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Messages - Cinnabar
1
« on: January 08, 2011, 11:39:05 am »
Hi everyone, I have to say ... it's been a great run! That said, this post is to let the community know that I have just stepped down as a GM. The decision to retire was actually some months in the making, but I stayed on a little longer to make sure my work with Center rolled out smoothly, and to finish off my last commitments to CDQ requests. Time. If only we all could have enough! But with my university days over and my full time job becoming more full time by the day, I know in my heart that I don't have the time for the responsibilities of GMing anymore, and it is time to step aside. My deepest thanks to the community. You are what makes GMing here worth the time we give up. So thanks, for your commitment and passion to the world, for your creativity on quests and during every day roleplay, and for all the support you give the GMs as we try our best to weave stories for you, puppeteer a dozen NPCs at once, and keep the monsters on a short enough leash that you can at least try to solve the world's problems in a non-combative fashion. Mine were always a little unruly, and apologies to whoever they took a swipe at accidentally during a quest. I do seem to recall a few strand refunds during my tenure ... ;-) I can say with honesty, it has been my sincerest pleasure to eavesdrop on all your RP conversations, snoop through your character's backpacks and leave the occasional surprise, bash you on the head with the XP wand from time to time, and torture your characters through development quests! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. ~Carillon
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2
« on: December 21, 2010, 10:15:37 am »
Well, this might have been seen coming, but its time I hung up the GM gloves. RealLife has took a wonderful turn in the form of two crazy, mad-cap spawns of Mini-Me's, whom continue to suck and drain every ounce of will to live that I have ( kidding of course!  ) Add to that various other things, and sadly I just don't have time for GMing anymore, so I'll put the GM Wand back on the self, and hope someone else will pick it up and have a wave. But I do thank you for the opportunity I had to bring about some chaos, fun and laughs to this wonderful little world you've all created. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for the MMO when it's released, and likely bring about some great ancestor of the Tempest's to see it. I wish you all well, and of course a Happy Christmas!
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3
« on: November 16, 2010, 10:16:59 pm »
[SIZE=32]Version 3.30.1 is online![/SIZE]In keeping with my recent post about updates, here's a small one. Changes: - Add road travel system to Lake Splendor and Windjammer's Bay
- Tweak Ilsare's summons to bear her colors in some way
- Fix Guard Ashley's description to mention the correct city name
- Fixed some broken/buggy giant spawns in the Great Forest
- Renamed the Weary Traveler to the Silver Buckle due to change in ownership
- Undead Shape and Construct Shape have been disabled due to lore conflict. They will likely be replaced with something else down the road.
- Some adjustments of some spawns somewhere in the world
That's it! Nothing major this time.
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4
« on: November 09, 2010, 10:31:04 am »
These poems were beautifully written by Rollinscat for an Ilsarean event that went in to the [lore]Broken Halls[/lore]. Thanks to him for providing the flavor for this trek. Author: Talise Al'thyn, 416
In the rough lands it is kill or be killed
Healing voice weak to necessity's blade
Mountains and plains as savage as man
Little heed to a tender heart paid
Carnesîr fights in a bloodless campaign
A foothold for a message of peace
There is no peace in the bowls of survival
Words fall unheeded until they cease
Life's light a candle in dark heavy winds
Shelter a laugh from the gutter of souls
The best that is hoped for is brutal and short
Slowly the heart slips away from the goal
Shattered, broken, hope's head on a stick
He drags one foot in front of the other
Children of Xi-Lo-Sung scattered together
Welcome him home like a brother
Broken circles heal to a loop
Depths recede to tide's gentle pull
The past sliding off worn tired shoulders
Amarylla, the healer's heart is full
From fire-licked pit rises smoldering eyes
Claws touch the soil and claim it for self
The healer prays, sweating, for days and for nights
Aeridin grants just one wish to the elf
A seed left to grow under blunt demon nose
Amarylla still clings to the splintered mount's side
A shelter of minds and of hearts and of hope
Hidden by prayer from the land's bloody tide
Of Taurnil the healer nothing remains
His legacy bound to the god-given haze
Look when you pass and Amarylla may smile
Winking on full moons or mid summer days
Author: Unknown. Year: Unknown.
Love's consequence isn't always rose
Or embrace, but harsh repose
Bitter blows, the heart a scar of stitches – I'm sorry, dear
What once believed a thousandfold
Builds a wall of thorns and cold
Passion's hold, a grip slacked with each sparse apology
The leering of expectation's face
To know your duties and your place
Disgrace backhanded as reward when freedom calls
And more her people suffer, kin
Sisters to the pain she's in
Worn thin, tending animals worth more to men
Come then queen, flee or resist
But frozen, wilting under fist
To exist, and nothing more – every face with eyes on you
Fear's corset cinched from years obeyed
She kneels to pray for heaven's aid
In trade, a promise made, binding only her
History a leaden gown, but now -
She straightens, nevermore to bow
Neither sow nor beast to bear the sins of men
For mothers, daughters and kingdom-state
More than self, more than mate,
A date, she tells the man whose fist holds their reins
Tables covered with nature's spread
She reclines, waiting on their bed
And said, in silken tones for him - "Try the wine..."
Powder ground from love-pink bloom
Wets the lips of wine's perfume
He consumes, better to enjoy the lofty heights of royalty
Spinning head strikes marble seat
The cup lays bleeding at his feet
Conceit! He cries to halos that time the slowing of his beat
Pressed head to chest, to hear his end
A kiss for what had never been
And then, the promise of a new dawn on cooling flesh
The Queen Acanthe sits on her throne
A statue's perfect face, alone
Tears sown, and grown in place a stronger crop – the Daughters of Windwyn
Author: Ari Anamithal eo Tyailmcla, 231
Love needs no curves to form a heart
Not silken skin or powdered face
But two minds of understanding
Longing to entwine, embrace
I would bear winter on my back for you
Twice as wrong, you and I
For pride I stand aside
Praying this war folds before the gods scoop you up
As a hand of cards, played
Still we meet - to talk, you say
Of politics and peace
It is not peace that brings me here
We carry each other's burdens, oxen of ill-timed release
And bend to meet each other's eyes
What will we do when the excuses break
Brittle thin branches in the storm
We can only go where the winds say to go
Or walk forever in one place...
Could I forget?
Peel you from me to don armor and shield
So we can pace our well-worn grooves
On opposites sides of this battlefield?
I would have better luck holding back the sky
It matters so much and so little
The shape of your ears, the length of your life
Our people at war and all I can think
When will I see you again
We are finally blown together
Reason tossed aside, a cloak on a summer day
The beginning of our end in this sweet madness
Over and over we sneak away
And pretend we're not falling down a well
They follow, flush with coin from my wife's hand
Each with a reason to see us dead
But I am her power and I am not one of you
It is not I who does not arrive in our spot
But I who finds you here, and there, so careless
Not even tears can survive my rage
They will bend but no more will break
The battle plays out on every stage
But here there will be peace
Our passion laid you under ground
A victim of woman scorned and the greedy eyes of family
Leaving me to kneel here, alone
Carving out your memory on stone that will not feel
The blood of elf and man
*the following appears to be a rubbing from carved stone*
Ceela silnala ilcc sal ahyilc
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7
« on: November 06, 2010, 12:41:47 pm »
Hello Layonara Community, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm trying something different with the way I've done updates. To put it briefly, I'm going to try doing smaller, more frequent updates. Some of them may also be "stealth" updates, meaning that I may not announce them at all. Others may be quick-fix updates, such as those I have done since 3.30 has gone online. So what does this mean? Well, I'm not making any guarantees, but simple changes and quick fixes will hopefully find their way into play more quickly. Also, I'm hoping to keep better pace with plot-relevant changes as well as possibly add some unexpected variability into the world. Such things may not be frequent, as it is still subject to my rather full schedule. However, this is my intent, and I wanted to let you, the community, to know what is going on, so that when you go on your "usual" and find bugbears instead of ogres, for example, you will know why. We'll see how it goes, I guess!
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8
« on: October 27, 2010, 08:02:36 pm »
[SIZE=32] Version 3.30 is online![/SIZE] This version is a pretty significant update in some ways, and it also requires new HAK files. Please note that I've restructured the “control” HAK file into two files: a “ctrl” HAK and a “res” HAK for size and management reasons. You will need to download both of these files as well as the latest TLK file in order to enter the game. [SIZE=-1] http://nwn.layonara.com/downloads/files/layo_resv3r1.rar (HAK) http://nwn.layonara.com/downloads/files/layo_ctrlv3r10.rar (HAK) http://nwn.layonara.com/downloads/files/layonara_v24.rar (TLK) [/SIZE] (NOTE: the All-in-One HAK has not yet been updated) This update contains some initiatives that we've been working on in one sense or the other for several months, and in some cases nearly a year,, and in particular one far reaching initiative that we hope will improve several long-running ills. I'll mention more on this later, but this one in particular is the result of a collaboration between the GM Team as a whole based on feedback and comments from the community. For expediency, I want to quickly thank the entire GM Team, the Plot Team, the Project Team and the community for their various contributions, and specifically, I want to thank (in no particular order) Script Wrecked, Alatriel, Rowana, Eorendil, Pankoki, Carillon Guardian-452 and mixafix for their more direct contributions and for saving me a load of time. And now, onto the meat: Announcing: Center, Brelin Kingdom, Mistone[INDENT] [SIZE=16]Once a town of its own right prior to the Dark Ages, the region of land once known as Center has seen a resurgence in recent years. The resettling began with refugees fleeing the destruction and uncertainty brought by the tsunamis that struck the west coast of Mistone. While initially little more than a tent city, Center started to become a crossroads in its own right. Its location along the strategic road between Fort Wayfare and points south helped it to become more than just a transient safe shelter for the displaced. Enterprising merchants set up their tents and wagons, finding the trade and commerce worthwhile. [/SIZE] [SIZE=16]
[/SIZE] [SIZE=16]As has often been the story of other towns, an inn was built to serve not only those who ended up staying for a long term but also those traveling along the road. The merchant presence likewise became a fixture, drawing not only a banking presence but also facilities for skilled tradesmen. Merchants migrated away from Fort Wayfare, though this wasn't long lamented by residents, who on the whole felt some relief at having less traffic (and fewer “undesirables” lingering around their town. In keeping with this sentiment, Fort Wayfare petitioned Spellgard to “do something about that portal” in the middle of town. Spellgard agreed, and a team led by Connor Garvill shifted the portal's exit to Center. With the added traffic through every means, Center began to truly thrive and become a hub of activity of all sorts. [/SIZE] [SIZE=16]
[/SIZE] [SIZE=16]While still essentially a transient settlement, as it doesn't qualify as a town yet, Center has grown beyond the simpleness of its rebirth into a place worthy of note.[/SIZE][/INDENT] To address one of the biggest problems with v3, Layonara once more has a single starting area: Center. Located south of Fort Wayfare and north of Port Hempstead fields, Center and its surrounding areas represent a complete low-level experience for all new characters. Its status as an unincorporated settlement (at best) makes it open to all races, even those banned from cities and towns throughout the civilized world. That is not to say that they're welcomed by all, but there is either tolerance or numbness in those who might be considered residents. Besides the land mass that is Center, the surrounding areas have been remapped somewhat. Existing areas have been changed and new areas have been added. And of course, there are benches. Along with this, there is a new entry area, which should help introduce new players to the Dragon Storm campaign. As with many things, it is better seen than described, so please, stop by and have a look. We're eager to hear your feedback. As well, why not submit a new character and experience it through new eyes. And since it is such a big thing, it's worthy of special note that Carillon and Pankoki worked quite hard and diligently to bring the Team's vision and plans for Center to life. It is no small feat they accomplished. ------------------------------------------------------------------- With all that said, let's get onto the list... [SIZE=16] Center:[/SIZE] The Center project involves 15 new areas created in or around Center, creating a new hub for the server and completely changing the experience of a first level character entering the game world. Some examples of changes relating to the hub that will help the new character: - New starting point; characters no longer appear in Port Hempstead or Fort Vehl
- West housing portal destination changed from Fort Wayfare to Center
- Smaller “Hlint-like” area with benches, facilitating players meeting up
- Safe rest campsite for hanging out
- Temple and healer available in the area
- New basic craft hall in the area, with merchants available
- Conveniently located barn and ox merchant
- Low level quests located in the city areas
- Message board in craft hall, directing new players to other low level quests
- Low level CNR and spawns placed in areas around Center, allowing new characters to adventure more easily and safely
- Convenient and central bindstone, so older players hanging out can keep an eye out for newer players and help them reach their graves
- New inn with full crafting kitchen, meeting room, and large stage for player functions and quests
- New CNR locations, fishing spots, spawns and creatures in new areas surrounding Center
- 10 new scripted quests added. (Most are low level and integrated into Center, but a few are suitable for more experienced characters)
- New Prunillan temple added to West server, in Center
- Some merchants and quest NPCs moved from other urban areas to Center, to facilitate player gathering and usefulness of area
- Barn moved to Center from Port Hempstead Fields
[SIZE=16] [/SIZE] [SIZE=16] Other New stuff:[/SIZE] - New low-level undead area tucked away south of Center (go looking for it)
- New module entry area on West, replacing The Eye of the Storm area with something that introduces the plot better. (Note: Characters do not walk this path in an IC sense. It is more to introduce the player to the plot and the world's setting. The information is IC, but the path is not.)
- New CNR and adventuring areas added off of Lake Splendor (you have to look for them though)
- Krandor Hospital guild hall has been added to Krandor [SIZE=10](1)[/SIZE]
- Dwarven Army guild has been added to Bloody Gate [SIZE=10](1)[/SIZE]
- The Coalition guild hall has been added to the Dapplegreen Tower [SIZE=10](1)[/SIZE]
- Meeting Room added to Bydell Castle as a place to learn about and discuss the Dragon Storm Plot [SIZE=10](2)[/SIZE]
- “Magic Mouth” system added. There are two instances in the Bydell Castle Meeting Room, and others elsewhere (with more planned). You'll know it when you see it.
- WLDQ Reward for Daniella Stormhaven [SIZE=10](3)[/SIZE]
- WLDQ Reward for Jaelle Thornwood [SIZE=10](3,4)[/SIZE]
- WLDQ Reward for Lance Stargazer [SIZE=10](3,4)[/SIZE]
- WLDQ Reward for Alandric Vensk [SIZE=10](3)[/SIZE]
- New poison type available for crafting: Hallow Wraith Spider poison (causes chance of spell failure) [SIZE=10](5)[/SIZE]
- Knight PrC now available (formerly Purple Dragon Knight) [SIZE=10](5)[/SIZE]
- System to add a subrace bias to merchants. This is an initial implementation and may well change over time. Right now, it's only in effect in Trelania, and if your character is one of those against whom the merchants are biased, you'll know what I mean. (Note: This was requested and done due to semi-recent in-game events and player actions, so you only have yourselves to blame...and if you think I'm talking about you, you're probably right. *winks*)
- Added area between Lor and Castle Mask to illustrate the distance between them and the benevolent presence of Raelian forces.
[SIZE=16] Changed stuff:[/SIZE] - A few changes made to the Red Light caverns due to CDQ outcome
- Rearrangement of some low-end CNR resourced due to Center and Red Lights
- Re-tie and remodel of 250 Prantz to Hurm
- Re-tie of 260 Prantz to Nith
- Add mastiff to 117 Fort Llast
- Remodel of Leringard Arms (121 Leringard)
- Remodel of 125 Leringard
- Adjusted/Rebalanced Ice Marches areas, in part due to quest outcomes
- Mistone Alliance Scout PrC changed to Agent of the Realm PrC [SIZE=10](5,6)[/SIZE]
- Show a few signs of life in the Hallowlight Forest
- Add Master Weapon Crafter's Anvil in Mariner's Hold advanced crafting hall
- Add Lesser Jewelers Benches to Creedo and Fort Vehl craft halls
- Adjust location of trash barrel in Port Hempstead Hall of Reconstruction
- Remove Systrian from Hlint
- Adjust Hlint to follow server PvP settings rather than being a no-PvP area
- Add/extend some server logging
- Add reflections of scabbard/neck armor customizing options
- Update/add areas in Kuhl kingdom to reflect state of campaign plot [SIZE=10](7)[/SIZE]
- Rename Storan to Shade of Storan to reflect WLDQ outcome
- Remove non-functional “metalic” enchanting bowls from the Lookout Tower
- Remove (illegal!) scribing and infusing stations from Prantz craft hall
- Rename Grannoch temple NPC for lore reasons
- Move Temple of Shidaleria from Lan's Port to Fort of Kings for lore reasons
- Remove/replace all non-human NPCs from the Lan's Port Fisherman's Tankard for lore reasons
- Improve emergency portal in West and Central entry areas
- Merchant Interiors of Fort Vehl, Leringard and Fort Llast have been updated and made more efficient and user-friendly
- Inn in Fort Wayfare downsized and made cozier and more efficient
- New roads to Dapplegreen, Port Hempstead, and surrounding areas created, following Layonara maps more closely
- Dark Peaks of the Watcher area outside Fort Wayfare updated and connected to new cave system
- GM Area NPCs set to the Neutral To All faction by default
- Some quest areas have been updated and refreshed
- Lengthen the amount of time that passes before a permed character is whisked away by the cut-scene
[SIZE=16] Fixed stuff:[/SIZE] - Fix area tagging in Silkwood Spider Cave
- Adjust terrain in The Grand Mountains to attempt to work around tileset weirdness
- Adjust terrain in the Thunder Peaks to attempt to work around tileset weirdness
- Place correct Mithril Golem in the Great Rift: Asunder
- Fixed (hopefully!) furniture loading problems for a certain range of houses on Dregar
- Fix Citadel of Toran Enchanting Holy Pool
- Add missing Enchanting Holy Pool to Temple of Grannoch on Mistone
- Close potentially confusing race condition related to striking a rock of ore right after a nugget has been broken off
- Fix Implosion
- Fix “Point of Influence” markers related to Arkolio's WLDQ reward
- Fix activation and other problems related to Arkolio's WLDQ reward
- Fix Stort Pawn Shop
- Rename Charles Dawson so that he is from the correct town name
- Remove buggy vulnerabilities from certain Plot-specific creatures
- Remove a status flag reporting in the combat window when casting Power Word, Kill
- Marent's quest now returns bandages
- Horses recovered by the horse merchant should now have their names restored as well
- Fix spelling of name for Cailomel guild hall area
- Add missing safe rest areas
- Journal entries updated, removing any lasting V3 name change problems and updating outdated entries (e.g. Haven Mine ogre problem)
- Fixed descriptions on statues in Lor due to incorrect references
- Tweaked portal code for hopefully better resilience.
[SIZE=16] Notes:[/SIZE][LIST=1] - [SIZE=10]New guild halls are for purchase by their respective guild leaders only. Anyone else who purchases any of these buildings may forfeit the purchase price of the hall[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=10]The Bydell Castle Meeting Room is deity-neutral, so paladins of certain deities need not worry about violating their oaths[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=10]Please work with the GM who ran your WLDQ to obtain any material/item rewards that may accompany this reward[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=10]These reward include a custom “skin”, which will be applied on login. For best results, wait until resting is possible, rest, log out and log back in the first time you log in after the update.[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=10]Details will be up on LORE shortly[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=10]Any current characters with Mistone Alliance Scout levels should contact the GM team about the options for a partial rebuild.[/SIZE]
- [SIZE=10]Representations of the state of Kuhl Kingdom disrupt the route typically taken to Hilm Castle and The Great Forest (and points beyond). Taking the “usual” route will become significantly more dangerous. As well, there are multiple warnings to this effect in-game, both IC and OOC. Understand that characters caught adventuring in these areas are subject to the full consequence that the GM Team can bring to bear, as would be fitting for the current state of the Kuhl kingdom. In addition, the spawns in the Kuhl areas may be overwhelming and completely unfair. This is by design, and no Soul Strand losses will be reimbursed due to the “unbalanced spawn” clause for any losses in these areas. However, since the GM Team does not wish to hinder the fun of players by restricting travel to points that could previously only be reached through the Kuhl kingdom (in a mechanical sense), an alternate route has been provided.[/SIZE]
So there it is! As I said above, we're looking forward to everyone's feedback on Center. It represents many hours of work and collaboration, but it may not yet be as good as it can be. Let us hear your thoughts if there is anything that you feel is needed, missing or should be changed. Go forth and enjoy!
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9
« on: October 22, 2010, 04:08:12 am »
 * * * Ouroboros and Alan-a-Dale present, for the week before Halloween, Something Wicked, a set of loosely-coupled events, impromptus, and quests. First up: We're All Mad HereKeep an eye on this space, and the calendar, for further events!
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10
« on: October 18, 2010, 05:16:47 pm »
Our server hosts have notified us of downtime for ALL of our servers between Friday, October 22nd 2010, between 11:30PM and Saturday 2:30AM Eastern Time. I will be shutting the servers down a few minutes before the downtime. This means all nwn servers, forums, irc, lore, web site will ALL be down. I will monitor the downtime and be prepared for any problems after the servers come back up. If there are any serious delays or problems where I can not communicate through normal means I'll tweet it and post it on our wall at Facebook. Below is the message our hosting providers sent to us for those more interested. I apologize for any impact this may have on any planned excursions. Today we have been advised about an electrical problem with the UPS system powering our suite J1 @ 1250RL.
We are required to perform an electrical maintenance on this UPS system that will cause a 30-45 minute interruption of electricity. Unfortunately there was nothing Netelligent could have done to foresee or prevent this problem. We will be attempting to safely shutdown each server a few minutes before the maintenance window indicated below. However, if you would like to login remotely and power down your server beforehand, our technicians would find it very helpful.
We apologize for this inconvenience and understand the impact it has on your business.
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11
« on: October 17, 2010, 10:24:28 pm »
Hey all, I'm sure you've seen by now at least one mention of me saying "in the next update" and "almost done" and the like. Well...it's really almost here. The last few details are being sorted out, and while I'm hesitant to give a specific day (yet), you can count on seeing it in the very near future. [SIZE=-1]In preparation of this, you'll need to download some files: http://nwn.layonara.com/downloads/files/layo_resv3r1.rar (HAK) http://nwn.layonara.com/downloads/files/layo_ctrlv3r10.rar (HAK) http://nwn.layonara.com/downloads/files/layonara_v24.rar (TLK) You can download these files now and place them in their appropriate locations. They will not impact your ability to play before the update. Regarding the HAKs, the first one listed, the "res" HAK, is new. The old "control" HAK was getting kind of large, so I split off all the large graphical resources that had been stuck into the "control" HAK up to this point, so that future HAK updates in the "control" (now "ctrl") will be smaller and easier to manage on my end and yours. That's it! Happy downloading! [/SIZE]
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12
« on: October 13, 2010, 09:16:20 am »
Try new Pugcleaner! For when you want to clean the backside of your screen. Now using 100% natural, biodegradable dog saliva. IT'S THE PUG CLEANER 
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13
« on: October 11, 2010, 05:34:58 am »
The GM may be sunning himself on holiday but... The Lor story continues, clues abound in players hands, on server, and in forum... Dungeons do not lie idle, treasures await abandoned in dnagerous places, caches hidden....(for clarity I have added treasure in various locations) All you need is a PC some attitude and get in game! (Let me know if you finds anything unusual for the record)
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14
« on: September 24, 2010, 09:29:26 am »
Dear Layonara Community, We are aware that there continue to be issues with the forums, and efforts continue to bring them back to the proper level of functionality, including the visibility of posts made prior to last night (US/Canada time zones). It is pretty much a forum-wide problem that affects everyone equally, including those of us with higher-level access. A side effect of the database problem affecting the forums is that the NickServ, ChanServ and aragen services on IRC are also down. All I know about is that the forum database experienced a couple of crashes over the last couple of days, requiring a repair process. Last night, orth indicated to me that the database in question was quite large and he did not know how long it would take to run the repair completely. At this time, I can offer no information as to when these services will be back in full operation or whether any data has been lost and/or corrupted due to the crash. I do not yet know the root cause of these problems either. We are aware that this causes an inconvenience to people and a difficulty in conducting various RP and social functions for Layonara. We're also aware that this has likely suspended things like Character Applications, as the CA team cannot access the threads to comment upon or approve them. So please bear with us as we work to sort this out. As more information becomes available, someone will update everyone. Until that happens, please assume that things are not working properly and assume that we are working toward a fix.
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15
« on: September 06, 2010, 05:42:01 pm »
I just found out that I have a virus on my gaming comp. The only way to get ride of it is to wipe the hard drive and reinstall the O/S. I have decided to upgrade the O/S to Win 7 64 from Vista Ultimate 32. Any way till I get everything sorted out I'll not be in game. //sent from my really old laptop
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16
« on: September 02, 2010, 09:42:06 pm »
When "LFG" really works out to your advantage.... 
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17
« on: September 02, 2010, 01:18:16 am »
 This is my new quest series. It will run on Saturday nights from 8pm eastern to 11:30pm and maybe the occassional marathon session if I (and the party) are up to it. To keep things enjoyable for me and conversely for you [no one likes a cranky GM] I am imposing some limits and expectations to this series. First I will not lock it unless the party finds themselves in a place that its not concievable for new people to be or people not on a previous episode to be. The party size will be 12 or less. In the beginning if more show then dice will decide, as things progress there may be episodes where some have earned preference. I will make every attempt not to exclude people so if in doubt show up. Some times I am feeling better than others and will take more but I want to put a staring limit at 12. Also, if you know at the beginning you cannot commit to the entire session (note I said session, not series) please do not take a spot from someone who could commit to the whole session. I am more than understanding about sick kids, drunk roommates needing bail and the like, but knowing you have to be at work 1/2 way into the event or something just is not fair. This is a quest about the story, the process and the getting there. It will be RP heavy. You can expect character consequences and dilemmas. At times you might have session where you go absolutely nowhere physically and everywhere developmentally. You might have a session with seat of your pants TPK pending action too but don't count on them too often unless some are very silly or not thinking. It is for developing personalities and stories not leveling. I will (as much as I can with my busy personal and professional life) try am meld your character into the story as I can. I may make you uncomfortable or make you think about things you never thought your character might have to face. There will be puzzles. There will be red herrings and brick walls and loose ends. The quest is open to all alignments and classes and races. Party dynamics however may exclude some or make things more difficult for monsterous races and evil alignments. This is part and parcel of playing these characters. As your GM I will not exclude you but you can be assured that the NPCs will react appropriately and your party may turn hostile on you. All that said. This quest is for characters level 1 -15. If you start the quest series and level past 19 I will be asking you to retire or take a minimal role. I am telling you this up front. I expect this to last for at least 4 if not 6 months and run for about 6 hours a month in game time and whatever effort the party puts into role play between sessions either ingame or on the forums. For some it may spawn CDQs with me or other GMs. [SIZE=18]Calendar link[/SIZE] Nova/Minerva
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« on: August 27, 2010, 02:37:03 pm »
(This is one of my favorite short stories. Comments welcome - more fiction at Warriors of the Sun God - A Fantasy Novel - and yes, they're ALL mine. I write a lot) As the world fades, do you hear them? With life slipping from your grasp, do you hear the giant mushrooms as they flirt and philosophize? Do you see the golden spores of their conversation and mating dance? Did it ever even occur to you to try and listen? You saw them, certainly, towering above you on slender stalks, stretching towards the sun with giant rounded cap. You saw the colors dotting their skin, with blues and purples and greens. You saw the golden spores falling out from their underside to be caught by the wind and fly about. But even with all the power you had, all the instruments to detect the tiniest particles and what they might mean, it never occurred to any of you to monitor the differences from one spore to another. Never occurred to see if they were just giant plants. Listen, then. I will tell you the story from their point of view. As we stand between the worlds, I give you one last choice. One last chance to avert what you created. When you humans landed on the planet, the People (for so they called themselves) watched and marveled at these new creatures that ran around their stems. And I looked on from afar, and feared what humanity might do to the People I watched. "They are animal, but unlike anything I have ever seen before. I watched them come out of a giant silver rock that fell from the sky. Could they be space-creatures?" mused one purple-topped Person, leaning over from the top of a hill to see the space-rock below. There was a long silence after this comment, as the People pondered the question. Where could these new creatures have come from? It was bad manners to ask a question, soliciting an answer and a spore, but sometimes there was no other way to frame a thought. It made the likelihood of seeds from the comment lower, though, as the People would rarely seed with a question. Seeds are engendered when the comment is intelligent, encouraging growth in the minds of the People. Given the effort it took to make spores, the People never wanted to waste them. "They seem intelligent. Look how they move their faces at each other. One will do that, and another will move in response. They are not like the other animals. Wherever they come from, they are not like the other creatures of this place," answered its blue-lidded neighbor. More of the People examined that idea and found it good. Thoughts about humanity danced about on wind-tossed spores. A greater number of seeds were tossed out in one day than had ever happened before, in all the history of the People. Humanity gave them quite a lot to talk about. I have watched them since before time began, and I have never seen them speak so fervently. "If they came here, they must have come for a reason. Perhaps they come for us." That proclamation from the Red Philosopher Circle was met only with silence, spores falling unheeded to the ground. The Red Circle had always been a bit strange and self-centered, generation after generation breeding only with each other's weighty pronouncements. See them. They're a separate species now, not by genetics but by universal disgust: because no one else will talk to them. Why are they called red when there's no red on them? That's the name they call themselves. Are all the groups from your world named logically? Besides, they're not important in themselves. They matter because you landed near them. You need to see the full scope of what the People are, good and bad. Are you beginning to understand them? Have they become real to you yet? There's you among the other humans, in the second stage of colonization. You've decided that the planet is suitable and you're coming, with your houses and your farms and your terraformers. Watch the People shrink away from you. They do move, you know, though slowly. You never noticed that. But there you are, with your lovely wife and your little boy. Remember? You want me to stop? You didn't. Neither can I. Listen. Another of the People speaks. This one watches you and yours. "They bring their little ones with them, and make those strange caves to put them in. And every time they make a cluster of their caves, they push us farther away. How are they changing the soil? It makes us ill to live among them. This is strange and uncomfortable." "I am here," floated a soft, wispy spore. "I survive, though they changed the ground. I watch. And I do not understand what they are doing or why. But I will watch, and I will report as I can." Ah, you see where this one speaks from. You recognize it, don't you? Good. Watch it and remember. It too is a child. It too knows no better. It can barely even speak, and it is the only one of its kind close enough to learn about you. It is the only one that can live in your terraformed world. And there is your child, sitting underneath it, talking to it in your language. He sits there and tells it of your people, your histories, his daydreams, whatever comes into his head. As children do, he sees the child of the People as a friend, and creates stories about it. And the spores of the child seeped into your son's mind. To a point, they could communicate. It created no children, but it was still life. Why are you crying? Do you remember what you've done, then? It's not enough. Never enough. Not for what you've done. The child of the People told the others of this one child, the one that could communicate with them. Many seeds were propagated from what the child of the People related. The People discussed what their child said of you until the air was golden with spores. Words were created to try to understand what you were and what it meant to them that you were there. And you came upon those children talking to each other. Your son whispered words and motes of golden dust swirled around him. It was then that you started to suspect, then that you feared it was true. And instead of asking, instead of trying to find out if your son was communicating and with who, you hated it. Here there was life, here there was what you had given your life to understanding until you'd given up and agreed to be a colonist, and it spoke only to your son. How dare he? How dare that creature? Everything you'd worked for, everything you'd trained for, and your son stole it right out from under you. You feared that you'd broken your laws with the colony by settling on an inhabited planet. But far more than that, you were angry that they'd chosen your son to talk to and not you. Your son told you gleefully about how he'd met a new friend in the mushroom in your yard. Your response was to confine him to his room and order that he never talk about it. You slapped your wife when she asked you what was wrong. You, who'd sworn to never hit anyone. Who had come to this planet to escape the violence you'd grown up with. You slapped your wife and told her to be silent. From the way you're shaking, you can see her face in your memory, can't you? That horrible look of shock and pain, and then the dullness as she nodded and turned away. You broke her in that one instant. Out of jealousy and fear, you destroyed everything that mattered to you. You went out into your yard and chopped at that poor mushroom, that child of the People, with a kitchen knife because it was the sharpest thing you had. Golden spores swirled around you, but you batted them away. Your son screamed from his room. You yelled at him, over and over, "Shut up! Just shut up!" And you hacked that poor mushroom child down with a kitchen knife, because you thought if you could just get rid of this one mushroom, you could get rid of any proof that non-human life had chosen your son over you. The People rose up against you for that. They had no word for murder or even violence before you came. An entire planet of philosopher-plants, and you taught them violence. Does this please you? All they had were their spores, but they had entire generations of practice in learning how to control them. They sent them at you, as many as they could, with only one message. "Die." Their aim was good. But now the People turn to the rest of the humans, and the colonists are oblivious. There is one who knows, one who could stop the incoming madness. And he sits in his room, tears streaming down his face in complete silence, obeying the last command his father ever gave him. Now it's up to you. Your son won't talk. The last command from his father before he died, before you died, was to shut up. You're begging for mercy, but that's not something you can have. But I don't want the People to die. I have watched over them for a long time, and I wish to watch over them still. But I cannot do it. You can. So I give you have one chance. One, to end the war you started. I give you one last thing you can say to your son. Choose wisely. That is your choice, then? Whisper it to him. And hope it is enough.
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« on: July 15, 2010, 10:47:49 am »
I'm available to do a DM assisted trip to the Deep 19-29 July. How this will work is you have 10 days to explore the deep and get out again. You can do the trip in as many sessions as you want, just remember you only have 10 RL days. At the end of each session I will port everyone back to safety and take any mined ores or gems at the same time. At the start of the next session I will give the group back all the mined items and port them to their former location in the Deep. The times I will be available to port a group is 19 to 29 July from 5pm EDT to 10pm EDT.
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« on: April 10, 2010, 10:49:49 pm »
[SIZE=24]Version 3.21.7 is online![/SIZE]
This version requires the download of layo_controlv3r9.hak and layonara_v23.tlk. If you have not downloaded and unpacked these files yet, please do so now."So what's in this one?" you ask? New Content!- Backpack robe models now display properly
- Three backpack models area now available as cloak customizations
- Knight armor options reflected to apply to both arms
- WLDQ reward for G'ork
- WLDQ reward for Arkolio
Updated Areas!- The Leringard Arms returns!
- The card emporium is once more available
- Leringard Arms monument added to the Twin Dragons
- Angels guild hall fixes and additional statues added
- Remodeled 224 Haft Lake District
- Remodeled 147 Krandor
- Guild hall for Caliomel Goods and Wares added *
- Spawns removed from in and around the Dapplegreen Abandoned Outpost
- Fix spawn location near the Central -> West Deep crossing
- Adjust location of Hurm ship captain
- Fix door descriptions in Castle Mask outskirts to reflect correct location name
- Fix bindstone name in Temple of Prunilla in Castle Mask
- Fixed typo in Mariner's Hold monument description
- Remove map pin in Sadinia for non-existent merchant hall
- Key now dropped for door in Thunder Peaks - Frigid Ruins
- New boss creature placed in Thunder Peaks - Frigid Ruins Cavern
- Ingot recycler added to Runic Anvil Clanhome
- Dragon statue in Fort Vehl temple of Rofirein adjusted
- Add pawn shop to Stort
Other Fixes!- Fixed damage calculation on Sunbeam
- Fixed numerous other typos
- Archery targets and combat dummies should be more durable now
- Adjusted XP messages to not display when crafting under death effects to remove any confusion about whether or not XP is gained (it's not)
- Temple store in Prantz now uses the correct merchant profile
[SIZE=10] * This guild hall is for purchase by the intended Guild leader only. Only this character should purchase the property. Anyone else may end up forfeiting the cost.[/SIZE]
Significant thanks go to Script Wrecked for his many contributions and Alatriel for her on-going remodeling work. Enjoy!
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