House Rules

By enrolling at Neverwood Academy, all students implicitly agree to the following regulations, clarifications, and institutional interpretations of arcane conduct.

These rules exist to support fair play, narrative flow, and a shared understanding of how the game is run. They may be amended with notice.

🎲 General Table Rules

• This is a collaborative game. Spotlight is shared.
• Player vs Player conflict requires explicit consent from all involved players.
• Rules discussions are welcome, but the GM’s ruling at the table stands. Clarifications can happen after the session.

Academic disputes may be lodged through the appropriate channels. Outcomes are not guaranteed.

⚔️ Combat & Mechanics

• Rules as Intended are favoured over Rules as Written when ambiguity arises.
• Creative solutions are encouraged and may grant advantage at the GM’s discretion.
• Called shots, environmental interaction, and cinematic actions are supported where reasonable.

Death & Consequences

• Character death is possible.
• Resurrection magic exists, but it is rare, costly, and narratively significant.
• Failure often leads to complications, not immediate removal from play.

🍷 Alcohol & Intoxicants

Neverwood students are, regrettably, creative.

Drinking Alcohol

• Each alcoholic drink requires a Constitution saving throw
• DC 10 for the first drink
• The DC increases by +2 for each additional drink
  Failure will result in:
• +1 Exhaustion
• Impaired judgement
• Narrative consequences at the GM’s discretion

Students are reminded that intoxication does not excuse poor academic performance.

Magical Drugs & Substances

Any student who consumes drugs, magical stimulants, or unknown substances must:

• Roll on the d100 Magical Intoxicants Table
• Effects are applied immediately
• Consequences may be beneficial, harmful, or deeply inconvenient
  Repeated use may attract:
• Addiction
• Academic scrutiny
• Long-term effects

🧙 Spell Components

Spellcasting at Neverwood follows a practical but intentional approach to components.

Assumed Components

• Small, common, flavour-based items are not tracked
  • Sand
  • Charcoal
  • Feathers
  • Incense
  • Similar mundane materials

These are assumed to be part of a student’s standard kit.

Required Components

Components must be obtained and tracked if they are:

• Rare
• Unusual
• Consumed by the spell
• Or have a listed monetary value

If the spell specifies a cost, the component is required.

Arcane power is cheap. Precision is not.

🧪 Experimental Magic & Consequences

• Creative spell use is encouraged
• Experimental magic may function — but rarely without risk
• The GM may introduce complications, side effects, or attention from interested parties

Neverwood Academy has very good records.

📖 Knowledge & Metagaming

• Player knowledge ≠ character knowledge.
• If unsure whether your character would know something, ask.
• Lore checks and academic background matter.

🕰️ Attendance & Absences

• If a player is absent, their character will be handled narratively with minimal risk.
• Repeated unexplained absences may result in in-world consequences.

📌 Final Note

House Rules exist to serve the story, not constrain it.
If something isn’t working, it can be revisited.

Ignorance of the rules is not a defence.