Hi Everyone!

My husband and I are both long-time LARPers (NERO and elsewhere), and we're shortly moving from Austin, TX to the Denver area. We're interested in getting some information about your chapter.

* I see that you're working on building a new website. Is the information on your website in general still correct -- Is your main campaign still running in a Roman Empire-inspired setting?

* Does this chapter run only one campaign?

* Are you still running at Beaver Ranch, and is it about 1 hour outside of Denver, give or take?

* Do your cabins have electricity, and are there showers with hot water available?

* Do you run a full tavern service at your weekend events?

* On average, how many player characters attend your events, and how many full-time staff/NPCs at each event?

* Do you require volunteer service ("monster shift") from your PCs at events?

* What would you say is the average age of your player base, give or take?

* Would you say that your game culture has a strong PVP component?

* Any other details about the culture among your players, campsite, or events that you think would be helpful for new players to know?

Thanks much! Looking forward to meeting you in the future,
Trace

Greetings and future welcomes to Colorado,

To answer your questions;
-Yes we have one campaign, its a romanesque setting. The main game setting is the very small town of Stratos on the furthest western boarder of Galerus.
-We are still at beaver ranch. If your on the west side of Denver metro its about 30-40 minutes away. For those of us on the east side Aurora area its just about an hour.
-Our sight has 8 cabins and the tavern building. The cabins have some bunks and electric (nothing else) The tavern has a small kitchen, showers and bathrooms. And YES we have hot water :) Ever important in the winters here wit a year round game.
- The site is wonderful for tent camping and the weather is usually accomdating for it from may-sept though some choose to do so even in winter months (yup we think they are crazy too ) ;)
-As we do play year round players bring electric or gas heaters to heat their cabins in winter.

- Sunscreen! Absolute importance. Although we dont get the same high temps of heat you may be used to, you can burn 3 times as fast at the elevation.
-Our site is nearly 10k above sea level. Drink water, lots of it and make sure to know your limits. It can take around 6 months for some people to adapt to the elevation and you can go from tired to exhausted and dehydrated quickly if you do not pay attention to the warning signs.

-The tavern is run on a volunteer basis by players. So who is running and whats going on can and does change; info is usually posted here on the forums about 2 weeks before an event.

-Our events ranged in size last year from 48-117 with an average in the high 50s.
-We have a plot/monster master team of 6 with npcs varying. We do encourage NPC stints for set numbers of events with bonuses based on the amount of time committed to.
-We do not require a monster shift but it is encouraged and players receive an extra half blanket for a 4 hour shift. Players can earn up to an extra full blanket with npc time at an event.
-Although our players ages range from young teens to mid 60's our average is late 20s

-Metagamed pvp (i just wanna beat up that player type thing) isn't allowed. But in-game PVP does happen, though it is not excessive.
- We have a good roleplay based game with a broad variety of non-human races.
- our list of current playtests are here http://www.neroempire.com/Empire%20Current%20Rules%20and%20Policy.pdf, we are also a 8.0 rules and base 5 spell chapter. (we do not currently use armor suite, smithing or dex armor)

Feel free to hit me up with any additional questions :)
You can also contact our plot team at EmpireIBGA@gmail.com

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~ Shannon
Empire Player Liaison

* From the photos on your website, it looks like most players go with traditional Renn faire type costumes rather than Roman-inspired costuming. Is that about right?
-yes most of our players opt for standard renn faire or medieval/fantasy type garb. A large portion of our players started in other chapters and wear style similar to what they used there.

* Are there color restrictions for costumes new players should know about, like not wearing purple for example?
-Nope

* I read that your chapter does not allow use of latex weapons; is that information current? If so, I further read that flat-bladed style weapons are "encouraged," but are the basic NERO round foam PVC core weapons acceptable?
-Latex weapons do not do well with our ever changing weather or at the altitude so no we do not allow them. Flat blade and standard boffer are both allowed.

* Are there any unusual color restrictions for weapons that we need to know about?
-not really. Players are encouraged to color coordinate if they have an elemental weapon but no actual restrictions besides red: being flame or claws.

* What style of archery does your chapter use? (Real bows with padded arrows, packets with streamers, or thrown weapon type birdseed projectiles?)
-we have the packet archery: birdseed packets with streamers and the boffer rep of the bow.

* What are the color restrictions for various packets in use in your chapter (spell, alchemy, and so forth)?
-Alchemy is orange and arrows have a 12-18 inch tail.

* The local errata mentions the special rules for Pick Locks. Does your chapter use pickable locks, or the 60-second automatic success rule?
-Lockpicks are illegal in colorado without a license. So we use auto success after 60 seconds and occasionally either a bead draw or puzzle if its a particularly difficult lock.

* Where can we get information about the campaign area suitable to fuel our character histories?
-That would be from me. Contact me via email or im and I am happy to help you.

* Are there any cultural restrictions within the game that wary new players should know about? For example, Biata are allowed within the rules, but Caesar's ex-wife ran off with one so they're now all Kill On Sight -- or The great miners' rebellion 3 years ago put everyone from that profession subject to arrest? Perhaps all local children are raised from birth with training in Craftsman: Short-Order Cook, and if our characters don't have that skill, everyone will look at us funny? ;)
-all citizens of the empire must be able to read and write and be of the age of 14. Non citizens are required to gain a weapon/spell permit and visitor visa ingame.

:) we are you looking at being in Colorado?

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~ Shannon
Empire Player Liaison

Odd

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Trace - As one old school Ravenholter to another, I can tell you I had a BLAST in the "Romanesque" setting when a few of us went out to CO for their first national event. Especially coming from traditional noble based environs, it made a nice change of pace for the governance. If it's still an in game law, one of the best laws ever is their "if accused of a crime, you must be tried and punished by sunset of the same day or the opportunity has passed." Oh, the awesomeness of no long drawn out trials. BTW, glad you caught up with JA - I saw him at Alaric's this past weekend and he mentioned you were in touch.

-Rachel aka Ajahana and Kia'Amat

Could someone tell me where to find information on starting money and items for new characters?

Thanks,
Trace

Can you tell me, or direct me to information about spellbooks? At one time when I played in the past, spellcasters had to carry their spellbook on their person at all times. Is that still the rule? If so, do most players carry a rep for their spellbook (and are there rules as to how this has to be prepared?), or do players just carry the card/tag for the item?

Will new player spellcasters receive a full spellbook up to their highest level, or does the player need to pick and choose only certain spells?

Also, is "cast on the fly" still in play in NERO, or did it revert to spellcasters having to memorize particular spells for the day at Logistics?

Thanks,
Trace

Cushman, thanks for the information!

Is just a book rep with the tag in it okay for the spellbook, or would the game like to see an actual old fashioned spellbook with one page for every spell, verbals written out and so forth?

Thanks again,
Trace

Yup Cush is correct, cast on the fly and the only book you have to carry is for cantrips.
As for the spells in your book you will get all the base spells up to your highest level plus a few extras of some higher for room to grow. All the playtest spells however you usually have to find in game. ie doom, circle of harmony ect.

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~ Shannon
Empire Player Liaison

Trace again with yet more new player questions! :)

We're bringing another new player to the next event with us, and he is interested in playing an archer. I just wanted to go over some local Archery rules & restrictions to make sure we've got it right:

* Packets with 12" ribbon streamers, right? Any color restrictions for the packets?
* Boffer bows can be used for blocking, right? Is any special skill (One-Handed Blocking?) required for this, or does it come with the base Archery skill?
* Any special rules about time spent "restringing" the bow after using it to block?
* Can a bow used for blocking also be used in a Two Weapon combination as the long weapon; i.e., is Bow/Short Sword a viable fighting style?

Anything else we should know about local Archery rules?

Thanks even more for everything!
Trace (Forge)

Okey doke, let's see if I can help ya out from a rules perspective.

* Packets with 12" ribbon streamers, right? Any color restrictions for the packets?
Yes, packets with streamers. No color restrictions on the packets, except for no orange ones.

* Boffer bows can be used for blocking, right? Is any special skill (One-Handed Blocking?) required for this, or does it come with the base Archery skill?
Boffer bows may be used for blocking against one hit, after which you take damage when the weapon is hit, until the bow can be restrung (with a three second count to do so). There's not really a skill you can buy to help with that, bows just aren't meant to be used in melee combat.

* Any special rules about time spent "restringing" the bow after using it to block?
Three seconds. You're supposed to roleplay getting a new string, putting it on, etc., but the only restriction on time is three seconds.

* Can a bow used for blocking also be used in a Two Weapon combination as the long weapon; i.e., is Bow/Short Sword a viable fighting style?
Again, you can do it once, so, uhh, yeah, you can totally block with it for that one hit!

By the way, specific rules for bows/crossbows are in the rulebook, page 83, under the "Weapons" section.

Hope that helps!

-Mac McCammon

Upon reflection...

I'm a big fan of efforts that encourages players to use varied weapon types in the game instead of the same ole 2 blades, or sword 'n' board. I think it brings color and variety into the game, and therefore makes the fantasy seem more alive, and the game more interesting.

That said, is there any specific reason this chapter goes with the rule above that boffer bows can only block 1 hit? May I put forth a request for The Powers That Be to reconsider this rule? Here's what I'm thinking:

1. Making bows combat-safe is required anyway, so this isn't really a safety issue to use for repeated blocking.
2. Combat safe bows are actually kind of a giant pain in the neck to make (and look cool). If a player goes to all that trouble, seems like the ability to actually, you know, use the weapon in combat might be a cool reward for the effort.
3. Opening up Archery as a valid combat style (that can continually block) would encourage more players to play archers, adding variety and diversity to the game
4. "War spear" (1-Handed Edged) basically performs the same purpose for blocking as a longbow would, but also causes damage (which a bow cannot by itself, in melee). As safety purposes goes, the equivalent is already in use. Therefore it's unlikely that this change will inspire a Powergaming run on difficult-to-make bows just to get a new blocking weapon since War Spear was already more easily available anyhow.
5. Personally, I've always loved NERO's "Be all you can't be" motto as the answer to supposed "realism." I think fun should always trump realism in any debate. If we already require the time for "restringing," why not say the solid part of the bow can block many hits instead of just one... which sort of implies that it was the string that blocked that one hit, and once that's cut, forget it! No blocking for you -- one year!
6. [Edited to add:]Archery is wicked expensive for a weapon skill that is ostensibly offense-only. In fact, it's the second most expensive single weapon skill in the game, second only to 2-Handed Sword (which blocks): F (6) / R (10) / S (15) / T (12). That's a lot of Build to sink into a skill, and the ability to block with the bow would make that Build expenditure far more useful.
7. This strikes me as a rule easy to add to local errata since it doesn't require a change of Build, phys reps, or advance notice to travelers. While you're here, block all you want! Then go home and be sad because your powers of Archery are far less awesome there.

So, purdy please with rainbow sprinkles on top, PTBs (Powers That Be), won't you please discuss this issue, and consider a possible change to the local rules on blocking with boffer bows?

Thanks for your consideration,
Trace (Forge)

To play both sides of the discussion here...I'm good with whatever, as most people know I can't hit myself with a packet if I tried...

Problems with bows being able to block:
- I've seen chapters where they 100% let bows block. For low level players, not a big deal. For highlevels though, it really imbalances things, as the archer might be throwing a 4th level spell (20dmg) but can keep taking hits and throwing. The restring count is definitely the way to go to balance this. Render or no, a restring count is a good idea, even if it is a pain. Think of it as an "interrupt" on a spellcaster.

Problems with bows:
- Not blocking at all is horribly imbalancing to the archer...who would want to play a melee'r that can't block? Two solutions I've seen are below.
Solution 1: "A bow is a 2 hand weapon." In this solution, the bow can block twice one-handed, but the archer must then put their other hand on it OR drop it on the 3rd hit.
Solution 2: "A bow must be no larger overall than a short sword, but otherwise, why not let it block?" In this case, you can block endlessly one-handed, but must still restring if struck as a tradeoff for having range.

Hey Mac, where in the Rulebook does it say that you can only block once? I just read the Archery section, and all it says is once it's used to block, it must be 'restrung' before you can throw more arrows. Nowhere can I find a limit on the amount of times you can block.It's always been my understanding that you can block all you want with a bow.

And Jim, how is the bow in an offhand really any more effective for a caster than a One-Handed Spear? I'd see it as less so, since it's max size is smaller, the curve changes the blocking idea entirely, and you don't need to 'restring' to toe-poke and pop protectives like Displacement.


Could we please get a Weapon Marshall or a Plot Member to give us a ruling here? Thanks.

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SCB Killcount: 17

SCB CaptureCount: 1

I believe (I may be wrong) Jim was actually refering to a fighter, not a caster, using a bow and throwing 20's would be equivilant to a caster throwing flamebolts (both are packet delivered) The caster would be interupted by any hit, and the spell would fail, whereas the fighter would still be firing off arrows, and blocking during the process (an amazing talent I would love to see in practice until someone get's a bow to the face and ends up in the ER with a broken nose). He said if a bow were allowed to block 100% (without a restring count) it would be unbalanced.

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"There's a blue hydra eating the town, isn't it a pretty day outside? I'm thirsty." Bard

Tenemental (-ing). Verb. The act of calling one's incants, vocals, and effects faster than the vocal cords can handle. -ed. -er

Hey man, you're totally tenementaling your alchemy, could you please enunciate?

Syn. Igiftchadeath

So if I'm reading correctly ...

Bow can block all day / night but must re-string on a 3 count before firing.

Can anyone authorized to make rules calls confirm?

Thanks!

jose

Could someone tell me the name or names of the person(s) who are authorized to make the official call on this blocking with bows thing?

Thanks,
Trace (Forge)