Player characters may not intentionally attack one another (or interfere in such fights, such as by healing) unless both characters are opted into player versus player combat (PvP), a process referred to as “flagging.” The following rules apply to flagging.
How to Flag
- New Players Cannot Flag: A player may not flag until after their third event, and so may not perform anything that counts as a flagged play.
- Always Voluntary: There is no situation in which you can be forced to flag. You may flag at any time, and it is always your choice to do so.
- Red Armbands: You flag by tying a red armband around your upper arm. This armband must be visible at all times while you are in play.
- Duration: You begin each event unflagged unless you instigated PvP during the last shift you were in play. Once you flag, you must remain flagged for the remainder of the event.
- No White on Red: A flagged character may not be out of play in an in-play area unless they are Blinking, left to their fate, or performing a game function such as den duty. This restriction is lifted during breaks.
Flagged Plays
A flagged play is any in-game action that can only be undertaken while flagged. The process of flagging a play involves a character calling a hold, declaring what action they are flagging, flagging themselves if not already flagged, and allowing anyone else nearby a chance to do so. Flagging a play that is made in front of others must always be done as a warning; a play may not be flagged after the fact. You may flag any action or play you’d like with narrator approval. Overuse of this action may result in a warning and disciplinary action if it is deemed to be used in bad faith or to bully players into submission.
- Story Actions: Narrators and unflagged characters may flag an action taken as part of a story unless doing so would require a character to flag just to participate in the story or to defend themselves from attack. Because they represent the interests of characters not present, narrators may flag a story action as often as they wish. Characters that make a flaggable play in secret may not always be flagged at that time, but may be forced to flag if the action is ever discovered later. Narrators should advise players of this before they take the secretive action.
- Fighting Words: Antagonistic language, such as the use of in-game racial slurs (e.g., “Gonk!”) or overt support for NPC villains (e.g., “All hail Dhuroscht!”), can be flagged at any time without narrator approval. The offending player may choose to flag and fight, or must stop the antagonistic language.
Killing & Stealing
- Flagging and Fate: Characters subdued or slain in PvP follow the same rules as ordinary fate. However, if you are flagged and remain with a flagged character who has been slain until they report to the Dragon’s Den, you may accompany them out of play and specify the card they draw.
- Contested Resurrection: If you die while flagged, whether or not it is the result of PvP, it is possible for other flagged characters to interfere with your resurrection. If the ritual is contested in this way, it counts as a flagged play.
- Thievery: Whether or not both players are flagged, thievery (i.e., involuntarily taking treasure) is still prohibited. Robbery is possible, but requires you to coerce the other character to voluntarily relinquish their treasure (e.g., “your money or your life”). Note that searching an incapacitated character for a restorative item you then use on their behalf does not count as thievery or PvP.
Non-PvP
Some combat between characters does not qualify as PvP. Abuse of these exceptions is a rules violation that may be subject to disciplinary measures.
- Dueling: Any character, including unflagged characters, may engage in a duel. Duels are strictly voluntary; all duelists must agree to participate beforehand, and other characters may not interfere. The duelists may likewise stipulate any number of terms for the duel (e.g., forfeiture of treasure, restrictions on the use of certain abilities, healing for the loser, compulsion of public apology, etc.). If an unflagged character is involved in the duel, these terms must be honored.
- Frenzy: The Frenzy combat effect forces you to fight the closest available target even if that character is an unflagged player. Because this is a compulsion, it does not count as intentional and so does not qualify as PvP. Neither does subduing the Frenzied character to stop the Frenzy.
- Friendly Fire: Errant attacks originating from or hitting unflagged players do not count as intentional and so do not qualify as PvP.