PvP Combat (Rules)

Season Four The server this season is /pvp intent using the Tot!Chat feature while within the populated build area, and attack on site (AOS was War Mode) when outside of the build zone. The fair grounds are a role-play enforced safe zone.

Main Change: Instead of PvP Intention vs PvP AoS being location based, it will be time based. Instead of PvP Intent within the build zone and PvP AoS outside the build zone, there will be PvP Intent Days and PvP AoS days.

The Rules

1. /PvP Intent is to be used within the build zone during non PvP Days.
2. Elsewhere it is attack on sight.
3. Fair grounds are a role-play enforced safe-zone (not staff-enforced).
4. Off map locations, including any dungeons are NO PVP. If you warp into an area and it's in the parchment edges of the map, no PvP is allowed.

Valid Gorean Reason

Your reason for attacking must be within Gorean guidelines. Please note below the restriction on causes for those new to Gor.

Stealing Items

Players are allowed to take items off your body when you are unconscious or bound. You are required to allow access to this. More details on what is generally taken and what isn't can be found here.

Fast Travel

It is unacceptable to use /warp, /home, /return or any other mechanical exit during a PvP fight -- including logging off. Please wait until the scene is completed and normal IC/OOC dialog is possible. If in doubt ask the other players.

It is acceptable to escape via a caravan, however, a full role-play post of no less then 3 sentences should be made before hand - allowing your attacker a chance to catch up and to simulate the fact that joining a caravan is not instantaneous.

Loading In

It is never acceptable to attack someone while they are loading in. If an avatar logs in, warps in, or anything else that would naturally require the area to LOAD - don't attack them without making sure they are able to respond.

This is not to say caravans are safe zones - they are not. But attacking someone who just arrived at a caravan point is not okay. You must give them a sporting chance and not use game lag to your advantage.

Down is NOT out

• A knockout does not imply the inability to get back up and either flee or fight. However, a knockout will generate a 5-minute wounded debuff that will take 100 points of stamina and 200 points of health. This should keep the fight from being overly prolonged.
• If you want a player to stay down you are required to bind them using mechanical bindings or extend their unconscious timer.
• You can also "finish the player" when they are knocked out. Note: this will issue a Conan death and send the player back to their bed/bedroll - they are NOT required to return if you do this.
• Aiding someone while they are knocked out is also a valid part of the fight.

AOS: Attack Mode

1. Allowed outside of the build area during PvP days, but not within off-map locations.
2. Sportsmanship and Gorean reasons are required! ("I'm a bad dude har har fight me." is NOT okay.)

Attack on sight is NOT a free pass to avoid role-play. Most of our community role-plays both before and after PvP even when utilizing Attack on Site. Match the spirit of the community that puts role-play over PvP.

PvP Intent

1. During non PvP Days. On the days when PvP is disabled, mechanical conflict resolution will require the placing of a battle flag to allow PvP with the area.
2. Significant and satisfying role-play is required. That means a reasonable exchange of posts. Less than three exchanges of RP posts are cause for challenging a player with a failure to role-play. (Do this by opening a ticket with screenshots/logs.)
3. You must indicate your ooc intention to attack with /PvP Intent *intended action emote* and then wait for an agreement /PVP Accept *intended action emote*.
4. Once /PvP Intent is declared all players in hearing CHAT range are required to stay in the area. The scene is considered locked and players may not leave without declaring /PvP Accept *flee intention emote*.

PvP Intent Declared: Scene is Locked

Once /PvP Intent is declared you can not leave the scene until you respond with /PvP Accept *intent action emote*. Please note that if you are in HEARING range of the chat and can see /PvP Intent declared you are obligated to respond even if you are in a building, up a tree, or at a crafting station.

When all have responded then /PVP Start can be used to begin a countdown.

Play fair guys. Seriously. Don't try to game the rules, be a rules lawyer or anything of the like.

PvP Intent Declared: Scene MOVED

Becomes unlikely if a battle standard has to be used to allow the PvP and unnecessary during PvP days. Sometimes the scene will move from where it began to a new location. When this happens the scene is no longer locked. It is unrealistic to expect players to ignore a fight if it rolls up on them - especially if it involves a clan mate.

To be clear this situation is for when a fight already in progress moves from where it began and rolls up ONTO you. If you roll up on a fight already in play you may not join. This is to stop people from calling friends to help out of character.

In this case, a judgment call needs to be made.

• Is it time to call an RP Hold and re-issue intent?
• Will a quick PvP Accept *intent action emote* by the new player be enough?
• Or will you simply acknowledge the fact that there are now valid reinforcements and retreats?

PvP Intent in the Build Zone along Merchant Road

If /PvP Intent is issued within the build zone the following scenarios are the most by the book.

Please keep in mind that unlike Season 3, the whole highlighted build area is under either Nordhagen or Aurumvale civic law which generally protects slaves and free women from theft or capture. However, not all who travel on the Merchant Road respect the area's civic law.

• Free man to Free Man - this is assumed to be a challenge to a duel.
• Free man to Free Woman or Slave with NPC Thralls - this is assumed to be a challenge to the Free Woman's Guards (NPC Thralls) or the Free Man (NPC Thrall) who is with the slave, and it is a handled just the same as Free man to Free man with the player RPing the response of their thralls.
• Free man to Free Woman (or disguised panther girl) without Guards - Free women are protected within the influence of civic law (which is the highlighted build area) and can pretty much say and do what they wish.
  If however, they are acting in ways that would be considered conduct unbecoming a free woman, they should be coffled (collared with rope) and take to the town hall for review by the town administration. They are NOT enslaved at this point and should be treated with respect due a free woman.
  However, if the woman and the man are not of the same civic law, either because one is from Aurumvale and the other Nordhagen, or if one of them is from a settlement with local laws, the free woman may be captured. Don't dally on the high bridges!
• Free man to slave without Guards - Slaves are not required to have guards while traveling in the build area. However, they can be punished for any infraction by any free person and are expected to submit to the punishment.
• Free man to suspected panther without Guards - They are most likely to flee and should be allowed to! They may also try and keep up the pretense they are free women and accept a coffle and trip to the magistrate.

Running before /PvP Intent is declared

If /PvP Intent is not yet declared you are allowed to run at any point during the RP exchange but you must post an emote about running and finish the post with either ((PvP Flee)) or ((RP Flee)). ((PvP Flee)) gives them permission to attack you, ((RP Flee)) assumes you will run a reasonable distance and wait for them to "catch up".

If you typed ((RP Flee)) they can chase you and continue to role-play

• They can't "fast post" /PvP Intent just to stop you
• They can not just hack you down or shoot you in the back
• If they continue to chase you, you may not log off, warp, or run full tilt across the map to avoid the role-play. You can however get to your home and lock yourself in.

If you declare ((PvP Flee)) at the end of your post you are giving them permission to hunt you down and attack you mechanically.

• PvP Flee comes at the end of YOUR post, not in the middle of their posting, play fair and make sure they actually saw it before you take off!
• If they whisper and ask for RP hints such as a trail to follow, give it to them - fleeing headlong WILL leave tracks.

Running without declaring either will assume to mean ((PvP Flee)), not ((RP Flee))

• Please note: Running without role-play at all falls under our must role-play rules and is not allowed.

Everything Else

Role-Play Wounds

Until we have a mechanized system to apply wounds intended to be role-played we are not forcing people to role-play wounds received from PvP/PvE.

What does this mean?

• It is on each person to choose what wounds they take from being mechanically attacked via PvP/PvE.
• However, any wound attempt made in direct role-play should, within reason, be respected and responded to.
• Getting wounded in a fight HAPPENS - we will trust you to figure out how best to enjoy that. However, never getting wounded may result in a moderation call for "avoiding role-play". Please give our physicians some role-play.
• Once we have implemented the rest of the suite of ToT tools we will likely be implementing a more sophisticated wound system to server the needs of the server.

Capture

See Also

Capture (Rules)

Capture and Dueling

In Gor, you should assumed that any attack will end in the looser being captured. In the case of things like duels, which happen between free men only, capture isn't as likely but the results of the duel should be negotiated before hand IN CHARACTER. Fictionally, a kill or defeat is common for duels. Formal duels between those of Torvaldsland are more complex and have associated traditions.

Note

NPC Thralls count as fictional free men unless they are a) female or b) wearing a collar on the NPC.

Capture/Coffle

Slaves, free men, panther girls and free women who are intended to be enslaved are COLLARED. Free Women who are being restrained awaiting punishment are COFFLED. A coffle is a rope collar that does not imply enslavement. Slavery is a Sliding Scale

Players are required to have and use the game tools to bind and collar another player. It can not JUST be in role-play as the mechanics of the equipment are considered part of the role-play of restraint and escape.

• If you can not get the items on the player before they wake up and they CAN run, they are allowed to run or re-join the fight.
• If the player has declared ((PvP Surrender)) then it is assumed you have the time you need to get the items on them - or just go with the role-play. To restate: If you PvP Surrender, you must give the player binding you the time to do it and not try and run half way thru it.

New to Gor

• If you are a man and new to Gor, there are two reasons for combat. Either the person is your enemy/target of honor or you are engaged in theft/capture. These are your only two options. You are obligated to make your reasons clear. Gor has a few examples of other causes for combat, however, the new to Gor role player would not know how to use them.
• Free women, with the exception of Panthers, have no cause to attack unless in a desperate situation.
• Panther Girls are well known to attack for theft/capture reasons.
• Female slaves only attack the free if ordered to by their owners, but may still be perma-deathed if their owners can't defend them.
• Male slaves only attack to earn their freedom, or to defend their owners, but may still be perma-deathed if their owners can't defend them.

If you are new to Gor and attack for any reason, other than this, be prepared to have your role-play challenged with a moderator.

Experienced Gorean Role Players

The books detail other rare causes for combat, including assassination, however, only an experienced, Gorean role player can navigate these exceptions skillfully. However, they can still be challenged, and should be prepared to respond.

Points of Courtesy

• If you are robbing someone, and they agree to give you what you asked for, there is no need for combat.
• If you are intending to capture somebody, and they agree to be bound, there is no need for combat.
• If you are unsure if the attack was intended or accidental it is best to have a polite OOC dialog to see what happened - and not assume.
• If you do not WANT the items acquired during a PvP encounter (for any reason) offer to return the items to the player.

Q & A

Can I play a mass murderer or serial killer?

No

Can I play an assassin?

We have some active black caste players, as well as rules for the caste. If you wish to play an assassin please say so in your application.

Does attacking a base or thralls/pets count as PvP?

First, attacking a base is more properly considered a Siege, however even intentional minor damage to a build would constitute a PvP attack and the rules here for role-play apply. Secondly, yes, an attack on a player's thralls/pets, either following a player or guarding a base, also constitutes a PvP attack and these rules would apply.

NOTE: Do not leave your pets, mounts or thralls unattended, especially where they can block the use of areas, as this is a valid reason to kill said unattended pet/mount/thrall. Further, it's a good idea to put your name or clan on the pet/mount/thrall so people CAN contact you. If you pet/mount/thrall IS killed in this manner for these reasons, you DO have the right to request the RP.

Is the clan event log considered IC knowledge?

Yes it is. It is assumed to be available knowledge to the character, likely from the local NPCs/thralls.

What if the attack was an accident?

It happens, and most of the time everyone will say no problem and handle it ooc. But they do not have to, in which case, you are responsible for the RP, as outlined here, as the agressor.

See Also

• PvP Combat (Rules) - As of Season 3 we are only a "RP before PvP" server, read the rules.
• Capture (Rules) - You've been captured? What are your RP rights? How long can it last, how do you escape?
• How to Capture - Capture in our game has mechanical functionality that you are expected to use, read this guide on the mechanics, how to set them up and how to use them.
• Mechanical Death - What does it mean if you die a mechanical death, is your character dead? Do you need to recreate your character?
• Perma-death/Maiming (Rules) - Your character can not be killed or maimed in an unplayable way without Admin agreement. See how this works.
• Stealing (Rules) - There are limits on what you can take after PvP. Otherwise, mechnical stealing from containers is disallowed. You may role-play stealing as long as you leave a note/clue.
• Sieging (Rules) - The storyline has developed to the point where our basic PvP Combat rules don't work? Learn how to start this process.