Chapter 3 used to be Rules, until we decided to move the keywords into that slot. The rules were even Chapter 2 for a short while. It's gone through many revisions...
But Jeff's summary of Unrelated Action is pretty much right - you do something other than directly engage in the contest. There's no penalty for it most times, just losing your chance to make an "attack" - instead you're doing something to get ready for the next attack, helping a friend, etc. How this works in an extended contest is that instead of "attacking", your action is something else - "I reach into the saddlebag for my Hit Hard fetish". Your opponent doesn't have to make a defense roll of any kind, since you're not attacking him. In a Group Extended, you just say what you're going to do as your action - other opponents can still attack you, and you still get to defend (possibly at a penalty).
"Unrelated Action
You can always forfeit your opportunity to initiate an exchange in order to
do something unrelated to the object of the contest. You might want to try
to enhance an ability, haul an important piece of equipment out of your
saddlebags, or open a door. Depending on the circumstances, the narrator may
request that you make an ability test or engage in a simple contest in order
to find out if you succeed or not. You can take one significant action for
each exchange you forfeit."
RR
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