Here are some terms you will hear and what they mean. These are basically all meta terms, or ones that describe the game as a game. They are not necessarily terms to be used in-character.
Attack: (Meta) Using a power or weapon on another character. All attacks must be separated by one second each per attacker, no matter the method of delivery.
Background: (Character) The historical beginnings of a character that discerns their life up to the point that they arrive in the game. These are written up and sent to CGs as part of the Character Creation Process.
Boffer: (Prop) A cloth-covered foam noodle representing natural weapons or a realistic looking foam sword, axe, or other weapon. If tagged, can be used to deliver attacks IG. Types allowed in this game include melee (including swords, shields, spears, axes, etc.); natural weapons (brawl, claw, or tentacle boffers), bows and arrows (arrows cannot be homemade), and thrown weapons.
Character Guides (CGs): (Team) Volunteer staff who assist in character creation.
Character: (Meta) In-game persona. See NPC and PC.
Character Sheet: (Meta) A document containing a character’s skills, quirks, HP, SP, name, pertinent details, XP log, VP total, and other details for easy reference and recording.
Check-In: (Location/Team) Where a player goes to sign-in for game. Also the name of the team of volunteer staff who assist in the process.
Damage: (Meta) An amount of HP lost represented via numerical sig call.
Deco: (Prop) Refers to everything decorating a scene, from drapery on the walls to wooden bowls on the tables. Any OOG item that either enhances play or is otherwise used IG to represent something IG. Some pieces of deco may also be tagged, which allows them to be stealable.
Delivery Method: (Meta) The way that an ability is used on a target. Deliveries include: Touch, Voice, Packet, Weapon (Arrow, Thrown, Brawl, Melee), and Self.
Effect: (Meta) A status, condition, or other result of an ability that is not damage usually represented by call. Effects often force a character to act a certain way, limit their capacity to act, or outright forbid them from acting a certain way
Energy: (IG) What fuels powers that a character uses. Without energy, most powers cannot be used. Characters are aware of what kind of energy they use and what it feels to be drained, although precise numerical values probably escape them.
Experience Points (XP): (Meta) An OOG numerical value given at character creation and attained by attending games, donating, or volunteering time through NPC shifts, services to staff, or serving on staff.
Faction: (IG) The type of character being played. In Shadow Accord, the factions are Human, Shifter, Sorcerer, Vampire, and Wraith. The last four of these groups have sub-factions, which are groups within that the faction is further divided into. These can be tribes, fellowships, bloodlines, and guilds/legions. Characters are aware of their factions, but generally try to keep it quiet outside of their own groups.
Fade to Black: (Meta) A sig call made when scenes cannot be portrayed in an IG space for a variety of reasons, from being too violent (e.g., torture) to being too sexual (e.g., orgy). It is the responsibility of the player(s) involved in a fade to black to inform new players who enter the scene. A fade to black can be requested at any time if a player becomes uncomfortable with the content in a scene.
Flub: (Meta) A sig call made when a player fails to properly deliver an ability or attack. Failing to clearly indicate the target or say the call can result in a flub. It is up to the intended target whether or not they understood it well enough to take it as normal or to call "flub."
Garb: (Prop) Costumes and outfits worn by characters. Some characters only have one outfit, while others switch clothes regularly. Most maintain a similar color theme or style in order to represent the character being portrayed.
Health Points (HP): (Meta) The numerical value showing the amount of health a character has; attacks are the most common way to decrease and healing is the most common way to increase HP.
Hold: (Meta) A sig call used to halt gameplay in case of emergencies or dangerous situations. When a hold is called, IG activity is stopped, and any who are not involved in the reason for the hold should, to the best of their abilities, either take a knee or a seat and stay quiet.
In Game (IG): (Meta) Ideas, actions, places, and characters existing within the universe of the game. Also refers to specific locations to mark what areas are IG versus OOG.
Machine Gunning: (Meta) Not allowed! Rapid-fire attacking a target with a melee or brawl weapon without fully bending the arm back 45 degrees.
Merit: (Meta) Perks available to characters that can be purchased with XP and freebies. Merits do not require IG teaching to purchase, as opposed to skills. They generally represent inherent traits and miscellaneous perks.
Metagaming: (Meta) Not generally allowed! Taking IG knowledge/experiences and communicating them OOG, or taking OOG knowledge/experiences and communicating them or otherwise using them IG. Negative meta-gaming uses that information to benefit only the player’s or their friends’ characters. Positive (or reverse) meta-gaming uses that information to benefit the game itself, or the majority of the players and characters.
No Effect: (Meta) A sig call reflecting that the target is not affected by all or part of a given effect; the attack was made in-game, but the effect was not taken for a valid in-game reason.
Non-Player Character (NPC): (Meta) Refers to characters controlled by STs.
Out of Game (OOG): (Meta) Refers to real life and things relevant to the player, as opposed to the character. Opposite of IG. OOG is generally marked by the color orange (especially orange headbands); players who are currently OOG may also hold their weapon above their head, hilt generally touching their head. To briefly go OOG, simply cross your fingers and raise your hand up.
Packet: (Meta) Packets represent effects and are thrown lightly at targets. Packets are not seen IG until they are thrown, at which point they represent a small ball of energy related to the effect being created. Packets are made up of a small piece of cloth with around two tablespoons of bird seed secured with a rubber band.
Player Character (PC): (Meta) The character that a player represents and portrays IG.
Resist: (Meta) A sig call reflecting that a target has used an ability that allows them to negate all or part of a given effect--comparable with “no effect”. The effect either missed, was avoided, or glanced off the target.
Rhino Hiding: (Meta) Not allowed! When a player does not properly take effects or damage as called and continues to fight well past the point where their character would be rendered incapable of doing so. Don’t do this.
Roleplay: (Meta) Portraying a character or actions of a character IG.
Skill: (Meta) A characteristic belonging to a character that grants them an ability. Skills are obtained through character creation or through teaching RP and are purchasable with XP.
Patron: (IG) A spirit that a character follows. A relationship that can be started in a character's background but often must be followed up on through RP. Noted on a character sheet.
Power: (Meta) An ability that a character uses, usually through willpower or energy.
Sig Call: (Meta) The verbal description of an effect that is stated aloud prior to delivering an effect.
Story Tellers (STs): (Team) The volunteers responsible for the world outside of the town and for story building, plot development, encouraging roleplay, and creating drama for PCs.
ST Camp: (Location) OOG location where NPCs are organized, outfitted, and given duties. Currently found between the Wandering Bear and the Fort.
Tag: (Meta) A small piece of paper attached to a prop to indicate its details, status, effects, uses, requirements, restrictions, or other aspects of how that prop interacts with the IG world.
Target: (Meta) The intended or actual recipient of an attack or effect.
Willpower: (Meta) The numeral value on a character's sheet that allows them to resist certain attacks that amount of times per day.