ZONES AND RANGE [FORBIDDEN LANDS]

ZONES AND RANGE

The combat area is divided into zones. A zone is a room or an area of ground. How big a zone is varies – from a few steps across up to about 25 meters. A zone is generally smaller in difficult terrain than in open terrain. The distance from one zone to the next is called one segment.

In the official adventure sites, a numbered location on the map typically constitutes one zone. In a random encounter during journeys, the GM can make a quick sketch of the area or simply describe it.

Complément

EXAMPLE

The GM has drawn up a quick map of the area where Tyrgar and Nirmena face the orcs. When combat starts, the adventurers are in a zone next to the orcs. The adventurers' zone is OPEN while the orcs' zone is ROUGH.

ZONE FEATURES

Zones can have various features, which affect actions performed in the zone.

CRAMPED : The zone is small and/or has a low ceiling. Attacks with HEAVY weapons get a –2 penalty, and it is impossible to SWING WEAPON before a close combat attack.

ROUGH : You must roll MOVE when you RUN into the zone. Failure means you managed to get into the zone, but you fall down.

OPEN : The zone is open and flat, which is ideal for mounted combatants. Read more below.

DARK/FOGGY : Ranged attacks into the zone are modified by –2 and can't pass through the zone.

BORDERS AND LINES OF SIGHT

Another important feature of zones is the border between them. The border between zones affects both movement and ranged combat.

BLOCKED: The border is blocked by a wall, a deep abyss, or something similar. You cannot pass the border between the zones, at least not on foot.
OBSCURED: Something along the border of the zone blocks the line of sight, but not movement. An example could be a doorway, shrubbery, or a curtain. Ranged attacks across the border are not possible, but movement is not affected.

RANGE CATEGORIES

In conflict, the distance between you and your opponent is divided into five range categories. See the table on this page. The Typical Terrain column lists the types of terrain where the maximum line-of-sight usually matches that category. Read more in Chapter 7.

MOVEMENT

To move during combat, you use the RUN action (fast). This moves you from one zone to a neighboring zone, or between NEAR and ARM'S LENGTH distance from an enemy in the zone you are already in. No roll is required to RUN, unless you're moving into a ROUGH zone, in which case you need to roll for MOVE (see above).

CLOSE COMBAT : If you have an active enemy at ARM'S LENGTH, you can't RUN away from him. Instead, you must use the RETREAT action (see page 93).
DOORS : You can open an unlocked door with the USE ITEM action (fast). A locked door must either be opened by picking the lock (see page 54) or by breaking it down. A typical wooden door can take 5 points of damage before it falls apart. More sturdy doors require more force, and really massive doors also have an Armor Rating (see page 105).

FLEEING THE CONFLICT

If you're losing a fight, it might be better to retreat and perhaps return with back-up. If you want to leave the conflict immediately, and you don't have any enemies at ARM'S LENGTH, you can roll for MOVE – a successful roll means you manage to get away somehow, and the conflict is over. You cannot FLEE in this way if you are trapped or surrounded. The GM has final say. You cannot use your roll to move past an opponent – you must FLEE in the same direction you came from. The GM can modify your roll depending on the terrain and the distance to the next opponent, see the table below.

If the roll fails, you remain in combat with your opponent and cannot get away – you remain at the same distance as you were before. he GM can also inflict some additional negative consequence for you (see page 43). You can attempt to FLEE again in the next round

EXAMPLE

« The adventurers and the orcs are in neighboring zones. The distance between the groups is one segment, i.e., SHORT range »