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As with any group of friends (and believe us, you will make a lot of friends in NERO), there are words, slang expressions, and "shortcuts" that make some talk seem strange to outsiders.
Here is a list of mostly out-of-game terms and words you may hear at a NERO event with which you may not be familiar. This is not a rehashing of every term used in NERO but merely a quick reference guide to things that may not have been covered as clearly elsewhere. If you do not see a term defined here that you wish to understand better, check the index.
Adjudicator [top]
A NERO judge to whom you may appeal if you feel wronged. Common adjudicated matters: Other players or NPCs didn't count hits or cheated some other way; the marshal made a bad rule judgment; the module was changed or misinterpreted.
Base XP [top]
The amount of XP that you are guaranteed to receive for an event. The exact amount depends on your current Building Points and the duration of the event. Also known as a "Blanket."
Basher [top]
A player who cares only about fighting and not roleplaying.
Blanket [top]
The base XP your character will earn when you attend an event. Alternatively, what you'd better remember when you go to overnight events.
Bloodblade [top]
A character whose history reads like Deathbringer Bloodblade Darkshadow's (see Chapter on "Creating a Character").
BP [top]
Build Point. You "buy" in-game skills for your character with these. You earn Build Points by trading in Experience Points.
Character Card [top]
Your character card lists your current skills and all other important stats.
Cheese [top]
To be a rules cheat by insisting upon the letter of the rule instead of the intent of the rule or to otherwise try to bend the rules to fit what you want to do. It's really cheesy.
Crit. Slay [top]
Short for Critical Slay.
Donut [top]
A player who just doesn't have a clue. Doing a stupid move when you should know better (for example, a 1st level scholar attacking a greater vampire) marks you as a donut. Supposedly, the phrase started when someone said "I eat stupid people like you for breakfast! You're a donut!” It is a somewhat insulting term, but can apply to experienced, players who do something foolish as well as newbies.
Drawing a Black Stone [top]
When you go to the Healers' GuiId to be resurrected, you will reach into a bag with ten stones. White stones mean you are resurrected and black stones represent a permanent death. This is an in-game as well as an out-of-game phrase; In-game, characters are referring to the old myth that Death makes you choose from a bag when you die. (Aw, you don't really believe that old fable, do ya?)
Experience Points [top]
These are points you trade in for Building Points to buy new skills.
FOIG [top]
"Find Out In-Game.” Said frequently to players who ask in-game questions while out-of-game.
Fizzrep [top]
See Phys Rep.
Full Boat [top]
Having every Spell Defense active on you. We have no idea where this phrase originated.
Game Abilities [top]
Generally speaking, this refers to skills bought with BP. The reason it is important is that some spells, alchemical substances and monster abilities can prevent you from using your "Game Abilities.” If you are under the effects of a Nausea poison for instance, you cannot cast any spells, fight, or throw any gas globes since all of these are "game abilities.” However, you can still talk, drink a potion, activate a magic item or perform other actions that are not specific NERO skills.
Goblin Munchies [top]
Food for goblins. Some goblins are very bribable. Offering a goblin some candy or other food to keep it from killing you usually works (especially if the NPC behind the mask is hungry). Lots of players carry around a small pouch full of "goblin munchies" for such an occasion.
Goblin Stamps [top]
Also known as Goblin Points. Goblin stamps (NERO's version of green stamps) are given to our volunteers for work performed.
Hack and Slash [top]
Either a player who cares nothing about roleplaying and is only interested in fighting; or a module adventure that only provides
In-Game [top]
What really happens to your character. Not everything on a weekend or a module is "in-game.” During a battle, the damage you call is "out-of-game" but the damage caused to the character is "in-game.” Two players may talk between weekends, say something incriminating, and decide for the fun of it to treat it "in-game" as if their characters had said it. "In-game" also refers to knowledge your character has as opposed to you the player. Out-of-game, you can read and write but in-game you can't, for instance. (See "Out-of- Game" below.)
In The Bag [top]
A character that already has a chance of drawing a black stone from the Bag of Chance. "I can't afford to die! I'm already in the bag!"
Machine Gunning [top]
According to NERO rules, a proper "hit" with a weapon must be of at least 45 degrees in a swing. A machine gunner stands next to his or her victim and moves the weapon only with the wrist, bringing the weapon back a few inches and striking repeatedly while yelling damage as fast as possible. This is not allowed.
Marshal [top]
A NERO staff member who is versed in the rules and can make calls at to rules interpretations when there are questions or controversies.
Max Out [top]
To gain the maximum amount of XP for an event by turning in game money.
Metagame [top]
To use out-of-game knowledge to help your in-game character. This is cheating! For example, a person who finds out as an NPC that a player is a necromancer and then later has his PC use that knowledge is metagaming. Don't do this! It's a very quick way to make tons of enemies, never be trusted, and possibly (depending on the severity) find yourself kicked out of NERO.
Module [top]
A set adventure. On an adventure day, the module takes up your day as you go through several encounters. On a weekend, a module may be only one encounter or may consist of one preplanned (i.e. plot approved) monster attack or other such limited adventure.
Mundania [top]
The real world. (You know-where we go when we're not playing NERO.)
Mundane [top]
A person who does not play NERO; especially one who does not understand why people enjoy NERO (like our bosses and teachers).
NEROtic [top]
A NERO fanatic.
Newbie [top]
A new player, usually identified by the "Gosh Wow" expression on his or her face at the first event. This is not meant to be an insulting term. Everyone was a newbie once.
Nounverber [top]
A character with a typical fantasy name such as "Dreamseeker" or "Shadowwalker" or "Deathbringer."
NPC [top]
A non-player character. NPCs are all controlled by plot either directly or indirectly (through a module or weekend director). NPCs include all monsters. A few people who serve important functions in the town are also NPCs. These people probably include the major nobles and the major guild leaders. This does not mean that these town NPCs are not killable nor does it mean that they are allowed to ignore the rules; to all outward appearances, all non-monster NPCs should look and act just like PCs.
OOG [top]
Stands for "Out-of-Game.” Not to be confused with the sound you make when hit too hard in the stomach by a barbarian with a huge club.
Out-Of-Game [top]
Information obtained by a player (as opposed to a character) is out-of-game. Certain areas may be out-of-game as well such as the bathrooms, the module set up areas, and the NPC camp. (See "In-Game" above).
Paying Loose [top]
Paying loose is the term for turning in an amount of silver equal to your current BP. This equates to 1/2 your build for the day (2 days, or 1 blanket, for a weekend event). Example: Your character has 36 BP at he end of an event. You can then turn in 36 silver pieces and earn another 1/2 blanket per day. This is also known as “Maxing Out”.
PC [top]
Player character. Everyone who is not an NPC (see above).
PC Basher [top]
A player who earns XP primarily by killing and robbing other players.
Phys Rep [top]
Short for Physical Representation. There must be a Phys Rep for every item your character possesses. In other words, you must have a small bottle or container and not merely the potion tag in order to use a potion.
Reversible Spell [top]
Some spells are reversible. A spellcaster learning Cure Wounds also automatically knows Cause Wounds. Not all reversible spells have a necromantic counterpart.
Rumor Sheet [top]
An out-of-game sheet of paper containing in-game rumors that your character has heard. It can contain clues and other important information. See the chapter on "How to Be a Successful NERO Player" for more information.
Scaling [top]
Modules are often "scaled" so that different party levels will be properly challenged. A group of goblins may challenge a first level group but be a big yawn to a tenth level group. Therefore, the higher level groups will encounter monsters and traps that have been scaled to their level.
Spell Defense [top]
Spell defenses are spells that are cast upon you for protection and stay upon you until used up. The spell defenses are Bless, Elemental Shield, Greater Bless, Greater Shield, Magic Armor, Poison Shield, Reflect Magic, Shield, and Shield Magic. Sometimes they are called "Protectives."
Stats [top]
Your characters' statistics, which include level, skills, number of deaths and the like and are found on your character card.
Time Bomb [top]
An NPC who sneaks into town and attacks for no reason, suddenly "exploding.” This is bad. Do not do this.
Turtling [top]
Crouching down and hiding behind a shield. In a real battle, this would be fine. Eventually your shield would fall apart from the repeated blows or your opponent would merely kick you over-but in a NERO battle, where the shield does not actually take damage and where physical contact is prohibited, such avoidance of combat is discouraged. Repeated use may even result in loss of the shield skill.
Unslept [top]
A player who has stayed up all night and now looks half undead. Not as bad as a Greater Unslept (usually identified by their staff cards).
Write Up [top]
The written module.
XP [top]
Experience Point.
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