This section is to get new players to the system aware of how the Live Role-play universe of Thracia is played.
IN AND OUT OF CHARACTER
What happens during the times between Time In and Time Out is called ‘In Character’. Players wear costumes that represent who and what they are playing, and all interactions that these costumed-based characters have are part of In Character. Things that happen that are not part of the character of the player’s costume is called Out of Character. Things that happen Out of Character generally do not have an effect In Character.
WEAPON DAMAGE
Regardless of the size, or type of weapon used in Thracia, all weapons deal one point of damage. This is to give an all-round easy system without much complication. There are exceptions to this rule - and some weapons will deal extra damage.
All weapons to be used by the players in the Thracia system must be of a standard size - an axe with a 6 foot handle and a head the size of the average human torso will not be allowed to be used in the system unless it is used for some special Monster - in which case, calls of ‘doubles!’ or even ‘triples!’ might occur. See the Game Mechanics section for details. Such weapons may be permissible to player characters under special circumstances.
Also the system is not given to comedy weapons or abilities. Whilst we all like some fun and good humour, please do not attempt to use items which are not classically weapons - fish, loaves of bread and frying pans are examples.
HITS PER
The system works on both a hits per and a hits global basis - hits global is usually reserved for beasts of some description. The chart below shows how hits per work:
There are 6 locations - each leg, each arm, the torso and the head.
Body hits are your basic hits. If a weapon ignores armour or the armour is reduced to 0 hits on that location, then the damage comes off of these points. Once these points are reduced to 0, that location is useless, until it can be healed. Torso or head body hits reduced to 0 means the character is dying. All characters begin, before generation, with 1 body hit per location.
Armour hits are hits added onto the location. When this is reduced to 0 the damage comes off body hits. Through calls and projectile weapons ignore Physical and Natural armour, and thus work out their damage against the body hits instead.
HITS GLOBAL
These hit apply to the entire person. Thus 3 Global means that if the person is hit 3 times anywhere they are dying/dead.
DEATH AND DYING
When a character’s head or torso location (called ‘Critical Locations’) is reduced to 0 they are ‘dead’ and dying. Characters referred to this way are commonly, incorrectly, called ‘dead’. These characters are not dead but dying. A dying character starts a Death Count - called a Grace Period. This period is 2 minutes long, and the time in which a character lays still on the floor. This time limit is the time the character can receive Healing of some kind - the time for which Healing has to start before the character is completely dead. If the character receives healing in this time and their hits are restored, they may get up and continue as normal. If the Healing is interrupted before hits are restored they must continue their Grace Period from where they left off.
A character only needs 1 hit on the head and chest to get up and continue. You do not need your full body hits.
A restoration of one hit to the 0 head or chest location reduces the Grace Period time elapsed by 1 minute, as long as another critical location is also on 0. Ignore this rule if the hit was restored by Regeneration.
COUNTING HITS
In Thracia, a hit does not count unless there is a certain amount of draw. The draw is how far a weapon must be pulled back before another blow can be delivered and counted as a hit. As a standard rule all weapons have a draw of half the blade or half the length of the weapon if it has no blade. The minimum draw of a weapon is 18”.
If a location is reduced to 0 it is useless. Thus, losing an arm means dropping whatever is held in it (not swapping it to another hand) and losing a leg means going down on one knee. When on one leg the player cannot ‘hop’ along but must crawl - if they have lost both legs then they must crawl at a very slow pace on their stomach.
When taking a hit do not simply say ‘ouch’ or otherwise shrug. Role-play is about role-playing so act it out! If you are struck pretend like you’re really hurt. The same goes for death and dying. When you take a fatal blow or attack, scream out and fall to the ground - even when monstering! We all like a good bit of role-play and this will only help to improve the game play for everyone involved. Likewise when someone asks you if you require healing say ‘I’m bleeding badly from here and look slightly charred on my left arm...’, please to do not say ‘I have 2 hits here and 3 here and 1 here…etc.’ This can effectively destroy the good role-play mood your healer was in.
WEAPON CALLS AND DAMAGE
Some attacks will be able to deal out special damage. The type of damage is given by its ‘call’, which must be called out each time that call is to be used. The damage could represent the size of the weapon, the strength of its bearer, or a potent Magick within. Some items may be given spell-like effects, which can be cast by the bearer.
It should be noted that, with the exception of ‘Broken', 'Monstrous Strength' and 'Strength’ if the attack is blocked, no effect happens to the victim. It should also be noted that none of these calls are Magickal - only if the call of ‘Magick’ or ‘blessed’ does an item count as Magickal. The exceptions are Silver which is always Magickal and Black Iron which is always Mundane.
Fundamental Calls - All weapons can use these Calls
Subdue
Subdue deals no damage and ignores armour. A location that suffer a number of hits equal to or more than the body hits on that location becomes unusable for 1 minute - if the head is Subdued the effect is the same as ‘Sleep’. Sharp weapons require twice the number of hits to Subdue. Calls of ‘Sub’ will count as a Subdue attack.
Coup de Gras
This attack may be used by any weapon and is used against incapacitated locations. The call ‘Coup de Grace’ is given, then 10 simulated blows are delivered the location. Once these 10 blows are administered the location is entirely destroyed beyond healing - the location is entirely gone.
Advanced Calls - These can only be gained through certain means: such as Read Magicks, special Crafting materials or Enchantment in a Ritual.
Acid
This calls means that the attack is acidic. The attack deals 1 point of damage every 10 seconds unless washed off (requires real water!). This can effectively remove armour. In all respects it is treated as a poison attack (see). It can even be part of a disease or poison attack. If armour is reduced to 0 hits from this Call it is treated as 'Disintograted' and beyoed repair.
Bleeding
If this Call strikes an unarmoured location, this takes effect. Body hits suffer 1 hit every 10 seconds blood flow free. This can be stopped with a cosmetic Treatment, Field Medic and Surgery or with Bind Wounds
Broken
The location becomes unusable until either a Surgeon or Magickal healing can be obtained. This can be called against limb locations to prone opponents by characters with the 'Strength' (Stamina 5) and/or 'Monstrous Strength' weapon Calls (Stamina 6) i.e. "Broken arm!"
Crush
If it hits an armoured location, then the armour is destroyed beyond repair, though it can still be mended by a crafter. If it is makes contact with an un-armoured location, then that location drops to zero. Crush is given to Blunt weaponry, but not to Sharp. It must be noted that this effectively destroys the body location too - if the character was At Death’s Door (see the Greater Death spell list in the Magick section) they cannot speak if struck in the head, for example.
Destroyed
The ‘Destroyed’ call only affects items. Items which are Destroyed are removed from the game - they cannot be repaired nor mended by Magicks or other effects.
Disarm
When struck the call Disarm may be given - it will only affect a given opponent once per encounter or twice per encounter with a second buy. The attack deals no damage and cannot be combined with other weapon calls - if your sword is aflame you may not Disarm. A character struck with a successful Disarm on their arm location and failed their parry must let go of the item nearest to the Disarmer. A Disarm attack must be able to deal damage to said opponent to have any effect. You cannot Disarm someone who has a higher Strength value than you.
Disintegrated
Remove the item from the game - it no longer officially exists.
Dispel
Removes all Magicks affecting the target. This could be specified as a Rank value or for certain Magicks - such as Physical, Mental or by name e.g. 'Dispel Fortune!'
Doubles
Causes 2 points of damage. This can carry over from armour to body hits in one call.
Enflamed
Causes fire damage that cannot be Regenerated - neither can it be restored by a herbal Treatment or a similar product without a soothing agent first; instead it must be healed by Magick or repaired by Surgery rips. Fire damage can never carry a disease or poison. The victim must also spend 3 second patting the flames out, if a flammable area was struck (such as clothing), or suffer 1 point of damage to the location for each full 10 seconds the fire burns.
Fatal
Fatalistic weapons cause damage so horrendous that nearly all life is gone in and instant. A character affected by a ‘fatal’ call drops all body locations to zero, regardless of hits or armour. The character begins their grace period.
Frost
For all intents and purposes, Frost damage is exactly like 'Inflamed' - just imagine that the location is covered in ice crystals instead of fire.
K.O.
The attacked victim falls asleep for 2 minutes - a non-Subdue call or 3 seconds worth of rousing will waken them.
Knock-down (Stamina 3 Call)
Knocks the character down for 3 seconds - this requires both shoulders to be on the floor
If the blow hits an un-armoured location, the location drops to zero.
Magick
Deals Magickal damage - creatures only affected by Magick will take damage from this call. Some daemons or Fey will take additional damage from the call of ‘blessed’.
Mass - [insert spell or effect name here]
Any attack, effect etc. that has a call of Mass added to it means that it targets all beings within the immediate area. Sometimes a Mass effect targets a given area - this will be directed by the caster of the Mass effect by using both arms as a guideline. Thus, a call of ‘Mass Knock-down’ means that all beings within a given area are struck down for 3 seconds. The Mass call is always considered to be above and beyond the Greater sphere of Magick, and so can only be countered by certain means. Some skills may still allow the resistance of the effect of a Mass call - ‘No Effect vs. Knock-down’ for example.
Monstrous Strength (Stamina 6 Call)
Throws opponent 20 feet and Strikedown for 5 seconds - victim takes the Strength Call if parried. Stamina 6 Call. Also permits the Call of 'K.O.' if the target is against a wall and the 'Broken' Call if the target is prone
Pain
The victim of this call must drop to the ground and writhe with pain for 10 seconds - it's the most painful thing you could imagine!
Destroys Physical armour (but not Natural Armour) on the given location. The armour may not be repaired - it can only be mended by the appropriate Crafter.
Strength (Stamina 5 Call)
Throws opponent 10 feet and Strikedown for 5 seconds - Knock-down if parried. Stamina 5 Call. Also permits the Call of 'Stun' if the target is against a wall and the 'Broken' Call if the target is prone
Strike-back (Stamina 4 Call)
Knocks the player back 5 feet. If the player encounters any obstacle they are also struck down for 3 seconds.
Stun
The character is dazed and can only defend themselves for the ensuing 10 seconds.
This attack ignores armour. Armour does not lose armour points from this attack. ‘Through’ is given to Sharp and 2 Handed Sharp, but not to Blunt weaponry.
Calls with Rank - These Calls cannot be combined with other Calls and requires you to state the Rank value (i.e. "Poison, Sleep, 6"). If you do not state the Rank it is treated as Rank 1
Diseased
The victim of this attack becomes diseased (refereed) if they take the attack on an un-armoured or natural armoured location
Fear
The target must run away until they are out of line of sight of the Fear-causer, or cower immobile if they cannot. This effect lasts 30 seconds.
Magick Effect - [state magick from an Art]
Casts a specified Magick at a Rank value. This can be determined by the Rank value of the character using it. To cast a Magick Effect call 'Cast' followed by the Magick e.g. "Cast Fireball, Rank 5" or "Cast Fireball, 5". Note that Magick Effects are either Physical (Resist Magicks) or Mental (Resist Mental) as per their magick description
Poison - [add game effect here]
Tell the victim that the attack is poisoned; the effect could be in terms of a spell or a call. If you are using a Poison call then please make sure you state the Toxicity value. An example call is 'Poison, Sleep'. One a victim is down make sure their Player ref knows the value of the poison Toxicity.
Terror
All within hearing must run away until they are out of line of sight of the Fear-causer, or cower immobile if they cannot. This part of the effect lasts 30 seconds - however a character that has suffered a Terror will ignore lower value Terror Calls but cannot approach within 10' of any Terror-causing object
Materials Calls - These are Calls made by these two particular material types - it requires them to be made IC with the Crafting skill and the necessary materials found by the Scavenge skill
Black Iron
Black Iron, sometimes called ‘Cold Iron’ because of its forging process, is impossible to enchant, and as such, also draws Fae energy away. Creatures Immune to Mundane, and some other creatures, are specifically wounded by Black Iron only, are affected by it, and the call must be given in such circumstances. Black Iron can never be wielded by Sithi or any of the Sithi kindred.
Silver
Silver is also difficult to enchant. However, it counts as 'Blessed' permanently. The call ‘Silver’ must be given certain circumstance (such as encountering a Lykan or Vampyr!)
There are other weapon materials in the game with other properties (just as there are other Crafting Materials too) that might have Magickally aligned properties; it is worth exploring the system to see what your character can make as this can be very rewarding.
Other Calls - These Calls are also only obtained through specific means
Jammed
Ward
