Q: What is Rendezvous?

A: Rendezvous is a L.A.R.P. (live action role-playing game) set in Georgia. It was created by Joey Payne and Trey Martin. It is set in a complete fantasy world of swords and sorcery. The overall theme of Rendezvous is horror. Characters will find themselves in horrible situations where they may feel that there is no way out. Sometimes this feeling will bleed over and be felt by the player themselves.


Q: What is a character?

A: A character is a persona that you (the player) create. You will be able to build up your character and fully control their actions.


Q: How do I build my character?

A: Each time you play you receive a certain amount of XPs (experience points) that you spend on your character's skills. The number of XPs is determined by the following: Base XP award of 3, 2 or 1 (the more XPs your character has, the lower the base award... see Rules for more info), if you are human, you automatically earn an additional XP. Any victory conditions that were achieved may add 1 or more additional XP as well (see rules for more info).


Q: What does my character start with?

A: Characters begin with 30 XPs that they may spend on beginning skills. Characters may also purchase background and blood lines with player awards. These backgrounds and bloodlines must be purchased before the character is played. After that they are no longer available.


Q: What are player awards?

A: Player awards are points that a player may earn for helping the game through monstering, tavern work, picking up spell packets etc. These awards can be used to purchase in game items, buy backgrounds or bloodlines, to give the player the ability to play a restricted race and several other things. Please see the rulebook for full details.


Q: What is the highest level I can be?

A: In Rendezvous characters do not have levels. Your character grows more powerful as they accumulate more skill points. As of this moment all characters may have a skill point max of 330 XPs, which represents a very high level character.


Q: What are skills?

A: Skills control what your character can do in the game world. Skills cover a wide range of areas including Weapons, Spells and Production. A complete list of skills can be found in the rulebook.


Q: How do skills work?

A: Skills are broken down into 2 categories
Action skills- Action skills cover swinging swords or casting spells etc. Anything you
can do to that doesn’t require a marshal is considered an action skill.

Tested Skills- Tested skills cover skills such as pick locks, ritual majik and
production. Anything you do that requires a marshal is a tested skill.
A full explanation of the types of skills and how they work is listed in the rulebook


Q: How do I learn new skills?

A: To learn a new skill you must have an in-play teacher willing to teach you the skill. Then you simply spend the XPs necessary to buy the skill.


Q: What are abilities?

A: Abilities are in-play powers that you can purchase depending on your race. Some abilities are automatic (like the humans’ bonus to XPs) but some have to be purchased with XPs (like the giant or titans bonus to strength) just like a skill.


Q: Can I sell skills or abilities back if I don’t want them anymore?

A: You may drop any skill or ability at any time between events. You receive no skill points back for dropping the skill or ability from your character but the points no longer count toward your 330 point max.


Q: What are races?

A: Race is a part of your character. There are 15 races in Rendezvous and each has a unique story, culture and abilities. Besides human these races are imaginary and consist of elves, dwarves, orcs and others. When you play a race you will receive access to a race packet that details the culture and history of that race and the races over all feelings toward the other races. Most of these races have requirements to be able to play including make-up, height and costume so please read the race board to find out all of these requirements.


Q: Will I need to choose a class like fighter or mage?

A: No, Rendezvous is a completely classless system. To be able to call yourself a Knight or a Mage etc. is a function of role play. What your character can do is based on the skills you choose with your XP. You may call yourself a fighter if you choose fighter skills, but you may decide that the jack of all trades kind of character works best for you. We feel that a classless system allows the player to better build their character concept like they want.


Q: So that means I can play a character that can pick locks and throw spells and swing a sword?

A: Yes. As previously stated Rendezvous is a classless system so therefore there are no rouge/mage classes or fighter/priest classes. Like in real life your character must depend on what they know and what they can do to survive.


Q: Why not swing a sword and cast spells?

A: Swinging a sword is not as simple as it sounds. In rendezvous those that like melee combat will find all manners of deft maneuver skills to buy. Most are as powerful as higher level spells. However like most skills the higher level ones require prerequisite skills to be able to purchase. Many players will find it hard to juggle the XPs necessary to gain too many varying high level skills. Also, because Rendezvous is a race driven instead of class driven game, most races (giants, orcs, etc.) which are built for melee combat cannot afford the XPs for body points as well as mana points. It simply gets too expensive.


Q: Does my character have a number of lives or can I only be killed once?

A: Both. When a character “dies” his/her spirit enters the Tween and the player puts a bright red headband on. Certain skills in game allow other characters to rescue the spirit from the Tween. Whether or not your character is rescued depends on how well you have made friends with those skilled characters. For a full description of resurrection please see the rulebook.


Q: What is the Tween?

A: The tween is a “plane” of existence that separates the realm of Deity from the mortal realm. When your character “dies” their spirit enters this plane and becomes trapped there. All manner of creatures exist in the Tween and most feed upon spirits. This realm is said to be myth by some. Most races universally dislike it as it is said to bring bad luck and death to those who deal with it. In fact, good and evil people willingly work together to fight against the Tween. Even the most vile of creatures shy away from it and only the most insane even speak about it. All other information about the Tween should be found out in play.


Q: Do I have to know how to use a sword or cast majik to be able to succeed in the game?

A: No. Unlike other L.A.R.P.S. Rendezvous has a complete merchanting and crafting set of skills. These skills (if used correctly) will allow the character to become just as powerful and successful as someone who kills everything in sight. This is not saying you won’t get “jumped” or surprised by the random wandering zombie looking for lunch. But you do not have to ever fight or even cast spells to be highly successful.


Q: What are crafting skills?

A: Crafting skills are used to create in-game items. There are several types of crafting skills including: alchemy, blacksmithy, surgery, and tinkering. As with any other skill you need to find a master to teach you the skill levels, With all production skills you will have to find “formulas” which are a blue print for the item you are making. You then find the appropriate materials listed on the formula in game to create the item. Many production formulas are necessary for skills to work. For example tinkers create lock picks which are necessary to use the pick locks skill. Unlike other L.A.R.P.S. most of the economy in Rendezvous will be handled exclusively by the characters.Q: What are production skills?


Q: How does majik work?

A: Spell levels are available in 9 different schools (themes of majik... Ex. Naturalist school cast nature-based majik) and each school has 9 levels of spellcasting ability, which are purchased with XPs in the same way as any other skill. To attain a spell you must first have the ability to cast the level of the spell and a teacher for the spell. Spells appear as 0 XP skills on your character sheet. Some spells are only taught by a representative from the Collegiate School of Majik or found as scrolls in old tomes. Once you have the spell you can cast it as many times as you have mana. Mana is also purchased as a skill (so is body points) and the amount you get per XP spent depends on your race (same for body points). Each spell level will have a prerequisite set of skills that the player must have before purchasing the spellcasting level. To “throw” a spell you recite an incantation and throw a spell packet (birdseed wrapped around white cloth) at the target. If you hit the spell takes affect. Instructions on how to create spell packets are covered in the rulebook.


Q: Can I play a cleric or holy warrior type of character?

A: Yes. Rendezvous has an imaginary and completely fantasy set of deities that we refer to as gawds. No real world religon is allowed as an in-game religon so that no one gets offended. There are five Gawds that are often referred to as the Holy Family. It is not necessary to “follow” a gawd at all to succeed in Rendezvous... It is all according to the role-play desires of the player.


Q: Where can I get a rulebook?

A: The rulebook is posted on the Rules and Resources link of our main site, www.321LayOn.com. It is free for download and printing for personal use, and we encourage all new players to download it and read it thoroughly.


Q: What is monstering?

A: In rendezvous your character will be running up against all sorts of boogeums and nasties. When you monster you the player get the chance to play some of those nasties and fight against your fellow players. Everyone must spend a certain amount of time during the game helping out the game (such as working in the tavern, assisting check in etc.) Monstering is one of the options for helping the game. If you would like to be a full time monster then you must apply to the Oracle (our main full-time logistics site). If your application is accepted then you will be trained in how to fully run a monster encounter and be offered some of the more rare creatures to play. If you are interested in full time monstering or becoming a monster marshal then e-mail Tams@321LayOn.com.


Q: How long does a rendezvous last?

A: We begin the game on Friday nights and run until Sunday afternoon without a break in the action. Resetting your skills will be covered in the rulebook.


Q: Im under 18 can I play?

A: Yes. The rule is 16 and over with a signed permission slip from your parents (up to 18 of course). Anyone under 16 must have adult accompaniment. During the day the game will be mostly PG13 but during the night it can become a bit gory and horrifying and may be too much for some younger players.


Q: Can I transfer my higher level character from another game?

A: No. We prefer that everyone start new characters. While we realize the amount of work some people put into their characters. We we can not allow a game-unbalancing situation to occur. Rendezvous takes place in a very unique setting, and it is unlikely that a character made for another game would ever really "fit" into our story. However, we are in favor of people playing the character they wish, as long as their history is consistent with our world.