RULES FOR THE DAY - READ CAREFULLY AND MULTIPLE TIMES.

**lore update also - read it for things to make sense

There will be 3 factions of as equal numbers as possible, we will try to get them as even as we can with unaligned players - but depending on turn out, be prepared to fight 'for' someone else wink emoticon very closely matched factions will be important for everyone to enjoy the game.

1: Killing blow rules in effect as follows:

* When you are down to 0 HP from any attacks (magic or melee) you go down on the ground. Count to 40 and stand up again. * When you encounter a player on the ground you can do a killing blow (5 second count or words to that effect and a dramatic 'sword blow') to send them back to the respawn. Anyone can do this but only at people down to 0hp on the ground. This does not effect Clerics - they are still in the game and can still heal, though bless will be less of a factor.

2: Duelling rules - NEW - READ CAREFULLY. *At any stage on the battlefield, a player can challenge a player in another faction to a duel. *That player does not have to accept the challenge. *If accepted, they each disclose their current max HP.

*Once the duel has begun, if players have different HP due to different levels of armour, unhealed wounds or duelling buffs - the lower HP player gets an increase to the same HP as the higher player's maximum HP and both are considered fully healed at the start of the duel.

*The duel continues as a 1-on-1 fight. Any hits from other players via weapons, projectiles or magic are ignored. *It is not a hit and reset -but rather a fight to the death, but only involving the 2 players. Mutual hits count as a hit on both players.

*Whoever wins, challenger or receiver gets a +1 buff to their max HP. *The loser is down as per Killing blow rules. *If you lose a duel and are forced to go to respawn via a killing blow you suffer a -1 to your max HP (but cannot go below your base + armour) *The victor cannot Killing Blow their opponent (anyone else can) *The victor ignores injuries taken during the duel.

Example - 'A' has 5HP from base 3 +2 for armour. 'B' has 7HP; base 3 +2 for armour and +2 from 2 successful duels. A challenges B. B accepts. They disclose their HP. They both start the duel at 7HP, and A wins. A gets a duelling buff of +1 and now has a HP max of 6 A cannot killing blow B. C can however, and does, because B's mates ran away. B loses one of his success buffs and is now on a max of 6HP Existing damage is not taken into account for the duel, but hey remain after - so if A had taken 2 hits prior to the challenge, they still fight at 7HP and when A wins has a max of 6, but keeps his 2 points of unhealed damage.

Multiple duels can happen simultaneously. It is therefore possible for 2 factions to be fully engaged in duels against one another.

State of play: Phase 1: Each faction has set up a forward base on the rim of the battlefield. This is their respawn point if receiving a killing blow. Each are hunting for the pieces of the amulet. There are a number of marked 'gravesites' strewn across the battlefield, and they must be searched. In order to search a site a player with a minimum of 10 HP (must have won some duels) must do a 30 second count at the marker. Same rules for casting - if you take a hit - it's interrupted. They can then turn over the marker to see if the amulet is there. If so they must put it on, and it can't be passed to anyone else.

Once an amulet shard has been found the bearer must get to 'hallowed ground' (a hidden point on the battlefield).

The goal of this phase is for factions to head out looking for the dig sites and the hallowed ground. Of course duelling to make their warriors as powerful as possible whilst stopping their opponents from doing the same. Once they've got player(s) powerful enough, they search the sites and find amulet shards.

What do the amulet shards do? +2 HP in a duel (that your opponent does not get) You are no longer a member of any faction and can be challenged by anyone. You cannot decline challenges. Can only take hits in a duel. You cannot be challenged by the same person twice. If you are defeated in a duel the victor gets the amulet and the max HP you were on when challenged, and you revert to your HP when you found the amulet.

Once all shards make it to the hallowed ground Phase 1 is over.

<BREAK> - everyone should be bloody exhausted - especially the amulet wearers!

Phase 2: Duelling and killing blow as they were in phase 1 are no longer in effect.

The 3 amulet bearers, or 'champions' have reached the hallowed ground and become even more powerful! They each have the total HP of all of them at the end of phase 1 (if they each had 12HP - now they each have 36!). They cannot be healed, but will regenerate in 60 seconds. To kill a champion, a BLESS must be cast on them while regenerating.

They have to hold the hallowed ground against all other players (the Army).

The Army have the maxHP they finished Phase 1 on. Anyone in phase 2 who dies to a Champion has to go back to a new spawn point and do a 40 count. (no BLESS for regen) Heals from clerics - yes. The Army can only respawn twice in phase 2.

The Champions win if they wipe out the army.

The army wins if all 3 champions are defeated OR*.

*FINAL DUEL: A lone warrior can challenge a Champion to a duel. The duel will be resolved with each players' maxHP at the start of phase 2. If successful, The Army wins immediately. No other fighting to occur during this duel.

Post game: If the Army wins - the 3 warriors that killed a champion get an amulet shard which grants +2HP to a max of 7 (so you do not need to wear as much armour for 7HP)

If the champions win they keep the amulets.

If the army win by Final Duel the challenger gets the restored amulet - which grants HP of 7 regardless of armour.

If we're not all totally shattered - Highlander and Last Zombie Standing!