The Pandemonium Canon

    (Source document : http://www.knowyourfate.com/loom/behindthe/canon/canontoc.html)

    This volume contains the rules and game mechanics which define how Pandemonium characters interact in situations which are too dangerous or impossible to be performed by the player during the performance.

    To understand this rules system you should first become aquainted with its basic concepts and terminology. After you've absorbed those ideas you can move on to the description of the attributes which define your character's mental and physical strengths. Once you've become familiar with the use of your character's inborn traits you should examine your character's abilities and the game mechanics which govern what your character can do.

    Combat is a small part of Pandemonium performances, but since it has potenially hazardous and contentious consequences it is handle by a clearly defined system. To assist in your comprehension of this system take a look at the examples of combat being performed.

    Basic Concepts

    Our characters are not limited by human frailties as we are. They have supernatural powers and expanded abilities beyond our own. Because we cannot actually do many of the things our characters can do (sprout fangs, turn into mist, juggle) these "extra" attributes and abilities are defined by the scores and cards used by the Pandemonium rules system.

    Most role-playing systems involve rolling lots of dice, Pandemonium does not. There are two systems used in pandemonium to determine the success of actions made by characters. The first is reality. If a player, as their character, really can convince the shift manager of the Hotel coffee shop to give them a clove of garlic and a banana then they succeed. The real personal and technical skills of the Players are used when characters want to perform most actions. When characters wish to perform actions which would be impossible or unsafe for the Player to really perform (such as combat or magic) a contest is performed instead.

    The contest is the method of resolving physical or supernatural conflicts between characters. In a contest one character uses their attribute and/or ability scores in a bidding contest against the scores of the opposing character. The character who initiates the contest begins the bidding by bidding a number between 1 and their total score. The opponent responds with a bid of their own which is higher than the previous bid. Bidding continues, just like at an auction, until one of the opponents runs out of points. It is stated in the rules covering the different kinds of situations when contests are necessary and what scores are used in each case. In general; physical situations will require a Brawn Bidding Contest and mental or magical situations will require a Psyche Bidding Contest.

    Terminology

    Ability :
    A skill or discipline which the character has learned to use.

    Attribute :
    The basic inborn traits of the character.

    Bidding :
    The method for resolving a Contest.

    Character :
    The combination of personality and scores created by the Player and Gamemaster.

    Contest :
    The basic system for resolving physical or magical conflicts between characters.

    Combat :
    The specific process for resolving physical conflicts between characters.

    Discipline :
    The supernatural abilities of a character.

    Enchanted :
    An item which is made magical by a spell.

    Gamemaster/Storyteller :
    The individual or individuals who run a role-playing game. In Pandemonium, the gamemaster is called God.

    Player :
    The individual who plays the part of a character in a game.

    Skill :
    The mundane abilities of a character.

    Spell :
    A manipulation of magical energy to create an effect.

    Supernatural :
    A creature which is born magical, or one of the inborn abilites of a magical creature.

    Attributes

    There are 3 attribute scores in the game: Psyche, Brawn, and Blood. Each of these attributes has a "Maximum Capacity" score and a "Pool" score. These scores are based on a character's species (vampire, human, were, etc.), age, and how much experience they have.

      Psyche

      Psyche is a character's raw magical strength (i.e. life force). There are two Psyche scores: the Psyche Maximum Capacity which designates the maximum amount of Psyche a character's soul can contain, and the Psyche Pool which shows how many Psyche points are available to the character at any specific time. Points from the Psyche Pool are spent when using mental disciplines and in spellcasting.

      During play a character will use up the points in their Psyche Pool. When you spend points from your character's Psyche Pool you must subtract those points from the Psyche Pool score on the attribute card (pictured above). Your character will also have the opportunity to restore points to their Psyche Pool. The circumstances in which you get to do this are described in the Monster Manual description for your character's species.

      Brawn

      Brawn is a character's physical strength, quickness, dexterity, stamina, constitution and health level. There are two Brawn scores: the Brawn Maximum Capacity which designates the highest a character's Brawn can naturally go up to when they are fully healthy, and the Brawn Pool which shows how many Brawn points are available to the character at any specific time. A character's Brawn Pool fluctuates according to how much physical damage they have recently sustained. The Brawn Pool is the base score for use in combat bidding.

      During play a character will use up the points in their Brawn Pool. When you spend points from your character's Brawn Pool you must subtract those points from the Brawn Pool score on the attribute card (pictured above). Your character will also have the opportunity to restore points to their Brawn Pool. The circumstances in which you get to do this are described in the Monster Manual description for your character's species.

      Blood

      A character's Blood score is the amount of blood contained in their body. There are two Blood scores: the Blood Maximum Capacity which designates the maximum amount of blood a character's system can contain, and the Blood Pool which shows how much blood a character's system contains at any specific time. Points from the Blood Pool are spent when using physical disciplines.

      During play a character will use up the points in their Blood Pool. When you spend points from your character's Blood Pool you must subtract those points from the Blood Pool score on the attribute card (pictured above). Your character will also have the opportunity to restore points to their Blood Pool. The circumstances in which you get to do this are described in the Monster Manual description for your character's species.

    Abilities

    Abilities are things that your character can do well that you cannot. Physical skills and physical and mental supernatural powers (called Disciplines) are among the extraordinary things your character may be able to do.

      Skills

      Skills are normal physical abilities which are too dangerous to really be performed in live action. All skills are for use in combat. Every character will have a card which lists what skills they have. The number next to the skill name is the level the character has attained in that skill. A character's skill levels are added to their bidding score in combat. To use a skill, the character must have it listed on their Skill Card and have any of the "tools" necessary for its implementation.

      Disciplines

      Disciplines are the supernatural powers that your character can use because they are a magical creature. Obviously you (the player) cannot transform into a wolf or become invisible, but your character may be able to. In Pandemonium Discipline Cards can be played whenever you want your character to use one of her/his special powers. On the each card is a description of the disciplines effect and how it is to be used. Disciplines will have either a Physical or Mental effect.

      Physical Disciplines

      A Physical Discipline affects the body of the character using it. It either adds its score to the character's Brawn Pool for use in combat bidding or it just allows the character to use the ability. Special abilities that may be conferred on a character by the use of a discipline include; manipulation of their own Blood Pool, discerning information from tasting the blood of others, increasing their own the strength, manipulating their body's form, and healing their body and the bodies of others.

      To use a Physical Discipline the character must have the appropriate card and spend 1 Blood point. Other requirements for the use of individual disciplines are listed on the specific Discipline Cards.

      Mental Disciplines

      Mental Disciplines effect the mind, emotions, and soul. To use a specific power you must satisfy all requirements listed on the discipline card and spend one Psyche point from your Psyche Pool. A detailed description of the effect of each discipline is listed on its card.

      Mental disciplines don't "just work" like physical disciplines do. Mental disciplines usually end up affecting another character and the character being affected usually gets a chance to counter the effect. In these cases a contest is held. There are three different kinds of contests between mental disciplines: Card Contests, Level Contests, and Psyche Contests. The type of contest required for each discipline is clearly marked on the discipline card.

        Card Contest

        These disciplines will work unless the opponent has the appropriate counter discipline. EXAMPLE: "Unseen Presence" always works against anyone, unless they have and use the ability "See Hidden."

        Level Contest

        These disciplines will work unless the opponent has the appropriate counter discipline of equal or higher level. EXAMPLE: "Command: Level 3" will work against those without the ability to resist and those with "Resist Command: Level 2" and lesser, but will not work against those with "Resist Command: Level 3" or more.

        Psyche Contest

        To use these disciplines a character must use points from their Psyche Pool combined with the score on the card in a bidding contest against their victim's Psyche Pool(plus the score on the appropriate countering ability if they have it). EXAMPLE: "True Faith +10" and a top Psyche Bid of 12 verses someone with "Resist True Faith +0" and a top Psyche Bid of 20, (22 vs. 20) resister loses. "True Faith +10" and a top Psyche Bid of 12 verses someone with "Resist True Faith +5" and a top Psyche Bid of 20, (22 vs. 25) resister wins. The victim also has the option to not resist the power, thereby not spending the psyche in a bidding.

    Combat

    Hacking and slashing is not what Live Action gaming is about, characters are strongly encouraged to find more original ways of resolving their problems. But, when wit and creativity fail you, you may resort to the violence we lovingly refer to as Combat. When one character wishes to physically attack another character the only permissible way to do so is by using Pandemonium's combat system. Violent or aggressive physical contact between Players in our live action games is strictly forbidden. In a live action game combat will often occur without God present to referee. It is therefore the responsibility of the Player to be familiar with the rules and know how to use them. If you do no feel comfortable with your knowledge of the rules, or if you and your opponent disagree about the interpretation of a rule, pause combat and get God or a Rules Lawyer to help you.

      The 4 Steps of Combat

      The Combat System consists of 4 Steps; Step 1 - Initiate Combat, Step 2 - Calculate Scores, Step 3 - Bidding Contest, and Step 4 - Result. Each of these steps is clearly explained on the Pandemonium Combat Sheet. All steps of combat must be completed in the correct order. If you skip a step you may be overlooking something which could save your character's life. Once a step is completed it may not be returned to. Combatants may not go back and change any calculation or decisions made in a previous step.

      Note -- It is not always necessary to use the combat system to kill or subdue another character. If a character is already unconscious, subdued, or willing to die without a fight, Combat is not necessary. You can do anything to them that you like; heh, heh, heh.

      Safety First!

      One of the limitations of live action roleplaying is that, as players, we must keep in mind the safety of ourselves and the mundanes around us. When your characters are confronted with overwhelmingly dangerous situations, they would sometimes chose to Run Away! It is not safe for us to run through the hallways of a crowded hotel, just like it is not safe for us to wield swords menacingly in those same hallways. If another character approaches you and you want to escape from them, you must announce the Escape Phrase "Brave Sir Robin!" to them before they enter your combat zone. Your combat zone is circle around you with a radius of 5 feet (you are at the center of the circle, by the way). For a quick and dirty checking of the radius each player hold out your hands directly towards each other and if your fingers can touch you are in each other's combat zones. If you have not announced the escape phrase before the other character enters your combat zone, tough luck, deal with them pink boy. The escape phrase no longer works if you are within another character's combat zone or if the combat phrase has been called. When the escape phrase is successfully called the caller must leave the area and the other character must not pursue them for 5 minutes. The Combat Phrase is "Bite me, fanboy!" When the Combat Phrase is called role-playing stops and Combat begins.

      The following is a list of yet more rules which must be followed during every step of combat:

      1. There are no referees in combat so be honest. It may be painful, but remember this is just a game.
      2. NO violent contact between players in combat.
      3. NO drawn weapons during combat.
      4. Once combat has started combat doesn't end until all characters have finished Step 4.
      5. A character may not share or give Psyche, Blood, Brawn, Skill, Discipline, and/or Force points to any other character without a spell or device that allows them to.
      6. Any object (talisman, weapon, etc.) can only be used by one character during combat.
      7. As a character uses a Discipline, Spell, or Skill they must spend the required Psyche, Blood, or Brawn points during the Stage they use it in.
      8. A Gizmo may only be used in Combat if its effect is continuous or if it triggers automatically.

      How to Use these Rules

      This section deals with the application of these combat rules in our live action games.

        Knowledge is Power

        In a live action game the player must often be their own rules referee. Because of this it is vital that all Players are familiar with the rules and with the information on their character sheets. If there is a dispute during combat and a God is not available to referee, the dispute cam be decided by the players. Naturally, the most informed Player will usually prevail. If you do not understand or haven't bothered to read your character sheet your character's life will be in dire jeopardy when it comes down to the time when you have to start using that information in combat. Knowledge of the rules and familiarity with your character's scores and cards will greatly increase your character's chance of survival or even success in combat.

        When Combat Occurs

        Combat can occur in our live action game at any time when two or more characters are present in the gaming space. You are only exempt from being engaged in combat during a game when you are wearing "Off Duty" and have left the gaming area. Remember, a God does not need to be present for combat to occur!

        Necessary Materials

        To be prepared for Combat, while you are in character you should carry with you the following items:

        1. A copy of this page (the Combat Rules).
        2. Your character's Attribute Card.
        3. Your character's Skill and Discipline Cards.
        4. A pen or pencil.
        5. A Pandemonium Combat Sheet

      Examples

      This section is under construction.