Fatigue rules simulate exhaustion after constant or strenuous activity.
Fatigue may occur if a character:
- fails a VIG reaction roll (0 successes)
- Stays awake after 24 hours, getting progressively worse each 12 hours longer.
Fatigue has a series of stages that progressively weaken a character:
- Stage 0 (Alert): The character is rested, ready and may act as normal.
- Effect: None
- Stage 1 (Tired):
- Effect: Must roll with -1D for all character’s rolls
- Stage 2 (Drained):
- Effect: Must roll with -2D for all character’s rolls
- Stage 3 (Weary): It hurts and requires effort to focus and keep going on.
- Effect: Must roll with -3D for all character’s rolls
- Stage 4 (Exhausted): It’s hard to move. You might start getting dizzy and hallucinating.
- Effect: Must roll with -4D for all character’s rolls
- Stage 5 (Pooped): You can barely stay awake or on your feet, and you’re ready to drop.
- Effect: Must roll with -5D for all character’s rolls
- Collapsed: You’re asleep (due to sleep deprivation) or unconscious (due to physical exertion).
- Effect: The character may not roll dice for actions or reactions.
Resting
Characters suffering fatigue may reduce their stages through resting. The following table determines on average how long it takes to rest to restore Liability Points and recover from wounds naturally.
- One hour: Restores 1DN Liability Points and removes one fatigue stage.
- Eight hours: Restores 3DN Liability Points and removes three fatigue stages.
- One day: Restores all Liability Points, removes all fatigue, and reduces light or superficial wounds to normal.
- One week: Under natural medical care, restores all Liability Points, removes all fatigue, and reduces serious wounds to light.
- Four weeks: Under natural medical care, restores all Liability Points, removes all fatigue, and reduces critical wounds to serious.
(In short, it takes 36 days for a character under natural care to restore all Liability Points and heal from critical wounds to normal. Supernatural abilities or speech acts may shorten the time to do this.)
If resting while in a wilderness or enemy stronghold, you must roll for a random encounter for each hour of rest. If an encounter happens, the enemy party gains the combat initiative.