Welcome to the Kaurath Campaign of NERO Hartford
(Updated April 12, 2008)
All NERO Hartford events are held at
Camp Cedarcrest
886 Mapledale Road,
Orange, CT
(203) 946-8012
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
A. There is no smoking on the campsite at any time, either before, during or after the event except for 3 locations:
• The Upper Parking Lot [just off Mapledale Road]
• The Smokers’ area outside the kitchen stairs
• The fire pit at River’s Edge
[There will be cans placed at these locations for cigarette butts. Please use them.]
B. No cars, except for emergency vehicles, will be allowed on the site between 10pm Friday night and 2pm Sunday. Anyone arriving by vehicle, or dropping people or supplies off during this time must use the Camp’s Parking Lot, just off Mapledale Road on the other side of the Ranger’s residence.
C. White headbands: If you are out-of-game [OOG] and on the campsite, you must wear a white headband at all times. If you are not wearing one, you will be treated as being IG, period.
We would like to take a quick moment to welcome you to our game!
NERO Hartford wants its members to understand that our goal is to provide a safe, courteous, exciting, emotional, satisfying, and unbiased play environment. Our full-time, dedicated Staff members are here to make sure your game is enjoyable. If you haven't completed your Character history, contact our staff plot@nerohartford.com and let us help you complete it!
We the staff are eager to make your time here fun and to give you an all-out great event. The camps we rent have cabins and a dining hall on most occasions. We have a kitchen staff that provides meals and maintain beverages in the Tavern .We have put effort into creating a town atmosphere with full costumes and as many props as we could gather.
This welcome package contains all of the information you might need to have a fun weekend. Bring any additional questions to Logistics, Monster Camp or to the nearest Out of Game Staff member.
Please do not interrupt our Staff members during a weekend with questions or comments unless it is absolutely necessary for the current game. If you find yourself having difficulty finding things to do, find a Hartford Staff Member - we will get your group involved.
All questions and constructive comments should be submitted at the end of the weekend on the Event Survey or via specific email to the NERO Hartford Office (businessmgr@nerohartford.com). This will help us maintain a constant in-game atmosphere at all times.
We hope your stay here is a memorable one, and hope to see you return again in the future.
We would appreciate it if you could fill out the Event Survey online on our web page http://nerohartford.com/events_pel-1.html after the event so that we may better ourselves in the future. We can’t improve our game without your help.
Membership Verification:
Membership and Characters from all NERO Chapters are honored. You must have a valid Membership Card, or a current Character Card, signed by your home chapter’s logistics person or owner, or printed within 48 hours of the event you are attending from the National Database, and which lists your Date of Membership Expiration or you will be expected to pay $15.00 for a 3 month membership which will include tracking of your character and a membership Card.
Membership renewal is $30.00 per year, and new memberships are $40.00 per year which includes a NERO® Rule Book. NERO Hartford’s membership rates and packages information can be found at http://nerohartford.com/events_MemPkgs.html.
To verify if your membership is current, please contact your home chapter’s logistics personnel, and have them forward your current character card to us at least 48 hours before the event you expect to attend.
Medical Notices:
Any player wishing to attend a NERO Hartford event who suffers from a chronic illness, disability or other condition that requires a medical release or authorization to participate in physical or strenuous activities, must be able to provide proof of such current authorization [issued within 10 months of the event], and sign a waiver, before being allowed to attend and participate.
If any player is limited to “non-combat” activity they must inform the Event Staff, who may require that player to wear an Orange Page Headband, or limit them to certain areas of the campsite.
Any player who fails to inform the Event Staff of any medical or physical condition, and fails to list such on their respective cabin’s Marshal Notes, and which may impede their participation or put the player or others at unnecessary risk of harm, is subject to discipline by the Event Staff, which may include removal of skills for a specific period of time, mandatory wearing of an Orange Page Headband or a request to leave the campsite.
Cabin Assignments:
All players are created equal, and therefore sleeping bed spaces are acquired on a first-come, first-served basis. This means that once you are assigned a bed, no other player may take that bed from you. You may pitch a tent in the areas designated for such, and these tents are always in-game and can be Warded.
If you need special accommodations, such as access to electricity for a sleep aid device [e.g. a CPAP machine], you must advise the Chapter Staff before the event so they can plan accordingly.
Parking:
Camp Cedar crest has a parking lot just of Mapledale Road. All vehicles must be parked there. If you arrive before the game starts on Friday evening, you are permitted to drive down the Camp’s amin road and drop off your gear near the tavern. At all other times the policy posted at the top of this page will be enforced.
If you are bored at the event:
If you have done nothing for several hours, please send one person from your team to Monster Camp and seek out either the Monster Marshall or any Plot Team Member you may find there, and tell them: we will get you involved.
We all have to work together to make sure that everyone is participating and if you are not doing anything we want you to come and tell us so we can correct the challenge.
• Consider speaking in-game with all other players to hear stories of what they have done and are doing this event.
• The more experienced players who have managed to find themselves in the midst of yet another adventure should focus on passing adventures off to other players and their friends.
• More experienced and higher level players should also enter into combat with appropriate monsters: i.e., let the low level players fight the goblins; let the medium to high levels fight the trolls, lizard men, barbarians and Minotaur.
• It is common courtesy not to engage an adversary that is already engaged with another PC without firat asking the other character (in-game), if they require support, or, if it’s only skeletons or zombies attacking, the higher level, more experienced PCs should let the less experienced players engage them while watching over them and keeping an eye out for the big nasty red glowing eyed undead abomination and his larger than un-life minions.
• Basically, let everyone have a fair share of the fun and help strengthen our out-of-game social culture and sportsmanship policies while building in-game alliances.
Remain In-Game:
It is absolutely the most important requirement that ALL players remain in-game throughout the entire weekend, especially when walking around and the other players can see you.
NPC and Make The Game Better:
We request that event attendees consider volunteering for a for a 4-hour NPC shift in order to enhance the game and alleviate the burden placed on Staff and dedicated Event NPCs to be out there “monster-ing” and “spreading rumors”.
We appreciate you giving your time to increase the enjoyment of all players at this event. Please note that NPC shifts are rewarded with Goblin Blankets.
Opening Ceremonies:
Out of Game opening ceremonies are scheduled to begin promptly at 10:00 pm and should end by 10:10 pm. Game will start 5-15 minutes after opening ceremonies are completed, or by 11:00 pm, at the latest, with game continuing until 2PM Sunday afternoon.
Check-In:
Every player must check-in at logistics or monster camp, depending upon the time of their arrival, pay or provide proof of payment and get a receipt.
Visitors from other chapters must bring 2 copies of their character card. One copy will be kept by logistics and 1 will be signed off on for XP, Goblin Points Earned, and Deaths - to be takne back to the players’ home chapter.
Check-Out:
This takes place during the first 30 minutes after out-of-game closing ceremonies.
NERO Hartford is an auto-max Chapter. For attending a regular weekend event, you will be awarded 2 blankets of XP. In order to receive your build from any event you attend, you must check out. You must have your character card signed by one of the designated staff members handling check-out, and then leave the cards with that same person. Your character card information will be updated, or the information sent to your home chapter, as appropriate within 5 business days.
Attendance Tracking:
Please Note: In order to receive your event build, you MUST DROP OFF YOUR CHARACTER CARD AT CHECK-OUT! If you do NOT turn in your life tag, a death may be added to your card.
Game Rules:
NERO Hartford uses the NERO Rule Book 8th Edition, the 8th Edition Errata [http://www.nerolarp.com/PolicyInfo/8th-edition-errata.htm], the NERO® Formal Magic System© [http://www.nerolarp.com/FormalMagic/FormalIntroduction.htm] and the Playtests [http://nerohartford.com/playtests08.html] listed on this site.
Low Level Adventures:
NERO Hartford loves to welcome new players, so we make sure to have modules which are specifically designed for lower level characters.
We will try to make it very clear when someone comes out that they are hooking a low-level adventure. Maybe they are going to pick flowers or fight giant bees, or whatever might be appropriate for their level. We will try to have the NPC 'hooking' the adventure module make it clear, but not loudly, that the townsfolk ought to be recruiting lower level characters.
Keep your eyes out for these 'hooks' and get your friends involved in them. You can also check at the Tiki Bar or the Healers Guild for low-level modules, assignments, or even employment.
Game Possessions:
All Production & Magic Items marked Unrestricted are permitted to be brought into the game provided they are defined within the system, and are creatable by PCs.
Production Items not creatable by PCs include Enslavement Elixirs, Euphoria, Berserk, & Instant Death Gas Poisons, and Silence Scrolls.
Marshal List & Documentation:
A list of authorized Kaurath Campaign Marshals is posted in Monster Camp and at the bottom of the Marshal Notes Sheet that you are expected to post on the back of your Cabin Door.
Authorized Kaurath Campaign Marshals carry a Marshal Identification Card. If there is any ever any doubt if someone is a Marshal, ask for their Marshal ID Card. If they do not have one, go to Monster Camp for verification.
Formal Magic Spell Marshals:
Marshals for Formal Magic Spell castings are to be requested only at Monster Camp, not by intercepting a Staff member who is busy doing something else.
Marshal Notes:
Each Cabin has a Marshal Notes Sheet posted on the back of their door, with a list of authorized Kaurath Campaign Marshals at the bottom.
Each cabin is responsible for ensuring that the proper information is on the Marshal Notes. See the NERO® Rule Book to determine what information must be on the Marshal notes, as well as the above section on Medical Notices.
Use of Expired Tags:
Any player who attempts to use an expired or improperly authorized Item is cheating. Please take the time to make sure that all of your tags are validated with the proper authorizing mark and an expiration date.
LCO Magic Items and/or Tags from other Chapters are NEVER to be carried with current game possessions or Tags while at a game other than the Chapter issuing the LCO Tag. LCO Items found on a person at a chapter other than the issuing one will be confiscated by us and returned to the Originating Chapter.
Disciplinary Action may be taken by any of the Chapters and/or National as well.
Cast On The Fly:
At NERO Hartford, the “Cast On The Fly” spell casting technique is used.
Before casting any spells, Spell Casters are required to review each spell they may cast throughout the day from their spell book or one of their friends’ spellbooks.
• To ‘ready’ themselves at the start of the game, casters will sit back and review their spells as soon as game begins.
• At ‘reset’, they will again take out their spell books and review the spells they may cast that day.
• Casters are not required to carry spell books unless studying or meditating.
Character Documentation:
All players, PC and NPC alike, must carry character documentation. Marshals are permitted to check this documentation at any time while non-Marshals must have a valid reason. The player need only display the portion of his documentation, which shows the skill in question.
Our Marshals will be randomly checking PC and NPC cards to ensure that players are accurately recording their current body, spell and skill usage, and active magic item effects.
To track the use of your skills we provide you with a Skill sheet. When you use a times per day Skill, you are required to check the use of it off on the Skill sheet, within 10 minutes of its use. We encourage players to find a time after using skills to mark their use on the skill sheet.
All players, PC and NPC alike, are responsible for keeping their Skill Sheet current and up to date. Any player who is found not doing so will be issued a warning, which will be marked on their character card. After three such warnings the offending player will be issued an Orange Page Headband and will have their skills removed for an amount of time determined by the ruling marshal, turning the headband in at monster camp after the short period. Each infraction will be recorded in a Marshal's log at NPC camp. If a player has had their skills removed twice, they will be subject to additional disciplinary action.
OOG Chatter:
Speak out-of-game as little as possible during the event. Every player is expected to correct other players if they go out of game during the event. Individuals who repeatedly go out of game will be asked to leave.
If you have an in-game secret, which you don’t want revealed, you shouldn’t tell anyone out-of-game. This way, if someone discovers your secret, you can be assured it was discovered in-game.
Approaching NPC Camp:
Only those players who are Staffing, NPC’ing, or require logistical support (formal marshal, etc.) may enter or approach NPC Camp [a/k/a Monster Camp]. NPC Camp is where “It” all happens at an event; this is where Storylines are spoken about openly, and monsters given directives every few minutes. There are often White Boards on the Wall with critical information on it, and Plot Lines posted to the walls that will help NPC’s play their monster roles, and promote the Event Plot. It becomes very difficult to keep our events moving along if we receive a PC in camp with questions, every 30 minutes.
Players with ‘General’ questions should NOT come to NPC camp. They should wait until after the game is over. Before coming to monster camp we request that you ask yourself “Am I asking for in-game information? Do I really need this information out-of-game, and do I need it right now”? Our Monster Camp personnel are trying to coordinate the scheduled actions of 10-50 people and cannot afford to lose 10 minutes out of every 30 answering questions that could wait until after an event.
Quiet Zones:
Be aware of the Camp Quite Zones and their associated times. If we make too much noise at night (especially after midnight) the neighbors will call the police. Our theatrical boffer-style combat should be conducted using “Conversational Combat” during quiet times.
Camp Cleanliness:
We must leave the campsite very clean or we will not be asked back.
We recommend that anyone playing characters that require make-up bring a tarp for their set-up area, as well as baby wipes and the like.
We also ask that if you make a mess in one of the bathrooms when you make yourselves up, or remove any makeup, please clean up after yourselves.
Pick up all of your garbage, and the garbage in the area surrounding the cabin you stayed in, to make sure that we leave the site so clean that the Camp asks us to return.
Important: Before leaving the site, you must have a Clean-up Marshal sign off on your cabin. If the cabin that you stayed in is not clean we will impose a $10.00 penalty fee per person listed as staying in the cabin, even if they left early.
Spell Packets:
Traditional Spell Packets as mentioned in the NERO Rule Book are permitted but due to the overwhelming amount of packets that we use we must make sure that there are not any left around when we depart.
The Check-In and Logistics Process:
When you arrive at the Campsite, you must go through logistics to Check-In to the Game. The Check-In process is quick, especially for those who have pre-registered and pre-paid, as we strive to get our attendees through logistics in a total of twenty (20) minutes.
WARNING: If you do not properly check-in at Logistics or Monster Camp [if you arrive after the official start of game], and you are caught on-site and IG, you will be suspended from NERO for 6 months and your character build will be cut by 50%.
Each attendee will:
1) Pay for the event: rates are posted at http://nerohartford.com/events_attnd.html
2) Acquire your Membership &/or Character Card:
a. Carry your Membership card with you to all NERO Events.
b. Carry your Character Card with you at all times during game.
c. Many people carry their tags and such in plastic zip-lock bags.
d. If you pre-registered, your character card is waiting for you at logistics.
3) Production Creation:
a. Do your production NOW for the entire weekend.
b. Get your Lab Cards if you own or have access to a Lab in the town, or city we are in at this event.
c. Have your Equipment choices and applicable Lab Cards Ready.
d. If you pre-registered your production items they will be delivered to you IG shortly after opening ceremonies.
4) Confirm ownership of a White Headband:
Ask us for a White Headband if you don’t have one of your own. There is usually some Thick White Ribbon, 1" thick please, that can be used as White Headbands.
5) Check your Weapons:
a. Every weapon and shield must have a current Hartford safety tag on it.
b. Any player found using a weapon without a weapon safety tag, may be removed from the game.
SPECIAL EFFECTS & LIGHTING DISCLAIMER
To all Nero players, PC’s and NPC’s attending this weekend’s activities:
This DISCLAIMER is to inform all players, visitors, observers and those taking any part in this weekend that the Nero staff may at different times, for the benefit of added effect and amusement, utilize black light, strobe light, flash lighting, fog effects, wind effects, and various “special effects” in and among the storylines/plot presented.
If you as an individual are allergic, adversely affected as per epilepsy, or bothered in any way by any of the above, it is your responsibility to identify the situation, and remove yourself from it. We encourage you to alert our staff of any conditions that apply, so that we may alert you to any instances where we know you may encounter one of these special effects.
