Statting

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: These rules use system concepts taken from “Neverwhere, The D6 Roleplaying Game” by GamingGeek, and are kindly loaned to us by Brighton Below LARP.

ALL CHARACTER HAVE 4 SKILL SLOTS, 1 QUIRK AND 1 CURSE.

1. Fealty

If you so choose, you can swear fealty to a gang and/or gentle. Each have their own rites which bind the character to the gang. Some are dangerous, some humiliating, some a test and a very few are easy. The rite of fealty requires the presence of a Mystic and a member of the gang. They can still assist other gangs if they believe it is in the best interests of their own. This could even involve passing on secrets if they felt their own gang's actions may jeopardise its long term existence. Finally, and importantly, their loyalty is to the gang rather than the individual gentle currently running it.

The rite can be broken, but it requires either a more powerful rite or a very strong and expensive capping from the Whites. If they do choose to leave the gang, and survive the experience, they can never swear another. The rite of fealty can only be taken once in a lifetime.

Some gangs are choosy on their membership. The Ghillie Dhu will only accept dryads, for example, and the Whites aren't interested if you can't cast magic through paint. Being a gang member confers no stats advantage, although from time to time the gang might offer gifts or favours to its members. On the downside, it might also make requests of them.

2. Traits

All characters have two principal Traits - Hit Points and Willpower. Hit Points determine how much damage you can take in combat; Willpower is used to activate or resist Quirks, and for trading favours. You have a total of 6 points to divide between them. As a guide, most characters have 1-2 Hit Points and 4-5 Willpower, but it is fine to go to the other extreme.

3. Skills

Each character can have 4 skills. Advanced Craft and Advanced Herbalism count as 2 skills each. The Education skill can be taken multiple times if you wish your character to be well read in multiple subjects. If this is done, the number of rumours received will stack.

Art
The character is skilled in a specified art form i.e. sketching, painting, wood sculpture, woodcarving, stone sculpture etc. Many rituals will require the use of a carefully drawn / carved / painted sigil. Characters must possess Art in order to create a Sigil as it must be drawn precisely. The character is also able to create and spot forgeries in their specified art form. You will be provided with a list of sigils with your character brief.

• Recommended for members of THE WHITES.

Brawl
The character is an experienced fighter, and knows a few tricks. The character can use fists, feet, head etc to inflict Stun damage on others. See the Combat section of the rules for more details.

Chirurgy
A character can use Chirurgy for getting someone back on his or her feet, using the basic medical equipment available to the residents of London Under, i.e. bandages, slings, splints etc. The player must draw from a bead bag containing 1 black/silver bead, 2 red/green beads and 3 white/clear beads. See the sections on Combat and Healing in the rules for more details. Furthermore, the character can analyse another character can see if they are under the influence of a Brew or other intoxicant, or a just get a general assessment of their health.

Claws
The character has particularly long, sharp and vicious nails, or even claw-like appendages on the end of their fingers. Whilst this does not prevent the character from doing anything with their hands, it is clear that the character has large savage claws. Some people find this somewhat threatening. The character can only ever do Normal damage with their claws regardless of what other skills, rites or powers they possess. They cannot call Stun.

Craft
Basic - The character is quite handy and is able to make and repair Common Artefacts. Please see the section on Crafting in the rules for more details. You will be provided with a list of components and example artefacts with your character brief.
Advanced – The character can make and repair Rare Artefacts. You will be provided with a list of components and example artefacts with your character brief.

Education - Characters who do not have this skill will only have basic literacy and numeracy skills. You can read but slowly, and you have to guess at the long words.
Whilst most residents of London Under have a basic education, this character has received a good standard of education and can read and write clearly. They may pick two subjects about which they are particularly well read, and have a basic level of practical skill. It can cover any subject but common topics are:- Alchemy, Architecture, Art, Astronomy, Astrology, Biology, Bureaucracy, Cryptography, Cryptozoology, Chemistry, Cooking, Economics, Engineering, Finance, Geography, Geology, Heraldry, History, Law, Maths, Masonry, Meteorology, Mining, Occult, Politics, Psychology, Pharmacy, Physics, Tailoring, Tanning, Theology, Trade, Weaving, Woodworking, Zoology. Should it become relevant in game, ask a Waiter what details your expertise might provide you in a certain circumstance. Educated characters may also take three rumour slips at the start of the game.

Etiquette
The character is a seasoned traveller in London Under and knows who rules where, the manner in which they should be addressed and what particular things or people they really don’t like. They also know the right people to speak to in order to get or circulate information. The character will be provided with information on any gentles or immediate lieutenants attending, and some small details on other key figures and current issues. They can also draw three rumour slips at the start of the game, and may start a rumour which will have an in game effect.

Herbalism
Basic - The character understands that some weeds, roots, moulds and fungi have medicinal properties. This is considered to be a science rather than magic. The character can prepare Brews, either for their own use or sale at the Floating Market. More details are in the Herbalism section of the rules. Brews created using the Basic Level Skill can have a maximum of 3 doses of herb in them. You will be provided with a list of components and brews with your character brief. You may start the game with 10 components.
Advanced – The character can prepare Special Brews, which have up to 5 doses of herb in them. You will be provided with a list of components and brews with your character brief.

• Recommended for THE SACRED CIRCLE OF MUSWELL HILL.

Lockpicking
The character can pick locks on door, chests, and padlocks etc. This does not allow a character to hack an electronic lock. It takes 30 seconds to pick a lock.

Melee
The character can use melee weapons such as knives, swords, axes, hammers, maces etc. See the rules section on Combat for more details. Melee Weapons will cause a single point of Normal damage. If the character wishes, they can choose to call Stun damage instead.

Navigation
Finding ones way around London Under is difficult at the best of times. Considering that much of the time that the map of the Underside changes daily, and that a door one side of the city can open onto a rooftop on the other, moving around can be difficult. A character with Navigation knows all the short cuts, secret door and hidey holes. You will be provided with an area map with your character brief.

Pickpocket
The character is a skilled thief and pickpocket. The character must roleplay stealing the item somehow (bumping into their target) and a short time after they should tell their target that they have picked their pocket. The target must then give them one thing in that pocket which is there IC, selected at random (by a Waiter if necessary). If the character wishes to remain ‘anonymous’ then they may ask a Waiter for assistance. The phys reps must be returned to their OOC owner at the end of the evening.

Tracking
The character is skilled in following the tracks of others. This is a skill common amongst bounty hunters, poachers and hired killers. The character can ascertain details about the tracks that are present; i.e. numbers, recency, burdens, speed, health, and which direction they are headed.

Weaving
The harnessing of magic is not an immediate effect - there are no magic words to summon a fireball from mid-air and send it flying at your opponent. The character is well versed in conducting rites using specialist components to create subtle effects. The nature of the rite depends on the components available, and the power source (batteries, mains electricity, a leyline, etc.) A list of examples is provided to characters to have the Weaving skill. For more details please see the Magic section of the rules. Rites must be observed by a Market Waiter in order to have any effect. You will be provided with a list of components and example rites with your character brief.

• Recommended for members of THE GAP.

4. Quirks

The influence of the Underside grants many of its residents with powerful supernatural abilities, or Quirks, which are activated by the expenditure of a Willpower point (the second of your two stats). Some Quirks can be resisted by expending Willpower and either calling “Resist” or holding up crossed fingers. The Resist call/gesture must be made immediately after the initial Quirk call has been made. Quirks can only be resisted by conscious characters and it is a conscious action - you know someone is trying to influence you and you're actively resisting. Where there are OOC calls to indicate that a Quirk is being used, these are noted below in italics. All the calls are also listed elsewhere in the rules.

Some Quirks are only available to members of certain gangs - these will be marked clearly. For questions, to create your own Quirk, or to explain why your Neon Court character deserves to have Civil Servant, please contact the Masters.

CHANNELING – Not Resistable
The character can speak to spirits, be they the dead, genius locii or something more metaphorical. By touching the corpse, host or building, they may ask it questions for five minutes. The spirit is compelled to answer the questions and must tell the truth. They may, however, be economic with the extent of information they provide.

CHARMER – Resistable
The character must engage in a 5 minute conversation with another target, during which the character may attempt to seduce their victim by saying “Charmed”. The Quirk then takes effect and for the remainder of the evening the target may not initiate any hostile action against the character, and are generally favourably inclined towards them. If attacked or abused by the character, the victim breaks free of the charm and may react as they wish for the rest of the evening.

CIVIL SERVANT - Self
The character has committed their lives to serving the Silver Dragon. As such, in times of great need, they can draw upon its strength by calling "Domine Dirige Nos". They gain two additional Hit Points for a duration of 10 minutes and are able to do one Critical attack. These result in particularly vicious injuries which tear flesh from bone, sever arteries and cause profuse bleeding to occur. The damage is so severe that the target is immediately reduced to 0 Hit Points and results in a reduced deathcount of 2 minutes instead of the usual 5.

• Only available to members of THE WARDMOTE.

CONDUCTING - Self
The character has the training and endurance to access the ley lines of power that run under the city. These can be used to fuel extremely powerful rites that achieve city-wide effects. The rites work as a normal weaving, but super-charged. Alternatively, a conductor can act purely as a battery for another weaver.

• Only available to members of THE GAP.

DELUSIONS - Resistable
The character has the ability to briefly drive their targets insane. The character calls “Deluded” whilst indicating who the target is. For a period of five minutes the target is driven quite mad and believes that London Under was merely a hallucination. The character is so affected that they will essentially disappear from existence for five minutes. Though they haven’t really gone anywhere, the Quirk removed them so far from the Underside that they’re no longer considered a part of it. No-one can see them, hear them or contact them. They should leave the playing area for five minutes, then return to the point where they disappeared and come back into the game. From the their point of view, everyone else vanished as did all of their belongings. They were standing in an empty hall with no-one else around.

DRAIN – Resistable
The character must gain physical contact with their target and call “Drain”. Contact must remain for at least 3 seconds, after which the character will drain a single Hit Point from their target and gain it for themselves. They cannot drain Hit Points from another person when their health is at maximum. Only one point can be drained in each feeding session - the character must break contact and then re-establish it in order to feed again. The experience of being fed from is uncomfortable and the target is fully aware that they are being drained and who is draining, provided they are conscious. If they are unconscious, they will know they have been drained when they wake. If they are dying, the Drain attempt takes a minute off their remaining deathcount.

• Only available to members of THE EKSTASIS.

DREAMING - Not Resistable
The character can see and steal a dream from an unconscious target. The character must gain physical contact with their target's head and call "Sweet Dreams". Contact must remain for at least 3 seconds, after which time the target tells the character a dream of theirs which must somehow relate to either their background, recent activities, hopes or fears. It can be as cryptic and colourful as the target wishes. If the theft is interrupted then the character only obtains a fragmented (and therefore less valuable) dream. The target, when they awaken, are unaware of what has been taken or by whom.

• Only available to members of THE NEON COURT.

HEALING - Resistable
The character has healing hands. For some reason those they touch, saying "It's just a scratch", are miraculously cured of their injuries. This normally isn't as obvious as the wounds knitting together before your very eyes, but when closer inspection is made the wound isn't as serious as it originally seemed. The character can apply Healing to any character to immediately heal 1 Hit Point. This will prevent death provided Healing is done before the end of the deathcount.

FADE - Self
Residents of London Under are overlooked and ignored by those Above, but some may also conceal themselves in the Underside. The player may cross their arms over their chest and become basically invisible for a 10 minute period. Others may notice that someone is present, but no details - the character fades into the background and becomes nobody in particular. The character can't be attacked during this time. If the character takes an offensive or overt action, they cease to be Faded with immediate effect.

FRAGMENT
The character has something about them which is odd, even by Underside standards. They can look through time, or glow in the dark, or something equally bizarre. Whatever it is, the effect is purely personal - it can't impact the environment or the people around them. Such people are very rare. If you wish your character to have the Fragment Quirk, please contact the Masters with an explanation of what it is and a good justification for why you should have it. A really good justification.

• By Waiter agreement only.

SPEAKING – Self
Speakers can normally only speak to birds, rats or foxes so the player must select which one they wish to communicate with. Speakers can communicate freely with their chosen speciality. They can be used to gain information, spy, or perform small tasks. In most cases any communication with animals will require the intervention of a Master. If a Master is not available, it is assumed that the rat, bird or fox is just not in the mood for talking.

• Only available to members of THE VARMINTS.

WRITHE - Resistable
The character has the ability to inflict intense pain on someone else. No real damage is actually caused but the pain is excruciating. The character can continuously call “Writhe” and their target can do nothing other than roll around the floor, writhing in pain. The character must remain motionless and concentrate on the target - if their concentration is broken by being pushed / attacked / performing another action etc, the target is freed. The character cannot hold any other conversation as they must keep repeating "Writhe".

5. Curses

All characters have at least one Curse. It is impossible to permanently remove Curses once they have been acquired. Unless otherwise stated, Curses are permanently active and players are expected to roleplay accordingly.

Amnesia
The character has chronic short term amnesia. Whilst they remember who they are and what they did when they were 7 years old, they have real difficulty in remembering simple details like names, faces and conversations. The character will not remember details about anything that occurred at any previous events, even where the information is fairly significant i.e. if they were attacked. They might remember that they were beaten up but won’t remember by whom or how long ago it was. They will need to make notes if they wish to remind themselves. Alternatively, the player can state that the character can only remember their lives after a certain point in time and have no recollection about what they were doing previously. Only select this Curse if you really want it, rather than that you can’t be bothered to think up a character background.

Addiction
There’s something that you just can’t go without, be it drugs, alcohol, gambling or blood. Until you’ve had the chance to indulge your addiction, you will be on tenterhooks. The character may not start the game with the object of their addiction (e.g. alcoholics cannot start with any booze in their possession). Whatever you need must be sought out at the market.

Compulsion
There’s something that you need to do and you can’t stop yourself from doing it, whether it be washing your hair every day, buying every marble you find or consulting tarot decks prior to any decision. This should be something that will have an effect in the game which will hamper you in some way.

Cowardly
You’re not very confident at all, especially when it comes to violence. You would fight but what if you got hurt? You may not voluntarily attack someone unless they are unconscious, asleep or otherwise completely unable to resist. If you are attacked then you are permitted to defend yourself.

Curious
You want to know everything. Any secret or mystery, any dark passageway or stranger, you have to know what's going on. This can get you into pretty serious trouble.

Quest
The character believes they have a destiny, a holy quest they must see through to the end, or die trying. Others believe that the character is obsessed and that it will be the death of them. The character must choose a quest or goal which can never be completed (e.g. finding the Holy Grail, or retrieving golf balls from the moon) which they must pursue endlessly. Their quest will come into play when determining many of their decisions.

Tormented
The character hears voices in their heads. They’re constantly there, talking to them, tormenting them, encouraging them to do bad things. The voices are never nice, never positive and never stop. Occasionally they will manifest themselves in physical form; sometimes as the dead, sometimes as insects or bats or maybe even demons. Most of the time they’re just there at the peripheral of your vision, other times they swarm around you, clutching your clothing. Swat them off and tell them to go away.

<sub>PHOTO CREDITS
1. Stanford Tyburn and Nigel Walker of the Gap compare notes, photo by Liss Macklin
2. Peter Leyton of the Whites draws Blind Justice's portrait, photo by Tom Garnett, www.tgarnett.com
3. Conducting paperwork, photo by Tom Garnett, www.tgarnett.com
4. Jack of the Ghillie Dhu (complete with claws) talks to Cord of the Black Friars, photo by Tom Garnett, www.tgarnett.com</sub>

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: These rules use system concepts taken from “Neverwhere, The D6 Roleplaying Game” by GamingGeek, and are kindly loaned to us by Brighton Below LARP.