Posts Thanked By User

1

Layonara Server / Version 3.21.5 is online

« on: November 12, 2009, 08:54:10 pm »

Version 3.21.5 is online!

This is a small one, consisting mostly of area-related updates, but worth putting in.

• Remodel to 237 Haft Lake District
• Tweak Great Forest spawns a bit (Giants and Trollocs)
• Adjustments to Natural Cavern for balance reasons
• Temporary plot-relevant areas added to Central
• Increased mithril spawns slightly
• Fixed exploitable terrain in a high-level CNR area
• Fixed broken transition in the Broken Halls
• Fixed Temple of Vierdri'ira vendor to sell the right flag
• Renamed the Unicorn Inn to the Jhemina Inn
• Update Leringard to reflect the recent Arms fire
• added command toggle combat_xp to toggle the gaining of XP from combat *
  
• Skald Make Them Bleed ability should now properly cancel invisibility and Greater Sanctuary
• Fixed order of dialog options in ox conversation
• Added Chair - Decor deed to furniture vendor
• Fixed Kit's reference to Ogres to say Gnolls instead

* toggle combat_xp can be used by those people who are waiting for CDQs for PrCs and other reasons and wish to halt their progression without having to ask GMs for XP removal during the waiting period.  Note that there is no accounting or tracking of XP that would have been gained when this setting is "off".  Use this at your own responsibility.  The GM Team will not hand back XP for inadvertent use.

There it is!  Thanks to those who supplied input to this, and also to Minerva for her plot areas.  

Enjoy!

2

Rumour Has It / After the Storytelling at the Crossroads...

« on: October 30, 2009, 11:27:50 am »

*A man strolls to the fountain on a windy evening in Port Hempstead.  He's tall, well over six feet, slender but not skinny with walnut-dark skin.  His long black hair rustles in the gathering breeze as he hops on a bench facing out toward the massive wooden gates.  His strong tenor carries over the stone-paved square.*

Ladies, Gentlemen, I bid you to sit so that I, Andrew Reid, might bring you a tale, both spoken and sung, from oceans away.  A tale of greed, murder, and comeuppance, but no less horrible for that.  This is the story of a Hi no Tana, what you call a will o' wisp.

*He gestures, and a small group of people gather -- a few shopkeepers and market women, heads cocked in skeptic anticipation; several giggling children; and two finely dressed elven men.*

I share this as I've just earned a prize in a contest *he holds aloft a lantern of a carved pumpkin, the cut-out smile either warm and vaguely frightening depending on the viewer* and I'm feeling rather good about it. So perhaps my simple joy will spread to you.

*He clears his throat softly*. Once, years before even you children of Voltrex *nods to the elves* were laid for the first time into your mother's arms, there was a bog, a little bog, skirting the shores near a port city far, far away.

The legends spoke of a chest fully as long as a man and twice as wide *he gestures a double-wide coffin shape with his hands*, full of stolen diamonds and emeralds, deep in the center of this little bog. A clever raider had supposedly stolen these gems from the dark elves of the Deep and buried them in the bog while under pursuit so he could get them when the commotion died down.

But that unnamed pirate of old never returned for them; at least, he was never seen or heard from again. *He bends a little toward the audience, gesturing as he speaks*

What that pirate didn't know?  That everyone avoided this place.  The bog trembled, shook as a sleeping man does when he's having a nightmare; little tremors, hither and thither *he quivers his hand across the air*.  The ground would feel solid as wood, make a confident tap-tap under one's boots, until it SUDDENLY *he ducks into a crouch* would give way, dousing one into the stinking muck, and sucking at boots, feet and legs as if it didn't want to let go.  And the bog was haunted -- haunted by the spirits of every man, woman, and child that had ever been sucked beneath the slimy surface.

Time passed, and by and by locals started speaking of a globe of light moving over the marshy ground and hearing a thready voice singing on bleak, dark nights in the haunted bog.  They spoke of a song of treasure untold...

*He begins to sing, his deep tenor restrained to a hoarse whisper.*

"Come see my treasure, come over here...buried 'neath the quaking earth...glimmer, glitter, sparkle, shimmer...free me and it's yours...

Search beneath, down, under...deep they came and deep you plunder...rich beyond your wildest dreams...free me and it's yours..."

Well.  Word of this song got around town, spreading like only a rumor -- or a bad rash -- can.  Most sane folks continued to avoid the area.  Fear of spirits and the evil they can say and do is strong, and for good reason.

But.  There is always a but, isn't there? But, there were two men who were skeptical, desperate, and poor enough to start planning liberation of the captive gems.  They acquired shovels, rope, gaffes, prying bars, staves, planks, and lanterns *motions as if he were packing things*; and one chill winter night, under the black blanket of a new moon, they set off to lay claim to the reputed treasure.

It was not a long trek, but the walk left them numb with cold.  

The battered sand road that ran parallel to the beach seemed normal enough; but as they drew closer to the bog, icy tendrils of wind like cold little breaths came at them, whispering down their cloaks and around their gloves. *He shivers, rubbing his arms.*

After quite a time, lugging all their equipment, they reached the marshy area.  The two men immediately began to lay a path to the center with the planks.  When they reached the center of the bog, and only then, did they hear the singing.

*His voice once again drops, now an eerie whisper that still manages to echo in the square.*

"Seekers, brave, here you are, but only one will leave...riches great but greed is greater, one sets to deceive...who will win the prize, my seekers?  Who will set me free?...And who will bleed in this wet grave, to join the rotting debris?"

*He looks around, pantomiming fear*

Nervous though they were, still the desire for wealth without work won the day.  Giving each other suspicious glances, they set to probing for the chest.  The moment the gaffe dipped into the slime and muck, the song continued, and from behind them there was light...

"Who wishes to see someone dying, who wishes to sees someone dead?  Who has even now, a heavy wood bough, to crack over someone's ripe head?"

The men stopped, turned, and stared at each other.  One had the wooden-handled gaffe; the other held a wooden stave.  Behind them, a circular light about the size of a fist was darting back and forth.  *He reaches behind him, mumbling a spell, and brings his hands around -- there is a clear stone in his hand, surrounded by a nimbus of light.  He holds the stone, weaving it before him as if the light were bobbing about*  

But the men didn't seem to notice.

The men held up their weapons, eyes locked together.  Again the thin, reedy whisper *he swings the light-spelled rock in excited circles and again sings in a ghostly voice*:

"Only one can live, but two want riches...who will strike first?  Whose weapon twitches?"

The man holding the staff swung, but the gaffe hit first - dead center in the other man's chest.  *He falls back, clutching his chest*.  The man with the staff flew back into the mire, sinking ever so slowly as the light flared and throbbed.  *He murmurs some arcane words and the bobbing light bursts into a brief but eye-searing ball of light, streaks of it leaving trails in the eyes of the audience.*

The man with the gaffe turned and sunk deep in the center, sparing not a moment to look at his still-breathing former friend dying by degrees behind him.  His eyes gleamed, and still he did not seem to notice the light.  His gaffe hooked something -- he tugged, eager, leaning forward to hook whatever heavy object he'd found.  *The bard kneels on the bench and makes pulling motions.*

But the object was heavy -- and in his blind desire, he fell into the muck.  Struggling to hold the gaffe and his treasure, kicking and reaching for something solid, his panicked eyes finally alighted on the aura of light --

"Take hold now, grab on, and preserved you'll be -- reach for the light, reach for me..."

He thrust up his hand, but as his fingers touched the nimbus, he screamed, for the light now seemed to suck on his fingertips with a vampiric force. *He moans, holding out the glowing stone up toward the sky with a shaking hand.*  His eyes sunk back, his teeth rattled, and slowly the light shifted color -- the white lifting, dissipating, while a sickly yellow crept in.

And as the white light faded into the coal dark sky, one last song was heard...

"You preserved and I am free and bound no more because of greed...you now guard a treasure clutch of gems and baubles you may not touch..."

And the last sound heard was of soft, mad laughter drifting on the swamp breezes.

The ochre-yellow light remained, frantically dashing about, here, there, stopping to buzz over the dead companion, then returning to the single arm still reaching out of the bog water, fingers reaching skyward in a supplicating plea....

*He dashes the lighted stone around, here, there, as a scared child looking for its mother.*

But the bodies sank, both of them.  And children in the town of my birth know to stay away from that bog...and to keep avarice and greed from their hearts, so not to be seduced by the song of evil.

*He bows to scattered applause, more from the children than the adults, and juggles the glowing stone (badly) for the little knot of eager young faces. He then drops the stone into the hand of a girl no more than eight years old and closes her fingers over it.*  The light will fade in a few hours, lovely litte one, but until then...*She squeals her delight and the children run off after making sure he had no more glowing rocks, playing with the light-spelled stone and pretending to be wisps in the evening dusk.*

3

General Discussion / Thank you!

« on: March 12, 2008, 08:57:32 am »

I want to take a moment to thank all of the people involved in the last three updates over the past two weeks. There has been many long hours (I would be willing to bet at least a thousand) put in to these updates and it is clear their love for the world and community is what keeps them working on updates. The past six months have been extremlly packed with RL happenings, holidays, family issues, and the list goes on and yet these individuals continue to produce updates for the community.
 
 There can not be enough thanks for them but I just want to make sure everybody understands that their selflessness is what continues to make the world a great gaming place that is enjoyed by many around the world.
 
 In no special order:
Gulnyr, muaddib, Chongo, Eorendil, Darkstorme, Weeblie, Script Wrecked, and Dorganth.
 
 Thank you and good job!!
 
I also want to thank everybody on the GM Team, now and in the past. I firmly believe that a major part of what makes Layonara so special is the GM Team and all of the events they run and all of the difficult work they do behind the scenes (online and off) in order to ensure that Layonara remains a RP server at heart. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and it is your attention to the spirit of the server which is what continues to make Layonara loved by many.
 
 Thanks folks, to each and every one of you!
 
And of course, thank you to the community! What a great RP community.
 
 You rock!

4

Forum Bugs / Not really a bug, but more of a suggestion

« on: March 06, 2008, 10:47:56 am »

I would suggest that two of the forums should be cleaned up, so that doing a few things would become easier for new players. The two forums in question are the CDQ/WLDQ forum and the general info on deities forum.

The CDQ forum should have the DMs who are no longer running CDQs/WLDQs removed so that it is easier for people to see exactly who is avalible for running these quests. While I know which ones are and aren't doing this a new player and maybe even some of the older, might have a few problems with seeing through this and it would help selecting a GM for your CDQ greatly if you don't know who can run it.

The general dities info forum should have all the request forum acces threads removed, and instead get a sticky with an easy explanation as to how you request memebership of your diety forum to avoid the confusion that can occour when people see that players used to request access to various diety forums in a forum post, which isn't the way things are handled now.

I hope that these ideas seem reasonable and can be brought into realisation to make some processes a bit easier for the players. Please feel free to comment on these two ideas

5

General Discussion / Update

« on: February 27, 2008, 04:09:01 pm »

Soon the canyons of isles once only seen on the horizon will close in around you, the steady breeze from a channeled and ancient wind pressing against your face.



And soon, you'll find why no ships sailed there before...



As the chittering of cunning foes echoes in the high cliffed forests around you...



And only passing moments of peace are found to admire what you've naught seen before.



Soon old enemies will take new forms.



And perhaps a few new tricks they'll have learned just like you...



You'll seek out their new domains with much wonder..



And perhaps... you will learn again to run...



And then run faster...



And yet faster....



Until you can no longer run.



I'll see you all in there soon enough.  Look for Dorg's big announcement!  Look for the new spells bursting in the air around you, the new monsters thundering towards you, the flicker of an unseen relic on the ground, and ever the expanding horizon of new lands.

:)Be careful out there folks.

6

General Discussion / Thanks and good wishes to Aragon

« on: February 25, 2008, 04:53:07 pm »

I'm not sure if Aragon made it a point of leaving in relative peace, but last night he came online to IRC to bid adieu to some of the team members until September as he ships out to serve his country.

If it were his intentions to simply fade away without any fanfare then I apologize to him, but I felt a showing of community support was deserved and could not let it pass.

Thank you very much for your efforts and hard work for the community and the future of Layonara Aragon and get back safely, we're going to be needing you again.

If you wish to share your well wishes of a safe and speedy return and thoughts for him, please do so without turning this into any sort of political debate.

Get home safe Chuck!

-orth

7

Just for Fun / A Friendly Reminder to NPC Mages about Abusing the Magic System.

« on: December 03, 2007, 02:19:39 pm »

It has come to our attention that the spawned enemies of the server have been abusing the magic system in such a way which is not in the spirit of the server.  This has got to stop.

Firstly, it is poor sportsmanship and metagaming to exploit the system and not harm your own allies with area of effect spells which should be damaging to oneself when cast in small quarters.  Clearly if a mage player's fireball immolates his own party when cast, it is just poor form to cast it at point blank when being attacked, knowing full well that if it weren't for the bioware hardcoding, you and your own allies would be so immolated.  Hellball and meteor swarm were never meant to be cast upon the self or the allies.  A succubus should never dance around in her own black tentacles!

We have also heard numerous reports about NPC mages casting large litanies of spells without the appropriate spell components or the corresponding eschew feats.  This is clearly abusing the system, and we would ask that in the future all you NPC mages would either please plan your spells per day around a non-componented selection, aquire the eschew feats at the earliest opportunity or invest in material components.

Furthermore, we would ask that your bodyguards would cease and desist all attempts to lure the player characters by wandering around corners, into other spawn points or fleeing past other species of critters to assault the party.  It is clearly metagaming for a frightened ogre to flee behind an ancient dire bear which would, if not for the hardcoded bioware factions, maul the ogre without another thought.  The same goes for ogres and cockatrices, worgs and jaguars, goblins and falcons, and all other mismatched pairs of opposition.  Please at least RP your interactions and provide a CDT detailing *why* an ogrillon would not be eaten by a wild bear, and we may consider it.

In conclusion, we would kindly ask that the gnoll shamans, ogre mages, succubi, balor, raksasha, fire giant shamans, the giant shamans on east, the thundering shamans, the dark druids, the dark spiders and their treant-friendly webs, the troll shamans and all other NPC casters please report to the GM area for mandatory flogging.  This means you, Caustic Bones of Krandor!  Clearly acid sheath mixed with acid clouds that you are immune to are an "I-win" card!

8

Layonara Server / Emergency Maintenance - 11/24/2007

« on: November 23, 2007, 05:23:52 pm »

I just noticed that the foxpro databases (it is what Bioware choose to use for NwN) are almost at their max size. I must bring the servers down tomorrow morning (probably around 5am or 6am) for maintenance and to shrink these files. All servers will be down for about 2 hours. I will get them back up ASAP.
 
 11/24/2007 around 5 or 6am Pacific.

9

General Discussion / Life is Short

« on: November 04, 2007, 11:39:00 am »

I was woken up to a phone call this morring from my mother.  It was a phone call you never here want to hear.  There was a huge car pile up comming out of Selma on 99.  Caused by a drunk driver (not sure if the fogg was bad but usuall is).  Something like 108 cars.  A child was killed, but a young man was killed also.  This young man was a family friend.  

My best friend that usual goes to work on saturdays that travles that same road, he desided to stay home.  I am thankfull for that.

Life is to short.  Bad things happen to good people all the time.  I say no, not this time.  Drinking and driving was the cause.  I begg any of you, if you go out to a party, dinner, or just out with friends and have any drinks at all.  Call a cab, have a sober driver take you home, call someone.  

Dont think just becouse I had two or three drinks I am fine to dirve.  I am sorry to tell you, you are not ok to drive.  I am not perfect by anymeans.  I learned the hard way many times over.  This is not the first friend to die becouse of drinking and driving.  I wish it would be the last, but in all reality it wont be.

10

General Discussion / Rumors -- Please read

« on: October 27, 2007, 07:00:18 pm »

The following is addressed to the entire Layonara community.  It is not directed at one person or any specific group of people. Please read it and understand it.

As a recent post has highlighted, there have been some ugly and hurtful rumors flying around recently. This kind of thing, though different people and different circumstances, seem to happen on a regular basis. Sometimes the target is one person, other times it's a group of people.  There are back-channel whispers, finger-pointing, and accusations flying around.  The GM Team gets reports of this-and-that but rarely does anyone have the evidence or guts to back up the claims. Some rumors fade, but there are always some waiting to take their place.  It's a continuous cycle, and it is getting really, really old.

I urge everyone to hear what I'm saying here and take it to heart.  Rumors are almost without fail caustic and poisonous to the community.  You may interact with electronic representations, seeing only words and artificial avatars, but there are people behind those things.  Real people.  Not all rumors are false, but most rumors are not nearly as true as some would believe them to be. Whatever the case, they're bad...bad for those who spread them, bad for those who are the targets of them, and bad for this community.

Without going into specifics, the most recent batch of rumors ranges from annoying to very serious with implications that stretch beyond this little community of ours.  And so I ask you all...

If you are involved in spreading such rumors, stop. If you have proof, then present it to a Gm.  If not, then stop. You're hurting people and you're hurting this community.

If you are engaged in activities in the game world/forums/IRC channel(s) that are the center of one or more of these rumors and those activities are contrary to what we have established here, stop.

If you are involved in or complicit in sewing the seeds of discord among all or part of the community, stop.

At this point, I am not overly concerned with what the "facts" may be in the case of the most recent events. There will forever be three sides to every story: "Yours, mine and the truth."  Since the last is often difficult to obtain, we're left with the word of one against the word of another.  As I said, it just needs to stop.

I want everyone to realize that these things are harmful, and they affect more people than just those at the muddy end of the stick.

In the thread about Layonara's future, there's a comment in there about the NWN servers and how long they'll stay up.  To quote Leanthar:

The NwN servers will stay up and running until it either a) gets to expensive for me to keep it running, so keep donating as this is important for NwN or b) the world or community becomes to much of a hassle in terms of time, effort, or headaches for the servers to stay online or c) we make it to beta testing of the new product which is still a ways away. Layonara is not going away, nor is it fading away; but much rests on the communities shoulders for how long the NwN servers remain online.

It is petty and dramatic things like rumors that are most likely to bring down the Layonara NWN community.  This kind of thing really drains the GM Team and Leanthar himself. It is frustrating, mentally exhausting and time-consuming. In some cases, it has taken hours of research and checking in on people, logs, actions, reports and so forth just to prove or disprove the allegations...time wasted and time not spent interacting with the community.

I don't want this to sound like a threat, but the fact of the matter is, there have been times, more than most of you realize, where the fate of the NWN servers has been close to a complete shut-down because of petty bickering, factional rumors and divisive words and actions.

It all needs to stop, people. I can't stress that enough.

Now, please...understand what I have written here.  Read it over, again if you need to, and really see what I am saying.  And then just think about it and remember it.

And also, please understand that when we take action as a result of things that go on here, be it a banning, a reprimand or some other kind of administrative action, that we do not do so lightly or on a whim. We are not targeting individuals because we don't like them or because we just feel like it.  The GM Team has, among its many duties, an obligation to protect this community.  It comes along with the job, and whatever people may believe, it is not a particularly enjoyable part of the job to ban someone who is acting contrary to the spirit of this community.

I do not really wish for this to become a discussion.  I don't want current or past rumors brought up here and presented with explanations, accusations or justifications.  I don't want people to post their opinions on the situation, be it the one most immediately at hand or any number of such things that have occurred.  Do not use this thread to confess or confirm.  I do not seek a string of "I agree" posts, nor do I particularly want any "Thanks" either.

I want people to read this and understand it.

I know a lot of people love this community and have developed very real and lasting real-life friendships as a result.  Keep that in mind please in all your future actions. Friendships are not formed of bickering and rumormongering. They're formed of a commonality of purpose and philosophy.  If you find, however, that you cannot continue to be a supportive and positive influence in this community, then consider stepping away from it before you contribute to events that may end up hurting those you call friends.

I generally have a lot of faith and respect for this community as a whole.  I sincerely hope that is not misplaced.

Regards,
Dorganath

11

General Discussion / Happy 17th Wedding Anniversary!

« on: October 20, 2007, 02:20:26 pm »

Happy anniversary, Lynn1020!
 
 It has been the best adventure and quest I have ever been on. I look forward to the rest of it.

12

Just for Fun / explanation off life

« on: September 05, 2007, 12:36:42 pm »

When God created the dog he said: "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

So God agreed.

When God created the monkey he said: "Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span."

The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the dog did?"

And God agreed.

When God created the cow he said: "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family For this, I will give you a life span of sixty Years."

The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

And God agreed again.

When God created man he said: "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."

But man said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

13

Layonara Server / Plot quest today

« on: August 19, 2007, 12:10:10 pm »

I just want to clarify that the plot quest begins at 2pm Pacific time today. The calendar was showing 3pm and I stated in text 2pm. I have updated the calendar to show 2pm and my text still says 2pm. The quest starts at 2pm Pacific.
 
 Please do not be late.

14

General Discussion / A post to the community regarding DM encounters

« on: June 21, 2007, 05:02:45 pm »

Hello all,

Please note that this post is the opinion of me alone and does not represent what others on the team. This post is just to clarify something that I have noted while I have been on as GM especially when I have been providing custom encounters to the party. I would like to state that to me being a DM means providing an entertainment for players. This is either by quests or providing dynamic encounters through challenge.

I don’t have an issue of people requesting a Soul Strand. Nor do I have a problem with people thinking that "perhaps this encounter has unfair". That is in your player’s right to make a request or to have thoughts like that. What I have a problem with is when players have the mindset that because they have faced a losing situation or your character has died that the DM is out to punish them. I hear things like "What did we do wrong?" "Oh we must have got someone out there angry".

For me I would normally never use spawns or even overpowered spawns to police a situation or because I am angry at the players. Instead you are going to receive a tell saying that we need to have a little chat. Getting a GMs attention for 20 minutes filled with creatures encounters and mayhem or more at a time is a privilege  and not a punishment.

It is sad to see that the playerbase view the DMs in this way. I want to say that as far as I am concerned, getting a custom (harder) encounter from me is because I want to spice up an experience or because I feel happy of what is happening in regard to RP. You will also find that the encounter will be suited in for your tastes. If you are at the inn, during a player event, you aren't going to see monsters instead perhaps you are going to talk to the bartender or the waitresses or whoever...to make the experience better.

That is also why after each encounter where you are safe I will spawn in just to let you know that I hope everyone had fun *regardless* of the outcome and that is because I did it for your enjoyment. There are however times when we as DMs spawn things to keep things in the Lore of the World. But in those circumstances I will notify you about that too.
 
Much Respect,
  Tanman

15

General Discussion / Donate Your Level Day

« on: May 18, 2007, 04:01:46 pm »

As I have mentioned before, these are an excellent idea for supporting Layonara Online. I am scheduling our next Donate Your Level Day for this coming 16 June.
 
 http://www.layonara.com/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=203&day=2007-6-16&c=2
 
 I am hoping we can hold these events quarterly. So I have scheduled Level Days for later in the year, September and December.
 
 Please join me in supporting our wonderful on line world!
 
 -Ylly

16

General Discussion / Why Do You Play on Layonara?

« on: May 11, 2007, 01:25:41 am »

[SIZE=16]Maybe you play on Layonara because you love the unknown...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Or perhaps the adventure draws you in...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Maybe you're looking for peace and quiet...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Or perhaps just a pleasant place to call home....[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Or simply a place to meet some friends...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Perhaps you enjoy the majesty of civilization...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Or maybe just the majesty the lands offer...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Maybe you love the thrill of great battles...[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Or just maybe... a glutton for punishment?....[/SIZE][/U][/B]
 
 
 
 
 [SIZE=16]Whatever the case may be... one thing is clear.  Layonara is the world for all imaginations, and it is on us to live those dreams.[/SIZE]
 [SIZE=16][/SIZE]
 [SIZE=16]V3.  Still on the rise....[/SIZE]

17

General Discussion / Plot - Dragon Storm: Suffering

« on: April 08, 2007, 11:13:25 pm »

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you and welcome. This is a two ‘part’ post this being the first part and only vaguely related to the second. As an effort to spread information and be fair to everyone I will be making ‘visible’ record of the Dragon Storm campaign. This first occurrence will be noted as you see it in the general discussion. However all future occurrences will land in the CDT I opened on Ozymandias. In the case of the later, this, past and future posts are meant to be read and used as a role play tool. The information I do not wish to be used I simply will not post.
You can decide for yourself how you come across this information. Perhaps you overheard things on the subject in the local tavern your character frequents, or you heard it off some bard trying to make a true. Whatever the reason consider it a valid tool to talk with others about.
The reason I am doing this in this manner is because I consider my previous method, in the Soul of a Lost Ancient a dismal failure. It was boring, reward less, and required many more hours doing nothing than I would like. Furthermore many people were left out as I had to sleep at some point, or work, or do other activities. So I am going to try this method where I spin a few rumors that might be heard in a public place. Then you the player, armed with even rudimentary knowledge can seek out those that participated. While for those of you that could only make part of a quest, either by real life or by group selection, are not left with the ‘left out’ feeling.
After all it is one thing to be expected to ask questions, it is another to not have any idea what to ask. So in that interest of fairness, in the interest of my sanity, and the interest of community spirit in the since of working together. I shall try and provide something you can work with in game.
Now enough of my gibbering lets get down to part two which you are really interested in.

In the last eleven years a certain sight can be found in most port towns. Entire villages with what belongings they could bring flocking there and boarding ships all to seek a life in ‘better lands’. Few find success in their endeavors but many will try to find a place to live a better life for their families. The stories are the same of crops failing and sickness running rampant, the gods having abandoned the people and horrific stories that Dragons have returned.
Roomers abound though of bandits and brigands growing more and more common. Some say they have turned from robbery to outright murder of their quarry robbing them of their scant goods and their lives. The roads no longer safe while the so called Heroes of Layonara live like royalty safe and sound from the horrors of the world.
Yet despite this it is still said, that perhaps the Heroes have not given up and that people here and there. Sometimes one, or sometimes just a single village are brought from the plight of the world. That certain parts of the world have become safer if only slightly because of their restoring of order. These instances seem few and far between in recent years. The world is suffering and so are the people that dwell within it.
In the Land of Kings the heroes made themselves known in the City of Twins; Lor. As people fled from the poverty and despair that had engulfed the north, the rich merchants demanded their due. A kings price to ship people away to a better land, yet the heroes stepped forward and paid it in true and one small group felt a time of reprieve.
There are reasons for everything, families are not torn asunder for no reason. A cult was rising and growing in this time of darkness. Armed, armored and wielding fearsome magic they displaced many and slaughtered others. They were called by many names, some cried that they were the black hand, others the iron hand, a few even said the hand of blood. Yet no mater what these individuals were called, they seemed to revel in the destruction and called themselves the hand.
Perhaps there are still heroes, maybe not as many as tales say. Some may be content to live in their homes as nobility while others suffer. Yet there may be some left willing to fight to protect those truly hurt by this time of darkness. In the Land of Kings those so called heroes gathered and moved to attack the brigands calling themselves the hand.
In the broken mountains the groups fought, heroes within desecrated valleys and caverns filled with decay and death. While this new cult of brigands channeled their twisted creations with joyous abandon. Willingly forfeiting their lives and accepting no chance to surrender. The battle raged and the earth moaned as twisted things fell returning to the earth with their passing.
Yet as the brigands were slain they called out that this was not the end. They were but a single digit of the full fury. Perhaps the heroes had brought the first blow to the bandits but it was certainly not the last. In the end the heroes were the ones to leave the twisted caverns and corrupted pass, yet questions yet many remained unanswered. Especially one that falls heavy on all minds, what does this group have to do with dragons that have returned?

All right an unexpected part three to this post. I think this tells you enough. I suppose we will just have to wait and see what unfolds and what each other have learned. Share information, spread it around, you never know when it will be important to remember. Anyway good luck I hope this post and this method prove more successful then the last method I used.

18

General Discussion / Partying: a personal request

« on: April 04, 2007, 06:31:38 pm »

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has experienced this:

You invite someone, or someone invites you into a party. Someone else wanders by, initiates conversation, inquires as to your purpose, and joins the party. You are about to set off to smack things. Suddenly, and without warning, another face appears on your sidebar... you mouse over their portrait, and see that they're on another continent . . . Strange. . . . And then, another person is added and another.  More people join (none of whom are actually present) until the entire population of Layonara is in a single party!  All of a sudden, everyone has a reason to wait before setting out, "One minute, it is vital that I stare at my navel before heading into battle." Lo and behold, all those little faces in the party bar just happen to wander by, having the urge to kill the same things at the same time at the same place.Funny how that works.

Seriously though, there is a big difference between:

Me: This is a strong foe we aim to battle. Perhaps I should send a bird to Lady Pwnsalot, to see if she would be interested in joining us.
Other Person: Indeed, her sword would be welcome!
Me: *summons a falcon and writes on some parchment*
[Tell] Falcon message: Myself and a few others aim to slay the fearsome rats in the sewers, but we cannot do it alone, would you care to join us?
[Tell from Lady Pwnsalot]: Verily! I would never turn down such an opportunity, I shall be there forthwith!
*invite Lady Pwnsalot*
Me: *Receives a not from a bird, reads it and nods sagely* She will be here to aid us as fast as her legs can carry her.

And:

[Tell]:Hey, wanna come kill some stuff with us?
[Tell from Lady Pwnsalot]: Sure, I'm in Allindor, just wait there for me, ok?
[Tell] n/p
*invite Lady Pwnsalot*

There are plenty of legitimate reasons why one might invite someone who isn't there at the moment, but please have the grace to ask the rest of the party members, and at least make an attempt to have some RP justification. Too often, this kind of thing just spirals out of control (although my initial description may be a tad exaggerated ). I know I'm not the only one who prefers small parties, so please try to remember when everyone wants their friend to come along, it can ruin things for many of us. If you want to have large parties that can run roughshod over anything, there are plenty of people who enjoy that too, but to make every gathering like that is disrespectful to the rest of us, in my opinion. It really doesn't take much imagination to invite people in an RP appropriate way that allows the group to have their input. Maybe character A will refuse to travel if character B  goes along. Maybe Character A is shy and doesn't want to fight with people he doesn't know. And maybe some of us just have OOC preferences, and feel left out when people are invited without some IC dialogue. A little bit of communication and courtesy go a long way.  Thanks.

*I hope this doesn't sound too whiny and ranty, as the title says this is just a personal request, based on my own play style, and I realize not everyone is going to agree with me here*