From b1711caa5a28948da19f10e6f493a1139ade6a57 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: jyelon Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:50:10 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Lots of work on artifacts game --- Artifact-List.md | 82 ++++++ Artifacts-Game.md | 269 ++++++++++++++++++ .../{Kekele.md => Chen-Lifen-and-Kekele.md} | 0 ...the Casino.md => Goblins in the Casino.md} | 0 4 files changed, 351 insertions(+) create mode 100644 Artifact-List.md create mode 100644 Artifacts-Game.md rename people/{Kekele.md => Chen-Lifen-and-Kekele.md} (100%) rename people/{The Goblins in the Casino.md => Goblins in the Casino.md} (100%) diff --git a/Artifact-List.md b/Artifact-List.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7a5200f --- /dev/null +++ b/Artifact-List.md @@ -0,0 +1,82 @@ +# The Ten Artifacts + +All artifacts are six-foot-tall staves, each topped with a different symbol. +Each is magically enchanted to inconvenience the bearer in a different way. + +## Staff of the Songbird + +*Symbol: a perched songbird.* + +The staff chirps loudly and constantly, attracting attention from +everyone in the vicinity. Stealth is impossible while carrying this +staff. + +## Staff of Levitation + +*Symbol: a floating feather.* + +The bearer hovers a few feet off the ground and cannot control their +movement through the air. They will probably need to be dragged +around by their teammates. + +## Staff of the Beacon + +*Symbol: a blazing sun.* + +The staff emits a brilliant column of light visible from anywhere in +the arena. There is no hiding with this one. + +## Staff of Frost + +*Symbol: a snowflake.* + +The bearer's hands freeze to the staff and they shiver uncontrollably, +imposing disadvantage on DEX saves and attack rolls. On the bright +side, you can't be forced to drop it. + +## Staff of the Lodestone + +*Symbol: a horseshoe magnet.* + +The staff is powerfully magnetic. Metal weapons, armor, and shields +within 10 feet are pulled toward it. Allies in metal armor have +trouble staying away from the carrier. + +## Staff of Honesty + +*Symbol: an open eye.* + +The bearer cannot lie, whisper, or use nonverbal signals. Everything +they say comes out at full volume and must be truthful. No secret +plans while carrying this staff. + +## Staff of Tangling + +*Symbol: a twisted vine.* + +Roots and vines constantly sprout from the base of the staff, making +the ground around the bearer difficult terrain for everyone, including +allies. + +## Staff of Shrinking + +*Symbol: a tiny figure.* + +The bearer shrinks to 2 feet tall, but the staff remains full size. +A tiny person dragging an enormous staff. + +## Staff of Stench + +*Symbol: a skunk.* + +The staff emits an overwhelming smell. Anyone within 10 feet must +make a CON save each round or be nauseated (disadvantage on attacks). +This affects allies too. + +## Staff of Laughter + +*Symbol: a grinning jester.* + +The bearer and everyone within 15 feet must save against uncontrollable +laughter each round. Failed saves waste your action. The perfect +counter to a well-organized team. diff --git a/Artifacts-Game.md b/Artifacts-Game.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2822549 --- /dev/null +++ b/Artifacts-Game.md @@ -0,0 +1,269 @@ +# Game of Artifacts + +This is the game of artifacts. The game involves three +teams competing to find the most artifacts within the arena. +There are two ways to obtain artifacts: + +- find an artifact hidden in the arena +- force another team to drop an artifact + +Artifacts are enchanted to be resistant to most spells. +That includes spells like "locate object." Therefore, +finding artifacts will usually take some time. + +Taking artifacts from other teams usually requires force. +Force should be used only when needed, in a spirit of good +sportsmanship. + +## Victory Condition + +There are ten artifacts. The goal of the game is to collect +four of them. Artifacts are counted when they are deposited +into vaults. + +There are three vaults scattered throughout the arena. You +must find them. You may use any vault to deposit an +artifact. Once an artifact is deposited in a vault, it is +counted. + +The victory condition is simple: when a team deposits its +fourth artifact, the game is over and the team wins. + +## Limitations on the Use of Force + +If two teams come face-to-face and one of them possesses an +artifact, then the two teams may fight for possession +of the artifact. Either team may use deadly force. + +If neither team possesses an artifact, then neither deadly +force nor non-lethal force is allowed. No fighting. You +may not cast spells on each other unless the other gives +permission. + +If you are dangerously close to death, shout, "I'm down!" +Once you do, nobody may use force against you. You must stop +fighting. You must fall to your hands and knees as soon as +you are physically able, to emphasize that you are down. The +only things you are allowed to do when down are heal +yourself, receive healing, crawl to safety, and evade or +block stray attacks. Even if healed, you may not reenter the +fight. + +You cannot carry an artifact while down. Shouting "I'm down" +while carrying an artifact will cause the artifact to +fall from your grip, with all that entails. + +After the fight ends, anyone who is down can get back up and +rejoin their team. They are no longer down. + +These are the major violence-violations that can occur: + +* Fighting when no artifact is at stake + +* Attacking somebody who is down + +* Fighting when you're supposedly down + +Any of these violations will result in penalties. +Penalties include debuffs, time-outs, teleportation, or in +the worst cases, expulsion. It is entirely up to our +referees to decide what penalty to apply. In general, they +will take into account the amount of force, the degree to +which the violation was intentional, and any mitigating +factors. + +The arena may contain monsters. You may always use violence +against monsters. Monsters can be distinguished from +opponents by the lack of clothing: players always have +clothing or armor or both. You may not strip completely +naked to make yourself look like a monster. + +You may use violence against inanimate objects in the +arena. You may break down doors, smash chests, topple +buildings, and in general reshape the arena as you please. + +## Teleportation + +Teleportation is when your entire team is teleported to a +random location in the arena. All team members are +teleported, even if your team is scattered prior to +teleportation. All team members arrive at the destination +together. + +When your team is teleported, all artifacts that your team +is carrying are left behind. Such artifacts fall to the +ground. Teleportation always results in the loss of all +artifacts carried by the team! + +The following conditions will trigger teleportation: + +* If any team member loses their grip on an artifact. + +* If any team member loses consciousness or appears to be dying. + +* If a team member carrying an artifact shouts, "I'm down!" + +* If any team member shouts, "teleport us!" + +In addition, illegal use of violence may be punished by +teleportation, at the referee's discretion. + +After teleportation, you no longer carry any artifacts. The +rules of the game dictate that when you are not carrying +artifacts, you are safe from violence. Therefore, +teleportation always teleports you to safety. + +## Holding Artifacts + +An artifact must be picked up by an individual. From that +point, that individual must maintain a grip on the artifact. +If that individual ever lets go, the entire team will +teleport, and the artifact will be lost. It is not possible +to pass an artifact to a different teammate. + +You can deposit artifacts at vaults. When you do, you will +obviously let go of the artifact, which means you will +teleport. However, the artifact will permanently count +toward your score from that point forward. + +There is no limit on the number of artifacts you may +carry at a time. However, carrying multiple relics is +very risky, if something forces you to teleport, you +will drop *all* the artifacts. + +Carriers must hold artifacts with one of the following: + +- Hands. +- Feet. +- Mouth. +- Big Nose. +- Tentacles. +- Prehensile Tail. + +Special dispensation may be made for contestants who do not +have any of these. + +You may move an artifact from your left hand to your right, +or otherwise shift your grip. You must maintain a grip at +all times, though. + +## Healing and Resurrection + +If any of your team members is injured, it is up to your +team to heal them. However, in an emergency, you can request +healing from our referees in exchange for the loss of one +artifact. Such artifacts will be re-hidden in the arena. If +you have no artifacts, you can still obtain emergency +healing. + +If it appears that one of your team members is dying, our +referees may take it upon themselves to heal that team +member without your approval. If they do, an artifact will +be taken from your team. To avoid this outcome, make sure +to heal your team members promptly before they reach dire +circumstances. + +This arena is located underneath Valhalla. As such, +Valhallan rules apply: if you die on the field of battle, +fighting with honor, courage, and determination, you will be +resurrected at the end of the battle. However, such +resurrection comes at a cost, imposed by the Norse gods, not +by our organization. This is beyond our control. Avoid +death. + +## Communication + +Communication between players is explicitly allowed. You +may taunt, persuade, negotiate, deceive, seduce, confuse, or +in general, say or communicate anything you want to your +teammates and opponents. + +You may use magic or atypical means to communicate with your +opponents. For example, you can use translation spells, +long-distance communication spells, telepathy, interpretive +dance, and the like. + +If your communication does more than just communicate, for +example, if it charms, ensorcels, or does psychic damage, +then it is governed by the rules on the use of force. + +Offering out-of-game money or favors in exchange for +advantage in the game is disallowed. + +## Losing Artifacts in Vaults + +For the most part, once an artifact has been deposited in a +vault, that artifact is scored for your team permanently. +There are only two ways that a deposited artifact can be +lost. + +One is to commit a severe misuse of violence and be +sanctioned by the referees. There are a number of lesser +punishments that the referees will generally try before +resorting to this extreme. These include: debuffs like +weakness or slow, time outs on the sidelines, or +teleportation which causes the loss of carried artifacts. +Only if a team persists in deliberate wrongdoing would an +artifact be removed from a vault. + +The other way to lose a deposited artifact is to reach the +brink of death, and be rescued by the referees, which costs +one artifact. Generally, this requires negligence. If a +member of your team drops unconscious, you will all be +teleported to safety. This gives you a chance to heal your +own people. Only if you fail to care for your own teammates +will the referees be forced to save you. + +Artifacts removed from vaults will be re-hidden within the +arena. + +## Brownie Points + +Of course, it's possible to take artifacts by brute force. +But remember: this is entertainment for an audience. If you +can show more style or creativity, you get brownie points. +You also get brownie points for using minimum force. + +For example, if you were to trick your opponent into saying +the words "teleport us," causing them to teleport away and +drop an artifact, you would get a large number of brownie +points, in addition to the artifact. + +If you get enough brownie points, a brownie will be sent +into the arena to assist you. You will very likely never +see them, but you will often find that one of the following +things has occurred: + +* Your wounds are healed + +* You have been magically buffed + +* You hear a whispered hint about an artifact + +Please do not attack the brownies. + +## Announcements + +During the game, we will occasionally make public +announcements. These events will always be announced: + +* When a team takes possession of an artifact. + +* When a team loses possession of an artifact. + +* When a team is sanctioned by the referees. + +* When a team deposits an artifact. + +In addition, if the game appears to be bogging down, we will +make announcements designed to accelerate matters. These +may include but are not limited to: + +* Hints about the locations of hidden artifacts. + +* The locations of the teams may be announced. + +In general, if any team uses a tactic that causes the game +to bog down, we reserve the right to undermine that tactic. +Remember, this is a show for the entertainment of guests. + diff --git a/people/Kekele.md b/people/Chen-Lifen-and-Kekele.md similarity index 100% rename from people/Kekele.md rename to people/Chen-Lifen-and-Kekele.md diff --git a/people/The Goblins in the Casino.md b/people/Goblins in the Casino.md similarity index 100% rename from people/The Goblins in the Casino.md rename to people/Goblins in the Casino.md