatant and the referee that you have taken an illegal blow.

12. In combat, there is to be contact with weapons only (i.e. weapons hitting weapons, weapons hitting bodies and weapons hitting shields only). There is to be NO body contact of any kind (i.e. no shoving, punching, kicking, biting, grabbing, etc.) Do NOT grab an opponent's weapons and/or shield.

13. Do NOT charge. Charging is defined as running at someone so that they have to get out of your way to avoid illegal contact.

14. Shields are for blocking ONLY. Your shield should never be used as a weapon. Punch-blocking, shield-bashing, or contact with another person is unsafe.

15. Pommels, no matter how padded, are not legal striking surfaces. Do not punch or thrust with the pommel of a weapon.

16. Do NOT ever throw a weapon at a participant, unless that weapon is of a type (magic missile, javelin, or lightning bolt) sanctioned by the rules for throwing. No thrown weapon or missile weapon should strike a participant above the shoulders.

17. Arrows should be drawn with minimal pull necessary to score a successful hit. Bows should NEVER be used to parry an attack. As with thrown weapons, arrows should not strike a participant above the shoulders.

The Realms uses a lightest touch system for its combat system. That means that no matter how lightly your opponent may touch you with his weapon, you have to take the shot. This is to keep the sport friendly, so that everyone can play. This system does not allow for "scratches" or "light blows" - you must take these shots as normal blows. In all cases, the phrase, "if you are struck," refers to any time you are struck by the padded surface of any weapon or the carrier of any spell that does damage as a weapon.

Your body is separated into seven locations of which there are two kinds. Your arms and legs are "limbs," while your head and the front and back of your torso are "kill zones." If you become confused about exactly where one location stops and another begins, thinking of a Barbie doll may help.

If you are hit on the top of the shoulder, your character is dead. In the case that you are wearing armor, a blow to the top of the shoulder is considered a blow to the front or back depending on whether your opponent is in front of you or behind you.

If you are struck in a limb that has already been lost, and that limb blocked what could have possibly been a legal shot to another location, then that location should be considered hit. You cannot protect the side of your character's body with a disabled arm or by lifting a disabled leg up to block. Once your character's limb has been disabled, it should be put behind you. This keeps it out of the way as well as provides a visual cue that your character is hurt to other players. Once you have lost a limb, your character cannot use that limb at all. Don't limp on a damaged leg.

If you are struck on a hand that is holding anything that is legal to block or parry with (weapons and shields, but not bows, javelins or arrows), it is considered gauntleted and immune to damage. When this happens, call out "Hand" or "Hand-on-weapon." If you are struck on a hand that is not holding anything you can parry with, even if you have just taken it off for a second, it is considered a legal limb shot and your character has to suffer the consequences. Your hand is considered everything below the wrist bone.

Should an opponent's weapon (be it a melee weapon, a missile weapon, or magic attack carrier) hit you in more than one location with the same swing, all points of contact count as hits.

Combat is an important part of the game. In order to make the game more fun for everyone, combat etiquette, which is out-of-character, has been developed. Using combat etiquette helps avoid confusion and promotes the same kind of behavior when someone else is fighting you.

It is a good habit to call where you were hit in battle, to let the other participant know that he did hit you, and where he hit you. Calling armor, protections and other effects is mandatory, so you may as well call your hits too.

Calling Shots: In battle, you may feel that you struck another participant. It is not acceptable to call their shots for them. If you feel that another participant is consistently miscalling their hits, rhino-hiding, or some other form of cheating, please alert a marshal. It is acceptable to ask your opponent if he was hit, calling his attention to the location.

Late Shots: Sometimes you will strike another participant, immediately after receiving a hit that injures or kills your character. For example, just before your sword makes contact with an opponent, your attacking arm is struck by another weapon. Even though you are incapable of physically halting your attack, the injury your character received renders the hit ineffective. There is no "follow through" effect that allows your attack to be successful. This is called a late shot. If you deliver a late shot, it is your responsibility to inform your opponent to not take the blow. Common phrasing includes "Don't take that!" or "Late, on your arm!." Like other shots, you may not declare that someone else hit you late. If you think someone is failing to call their late shots, question them after combat ends, or bring your concern to a marshal.

Illegal Hits: Sometimes you may hit someone with a part of your weapon that doesnt actually damage their character, such as the pipe of a weapon, the side of a thrust-only weapon (see Weapon Rules), or the shaft of an arrow or javelin. If you do this, be sure to call, "Don't take that!" to alert them that it wasnt a legal hit, and that they may resume play as if the hit never occurred.

"Rhino-Hiding": Sometimes, in the thick of battle, people miss shots, because of adrenaline or focus. This is generally unintentional and accidental. It often stops once a fighter has more experience in calling and feeling their shots. Repeatedly missing shots, or intentionally missing shots, however, is different and is called rhino-hiding. Rhino-hiding is cheating. If you repeatedly miss shots, you may be asked to get retrained in fighting, or may be asked to stop playing (see Cheating).

Your face and the front of your throat are off-target; players should never aim attacks there. If you are hit in either location, you should announce it, even though the hit has no game effect. Face is considered the area on your head below your eyebrows, in front of your ears. Throat is considered the forward-facing section of your neck, above the sternum. The forehead from the eyebrows up, the back and top of your head, as well as the sides and back of your neck, are legal targets.

Should an opponent's weapon hit you in more than one location with the same swing and one or more of those blows land in an off-target area (such as your face or your throat), you still have to accept those blows which did land in legal locations.

Breast shots on women and groin shots on both men and women are legal and considered killing shots, but such shots are highly discouraged. Men and women are encouraged to wear protective gear to avoid injury to sensitive areas.

You should never deliberately aim for an off-target area such as the face, nor for the groin or breasts. Accidents happen, but if you frequently hit these areas it will indicate to others that you are not a safe and controlled fighter, and you may be asked to sit out by a marshal.

Players are responsible for being safe with the weapon(s) they are using. Before using a weapon style in combat, players should take it upon themselves to be properly trained by a marshal or someone who is safe and proficient with that weapon style.

The size of your weapon dictates how you may wield the weapon. Weapons cannot be any smaller than 12 inches, and cannot exceed 8 feet in length.

Length	Weapon Type
12" to 3'8"	One-handed
3' 8" to 5'	Hand-and-a-half
5' to 6' 6"	Two-handed
6'6" to 8'	Two-handed, Thrust-only

You can wield a one-handed weapon in one hand and still use a shield or another one-handed weapon in the other hand. Using two one-handed weapons (up to 3'8" each) together, one in each hand, is commonly called a "Florentine" combination.

If a weapon is considered hand-and-a-half, then you can use the weapon with one hand, but your other arm or hand cannot be holding a weapon or a shield. Magic missiles and lightning bolts are also considered hand-and-a-half weapons. Bows are wielded as hand-and-a-half weapons, but follow special rules (see Bows below).

If a weapon is two-handed, you may only wield the weapon with two hands. Every blow you strike must be started with two hands. If you lose an arm while wielding a two handed weapon, you may not attack with that weapon. You may parry with a two handed weapon with only one hand.

Every blow you strike with a two handed weapon must begin with both hands on the weapon. If you let go with one hand during the swing, the swing is still legal. Once the initial swing has ended, the attacker will have to grab the weapon with two hands again before making another attack.

Thrust-only weapons cannot strike an opponent with a"slashing"or side-to-side motion. If you slash at an opponent with a thrust-only weapon, you must tell them"Don't take that."As long as the tip of the weapon strikes with a forward motion the blow must be taken.

A bow is wielded as if it were a hand-and-a- half weapon. This means that it may not be held when a weapon or shield is being wielded in your other hand, but it is legal to fire it with one hand (if you can!) A bow is not considered a "weapon" for purposes of spells either.

Bows must have a draw-weight of 30 lbs. or less. Just like melee weapons, you should be careful on how hard your arrows are striking your opponent. Arrows should be drawn with the minimal pull necessary to score a successful hit.

If a bow being wielded gets hit by a weapon, it is "broken" and may no longer be used in combat. Anyone can fix a broken bow by holding the bow with two hands, then counting to 200. You cannot actively parry with a bow.

Projectile weapons such as arrows, crossbow bolts, spells (like magic missile) and javelins cannot be targeted at your opponent's head. Head shots from projectile weapons, even if they did not hit the face or the throat, do not have to be taken as legal shots.

The shaft of arrows and javelins do not count. An arrow or javelin that hits you cross-wise does no damage.

All projectile weapons, with the exception of arrows and javelins, are live and inflict damage on any target they hit until they come to rest; regardless of whether they hit the ground, a wall, a weapon, a tree or any other obstacle along the way. In the case of arrows and javelins, an arrow or javelin is considered live and is able to inflict damage until it comes into contact with the ground. If an arrow or javelin hits you after it comes into contact with the ground it does no damage. It is the responsibility of the player wielding the bow or javelin to tell you not to take the blow.

To knock out an opponent, the attacking player must call out the words, "Flat of the blade!" or "Flat!" prior to his attack. Should a successful killing blow be struck, he has instead rendered his foe unconscious for a steady count of 300. The unconscious character may be wakened sooner by having another character come and wake him up. You may call flat of the blade at any time, even in the middle of a fight.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, all events are considered "live steel" and all hits from weapons that are not peace-bound are assumed to inflict damage, unless the attacker calls, "Flat of the blade." An EH may declare areas of the event site peace-bound at any time, although the live steel rule is still applicable. Should players wish to peace-bind their weapons, they must place a band of tape around their weapon in a visible location with the word "Peace-Bound" on it. This signifies that the weapon has been tied into its scabbard or otherwise padded. The weapon may be un-peace-bound at any time, simply by removing the tape. Hitting someone with a peace-bound weapon will not hurt them, and is most often used in tournaments and practices while on site.

Impaling is the act of holding a weapon in an opponent's kill location after death. It counts as continuous, non-scalping blows to that location. The results depend on the opponent.

To drag a dead, unconscious, or otherwise incapacitated body in our game, you must place a hand on the shoulder, back, or arm of the body and say "Drag." The player being dragged must then get up and walk with you. A dragged body is considered one- handed and may not be used as a weapon or a shield. At any time you may tell the dragged player "Drop" thereby letting go of the player and dropping them on the ground.

Combat calls are what you may hear yelled in combat, and you must know how these calls affect your character.

Armor: Negates a hit attack. When "Armor" (or "Armor 1" "Armor 2" or "Armored Cloak") is called in combat, it means that the person calling armor is protected against the attack that landed on him, usually by means of actual armor, natural armor or a spell effect.

Armor-Piercing: Armor cannot always protect your character from certain attacks. If an opponent attacks you in any way and calls out "Armor piercing", any of the armor that is struck by the attack is completely destroyed, and your character suffers the effect of the blow as if he were not wearing armor. For example, if you are wearing heavy armor on your right arm, and an opponent hits you in the arm while calling "Armor piercing," your characters armor is destroyed on that arm and he loses the limb.

Poison:There may be occasions where you are struck with a blow and the wielder calls "Poison." If this strike damages your character in any location, be it torso, arm, leg, etc., then your character is killed. When the blow does no damage to your character, such as a hit to an off-target area or to armor that protects your character, then the poison has no effect. Armor struck with a poison blow is still used. If your character is under the effects of a spell that protects him from poison in some fashion, your character still takes the normal damage from the blow, but the poison will have no additional effect. You should also call "Immunity to Poison," to allow your opponent to understand that you recognized that the blow was poisoned.

Disease: If a weapon strikes you and the wielder calls "Disease,", any injury done by that blow cannot be healed until Cure Disease is first cast upon the diseased character. This affects only damage to your character, not to your character's armor. For example: if you are hit by a diseased blow to the leg, but are then killed by a normal blow, when the spell Raise Dead is cast upon you, you would be alive, but still without the leg. Since the disease was not removed by the Raise Dead, you would need to be cured before your limb could be healed. Similarly, if you are killed by a disease shot, the spell Raise Dead will not raise you until you are cured of the disease. Disease can affect both live and dead characters. If you are struck by a diseased shot after you are dead (such as a diseased scalping blow), it is to be taken as a disease shot to a kill location.

Lightning Bolt: If you are hit with a white boff arrow, by either the tip or the shaft and the thrower calls "Lightning Bolt," your character is struck as by a magic armor-piercing weapon (see the Magic and Armor Piercing calls in this section).

Magic: If a weapon strikes you and the wielder calls "Magic" (or "Magic Missile"), it means your character has been hit with a magical blow. Generally, being hit by magic doesnt affect your character any differently than being hit by a normal weapon, but sometimes characters are under spell effects where it makes a difference.

Occasionally, more powerful monsters are only affected by certain weapon types or by certain materials. For example: Axe-Mace trolls are typically only injured by axes and maces; werewolves are only affected by weapons made of silver. It might be a good habit when using a melee weapon other than a sword, to call the type of weapon you are using as you swing. If using a mace, say mace with each swing. When you are wielding a non-normal weapon (ie. magic or silver) that weapon will always strike with the same effect therefore you must call that effect with every swing.

Boulders: One of the nastier things that some monsters in the Realms may try to do is crush your character with a "Boulder." Generally, this involves throwing large duct-taped chunks of foam, or beanbag chairs with the zippers duct-taped over. Once thrown, the boulder is active until it comes completely to rest. While active, boulders convey damage in the following manner:

They kill any character whose body, or equipment they touch.
They destroy all armor over any locations they touch.
Magical items they touch are disenchanted.
Non-enchanted weapons, bows, shields, and non-monetary stealable items they touch are "broken". It is the player's responsibility to see that items damaged this way are not used until the appropriate repair spells are cast upon them.

PCs may not throw or pick up boulders. Four or more PCs, each using both hands, may work together to "push" a boulder along, to free trapped gear and companions, but not to cause damage.

Your character may be able to wear armor. Armor allows your character to take blows without taking injuries. There are two kinds of armor: heavy and light. Heavy armor will absorb two blows per location before you have to take the shot. Light armor will absorb one blow per location.

Light armor is a thin, pliable kind of armor. Light armor can be made out of multiple layers of quilting or a moderate weight of leather. A quilted cloth jerkin or a thin leather helmet are examples of 1-point armor. Garment-weight leather (such as suede pants or moccasins) is not suitable for light armor.

Heavy armor is in general, bulkier, rigid, and more cumbersome than light armor. Hard-boiled leather, heavy-weight leather, studded leather/cloth, brigandine, and chain/plate mail are classic examples of 2-point armor. Any armor that is studded, must have at least one metallic component every square inch to count as heavy armor.

Armor must allow you to feel blows through it and it must look like it would fit in a medieval or fantasy setting. You should avoid wearing armor underneath your clothing (i.e. it should be obvious that you are wearing armor).

Armor protects by location, so if you have more than one piece of armor on a location, it is all considered damaged when you are struck there. On the other hand, if one piece of armor covers more than one location, it is treated as separate locations. The armor locations are divided up by the hit locations for taking wounds and kills. The blow must strike the armor and only the armor for you to call "Armor". If you are wearing heavy armor you should call out "Armor 1....Armor 2".

If you are wearing a thin leather upper-arm bracer and a metal lower-arm bracer on your right arm, only a leather upper-arm bracer on your left arm, and a chain mail shirt that goes down to your knees:

A shot to anywhere on your lower-left arm disables your characters left arm. The upper bracer was not struck and thus has no benefit.

A shot to the upper portion of your left arm damages the upper arm-bracer. Your character still has the limb, but the armor on that limb is gone. A shot to the lower-right arm bracer damages all the arm armor. You still have a point of armor left on the lower bracer, but if you are hit on the upper-right arm bracer, your character will lose the limb. Had the next shot also hit the right lower-arm bracer, all the right arm armor would be gone. Three shots to a leg covered by the chain mail skirt would destroy all of the armor on that leg and disable the characters leg as well. Even though the armor protecting the leg and the armor protecting the torso is all one piece, you can still take two shots to the armor on your front, back and your other leg before the armor in those locations is completely destroyed.

There are several ways to make weapons in the Realms. If you are playing for the first time, it might be a better idea to borrow weapons than try to make any of your own. Once you have seen what other weapons have looked like and asked a few questions on how others have made their weapons, then you will be better prepared to construct your own.

* All non-missile melee weapons must be made out of PVC pipe labeled 1/2", 3/4", or 1"diameter and closed-cell foam pipe insulation which must be at least 5/8" thick. Weapons must be safely constructed. There can be nothing in the pipe. Both ends must be capped with a rigid material, and the weapon must have a 1 3/4" thrusting tip (the pipe foam that extends beyond the tip of the pipe).

* Weapons made over 12" and up to 3'8" must be made of PVC pipe labled 1/2", 3/4" or 1" diameter. The thrusting tip must be at least 1 3/4" long.

* Weapons over 3'8" and up to 5' must be made out of PVC pipe labeled 3/4"'or 1" diameter. These weapons must have a 1 3/4" thrusting tip.

* Weapons over 5' must be made out of 1" pipe. These weapons must have thrusting tips that are at least 2 1/4" long as well as squishy-foam tips on top of the thrusting tips. The squishy-foam tip of a thrust-only (greater than 6'6") weapon must be at least 2".

* The striking surface of any single-bladed slashing weapon must be at least half the total weapon length

* No surface of a double-bladed one handed slashing weapong may be shorter then 6". The overall (combined) foam length must still be at least half the length of the weapon. Each striking surface of a double-bladed slashing weapon of hand-and-a-half length of longer must be at least one-third the total weapon length. Weapons with an unbladed portion longer then the shorter of the two blades must provide non-damaging covering foam or other padding as a courtesy to shield the exposed pipe.

* The striking surface of any non-missile thrust-only weapon must be at least one-third the total weapon length (including the 1 3/4" thrusting tip) in addition to a minimum 2" squishy-foam tip.

* Only golf tube arrows and aqua tube arrows are legal arrows. All arrows must have 2" thrusting tips and 2" squishy foam tips to be considered safe. All aqua tube arrows must be made from 3/4" or 1" diameter tubing. All aqua tube shafts should, at minimum, be covered by two lengths of strapping tape. Crossbows and custom-designed golf tube or aqua tube arrows are up to the individual EH's discretion.

* Javelins may be constructed using golf tubes or aqua tubes with foam coverage as shafts. Javelins cannot be nocked, and arrows may not be flung with the naked hand. Javelins must be made from new pipe foam and must have squishy-foam heads. Any fletching added must be made out of foam, and the javelin may not be weighted in any way. Javelins must be between 2'6" and 3' long.

* Only magic weapons should be made with blue duct tape, and you may only make a magic weapon through the use of spells in the magic system, or if you are an EH.

* Shields must be at least 12" long (as measured by the longest dimension). You as an individual must be able to safely weild it. A marshal or EH can pull a shield if they feel it is unsafe.

* Shields can be made of any safe material, such as wood, plastic, or cardboard. Metal shields are heavy but are allowed, if otherwise safe.

* All shields must have thier edges covered by foam. Any protruding metal screws or bolts should also be padded.

You are to inspect your own weapons before they are used. If you are unsure about a weapon's safety, ask a marshal and they will inspect it for you. Any weapon can be inspected at any time during an event on anyone's request. This is meant for the purpose of ensuring the safety of combat, and should never be used for strategic or tactical purposes. Weapons can be failed for many reasons. A weapon can have too much "whip" (one that flexes too much) or not enough "whip" (one that doesn't flex at all). There is no standard way of measuring this; you will have to use your common sense. A weapon can be failed if it has seen too much abuse and has not been repaired recently. The most common problem weapons have is that their thrusting tips are breaking down or have been compacted.

There are basically three kinds of events in the Realms: Feasts, Tournaments and Quests. Some events take on qualities of all the types, but are predominately one of the three.

Feasts, as the name implies, revolve around food. Political posturing and Court are often held at feast events. There is generally little combat at a feast event, and they are usually held indoors in the wintertime. Bardics, games of chance or skill and other such activities can usually be found at feasts. Feasts are often a good starting point for some players, particularly those more interested in role-playing than in combat.

Tourney events usually feature contests of both individual and team martial skill. Tournaments are usually held as yearly events, and are generally a social occasion. Players more interested in combat and less interested in role-playing and magic find tournament events the best starting point for their Realms career.

Quest events are the traditional style of event for saving damsels in distress, finding and killing evil demons and any myriad of other tasks. Nearly anything can happen at a quest event.

When you arrive at an event, there are a few things you must do before beginning play:

First, you must pay any event fees. Event fees pay for the site, props, prizes, food and costuming that went into throwing the event. Failure to pay them means the EH may not be able to throw more events in the future.

Secondly, you may be required to sign a waiver. Waivers serve two purposes: a bit of protection for the Event Holder or the land owners from legal action, and to keep track of how many people attended an event. Monitoring event attendance is the way for the Event Holders council to determine whether or not an event is legal (more on what makes a legal event in Section III: Being a Realms Event Holder).

Next, magical items, weapons, and knightly powers must be checked in with the EH or the event's Magic Marshal (MM) before an event. Event Holders and MMs should know about every magical item at an event, so that the event can be adjusted, if necessary. Event Holders and MMs have the right to fail or disallow any magic item, weapon, or power at any time. If an item, weapon, or power is used at an event without first gaining approval by the EH or MM, the player using said item, weapon, or power is cheating.

Spellcasters must check with the EH or the event's MM before the event starts to find out whether any of their spells work differently at the event. Spellcasters with Regional Magic also generally find out what their magic of the day is at check in. Some areas of the Realms are magic-rich and some are magic-poor, so all spellcasters need to find out if any of their spells have fewer or more uses than they normally do. Spellcasters may not use their magic until they have checked their spellbooks in with the MM or EH. If spells are used at an event without first gaining approval by the EH or MM, the player using such spells is cheating.

Lastly, before beginning play, you are to inspect your own weapons before they are used. If you are unsure of a weapon's safety, ask a marshal to inspect it for you. There must always be someone at an event who can be asked to inspect weapons in case anyone does not feel comfortable inspecting their own weapons. If a weapon is deemed unsafe, it is to be removed from play or repaired.

Generally, events officially begin after the safety rules, any specific site rules and other special event rules have been read aloud to the gathered players.

Once an event has begun, you are expected to be "In-Character," or IC, at all times. This means that you are playing your character the whole time you are at an event. Staying in-character can add greatly not only to your own event experience, but to those who are playing the game around you.For example: when a companion of your character is killed it adds to the tension and drama of the scene if he or she pretends they are dead, but it breaks the mood completely if they are laughing and making comments.

Your character may feel differently than you do about something, like slavery, magic, politics or religion. You may be a pacifist, while your character is a bloodthirsty barbarian. If you can remain true to the character, despite your differences, you can make a memorable story for yourself and those around you. Sometimes, staying in-character is challenging, especially when you know something that your character shouldn't logically know, but you should try to remain IC when playing. Likewise, when the game is done, leave your character behind.

Once an event has begun, breaking character should be done only when necessary, and should be prefaced with the line, "Out of character..." For example, if you need to have information about where you are supposed to tent, say "Out of character, where is the tenting area?" That way, the person you are addressing knows that it is a real world concern, and should be dealt with differently than a strictly IC concern.

Sometimes, when players get really into character, you may begin to wonder whether animosity or other emotions are completely in-character. It is acceptable to break character to make sure everything is in fact still IC and no-one's feelings are getting hurt out-of-character.

There are a few terms that should only be used when speaking out-of-character: HOLD and MEDIC. Hold is only used in emergencies as it stops the game. Read The Safety Rules for more information on the correct use of the word Hold. Medic is used when someone needs immediate real world medical attention for any reason, from an allergic reaction to a bee-sting, to a twisted ankle, to an asthma attack. Do not call medic for imaginary (in-character) injuries. If you need in-character medical attention call "Healer!"

The EH has the option of declaring portions of the event site as "out-of-play" for safety reasons or for NPC use. Never use these out-of-play areas as safe havens.

If a fight breaks out in an area that is unsafe to fight in or that is out-of-play, then the fight should be moved to a safe in-play area. If you are in such an area, you may be asked to leave said area for combat. If you refuse to leave the unsafe area, your character is considered dead. After the fight, those involved can move back to where the fight "really" took place, and continue on.

An EH is free to create an "in-play" safe area if he or she chooses. For example, powerful enchantments on the tavern may render weapons and hostile magic inoperable within the tavern walls. In this case, it is fine for players to hide there, since they will be taking advantage of an in game effect.

Event Holders may also declare a "time out" during an event for sleep, dinner, etc. While on an event site, if you are not acting as an NPC at the EH's request, or you are not in a time out, a character is liable to be attacked, and his possessions open to theft.

As players experience the game through the eyes of their characters, character death becomes an important aspect of the game.

In the Realms there are two states of "Death". They are death (or dead), and scalped. Any wound inflicted to an unarmored kill zone causes death. Death renders the character incapable of any action until such time as a spellcaster or item with the power to heal the dead raises the character, or magic that regenerates or animates him takes effect. Scalping is the removal of a characters life essence through mutilation of the body. It is a more serious form of death that requires more than a simple spell to repair. Scalped characters cannot be animated or regenerate.

Whether your character is dead or scalped, the results look much the same. In either case, you should lie or sit still. Try not to look around or talk. You should do your best to role-play a corpse. Don't get upset if someone hits you with a killing blow when you are already dead, just say "Dead". They are just making sure that you really are dead.

In tournaments, or other high combat situations, it is acceptable for a character to move out of the way to avoid being stepped on. They may resume their "death act" in a safer place, or assume a tornado position to avoid injuries. Generally, if you are role-playing death in this form, you should put your weapon over your head, signifying your character is dead.

If someone looks at you and asks you to describe your wounds, do your best to comply. If you were backstabbed and you're lying on your back, tell them they don't see any wounds. Then, if they roll you over to look at your back, tell them they see a deep wound in your back.

It is legal for Player Characters and Non-Player Characters to lie down and pretend they are dead, but they may not use the tornado position option (which is allowed only for safety), nor may they put their weapons over their head. If someone asks a player if their character is dead, the player and the character are not obliged to answer, but if a player is asked to describe their character's wounds, they should do so as accurately and honestly as possible. If their character is not really dead and someone comes close to them to loot their character's body, they are free to attack the unsuspecting looters. If you are unsure as to whether someones character is dead and want the character to be, tap the player gently in a kill location.

Death occurs in many ways. Usually, death of a character happens when something, such as a weapon, hits a character in an unarmored kill location. Certain spells may also kill a character, from magic missiles of some sort, to ingesting poisons or other more esoteric means.

Death can be repaired by a myriad of spells, abilities and items. Be sure to go over the Combat and Basic Magic Effects Everyone Should Know sections for more details on what causes and cures death.

A scalp is a token carried by each player, which represents the life essence of that player's character. Players must be carrying their character's scalp at all times; unless the character is dead and scalped (see below), or unless they are under the influence of a spell which removes the character's scalp. Scalps must have their players name and the character's name written legibly on it. A scalp does not exist physically in the IC world therefore it cannot be searched. A scalp is a non-magical and non-stealable marshalling tool.

The act of scalping is done to simulate the mutilation of a corpse to the point where it cannot be revived by normal Raise Dead spells. In order to scalp a body, you must strike 200 blows on the ground beside the body of the character being scalped. More than one person may scalp a body at a time. More than one weapon may be used to scalp a body as well. This effectively divides the number of blows to be struck between the number of participants and number of weapons used. Some monsters and characters under certain spells may require more scalping blows to completely destroy. If you strike 200 blows and the victim says, "The job is not yet done," then the scalping is not yet complete. Some spells, such as Acid Potion and Eviscerate, may accelerate the act of scalping.

After the scalping is finished, the player of the scalped character must present his character's scalp to the character that just scalped him. It is then that player's responsibility to present the scalp to an Event Holder, or an appointed marshal. The EH must be informed immediately of the scalping, thus allowing the EH time to prepare for those who might wish to return the scalped character to life.

Since the act of scalping is a simulation of mutilation of a corpse, characters that are pretending to be dead should interpret any scalping blows as blows to the closest kill location. So, if your character is pretending to be dead and someone starts to scalp him, the first blows that are struck on the ground next to you should be played as if they were striking your character on the nearest kill location, destroying any undamaged armor, and then killing him.

Should your character be dead at the end of an event without being raised, even if the character was not actively scalped, the character will be considered scalped.

To restore someone to life after scalping, characters must first have the body of the person needing to be raised. Then characters must either cast a Call the Soul or an Intervention spell to summon and reattach the scalp. If characters lack the body, only an Intervention spell will be able to return the scalped character back to life. When the body and scalp are reunited, characters must cast one Raise Dead spell for each event (including the first) since the scalped character was scalped in order to raise him. A different spellcaster must provide each Raise Dead spell used for this purpose.

When a character is dead and scalped at the end of an event at which they were at some point alive, they get a"tick."Characters may also receive ticks due to use of certain magic items or plot interactions. A character is only obligated to accept one involuntarily tick per event. A character that accumulates three or more ticks is permanently dead, as their soul can no longer be restored by any means. On January 1st of each new year, one tick is removed from each character that has any, unless they are already permanently dead.

If a character is killed and scalped during an event, but returned to life before the end of the event, they do not get a tick.

For a scalping to be official, it must be brought to the EH's attention. The EH must provide the Death Marshal with this scalping information from their events. The Death Marshal will keep track of this information.

The current Death Marshal is Jason Gray(jgray1205@gmail.com), who can be reached at; 35 Wells Street, Apt#6, Enfield, NH, 03748-3599, (603) 359-5005.

When your character is killed (dead, but not scalped) and then raised, he may remember everything up until the point of his death. If your character is killed and scalped, he will not remember anything about how he died should he manage to be raised.

There are certain items that are referred to as being "Stealable." Some examples of stealable items are magic items, magic weapons, Realms currency, silver weapons and occasionally non-magical items. With the exception of currency, the word "Stealable" is likely written somewhere on the object.

Searching is a touchy subject. In the real world, if a bandit has just killed someone they can just take everything they own. In the Realms, an object has to be considered stealable to be taken from a person or location without the owner's permission. The problem is that often these stealable items are not easily recognizable, especially the smaller items. Also, while "secret pockets" and such seem like a good idea at first, frisking a dead character could be considered a form of harassment towards the player and should be avoided. To handle this situation, the searching rule exists.

The searching rule is verbose because there have been a lot of problems about searching in the past. The rule is mostly common sense. Once you think about it, it will seem quite simple.

There are two ways you can search someone. To simulate ransacking a character's pouches, weapons, and clothing quickly, a player can "point search." Essentially, the searcher says "Search" and tells the victim where he is searching (e.g., "I search your pouch".) If there are stealable items in the area being searched, then all the items in that area are handed over immediately. The area that a person point searches cannot be any larger than one hit location on the body (i.e., you would have to search each sleeve of a shirt and the front and back of a shirt to search everywhere inside the shirt). Pockets and pouches have to be pointed out to be searched. You cannot say, "I'm searching all your pockets," you have to search each one individually). Left and right sleeves, boots, gloves, etc., all have to be searched separately, one at a time. Only one person can point search a victim at a time. Point searching does not wake up an unconscious character.

The other way to search someone is to simulate taking your time to do it thoroughly. That is, the character simulates stripping the body from head to toe, rips everything to shreds, garners every last item you own, etc. In order to do this, the searcher simply says "Complete search." Every stealable item the victim has must be handed over to the searcher. The characters should take 120 seconds to do this. If so, then the items should be considered in the searching character's possession in-character. Complete searching will wake up an unconscious character.

If someone complete searches a character and a different character comes by during that time and point searches the victim, the complete search is stopped and the point search is taken care of. If a character does not specify what kind of search they are performing, then it is assumed that they are performing a point search. If told only that they are being searched, the player whose character is being searched must assume it is a point search and respond, "Where?"

The only objects that are always in-play, are fair game for theft, and can be stolen without consulting the bearer of the object are those considered stealable in game (see In-Game Items above). In order to steal any other object, you must have the explicit permission of the owner/bearer before making the theft. This means that to steal another player character's jewelry (assuming that some of it is considered treasure), you must ask the person who plays that player character. One way to do this is to kill or flat-of-blade the character and tell them that you are searching them. If they have anything that is in-play, they must show it to you, for you to take or leave as you wish. You should never pick up something off a table or from in front of someone's tent, unless it is a magic/silver weapon, or Realms currency.

It should be re-stated that people's tents, bags, packs and pouches are completely off-limits and out-of-play. No matter how many magic/silver weapons or how much Realms currency someone might have, you may never, under any circumstances, enter their tent or go into their bags, packs, or pouches and take anything out without the owner's explicit permission.

A magic item is the property of the EH that created it. It is the EH's will that the item be able to be circulated around the Realms by theft, as a gift, as part of an inheritance, or any other means so long as it occurs at an event.

In-character theft, not gift, of stealable items in out-of-character situations, not at an event, is not acceptable and will not be upheld.

Various groups and nations issue different currencies for use as treasure and to pay for goods and services in-game. These currencies are often represented by stamped metal disks or roofing tins, sometimes bearing printed stickers for identification or are minted in metals, plastic or even clay. In- game these currencies usually represent "Gold" or "Silver." Denominations vary from currency to currency. Generally ten silver pieces are worth one gold piece. The more prized issues are backed, meaning that if you accumulate enough of any one currency, you can trade those coins in to the issuer for goods, weapons, or services. Many older coinages and silver pieces are not backed, and while they're still in-play, many people either heavily discount them or don't accept them at all. Issues and worth of coins fluctuate. If you're in doubt as to what a coin is worth, ask the merchants and the gamblers.

Silver weapons are created by players with the spell Silver Weapon or are released by Event Holders (see the spell description for Silver Weapon for more information).

Magic weapons must be made out of blue duct tape, so that they are distinctive. No permanent magic item may be issued by anyone except an EH (see Part III: Being a Realms Event Holder for more information).

Should a magic item or weapon become broken or disenchanted at an event it requires a repair through the Repair Magic Item spell to return to a functioning state. If its current owner does not attempt to repair it, nor make plain to the EH that he wishes to do so, the item is effectively destroyed. It reverts back to the EH who issued it, and should be returned to him as soon as possible. Additionally, magic items which have been revoked by their EH/creator are no longer considered magic items and also revert back to the EH who created them.

All magic weapons that are currently in existence may not be re-bladed without the use of a Repair Magic Item spell. When the foam in one breaks down, it is retired or repaired. Magic weapons may never be re-foamed without the use of a Repair Magic Item spell.

The props for certain spells and items as designated by the EH are considered "Event-Stealable," meaning they are stealable treasure during an event, but should be returned to thier OOC owner when you leave an event. Before you leave an event site, you must return (to the best of your ability) any items maked as "Event-Stealable" to the EH/MM. Props for the PC spells are returned by the EH/MM as an OOC courtesy, and will be done so without revealing the identity of the thief. If you have a spell that has an event-stealable prop as a component, you may replace it without penalty at the next event if it is not returned to you for whatever reason. You can never declare permanently stealable items as event-stealable.

The Realms is not governed by a single kingdom. Each kingdom has its own hierarchy and structure. There are no hard rules for governing the social structure. Claiming land and titles is anyone's prerogative. The social structure really only has one rule: "If you can back up your title/claim then you deserve to hold it. If you can't, then you should have nothing to complain about if you get put in your place."

If you are already familiar with role-playing in general, or with live-action role-playing in specific, you probably already know how to make a character. If you are new to the concept of role-playing, the following questions might help you establish the traits and characteristics of your character. You should try to answer the questions for yourself, but some suggestions are provided.

What is your character's species? There are as many species available in the Realms as there are minds to create them. In the Realms, there are no restrictions on what species you can play. The only rule is that you may gain no special benefits for playing a certain race or person. If you create your own "race," you would do well to consider its mannerisms, average age, codes of ethics, and such. Of course humans are the easiest to play, since you are probably human.

What is your character's age? If you are playing a human character, it is usually best to pick an age near your own. Other species may have different average ages.

Why is your character an adventurer? Most people of the Realms prefer the relatively safe life of a farmer or craftsman. Why has your character left home to join in the rather hazardous occupation of hero? The answer to this might give you some valuable insight into the persona of your character.

What is your character's background? There is no limit on where your character came from. As was stated before, your character can come from anywhere, so long as they gain no in-character benefits from it.

Does your character have a life-time goal, dream, or driving force? Goals define characters well, and how far they are willing to go to attain that goal rounds them off.

You may have more than one character in this game. However, you may only play one character per event unless you have EH permission to play multiple characters.

Non-human characters are welcome in the Realms, but they do not have any specialized abilities. The only way to gain supernatural powers is through legally released items, the spell system, or by being appointed a Knight of the Realms or a Knight of the Eternal Flame.

Every player has an obligation to read and follow the rules of the Omnibus. Event Holders understand that the game can be complex and the first step in dealing with cheating in most instances involves ensuring that the player understands the rules.

However, if a major rule is broken, or if there are repeated small infractions, an Event Holder may impose consequences on any player(s) at their event. These may include a formal warning; removal from specific sections of an event; removal from an event; or not being allowed to use specific weapons, spells, or items. If you are removed from an event for cheating, the Event Holder is not obligated to refund your event fee.

If an Event Holder subjects a player to a consequence at their event they should notify all other Event Holders of this via the Event Holders List. The player involved must receive a copy of this notification and may send a formal response.

An Event Holder may opt to not allow a player who has a history of breaking rules to attend their events, provided that player is notified in advance.

Repeated or major rule violations may result in formal charges being brought against a player at the Event Holders Council for the purpose of disciplinary action. The person(s) responsible must be notified of this action two weeks before the meeting to allow them to speak on behalf of their action.

Even if you are not a spellcaster and have no desire to become one, there is still some basic information that you are responsible for understanding. In nearly all cases, a spellcaster casting a spell on your character should explain, either through their verbal component or as an aside to you, how the spell affects your character. Even non-spellcasters should read the magic system and spell descriptions, so they have a basic understanding of magic in the game and how it might affect them. No spell effect may be ignored unless otherwise specified in the spell system.

The following are some rules about spells that can have an effect on your character on a day-to-day basis. They are included here with some basic information about how they affect you both in and out-of-character.

When your character is injured or killed, only magic can fix the damage. To "Raise" a character means to return a character to life. Raising a character repairs any injuries to limbs the character may have taken previous to his death and also nullifies the effects of any poisons in his system at the time of his death.

Cry of Life: The call of,"All in the sound of my voice, rise and fight,"raises all dead who hear it.

Group Healing: Allows a caster to make a large circle through which he casts a healing spell upon every character in it.

Heal Limb: This spell allows one wounded limb to be magically healed. The caster will let you know when your characters limb has been repaired.

Raise Dead: This spell raises a character. This spell will not work if there is a weapon within 10 feet of the caster. Inform a caster the spell has failed if you know about a weapon near enough to disrupt the spell.

Certain combat calls (see Lightning Bolt and Magic Missile in Combat Calls) involve a prop that is thrown at a combatant. After the prop has come to rest it is not really there, and cannot be seen, moved, or guarded in-character in any way. After they have come to rest, they do not count as weapons for purposes of the spell Raise Dead (also see Healing Spells above).

Certain spells make your character "undead" for their duration. While undead, your character cannot cross a Circle of Protection (represented by a circle of rope on the ground) or advance within 5 feet of someone casting Protection from Undead or Protection from Enchanted Beings. This family of spells does not give you the ability to ignore weapon restrictions, nor can you be compelled to forcibly break them. If you have any questions about this, ask the spellcaster when he casts the spell on you.

Create Undead: If this spell is cast upon you when your character is dead, your character becomes an undead creature under the caster's control. You may not refuse to have your character turned into an undead (but see Protect the Soul). You are now playing an undead version of your character and have access to all his spells, abilities, and knowledge. Your character must follow the orders of the spellcaster. The spell ends if your character is slain and raised.
Create Zombie: If this spell is cast upon you when your character is dead, your character becomes an undead creature under the caster's control. Zombies may only fight and move slowly. You may refuse to become a zombie if you wish. Create Zombie can be used to raise an Undead (see Create Undead), but returns the character to un-life, rather than life. Like Create Undead, the spell ends when your character is slain and raised.
Walking Dead:
Certain spells will make your dead body walk without either returning you to life or fully animating you as undead. When under the effects of these spells, follow these guildlines:
- Walk at a steady pace, do not run.
- Keep any items, stealable or un-stealable, on you that you would retain if picked up and dragged.
- Move to your destination as directly as possible without taking an unsafe path. If the only option is to move into an unsafe situation, then the spell ends and your body falls to the ground.
- If another character interferes with your body, such as by attacking you or physically stepping in your way to block you, the effect of the spell ends.
- You cannot take any actions other than walking; no attacking, searching, picking up items, using magic items, or drinking potions.
- You are considered to be Undead while the effect lasts. See the Undead Caveat.
- The main difference in the three spells are in where your body will go.

Potions are disposable magic items that anyone can use. Sometimes a potion is something that must be consumed; sometimes its a scroll that must be read or ripped; sometimes it is an ointment. In all cases the potion needs to be administered by a living or animated character, and after it is used, cannot be used again.

Potion of Armor Repair: When applied to a location of damaged armor for 15 seconds, it repairs it.

Potion of Acid: If your character is dead, and someone indicates they are using an acid potion on you, your character takes 200 scalping blows. See Create Potion for details.

Repair Armor: This will restore one location of non-magical armor that has been damaged.

For instance the armor on one arm, the chest of a shirt of chainmail, head armor, ect.

Repair Item: This will restore non-magical armor, weapons and other items that have become damaged or destroyed. This spell has a verbal component. It fixes the entire item. For instance all locations of a chain-mail shirt, a bow, a boulder-crushed weapon, a shield, etc.

Create Poison: If you ingest food or drink that is poisoned through the use of this spell, you will be handed a scroll upon which is written the poison's effect. You must follow the scroll's instructions completely. It will either kill your character, cause him to fall in love with someone, sleep deeply, or tell nothing but the truth. All effects other than death are short-lived. A player that ingests a love poison always has the option of allowing their character to die if they are ooc uncomfortable with the situation.

Immunity to Poison: This spell makes your character immune to the very next poison or poison attack that would otherwise affect him. It works only once per use of the spell. Call, "Immunity to Poison," when you use this spells effect (also see Poison in the Combat Calls section).

Light: You may not take the light out of verbal communication range of the caster.

Protect the Soul: This spell will protect your character from possession, Create Undead and the like, as long as the sash is worn.

Speak With Dead: This spell will allow the caster to ask a dead character three questions per casting. Your character MUST answer truthfully or abstain, using the words, "Yes", "No", or "Abstain".

The magic system is based on a simple path setup. There are many different paths available to a spellcaster, with each path consisting of a list of spells. A spellcaster may choose to take as many as three paths of spells as he progresses, with weapon use becoming more restricted as the number of paths learned increases. Being a spellcaster requires two things: A spellbook and knowledge of the magic system.

All spellcasters must have a spellbook, which records details of the spells the spellcaster knows. It is a marshalling tool and cannot be stolen from the character. A spellcaster must have his spellbook on his person in order to cast spells.

The beginning of each spell book must have the spellcaster's in-character and out-of-character name; their current weapon restriction; wether the caster wears armor or not and whether the spellbook is IC or OOC (see below).

Next, the spellbook must have a listing of each spell the character has learned, in order, along with the path it was learned under; each spell's circle; who taught the spell to the caster; the date each spell was learned and a note if any spell is unlearned.

Lastly, they must have a description of each spell known - including specific components learned for each spell - to which the spell caster may refer to as needed during play.

Spellbooks may be declared in-character or out-of-character, and so noted on the title page ("IC" or "OOC" in large clearly written letters will do). Any change in a spellbook's IC/OOC status must take place between events, but requires no particular time to make any such change.

If a spellbook is declared "in-character," it can be read by other characters, and found and perused in a search. Spellcasters have no option to refuse to reveal their IC spellbooks, provided they are legally found in a search of the spellcaster's person.

If a spellbook is declared "out-of-character," the information summarized above is OOC information only and exists solely as a marshalling tool. It cannot be read by other characters or discovered in a search. Other information written in spellbooks may be read by others, at the owner's discretion, such as rune sets, history or lore.

All spellcasters are responsible for knowing how the magic system works, specifically the spells which they can cast. A spellcaster who misuses his spells is not allowed to claim ignorance as an excuse.

As mentioned previously, a spellcaster must check in his spellbook with the Event Holder or the appointed Magic Marshal before using or learning spells or skills. (see "At the Door of an Event: Checking In", for more details).

Weapon Restriction Levels

Level	Paths	Single Weapon or Shield	Florentine, Weapon & Shield	Bow or Javelin

Light	1 Path	4'6" max.	5' combined length	Bow/javelin with 18" dagger

Medial	2 Paths	3' max.	3'6" combined length	Bow or javelin

Severe	3 Paths	18" max.	Not allowed	Not allowed

Your weapon restriction changes the moment you learn an additional path of magic (.buydowns. do not count for this). Spellcasters starting out know only one path (as they only know a single spell), and are thus Light restriction.

For instance, Roderick is currently a one-path healer with six spells. He decides that using a bow and having more magic is more important than his hand-and-a-half, so he decides to keep learning spells. As soon as he learns his 7th spell, his restriction changes over to being Medial.

A spellcaster may carry any weaponry he wants, as long as he doesn't wield them. In this context, "wield" means to make use of the weapon in any way, including hitting someone or blocking a blow, whether intentional or not. To wield a weapon outside of his weapon restriction is called 'breaking weapon restriction.'

If a spellcaster purposely breaks his weapon restriction, he suffers the consequences of his actions. He immediately loses all of his spells and becomes a fighter. Any lingering effects, such as a magic weapon from Create Magic Weapon or Circle of Protection (but not a Circle of Healing or Mystic Forge), last until broken or when spells next reset before going away. He is no longer a spellcaster, and functions as a non-spellcaster in all ways for a minimum of one year. After that year is over, he may then decide to return to being a spellcaster, but must start over from scratch.

If he breaks his weapon restriction without realizing it, such as a blow being blocked by a weapon he is carrying for a friend, he has the option of either the previous penalty or taking the blow which was blocked. This decision must be made immediately.

Any spellcaster may choose to sacrifice knowledge of the highest circle spell available in each of his paths in order to wear light (1-point) armor. For instance, a spellcaster with one path would have 1st through 5th circle and armor, while a spellcaster with two of the same path would be able to have 1st through 5th and 2nd through 6th in the path and armor. This may only be done once. You cannot sacrifice the two highest spells of each path in order to be able to wear heavy armor. A spellcaster may choose to start his spell-casting career with this ability, in which case it must be noted in his spellbook. If not, he must spend one event without learning a spell for each path he knows, in order to gain the ability to wear armor. Similarly, it takes one event without learning a spell or changing weapon restrictions to give up wearing armor and regain the ability to learn his sacrificed spells.

A spellcaster who uses armor (calls "Armor," in response to a blow) in violation of his armor restriction is immediately faced with the same consequences as one who has broken his weapon restriction, and should refer to that section for details.

The first step in choosing spells is to declare what path your character is going to learn his spells from. Each path is a list of spells of 6 increasing circles. There may be more than one spell at each circle, starting with second. First circle is made up of a collection of spells called the "First Circle Pool".

A spellcaster may choose one of five options for each circle of a path:
Any of the spells listed for that circle and path, except for first circle
Any spell from the First Circle Pool
A spell of a lower circle in the same path
A spell of at least 1 circle lower in another path
A Regional Magic spell (see below)

When a spellcaster first learns a given path he learns one spell from the 1st circle pool, and one from each of the 2nd through 6th circles. If he then learns the same path a second time he learns one spell from each of the 2nd through 7th circles of the path, possibly learning several spells for a second time. In no case may a spellcaster ever learn the same path more than twice. A spellcaster may even choose to learn three different paths, exchanging access to the 7th circle spells for variety and flexibility.

At any given event, the EH may wish or require that certain magical abilities be available to the players. One of the ways they can accomplish this is through regional magic. Regional Magic is usually an additional number of spells that spellcasters can choose from. spellcasters can only choose from this list if they had filled at least one spell slot with a Regional Magic spell. Regional Magic is learned and unlearned just like any other spell, and may be learned from anyone who knows it at any Circle.

At some events, the regional magic your character will receive is based on which circle spell slot you filled with the Regional Magic spell. At some events, all of the regional magic spells are the same, no matter which circle slot you filled with Regional Magic. Others are completely random, while other EH's may require you perform certain actions before gaining the regional magic. The detail of regional magic is left entirely up to the EH. No Regional Magic spell will have a lingering effect that lasts longer than the end of the event. One thing to keep in mind is that while Regional Magic is more versatile, it is also more unreliable. An EH may choose a different spell from the list, a new spell, or nothing.

At every event a spellcaster attends, he has the possibility of learning a spell. If he does not learn a spell at that event, for whatever reason, the opportunity is wasted and he must try again at the next event.

There are two ways to learn a spell. You should find a player who knows the spell, and learn it from them. If you cannot, or decide that you do not want to learn it from the players who know it, you can ask the EH to provide you with a quest to learn the spell. Your character does not officially learn the spell until your teacher signs your spellbook legibly. Your teacher is responsible for making sure you understand all of the rules that go with the spell, and may refuse to sign if you seem unable or unwilling to understand the rules. This is important, as the teacher may be held liable for their student if they did not teach them the spell properly.

You may only learn one spell for one character per player, per event, and you must actually attend that event and play that character.

Any number of spells may be unlearned at check-in of an event. You may not learn a spell or change your weapon restriction at an event where you are unlearning any spells. If you unlearn all the spells in a path, then you no longer have that path, and your restriction immediately changes to match your current number of paths. When you have learned the same path twice you may not unlearn the first learning of the path unless you are also unlearning the second learning of that path completely. Upon unlearning all your spells, you are no longer considered a spellcaster. Any given spell may not change the path it is classified under without being unlearned from its original path and relearned in the new path

Ethan is a Channeler/Healer. He decides that he doesn't like healing very much, and he misses using a 4'6". At the next event he attends, he unlearns all of the spells in his Healer path, and he begins the event at Light restriction.

Fiona is a Healer/Healer/Shaman. She decides that she wants to replace one of her healing paths with a Sorcerer path for greater versatility. The next event she attends, she unlearns her 2nd through 7th Healer spells (from the second time she learned the Healer path), changing her restriction to Medial for the event. At the next event, she learns her 1st circle pool spell for her Sorcerer path, making her restriction Severe again.

Gunthar wants to become a fighter after being an Alchemist for many years, but he doesn't want to give up the option of learning spells again later that year. At the beginning of the next event he attends, he unlearns all of his spells, and starts as a fighter.

Spells have components that are necessary in order to cast the spells. Some are specific, and every player must use the same component to make sure that everyone understands what spell your character is casting. Some are left open, and the caster can choose any component that fits the description. The spell descriptions list the minimal spell components required for each spell. The game does not limit the caster's freedom to define their own magic, so the required components are as succinct as possible. You may add more requirements for shtick if you like, but you cannot leave out any of the minimums.

These are the words you have to say while casting the spell. It is important that you annunciate your verbal component and say it loud enough so the person or persons affected can understand what you are saying. Since the verbal usually explains what spell it is you are casting, if the target cannot understand you, they are not affected by the spell.

Required components are specific to a spell, such as bean-bags or foam and duct tape blocks for the Magic Missile spell. These components cannot vary from what is listed.

Disposable components are up to the player, but they must be something that is consumed or thrown away with every casting of the spell. A disposable component is something that the caster could easily hand to a magic marshal for inspection.

Lastly, a focus is a component that is not consumed or thrown away. Often, it is necessary for the mage to brandish a focus while casting certain spells. The caster may have a single focus for all of his focus based spells. A focus is something that another player or NPC can obviously identify as the focus when the caster is using it for a spell. A caster must also be able to hand this to a magic marshal for inspection.

All material components must be specified and written down in the character's spellbook for every spell that they know, and except for foci, the component must be different for each spell. A spellcaster must have at least one uninjured hand to use a material component.

These are actions that the caster must take in order to cast the spell and must be performed at the time of casting. Characters may add anything else for role-playing purposes.

Caveats are general rules that apply to all spells or spell effects of a similar type. Each spell that is affected by a caveat is listed in the appropriate place.

Some spells require that their verbal component be chanted continuously for the duration of the spell. This includes Beckon Corpse, Protection from Undead, Protection from Enchanted Beings, and Transmute Self. These spells do not take effect until the verbal component has been recited fully at least once and last as long as the caster continues the chant. Out-of-character explanations (such as combat calls) do not interrupt these spells. Therefore, if you are chanting a Transmute Self spell and are hit by a weapon, you may call, "No effect," without interrupting your spell. Likewise if you are chanting a Protection from Undead spell and a goblin hits your leg, you can call, "Leg" (or "Armor," or "Armored Cloak," etc.) without having your spell end. The verbal component for these spells must be spoken clearly and loudly enough that anyone affected by the spell can understand them. Chanting spells can be disrupted by the 5th circle Abjurer spell Disrupt. It is the caster's responsibility to know what the Disrupt spell is, how to recognize it and how to respond to it.

There are a number of spells that are considered "circle" spells. This includes Circle of Healing, Circle of Protection, Group Healing and Mystic Forge. A circle spell must be clearly defined by a length of appropriate rope that has been laid on the ground with the ends overlapping. The ends cannot be tied together or secured in any way, and the rope in general cannot be secured or bound in place or the spell fails. Although a given circle spell may have a specific way of being broken, all circle spells are broken if the rope is jostled enough by a player able to cross it to move the ends apart. Any circle spell can be disrupted by the fifth circle Abjurer spell Disrupt. It is the caster's responsibility to know what the Disrupt spell is, how to recognize it, and how to respond to it.

Certain spells can be disrupted. This includes Light, Protection from Undead, Protection from Enchanted Being, and all Chanting and Circle spells. A spellcaster is responsible for knowing how to recognize and respond to their spell being disrupted.

All spellcasters, undead and certain creatures are considered to be "enchanted beings." Normal fighters are only enchanted beings if under the effect of a Necromancy spell, as per the Undead Caveat. An enchanted being suffers from being affected by a certain number of spells, while non-enchanted beings are not. These spells include Circle of Protection, and Protection from Enchanted Beings. By definition, any creature considered undead is an enchanted being.

A spellcaster who learns any spell from the path of Alchemy, must have a page in his spellbook, listing the sigils that he/she will use to label potions. Each type of potion must have a unique, distinguishable sigil. There must also be a different sigil for each Create Potion spell effect. Whenever a caster creates a potion effect for the first time, this list must be updated. When a potion is made, the spellcaster must put his legible signature, the appropriate sigil and the date upon the container. Once created, all potions are considered stealable items. A potion can be represented by a potion, lotion, elixir, magical food, or anything else as long as it is safe to be administered in a combat situation. All potions may only be administered by a living or undead character. The spellcaster need not be present in order to use his/her potion.

No potion created by a player can carry over from one event to another; it expires at the end of the event at which it is cast. The character may choose whether or not to further limit the lifespan of a potion each time it is cast by writing a distinct expiration time among the required spell information on the container. Any potions lacking a specified expiration time last until the end of the event.

A player may only have one Protection spell of each type on him/her at any time. Spells within the path that require a sash can only be cast upon the caster. It is also necessary to call "Protection," when the spell activates. In addition, all such spells must be cast while lying on your back. All protection spells that prevent damage extend to the equipment you are wearing or carrying at the time.

Some spells grant the ability to regenerate. These include Create Undead Soldier, Embrace Death, Transformation and Regeneration. When this ability is triggered (by death, being wounded, etc.), the target's wound(s) begin to heal. Until the specified amount of time has past, this grants no benefit. A blow to any kill location on a dead body will cause a regeneration count to reset no matter where the killing blow was inflicted. Impaling causes regeneration to stop, and the count resets once the weapon is removed. Regenerating from death heals all healable wounds on the body. If examined by another person, wounds can be seen to be regenerating.

Spells that repair or heal people or things are instantaneous. While they have a visible effect that lingers, they do not leave a lingering magical aura on the target. They cannot be "un-repaired" by Disenchanting them.

The Zombie Walk spell and any Necromancy path spell which has a lingering effect upon a character makes that character undead. When the spell is cast upon someone's character, the spellcaster must explain to the player what it means to be undead. All undead are affected by the spells: Circle of Protection, Protection from Enchanted Beings, and Protection from Undead. When the spell is no longer affecting the character, he is no longer undead.

The spells Beckon Corpse, Zombie Send and Zombie Walk all enchant a corpse to walk without either returning them to life or being fully animated as undead. A corpse under these effects must move at a walking pace with their hands above their heads to their destination as dictated by the spell. They should keep any items, stealable or un-stealable, on them that they would retain if picked up to be dragged. If anyone directly interferes with their movement or attacks them, they fall to the ground and the effect ends. The Walking Dead cannot take any actions other than walking. They may not attack, search other bodies, cast spells, pick up objects, use magic items, drink potions or perform any other action aside from movement. The effect does not stop regeneration or other methods of returning to life or becoming fully animated from occurring. Becoming alive or fully animated as undead ends the Walking Dead effect. Corpses under these effects are considered to be undead, see the Undead Caveat.

Uses: 1 - Material: A bladed weapon up to 18" long, made with green duct tape and clearly labeled with both " Event-Stealable" and the caster's name.

The caster creates an 18" event-stealable weapon. (see "In Game Items, Searching and Theft"). Whenever he attacks with it, the caster has the option of calling armor-piercing (see Combat Calls, "Armor-piercing"). Anyone may use the dagger, but only the caster may use the combat call. If Disenchant is cast upon the weapon, then it can no longer use its combat call, and the spellcaster and MM should be informed. The spellcaster may re-enchant the weapon, either by use of a Repair Magic Item spell or at the next event he attends, without having to relearn the spell. This spell cannot be cast upon any weapon other than an 18" bladed dagger, such as an axe or mace. Also see the Combat Calls Caveat.

This spell gives the caster the ability to enhance his weapon to pass through and destroy armor. After preparing the spell the caster must call "Armor-piercing" on the next swing of the weapon. The casting is spent if the blow lands an attack to a legal hit location. Otherwise, upon a parry or miss, only the preparation is lost. If you are unsure that the blow has landed, you must assume it did. The spellcaster's weapon cannot be used by anyone else and still retain the armor-piercing status. The spellcaster cannot cast this spell again until the first use of the spell has been discharged. See the Combat Calls Caveat.

Uses: Unlimited, one at a time - Verbal: 30 words - Material: a piece of garb with obvious runes or mystic symbols - Active: lay on back while wearing the garment to cast or recharge

This spell enchants a single piece of garb to provide one call of armor against an attack. It provides


First Circle Pool:


Immunity to Poison	Speak with Dead	Light
Protect Item	Cure Disease	Disrupt Light
Zombie Walk	Speak	Pas
Detect Magic	Repair Armor	Heartiness
Identify	ID Creature


#	Healer	Channeler	Alchemist


2	Heal Limb	Protection from Undead	Potion of Armor Repair
3	Group Healing	Protect the Soul	Potion of Heal Limb
4	Raise Dead	Call the Soul	Potion of Combat Raise Dead Potion of Create Zombie
5	Combat Raise Dead	Circle of Protection	Create Poison
6	Circle of Healing	Protection from Enchanted Beings	Create Potion
7	Cry of Life	Intervention	Power Potion


#	Sorcerer	Necromancer	Seer


2	Enchant Blade Prot. from Magic Missile	Zombie Send	Dream
3	Cantrip	Create Zombie	Fortune Tell
4	Armored Cloak	Beckon Corpse	Séance
5	Magic Missile	Create Undead	Find the Path
6	Familiar	Create Undead Soldier	Vision
7	Lightning Bolt	Embrace Death	Divine Knowledge Second Chance


#	Blacksmith	Abjurer	Assassin


2	Repair Item	Protection from Magic Missile	Deep Pockets
3	Enchant Armor	Disenchant	Feign Death
4	Mystic Forge	Enfeeble Being	Eviscerate
5	Repair Magic Item	Disrupt	Poison Weapon Shapeshifting
6	Silver Weapon	Resist Magic	Armor-Piercing Weapon
7	Create Magic Weapon	Ritual of Banishment	Armor-Piercing Blade Poisoned Blade


#	Shaman	Protection


2	Death Watch	Protection from Boulder
3	Commune with Spirit	Protection from Missile Weapon
4	Purity to Disease Purity to Poison	Protection from Melee Weapon
5	Transmute Self	Protection from Magic
6	Regeneration	Regenerate the Scalp
7	Transformation	Resist Death

The 2008 Omnibus To The Realms