What is NERO Like?

Welcome to NERO - Where Fantasy Becomes Reality!

NERO, an acronym that stands for the New England Role-playing Organization, is a new concept in game playing. Under NERO's unique rule system an entire fantasy medieval town or world can be created. In the NERO game, you create character concept for a fantasy story and actually play the character. It is much like improvisational theater in that you have a framework created by the props and supporting characters and must develop your part as you progress through the storyline. Your character's attitudes, ambitions, and history are yours to define.

If the adventurous life is your calling, you may play the part of a wanderer, meeting with some friends in the tavern. While swapping tales, your party could get hired by a poor farmer in desperate straits, and spend the afternoon slaying a foul necromancer and his undead abominations. If the epic life is not your style, then you can play the part of a town merchant. You can make your money selling your wares-and information-for the right price. Or perhaps you wish to be one who investigates the magical arts, selling your scrolls and potions to earn the money you need to continue your studies. Or would you rather try and become leader of the Mages' Guild? The choice is yours.

NERO is dedicated to the legendary days of high fantasy, while running a fun (and above all safe) game. We have fierce warriors, crafty scouts, powerful mages, noble knights, and benevolent healers. There are smelly goblins, blood-chilling specters, evil necromancers, villainous spies to fight, and your very own legends to create.

In NERO, a cast of NPCs (non-player characters) are used to set the tone and provide background for the player characters). They often serve important town functions (such as some Noble positions) and otherwise help to propel the plot and action. Much of what happens on an event, however, can be completely decided by the players.

NERO uses padded weapons to simulate actual combat, and a magic system that uses "packets" made of fabric and bird seed to represent the hurling of spells. Mock (and sometimes real) armor and other costumes are used to enhance the atmosphere.

There are two basic types of adventures: An Adventure Weekend and and Adventure Module. When on a module, you and a group of trusted traveling companions will go off on a quest in search of adventure and reward.

An adventure module usually runs for about two hours and has a definite start and conclusion. It sounds simple, but when you are in the middle of a dungeon, with shadowy shapes moving towards you in the darkness and strange sounds echoing down the halls, and you are trying to remember what that fellow in the tavern said a half hour ago about how to get through this infernal door, your perspective on the difficulty of the situation may change.

Adventure Weekends are much more extensive, and run from Friday night through Sunday afternoon (and sometimes Monday afternoon), and bring to life a medieval town with all its inhabitants and intrigues. This is what NERO is all about! There is nothing to compare with the feeling of playing for 24 hours a day along with possibly hundreds of other players, each with their own desires, fears, and aspirations.

As your character continues to be successful, you gain abilities and influence, and may one day gain a noble title or great fame and wealth. Tales of your adventures may some day be sung by bards, or retold time and again by story-tellers sitting by the fire with a cup of spiced cider. What your character does is entirely up to you. You decide what you want and where you want to be. The future is yours to define and create.

Let's suppose you were to come to play NERO:

You check in at the "tavern" for logistics on Friday night. There, the friendly staff gives  you a small amount of starting "money" in the form of special gold and silver colored coins, along with a card that lists your character's skills and other pertinent information, such as level and body points. You will get a new card at the beginning of each event in order to keep this information accurate and up to date. This helps you, other characters, and the game referees ("marshals") to keep track of vital information should any disputes arise.

You go to seek out the cabin you have been assigned. As you are not a part of an established group, you have been assigned to the local Inn building. Before game starts, you can select a bed and put away your gear. Once game starts, however, you'll have to make your way to the Inn in game.

The game begins. Upon your arrival there, you must negotiate a price for your room with the Innkeeper. You haggle for some time, and agree to give him one-half of your few coins. You'd better get out and find something else to pay him with, or you'll be trying to arrange for credit tomorrow night!

The innkeep suggests you ask around for work at the tavern. There, several people from town step forward and make pronouncements; some warn of an impending fight with a large force of Undead, others step forward and request information on some sort of Artifact which has been showing up in pieces throughout the region. Somehow, it all seems less important than the lightness of your purse.

You decide to head to the local Healers' Guild,  thinking about methods for making more money. Your thoughts are interrupted by a hiss in the darkness to your right. You pull your shortsword and back up, peering into the darkness. Undead! Three of them. You start to backpeddle, screaming for help. Answering shouts come to you, but you are unsure they will be in time, as the Ghouls advance quickly. You lunge at the one on your left and as she falls back, you dart between them, taking a hit on the back as you go. The Ghoul calls out "Two Paralyze!" Thank goodness you were wearing armor, or you would be helpless!

Your character is a Templar, and therefore you have spells as well as weapon skills. As you take your stance again, you ready your "aura" (represented by the little cloth bag filled with bird seed you carry). "With Mystic Force I Pin you!", you scream as you hurl your spell packet at the Ghoul on the left. It hits her full in the chest, and she jerks to a stop as her right foot sticks to the ground. You grab the hilt of your sword again while the packet is still in the air. You don't have many spells, but that one took one of the Ghouls out of the fight, at least. You cut at the nearest Ghoul, calling "Two Normal!" This is the number of points of damage you do with a swing of a shortsword. As you gain levels, you will be able to raise that number, or you could instead opt to study more spells. The Ghoul blocks your swing with his longsword, and calls "Two Paralyze!" You duck under his swing and hit him with a flurry of blows, and he falls. You turn to look for the other Ghoul. You find he is laying on his back, a figure in long robes standing over him. A third person, a sneaky looking woman, has just slaughtered the Ghoul you had Pinned. You look around quickly. Other townspeople, attracted by the fighting, turn away to go back to their business.

You approach the man in the black robes. He is searching the body of the Ghoul he took down. He takes a small pouch out of the rags the Ghoul is wearing and looks at you warily. You realize he is wondering if you will challenge his right to spoils, but you are so relieved that he assisted you that you say "Welcome, friend. And many thanks for your assistance."

He looks at the woman and back at you. "No problem. But we'd better get out of here. It's not safe."

The three of you head over to the Tavern. The Tavern is bustling: Members of local guilds and groups are greeting each other boisterously, and a group of minstrels are starting to play and dance over by the fireplace. A mysterious woman with long hair and light blue skin is sitting in the corner, speaking intently to a small group of people, all wearing matching tabards. You note that there are many people seated near them, trying to look as if they aren't eavesdropping on the conversation. You are curious to know what is going on, and promise yourself that you will make your way over there once you have a drink - fighting is hard work! After being seated, introductions are made. The man in robes is named Marak, and the woman is called Cerrill. You find a seat and begin talking. They are new in town, too, and you quickly decide to form an adventuring group - safer to have someone watching your back.

Marak pulls out the pouch he took from the Ghoul, and, after glancing about to make certain you are unwatched, you look through the contents. Inside are three gems, some raw ore which Marak explains is to repair armor with, and a map. Suddenly you hear a huge ruckus from outside, and the cry goes up that more Undead are attacking the town. You see many groups charge outside, and decide to stay inside and let them handle it. You turn back to look more closely at your spoils. There are strange runes on the map, and you set out to decipher them. After discussion, you decide to follow the map the next day.

Thus begins a NERO Weekend.
What you do, where you go, and when you do it are all up to you.
The choices are all yours to make.