Health & Safety
Darken Vale uses a Medium Contact system for governing its combat system. Blows are not swung at full force and must be ‘pulled’ at the last moment to ensure that force is not directed at another player fully. Training will be given to all new players, and to any existing players that the Elders deem necessary, to ensure that safe combat is maintained at all times. All LARP weapons and armour must be inspected by the Elder team and meet the Darken Vale safety requirements or they will not be permitted for use during game play.
Melee Weapon Safety
1) All weapons must be in good working condition with no torn or exposed foam on display.
2) None of the fibreglass core must be showing or have the potential to break through the foam to stab someone during combat.
3) Weapons with a point (spears, etc.) must have 4 inches of extra foam weapon beyond the end of the core to allow for safe stabbing manoeuvres.
4) Only coreless weapons can be used as thrown weapons.
Ranged Weapons- Bow & Crossbow Safety
1) These weapons can only be used by players 16 years of age or older unless otherwise approved by an Elder.
2) All players wishing to use bows or crossbows must pass a Ranged Weapon Overview, conducted by the Chief Elder before they will be given permission.
3) Players must allow an Elder to conduct an inspection of all equipment (bows, crossbows and all arrows) before play and prove they are responsible enough to use archery before each game.
4) Compound bows or compound crossbows are not permitted in this system.
5) The maximum poundage for bows / crossbows is 30lb. This will be measured with a fish scale at max draw at the start of each event.
6) Any target for a shot must be 1 foot of distance away per lb of poundage of the bow. So if the bow’s poundage is 22lbs, the target should be no less than 22 feet away (8-10 foot paces).
7) Close range shots should only ever be taken at half draw or less.
8) Archers must use flat tipped, low speed foam arrowheads between 2.75" (7 cm) and 3" (about 7.6 cm) wide at the striking tip.
9) Arrows cannot be used in melee combat in any way or during night-time events.
Armour Safety
1) Armour will be inspected by an Elder before each game starts. If anything is deemed unsafe, sharp edges or broken elements, then the armour piece in question will not be allowed in play.
2) Armour must fit your body well and be balanced for extended use and not pinch or abrade. It must be secured fully on all areas of the body using the correct straps to prevent anything falling off or being a hazard. Straps will be inspected for wear and tear.
3) Armour cannot have any sharp points on it that would endanger you or others around you.
4) It is recommended that under-armour or a gambeson be worn over heavier armour. This call will be at the discretion of the Elders.
5) Helms must be padded in order to be worn.
Combat Health & Safety
If you participate in strenuous physical activity and mock combat, there is an ever-present risk of personal injury. As a result, Darken Vale recommends that players wear head, eye and groin protection if they are going to participate in physical combat and LARP gaming. Anything other than this is done at an individual’s own discretion & will not incur liability on the club’s behalf.
The areas that must not be struck during melee or ranged combat, or with a thrown spell orb, are the head and neck or the groin. Accidental contact and blows are inevitable but must be minimised at all cost by each player. The player that causes the accidental blow will be required to duck out of the current combat as a penalty and will be considered Out of Play (Hand on Head) until the end of combat.
If a player causes excessive accidental shots to other players, they will have to participate in a Combat Safety Refresher with an Elder, where they will practice aiming their strikes and blow pulling techniques. If a player does make accidental contact with another player, it is considered correct behaviour to apologise immediately and strive not to do the same again.
If an Elder suspects that any player is showing signs of stress, illness or poor health, or that they are becoming a hazard to themselves or others, then they will immediately ask the player to step out of the current combat until it is deemed acceptable for that player to return to play. Personal and group safety are of paramount importance to the Darken Vale LARP experience- anyone risking that will be disqualified from the club.
Glasses
Any players that participate in Darken Vale LARP events that wear glasses are advised to do so at their own personal discretion. Athletic strength equipment is advised due to the physical nature of the game, but Darken Vale does not accept liability for lost, broken or damaged eyewear- they are an individual player’s own responsibility.
Sashed Combat
For players that want a more realistic feel to their combat, then Darken Vale offers the advanced Sash Combat system. Sash players are allowed to safely grapple, stage brawl (roleplayed of course) and roleplay shield bashing and other more full-contact combat elements with other Sash players.
In order to become a Sashed player, a player must pass a Sash Training Day course which involves practical safety assessments and careful instruction on how to behave responsibly when using Sashed combat techniques and will be decided upon by the Chief Elder.
If at any time the Elders feel you are not able to use Sashed combat in a safe or controlled manner, then they can and will remove your Sashed player status. If you are found using Sashed combat without the credentials to do so, disciplinary action will be taken.
A Sashed player must clearly wear a coloured sash with a Fist patch visible to all players. NPCs must have sashes visible too in order to use these abilities.
If a player does not wear their Sash for any reason, then they cannot engage in Sash combat. So, a Sashed player cannot engage another Sashed player if either player is not wearing their Sash that particular day, saying, ‘We both now we’re Sashed so it’s ok…’ No Sash, no Sash combat!
Actions Permitted in Sashed Combat:
1) Safe and prudent shield bashing and pushing on flat end of shields is allowed. You cannot however control the other persons shield.
2) Players can grapple, push, and ‘stage fight’ if it is deemed safe to do so.
3) Light jabs with approved weapons may be allowed.
4) Stronger weapon contact is allowed as long as it is safe and prudent.
To qualify for Sashed combat, you must do the following:
1) Be at least 18 years of age.
2) Responsibly passed a Sash Proficiency Training Day & own a Sash.
Sash privileges can be revoked by:
1) Using Sash combat rules with a non-Sash player.
2) Not practising safe and sportsmanlike conduct during Sash combat.
New Character Tips:
Almost all player characters will welcome newcomers. It is a smart strategy to work together to defeat your enemies, so be friendly and learn the lore and laws of the land!
Don't want to do combat? No problem! We require all non-combat players to wear a yellow or orange band on their left wrist or left belt in full view of all players. So, if you would just rather explore, sell, trade and do non-combat quests that is perfectly fine. You will not be engaged into a battle situation. (Find out more in the band System section of this rulebook)
How Hits Are Scored & Called
Darken Vale uses a simplistic hit system where the armour points are global, yet the hits are local. This means that in order for things like armour to count, the area of the body that was hit must be covered with armour. The global count simply makes it easier to keep track of.
Other than casters and archers, characters cannot call their hits on the people they are attacking. The person defending will decide what a legal hit is and what is not. Defenders must call their hits. Players who abuse this will be removed from the game. If there is a doubt, please just take the hit. Again, this is medium contact so a swing can be full blown, but you must pull your blow, so the actual strike is not hard. This allows us to use more theatrical looking weapons instead of bulky boffers.
If you run out of the game area to avoid being killed, you will die. An example of this is someone cornered and running into the out of bounds car park to avoid being killed.
Hit Areas & What to Avoid
Theatrical weapons like the ones used in our games are not typically designed for thrusting or hard blows. Serious injury can result of improper hits and thus game Elders will take these types of infractions seriously for the safety of the players. That being said, glances and accidents happen so it is the player’s responsibility to protect themselves from accidents.
Please refrain from hitting someone in the face, head or groin. While we do have abilities such as waylay which knock a player out via a roleplayed strike to the head (if unarmoured), we ask that you do everything you can to avoid hitting someone in the head and rather roleplay a strike for things like decapitation, etc. Remember that foam quickly moved against the skin can cause friction burns so even those types of moved are not recommended. That being said, in the heat of a battle, accidents happen and lots of foam is flying around so if you are going to be engaging in physical combat in any way, shape or form, you are expected to protect your face, eyes, groin or any place else you don't want to be hit.
Darken Vale is not responsible for players getting hurt because they did not plan accordingly, and Elders may not let you battle if you are not properly protected. Sure, this is tag with foam sticks but anytime you swing anything at anyone, there are risks involved. If you do not want to engage in physical combat, please refer to our band system which is explained a bit further down in this chapter.
Monster and / or NPCs may or may not make calls, but they will react to hits with grunts, growls, flinching, etc. This is for immersion reasons. Due to garb and other factors, some NPC's may have more hit points and / or armour points then you can see them having. So, if your attacks don’t seem to be doing much it does NOT mean they are cheating or that you need to swing harder.
The Golden Rule
This system is flexible, but it is also meant to be a balanced set of rules. The Elders reserve the right to alter, amend and bend the rules in order to make the quests and adventures challenging for the players in order to keep the flow of the event and avoid the game becoming dull. Any changes made will not be permanent unless agreed by all elders and made to genuinely improve the player experience,
Darken Vale uses a Medium Contact system for governing its combat system. Blows are not swung at full force and must be ‘pulled’ at the last moment to ensure that force is not directed at another player fully. Training will be given to all new players, and to any existing players that the Elders deem necessary, to ensure that safe combat is maintained at all times. All LARP weapons and armour must be inspected by the Elder team and meet the Darken Vale safety requirements or they will not be permitted for use during game play.
Melee Weapon Safety
1) All weapons must be in good working condition with no torn or exposed foam on display.
2) None of the fibreglass core must be showing or have the potential to break through the foam to stab someone during combat.
3) Weapons with a point (spears, etc.) must have 4 inches of extra foam weapon beyond the end of the core to allow for safe stabbing manoeuvres.
4) Only coreless weapons can be used as thrown weapons.
Ranged Weapons- Bow & Crossbow Safety
1) These weapons can only be used by players 16 years of age or older unless otherwise approved by an Elder.
2) All players wishing to use bows or crossbows must pass a Ranged Weapon Overview, conducted by the Chief Elder before they will be given permission.
3) Players must allow an Elder to conduct an inspection of all equipment (bows, crossbows and all arrows) before play and prove they are responsible enough to use archery before each game.
4) Compound bows or compound crossbows are not permitted in this system.
5) The maximum poundage for bows / crossbows is 30lb. This will be measured with a fish scale at max draw at the start of each event.
6) Any target for a shot must be 1 foot of distance away per lb of poundage of the bow. So if the bow’s poundage is 22lbs, the target should be no less than 22 feet away (8-10 foot paces).
7) Close range shots should only ever be taken at half draw or less.
8) Archers must use flat tipped, low speed foam arrowheads between 2.75" (7 cm) and 3" (about 7.6 cm) wide at the striking tip.
9) Arrows cannot be used in melee combat in any way or during night-time events.
Armour Safety
1) Armour will be inspected by an Elder before each game starts. If anything is deemed unsafe, sharp edges or broken elements, then the armour piece in question will not be allowed in play.
2) Armour must fit your body well and be balanced for extended use and not pinch or abrade. It must be secured fully on all areas of the body using the correct straps to prevent anything falling off or being a hazard. Straps will be inspected for wear and tear.
3) Armour cannot have any sharp points on it that would endanger you or others around you.
4) It is recommended that under-armour or a gambeson be worn over heavier armour. This call will be at the discretion of the Elders.
5) Helms must be padded in order to be worn.
Combat Health & Safety
If you participate in strenuous physical activity and mock combat, there is an ever-present risk of personal injury. As a result, Darken Vale recommends that players wear head, eye and groin protection if they are going to participate in physical combat and LARP gaming. Anything other than this is done at an individual’s own discretion & will not incur liability on the club’s behalf.
The areas that must not be struck during melee or ranged combat, or with a thrown spell orb, are the head and neck or the groin. Accidental contact and blows are inevitable but must be minimised at all cost by each player. The player that causes the accidental blow will be required to duck out of the current combat as a penalty and will be considered Out of Play (Hand on Head) until the end of combat.
If a player causes excessive accidental shots to other players, they will have to participate in a Combat Safety Refresher with an Elder, where they will practice aiming their strikes and blow pulling techniques. If a player does make accidental contact with another player, it is considered correct behaviour to apologise immediately and strive not to do the same again.
If an Elder suspects that any player is showing signs of stress, illness or poor health, or that they are becoming a hazard to themselves or others, then they will immediately ask the player to step out of the current combat until it is deemed acceptable for that player to return to play. Personal and group safety are of paramount importance to the Darken Vale LARP experience- anyone risking that will be disqualified from the club.
Glasses
Any players that participate in Darken Vale LARP events that wear glasses are advised to do so at their own personal discretion. Athletic strength equipment is advised due to the physical nature of the game, but Darken Vale does not accept liability for lost, broken or damaged eyewear- they are an individual player’s own responsibility.
Sashed Combat
For players that want a more realistic feel to their combat, then Darken Vale offers the advanced Sash Combat system. Sash players are allowed to safely grapple, stage brawl (roleplayed of course) and roleplay shield bashing and other more full-contact combat elements with other Sash players.
In order to become a Sashed player, a player must pass a Sash Training Day course which involves practical safety assessments and careful instruction on how to behave responsibly when using Sashed combat techniques and will be decided upon by the Chief Elder.
If at any time the Elders feel you are not able to use Sashed combat in a safe or controlled manner, then they can and will remove your Sashed player status. If you are found using Sashed combat without the credentials to do so, disciplinary action will be taken.
A Sashed player must clearly wear a coloured sash with a Fist patch visible to all players. NPCs must have sashes visible too in order to use these abilities.
If a player does not wear their Sash for any reason, then they cannot engage in Sash combat. So, a Sashed player cannot engage another Sashed player if either player is not wearing their Sash that particular day, saying, ‘We both now we’re Sashed so it’s ok…’ No Sash, no Sash combat!
Actions Permitted in Sashed Combat:
1) Safe and prudent shield bashing and pushing on flat end of shields is allowed. You cannot however control the other persons shield.
2) Players can grapple, push, and ‘stage fight’ if it is deemed safe to do so.
3) Light jabs with approved weapons may be allowed.
4) Stronger weapon contact is allowed as long as it is safe and prudent.
To qualify for Sashed combat, you must do the following:
1) Be at least 18 years of age.
2) Responsibly passed a Sash Proficiency Training Day & own a Sash.
Sash privileges can be revoked by:
1) Using Sash combat rules with a non-Sash player.
2) Not practising safe and sportsmanlike conduct during Sash combat.
New Character Tips:
- Make sure that your character knows the consequences of his/her actions by understanding the local laws.
- You may not want to start insulting that nasty undead you see in the realm; it just might be the most powerful Death Knight in the kingdom.
- If you just walk in and start your own thieves’ guild, it’s certainly not going to make the current guild very happy.
- If you plan to play a thief or murderer understand that your character might only last a few events until he gets caught and is either banished or permanently killed if caught red handed.
- Be smart, get the lay of the land, ask questions and understand that actions have consequences.
Almost all player characters will welcome newcomers. It is a smart strategy to work together to defeat your enemies, so be friendly and learn the lore and laws of the land!
Don't want to do combat? No problem! We require all non-combat players to wear a yellow or orange band on their left wrist or left belt in full view of all players. So, if you would just rather explore, sell, trade and do non-combat quests that is perfectly fine. You will not be engaged into a battle situation. (Find out more in the band System section of this rulebook)
How Hits Are Scored & Called
Darken Vale uses a simplistic hit system where the armour points are global, yet the hits are local. This means that in order for things like armour to count, the area of the body that was hit must be covered with armour. The global count simply makes it easier to keep track of.
Other than casters and archers, characters cannot call their hits on the people they are attacking. The person defending will decide what a legal hit is and what is not. Defenders must call their hits. Players who abuse this will be removed from the game. If there is a doubt, please just take the hit. Again, this is medium contact so a swing can be full blown, but you must pull your blow, so the actual strike is not hard. This allows us to use more theatrical looking weapons instead of bulky boffers.
If you run out of the game area to avoid being killed, you will die. An example of this is someone cornered and running into the out of bounds car park to avoid being killed.
Hit Areas & What to Avoid
Theatrical weapons like the ones used in our games are not typically designed for thrusting or hard blows. Serious injury can result of improper hits and thus game Elders will take these types of infractions seriously for the safety of the players. That being said, glances and accidents happen so it is the player’s responsibility to protect themselves from accidents.
Please refrain from hitting someone in the face, head or groin. While we do have abilities such as waylay which knock a player out via a roleplayed strike to the head (if unarmoured), we ask that you do everything you can to avoid hitting someone in the head and rather roleplay a strike for things like decapitation, etc. Remember that foam quickly moved against the skin can cause friction burns so even those types of moved are not recommended. That being said, in the heat of a battle, accidents happen and lots of foam is flying around so if you are going to be engaging in physical combat in any way, shape or form, you are expected to protect your face, eyes, groin or any place else you don't want to be hit.
Darken Vale is not responsible for players getting hurt because they did not plan accordingly, and Elders may not let you battle if you are not properly protected. Sure, this is tag with foam sticks but anytime you swing anything at anyone, there are risks involved. If you do not want to engage in physical combat, please refer to our band system which is explained a bit further down in this chapter.
Monster and / or NPCs may or may not make calls, but they will react to hits with grunts, growls, flinching, etc. This is for immersion reasons. Due to garb and other factors, some NPC's may have more hit points and / or armour points then you can see them having. So, if your attacks don’t seem to be doing much it does NOT mean they are cheating or that you need to swing harder.
The Golden Rule
This system is flexible, but it is also meant to be a balanced set of rules. The Elders reserve the right to alter, amend and bend the rules in order to make the quests and adventures challenging for the players in order to keep the flow of the event and avoid the game becoming dull. Any changes made will not be permanent unless agreed by all elders and made to genuinely improve the player experience,
