Health in the Realms acts very similarly to Hit Points in most video games. It represents a somewhat nebulous mixture of ability to absorb physical punishment, luck in attacks just barely missing, and willpower to continue fighting through pain and blood loss. Being reduced to 0 Health puts a character into a Dying state where (without something special saying otherwise) they are unconscious or barely conscious and unable to act on their own behalf. A Dying character who does not receive magical or medical aid within a short period of time will die.
With no other factors in play, non-zero current Health will gradually recover up to maximum Health on its own over time. [Author's note: At the moment, I have not settled on a formula for Health regen.] However, in cases where Health represents taking and fighting through actual physical damage, the character can receive a Wound. Wounds are long-term negative status effects which usually reduce maximum Health and frequently have additional negative effects. They are ranked in order of severity from Minor, Light, Moderate, Severe, Traumatic, and Mortal Wounds. As the severity increases, maximum Health penalty tends to increase and additional effects become more common and more severe in their own right. Increased severity also tends to correlate to increased time or difficulty to heal, and Severe and higher Wounds will rarely heal completely without intervention.
A character who accumulates Wounds which reduce their maximum Health to zero or lower dies instantly. It is possible to die in this manner from a single Wound, although this is not at all common in battle between opponents who are even moderately close in Skill level. It more commonly occurs from things like mining accidents (being crushed by falling rock) or a low level character being Backstabbed by a high level Rogue.
Example wounds of each severity:
Minor Wound: Heavily Bruised. -10 maximum Health.
Light Wound: Flesh Wound. -20 maximum Health, 1 Health damage every 10 seconds.
Moderate Wound: Broken Arm. -10% maximum Health, -75% ability to use affected arm.
Severe Wound: Concussion. -20% maximum Health, -50% maximum Concentration, +15% chance to be Wounded every time Health is lost.
Traumatic Wound: Severed Hand. -10% maximum Health, cannot use affected hand. This Wound is permanent without magical healing.
Mortal Wound: Gut Shot. -80% maximum Health, 10 Health damage every 2 seconds, -90% movement speed. This Wound is permanent without magical healing.
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