There are four categories of injury and illness that are used to determine how badly your character is hurt and how quickly they can heal from those injuries. These categories also determine how much a visit to a healer will cost, what potions would be effective and how long it would take for them to die of their injuries if they weren't healed.

This page is largely for out-of-character use and reference, particularly during plots and quests where clarity is important or in regards to prizes from contests.

Minor

Minor injuries can be ignored for the most part: you'll not be too pretty for a while and you may be sore but you'll otherwise be fine. However, giving your character an injury or illness when they already have a minor injury or illness will automatically upgrade their health status to moderate or higher.

Minor injuries include things like:

Cuts and bruises.
Small burns.
Broken toes or noses.
Warts and verrucas.
Broken fangs / horns / tails.

Minor injuries can be tended by a healer, by drinking a minor healing potion, or by anyone with knowledge of herbalism.

Some minor injuries can escalate (such as infections) and will upgrade to moderate if they aren't healed.

Moderate

Moderate injuries will escalate if not healed. You may not be able to take part in official quests or plots until you've been fully healed. If you're injured again or leave an illness untended, your health status will upgrade to major.

Moderate injuries can include:

Broken bones and wings.
Fractures and head injuries.
Large burns.
Lots of bleeding.

Moderate injuries can be tended by a healer, by drinking a moderate healing potion, or by Xanth in exchange for Karma.

Major

Major injuries will escalate dangerously if not healed. You will not be able to take part in official quests or plots until you've been fully healed and in fact most major injuries will prevent you from walking around at all. If you're injured again or leave an illness untended, your health status will upgrade to life-threatening.

Major injuries can include:

Heavy bleeding.
Several broken or fractured bones.
Loss of limb / wing / tail / fangs.

Moderate injuries can be tended by a healer, by drinking a major healing potion, or by Xanth in exchange for Karma.

Life-threatening

You have somehow managed to do something truly nasty to yourself (or someone did it for you). If you don't see a healer, Xanth, or drink a healing potion for life-threatening injuries, you'll die.

You will not be able to take part in official quests or plots until you've been fully healed and in fact you won't be walking around at all. If you're injured again or leave an illness untended, you'll be killed.

Life-threatening injuries can include:

Massive blood loss.
Loss or breaking of multiple limbs.
Lots of large burns.
Heavy poison.

Death

Oops. You were injured so badly no one could heal you. However, if you have enough Karma, you may be able to summon Xanth and beg her to resurrect you.

Character death is only acceptable if the player allows it. However, please be reasonable and acknowledge the consequences of their injuries/illnesses. ;)

Hunger and Fatigue

Please note: In addition to injuries and illnesses, your character is also subject to hunger and fatigue. We don't insist that you roleplay your characters' basic needs (like eating three meals or sleeping ten hours a day) but remember that they do need to do so.

This is especially true for Therians who have a highermetabolism rate, and Vampires whose abilities come from feeding on blood, both of whom can die especially quickly from not taking care of their basic needs.