Your Character: You

Xanodria is a "Live Action" system, meaning that every action that a player wishes their character to perform must be acted out in some fashion. You may perform any action you wish your character to attempt, so long as it is reasonably safe to you and fellow players, and does not damage property or the environment. Nothing will prohibit you from trying to pick a lock during a game. No one will tell you that you are not allowed to carry a sword because your character doesn't know how to use it. How well you fight, run, climb, dodge, shoot arrows, sneak, lie, think, fast talk, intimidate, break codes, pick locks, solve puzzles, and anything else that you can think of, Xanodria either allows, or will simulate. The only measure of how good you are is... how good you are! There are no levels, no experience points, and no needless restrictions.

So I Use a Real Sword?

Well, not exactly. There are many actions that would be commonplace in a Medieval-based fantasy world that cannot be actually done. For example, we can hardly allow our players to fight with real swords. Instead, the swords are foam padded PVC pipes. Likewise, players who are portraying Physiks cannot be allowed to actually stitch up other players whose characters have been wounded. We can, however, simulate stitches (red watercolor paint applied with a thin brush).

How "Simulated" Skills Work

Simulated skills, like the combat and the Physiks described above, follow a few, simple principles:
  1. They are reasonably safe to players and the environment.
  2. They simulate the actual skill in some major way.
  3. The more you use the simulated skill, the better you will become at it.
  4. It teaches you something "real" about the skill simulated.

That's a Tall Order! Some Examples?

Sure! For example, our Medieval Fantasy Blacksmith. A Blacksmith's purpose in the game is to repair metallic armour that has taken "damage" during a fight. Metal armour can withstand a number of hits before it is counted as useless: therefore, repairing such damage can be important between fights! The Blacksmith simulates repair by adding 20 links to a "ten sheet" of real, metal chain mail. How does this satisfy the requirements above? Observe:
  1. Making chain mail is very safe, and harms nothing.
  2. Blacksmiths of old actually made chain mail as part of their duties.
  3. Experienced mail-makers are much faster than beginners.
  4. When you've done enough repairs, you've just made yourself a chain shirt!
Other skills work in similar ways. The table below lists many of them.

Notes on Combat.

Combat - General:
Combat skills are different from most of the other skills in Xanodria. In game, anyone can wield a sword or arrow. However, out of game, each player (cast or adventurer) must be safety certified with both a ranged weapon and a melee weapon. If you are not certified do not touch the weapons. The good news is that certification takes place before each game (you are required to certify once a year) and that it is a safety certification and not a skills certification. You don't have to be good to pass, just safe. To improve this skill, you can practice on your own or ask to be trained by someone such as the Shadow Guardians.

Combat - Open Hand:
There is an advanced combat technique called Open Hand. A master of Open Hand is allowed to use an open hand to deflect weapons. Only someone who has been trained, in game, may practice this defense. There is no simulated Open Hand offence or attack. If you use Open Hand with out training you will be wounded in the hand you used to block (also, if you don't know what you are doing, you risk jamming a finger on the other person's boffer weapon... causing a safety violation...). For training see the Shadow Guardians, and expect to spend a year or three practicing.

So, what guilds, trades and callings are available in game?

Alchemist

Blacksmith

Mage

Mercenary

Physik

Scholar

Shadow Guardian

Tanner

Thief