General Mechanics

Character Basics

Every character that a player represents in the world of Berkana can be broken down into a few basic stats, such as Vitality, Fortitude, and Wound limit. These stats are fundamental to everything in Berkana and essentially represent the relative health of a character. Other stats referred to are Potency and Deflections which vary based on weapons, spells, and armor.

For a player to interact with the game world, they will often need to use special abilities referred to as Skills. A new player starts off with 4 Renown to purchase skills and can gain more as the game progresses between events. Most skills have an instantaneous effect associated with them that is explained with each skill, however some skills may require a certain amount of role playing to use. Such skills will refer to a Short (3-5 seconds) or Long (30 or more seconds) roleplay requirement, that the player will be required to perform to gain the benefit of the skill. A list of skills can be found here and character creation can be found here .

Basic Stats

Vitality: Every player starts with a 3 vitality maximum. If this is reduced to zero at anytime, the character is now bleeding out and will have 30 seconds before their spirit leaves their body for the underworld. During those 30 seconds (also referred to as a death count) the player may call out, stagger around slowly and roleplay dying however they see fit but cannot use any skills unless directly stated otherwise.

At the end of the death count, the player should leave their weapons or other in game items at the spot where the count ended to represent their body as they are now an incorporeal spirit. As a spirit the player must wear a spirit mask (A white mask with blue lighting) and head straight towards the area in game marked as the underworld where they can interact with that location as they see fit. A more detailed explanation of Death can be found here
Fortitude: by default, every player’s fortitude starts at 2. This represents the players ability to take a hit. If a player is struck with a blow that has a potency call greater than their fortitude, they instantly drop to 0 vitality. Any strikes equal or below their fortitude value simply reduce their current vitality by 1.

Wound Limit: by default, every player starts with 0 wounds and has a maximum of 3. Whenever a strike reduces a player’s vitality to 0, whether it’s a single strike on their last point of vitality or a blow greater than their fortitude or even the lethal call, the player may instead choose to take a wound. If the player can take no more wounds, then they must go into their death count as explained in the vitality section.

Potency: by default, all 1 handed weapons have a potency of 1, and all 2 handed weapons have a potency of 2. Skills and abilities can affect these values. Whenever a weapon is swung, the potency value must be spoken aloud before the weapon strikes the intended target.

Deflections: the number of deflections a player has is based on the level of armor repped. A person repping light armor (less than 50% of their body covered and no chest armor) gains 1 deflection, medium armor (either more than 50% of the body covered or wearing chest protection) gains 3 deflections, and heavy armor (more than 50% coverage and mostly steel. Must have a chest piece) gains 5 deflections. A deflection can be used at any time the player is struck with a weapon or a spell packet to prevent the call from affecting the player.

Calls

During combat a number of verbal calls are used to explain what is happening and how your character is affected. The basic call is a combat call that contains Potency. This call is delivered during a weapon strike or spell incantation and tells the target how deadly the attack is.

Skills can upgrade a damage call to include calls for damage types, effects, or conditions. If a call does not have a numerical potency value then it does not interact with Fortitude or Vitality. When your character is hit with something that contains multiple calls they are still considered 1 single hit, meaning a deflection could negate multiple effects at once . You can find more advanced combat explanation .

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Effect Calls

Agony

Character must RP severe pain. Cannot communicate, walk, or use skill

Stagger

Character must stumble back away from the source. If attacked stagger ends

Fatigue

Character cannot run, use Fatigue Skills, or say Incantations/Prayers

Fear

Character cannot attack the source of the fear effect

Disable

Disable hits a specific leg or arm. The leg or arm cannot be used effectively.

Condition Calls

Bleed

The Character cannot restore vitality

Infection

The Character has their current/max Fortitude reduced by 1. This fortitude cannot be healed, the condition must be removed. If zero the Character will die

Gore

The Character can no longer use/take wounds.

Weakness

The Character reduces all potency calls by 1. A potency of 0 can still effect enemies

Other calls

Deflect

Indicates a deflection was used to nullify a hit.

Breach

Indicates that a deflection cannot be used to negate attack call

Rend

a call that removed 2 deflections if hit

Splinter

Destroys a shield if the call hits or is blocked by a shield. This call may be paired with other calls that would still be blocked. "By my voice" and "By my gaze" Splinter calls will destroy a shield without hitting it.

Resist

Target has resisted one or all of the effects/ conditions they were hit with

Endure

Target has taken a wound to ignore an effect that they were hit with

Entangle

The character cannot move or use their arms. A Long RP of escaping must be done yourself to remove the penalty. An ally can complete a Short RP to remove this penalty instead.

Spirit Only

Corporealize

Will return a spirit to a living being at 1 Vitality, all previous conditions, plus eternal fatigue