Time in Outerah passes in an unusual manner.  Although there are still twenty-four hours in a day, adventurers must also keep the following in mind:

• There are eight days in a week: 
  • Tradesday, Moonday, Starday, Soulday, Astroday, Clouday, Eclipseday, Gallyday (Weekly Calendar)
• Each month always lasts for four weeks.
• There are ten months in an Outeran Year.
• Every one hundred years is referred to as an Elemental Cycle.
• Every ten cycles makes an Elemental Millenia.

Your birthday is shown in the form of Month, Day, Elemental Cycle-Year, Millenia (xx-xx-xxx-xx).  

Example: 01-28-399-10 (You were born within the Month of Shadow on the 28th day. You are within the third Elemental Cycle on the 99th year, last millennia.)

Furthermore, when an event which requires a Round count takes place, such as in combat, each Round is worth 10 seconds.

There is only one type of resting within the game, a Break, which can be used however you see fit and how long you see fit.  Some call it camping, others call it sleep… but let’s be honest.  You’re just taking a break and appropriate break time is essential for all adventurers!

Each hour allows you to recover your health and magic energy by 10% per hour for the first seven hours and the remaining 30% after the eighth hour.  If you have a status effect, you’ll be able to roll a save every 30 minutes to overcome it, but your healing won’t kick in until after the effect is removed.  Damaging effects such as poison may kill you in your sleep, so be careful!  During the eighth hour, all status effects are removed.

To not succumb to the Deprivation Meter, a full eight hours of rest, of break time, must be met.  Every 25 points in Vitality can lower the amount of sleep time by thirty minutes, making one who would normally need eight hours of sleep instead require only six hours a day if one has 100 Vitality; these six hours are treated as a full eight hours and you gain all of the effects of a normal eight-hour rest.

Sometimes one must push forward past their limits and while that’s never a good thing, sometimes it is necessary.  Those who are unable to get a full eight hours of rest will gain a level of Upkeep Deprivation; this also applies if one goes hungry or becomes dehydrated.  Players who are not well rested, Hungry, or Dehydrated (or Tea Withdrawal if one is an Angelarian) gain the penalties listed below; not being well rested, Hungry, or Dehydrated begins twenty-four hours after no rest or nourishment.  For every twenty-four additional hours that pass, players gain the effects of the next tier.

• Tier 1: Attack rolls and skill checks are subject to a -5 penalty and a Minus Charge.
• Tier 2: Attack rolls, skill checks, and resisting throws against status ailments are subject to a -5 penalty and a Hyper Charge.
• Tier 3: Attack rolls, skill checks, and resisting throws against status ailments are subject to a -10 penalty and a Hyper Charge.  In addition, all attacks made against you are considered an “Opener” due to your inability to focus.
• Tier 4: Attack rolls, skill checks, and resisting throws against status ailments are subject to a -15 penalty and a Hyper Charge.  In addition, all attacks made against you are considered an “Opener” due to your inability to focus. Because your body is on its last leg, your Movement, Jump, and Speed are all halved (round down) as your mind begins to shut down.  At this stage, your penalties can only be removed if you have a proper five-day rest.
• Tier 5: The unit dies.

Proper rest and nourishment will offset the tier penalties, but unless the player in question is under the effects of Tier 1, these penalties are not immediately removed.  If a player is under the effects of Tier 2, two days of rest and nourishment are required to remove these effects; Tier 3 is three days, and Tier 4 requires five days.  Tier 4’s severity is so great that taking an extra day’s worth of rest is needed to ensure that the character’s body and mind are fully refreshed and ready to go!

All units have three different paces of which they can travel on foot: March, Walk, and Jog.  A medium sized unit can move -1 Cell every second during a March; the unit’s Movement is normal if moving at walking speed, and the unit’s Movement is increased by +1 Cell while jogging.  In combat, Movement functions as if under the effect of walking, but the unit is actually running.  March and Jog only work out of combat.

• A Small unit loses a -1 in both Movement and Jump, but attackers must subtract an additional 5 to their AGI to-hit rolls when rolling to attack a Small unit. (+5 Dodge)
• A Tiny unit loses -2 in both Movement and Jump, but attackers must subtract an additional 10 to their AGI to-hit rolls when rolling to attack a Tiny unit.
• A Large and Huge unit gains a +1 in Movement and Jump; attackers add +5 to their AGI to-hit rolls against Large units, and +10 to their AGI to-hit rolls against Huge units. (-5 Dodge to Large-sized unit; -10 Dodge to Huge-sized unit)

There are outside factors that can affect one’s March, Walk, or Jog.

• Haste and Slow: Just like in combat, Haste grants double Movement during the duration.  Likewise, being under the effects of Slow or a similar effect will half the mobility’s pacing.
• Heavy Armor: Those who wear heavy armor are slowed down when moving, making a unit’s walking pace -2 Cells a second and -3 Cells during a jog as you are bogged down.  Every 40 points in Strength removes 1 cell penalty from this.

Watch your step!  Falling damage is calculated after a unit’s Jump (+1) is used up.  An inanimate object has a jump related to how heavy and dense an object is.  While a feather or other similar weighted items won’t do any damage, a dense item within a half an ounce to 2 pounds (water bottle, coin, cell phone, etc) will have a jump of 3; items up to 10 pounds, such as laptops, have a jump of 1.  Objects that weigh over 10 pounds have a jump of 0 and deal double damage per Cell.

Talent checks are divided into two classes.  If one is prompted to roll, they are rolling an Active Talent Check (ATC).  If one is not prompted to roll, their Passive Talent Check (PTC) is in effect.  Both ATC and PTC pertain to setting up the Difficulty Rating of a Check or Save.  Difficulty Ratings occur when a Check or Save is being made for a Talent-based requirement, or a unit is trying to overcome the challenge presented.  DR is often seen in skills or performing a task against non-living things such as opening a door.

There are four factors which take place to determine or challenge the baseline Difficulty Rating number in regards to ATC. The maximum value for a Difficulty Rating Check is 35.

• Every 10 points in the needed core stat of a check grants you 1 point.  When you have 100 in the core stat, you will have a total of ten additional points added to your rating.
• Every 5 Levels in your Primary Class increase the rating by 1.  At Level 30, you will have an additional 6 points added to the rating due to your experience.
• Roll a D12 to determine your total result, with 1 as the lowest possible dice roll and 12 as the best.
• Gear or a rare Soul Gem might grant you an extra point or 2 to add to your ATC for a particular Talent such as Hunter Shoes.

An example of an ATC would be a unit attempting a skill check, such as Persuasion.  For this instance, let’s say that you are attempting to convince an npc, such as a shopkeep, to buy an item you’re trying to sell.  Your character is Level 12 with a 60 Charisma and you roll an 8 on your D12.  The modifiers you add to your dice roll(8) are +6 from your Persuasion score and +2 from your Level, resulting in a total value of 16 for your ATC.  And because you are the one rolling the Persuasion check in this instance, you will succeed against the NPC if your ATC total is at least one higher than the opposing PTC.

You could think of PTC as a defensive Talent Check, as your enemies need to roll to beat your score. This stat works similar to a Difficulty Rating, but is used against living things like units.

For PTC, the following applies:

• Your base PTC is always 4.
• Every 10 points in the needed core stat of a check grants you 1 point.  When you have 100 in the core stat, you will have a total of ten additional points added to your rating.
• Every 5 Levels in your Primary Class increase the rating by 1.
• A Plus Charge in the Passive Talent grants a score of 50% bonus to your dice roll.
• A Super Charge in the Passive Talent doubles the score of your dice roll! 
• A Minus Charge in the Passive Talent reduces your dice roll by 50%.
• A Hyper Charge in the Passive Talent reduces your dice roll by 1/4th of its original total.

A common PTC is Perception.  For example, a Level 10 unit with maxed out Stealth would have +10(Stealth) +2(Level) +4(Passive); the player or unit trying to beat this check would have to roll an ATC Perception Check and get a minimum total of 17 to beat this check (since defender of a tie wins). If that unit has a Plus Charge they would have a 24 PTC Stealth Score while a SuperCharge would result in a whopping 32 PTC Stealth Score.

Regardless of ATC or PTC, if there is a tie in the roll & opposing check, the defender wins the check, whether if it is a unit or action dictated by a Difficulty Rating.  ATC and PTC checks are capped at 35.

Difficulty Rating:

• A Very Easy Task (DR5)
• An Easy Task (DR10)
• A Normal Task (DR15)
• A Moderate Task (DR20)
• A Challenging Task (DR25)
• A Highly Dangerous Task (DR30)
• A Nearly Impossible Task (DR35)

The element of surprise is a powerful asset; strategic unit placement and using the environment to one’s advantage can mean the difference between victory and defeat.  Units who are successfully concealed and go undetected gain the Hidden status; if one’s Stealth score is high, chances are one will remain Hidden and they can set the stage for the battlefield!  If your enemies fail their Perception checks, they are none the wiser to your presence.  

In order to become Hidden, you must roll a Stealth Check and enemy units have the chance to counter this with Perception Checks of their own.  It’s worth noting that some classes can gain the Hidden status through abilities such as invisibility or camouflaging.  As long as your check remains unbeaten, you will go undetected.

The major planets are linked together by neutral spaceports that are operated & owned by the goblins.  When it comes to traveling between the planets, arrivals are scheduled to dock, on average, every 30 minutes while departures commence on an hourly basis on a normal day.  Those within the territory of the airport cannot be attacked without provoking the port guards to attack.  Units who manage to gain at least 50 Cells worth of space from the port will no longer be pursued by the guards, but it’s probably a good idea to stay away for a while.  

Furthermore, an additional ship full of seasoned penguelz guards, no less than Level 20, will arrive to reinforce the port for 24 hours to provide extra security measures to protect the Goblin Co. assets and to keep travelers safe while they wait. , you will go undetected.

Here are the areas that have active ports to aid in your travel and exploration.

Angelar 

• • Sector 7, West of Block 1 Slums

• Small and rundown, this port is manned by a skeleton crew that seldom gets involved with the locals.  Arrivals & departures to-and-from this port is fast because the port guards prioritize the safety of travelers, as crime in the area is high.  Located near Carl’s Drunken Tea, a common destination for travelers passing through the area.

• • Sector 6, South of the Watchtower

• Constructed within a clear view of the Watchtower, this port is generally safe.  Some local Angelarians have volunteered to help the guards with menial work around the facility. 

• • Sector 5, South of Fort Loztod

• Though open to the public, this port is controlled by the military during times of war.  In these instances, all enemies whom the angelerians consider enemies (Demonians, for example) are not permitted to depart here.  Should any hostile Races not comply, they are at the mercy of Angelar itself.

• • Sector 4, South of Chamomile Town

• This port is the most commonly used by travelers due to its proximity to Chamomile.  Convenient and never without great service, the port guards here tend to be more friendly without compromising their duties.

• • Sector 3, Within the Wall of Light

• In order to travel here, travelers must have permission from the Lightbringers themselves.  Goblin guards who work at this port are also classified as independent contractors of the Lightbringer Family.  If one tries to leave port without the proper credentials, they are given one warning; if this is ignored, they will immediately be arrested and held prisoner by the Lightbringers for an amount of time they see fit.

• • Sector 2, Within the Tea Factory

• In order to travel here, travelers must have permission from the Dawnblades themselves.  Goblin guards who work at this port are also classified as independent contractors of the Dawnblade Family.  Travelers with the proper credentials are escorted by a cadre of Dawnblade elites at all times; those without proper credentials are denied access to the factory, but are permitted to remain within the port.  Should those without proper credentials refuse to comply, they will be arrested.

• • Sector 1, South of Green Tea Fountain
• In order to travel here, travelers must have permission from the Dawnblades, Lightbringers, and Diviniahs.  Goblin guards who work at this port are also classified as independent contractors of all three families.  Those with permission to be in Sector 1 are under constant surveillance, but not even the most esteemed ally of Angelar is allowed near the fountain unless they specifically have permission–and proof of authorization–from either Lord Echizen Dawnblade, Lord Julian Lightbringer, or Lord Vargas Diviniah.

Demonia

Because all Demonian ports are located within the guilds’ territories, each one is partially run by the respective guild.  While the goblins who set up shop there are free to operate as they see fit, they still have to abide by the laws of each territory.  During times of active war, travelers cannot go from one guild to another.  The Nameless does not officially work with the goblins who run Death Row, but these brave guards know that they are always being watched.

Unaffiliated travelers are permitted to travel to-and-from each port and pass through guild territory.  However, acts of aggression towards any will quickly result in this privilege being revoked.  Likewise, travelers who are affiliated with one guild may be denied entry to another port based upon reputation and if the guild they’re allied with is hostile towards the one running the port they’re trying to get to.  The Nameless “port” is the exception to the rule and the reason for that is listed below… 

• • Kurayami Guild Port

• This port is built within two miles of Kurayami Keep.  The Kurayamis use this to trade with outsiders; likewise, this port is the lifeline for guild members who want to adventure outside of Demonia to complete missions and bring honor & glory to Lord Zirix!

• • Mezlon Guild Port

• Of the Demonian Guilds, Mezlon’s port is located the farthest from their Keep.  To make up for this ten-mile march, the port itself is not only well fortified but there are many independent shops ready to serve any and all travelers!

• • Death Row

• As mentioned before, Death Row is the exception to the rules above.  Officially, the Nameless stake no claim in this port or the well-being of the guards and travelers.  Yet, the guards know who really runs the show here.  This port exists for the sole purpose of transporting Nameless agents to-and-from their destinations and while they recognize the goblins’ authority, the goblins know better than to earn the ire of the Nameless.  As a result, at times guards will not interfere if fights break out; in most instances, this is because it’s “Nameless Business.”  This port is all that stands between brave adventurers and the most dangerous land in all of Demonia.

• • Voltrox Guild Port

• As is typical of the nature of Voltrox, their port is located within their Keep.  Built onto the easternmost wall, goblin guards who work this port as well as travelers have to contend with the typical Voltrox “additions” built onto all their structures.  Due to how chaotic and dangerous the Voltrox Keep is, the goblins’ usual protection does not extend to travelers.

• • Kenji Guild Port (located at the mouth of a cave for added protection)

• This port’s design is an unusual contrast to the Kenji Knights’ usual lack of subtlety.  Located at the mouth of a cave overlooking the far expanse where the ocean should be, Kenji himself came up with this as a means to protect his investments as well as travelers.  It is his hope that travelers visit his territory to sign up for his guild, as they are in constant need of new recruits.

If you and your team are interested in tweaking the difficulty of your journey, we have three different levels which may or may not adjust the stats of not only your characters but also the many enemies which you’ll be battling!  The standard difficulty is Journey(Normal), but you and your Outeran Guide can decide on two additional difficulty levels which increase the challenge; Tale is the next step up and Legend is for those who truly wish to put their skills to the ultimate test.

The Tome of Outerah book is designed with Journey difficulty in mind.  No adjustments to player characters or enemy units are required.  As such, Tale and Legend do have an effect on Hit Points and Magic Points. 

On Tale Difficulty, player characters do not gain their full class HP and MP values.  Instead, you gain half of the total value rolled(rounded up).  Legend difficulty on the other hand has you gain half of the total value rolled(rounded down).  Invest in your stat distribution wisely.