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Manic Melee Rules

These rules are designed for fast, fun and frenetic roleplay but with a bit of logic and order in them too. They are designed for groups of perhaps 8 to 12 participants.

At some time in the initial role play the MC ( Melee Controller ) will post in the room “A FIGHT BREAKS OUT!”. Then all participants get maybe 2 minutes to prepare posts showing attacking, defensive or evasive actions.

After 2 minutes the MC will post “MELEE!” and all including the MC must post their actions within 10 seconds. After 10 seconds the MC posts “END!” and further melee posts are invalid.

The combat will almost certainly require more than one melee round to resolve and melees are a continuous cycle once fighting starts.

In this format – everyone is a judge! You judge the post of the person who posted right before you did! Basically, anything that in the 1-2-1 format needed a “tries” or “attempts” needs a judgement call ( you don’t need to post “tries” or “attempts” in this format – just say what you’re doing ).

Judgement Example:

A slave, in the post before yours, says “throws a tankard at the Warrior’s head” and you have to judge that. You can read the Warrior’s post for that melee round to see what he is doing. How far away is he? Only bother about the slave’s target – other things may affect how well the slave throws – or even if she throws at all!!

Unless he’s close and fairly still it will be a difficult shot! If he’s far away and moving it’s a very difficult shot? Did she hit? If so what was the effect? You make the judgement and if you’re having difficulty try using a dice!

 So – what do you post in the resolution phase? You determined that the tankard hit him but missed his head so you could post:

“Judges that the slave hit her target on the shoulder with the tankard which may distract him!”

Of course somebody may be attacking that particular slave and the person posting after that “somebody” may judge that the tankard throwing slave never got a chance to throw it!?

Melee Example:

The setting is a tavern. There are ten participants. Tension has been rising but no weapons drawn. The MC posts “A FIGHT BREAKS OUT!” and after giving all 10 time to prepare their posts the MC posts “MELEE!”. In the next 10 seconds all the pre-prepared actions are posted.

This is the order in which the posts came up – it may be different screen to screen – will see how it goes ...

Landlord: Sees trouble brewing and grabs the cart wheel spoke He keeps under the counter for such occasions. Waits to see who starts the fight.

FM Scribe: Pushes back from the table to give Him room to move as quickly as robes allow. Frees His short sword but doesn’t draw it yet.

Baker: Waits developments and gets into a position to toss the table over at any that come at Him.

Warrior: Says “I think both those two” looks to the FW Scribe and Merchant “would make fine slaves” winks to the Builder and rises, drawing His sword and striding to the FW’s table.

Scribe’s slave: looks across to the adjacent table – sees some empty large tankards that might serve as weapons if need arose.

Builder’s slave: checks that the small knife her Master allows her is ready for use and smiles remembering her days as a Panther Woman.

FW Scribe: decides She’s sitting on the best weapon She has and pushes back on the chair while looking around the room for other options.

Builder: watches to see what the Warrior does next and decides to follow whatever actions He takes.

FW Merchant: says to the FW Scribe – “I have ost venom pins if I can get close enough to use them” sneakily draws one out.

FW Red Savage: sees Her Warrior friend up to His tricks again and sits back, ready to enjoy the show, Her hand on a long curved dagger.

Judgements!

No real judgements yet as these are mostly “intention” posts. The Warrior has obviously started the action. Interestingly – the Baker is ready to toss His table over at any that come near Him. If anyone, apart from the Warrior or His friends, posted immediately after the Baker’s post then they could validly judge that “seeing the Warrior with drawn sword approach his table the Baker tips it into his path and causes him to stumble”. The ‘judge’ of that action would need to decide if the Baker saw the Warrior as a threat and, if so, what effect the tossed table had on the Warrior. Using dice to resolve chances is optional and as long as the ‘judgement’ you make on the post preceding yours is reasonably possible – it’s OK!

Second Melee Round

FW Merchant: waits to see if the Warrior tries to grab either her or the other FW and gives her a chance to use the ost venom pin.

Warrior: Says “Stand aside Scribe or lose your life AND your woman!” aims a slash at the sword arm of the Scribe.

Scribe’s slave: having heard the Warrior’s threats and seeing him approach with drawn sword she quickly grabs a tankard and throws it at his head.

Builder: sword drawn he advances to cover his friend, the Warrior’s, back prepared to intercept any who try to interfere.

FW Scribe: rises quickly and backs away a little – picks up the chair and uses it to defend herself.

Landlord: charges out from behind the counter with the large wooden spoke in His hand to club the Warrior!

FW Red Savage: notices that the Landlord has grabbed some kind of weapon and stands, dagger drawn, ready to intercept him if he tries to interfere.

FM Scribe: draws His sword and steps back, keeping the table between himself and the attackers and trying to protect his FC.

Builder’s slave: follows her Master knife still sheaved, watches the movements of the Scribe’s slave as she seems a feisty one.

Baker: tips the table at the Builder who is also advancing with drawn sword.

Judgements!

The Merchant judges that the Baker tipped his table at the Builder and made him fall to the floor.

The Warrior judges that the Merchant did not get close enough to use her pin

The Scribe’s slave judges that the Warrior’s attack was spoiled by the table between him and her Master.

The Builder judges that the Scribe slave missed with the tankard.

The FW Scribe cannot affect the Builder’s actions.

The Landlord cannot affect the FW Scribe’s actions.

The Red Savage stabs at the Landlord as he attempts to intervene.

The FM Scribe’s judgement can’t really affect the Red Savage’s actions as her target was the Landlord and the Landlord was focussed on the Warrior.

The Builder’s slave can’t affect the FM Scribe’s actions

The Baker can’t affect the Builder’s slave’s actions

So what happened was:

The Warrior’s first slashing attack at the FM Scribe missed due to the table between them and the tankard flying past his ear! The Builder was brought to the floor by the table the Baker tossed at him and did not join the Warrior. The Landlord was intercepted and stabbed by the Red Savage.

Third Melee Round

Baker: while he has the advantage he draws his sword and follows up his attack on the fallen Builder

FM Scribe: continues to fight on the defensive trying to keep furniture between himself and the Warrior!

Scribe’s slave: grabs another tankard and leaps onto the Warriors back trying to pummel his head with it!

Builder’s slave: draws the knife and attacks the Scribe's slave

FW Red Savage: follows up her attack on the wounded Landlord with a stab to his heart

FW Merchant: tries to kick the Warrior's legs out from under him as he fights with the Scribe

FW Scribe: steps to one side and swings the chair hard at the Warrior's head

Landlord: cries with pain as the dagger bit into his arm and thrusts the spoke into his attacker's face

Warrior: kicks the table at the Scribe and follows up with another slash at his sword arm

Builder: scrambles to his feet and turns to counter any attack from the Baker

Judgements

The FM Scribe judges that the Baker was successful in his follow up attack on the floored Builder and that the Builder took a disabling wound.

The Scribe’s slave judges that with her Master’s defensive stance and the chair swung at the Warriors head by her Mistress and the other Mistress kicking his legs he evades the Warrior.

The Builder’s slave judges that the Scribe slave’s attack on the Warrior failed as she was intercepted by her.

The Red Savage judges that the attack on the Scribe’s slave by the Builder’s slave was successful and the Scribe slave was killed.

The FW Merchant judges that Red Savage has killed the Landlord.

The FW Scribe judges that – intent on attacking the FM Scribe – the Warrior was brought to the floor by the Merchant’s kick and hit his head on a chair becoming semi concussed.

The Landlord judges that the FW Scribe missed her swing at the Warriors head.

The Warrior judges that the Landlord failed to connect with the face of the nimble Red Savage.

The Builder judges that the Warrior - with all that was going on around him – failed to kick the table as a prelude to his attack.

The Baker judges that the Builder was unable to regain his feet and make a good defence.

So what happened was:

Although the Warrior dodged the swung chair from one FW, the other FW kicked his legs from under him before he could kick the table at the FM Scribe. He fell heavily ( off balance preparing to kick? ) and hit his head on a chair becoming semi-concussed. The Baker successfully attacked the floored Builder, disabling him. The Builder’s slave killed the Scribe’s slave as she was trying to climb on the Warrior’s back and the Red Savage finished off the Landlord!

How it might all end?

The Warrior, dazed and on the floor, looks easy meat for the ost pin and chair swinging Free Women, not to mention the Scribe FM’s sword! His ‘partner in crime’ the Builder is bleeding on the floor. With the confident Baker striding into the fray, the Red Savage and Builder’s slave look rather outmatched!