Hey there Vados! It’s Jonathan here with another Rules Ramble! First a blog post on Crime Scenes from Aesa, and here’s one from me! This week we are going to cover updates for our game this weekend - QUEENSGRACE. We are going to talk about some rules you should be aware of before game, and things you might see during our upcoming event. As always, the purpose of these Rules Rambles is to cover a topic in the DR rulebook or something that might show up in game in more detail than the book or ZOMs alone can provide.

While advanced ticket sales for the event are closed, you can still get tickets at the door! Make your mark on the history of the San Saba and determine the future of the Tribes Disparate!

Skills You should Know

During my last Rules Ramble before the event, I’ll try to focus on a few key rules interactions that might be helpful to understand for the game. These are some mechanics that will be integral to the events of the weekend, and I’ll cover some of these again during Opening Announcements.

Keywords

A Keyword is simply a word or words that substitutes for a piece of rules text. Many of the existing keywords are summarized in on the National DR Page, in the Lexicon. Keywords are included on every blueprint, and are a big part of how certain effects and Skills work in the world of Dystopia Rising. When you see a Keyword referenced on a Zone of Mechanics, it will usually be listed in angle brackets, like <Diesel Jocks> or <Gravetouched>.

If an ability, effect, or Skill specifically targets a Keyword, then anyone or anything with that Keyword is affected.

For instance, a Diesel Jock might be impacted by effects that target the <Nomad> or <Diesel Jock> keywords, but would not be affected by something that targeted the <Townie> keyword.

There are four types of Keywords in DR: Item Types, Company/Organizations, Effects, and Character keywords.

Item Type - These are found on blueprints, and are largely used to determine which Augments can go on an item, and how a certain item is used. Some Item Type keywords include Armor, Melee-Standard, Poison-Ingested, or Brew-Injected. These are also linked with the types of item cards rules on p. 168-169 in the Corebook. For example, if an item is listed with a Brew-Ingested keyword, that keyword is a much shorter placeholder for the Brew rules on p. 169. You can find the current complete list of Item Type keywords in the Lexicon.
Company/Organizations - These include regional Companies (groups of similar blueprints made by a particular NPC group like Slappi, Toothpiq, or Moulen), but these also include Society Memberships, or NPC Factions like Murder-Inc or the Red-Ledger. In DR:TX, this includes our NPC Factions like the RRC or Tribes Disparate. If you are part of a Society Membership, then you often can use certain types of items that are restricted to that organization, and can benefit from certain buffs that target that group.
Effects - These are the true short-hand words to describe common rules found on items. Particular examples of this are keywords like Overpower, Reliable, Dangerous, or Single-Use. Each Effect Keyword summarizes a rule, rather than spelling out how it works every time. These are probably the most complicated Keywords, as you kind of need to know what the rule for that keyword actually does to understand how it works. The current list of these keywords is in the Lexicon, but you can also find DR:TX unique keywords on our Rules & Skills page.
Character - One of the most diverse set of Keywords is anything that refers something unique about a character. All characters - both threats and players - will have at least one keyword that define what affects them. Some examples include things like Strain, Lineage, Faith, or Abberant, or even types of Threats like Undead, Raider, or Critter. This can even include certain temporary traits of your character, like Intoxicated, or Gravetouched.

There are several Skills and items that make use of Keywords in a particularly notable way:

Bane Damage (like on a Big Hate rifle) will specifically target a Character Keyword. This is probably one of the most common uses of a Keyword you’ll see in the game. You might see something call “Nomad Bane” or “Saltwise Bane”, or even creature types like “Undead Bane” or “Aberrant Bane”.
Basic Pyrokinetics can destroy Blueprints, Brews, or Meals during an attack. Because it specifically calls out these three Item Type Keywords, it cannot be used on Gizmos for instance.
Proficient Faithful Miracles can heal anyone of the same Faith as the user. When you call out the skill, you might shout “By my Voice, All Hedons Heal 5!”. This targets a Character keyword, since it specifies the Faith that is affected.
A character with a basic Warlord’s Faceplate can call “Area of Effect: Upsurge 5 Armor, All <Society> With Masks”. This is an example of the Company/Organization keyword ability, since it only targets members with that appropriate Society Membership.
The shield Augment, OOPH Bullet Plates can only be attached to a Shield item with the OOPH keyword. This is a Regional Company that makes OOPH-brand products, like the OOPH Room Trap, OOPH Barrier Shield, and OOPH Tactical Armor. This is an example of a both an Item Type keyword and a Company/Organization keyword in the same instance. Keywords are pretty universal, and sometimes they can function as different types of Keywords depending on how they are used.
Many of the new Murder-Inc items have the Wasteland-Only keyword, which means they only function with their abilities while within the Wasteland. Outside of the Wasteland, the item either has no function or simply counts as a Starter weapon. This is a great example of another dual keyword, as this is both an Item Type keyword, and a Character keyword (since it changes in relation to WHERE your character is on site.)

Why does this matter for this weekend? Great question!

During our QUEENSGRACE event, will be introducing a few new Organization keywords in the form of the political alliances and Houses of the Tribes Disparate. If you hear something that effects an entire Society Membership like <Tribes Disparate> or <RRC>, a subfaction like the <Antler Tribe>, or even a philosophy like <Unionists>, this is a new type of keyword. Just like any other Keyword, if you have that particular organization Keyword then the ability or effect will impact you directly.

Veneration

We’ve used this ability a few times during this season. You saw this ability when the Gutmother commanded folks that were infected with Bad Brain to fight for her during the SECOND FOUNDING, and when Grandfather Nichols was controlling the helpless Lovelaces during BLOOD FEAST. Since it keeps coming up, we’ve added it to our list of Local Rules & Skills.

Effect. When an NPC calls “Veneration, All <KEYWORD>, [Insert Command]”, the affected target must follow the next single command until the task is completed or nullified (such as being compelled to defend someone who then dies). The target must complete the command to the best of their ability. When the target enters Bleed Out, the effect immediately ends. Characters under the effects of Veneration remember the actions they take, but are not in control of them. This ability is resisted by Mental Endurance.

This is a potent ability that is used by particular NPC threats. Further RESEARCH will need to be uncovered to understand other ways to prevent or protect against this effect. I’m pretty sure you won’t need to worry about this ability this weekend, though… you can trust an ST when they are smiling, right? Right?

Queensgrace ZoMs

Like Shan mentioned in our blog post on QUEENSGRACE, we will have some unique Face NPCs in play during this weekend. There are fourteen different Regents of the Tribes Disparate, including the outcast Oxkiller Clan. The Regents of the Tribes Disparate will be using two very specific Zone of Mechanics during the weekend I’d like to briefly talk about. Zones of Mechanics will be found on a yellow piece of paper, and will be prominently posted in an area or used by an NPC or Guide during the game. These will outline some unique effects and rules that are temporarily in play.

*Queen Jasper (Shan) ready to kick your ass, despite being nearly dead… Do you feel lucky, punk?*

The Summit

The first Zone of Mechanics, THE SUMMIT, gives the Regents ways to induct members into the Tribes Disparate by giving them Basic Society Membership (Tribes Disparate), as well as inducting someone into their individual Houses by giving them a new Character Keyword like <Rabbit Family> or <Antler Tribe>. This can give you an easy way to join the Tribes Disparate WITHOUT needing to complete a Work Order.

This ZOM also sets how one of the Regents can garner enough support to become the next King or Queen. Hint, they need one Regent to have at least SEVEN votes behind them, a majority of the Regents, or they have to be able to defeat Queen Jasper in ritual combat, a feat that has never been done so far… (Turns out Shan might run a literal FIGHT CLUB as their day job, so they can be a pretty tough opponent in a fight…)

Tokens of Fealty

At the start of the QUEENSGRACE event, each Regent will have a symbol of their House as their vote during the Summit, but also three smaller Tokens of Fealty. The second Zone of Mechanics, TOKENS OF FEALTY, allows the Regent to choose powerful TRIBAL CHAMPIONS, part bodyguards and part crusading knight. If your character is chosen to be a CHAMPION and receives one of these Tokens, you will gain a number of unique abilities for the weekend, including ways to protect your chosen Regent, ways to buff members of your House in a fight, and even ways to stand firm in the face of terrifying enemies. Additionally, Champions that serve for an entire 12s will earn Proficient Society Membership with the Tribes Disparate. The best type of interview is an on-the-job interview!

*I kinda want to be a Tribes Disparate guy now…*

These CHAMPIONS will also be able to fight in the name of their Regent, and represent them on the battlefield as a literal champion. This is especially important, since not every Regent is capable of feats of strength like Queen Jasper. Do you think you have what it takes to take on the Holy Mother herself, the Antlered Queen? If your Regent can’t get enough votes behind them, they might need your help to take power by force!

However, these Tokens of Fealty are limited, and the Regents can use them in other ways, like forming an Alliance with other Regents, or even providing themselves with some neat abilities. You’ll have to find out more about the Regent, and what they might be looking for in a future CHAMPION if you want to earn their favor…

That’s it for this week Vados. We have a few short nights until our event QUEENSGRACE, so make sure you get that last-minute craft project started on Thursday night, pack some extra socks, and make sure you dress warmly, cause it’ll be a bit chilly this weekend. See you soon!

Queensgrace - Rules You Should Know