Combat Rules

Combat at events in Memories of Annwn takes place primarily on Quests. By default this will be simulated combat using approved LARP-safe weapon props and verbal calls (“Effect Calls”) to indicate special effects. These “Effect Calls” may also be used outside of combat but no LARP weapons should be used.

Adventures can be converted to use Abstract Combat rules if requested by non-combat Players.

Anyone fighting should familiarise themselves with the LARP Safety Rules.

• Every Character has a number of Hit Points (HP) and Mana Points (MP).
• Every Player Character and most NPCs can use a weapon up to 42“ in one hand and a short weapon up to 18” or a buckler (small shield) up to 15“ in diameter in the other.
• Every Player Character has the ability to use Magic and has access to the Three Basic Spells.
• Every Character is capable of striking with any LARP safe weapon for which they have the appropriate skill.
• Every Character is capable of wearing Armour to increase their Hit Point maximum.

• You may only strike with a weapon or make a call once per second.
• When struck with a weapon or arrow, you lose 1 HP and should roleplay the injury accordingly.
  • Certain calls may make you lose more HP (see Damage Calls).
• If the strike was made with an audible Effect Call then that effect should be followed in addition to the damage taken.
• Head hits should be avoided and are always ignored.
• Hits against a hand holding a weapon count as a hit on the weapon.

• Every Character is capable of blocking blows with a strike-safe LARP weapon or shield smaller than 15” in diameter.
• Effects blocked by a shield or weapon are ignored (with the exception of SHATTER) and the call is not used up by the user.
• Characters with the Shield Mastery skill are capable of wielding and blocking melee blows with a LARP safe shield larger than 15“ in any dimension (any effect calls from the blow still apply, but no hits are lost).

• Most Characters have Abilities which cost MP to use.
• Abilities can only be used once per 10 seconds.
• Some Characters can cast Spells at range. These are represented by throwing appropriately coloured beanbags.
• If hit on the body with a beanbag you should react to the associated effect accordingly.
• If it hits a weapon or shield the effect is avoided and the beanbag is used up.
• It is always acceptable to drop out of Character to clarify what an effect call is supposed to do.

• Some Characters may place and trigger Traps: these are represented by hoops on the ground.
• The Trapper will alert you if you trigger one.

• Some Characters are able to use Bows and Crossbows (provided the Player/Crew Member has been passed Bow Competency).
• If you are hit by an arrow or a bolt, you lose 2 HP.
• Arrows and Bolts cannot have calls attached.

• While conscious, Characters may have HP restored by use of the HEAL call.
• While unconscious, Characters may only have HP restored by use of the REVIVE call.
• When you reach 0 hits, you become unconscious begin your Death Count (3 minutes base).
• Upon reaching the end of your Death Count you become Fated.

• HP and MP both recover after a period of rest: 2 hours without being involved in Combat.

Hand Signals exist to indicate information to all those nearby:

• Out Of Character: two fingers held in the air
  • Whatever is happening is out of character and cannot be perceived In Character.
  • Can be used for dropping OC for clarifications.
  • A Character with this signal in Combat is not there: perhaps they are magically teleporting, or perhaps they are dead and moving out of harm's way. There is no way to perceive them.
  • Characters in this state cannot perceive the world around them either.
• Stealth: hand over brow
  • This character is sneaking and cannot be perceived by most other Characters.
  • They may still perceive the world around them and may be perceived by Characters capable of seeing through Stealth.
  • You should not track where a sneaking Character is going unless you can perceive them IC.
• Stop / Mental Health Call: arms crossed over chest
  • This indicates our Mental Health Call (“TELEVISION”) is being used but cannot be communicated non-verbally.
  • Cease roleplaying until this person can remove themselves from the encounter, then continue.
  • See the Event Safety Policy for more details.

Combat Calls indicate an effect has taken place that we cannot physically represent. They are delivered by one of four methods:

• By Touch: either by strike to the body with a strike-safe weapon or, for non-combatants or non-combat calls, by being within arm's reach and clearly indicating the target. Never touch another participant other than with a strike-safe weapon without their explicit consent. Melee strikes always deal damage as well as the call they are delivering.
  • The exception to needing to strike the body is SHATTER which only affects weapons.
• At Range: certain calls can be delivered at range by throwing a Magical Projectile (colourful beanbag). Only four effects can be delivered this way (SLOW, SILENCE, QUAKE, and “Damage”)
• As a Trap: some calls can be delivered as a result of you stepping into a trap – these will be made at range by alerting the target by name or description then following up with the call (e.g. YOU: TRAP! … AGONY!)
• As a Reaction: some calls are made in reaction to another effect call, indicating that the target of the effect has handled it differently to expected.

All Magic requires the user to roleplay casting the spell with certain keywords: these are not Effect Calls and should not be assumed to be known by all combatants as such.

Damage calls modify the number of HP a strike may deal. Damage calls may be stacked with Effect Calls to indicate additional damage as well as the effect (e.g. FLAME AGONY, DOUBLE KNOCKBACK).

Reacting just too late to stop a dagger being plunged into your back, it's all you can do to hope they missed something vital…

• Including the damage from the strike, you lose a total of 4 HP.
• BACKSTAB is a call that can only be made when striking from behind: those using it have strict rules about when they can use it.
• If you believe someone is not following the spirit of the rules around BACKSTAB, talk to a Ref.

As pain lances through the slash made in your arm, you realise that the glint of dark metal in your attacker's hand was the greatest weakness of all fae: Cold Iron.

• If the target is a Fae Creature they are immediately reduced to 0 HP.
• Non-Fae Creatures treat this as a normal strike.

Oof, that hit packed a punch!

• You lose an additional HP as well as the one you lost from the initial strike.

The burning sword slices through the shadow monster like a hot knife through butter…

• This strike is treated as a DOUBLE by any creature with a weakness to Light.
• All other creatures treat this as a standard strike.

The boom of the hammer hitting the enemy sends a shiver through its foundations.

• This strike is treated as a DOUBLE by any creature with a weakness to Land.
• All other creatures treat this as a standard strike.

The dagger shrieks with cold as it plunges toward the fiery sand being, parting the heat as it goes.

• This strike is treated as a DOUBLE by any creature with a weakness to Sea.
• All other creatures treat this as a standard strike.

Shadows gather around the quarterstaff as you swing, warding off impertinent spirits of light.

• This strike is treated as a DOUBLE by any creature with a weakness to Dark.
• All other creatures treat this as a standard strike.

Lightning forks out from the spear and lances through the leaves of the autumn spirit…

• This strike is treated as a DOUBLE by any creature with a weakness to Sky.
• All other creatures treat this as a standard strike.

All calls with ongoing effects will always last for 10 seconds. Being knocked unconscious does not normally end ongoing effects.

Pain rushes through you, leaving you incapable of fighting until it subsides.

• Target is in immense pain for 10 seconds and should roleplay accoringly.
• During this time, the target cannot make any effect calls and must not strike in combat.
• Defensive fighting is still permitted.

Roots erupt from the ground, wrapping around your legs and holding you firmly in place.

• Target's legs are held in place for 10 seconds.
• During this time you cannot move from the spot. You may still fight.

Your perception warps and the world around you twists and turns.

• Target is disoriented for 10 seconds.
• The nature of the confusion may be guided by the source of the effect and should be followed if reasonable (e.g. “CONFUSE: I'm over there!”)
• CONFUSE cannot be used to control or compel a specific action.
• If no nature is provided, you should struggle to make coherent decisions and cannot distinguish friend from foe.

Healing magic purges your body and leaves you ready to fight.

• Target stops suffering a specified effect.
• CURE must be made in relation to a specified effect (e.g. CURE DISEASE or CURE WOUND).
• CURE has no effect if the target is not suffering this effect.

You can feel vile toxins festering in the wound you were just dealt: if you don't deal with this soon they'll do even more harm to you.

• If you do not receive the CURE DISEASE call in the next 10 seconds you suffer a DOUBLE.

With supernatural speed you avoid the arrow heading for your shoulder.

• DODGE is called in response to a strike, arrow or thrown weapon hit, or beanbag hit.
• The triggering call is ignored by the Character that called DODGE, but it is still used up.

The terrible visage before you calls to some primal fear within you and your body's flight or freeze response becomes overwhelming.

• Target fears the source of the call for the next 10 seconds.
• During this time the target should either flee or cower and cannot make calls against the source of the call.

You feel your wounds starting to close, knitting themselves back together to negate some of the damage you have taken.

• Target, if conscious, has 1 HP restored.
• If followed by a number, or “FULL”, that many HP are restored instead.
• HEAL has no effect on unconscious Characters.

With a great wallop, the troll's club sends you reeling backwards.

• Target is knocked backwards three large paces.
• If it is unsafe or not possible to move backwards this pushes you back to the safest point before that edge.

Your balance eludes you as the ground shudders, knocking you to your knees.

• Target should either fall to one knee or roleplay being unstable on their feet for 10 seconds.
• You should not fight effectively during this time.

From the tunnel of darkness you were following to oblivion you are suddenly wrenched back into the world with a gasp.

• Target, if unconscious, regains consciousness and is healed to 1 HP.
• REVIVE has no effect on conscious Characters.

With a crushing blow, your weapon is snapped in two: useless until it can be mended.

• The strike-safe weapon or shield hit by this strike cannot be used until it has been mended by someone with the Smith skill.
• You may take a brief moment OC to put any shattered weapons or shields to the side for safety.

You go to speak but find the air gone from your voice: nary a whisper to be heard.

• Target cannot speak or vocalise for 10 seconds.
• This prevents spells from being cast.
• Effect calls that do not require a spell to be cast can still be made.

You find yourself moving as if through treacle as the rest of the world moves faster around you.

• Target moves at at least half speed (slow motion) for 10 seconds.
• During this time they can strike only once per 2 seconds.

You hear the stick snap a moment before the snare activates, binding you in place.

• The “TRAP!” call is used to alert a victim that they have stepped in a trap. It must immediately be followed up by the effect.
• E.g. Katie steps into my Binding Trap so I call “KATIE: TRAP!” then when she notices me I shout “BIND!”
• Traps may only be called for by the person who set it.

You look at your arm hanging limply beside you, gritting your teeth against the pain as you fight through it.

• Target loses the use of the limb that was hit with this call for 10 seconds.
• If this is a leg, you can only move by dragging it behind you.
• If this is an arm, you should leave it by your side but do not have to drop anything you are holding.

These calls can be made by any Character against a Character on 0 HP after 10 seconds of appropriate roleplay to execute them. If the roleplay is interrupted, it must be started again.

• Target's bleed count is immediately ended.
• Player Characters become Fated.

• Target's bleed count is immediately ended.
• Player Characters become Fated.
• The Target must report this call being used on them to the nearest Combat Ref.

Once you reach 0 HP, you are Dying:

• If possible, remove yourself from the immediate combat, and lay down or drop to one knee.
• You can call for help, and retain some use of your arms and legs.
• The Dying condition lasts for 3 minutes (this is known as your Death Count).
• If a Medic is healing you, your Death Count is paused.

If you are not attended to during your Death Count (by use of the REVIVE call), your character is considered Fated. This means they are no longer able to be saved by magical or medical methods, and will die soon.

You can choose at which point during or after the event your character dies, but they must have perished by the beginning of the next event you attend - you will not be able to reprise this character.

Please report your character as Fated as soon as possible. Fated characters who are still in play during the event can still roleplay, but are no longer permitted to partake in combat.

• Armour increases your maximum hit points by a certain value and may be enchanted to provide certain benefits.
• You may only be wearing one type of armour at a time – they don't stack!
• Armour may be worn by any humanoid and must be clear to others what sort of armour (if any) is being worn.
• There are no OC material restrictions on armour: it is appearance that matters, not whether you can physically lift it!
• HP is assumed to come off armour first: you cannot be alive by “armour hits” alone nor can you “heal only the armour”.

• Ranged Spells can be used in combat, and will have a colour coded beanbag projectile relating to that spell.
• Beanbags are provided by Memories of Annwn. Do not use any other beanbag.
• If you are in doubt about the effect you were hit with, it is always permissible to drop OC to ask.
• These colours may change depending on the supplies we can acquire but will be advertised well in advance.

• Traps are created by Characters with the Trapper Skill by placing a hoop (provided by a Ref) on the ground.
• It is the trapper's responsibility to monitor the trap and call TRAP! if the effect is triggered.
• Traps are single use (solid colour) or multiple use (striped).
• Traps can be disarmed by anyone with the Professional Trapper Skill with 1 minute of appropriate roleplay.
• Trap colours do not need to be known by anyone except the Trapper.