Cactus Game Design Message Boards

if I have a demon behind the idol, which says the it is discarded after battle if an artifact depicting an idol is not in play
do I have to have the artifact actived? it is still in play according to the rule book, but it doesn't sound right 
same thing with worshipping demons

Face down cards are never in play, even Artifacts. So even though the Artifact pile is a location in play, face down Artifacts (i.e. deactivated ones) are not in play. So the idol must be activated in order to help Worshipping Demons/Demon Behind the Idol.

bummer. there goes a great defense...

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Face down cards are never in play, even Artifacts

So if I had a character face down on a site and someone played AOCP, does that character get discarded?

No it would not be discarded.

Cards in a fortress follow the fortress, so it would be discarded.