Skill Use

Many skills will have a limitation on how often they can be used. Some skills can be used a number of times per event based on how many times you have purchased that skill. Other skills will require you to have ingredients, which are destroyed as the skill is performed. Be sure to read each skill's description!

Burden of Clarity

It is the responsibility of the skill user to make sure the person they target is aware that they have been struck. It is the responsibility of the person struck to know what the effects of a skill are or to seek a clarify.

Skill or Spell

The term 'skill' is used for all abilities characters purchase. Any skill that includes an incant with "By the star of...", "By the Waking Eye...", or "By the Sleeping Eye..." may be called a spell In-Game, but as far as the rules are concerned these are all treated as skills.

Three Second Rule

You may only use one offensive called skill per 3 seconds of combat unless you have a skill that allows you to ignore this limitation.

Weapon Types

Throughout these rules, when we use the term weapon, we are including both melee and archery. If a particular rule only applies to one kind of weapon, then the description will specifically state the type of weapon.

Gateways

A skill that serves as a prerequisite for several related skills.

Resonance Abilities

Purchasing skills within a Gateway has a synergistic effect.

Gateways of War

All skills learned within a Gateway of War can only be used when you are fighting in the style indicated in the Gateway's description, such as wielding a specific kind of weapon, or wearing a specific category of armor.

Skill Delivery

Each skill has a delivery method associated with it that specifies how the effect is delivered.

Weapon

When a skill is delivered with a weapon, the effect replaces the normal disabling result of being hit by a weapon.

• Skills that allow you to deliver effects with a melee weapon are only expended if the attack hits and the target role-plays the effect, or the target calls out a defense. The skill is not expended if the melee weapon misses or the target blocks with their own weapon or shield.
• Skills that allow you to deliver effects with archery are only expended if the attack hits and the target role-plays the effect, or the target calls out a defense. If the arrow misses, you may recover the spent skill by taking 5 minutes of downtime (outside of combat) to role-play maintaining your bow. This does not work for bestowed skills; once you have used the bestowed skill it cannot be recovered.

Packet

If a birdseed packet hits any part of you, including your weapons or clothing, it affects you. Skills that allow you to deliver effects with a packet are only expended if the attack hits and the target role-plays the effect, or the target calls out a defense. If the packet misses, you may recover the spent skill by taking 5 minutes of downtime (outside of combat) to role-play collecting yourself with a magical ritual. This does not work for bestowed skills; once you have used the bestowed skill it cannot be recovered.

Wands

A skill delivered by Wand may only be used on a target that is within arm's reach, and only on a willing or helpless target. Clearly pointing the wand at your target is sufficient, but tapping your target on the shoulder is preferred if your target is unconscious.

Consumables (Food and Drink)

Consumables will have a folded tag that provides a description which can be used to deduce probable effects and a hidden portion that provides game effect information if the item is consumed. Opening the tag indicates that you have eaten the potent portion of the item and you can discard or give the food to someone else (you are not required to actually consume the food or drink). If a consumable has multiples servings (such as a large bottle of magical wine), then the number of tags attached to the container indicates how many servings will deliver the consumable's effect.

• Note: If you serve someone a consumable, you may not conceal the presence of a tag. The tag represents an obvious aura (such as faint glowing, or odd aromas) that indicate the food or drink is magically potent.

Potions

By Voice

Some special and powerful skills are delivered by voice. The incant will specify an area, or person, that is targeted. If you fall within the stated area, or your character's name is called, you will take the effect. This type of delivery can range from “All within the sound of my voice” to “By my voice, all within this room.”

Duration

Until Twilight

Powerful skills can have durations that last longer than a few minutes. When an incant states that an effect will last ‘until Twilight’, the effect will end at the next sunrise or sunset (which ever comes first).

Resisting Effects

Any time you hit someone with a weapon or an effect, they may have the ability to negate it. If they respond by calling out a defense, then your skill is spent and the target will not take the effect. See the section on Effects for more information about defense calls.

Defense Call Etiquette

Summarizing resistance callouts is permitted, such as when you are hit with various attacks all at once and need a second to think about it. It’s fine to say to say “armor, armor, armor” and then realize you took more damage than you could have possibly resisted. If that happens just drop to ground in Critical condition. It’s okay to get confused and need a moment to calculate. What is not okay is to say nothing or answer multiple hits with one callout. It confuses your opponent, making them think you are either not taking your hits or not feeling them. If you find that you’ve made a mistake, that’s fine, just correct it.

Piercing Attacks

There are powerful magics and mighty skills that cannot be resisted. An incant with the keyword "Piercing" in it cannot be resisted with a Resist or Barrier. However, Piercing has no impact on someone that is Immune.

Aura and Bestows

A bestow is a temporary benefit such as a the use of a skill, resistance, or barrier. A bestow will remain stored until used, its duration expires (if it has one), or the event ends.

Aura Layers

The magic of a bestow occupies a space in your aura called a layer. You cannot have more bestows at once than layers in your aura. All characters have one layer in their aura by default.

You can gain additional layers in your aura by attuning to artisan quality items, learning advanced magical skills, and by conspicuously wearing your nation's heraldry or iconic makeup.

Heraldry and Iconic Makeup

Between Game Skills

Characters can perform long term projects between events. For each event that you attend, your character may perform a Minor action. If you attended at at least one event of a season, then your character may perform a Major action between seasons.

Minor actions

Work a Trade to generate resources

Work a Craft to generate coin

Import & Export goods

Major Actions

Lore and Info

Missions and Operations

Creating or learning new skills