Introduction

Wounded, bleeding, dying. Wait... you already died... didn’t you? You remember taking your last breath, then darkness. Now, you find yourself waking up. You open your eyes to purple hues, shadow figures running, and a large black gate. Hanging from the gate is a sign: Beyond The Gates of Madness Lies The Nether. Something startles you from behind. As you turn, giant tentacles move and sway in the darkness. A voice echoes in your mind.

The Old Ones were, the Old Ones are, and the Old Ones shall be. Not in the spaces we know, but between them, They walk serene and primal, undimensioned and, to many, unseen. Madness knows the gate. Madness is the gate. Madness is the key and guardian of the gate. Past, present, and future are all one in the Nether.

Something in your heart tells you to run.

Through The Gates of Madness lies a ramshackle town. Many different creatures are seen here: good and evil, mundane and magical, and everything in between. A dapper man in a zoot suit argues with a fairy in a gossamer gown over the price of a glowing glass jar. A cyborg struggles to sip tea delicately from a fine china cup at a nearby table while a vampire dressed in Victorian finery swirls a dark red liquid in a crystal goblet and politely hides a smirk. A peasant in tattered brown clothing screams about the end of days.

You are met at the gate by a man with a thin waxed mustache in a three-piece suit and a bow tie. He waves his arm toward the town. “Welcome to the Nether! If you have not noticed yet, we are all dead, and yet... not. Some say this is hell; others say this is another dimension. One thing we all agree on, this is timeless. I am from the 1890s; our metal friend sipping tea is from the 2100s.” He creates a light glyph from his hand and waves it by his face.

“Oh, and did I mention? Magic is real.”

As soon as the words left his lips, he disappeared into thin air. Soundlessly, the tentacles descend and wrap languidly around the black gate. Delicately, the gates are pulled closed, and the tentacles recede into darkness. There is a feeling of finality, resignation, and purpose, and you realize this is your new reality.

That is a simple example of what a first-timer sees when they get to The Nether. One thing everyone has in common is that they have died. This means that they can be found here no matter what character you want to play, what universe they come from, and what you are used to seeing in another game or setting. Your character doesn't need to die in another setting. It can be assumed that your character eventually comes here once they have died. When you are not playing Nether, your character is considered sleeping and dreaming of another life to keep their Sanity from decreasing. As this is somewhat an afterlife, your skills and abilities are different here than elsewhere. Everyone who arrives starts weak and builds up over time… assuming they survive long enough. Specialized items do not transfer between games.

WHAT IS THE NETHER?

The Nether is a place between the afterlife and the mundane world. It also exists in other realities and outside of time. There are minutes and hours; clocks and watches still work. People from other times come through the gates just as everyone else.

Not everyone comes to The Nether. It’s like someone chooses who comes. Whoever or whatever it is, it chooses strong people with a strong will.

Nether is also the name of the town that happens to be right inside the gates.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

HOW TO PLAY

There are many different ways to play Nether. Most will play the game exclusively as characters and live their stories through their roles. This is the most individualistic style of playing and allows for many interactions with other players, the entertainment crew, staff members, the environment, and the world at large. Players are expected to donate a little bit of their time to the entertainment of others every game by working for a short time as a monster. There will be more on that later. The entertainment crew consists of staff members and players who wish to lend their creativity to the story of Nether and engage the players with the antagonism it takes to grow their character’s personal story. Staff may consist of players and non-players who dedicate their time to ensuring the game runs smoothly both at the site and between games.

There will be many different creatures to be found in play. Some will be hostile, some will be friendly, some will be neutral. Whether these creatures are played by entertainment, staff, or other players, it is essential to interact with them. When a player is playing a creature, this is called monstering. By asking, “What do I see?” you are indicating to the person monstering that you are requesting their description. The monster should respond with a physical description of what your character is seeing. Monsters will have as many varied abilities as characters do. If you are unsure what an ability does, simply ask! Games take time to learn.

Miniature adventures that take place during the game are referred to as Mods. These are quests that your character may choose to participate in. During a mod, you may encounter different or unique monsters, new NPCs (non-player characters), puzzles, special combat rules, and other things along the journey from the beginning to the end of the mod. These mods can result in the advancement of the story in the game as a whole or be just flavor that helps flesh out the world. It is common to receive your experience points and loot at the end of the mod, so if you search a monster and find nothing, don’t panic! The entertainment staff may have it all ready for you to collect.

Speaking of searching… what’s that? Searching is when your character looks for something. Commonly, this is done to search for loot on a monster, non-player character, or player character. How do I search? It’s simple! You extend your hand toward what -- or who -- you’re searching and say, “Searching.” It is assumed that you are searching them thoroughly and will find anything on their person. Therefore, a monster, PC, or NPC being searched should immediately hand over anything they are carrying that is significant in play. Items such as articles of clothing, costume jewelry pieces that have no value in the game, or other mundane, insignificant items are not considered in-play items, so they are not for collection.

When your character is injured, you mentally subtract your hit points. When your character reaches 0 hit points, they are bleeding to death. While bleeding to death, your character is conscious and aware of their surroundings. They can call for help, crawl, or attempt to fend off killing blows for up to 1 minute while waiting for help. Your character goes unresponsive if they are not helped before that one-minute timer is up. If your character receives a killing blow, your character is unresponsive. They cannot call for help, speak, crawl, or do anything but wait to die or be helped for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, your character dies. Once your character dies, you must immediately drop all of your in-game items, find a staff member, and resurrect to get back in the game. Resurrection will be explained later in the rulebook.

Some general rules that are universal at any game or campsite are as follows:

* No drinking or drugs

* No touching of any person or their belongings without their permission

* Do not enter another cabin, tent, or other occupied building without permission of the occupant(s) without a staff member to escort you (see Cabin Defense for more)

* If you smoke, police your butts!

* No littering

* Leave any site better than you found it. This means cleaning up after yourself and others.

* Be courteous to anyone you encounter. As a member of the community, you represent the game.

* Keep in mind that many people play characters who are vastly different from their real-life persona. Don’t hate a person for their character’s ill-doings. It’s a game! React accordingly and keep it in play!