Universal Keywords

Colony Alpha has the following keywords which help describe specific elements of gameplay. The terms are defined here so that players can understand them and how to react to them when they are called.

Term	Description
Blind	Blind renders the target unable to attack or defend with any melee/ranged weapon and the target can’t run.
Concentration/Uninterrupted	A skill or power that has this keyword is broken if: the character attacks/defends, the character takes damage/status effect, the character uses another power/skill, and if the character ceases to focus on the task at hand.
Crippled	A limb that has been rendered Crippled can’t be used for any purpose. A Crippled arm may not hold any objects or manipulate any object and a Crippled leg can’t be used for movement of any kind.
Disabled	A character is disabled when they are in Death Count or are unable to attack, defend, or move. Characters that are sleeping, unconscious, or bound hand and foot are examples of being incapacitated. Stunned characters are not considered disabled.
Disarm	The character must drop whatever is being held in the limb that is disarmed.
Dispatch	May be used on a Disabled target to put them into the third stage of their Death Count. Must place weapon in contact with target and count “Dispatch 1, Dispatch 2, Dispatch 3.” Target is then put into the third stage of the Death Count. If using a firearm, one round must be expended.
Engaged in combat	A character engaged in combat is actively attacking or defending from an attack.
Fear	A character who experiences fear is overwhelmed with terror towards the source of the fear. Fleeing from the source of the fear becomes the character’s highest priority.
Grappled	The character is locked in a physical struggle. They cannot disengage unless they can Break Grapple. The target cannot move and can only defend, unless otherwise noted.
Incorporeal	An incorporeal character is represented by an orange headband. Incorporeal characters can only be directly sensed by those that can detect “Pariah” energy and can only be harmed or affected by “Pariah” energy.
Maneuver	Maneuvers are skills that provide support for a number of people equal to the character’s rank in the appropriate knowledge (Max 4). The character must spend Ability Points (noted in the skill) equal to the number of characters being supported during the maneuver, not including themselves. Maneuvers require 30 seconds of uninterrupted role-playing, during which the character explains the maneuver.
Non-Hostile	A Non-Hostile target will not attack or use offensive actions unless attacked, threatened, or provoked.
Nonvocal Count	A count that is not called out loud. The player should count 1-1000, 2-1000, 3-1000, etc… in their head up to the required count number. After the count, the skill must be immediately called or else the count must be restarted. Count-skills require concentration. Attacking or defending will break a count. If the character suffers damage, a negative status effect, or loses concentration while counting then the count is broken and must be restarted.
Pain	Pain renders the target unable to use Ability Points (PRE, END, FOC).
Pen	“Pen” damage is short for Penetrating Body Damage. Pen damage is called as “Pen.” Pen damage bypasses soak, armor points, and shields to cause Body Damage to a target.
Push	A Push effect forces the target to move the indicated movement (ex: 5 feet) directly back from the source of the Push.
Severed	A limb that has been Severed can’t be used for any purpose and has been torn or severed from the torso. A Severed limb causes excessive blood loss and a victim will bleed out in 15 minutes if left untreated, this causes the victim to to enter the 3rd Stage of the Death Count. Blood loss can be avoided with Field Surgery, Cauterize, Mend Moderate Wounds, Searing Touch, or any drug/pharma that stops blood loss.
Shaken	A shaken character loses their shit and has a mental breakdown. The character can’t attack or use skills (unless otherwise noted) but may defend themselves for 30 seconds. Exact ways to role-play this are up to each individual.
Slow	Slow forces the target to move at a walking pace and move/attack/defend slowly for the duration.
Staggered	Staggered renders the target unable to use Ability Points (PRE, END, FOC) and the target can’t run. A character at 1 Body is Staggered.
Stun	Stunned characters cannot attack, defend, speak, or perform any action. Taking any sort of damage or status effect will shake a character out of being stunned. Stunned characters may move at a walking pace. Stunned characters are not considered incapacitated and cannot be dispatched, since they are easily shaken out of the stun.
Temporary	A Temporary bonus (Armor, Body, Ability Points, etc…) is used or damaged before other sources. A Temporary bonus cannot be restored, repaired, or healed in anyway. Temporary bonuses do not stack, they only refresh the temporary amount.
Topple	The character falls to the ground and drops everything they are carrying.
Touch Skill	A skill in which a player must physically touch another player with their hands or boffer fists/claws. Unless both players have given consent for physical contact touch skills are to be initiated with boffer fists.
Vocal Count	A count that is called out loud. The count should be called as “Focus 1, Focus 2, Focus 3, etc…” up to the required count number. After the count, the skill must be immediately called or else the count must be restarted. Count-skills require concentration. Attacking or defending will break a count. If the character suffers damage, a negative status effect, or loses concentration while counting then the count is broken and must be restarted.