So the words are not enough and warriors clash! Here is where to a large extent role play breaks down and for the sake of fun a different type of game based on speed, reflex and a bit of luck takes over for a while. Strict role players hate it! They rightly stick with role playing each blow and the person role playing the weaker fighter, surrenders or is defeated, injured and maybe killed.

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At Celyddon and on a number of lands the usual role play gives way to combat with meters. The Unity meter is great for combat with fists to all sorts of bladed and hitting weapons and bows and its a lot of fun to use. Each character wears a meter that shows their health so that everyone can see if they are injured, they carry scripted weapons, usually bows or swords. The meters record hits adjusting for armour if its worn and in some cases allowing for extra strength or endurance depending on the race of your character. Magical attacks may also be allowed, some weapons like swords can be used continuously, others like bows use arrows and when you run out you have to reload your quiver. Often magical spells take a while to recharge before they can be used again.

Combat is normally done in mouse look, a first person perspective and your character is set to always run mode for speed. With short range weapons like swords you step close to be in range, strike by swinging rapidly left and right and then step back out of range before they do the same to you. Some weapons do greater damage and others are faster then others and a spear will have a longer range then a dagger. Bows and spells you normally aim from a distance with a cross hair, allowing of course for the arrow to drop with distance and the direction your target is moving.

Characters heal slowly with time or the process can be speeded with healing potions or attention from a healer, depending on the rules. If your health falls to low you collapse and can be killed, but by convention unless it has been agreed otherwise beforehand when role play resumes you are treated as only having been wounded or dazed for a while. No one wants to permanently lose a character they may have spent years creating.

Unfortunately the Unity meter does not allow guns, muskets or cannons so if they are involved we use the SPD meter. Some objects can react with Unity, doors that break, chests that can be smashed open, spikes that can impale you causing injury, are all possible. The meters are free as are basic weapons, more sophisticated weapons usually have a cost and there are a number of stores that supply them.