Shadow Realms Live Action Role Playing Game Player's Manual

123 Pages·2007·0.55 MB·English

Shadow Realms
Live Action Role Playing Game

Player’s Manual

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Table of Contents

Creating a Character 4
World History 6
Races of Dremlin 15
Deities of Dremlin 31
Combat Rules 36
Armour Rules 45
Production Skills 49
Skill Charts 65
Skill Descriptions 71
Magic Rules 94
Spell Lists 98
Spell Descriptions 100
Glossary & Miscellaneous Rules 113

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As a character you may not use this time to
Before Playing gather any in game information, speak to other
characters or prepare in game actions.
Disclaimer Once the Hold has been resolved, the
game may continue by means of a “Lay-On”.

A Lay-On is called by the person who
This game is Fantasy. It is a work of
called the hold in the first place, the person
fiction. Names, characters, places and
whose safety was in question, or a Plot Marshal.
incidents either are the product of the
This is accomplished by calling in a loud, clear
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously,
voice “3, 2, 1, LAY-ON!”
and any resemblance to any actual
Finally, although frivolous Hold calls can
persons, living or dead, events or locales is
be extremely frustrating, no player should
entirely coincidental. Events or actions
hesitate to call a Hold if someone’s safety is in
described herein refer to fantasy characters
doubt.
interacting with fantasy characters. It’s a
game. Although we encourage all manner
of characters, players are expected to act
in a mature and responsible manner.
All players must understand and sign How to (Role) Play
our waiver before entering play. Players

under legal age must have their parents
Shadow Realms is a game of epic
understand and sign the waiver as well.
fantasy. You help bring to life this story. As a

Player Character you create a living personality
within this world. The role you play is your
Hold
choice. But remember; the actions you choose
will shape your future.
The most important rule in the game
is the “Hold” rule. Shadow Realms has an Honour Based
If you hear someone say “Hold!” System. This means that a Game Judge (known
everyone should immediately stop what as Plot Marshals) will not be required to approve
they are doing and drop to one knee. all character actions. Since a Plot Marshal
The Hold Rule is there primarily for cannot always be present, each player will
safety. If there is ever a situation where have a Shadow Realms Character Sheet. This
someone may be injured, or is about to be sheet will list all the skills available to the player.
injured, you must call out “HOLD!” Players should be especially familiar with all the
Other uses for a Hold include when a skills that pertain to their character.
trap is triggered. A Hold should be called to
investigate the nature of the trap and All players are expected to follow the
determine the results. rules to the best of their abilities. Any form of
Also a Plot Marshal may call a intentional cheating is unacceptable and can
“Descriptive Hold” to explain what is going result in Experience Point Reduction or Expulsion
on around your character. During this time from the game.
players may ask the Plot Marshal for details
concerning their environment. Have fun! LARPing is a way to not just tell
A Hold may also be called to clarify a tale or read a fantastic novel or even immerse
a barrage of attacks you have taken. you in video game. LARPing is a way to live that
Please keep in mind, there is a good tale.
chance that if you have been struck so
many times you have lost count, your
character is probably dropped.
During a Hold, the game is paused.
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regain all used once per day skills as well as all
What to Expect
Magic and Faith Points.

Players do not regain any used items or
In the game world of Shadow
heal any damage taken. It is simply a new day.
Realms, you play a character in of epic

legend. You may take on the roles of a hero
or a villain, a soldier or a brigand, an assassin
Creating a Character
or a holy knight.
The choice depends on you.
Creating a character is really what this
Logistics game is all about. You create a persona, an
individual with unique ideas, skills, beliefs and

flaws.
Logistics occurs at the beginning of
All of this character's motives, goals,
each game. During this time, all players
beliefs and flaws depend on their Personality.
decide whether to be Player Characters or
This is all up to you.
Non-Player Characters (PCs or NPCs).
Other factors which shape your
NPCs report to a Plot Member who
character are their Skill Array, Race, Skills and
will explain the role they are to play.
Experience.
A new Player Character begins play
Your Skill Array represents areas in which
with 30 Experience Points to build a
your character is naturally inclined to learn. You
character of their choosing.
may purchase Skills within your Skill Array using
Al Player Characters receive
Experience Points.
character sheets and can spend the build

that they earned at the previous event at
this time.
Skill Array
During this time a PC’s armour and
weapons wil be evaluated for safety and in- Al characters may choose from a
game statistics. New Player’s must also pass selection of skill dots. Skill dots represent the
a Combat Safety Test before being areas that your character has been trained in,
permitted to enter any combat. Players will and the types of skills that they will be able to
be issued any tags that their characters will learn in the future. When you make a character,
need to represent in-game items and you are given 6 skill dots to place in any of the
money. New players may begin with any skil categories; Magic, Faith, General,
reasonable starting equipment usable by Weapons, and Stealth. Each skill category can
their character as well as a small amount of have up to 3 dots. All characters must place
gold and silver. one dot in the “General” category. The
Players may also spend silver to use placement of these skill dots determine what
Production Skills at this time and will receive skills you may purchase, as well as how many
tags for items made. Body Points (Health) your character has.
Once a Player has completed The only skils you are alowed to
Logistics, they may enter the gaming area. purchase are those skils that fal into the
categories you have placed your skill dots into.
So if I want to buy the skill “Weapon Master”, a
Reset skill that falls into the third tier of the weapon
category, I first need to have placed three of

my starting skil dots into the “Weapon”
In Shadow Realms, day lasts from 6
category. If I want to buy the skill “Alchemy”, a
am until 6 pm. Six o’clock a.m. is also known
skill that is in the second tier of the “General”
as Reset.
category, I first need to have placed two of my
Once Reset occurs, the next time a
6 skill dots into the “General” category. It is
player spends 10 minutes resting, they
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possible to purchase more dots with character. The more games you play, the more
experience points later in the game. scenarios your character encounters and the
more challenges they will face. Just as in real
Personality life, it is overcoming problems that make you
grow as a person. As your character settles into
The first thing to do when creating a
their environment, they will also start to settle in
character is to form a general idea of the
your mind as to what their stronger traits are. As
character's personality; what is it you want
they encounter more social situations, your
to act like? Will you be smart or naïve? Are
character will develop their personality to a
you curious or confident? What will motivate
finer extent than they had before. These social
you? What do you despise? You decide
situations are the cornerstone of role playing.
how you interact with other players in the
When you are in character, your social
game. The goal is to know how your
interactions with other players are enacted
character wil act. When you create a
through your character. This means that you
character that is vengeful and belligerent,
have to become comfortable with your
you should not act timidly or be nervous.
character, and that the more you role play, the
When you create your character, you
more comfortable you will become with your
create an alternate personality. This
character. You may find that the personality
personality is your character, and you the
you had originally designed for your character
person are the player.
doesn’t quite feel right, and that it is necessary
Your character needs to have a
to alter and develop it to fit into the social
past; you decide where they were born,
atmosphere you find yourself in.
what culture they grew up in, what

resources they had available to them and in

general what has occurred in their life up to
the point that they enter the game. When
Experience and Gaining Levels
you first make a character, you may submit
a character history. This is essentially a letter
to the plot members describing your Experience Points (XP) are a measure of
characters life up to the moment the game your characters learning up to a particular point
begins. You can explain who your character in their life. The more experience points a
is, what has happened to him/her so far in character has, the more skills they will have
their life, their personality, their goals, and learned. Experience points are spent on skills,
any other information about them that you which allow your character to perform feats in
want the plot members to know. Your game.
character history should fit within the world, Every time you attend an event, you are
and should be reasonable based on your given Experience Points. Starting characters get
characters actual experience. Remember 30 experience points to spend on skils.
your character is just beginning his Returning characters receive 3 Experience (XP).
adventures; he has not slayed any dragons Once a character reaches 20th Level the
or carved out a nation with his sword just maximum amount of XP received is reduced to
yet. 2 a 30th Level character receives a maximum of
If your character will have any type 1 XP per event.
of Faith Skils it is important for you to have Every 10 Experience Points your
an understanding of the deity you have character has represents one level. This means
chosen as this will greatly impact your that all players start at 3rd level, because they
characters personality. Refer to “Deities of start the game with 30 experience points. Once
Dremlin” for more information. a character has 40 experience points, they
One of the great things about have reached 4th level, and when they attain
having a character is watching them grow 50 experience points they have reached 5th
and develop. As you grow, so does your level, and so on.
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World History
the animals.
Before the Dawn of Time Necros made Night, and Sirethe the
ever-changing Moon. Last born, the twins,

Gyellina and Bacchus, were struck with
In the Beginning there was only
wonder and immediately set out to marvel
Mellina. She created the universe, but in so
at their siblings creations.
doing, also created Nothingness. From this

Void, came Kagent. In the Universe, there
Then tragedy struck; Kagent
was nothing but Melina and Kagent.
returned with a mighty blade of destruction.
Mellina welcomed Kagent to her world and
Mellina had created Life, so he would make
bid him his assistance in creating this fine
Death. He sought to destroy all the deities,
new world.
and saw the Silver Sirethe suspended above
Kagent looked out over the universe
the world. As he struck, Sirethe changed,
and sneered. The wondrous world Mellina
shifting herself away from destruction, but
created meant nothing to him. Instead he
leaving her brother Night open to Kagent’s
took his pleasure in Melina. His only
destructive blow. As Kagent’s blade clove
motivation was to unmake Melina, to
through the Heart of Night, Necros died,
spread the Void of his being to every corner
and by dying, created the Realm of the
of her universe. But in his attempt he failed,
Dead. From this land he arose as the Lord of
for from his betrayal of Mellina, Mellina was
Bones and forever seeks to turn the entire
able to take part of Kagent, and used it to
world into the Realm of the Dead so that he
create new life.
may have his Vengeance.

Then a titanic battle of the deities
The first born was Kayleth, The
began as Kayleth and his siblings arrived.
Redeemer of his father's cruel and unjust
Mellina watched in horror as her children
actions. Kayleth was born as a paladin in
battled their father. The blood of the deities
shining armour, wielding a sword of pure
washed over the world, mountains levels
light and a brilliant mirrored shield. With his
and oceans shifted. The world crumbled
sword he was able to strike out his father's
under the feet of the duelling deities.
right eye, sending the eye bursting in flames,
It appeared that Kagent would
which he set in the sky as the sun, burning
succeed, that all hope would be lost, and
brightly as beacon of hope against the
Sirethe changed her loyalties, driving a
darkness of Kagent. The battle between the
dagger of poison into the back of Kayleth.
two fierce warriors continues, with Kagent
Enraged at the betrayal, the other
fighting to punish his son, and Kayleth as a
children directed their fury at Sirethe, who
champion of justice and Light. After Kagent
fled through the darkness, her siblings close
was driven back by his son, the other deities
behind.
emerged. They declared loyalty to their
Seeing his opportunity, Kagent
Mother, and began to assist her in
approached the wounded Lord of Light,
completing her world.
and lifted his sword of destruction high for a

final blow. As he attacked, Mellina reached
Mishra, Melina’s second child,
out to save her son, and was struck by the
poured himself throughout her world,
blade. Her blood flowed onto the world,
learning each crevice and every secret,
melding with the essence of light amidst the
recording every truth in the Tome of
destruction, and up sprang the goodly
Knowledge.
races, who watched in awe the titans
Rathelle, the third born, carried her
before them.
Mothers spark of life to the world. The spark
Newly enraged at seeing his mother
exploded upon the earth sending life to
wounded, Kayleth struck with a mighty blow
every corner. From this came the trees and
deep into Kagent’s breast. The dark deity’s
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blood fell like acid, creating bubbling of Dremlin were forced to either unite for
craters upon the earth. From these craters one last stand against the Champion of
arose hideous creatures, trolls, ogres and Destruction, or be destroyed forever. The
orcs. humans and elves alied, the Drow fled
Kayleth lifted his wounded Father underground while the dwarves were
and hurled him into the Void from which he driven, battle after battle, deeper and
came. deeper into their mountain homes. The
The other siblings returned, Sirethe Halflings found solace where they could,
having fled beyond their ability to find her. and helped where they were able. And so
Together, the deities wove a lock of the War of Redemption began.
magic, a thousand, thousand strings of
energy that bound Kagent to the Void. As Kagent and the Orc hordes rose
to power, so Kayleth rose to meet him. The
sword of Kayleth chose its own human
champion to battle the Orc war general,
Kraagg. Kayleth chose a young knight
Dawn of the Age
named Telmoor. Soon, the other deities
entered the war, some seeking peace and
One thousand years ago, the Mages balance, others vying for power and
Council found a series of magical portal positioning. The War of Redemption was a
stones. These portals exuded magical war among the deities that was fought in
energy, and the Mages Council soon the lands of Dremlin. The champions of the
noticed that each portal stone gave off a deities, their avatars, waged war in mortal
different sort of energy, that every portal bodies for divine wills. The avatars fought
granted different powers to those who used over a breaking world, and all was changed
it. There seemed to be a series of Ley Lines forever. Archives from ages gone were
connecting the portal stones to each other. destroyed; records of history and politics
The Mages Council recognised the potential were lost. The lands of Dremlin became
power of the Stones and the Ley Lines, and separated from the rest of the world, if in
they mapped out the portals and the lines fact it still existed.
connecting them. The Council began to
research the stones and discovered a way In the aftermath of the War of
of accessing nearly unlimited magic energy Redemption, the mages council used the
from the Portals. The resulting backlash portal keys to seal the portals, in the hope
would near bring about the destruction of that they could avert any future wars
the world. The Portals indeed allowed direct among the deities. This act drained much of
access to the Ley Lines; the energy was too the raw magical energy from the world, or
much for the mages to control and the perhaps the powers of magic weakened
untamed waves of magic flooded Dremlin. because of the horrible backlash from the
Worse amongst the myriad disasters War of Redemption. The mages Council fell
this unleashed, it allowed Kagent to send a into disrepute, blamed for starting the war,
mighty sword of War through one of the blamed for the weakening of magic,
portals to the great tribe of Orcs who lived in blamed for all of the plagues and brutality
the Northlands. This sword granted the Orc that followed in the years after the War
war general such power that the Orcs ended. The Council separated the map
conquered all of the northlands. With the into sections and scattered them to the
North under their control, they began their corners of the earth. The Sword of Kagent
assault upon all other races, driven by the was broken into no-one knows how many
guidance of Kagent, driving all of the other pieces, and the deity of War was again
races to the precipice of decision. The races sealed in his own dimension. Kayleth won
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the war after great losses, and the other thousand years however, they have spread
deities sought to restore some kind of into the hills through the human lands.
balance to the ravaged world. The people Deorn trades heavily with Laythwren
lost trust in magic, in their faith, and began through Baron Thorid. Besides Laythwren,
to depend upon steel. Banditry reigned, trade tends to come more from individual
minor wars were fought everywhere in every Dwarves, and less as a nation. They are
land. The races withdrew into their own rather stand-offish, and some still resent the
homes, and all records and memory of the other races for not allying sooner against the
times before the War of Redemption were Orcs. Dwarves often clash with Orcs along
lost. the footstep of Deorn, and these two races
have a long and bloody history
The Dwarven tunnels once reached those of
Today the Drow, and there were been battles and
even wars. 5oo years ago The War of the

Deep bled both sides, Drow and Dwarf for
Over the last several hundred years,
generations, until both sides withdrew. Now
magic has slowly become less and less
they tunnel far from each other, and seldom
abhorred, and the Mages Council has
meet under ground.
grown in power once again. The races of

Dremlin have established themselves in their

new homes; new aliances have been

formed, broken and made once more. Wars
Laythwren
were fought, peace was established, faith

and magic began seeping back into the
Population: Human 80%, Other 20%
world. The Waste, as the Northlands have
Trade: Deorn, Graendal, Johanna,
come to be called, has begun to stir with
Epertoch, Maitlyn
Orcs and other, less pleasant things. And the
Major Faiths: Kayleth, Mishra.
people of Dremlin still remembered nothing
Minor Faiths: Melina, Gyellina, Bacchus
of the War of Redemption.
Military: Overwhelming

Technology: Average
Magic: Average, powerful clergy
The Nations

This country is populated mostly by humans,
although there is a wide variety of other
races that living there. Laythwren, the
Deorn
capital, is the city that the champion of

Kayleth was born in, a thousand years ago.
Population: Dwarf 95%, Other 5%
Within the walls of the capital lies the Grand
Trade: Laythwren, Baronies
Library of Mishra. In recent times, the faiths
Major Faiths: Kayleth, Mellina, Mishra.
have taken a dramatic hold on the land;
Minor Faiths: Bacchus, Gyellina
the temples whose members remembered
Military: Strong, Legendary Defence
the history of the War have become great
Technology: Advanced
powers in the land. The combined might of
Magic: Powerful clergy, little to no Secular
the Templars and the Academics, along
Casters.
with the sheer volume of Laythwren’s

population, solidify the nation as a

dominant power in the land.
The dwarves remain in their mountain home
Before the War of Redemption, Laythwren
of Deorn, where they made their last stand
was ruled by a King. Since that time, no king
during the War of Redemption. In the last
has sat the Throne of the Sun. The history is
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rife with tales of attempted succession, for
the King of Laythwren would rule all the Races: Human 45%, Halfling 20%, Elf 15%,
human nations. Other 20%
Laythwren trades with Epertoch and Maitlyn, Trade: Laythwren, Epertoch, Arborthost,
as well as with all the Baronies. Laythwren Johanna, Luceas, Lands across the sea.
holds ambassadors from Arborthost and Major Faiths: Bacchus, Rathelle, Other
Deorn as guests, and has ambassadors of its Minor Faiths: Gyellina, Other
own in those nations. There are all sorts of Military: Average Army, Strong Merchant
trades taking place within Laythwren, as Fleet, Strong Pirate presence.
well as many libraries and centres of Technology: Average
learning. As far as military might goes, Magic: Average
Laythwren is the most powerful of all of the
human Nations. Maitlyn is the shipping nation. Their capitol is
the massive port city Maylassa. Massive
shipping networks shuttles goods to
Laythwren, Epertoch, Arborthost as well as
with Johanna and Luceas. Rumour has it
Epertoch that they also trade with the lands across
the sea, although the existence of such
Races: Human 40%, Halfling 35%, Elf 20%, lands has never been confirmed. They deal
Other 5% in exotic foods, spices, clothing and
Trade Partners: Laythwren, Maitlyn, Johanna tapestries. Many rare and unusual items
Minor Faiths: Gyellina, Bacchus enter the rest of the lands through Maitlyn.
Minor Faiths: Mellina, Kayleth This nation is populated mostly by humans,
Military: Militia only elves and Halflings. Other races live there as
Navy: Large Merchant Fleet, Strong Navy well, but find it difficult unless they have
Technology: Low great skills in navigation, shipping or
Magic: Average pirateering. Maitlyn has a great fleet of
merchant ships as well as military ships.
Epertoch is populated primarily by humans Despite their vast navy, Maitlyn is known as
and Halflings, although there are a fair the Pirate Nation and many unprepared
number of elves. There are quite a few merchant ship fall prey to viscous rogues.
Dwarves, Elves and also a high number of Despite it unsavoury reputation, or perhaps
Fae. Halflings are originally from Epertoch, because of it, Maitlyn is know for its
namely the capitol Suns Dale. There are not tolerance and variety of inhabitants.
very many temples, universities or great Rumours of dark faiths being practiced in
centres of learning in Epertoch, although Maitlyn abound, but the nation appears
there are several temples to Gyellina and unable or unwilling to put them to an end.
Bacchus, including the Grand Hall of
Bacchus. Epertoch mainly trades with
Laythwren and Maitlyn, although they do Baron Luceas
trade occasionally with the Baroness
Johanna. They are fairly sheltered by Race: Half-Elf
Laythwren, and so have a very small army. Age: 350 Years
They do, however, have a fairly large
merchant fleet and their elf made ships are Races: Human 50%, Elf 25%, Other 25%
said to be the fasted in the world. Trade: Maitlyn, Johanna, Gregorin
Major Faiths: Kayleth, Rathelle
Minor Faiths: Mellina, Mishra
Maitlyn
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