Cearnage was a play-by-post combat game supporting multiple opponents in a single coliseum-style play area. Players could enter the game at any time and continued in the game until their persona was killed or remained as the sole survivor. A "turn" took place over about a one-month period - players submitted by post written turns using a semi-standard format (freeform actions and explanatory notes were allowed); the results were published in the next monthly issue of Lokasenna.
Player personas started from a base template and then were customized by spending points from a pool to gain benefits - increased characteristics, weapon or shield skills, combat skills, or armor. Once a persona was created it was placed into the combat arena and beneficial changes thereafter were quite limited - harmful changes resulted from combat.
Written player orders consisted of a movement action and a combat action - a variety of each were available. The game referee received all written orders and then determined outcomes. Some outcomes were determined by game rules; other outcomes were adjudicated by the referee.
Cearnage rules were published in Lokasenna (Issue 9 - Nov 1983) and play turns appeared from that time forward.
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