Calls
Citadel LRP
Part of a series about Citadel Rules
A call is a sequence of words that has a special meaning in the game rules. it is important that a player knows how to react to at least the damage calls and simple effect calls; if in doubt, you may always respond to a call by “falling over screaming, then seeing a ref for clarification”.
Only do what a call says to if it’s safe. Always be safe. If something is unsafe, or impossible for you to do, make as few corrections as feasible. Respect the spirit of the calls.
Safety, OC Calls
For you to say
- STOP THE GAME- There has been a sort of emergency, it could be quite serious. Please call this if you are injured, or lose your glasses, or see someone else in injured. When you hear this, stop moving your feet (unless it’s unsafe not to) or roleplaying, and if people continue roleplaying, repeat the call. Ascertain the nature of the call, and respond appropriately (by looking around for someone’s glasses without moving your feet and stepping on them, or by letting any first-aiders tend to the harmed person). After things are dealt with, a ref will call TIME IN. If there are no refs during this interaction, for some reason, then by mutual consent play can start again. If you hear “MAN DOWN” then respond as if it were “STOP THE GAME”.
- TOO HARD- Call this if you are hit too hard. If someone calls this after you hit them, it isn’t a indictment of your abilities as a roleplayer, but hit them less hard please, as you just hurt them. If you are consistently being hit too hard by somebody, see a ref.
For refs to say
- TIME IN- Play starts
- TIME OUT- Play ends
- TIME FAFF- Roleplaying continues, but do not move forward; please take an IC break.
- TIME FREEZE- Play pauses until time in
Visual cues
As well as game calls we use visual cues for game organisation. Two of these indicate that someone or something present OOC is not present in the game world, while the other is a way for a player or crew member to signal that they want to leave a roleplay scene.
High-vis
Anyone wearing a high-visibility jacket (usually fluorescent yellow or orange) or an item marked with high-vis is not present IC and should be ignored.
One hand in the air
Anyone with one hand in the air and their index finger pointing upward is not present IC and should be ignored. If you are monstering, you should use this when moving between encounters.
Hand shading the eyes
If you are feeling uncomfortable OOC and don’t want to continue roleplaying, shade your eyes with one hand and leave the IC area when you feel able to do so. This is a cue that you are dropping out of character and other players and crew should respect this by not starting any interactions with you.
IC Calls
| MASS | Precedes a call, which effects anyone within a 3m-long cone. Delineate an area of effect with your arms. If you aim upwards, it will hit everyone in a 3m radius. |
|---|---|
| WIDE | Precedes a call, which effects anyone within a 10m radius. In the Interactive this targets everyone. |
| SINGLE | Lose 1 Hit |
| DOUBLE | Lose 2 Hits |
| TRIPLE | Lose 3 Hits |
| CRUSH | If this hits a limb, that limb is ruined. If this hits the torso, lose all hits. Implied by arrows and bolts. Anything which can take a lesser effect from this call will wear a “tag”. You should not use a Ruined limb for any purpose, unless unsafe to do otherwise. If this is called at range, it effects the torso. |
| STRIKEDOWN (THUNK/SMASH) | You should roleplay being struck to the ground. You may alternatively put one knee and one hand to the ground; it is also acceptable to spend 3s upright, unable to make melee blows, you should roleplay the strong hit. This call takes effect even if you block the blow. |
| CURE N | Restores N HP, up to maximum |
| RESTORE | You recover the use of all limbs ruined by CRUSH. |
| REPEL | Move away for 5 seconds at at least a brisk walk. This call takes effect even if parried/blocked. |
| ENTANGLE | 5s of feet on the floor, not moving them (except for reasons of safety). |
| CURSE | See a ref at the next convenient opportunity, letting them know you were hit by this call. |
| MUTATE | If a dead-strain, call RESIST; otherwise, see a ref the next opportunity, and let them know you were hit by this call. |
| RESIST | That have its full effect; it may have partially done so. If unspecified, an ability that lets you RESIST another call lets you fully ignore it. This does not count as a call for the purposes of the one-second rule. |
| DETECT X | Answer this query by providing the relevant information from your character sheet. Mostly this is NATURE and STRAIN. |
| <STRENGTH> EFFECT X | May be Basic or Advanced. Never useable in combat. This effect now applies to you, see below for more details. |
| “WOULD YOU KINDLY X” | If someone says this to you you may either drop to 0 hits and take a Wound at the next opportunity,, or do X for 30s. You need to roleplay the dropping and struggling, making it clear you’re taking this option. In a situation where you can’t effectively communicate, do not use this power. This is something which you hear IC but demands an effect. This is not a “Call”, but anything that would allow you to resist an EFFECT or a compulsion will allow you to call RESIST to this effect. |
EFFECT CALLS
Basic Effects
Basic EFFECT calls are fairly simple and predefined. Player skills and abilities will only ever allow players to impose Basic effects. These last by default for five minutes unless otherwise noted on the ability or lammie. Do not feel that you have to time this precisely, but please observe rule 7.
Advanced Effects
These are special effects that do not have many common principles. Players will almost never be able to impose advanced effects. These effects are permanent unless otherwise stated.
The happiness principle
If you hit someone with an effect, and it appears that they did not take it, then you recover use of that effect (or the Stamina/Focus that powered it); you do not recover in this way if the effect is RESISTed.