Traps

This document outlines the physical LARP rules used for Traps, which covers the Setting, Detecting, Triggering and Disarming of standard traps within the Tol Galen rules system.

These rules set out the requirements and standards for ground traps. Ground traps are intended to be both safe and simple enough to be used without the supervision of a ref as far as possible, and to be cheap and simple enough in construction to be usable by players and monster crew alike.

Tol Galen treats the use of traps with the same concern for safety as weapons, with the additional risk that if left unattended then members of the public may interact with them without a member of the club being present. For this reason the design of traps is heavily focused on safety over realism, with a preference for the use of high visibility components such that they will be noticed easily, and thus be safer OOC.

Further, when making / using the physeps for Traps please bear in mind visibility and practicality, for example when using colored bean bags or cones check if anyone has colourblind issues - for example avoid using Red & Green cones for different effects as they may appear the same colour.

Trap Equipment

A Trap Kit

50 gold per trap kit.

A Trap kit has all the basic components required to create a single trap, making use of the materials and cunning application of surrounding terrain and materials on hand, without sacrificing any other equipment. Any trap may be created from a trap kit provided the trapper has sufficient skill to set it, the act of crafting it is including in the time required to set and is part of the same roleplay action.

A single trap kit has enough supplies for a single Bear Trap, or approximately 10 feet of Alarm or Bell Trap subject to the phsyrep being adequate.

More complicated and imaginative traps exist, but these must be carefully designed and crafted and thus beyond the scope of what adventurers may place on an adventure, and would likely require more materials than a single trap kit to craft.

OOC: A Trap Kit should contain all the physreps required to setup any traps, no physreps = no traps. A typical trap kit a Trapper Player may carry with them might include:

• Coloured Sports Cones = Bear Trap

• A 10' roll of narrow netting = Alarm Trap

• A pair of matching coloured Bean Bags, 1 Bell suspended on a string between 2 pegs, and a small box of previously prepared Lammies = Bell Trap

• A set of files, probes, a dagger and small mirror = Roleplay tools for disarming (optional)

• 20' of rope, with a knot tied at the midpoint = for measuring distances (optional).

Note that for legal reasons it is not permitted to carry a penknife or real blades on site, so any cutting or preparing of ropes or physreps will have to be done before arriving on site.

Setting & Disarming Traps

Tol Galen requires that Trappers pass a proficiency test before being allowed to set traps, they will be held responsible for any traps they set and can be issued with weapons warnings if set unsafely, including being sent offsite for serious offences. A Trapper takes responsibility for the safety of their traps for the duration of the adventure or event, and must take into consideration proximity to hazards, surrounding terrain and other traps, ensuring they are placed so as not to pose a real risk to players, monsters or public alike.

See the Set / Disarm Trap skill description for the time required to set or disarm a trap.

If the adventure is moving on from an area after an encounter then all traps should be recovered to prevent them being lost or found by the public.

Detecting Traps

Traps are invisible to creatures without the Set / Disarm Traps skill except for the moment they trigger. A character with the Set/Disarm Trap skill may notice the presence of traps when the player/monster becomes aware of the physrep. Identifying the Trap may require reading the Lammie, Signpost or remembering what the phsyrep indicates, as appropriate.

Creatures who witness a trap being triggered nearby may become aware of its presence, while the victim will automatically become aware provided they remain conscious.

Trap Types

Alarm Traps

Physrep

Netting or mesh laid across the floor, approximately 1 foot across. The netting must be suitably safe so as not to pose a tripping or sliding hazard.

Identification

A victim or creature who witnesses an alarm trap being triggered can broadly identify an alarm trap but will not be familiar with the specific mechanism, for example how it was triggered or how much area it covers.

A creature with at least 1 level of the Set / Disarm Traps skill may identify Alarm spells.

Trigger

Any creature crossing the trap on the ground. Flying creatures or those who can pass at least 20 feet above the trap (such as with a Jump spell) do not trigger the alarm.

Effect

A victim must shout “PING!” loudly, representing a hidden bell nearby ringing loudly. Note that some attention must be given as to the actual OC location and time of the adventure to avoid potential noise complaints – if there are houses or public nearby then take care not to call so loudly as to disturb members of the public.

Disarm method

Any creature with the Set/Disarm skill may attempt to disarm Alarm Traps by roleplaying appropriately for the required time, as listed under their Trap skill.

Uses

An Alarm Trap may be set by any creature with ranks in the Set / Disarm Traps skill.

Alarm Traps do not have limited uses and will continue to activate each time a creature triggers them unless they are disarmed.

Bear Traps

Physrep

A simple circle of rope no more than 6 feet in length shaped into a 2 foot diameter circle (approx. 6 feet circumference), or a coloured plastic cone (such as used in sports training). If a rope is used it must not be tied into a loop but simply placed in one (a small gap is acceptable), this is to prevent the risk of snagging and becoming a real tripping hazard.

Identification

No special effort or skill is required to identify a Bear trap, an intelligent creature can immediately identify a bear trap once they are aware of it simply by looking at it.

Trigger

Bear Traps are triggered when a creature or object touches the ground within the centre of the circle of rope or within 1 foot of the cone. Bear Traps may snare only one creature or object at a time, and once disarmed are useless.

Effect

Bear Traps snare the feet or limb of any creature which triggers it (typically by stepping on or next to it) or object. Creatures and objects are stuck within the area and cannot be removed without either disarming the trap or damaging the victim, though they may reposition provided they keep any snared limb or object within the trigger zone.

Disarm method

Any intelligent creature may disarm a Bear Trap even without the Set / Disarm Trap skill, this requires 30 seconds of appropriate roleplay.

A victim or object may also be forcefully removed by a creature or effect with a Strength of 2 or higher, however doing so causes a 12 point Double to the location or a physical break (as Break I) to an object but disarms the trap. If a location is taken below 0 by the damage then the limb is broken, while Monsters should assume that it breaks the location if it takes them below half hits.

A Bear Trap is also a simple enough device that it can be broken using a Break spell or similar effect to destroy it, which will also free any trapped creature or object.

Uses

A Bear Trap may be set by any creature with ranks in the Set / Disarm Traps skill.

Each Bear Trap may only be used once.

Bell Traps

Physrep

• Bells: All have a bell incorporated into their construction, representing the trigger mechanism. Mass traps will incorporate 2 bells in their construction.

• Lammy: A lammy of the appropriate colour which records all the required information. A lammy is a small piece of card or paper which has either been laminated or protected from the weather (for example in a key ring), but must be readily legible. This should be minimalist but cover all the details a player or monster may need in the absence of a referee, including but not limited to:

  • Trap Description – ie Hammer trap, Dart trap etc

  • Range – Single Target is 5’, Mass is 10’

  • Effect – Damage and appropriate Armour Class (ie PAC / THAC etc)

  • Owner’s mark – This can be any symbol, number or unique mark to identify the OOC owner, indicating who the physrep should be returned to after an encounter or adventure. The Referee on the day must be aware of all marks in use at the event.

A pair of Bean Bags or a Tripwire:

• Bean Bags: The bags may be no more than 10 feet apart with a clear line between them, and the Bell & lammy should be attached / placed with one of the bean bags. If bean bags are being used for multiple traps or effects then they must be of the same colour.

• Tripwire: A cord must be suspended between two points using tent or clothes pegs, the cord must be attached loosely so that they will pull free and not snag when force is applied. The length of the cord should not be longer than necessary to prevent it tangling, trailing and snagging a victim, for example 3 feet if low to the ground. The Bell & lammy should be suspended between the two fixed points, so that the bell will ring when the cord is touched.

TRIPWIRES MAY ONLY BE USED WITH THE REFEREE'S PERMISSION ON CLOSED SITES - WHERE THERE IS LIMITED / NO ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC - THIS IS A SAFETY RULE

NOTE

Multiple identical lammies may be used to indicate the trap has multiple uses (once for each lammy), in which case only one need be firmly attached to the physrep, with the others being conveniently removable.

Identification

A victim or creature who witnesses a bell trap being triggered from within 20 feet can broadly identify a bell trap but will not be familiar with the specific mechanism, for example how it was triggered or if it has additional uses etc.

A creature with the Set / Disarm Traps skill of the appropriate level may fully identify Bell Traps. To successfully identify a Bell trap the bell must be lifted so that the examiner is supporting the full weight of the bell from within arms reach, for at least 5 seconds. While so raised they may read the Lammy and identify the trap in character including number of uses, however if they touch the bell directly or it rings then they have triggered the trap.

Trigger

Bean Bags: The Trap is triggered when a creature passes between the two bean bags.

Tripwire: The Trap is triggered when the bell rings, if the bell does not ring then the trap was a dud.

Under either construction method a Bell trap always triggers when the bell rings.

Effect

Bell traps are always cause direct damage as either a Melee weapon or a Projectile weapon to TBP only, without exception. Single target traps have an effective range of 5 feet and target the nearest creature, while mass traps affect all creatures within 10 feet of the trap.

Projectile traps replicate ranged weapons (darts, crossbows etc), however the lack of a physical projectile prevents characters with a Dex of 4+ from dodging the projectile, however a Missile Shield will protect against these as normal.

If triggered the victim should collect the lammy, representing the trap has been sprung. If there are multiple lammys then only one should be removed, with the whole physrep only being removed with the final lammy.

Disarm method

Only a creature with the Set / Disarm Traps skill of the appropriate level may attempt to disarm bell traps. To disarm a Bell trap the creature must first identify the bell trap. Then the bell must be raised and supported indirectly by the disarmer for the full disarm time in one attempt. The character may abort the attempt at any point and restart later however if the bell rings or they touch it the trap is triggered immediately. One attempt is sufficient for all remaining uses of a Bell Trap.

A Bell trap is a complicated device, but can be broken via a Break spell or similar effect if carefully aimed with appropriate roleplay by someone with the skill to disarm it. Without the appropriate level of skill (or careful guidance by someone with the skill), the trap is simply triggered once just as if the bell had been rung.

Once disarmed, broken or exhausted of all uses the entire physrep should be collected, to be returned to the appropriate Ref at the end of the encounter.

Uses

A Bell Trap may be set by any creature with sufficient ranks in the Set / Disarm Traps skill, depending on the type and level of the Bell Trap.

A Bell trap only has a single use, and once triggered is rendered useless. However more than one trap may be setup in the same location provided they are identical, in which case they will trigger consecutively not simultaneously, effectively creating a trap which will reset several times. For example if one creature steps into the trap and triggers it, they will not trigger it again before leaving and re-entering, however if a second creature also enters the area they will trigger it separately. Each reset / trap is treated separately for the purpose of cost and time required to set.

Note that because tripwires must be loose enough to pull free of their set position when triggered they do not make a good choice for a multiple use trap, and may require OC resetting between uses to remain effective.

Signpost Traps

Signpost Traps are signs which are placed next to a trapped item, location or pathway. They are the most versatile and flexible form of traps, allowing imaginative traps to exist which do not otherwise follow the standard form of the other types already described. This leaves them more susceptible to being confusing and potentially open to abuse from a mechanics perspective, and for this reason every signpost trap require the approval of the Ref before being placed, to ensure that they are both clear in function and appropriate in effect. Some traps will be too complicated to implement, in which case a monster trap should be used instead

Unless described otherwise, signpost traps will be assumed to be very simple traps or terrain hazards, able to be identified and disarmed by any intelligent creature. This is deliberate to put the stress on trappers to carefully and fully describe their traps, a poorly written signpost will be a trivial challenge but more importantly not hold up play because of hasty or forgotten details.

NOTE: Signpost traps are intended for terrain features or very simple locational traps so that with some preparation a monster will not be required to wait and inform every player of the effects.

Phsyrep

A sign of at least A5 in size, this must detail in clear and legible text a full description of the trap. The placement of the sign must be appropriate, for example it may be placed underneath a trapped item, pined to the side of a doorway or looped over the handle, pegged to a hedge at one side of a path or even at the end of a tripwire. The sign must be placed in a clear and obvious location, as players or monsters may not notice if they are hidden or not obvious and thus unintentionally bypass the trap.

Signpost traps may make use of ropes or bean bags to outline the target area, although care must be taken not to pose a trip hazard, or to make it appear like a different type of Trap. A Bell may be used in it’s construction to provide a practical challenge to disarm or identify the trap, however this must be placed clearly with the signpost itself to avoid being confused with a Bell Trap.

Identification

Signpost traps may be written with unusual methods or requirements to identify them, including the required level of Set/Disarm skill required. If no such description is given then any creature may identify the trap in the time it takes to read the signpost itself.

Trigger

Signpost traps must clearly define the conditions under which they trigger, for example when a creature passes the sign, enters the are outlined by the rope, opens the door etc. If it is not clearly defined in a way immediately obvious to a player or monster, it should not be a signpost trap.

Effect

Each signpost trap may only create effects which already exist within the game or can clearly be described within a sentence or two which fit on the signpost. For example they may connect to a Glyph or Rune which holds a spell, trigger a vapour poison, an Earthquake (as the spell) and so forth. They may not create any effect which requires a Ref or Monster, since these should more properly be a monster trap rather than a signpost trap.

Disarm Method

Each signpost should clearly describe what skills or actions are required to disarm them. If no such description is included then they may be disarmed through the standard 1 minute of appropriate roleplay by any creature even without the Set/Disarm skill.

Note that some traps may be used as a simple trigger mechanism for a second device, for example a tripwire rigged to an exploding Glyph, Rune or locking mechanism on a vault door. If these “Trigger Traps” are disarmed it is only the triggering mechanism which has been disarmed – you may have cut the tripwire but the Glyph is still armed or the Door still has a lock! In this case the device is assumed to still be active and follows the standard rules for a device of its type, albeit without the additional triggering mechanism. Therefore the Glyph may still explode if touched directly or the vault door may still be locked manually.

Uses

A Signpost Trap may only be set by creatures with Mastery of the Set / Disarm Traps skill.

Each signpost trap must define clearly how many times it may activate before being exhausted, if no limit is given then it will trigger only once.

The Ref on the day is the final arbiter of what may or may not be placed in a signpost trap, and must approve the both the wording on the sign and it’s placement before it may be set.

Monster Traps

Monster traps is a term used for physically having a monster or ref stand in place adjudicating the effects of a trap. As such any kind of trap is possible provided that the monster clearly understands what they are doing and is able to convey its effects to the players or other monsters. A Monster trap requires the use of a monster and the approval of the monster ref for the encounter, but otherwise does not require OC trap proficiency. If a player is allowed to set a monster trap then this will count against any limit of player controlled monsters or refs.