A TYPICAL NERO WEEKEND BEGINS...

     It's Friday night and the town of Ashbury is buzzing.  Guilds

are having meetings, adventuring groups are planning strategy, the

elves are having a ceremony, and the tavern is packed.

     Rumors of a zombie attack are floating about, and the political

situation doesn't look too secure either.  Life could be easier--but

it could also be boring.

     You adjust your boots, make sure your dagger is handy,  and

start walking at a leisurely pace over to the Dragon's Flagon,  but

only get a few steps before something jumps out at you.  It's a

goblin!  You can tell by the ugly green face and the orange mohawk.

     (Goblins and other monsters are some of the Non-Player

Characters in NERO.  Members who want to play monsters get free

admission for that event but must do what NERO tells them.  The

makeup or masks are sometimes uncomfortable, but not having to worry

about your character dying is a relief.)

     The goblin advances and swings his sword.  You pull out your

trusty dagger.

     (Weapons in NERO are soft "boffer" weapons.  They are basically

PVC piping covered with foam rubber, with very soft ends.  No one in

NERO has ever been seriously injured using these things--a game of

football is more dangerous than a NERO combat.  Players in NERO

either make their own weapons or buy them from the town weaponsmith

for game money and real money.

     A dagger only does one point of damage while a longsword (which

the goblin has) does two.  The goblin knows this and smiles (or at

least you think he does behind his mask).  What the goblin doesn't

know is that one of the skills you bought is a Critical Attack which

allows you to do an extra point of damage once a day.

     The battle begins.  Each of you calls out what damage you are

doing so the other player can keep track.  "Two Normal!" yells the

goblin.  "Two Normal!" you reply, using up your Critical Attack in

the hopes of finishing off the goblin before he finishes you!  If

either of you had a magic weapon or a silvered weapon, you would have

called "Two Magic!" or "Two Silver!")

     The battle is exciting and ends with the goblin dying.  You lean

over him and search him.

     ("I search you," you say.  He hands you three silver coins and a

strange locked box he had on him.

     You then have to remove some of your hit point tags off your

ring.  You took four points of damage, so you remove your two armor

points and two of your body points.  You only have four body points

left!  Better find a healer and get a Cure Light Wounds spell.

     If you die either in battle or by execution, your character can

then be resurrected by the Healers' Guild--assuming you have enough

money to pay for it!  If you have died more than twice,  then you

will have to pick from the Bag of Chance.  The more deaths you have,

the more likely it is that you will pick a black stone from that Bag

and then your character will be permanently dead.)

     You walk into the tavern which is busy as usual.  The Ashbury

Bards are playing quietly in a corner and look over there!  It's

Duchess Mara herself, sitting with Baron Bryan and the Lady

Magistrate!  They seem to be arguing over something and it must be

important given how many other people are sitting nearby trying to

pretend they're not listening.

     (One thing you notice is that everyone in the NERO game wears a

costume.  It is amazing how good some of the costumes are.  The type

of clothes you are wearing can also help with your armor class.  The

more armor you wear (and the better made it is) the more points of

protection you will have.  We're talking real armor here--a cloth

shirt designed to look like chain mail will not get you the points

you would get for real chain mail.)

     You find a spot and sit.  Camilla, the gypsy tavernkeeper,

dances over to you and brings you an ale for a copper.  (It's

actually a soft drink, of course;  alcohol is not allowed at NERO

events.)  You see a healer nearby and introduce yourself.  She says

her name is Arcacia and you ask for a Cure spell.

     She states that such a spell would cost five copper commons. 

You tell her you only have three and she accepts it, but tells you

that you then owe her a favor if she ever asks it.  You agree and she

casts the spell.

     (Arcacia says "I call upon the earth to cure light wounds" and

tears the "unused" flag off a Cure Light Wounds spell tag.  She hands

you the tag to put onto your hit point ring to replace the lost hit

points.)

     A warrior in chain mail then comes up to both of you.  With her

is a venerable mage and a rather shifty-looking individual.  They

introduce themselves to you and Arcacia and you all talk for a while

about your pasts.  The fighter then looks around and states that she

has heard that the goblins have hidden some treasure nearby and that

the goblin leader has a map of the spot.  She suggests going out in a

group and searching for the goblin encampment in the woods.

     Should you tell her of the box you have?  Perhaps there's a clue

inside!

     You finally decide that they can be trusted and you suggest that

you all go someplace where no one can overhear.  You travel to the

mage's cabin where you show the box to the shifty-eyed person, who

turns out to be a "locksmith."  He smiles at the challenge and pulls

out his tools.

     (In the world of NERO, real locks are used.  Buying the required

"Pick Locks" skill does not guarantee success--it only allows you to

make the attempt.  Likewise, boxes are really trapped with electronic

buzzers or other noisemakers.  To "check for traps" you must actually

do just that by opening it slightly, seeing where any wires or

devices may be inside, and somehow "defusing" the trap before opening

the box.) 

     The rogue picks the lock and then successfully disarms the trap

inside.  Inside the box he finds a strange amulet, some coins, and a

map!

     (Inside the box as well is a trap tag which explains what kind

of trap was present and how much damage would have been taken had it

not been disarmed.  Much of NERO relies on the honor system for it to

work--and with everyone playing fairly, it does.)

     Tomorrow you will go to the Pawn Shop to have your amulet

appraised for its value.  You will also go to the Mages' Guild and

have it magically Identified to see if it's magic!  However, you

spend most of the night decoding the map.  Outside, you can hear the

sounds of battle as a liche has called forth his undead to destroy as

much of the town as possible.  You decide that the knights can handle

it and wisely stay inside.

     (After you decode the map, you read the small note at the bottom

which says "See a marshal when you're ready to go on this

adventure.")   

     You decide to rest for the night and start in the morning and

you head to bed with visions of treasure and future adventures in

your head!

     

     This is one way that a group may get involved in some real NERO

adventure, but it is by no means the only way.  The NERO game is as

much of a player-driven game as a NERO-driven game, and you can be

the one who starts your own adventures as well!

     You can see that a NERO adventure is like no other--the

possibilities are endless for creative players.

     So welcome to NERO, where you can be all that you can't be!





ABOUT NERO

     NERO is an acronym that stands for the New England Roleplaying

Organization, a new concept in game playing.  Under NERO's unique

rule system, an entire fantasy medieval town can be created.

     In the NERO game, you create a 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.  The choice is yours.

     NERO is dedicated to the legendary days of high fantasy, while

running a fun safe game.

     We have fierce warriors, crafty scouts, powerful mages, loyal

knights, and benevolent healers.  There are goblins, blood chilling

spectres, evil assassins, villainous spies to battle, and your very

own legends to create.





COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT NERO



     What is NERO all about? 

     According to the Boston Globe, NERO "blends elements of the

legend of Robin Hood, classical fantasy fiction such as 'Lord of the

Rings', improvisational theatre, the epic of King Arthur, tabletop

games like Dungeons and Dragons, a Renaissance fair and maybe a

little psychodrama."  It's all of these and more.  

     NERO is trying to recreate the Days of Legend as we would like

them to be and not how they actually were.  NERO is new, different

and exciting, and therefore hard to categorize!



     How did NERO start?

     NERO began as a Boston Boy Scout Explorer troop in the late '80s

and keeps its scouting ties even to this day.  NERO now has chapters

in New Hampshire, Georgia, Chicago, Canada--and now New York.



     What happens on a NERO weekend event?

     When you come to a NERO weekend, you will come to a campsite

that we have rented and decorated to be a fantasy medieval town.  You

will be given a bed in a cabin.  The game will begin Friday night

around 8.  From that point on until the game ends on Sunday afternoon

(Monday afternoon on long weekends) there is no stopping;  not for

dinner, not for sleeping, not for anything short of an emergency. 

Adventuring will be going on around you at all times, and sometimes

something as simple as traveling from your cabin to the tavern can be

a matter of life and (game) death.



     What is an adventure day and how is it different from a weekend?

     An adventure day is what is called in gamers' terms a "module." 

It has a definite objective and entry point, and you and five of your

friends will have several encounters along the way that will be

necessary for you to achieve your objective.  It sounds simple

explained in those terms, but when you are in the middle of the misty

woods, with shadowy shapes moving towards you and strange sounds

echoing through the trees, and you are trying to remember what that

farmer said a half hour ago down the trail about how to get through

this infernal door, the logic puzzle takes on a very immediate

importance.



     Where are the events held?

     The weekend events are held at a camp near Litchfield, Connecticut, about 90 minutes from New York city.  The adventure days are held at our site in Brooklyn.  There is also a Tavern that people frequent at the Brooklyn site.



     What is the plot like?

     The plot is continuous and ever-changing, due partly to

imaginative players!  It is open ended and runs from event to event,

so if a plot thread isn't resolved by the end of the event, it will

be picked up at the start of the next one.  There are always fearsome

monsters lurking just outside of town, and plenty of political

intrigue within.  There are mysteries to solve, battles to plan,

friends to make and enemies to break.  Since you will play the same

character from event to event, your own plots will soon interact with

others and you will be right in the thick of things!



     Are there sword fights?

     Lots of them!  Using NERO approved padded weapons (made of PVC

pipe and foam pipe insulation covered with duct tape or cloth), you

will test your swashbuckling skills against the mightiest in the

Kingdom.  Each type of weapon is assigned a number based on the

amount of damage that weapon would do if it were real.  In addition,

each player can buy skills to increase this number.  You will have a

certain number of "hit points" based on your skills and the type of

armor worn.  As you attack, you will call out that amount.  As you

are struck, you subtract the amount by which you have been hit.  When

you reach zero, you are unconscious, and you'd better hope there is

someone nearby with a healing spell!  



     How safe is NERO?

     NERO is very safe.  No one has ever been seriously injured using

our padded swords.  The worst injuries we have ever had were caused

by people running into trees and tripping over stumps in the dark. 

Our insurance company has commented that NERO has had less injuries

than a little league softball team.



     Is there Magic?

     You bet!  Merlin himself would be proud.  We represent magical

spells with small beanbags or "packets" filled with birdseed.  To

cast a spell, you say a short phrase (such as "I call forth a Flame

Bolt!") and throw the packet at your target.  If you say the words

correctly and hit your target, the spell works.  If you miss with

either, the spell fails.  You are limited in how many spells you can

cast each day, so use them wisely!  When you are more advanced, you

can learn "formal magic" spells and create magical weapons!



     How do you decide what skills my character can have?

     We don't--you do!  You "buy" your own skills with Experience

Points that you earn at an event.  These skills allow you to improve

your character's abilities.  Because each player picks skills based

on his or her own desires, no two characters are alike.  Skills

include magical spells, alchemy, magical potion and scroll creation,

trap disarming, and many weapon skills.



     How do I earn Experience Points?

     You are automatically given a basic number of XP for each event

based on your current skill level.  XP over that amount is

represented by game money, and you can earn that through a variety of

methods.  You can sell the scrolls and potions you have created;  you

can hire yourself out as a bodyguard;  you can kill monsters and see

if they have any treasure;  you can entertain in the tavern for tips;

you can blackmail somebody--you are limited only by your imagination

(and the game rules)!



     How good need my costume be?

     All we ask is that you make an attempt at a costume.  It need

not be more complex than a simple piece of cloth two feet wide and

six feet long with a head-sized hole in the middle.  Wear it with a

belt around the middle and you have a passable tabard.  Don't wear

neon colors, t-shirts, sunglasses and such.  Dark colored sweat suits

are a good start.  NERO has merchants who can sell you costumes and

armor and will even take special orders.



     How do I write a character history?

     Part of the fun of NERO is creating a history for your character

which will help you to play your character appropriately when

confronted with game situations.  You cannot start off the game as

nobility or with great wealth or magic items (or anything else that

would place your character above other starting characters), but

other than that, you are fairly free to create your own personality.



     Can I be an elf?

     The world of NERO is mainly filled with humans, but there are

many types of elves, dwarves, half-orcs, hoblings, barbarians,

gypsies, and other unusual and interesting races to play, each with

their own special abilities and powers.



     Can I be a monster?

     Nonplayer characters such as monsters are controlled by a

"Monster Master."  If you wish to play a monster on a weekend, you do

not have to pay to attend (you do have to be a member of course).  In

exchange, you must do what the Monster Master tells you.



     What about religion?

     Although religion played a large role in actual medieval life,

we do not wish to offend anyone's beliefs.  There is no religion in a

NERO game.  There are no fantasy gods or demons, and players are not

allowed to create their own.



     How do you do traps?

     Traps are usually electronic in nature.  You will have to open

the box (or door or whatever) slowly and check for threads or wires

or other methods of releasing the trap.  If you are able to cut a

string, remove a battery clip, or otherwise prevent the trap from

buzzing, ringing, or making a noise, you have disarmed it.



     How do you pick a lock?

     With your tools!  We use simple locks on our doors and boxes and

with the proper tools and picks (available from certain shifty

individuals in the game), you should with practice be able to become

adept at getting past those pesky locks.  Note that if you haven't

bought the skill "Pick Locks" then you are not even allowed to try.



     What's in the Player's Guide?

     The 180+ page Player's Guide lists all the rules and spells you

will need for playing the game.  In addition, there are large

sections describing the fantasy world in which your character will

live as well as sections full of advice on how to play your character

and how to best gain experience.  You will learn about the cultures

of the various NERO races and countries, how a medieval society

works,  and what the monsters are like among many other things. 

There are maps and charts, hints and clues, and the whole thing is

full of photos and illustrations.



     Can I buy the Player's Guide without being a member?

     Yes.  The book costs $15 (please add $4 for postage).



     How much does NERO cost?

     Each NERO chapter is a separate business and each has their own

membership fees.  Membership in the New York chapter is $30 a year. 

This fee is used to pay insurance which completely covers you in case

of an accident during a NERO event.  



     Are there discounts?

     You can buy Event Coupons which will reduce your admission fees

and give you the lowest price available.  A NERO Adventure Day module

costs one Coupon;  A Weekend costs three (four for the long

weekends).  A book of 5 Event Coupons is $60;  a book of 10 is $110,

and a book of 25 is $250.  



     Is there an age limit?

     Yes;  you must be at least 16 to play NERO.  If you are under

16, you may attend only if your parent or guardian (not an older

sibling!) is also present and playing.



     How do I join?

     Print out and sign the legal release at the end of this file. 

Mail it to us along with your membership check (payable to NERO). 

Once you join, you will receive our monthly newsletter which will

keep you informed of all our activities as well as keep you up to

date on the NERO plot.

     Call (718) 748-0958 between 11 and 8 for more information.

     We are in the process of moving to a permanent indoor site in

Brooklyn where there will be a NERO store, our office, an in-game

tavern, and modules running on weekends.  The phone number included

here will only be in effect until September 1st at which time we will

be at our new site.  We will update this flyer as soon as we know

what the new number will be, and will include our new address as

well.







     "Hey, who needs reality all the time?  Certainly not members of

the New England Roleplaying Organization, who believe that regular

doses of fantasy, preferably large and colorful doses, make the

pressures of real life a lot more bearable."

     - William A. Davis, The Boston Globe



     "Mortals who never set foot on a real stage are playing out a

fantasy of medieval life as they would prefer it to be. . .The action

never stops."

     -  Nisi Johnson, The Christain Science Monitor News Network



     "NERO games and live action games like them are certainly the

next wave of roleplaying games. . .[NERO] is unlike any other live

roleplaying game out there."

     -  Michael A. Ventrella, Dragon Magazine



COSTS:  

_____Membership fee:  $30

_____Player's Guide:  $19 (includes postage)

_____5 Event Coupons:  $60

_____10 Event Coupons:  $110

_____25 Event Coupons:  $250





NERO LEGAL RELEASE

     I, the undersigned, understand that NERO has taken all

precautions and reasonable steps to minimize all risks to

participants but is unable to completely guarantee that no injury

will come to me.  Since the events are mainly conducted outdoors in

wilderness areas, there is always the possibility of a slip on rough

ground, a fall over obstacles in darkness, or the ocurrence of some

other undorseeable accident.  Further, since I may also be

participating in mock battles using padded weapons, there is a risk

of injury from other participants.

     I understand the risks involved in participating in the events

sponsored by NERO.  I shall make no claim of any description against

the organization, members or officers of NERO or any company doing

business with the organization for any loss or damages suffered in

the course of participating.

     I confirm that I am over 16 years of age, in good physical

health, and do not suffer from any physical disabilities unknown to

the organization.  I agree also to the following restrictions placed

upon me by NERO:

     I will not use the padded weapons approved by NERO unless I have

first been instructed in their proper use through safety training;

     I will not bring or consume alcoholic beverages or any illegal

drug during the event;

     I will not use any skills taught by NERO for illegal purposes;

     Unless I submit a written and signed request stating the

opposite, I will allow NERO, for promotional purposes, to photograph,

film, or videotape me participating in the event;

     I will not charge admission to any event I may hold using the

rules of NERO, nor will I claim to be a subsidary or representative

of NERO;

     I will at all times abide by the safety rules of NERO.

     I understand that failure to abide by these agreements could

result in expulsion from NERO or in the extreme to legal action.

     By my signature, I confirm that I have read this release,

understand its terms, and agree to its provisions.  I understand that

this form affects my legal rights.





Print Name:



Sign Name:



Address:



City/State/Zip:



Birthdate:



Phone:



Signature of Parent or Guardian (if under 18):



Today's date:



Mail to: NERO  218 Plymouth St,  Brooklyn, NY 11201-1124