Posts Thanked By User

121

General Discussion / I'm back

« on: October 13, 2009, 08:23:06 am »

Hey everyone.  It's been a while but I think it's time for Clarissa to return to the world of Layonara.  Just wanted to give a shout out to let everyone know I was back.  Hope to see you all in game.
 
 Mike

122

Roleplaying / Two Pet Hates

« on: September 17, 2009, 06:25:44 am »

Okay, maybe hate is too strong a word. The word 'hate' implies a depth of feeling I normally reserve for those things that peeve me in real life, not my chosen leisure activity.

Let's instead call these two pet niggles. Yeah, that sounds better. Less vitriolic by far. Now that I actually sit down to write about it, if it were not for the fact that Mrs Pseudo was watching Glee on TV and there is not much else for me to do, I probably wouldn't even bother. That said,

1.
Please no forced emotes/feelings in character descriptions! Forced emotes have been addressed ad nauseum elsewhere for general roleplay but not (to my knowledge) for character descriptions, I am talking about the info we can read if we right-click (option-click) on your character.

You don't make me feel uncomfortable!

I don't think your gaze pierces me to the very depths of my soul!

Etc, etc.

In short, you don't make me feel anyhting, I decide what my character feels. How 'bout you just provide an objective narrative that describes what I am seeing and I'll fill in the subjective stuff?!?

2.
Helmets
Cowls
Hoods
Veils
Scarves
Niqaabs
Other

So you've chosen to take up the roleplay challenge of a dark elven (half-orc, tiefling, etc) character. Good for you. A really interesting dark history, century upon century of brutality, cruelty, conniving and treachery. All interesting stuff. Hey, lets not forget those pretty nifty mechanical benefits but, of course, you have the compromise of being hated and mistrusted across the world to balance those.

What's your point, you ask?

Be realistic with what another PC would be able to see of you under your all-concealing helmet, hood, veil, etc!! If you can see with enough clarity to fight/spot/listen/bluff/concentrate/search/etc without penalty from the depths of your face covering - there is a fair chance I can see enough of your face to determine skin colour, glowing red eyes, etc!

I will accept my character cannot see ANYTHING of your face (hands/neck/etc) if and when I can see your roleplay reflect that the facial swaddling is so extremely thorough that you are stumbling about the place, three-quarters deaf and blind.

You're playing a dark-elf. Accept the roleplay difficulties that come along with the mechanical benefits. A face/race obscuring hood panacea seems, to me at least, a bit of a copout.

PS. This is not directed at anyone in particular.  

Glee is over, i'm off!

123

Rumour Has It / Scuffle in Leringard

« on: August 26, 2009, 08:30:01 pm »

Once again appearing as the topic of rumors the sculptor/playboy Razeriem has been named as part of a fight in the Leringard streets.

Tales tell of a knight of Toran attacking the playboy with mailed fists.  The attack happened almost exactly where the elf's death was recently reported.  First hand accounts say the Toranite was enraged but could not manage to land fist to the fleet footed sculptor.  The brawl apparently diffused after the Toranite managed to land a single punch on the elf. Oddly though the accounts say it was the Toranite that fell to his knees winded.  The cad was seen laughing at the knight and then wandering off.  The Toranite meanwhile was helped up by a what seems to be a friend and wandered off the other direction.


Some speculations speak that the romeo must of had improper relations with the knight's wife, daughter or sister or some combination thereof.  In all accounts the knight was very angery.

124

General Discussion / For My 31st Birthday

« on: August 02, 2009, 01:45:27 pm »

I'm going to cut the cord for helping develop the NWN server further.

So, with a fresh new posting style, I'm going to keep this short and sweet.

I've had a brilliant time with a great number of you, even the ones I've gotten really into it with.  I always thought I'd make a farewell post with the list of everything I built here, because it would feel like some sort of reminder to everyone.  It's a bit silly though, as for years and years I've tried to legitimize my efforts to this community, and overly so.  I think it stems back to my embarrassing beginnings here... but I'm no pyschologist heh.  I enjoyed building most everything I built, and I'm very proud of how V3 turned out.  That's enough for me this time.

I will always support the MMO team's efforts, and I look forward to the new game.

There are a lot of reasons for leaving, and I'd explain them... but the folks I'd really want to understand probably already get it.

So best of luck, I'll still be around now and then, in game and on the forums, and Dorg, I'll try not to troll your posts on balance too much.

And with one last challenge... the toolset is easy to learn.  It just takes time if you're going to make something come out right.  Time learning all of the placeables and tile options so you know the brushes and colors to use.  But it's not technically hard.  I challenge one of you, anyone, to step it up and legitimize all of your scrutinizing comments on the way the server should or could be.  Make 10 areas to a new theme, send them to Dorg.  Someone, anyone, impress Layonara with something new for others to enjoy.  Even if you know it's ending someday, soon or not so soon, who knows... build it because you care for the server today.  Take up the torch, as I know there are some people who have wanted to prove me wrong on some things - and there's no bigger crux to it then this.  Everything else is just forum posts.

Take care all.

125

Rumour Has It / Super-Octogenarian Retires!

« on: July 23, 2009, 10:50:44 pm »

Let it be known that Earl Frogstomper, Red Ninja extraordinaire and tough old miserly sod is finally announcing his retirement from the adventuring/mercenary tradition.  At now quickly approaching his 89th birthday, he has this to say.  "Man, it's been a wild ride, more fun than I ever expected.  But with mah wife dead, my kids in thar 60s, my kid's kids in thar late 30s and THAR kids just about ready ter take up the trade and find wives of thar own, ah know ol father time comin for meh.  Gonna trade in all mah gear and profits and pay off em back-taxes on tha family ranch in Brech, so we all keep with the brewin and pipeweed trade.  Ter all meh friends out thar, please feel free ter drop by and give meh ah holler.  Ah still got mebbe ah decade left in meh, and my family is yer family.  We got the whiskey brewin and the pipes lit up fer ye!"

His will indicates the entirety of his wealth and items will be going towards his family members, and for paying off old debts.  He shall now be taking up "an honest job" brewing for the dwarves of Brech and farming hops & pipeweed in Prunilla's way.  With over 40 able bodied grandchildren and great grandchildren to take up the chores, his retirement years shall be spent most productively, seeing to it that the "XXX Whooparse Ninja Brew" label finds its way across the lands.  And so, one of Layonara's most eclectic and energetic adventurers finds his retirement years in comfort, with over half of his soul strands still intact.  If only we could all be so lucky!

//been fun, but playing a human past 90 entails heart attacks, hernias and adult diapers.  Would rather go out on a strong point than see him whither down into feebleness.  Please feel free to use him as an NPC in Brech, all ye GMs.  And for any players interested in playing a descendant, let me know.  Likely when the MMORPG comes out, I'll be playing his great-great-grandson, Earl Jr!

126

Rumour Has It / Something Screwy

« on: July 10, 2009, 10:45:01 pm »

**Ami hops up to the Ilsare temple in Hlint.*
 
 Hey, girls, have you heard of anything screwy going on with the Al'Noth in Sharawood? I was headed to Miritrix and I entered the forest from the the docks nearby. I think they call that place, Myth, Biff, Cliff...something or other and all of a sudden...*she throws her arms up in the air* WHAMMO! All my wards are gone. I had my sword out and everything. Which means it got heavy. Well, you see, I tried to cast some strength, but nope! It wouldn't work. I guess I tried it eight times or so with the same result. Nothing! So, I headed on to Miritrix and sat at the fire and read for a while before coming back here to see what you girls were up to. What are you two up to anyways?
 
 *Ami sits down and has a LONG girl talk session with people at the temple.*

127

General Discussion / Announcing! The Gypsy's Gala

« on: July 02, 2009, 05:29:17 am »

[SIZE=48]Announcing![/SIZE]

[SIZE=32]The Gypsy's Gala[/SIZE][/B][/FONT]

[SIZE=16]Mulnari, The Sixteenth of Oclar, One Thousand Four Hundred and Fifty-one years after the Cataclysm.[/SIZE]

[/COLOR]

[SIZE=24]An elite social occasion demanding the best attire and entertainment.

Come prepared for a feast with a compliment of free spirits, the best in the known world. Come prepared to dance, to flaunt your excess, to demonstrate your social cunning, your grace.

A King and Queen will be chosen from among the gathered to mark the history books and reign over the year following the Gala.

The Gala's main attraction is the raffle, a shameless display of wealth and artifacts to which you can lay claim. The details of the raffle are explained below.

The entry fee to the Gala is Ten Thousand (10000) True, paid at the door.

Don't miss out on the social event of the year. All are invited -- queens and magistrates, soldiers and thieves -- provided one can pay the fee to enter. The streets will be filled to see who attends this affair.[/SIZE]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[SIZE=24]Rules of the Raffle:

There are three tiers of goods to be raffled. For each tier there are one hundred (100) tickets, for a total of three hundred (300) tickets. Raffle tickets cost thirty-five thousand (35000) True each.

Tier One contains seventy-five (75) items.
Tier Two contains fifty (50) items.
Tier Three contains twenty-five (25) items.

You may purchase tickets in advance.

You will not be told to which tier the tickets belong until after the Gala has begun. Once the announcement has been made, tickets may be swapped during the Gala, but selling tickets is strictly forbidden, nor will you have much time to broker a deal between the time of the announcement and the time the drawings begin.

At the time of this announcement, there is a maximum of two tickets per person. Access to more tickets will be released at a later date.

Seventy-five tickets will be drawn for Tier One, fifty for Tier Two, and twenty-five for Tier Three. A winning ticket entitles the holder to exchange their ticket for a good of their choosing from the Tier to which the ticket belongs. This means the first person drawn in the Tier has the most options, and the last person drawn in the Tier must take the final item.

All winning tickets will be exchanged for a raffle item. All non-winning tickets are redeemable at the Arms for a free meal and drink.

Detailed descriptions of the raffle items will be circulated prior to the Gala, and in waves. The Tier to which an item belongs will not be disclosed until the Gala.

All requests for tickets and other feedback should be directed to Steel, Current Steward of the Arms.[/SIZE]

128

Rumour Has It / After some preparation and a short journey

« on: June 29, 2009, 09:17:42 am »

Benjamin finally finds himself at the Aragenite Temple in Bydell Castle dressed in his apprentice wizard robes, "Scuse me," he says trying to catch the attention of one of the collectors or recorders. "Who ..erm Whom do I speak to about presenting a gift to the temple and possible access to the archives? I'm looking for information or stories about demon lore from a period starting roughly a thousand years ago."
 
 Benjamin unbundles a largish bag filled with several stacks of well made blank paper, blank leather bindings made of finely cured skins, several vials of strong ink, and falcon quills cut to precise angles for writing.

129

General Discussion / Joining the rank and file :)

« on: June 25, 2009, 09:28:00 am »

Hi everybody!

This is the post to inform I am stepping down as GM. I'm not disappearing from Layo, in fact I hope, RL and remaining DTs permitting, to step up my involvement with Ark as an active and roleplay-enhancing World Leader.

About two years ago I applied for a GM position in order to enhance people's Layo experience, primarily in the AEST timeslot given poor old Dezza was shouldering a lot of that burden on his lonesome.

The main goal of my quests has always been to get players to really think long and hard about their characters. To put roleplay flesh on their mechanics bones. To make players really think about what their characters would do in a given situation, a given moral dilemma. To put them in a place, not always comfortable, not always where they want to be and then see what they would do and where they go. Often my quests have a simple enough premise but I tried to have them involve something that had folks exploring the depths of their character's psyche.

As I write this, I remember one of my quests, early on, that had people magicked into behaving in a manner the polar opposite to their 'normal' sex, class and alignment. This stands out in my memory as a very 'typical me' quest. Hopefully fun. A touch of madness. A strange situation. Minimal set-up A quest that (hopefully) by getting you to do something the opposite of what was normal, made you think more deeply about what was normal. By playing Lawful Evil for an evening, it made you think about what it really meant to be Chaotic Good the other 364 nights of the year.

Anyways, hopefully after two years there are some players who have a better picture of their characters as a result of my quests.

As to why I am resigning, no deep and dark discontent or disparaging remarks against any individual or the GM team as a whole to be found here! Of course there are decisions made which, as an individual, one might not 100% agree. Directions taken that might not have been the direction I would have taken were it my sandbox. Little niggles here and there etc yada yada but I can tell you there are no light decisions ever made by the GM team. No personal grudges. No favourites. No bias. Just a bunch of people that really do strive to provide the best server to be found.

Anyways, see you in game!

130

Rumour Has It / New bags

« on: June 23, 2009, 08:48:54 pm »

Rumor has it their has been an increase in lion poaching for their skins.

With the decline in lion population a new breakthrough has been made with Werewolf skins.  

Rumor has it werewolf skins are more durable than lion skins as they are far more resistant to damage.

Additional rumors abound that these new werewolf skin bags have an odd characteristic that prevents them from being opened on full moons.

131

Wild Surge Inn / Heard around the Wild Surge

« on: June 10, 2009, 05:47:08 pm »

On a recent Freas afternoon, the heir of Tobur Xin can be overheard enjoying a few pints with his friends and peers.

 “So it seems me nephew fancies 'imself a bit of tinker, ya see...likes to work with th' small stuff, and he wants me ta get one o' dem tinkers thingamabobs for the shop. Well what could I say, ya know? Mah sis was standin' right there and the lad's ne'er asked me fer a thing in 'is life.”  He takes a long pull of his ale and sighs. “So that contraption finally got 'ere taday and I guess I'll be puttin' it in o'er th' weekend, like I ain' got nothin' better ta do, ya know?”

132

Layonara Server / Version 3.21.3 is online

« on: June 10, 2009, 05:46:37 pm »

Version 3.21.3 is online!

 

• Systems and support for Storold's WLDQ reward
• Tweak pipe smoking code to apply skill bonuses even if at    full health
• Recently-added spells now included in crafting code
• Remove rust monster spawns from Arindor's
• Fix Daze duration on Acacea's WLDQ reward to be properly    short.
• Wizard and Druid teleports will no longer work in wild or    dead magic zones
• Umberhulks should no longer daze each other
• Update Rock Spiders slightly
• Fix North Point bank chest
• Fix facing when transitioning from Dalos Lake to Prantz Main    Gate
• Slight fix to Shindaleria donation center in Creedo
• Bank chests in Creedo now use new system and are once again    persistent
• Remove the “Huangjin only” sign from the bank chest in    Huangjin
• Added temple donation center to Katia's temple in Vale
• Fix some Great Forest locations to be properly tagged as    “natural” and “above ground”
• Added new GM utility tool
• New perma-death sequence that should not lag out or lock up    people
• Mass Disorientation should no longer affect non-hostile    creatures and party members
• Illusion fading rune tweaked to adjust handling of    Invisibility Sphere
• Tweak the reflection timer message to more accurately    represent the remaining time in both minutes and seconds.
• Rebalanced Understraits Scavenger creature
• Minor spelling fixes
• Add Tinker's Device to the Xin Smithy *
  
• Fix a house door tag that referenced Leilon instead of    Leringard
• Visual tweak to an area in the Spirit Dunes
• Add an additional code path for loading a house's furniture    through the door.
• Adjust encounter trigger in Wandering Dunes cave
• Added second warning to the old emerald cave
• Added another spawn of Spinning Bebiliths as CNR creatures    somewhere **
  
• Housing remodels for 125, 170, 173 and 189
• Adjust bullet recipes to make more sense with adjusted arrow    recipes
• Pawn merchants fixed in Krellin's tents. (OK, one fixed, one removed)
• One other secret but really cool thing that I'll tell you all about once I'm sure it's working and not causing other problems *grins mysteriously*

* As this has been the effort of some forum RP, I personally thought it was a good idea a add.  See the Rumors post for what got the device added in an IC sense.  Thanks to all who contributed to the RP.
 ** I added this in response to feedback that people thought places to get Bebilith Silk didn't exist in-game. The original location for Spinning Bebiliths is still where it's always been for the last couple of years is still there.  It is perhaps not the most traveled or explored place, though in my opinion, that's kind of a shame. The only clue I'll give is that they exist in an “old” set of areas that used to be home to something very large before it was killed in the last campaign. Both the old location and the new one I've added are actually rather conveniently located to prominent cities.  So put on your explorer's caps and go some place you've never been!
 


 Thanks go to orth, Chongo and Script Wrecked for their contributions, as well as Alatriel and Nehetsrev for their remodel submissions.

133

Ask A Gamemaster / Dragon Storm Campaign

« on: June 10, 2009, 07:41:35 am »

Can someone bring me up to speed.  Anyone really.  News doesn't get to Castor that fast.

134

Ask A Gamemaster / Ask the Loremaster: Folian S'pae

« on: May 31, 2009, 04:43:42 pm »

LORE: Folian S'pae  is posted.

Some relationship changes, new hierarchy.

135

General Discussion / Taking a leave of absence

« on: May 16, 2009, 02:02:56 pm »

I wish you all to have a lot of fun, even more so with the double xp weekend. But I need to take time off to review somethings in my life.

I may be on sporadically to play with my two real life brothers, but as for the rest. I don't know yet.

136

Just for Fun / Crows and Daggers

« on: May 14, 2009, 03:27:58 am »

Minor additional point, not crucial but a bit jarring when I read it; a dagger any bigger than a throwing knife would be very difficult for a crow to lift; it's not a matter of where it grips it, it's a simple matter of weight ratios. Daggers in-game weigh a pound - a one pound bird would be hard-pressed to lift its own weight again for any real distance.

Carillon comes home and checks the forums and goes to find Darkstorme, taking him to task on this oversight

Carillon: You're wrong about the dagger, you know.
Darkstorme: What dagger?
Carillon: The one the crow carries.
Darkstorme: No ... that's the point. The crow cannot carry a dagger.
Carillon: Sure it can. It could grip it by the haft.
Darkstorme: It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce crow could not carry a one pound dagger!

The biologist in Carillon pauses.

Carillon: Full grown crows are about a pound ...
Darkstorme: It was an immature crow.
Carillon: Oh, alright then.

***

Several hours later ....

Darkstorme: Look, it doesn't matter. It was just a minor point.
Carillon: Wait a minute! It could be carried by a Voltrexian crow!
Darkstorme: Oh, yeah, a Voltrexian crow maybe, but not a Dregarian crow. That's my point.
Carillon: Oh, yeah, I agree with that.

***

Later that evening, Carillon pokes Darkstorme awake ...

Carillon: Supposing two crows carried it together?

137

Layonara Server / 2x XP and 1.5x GP Weekend

« on: May 12, 2009, 11:18:29 am »

Layonara will be running a 2x XP and 1.5x GP weekend from May 15th - May 17th. These are always great times to join up with friends and to explore the world, while also being well rewarded.

138

Ask A Gamemaster / multiclassing.

« on: May 11, 2009, 02:04:28 pm »

I's just a little clarification that I am looking for here.
 
 In ther rules set, one must have at least 5 levels in each class that he is aproved for, before level 21.
 
 Now lets say that someone is level 20, he has all the levels in both his classes as required. Could that person take an other class that he gets approved for, starting level 21 or would he have to wait for level 22, and then take the 5 straight levels as required?

139

Rumour Has It / Sad news for the Rofirenite church

« on: May 08, 2009, 12:46:58 am »

*Rumor runs from Forth Vehl to the  lands that on a cold night  a group came carrying a body to the Rofirenite temple, Its said that the body was identified as the knight Aeronn Kirath, the group presumed to came back from the deep and seemed to be sad and grim faces amoung them *

A great knight has fallen today, one of pure heart and brave soul ..
 
Farewell forever Aeronn Kirath, Farewell and May your soul be with Rofirein forever.

140

Layonara Server / Important: House Cleanup

« on: April 19, 2009, 07:31:05 pm »

The following houses are slated to be put back on the market in two weeks unless any players use these homes for valid reasons and would like to purchase the home themselves.  There may be a few that I've mistaken as being vacant, so please pipe up if you use these houses and we'll try to clear up ownership on a case by case basis.

I will not accept absent players asking to not sell the house if they do not play here any more on the possibility that they might come back. These homes need to be used by current players.

I will not accept convenient teleports in vacant homes as a reason to keep them in the current owner's possession.

102
105
107
109
124
125
134
135
140
141
142
145
150
170
171 - Still in use
172
173
189
201
204
206
207
210
215
216
224
228
231
242
251 - To be returned to market once Script Wrecked gets possessions
260 - Transfer ownership to Wren
263

I will return the homes to the market on a sporadic random basis over the course of a week after the two weeks are up.