================================================================================ 月匣 (LUNAR CASKET) ================================================================================ Lunar Caskets were created by the Emulators in order to act as a counter to the World Barrier. That technique was stolen by Wizards and improved upon, in order to establish a skill to deploy solid barriers. Lunar Caskets are constructed by severing the cause and effect of a space. Simply put, actions within the Lunar Casket have no effect on the outside world. The PC Wizards, all of them, have «Lunar Casket». If «Lunar Casket» is used, then a Lunar Casket will be deployed. (RULER) The person who deployed the Lunar Casket (the Emulator or the character who used «Lunar Casket») is hereafter referred to as the Ruler. (INNOCENTS INSIDE THE LUNAR CASKET) Once a Lunar Casket has been erected within a Scene, Innocents caught inside are all treated as Extras. Treatment of Extras is defined by the GM as a Session Rule. Basically powerless, Innocents are in a half-asleep state and are unable to perceive things normally, and their memories will be muddled. Things seen and heard inside will be blurred, as though the Innocent were in a dream. Even if they could remember, it wouldn't help them make sense of things. (LUNAR CASKET AREA AND DURATION) The Lunar Casket lasts until the Ruler removes it, or until the Scene ends. Depending on the GM's preference, the duration of the Scene can change, and ending a Lunar Casket during a Scene is okay too. The area of a Lunar Casket depends on the GM's preference, and generally should encompass the whole area of a Scene. Of course, the GM can decide the area of influence can be divided. Described later, when the Dive starts, or until the Climax Phase is over, the Lunar Casket cannot be removed. (PERCEIVING LUNAR CASKETS) Once the Lunar Casket has been erected, the Crimson Moon rises. Only Wizards and Emulators can see the Crimson Moon. This is how they know a Lunar Casket has been erected. The range at which one can see the Crimson Moon is not particularly defined. It may be seen from all over the world, a city, or (within 10m?) Adapt to the needs of the Scenario. Note that it is possible to make Lunar Caskets whose presence cannot be sensed using special techniques. When a Lunar Casket is hidden, the Crimson Moon does not rise, and the method of approach cannot be ascertained. (LUNAR CASKET INVASION AND DESTRUCTION) If you can perceive the existence of a Lunar Casket, then invasion of it is easy. Conversely, Innocents can basically not approach an erected Lunar Casket. The location of the Lunar Casket is treated as though it did not exist in the world. However, the Emulator inside the Lunar Casket can interfere with invasion by using bulwarks. Such a Lunar Casket is called a Fortress. The following will explain Fortresses. ---------------------------------------- (DIVE) Invading a Lunar Casket that has become a Fortress, and eliminating the Ruler. During the Middle Phase, this process is called a Dive. When a Dive begins, until the Dive ends, or until the GM declares the removal of the Lunar Casket, the Lunar Casket is maintained beyond a single Scene. INVADING THE FORTRESS In a Fortress, the only way to invade is from an opening known as the Entrance. Additionally, in order to enter the Entrance, special conditions must be fulfilled. These conditions are provided in the Episode Rules. Furthermore, an adequate cost (of HP, MP, and Prana), a keyword, or an item (like a "door key") may be required. RETREAT FROM A FORTRESS Normally, you can't Retreat from a Fortress. If any of the following three conditions is met, you can Retreat. * The Ruler is defeated * The Fortress Core is broken * The Ruler grants permission Naturally, the last condition is difficult. In reality, defeating the Ruler or destroying the Fortress Core is necessary. FORTRESS CORE The Ruler is basically the heart of the erected Lunar Casket. However, because of that, when the Ruler leaves the Lunar Casket, it cannot be maintained. In order to prevent that, a Fortress Core may be used as a keystone to maintain the Lunar Casket. By placing the Fortress Core, the Fortress is maintained even without a Ruler. FORTRESS RULES In Fortress Rules, a Fortress is divided into Areas. Inside these Areas, events and enemies may be encountered (or fought). Whether these Areas are connected to one another is represented by Gates. Please refer to the map on P158. You will see that the Areas are connected by Gates like skewered dumplings. The Areas are the dango, and the Gates are the skewers. AREA As described above, Areas are game progression units wherein various events, such as enemy encounters, Fortress Cores, and the like, occur inside of Fortresses. (*) Events: These appear in underground labryinths in computer games, like the rooms and levels of a dungeon. 1 Area is proceeded like 1 Scene. In other words, when you enter an Area, a Scene begins, and when you leave, the Scene ends. Also, Areas outside of the current Area, can't be considered as part of the current Scene. GATE Gates link together Areas to other Areas. When the PCs have resolved the Event of an Area, they then proceed through a Gate(*), and enter the next Area. (*) Gates act as both an entrance and an exit, and may be used both ways... usually. REPRESENTING GATES AND AREAS Please refer to the map on P158. Areas are indicated with a circle, with lines connecting them. The lines are Gates. These Areas all linked together are illustrated on what's called a Area Map. PROCESSING AREAS When entering an Area, a Scene begins. The GM declares what type of Area it is, as well as provides description and direction. The following types of Areas exist. (close enough) >> Normal Area -- An Area with no designated speical event. The GM may perform a ROC on the Area Event Chart. >> Object Area -- An Area where some kind of object may be found. The GM may perform a ROC on the Area Event Chart. (Note: 'Objects' are a data item. One example is the 'Shinma Kuukan', or Emulator Space, which gives enemies a flat +3 bonus to all of their rolls.) >> Trap Area -- In this Area, a dangerous device exists. The PCs must defeat it in order to proceed. >> Event Area -- An Area with an established event, including an encounter with the Ruler. What kind of event occurs is determined by the scenario. When the event is resolved, the Area becomes a Normal Area or Object Area. >> Enemy Area -- An Area where enemies exist, and battle will happen. The GM may perform a ROC on the Enemy Chart. An Enemy Area basically turns to Round Progression. As soon as the GM stops directing, Round Progression starts. >> Fortress Core Area -- The Area where the Fortress Core is installed. It is normally the case that guardian forces have set up for the Wizards in advance. >> Entrance Area -- The place to enter the Fortress. Basically, once you enter the Fortress, you cannot leave again until the Ruler is defeated, or the Fortress Core is destroyed. Of course, the GM can, during Fortress Construction, make an exit. In this case, just use the Entrance Area as an exit. PROCESSING GATES The gates that link the Areas together are Gates. The following is the type and processing method of Gates. They are represented with special lines and rules, blah blah. >> Gate (Normal Gate) -- Gate that lets you move to the next Area without any special rules. >> One-Way Gate -- This represents a Gate that you can't return through. >> Secret Gate* -- A Gate that has been hidden, and normally can't be used. If you clear whatever kind of event is in the Area, you can use it. >> Closed Gate* -- A Gate that starts out closed, but by clearing events in that Area, or a different Area, it can be used. >> Damaged Gate -- A Gate that can't be used. It represents a broken Gate. The GM may allow limited uses of the Gate. In that case, after the number of uses have been expended, it becomes a Damaged Gate and cannot be used. (*) (Secret Gate) If no special event has been prepared, but a 'Danger Sense' (危機感知) Judge with Difficulty 15 is passed, then the Secret Gate may be revealed. (*) (Closed Gate) Makes reference to putting a Gate Release Device (Object) in a different area, blah blah. APPEARING IN AN AREA It is possible to appear in a Scene that's already progressing. If a PC not inside the Fortress succeeds at an Appearance Check, they appear in the current Scene (Area). The Difficulty for the Appearance is 8. However, in order to move to the current area from the Entrance Area, each Gate that has been passed through imposes a modifier of 2. That is to say, if the current Area is the Entrance Area, the Difficulty is 8. If the current Area is beyond three Gates, then the total modifier is 3x2=6, and the Difficulty is 14. RETREATING FROM AN AREA There may be some cases wherein you might want to escape from an Area. In the case of Round Progression, the usual rules for Withdrawal should be followed. Outside of Round Progression, you can just escape through a Gate to a different Area. If there is no Gate to exit from the area, Withdrawal and Retreat are not possible. TRAP AREA This is basically just giving a description of Trap Rooms, likening them to Fantasy Games that have giant thorns or whatever. TRAP IDENTIFICATION JUDGE In a Trap Area, the GM will call for a Perception Judge. This Judge is called a Trap Identification Judge. The Difficulty for this Judge is set by using the Trap's Detection Value. This Judge determines what kind of mechanism the trap uses, as well as identifies how to deal with it. The Trap Identification Judge can be performed by any PC that has Appeared in the Scene. Anyone who succeeds at the Trap ID Judge can switch over to the Trap Removal Judge. If the whole party fails, the trap activates. TRAP ACTIVATION If every PC that has appeared in the Scene fails the Trap ID Judge, then the trap activates. For the effect of each trap, refer to the trap's data. If the activated effect mentions the possibility of evasion, the appropriate Judge will also be listed. TRAP RESET If the trap in a Trap Area has activated once, then that's all. However, the GM may decide to reset the trap. If the trap isn't removed, then it might activate every time the Area is invaded. TRAP REMOVAL JUDGE In order to slip past a trap, or to stop it, you need to make a Finesse Judge using each trap's Removal Value as the Difficulty. This is called a Trap Removal Judge. By succeeding at a Trap Removal Judge, it becomes possible to stop the traps planted in the area. You push the stop button, or whatever. Multiple tries may be made to remove the trap, but because of the possibility of a Fumble, each try should be made one at a time. If a character Fumbles on a Trap Removal Judge, the trap automatically activates. Confirm how to proceed with the trap's data. Also, if it's necessary to determine who the trap targets, target the character that was making the Judge. DANGER SENSE JUDGE If shit goes down, the GM can call for a Danger Sense Judge from every PC that has Appeared. This expresses that as the professional Emulator hunters that Wizards are, they are constantly vigilant even when the players behind them are not actively declaring their intent to search for danger. This rule represents how their experience allows them to discern suspicious places and atmospheres. The Difficulty of the Judge depends on the kind of danger. Also, the GM may call for either a Perception or Luck Judge without telling the Difficulty. This is because the Danger Sense Judge is passive. blah blah DANGER SENSE JUDGE DIFFICULTY The Danger Sense Judge Difficulty of traps is equal to their Removal Value. If ambushed or being shot by an NPC, the Difficulty is equal to that NPC's Perception +7. If there are no abilities that determine difficulty, the Difficulty is 12. Of course, the GM can alter these with no problem. SUCCEEDING WITH DANGER SENSE JUDGE If a PC is successful with their Judge, they become aware of whatever the danger was. If it was a trap, they may shift to a Trap ID Judge, and if an enemy, they can respond as appropriate. LUNAR CASKET LOGIC As mentioned above, the Lunar Casket is a one-of-a-kind parallel world created by the Ruler. Inside, the laws of time and space are twisted according to the Ruler's whims like a bent screw. This means, the Ruler sets the Session Rules. So, within the Lunar Casket only, the GM may define valid rules as they please. Examples of Logic appear on page 232. Adopting or changing these is fine, as is making your own. LOGIC REMOVAL PCs can nullify the effect of one Logic upon themselves by spending 1 Prana. This effect lasts until the end of the session.