Strife of Nations

As some of you may or may not know, I am currently helping design a new LARP system, focusing on the PVP aspect of the game. I will be posting updates to the Rules system as they are finalized, but this will give you a bit of a sneak peek at the machinations behind the scene of designing one of these systems. Enjoy.



Strife of Nations Alpha Rules
Welcome to the Alpha season of Strife of Nations(S.o.N.)! We hope to provide you with a game full of dynamic strategy and group combat. Due to our focus on Nation vs. Nation warfare we have foregone, for the most part, the time honored tradition of "The Mod" and by logical extension "The Main Mod.". NPC monsters for the
most part avoid armed war camps but will occasionally be caught up in the environment. . Strife of Nations rewards player initiative and we hope to not see players sitting at camp wanting for something to do. There is a War going on! GO OUT AND FIGHT!

What Strife of Nations is about is the struggle for the racial survival between the Aethori, The Naz'Auri and the Kingdoms of Men. Through bloody conflict and grim determination each race will vie for control of vital locations, and at the end of the third day, when the wounded are tended and the dead burned, one race will
prove the greater.

The Aethori are an enigmatic race whose lives revolve around balance. They were once part of The Weave but were sundered from their place due to an ancient cataclysm. They now seek to protect The Weave and find a way to have their race rejoin its universal consciousness once more.

The Naz'Auri are towering and strong. They came about when the First War of Man and Aethori led to an apocalyptic release of The Weave that left both grand armies decimated, and the surrounding leagues of land around the battlefield rent asunder. Who and what the Naz'auri originally were is unknown, however it is said
that a figure came to the warring clans who called himself Abbatis or "Father of Storms". Now led by this central leadership the Naz'auri seek their place in the world through war.

As interesting and provocative as these two races are, they are not yet fully developed and we will not allow them to be PC'd in Alpha season. But feel free to ask an available staff member if you would like to know more
about them.

FOR ALPHA SEASON ALL PLAYERS WILL BE HUMAN (ho-hum)

Rules As Written (R.A.W)
In all instances of the following rules, we have striven to provide a comprehensive and simple game that flows with minimal interference from bulky or sloppy mechanics. Therefore, we have written our rules with a very definitive purpose in mind - to avoid the majority of players' misinterpretations. All rules herein and all following rule books are the Rules As Written. This means that all the information that you may use is written in the description of the rules or talents

We hope that with the use of keywords, such as "Hold", "Casualty", "Target Ally/Enemy" (members of the same race and opposite, respectively) we will ensure that the games moves quickly and cleanly. There will be an in game description of what the "Rule" does in the world of Strife of Nations by giving a visual/audible idea of what one would see/hear. This is called "Fluff" and is NOT to be used as rationalization for arguing a rule, but most certainly may be used for creative ideas for the use of the mechanic.

Safety: Our goal is to create and enable Strife of Nations to be a highly competitive and player driven game. But under NO circumstances should this be used as an excuse to injure oneself or another player.

Rule One: Pulling Blows
When engaging another player or players in melee, remember to swing to score, not to hurt. This means that you need to hit another player only hard enough for them to perceive the strike. Any blows judged overzealous will see action taken against the offending player, resulting in disciplinary action ranging from a warning up to being banned from the game.

Rule Two: Safe Zones
There are none. That means that any and all parts of your body can be hit legally. While this does not mean we encourage players to aim for the face and throat we recognize it is a side effect of a contact LARP. Some blows land in areas where a player may be injured. However, it s is up to the individual player to
protect themselves. Helmets and Athletic Cups - as well as other protective measures, such as courtesy for other players safety - should be employed. If we discover that players are selectively attacking other players' necks or heads, an investigation will be conducted resulting in either a warning or the offending
party being banned. [perhaps you want to say that players under investigation will be suspended from play until the conclusion of said investigation.

Rule Three: Fighting(OOG)
We understand that tempers can flare in the most laid back of games during the heat of battle. However, it is to be understood that under NO circumstance may any player strike another without the use of a Boffer or Latex weapon. If any illegal fights break out, both parties will be expelled until a full investigation is
completed, upon which Staff will decide what, if any, action should be taken, including expulsion from the game.

This does not mean that we are against general good-natured horseplay, at the player's discretion. We feel that no role playing should involve having a Row with another player.

Rule Four: The "HOLD"
The HOLD call is the first and most important call in Strife of Nations. This call is used to stop to the game in order to prevent or correct a potential safety risk. When any player shouts, says, or whispers "HOLD!", all
players MUST stop what they are doing immediately, with no exceptions. With the intention of "Hold" being used for safety only and to dissuade players from using this call in an inappropriate or abusive manor, any player who calls a "Hold" and any person they are calling a "Hold" for (only in cases where that player
cannot themselves call a "Hold") immediately becomes a "Casualty". (IE starts their injury/death sequence) All "Hold" Casualties will be reviewed by Staff to 1. Ensure that that safety measures are in place to prevent the incident from repeating itself and 2. To ensure that if there was a true safety "Hold" called that the player
who called it be allowed back into the game. If deemed an appropriate "Hold", the casualty will be considered a Tier 1 injury with no complications (see Suffering and Death).

Marshalls
Like most LARPs, we are based on an honor system. Unlike most LARPs, we are a completive player vs. player/groups vs. group game. To ensure that all parties are treated fairly and no player/players abuse our honor system, SoN has trained full time NPCs who are authorized to make calls and arbitrate
disputes. All calls and disputes will be recorded by the Marshalls and handed into staff for formal discussion and official ruling AFTER the event and posted BEFORE the next event. All Marshall calls are final (until staff review) and any further arguing with them will see offending players removed from the game for a temporary to indefinite status depending on the infraction.

Marshalls will be placed in camps and will be freely roving around the event to observe and aid as needed. They are NON-Combatants and are to be treated as if they are not there unless they see fit to intervene in a situation or are functioning as a Director at a Mod site.

Bells
Time is a critical part of SoN. With an in game real-time time we can use it to refresh hourly effects, notably the recharging of "Spool" and the scoring for "Conditions of War" (see these chapters for more info). Therefore we have implemented "Bells" which in reality is our Bell used for ringing in the top of the
hour. From the opening ringing on Friday to the final ringing on Sunday, every hour will be announced with three rapid chimes followed by a number of chimes to denote the reflective hour.


Stay tuned here for up to date information About Strife of Nations and how it is being created. Tomorrow I will post our combat rules. Comment if you like what you see.