The following rules are the basics that apply to the rest of the game - they are defined here so that they make more sense in later parts of the rules.

The Rule of Interpreting Rules

When interpreting the rules of the game, the base assumption is that you cannot use the rules to accomplish something In-Game, unless a rule specifically states you are able to do so. For example, the 1st Rank Fire spell "Fire Strike" does not state it can be used to ignite flammable materials - therefore, you cannot use it to do so. This may be overruled by an OOG marshal that is monitoring an encounter, but only on a case-by-case basis - precedent does not matter in this rule.

Safety and the "Hold" Rule

Safety is of the highest concern in Knight Realms and the most important safety rule is the “Hold” rule. A “Hold” can be called by anyone whenever someone is injured or game safety is jeopardized. Whenever a “Hold” is called everyone hearing the call must immediately stop what he or she are doing and repeat the call until everyone in the vicinity has stopped playing. There should be no talking or any in-game actions taking place during a hold. When the hold has been resolved someone will call “3-2-1- Lay-on!” to resume the game. A hold may be called for other reasons, such as a marshal explaining the effects of an explosion or to describe what an area looks like. For whatever reason whenever a hold is called stop what you are doing and be quiet, so that you can hear what is happening and get back to playing ASAP.

When a Hold is ended, and Lay-On is called, you should be in the exact same pose and state that you were in when it was called - i.e., you may not ready a weapon, collect spell packets, or otherwise prepare yourself during the Hold. If during the course of the Hold you become aware that there was an NPC about to attack you from behind (and you did not know he was there before the Hold was called), it would be cheating to react to the NPC either before Lay On was called, or immediatley thereafter - your character has no In-Game knowledge that the NPC is there, you only learned it OOG during the course of the Hold.

Because calling a hold is disruptive to the game, it is asked that you not call it unless there is an issue or emergency that affects everyone around you. If you can do what you need to without disrupting the game, please do so so that others are not caught in a Hold.

Periods, Skills, and Career Points

A typical game is broken down into Periods.  There are four periods to a weekend event: Friday night (Lay-on to 6am), Saturday morning (6am to 6pm), Saturday night (6pm to 6am), Sunday morning (6am to end of the event).  Other (smaller) events are typically only one period.  Any changes to this will be noted in the official announcements for that event.

At the beginning of each event, all characters start alive, in good health and with no injuries, and with full use of all of their Skills and Career Points.  Throughout the weekend (and the period), as Skills or Career Points are used, they should be marked off on your Character Card to indicate that they have been used.  When a period ends, and another one begins, all characters regain use of all of their Career Points and Periodic Skills.  The only things that do not refresh at period change are Per Event skills, and your character's health (Body Points and other injuries that they may have sustained throughout the event).  Some other effects may or may not change at period chage - these will be covered in the rules for those specific effects.

The number of times you may use a skill on a weekend may differ from skill to skill. In the description of the skill it will tell you whether the skill is Periodic, Continuous, or per Event.

• Periodic Skills: Can be used once per period per number of times the skill is purchased.  If you have purchased the skill Stunning Blow twice, then you can perform that skill twice a period.
• Continuous Skills: can be used continuously after purchasing the skill once. Literacy is an example of a continuous skill, as you may read written documents at all times if you own the skill.
• Per Event Skills: Can be used once per Event.

Combining Skills and Effects

• You cannot stack more than one instance of an effect, or a specific benefit (i.e. - a Strengh bonus, Armor points, etc.) from the same source. For purposes of this, sources include Arcane effects (Mages, Bards, and Wild Mages), Divine effects, Druidic effects, Psionic effects, Alchemical effects, or a specific skill (i.e. - Battle Cry).
• You cannot combine Periodic Skills under one attack unless it is specified in the skill description that you may do so.

Attempting actions without the use of a skill

There will come a point in most player's careers where they will want to attempt something that is covered by a skill, either that their character does not possess, or without expending the skill. In this situation, the following rules apply:

1. If you are attempting to achieve a game mechanical effect, you MUST use the appropriate skill, no exceptions.
2. If you are attempting something that you can do yourself without a skill, that is covered by a skill and does NOT target another player or object, you can do so without producing a game mechanical effect, as long as it does not break safety or personal boundaries. For example, if you wished to hide in the brush without use of Cloak of the Green, you could do so. This would not give you the ability to use a yellow headband (a game mechanical effect). If you wanted to climb into the eves of a building, you could do so without the use of the Climb skill as long as it is safe OOG to do so (i.e. - there is a solid, stable ladder and the space is designed to hold a person's weight - you could not climb into a rotted tree and out on a branch to get the drop on someone).
3. If you are attempting something that you can do yourself without a skill, that is covered by a skill and targets another player or object, you can NOT do this without the consent of the other player, or a Marshal. For example, if you wished to tie up an NPC brigand, you could not do so without A) The use of a skill like Quickbind, B) The use of an item, like Manacles, C) The consent of the NPC playing the Brigand, who agrees to the RP, or D) The consent of an OOG Marshal that is marshaling the encounter. Under NO circumstances should any combat action ever be taken without the use of a skill - purposefully OOG tripping, disarming, subduing, breaking of weapons (or limbs), or actually binding someone so they are incapable of free movement is unacceptable behavior, and will result in a Rules Violation at the very least. Anyone consenting to the RP of such things should do so in a safe and courteous manner, such as being loosely tied (so they can slip out in an OOG emergency), taking a prat fall if thrown or tripped, etc.

Personal safety, the safety of others, and the rules of the game always come first, and take priority over actions performed without the use of a skill.

Headbands

Players at Knight Realms wear colored headbands to denote certain things about their character, such as that they are hidden, invisible, on another plane of existance, or event dead. A headband can also indicate that a person is Out-Of-Game, and is not interacting with the game world.

Headbands should be brightly colored, and easily visible from a distance. If you can, try to avoid logos or something else that may make the headband look Out-Of-Game. (Conversely, please avoid weaing headbands In-Game that may be mistaken for a rules-specific headband.)

The Headband Color System is as follows:

1. White: Out-Of-Game.
2. Blue: Spirit World. This applies to dead PCs, characters using the prayer Spirit Walk, and Ascended Paladins and Templars. The blue should be a bright, vibrant blue, to denote a spiritual aura and be plainly visible.
3. Yellow: Characters hiding on this plane, through natural means (Hide in Shadows, Cloak of the Green, and Life Shroud).
4. Red: Characters using abilities that hide them through supernatural means, or place them on another plane (Invisibility Potions, Spells, & Prayers; Step into the Night, Dream Walk, and Astral Walk, but not Spirit Walk).
5. Green: Non-Combat Characters.

Note that you MUST have the appropriate colored headband to use a skill or ability. You may NOT use a white headband to denote anything other than being OOG.

It is recommended that everyone have at least a white & blue headband on them at all times. If your character has the ability or an item that lets them hide, you should also have a red or yellow headband on you in case you need to use it.

Some people make and sell double-sided headbands at the game. The common combinations are White & Blue (the ones everyone needs), and Red and Yellow (for hiding). Logistics can always use donations of headbands for NPCs as well.

Common Knowledge

All Professions and Races are common knowledge.  A PC may choose to know less if they wish, but everyone may choose to understand what each of these things are.  This does not allow someone to observe a skill from any of these lists and point out what it was, but rather the general traits of that race or list - everyone knows Ogres are strong, and High Elves are resistant to Negative Energy, Swashbucklers are finesse fighters, and Chaos Warriors are crazy.

Higher Lists, while posted on the website, are secret and well guarded organizations that must be learned about In-Game.  Very little is known about them, but rumors are spread about all of them, all characters know they exist but nothing about their capabilities.

A character with a Lore skill appropriate to a race, list, or skill (such as Lore: Gypsy, Lore: True Warlock, or Lore: Magic) may identify a skill as it is being used and the source that used it, rather than just the general traits of that race or class.

Example: Farmer Fred sees a High Elf throw a fireball at a Troll.  Fred would know that High Elves in general are inclined to use magic, but would not know the specifics of the exact spell that was cast.  With Lore: High Elf, he would know that High Elves have a bond with the Weave that allows them to cast more spells, but still not know what spell was cast.  Lore: Magic would allow him to know that the specific spell that was cast was Inferno, from the Fire sphere, and that it was cast by a Mage (as opposed to from a scroll or an item).