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Topics - Dorganath
221
« on: August 02, 2005, 06:14:00 am »
I'd like to take this time to thank everyone who participated in The Cage quest series and especially those of you who participated last night for the end. Thanks for making my first foray into Layo GMing a happy and memorable event. You all did great and I think RPed the tension and events quite well, and you came up with some rather interesting ideas and solutions....some good, others not so much, but it all worked out. And let me say that you all have worked very well together throughout this series...except of course when the tension and suspicion were at a high point. *claps* Well done all! 
222
« on: July 27, 2005, 07:02:00 am »
--- Posted by Authority of the Office of the Karthy Inspector General ---
Second Assistant Harbormaster Barton Rischendalar was found dead of unusual circumstances in his home in Karthy two nights ago. Foul play is suspected. No signs of a forced break-in or struggle. The assailant may have been known to the deceased. The unique condition of his corpse is currently a matter of some concern and investigation.
A large group of people was seen entering and leaving his home prior to the suspected time of his death. The group was well-armed and included several drow, according to the reports of nearby ship captains. One witness reports that one of the group returned later alone. This individual was described as having elven, female build, dressed in black and wearing a hood.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident or the whereabouts of any of the members of this group are requested to contact the Inspector General's office immediately.
223
« on: July 18, 2005, 04:33:00 pm »
All, Sorry about this, but tonight's installment of The Cage series may not run due a critical character's Internet problems. I know this is short notice but I just found out myself. Show up anyway, but check this thread beforehand to see if there is any change. Again, sorry for the last minute change.  UPDATE -- We're going to try this as scheduled, but whether we continue/finish tonight's installment is up in the air.
224
« on: July 17, 2005, 07:53:00 am »
* Posted in towns all around Mistone*
Oclar 19, 1386
Estelle Belvinta, alchemist and long-time resident of Krandor, has gone missing. Estelle is described as an 81 year-old human female, with silver hair and green eyes. She has been in declining health recently and seemed to be experiencing changes in personality and memory loss, which may have led to her disappearance.
She was last seen in her family home in Krandor. Her son, Baker, reported her missing this morning when she did not come to breakfast and her room was empty. No sign of foul play, robery or other criminal activity was found.
If anyone has information related to this disappearance or has seen this woman, please notify the local authorities as soon as possible.
225
« on: July 12, 2005, 06:56:00 am »
Update 5/1/2012 --
I am provisionally opening this thread again, but read through the entire post, as this should not be taken as being generally open. I shall explain.
At this time, I am only taking on requests:[INDENT]a) which pertain to a prior effort (i.e. previous CDQ/WLDQ),
b) which extends something I have done in the past, OR
c) to which I have previously agreed at some point. [/INDENT]For any other requests, I am reserving the right to be extremely choosy regarding any requests that do not fit this criteria at this point. Any who do not fall into one of the three criteria above may be declined or deferred for a fairly long time. It is a simple matter of available time and my desire to not leave hanging loose ends, though it may also be a matter of what I may not wish to address (i.e. certain themes, topics, dogmas, etc). I will provide an explanation with every "no", so that everyone is in understanding of each other. In a perfect world, I'd be more open, but I have to work with what I have. I will also politely decline anything that I feel that you can do on your own, in game, without my help or the help of another GM.
I am also reserving the right to take any requests in the order which works out best for me. It may seem arbitrary, but there is a method to my madness. As with any good madness, it defies being written down in any comprehensible sort of way.
In the spirit of transparency, I'm going to list some things up-front here so that any reading this can understand my style and expectations. Some of this may already overlap with our CDQ rules, but it never hurts to remind or clarify.
General:
For all who make requests, you implicitly agree to my questing style, which is to say there will be opportunities for both success and failure, not necessarily in equal measure. Risks will be proportionate with rewards, and vice versa. I have been known to prod at the sore spots of a character's psyche. I have killed off family members and more. I have found (or fabricated) some seemingly insignificant mote within a character's history and/or ancestry and dragged it in all its ugliness into the light of day. Yes, I'm cruel like that, but at the same time I will still make every effort to make a quest personal to your character, not just some railroaded story of my own creation with your character as the accidental main character.
I believe firmly in the Calem Rule, and in my interpretation this means that actions produce results, for good or ill. Failure is always an option, even critical failure. However, failure is not always the end of the road. There are opportunities in every failure...usually.
I expect my questers to put forth an effort. Clearly, everyone is different in their ability and style, so I do not expect perfection, only effort. The sum of your efforts will determine the outcome of the quest.
I expect my questers to play their characters, not play to the expected results. Opportunities are not always obvious. Do not rely on pure mechanics to save you. They'll help; they have their place, but remember that I've already taken them into account. More important will be your role play and how you apply your characters strengths, abilities and characteristics, whether mechanical or not.
Given the nature of my available time, I may run a CDQ in a rather unconventional means. There may be a fair reliance on "offline" methods in addition to in-game actions. Unless absolutely needed, I will not be time-bubbling anything. This means time will pass between sessions...possibly not as much as our accelerated game time would suggest, but time will pass.
It is my intent to maintain a high degree of internal consistency, whether it be with world lore or PC/NPC characteristics. I will not be entertaining any unsanctioned variances just because the player may wish them. Time passes outside of the quest. The world rolls on. No quest is an island. You just might change the world, but possibly not in the way you expect. I will also discuss, in the fullest manner appropriate, the results and what they might mean, whether positive or negative.
When choosing people to accompany you on your CDQ, choose wisely. I will also let the missteps and actions of your party affect the outcome.
CDQs/GCDQs:
From my perspective, CDQ requests are simply that: requests. Assuming it is reasonable, I will set up a scenario by which a quester can achieve his/her goal(s), but it is by no means a guarantee. Like I said above, failures can have their own opportunities. Sometimes you have to fail to succeed...I've actually had that happen several times. Do not request a CDQ with me and expect to pass. Do not get upset at me when you fail because you didn't do what was needed. I will try to set up a situation where there is a path to success, but I will not guide anyone forward through that path. That's your job, not mine. Success will be an option, always, but the difficulty of that success will depend directly on the magnitude of the reward for that success.
The grander the CDQ request, the more likely it will be broken up into multiple CDQs. The more general the request, the more I will put my own spin on things. I do not do pre-written results or pre-defined outcomes. If you want to write your own CDQ, ask another GM. By this, I don't mean the endpoint so much as the path. If you want a new class, achieve status within an organization or some other sort of specific endpoint, these are all fine, but you will have to earn them and it may not be easy or clean. It may actually be quite messy, and your character may bear the scars.
GCDQs are for a well-defined group, not just a bunch of friends or the like. This means a guild, deity association, or something of the sort. The goal of a GCDQ should reflect the goals of the group as a whole, not of a single individual.
For CDQs, the party size should be kept small. This is for your benefit as much as it is for mine. The more people I have to manage, the more time it will take, and the more likely it is that you will run out. It also becomes less personal for you if you cart along a lot of people. I recommend three or fewer people total, though I am willing to entertain some leeway with a good reason.
For GCDQs, obviously there may be a larger group of people working to the same end. As such, I will allow any number of people on a GCDQ up to twenty (20) people, and that simply for performance reasons. The added condition here is that the members of a GCDQ party must belong to the group in question or have a very solid reason why they should be part of the effort.
Please give me the courtesy of letting me know, in advance of a quest session, who is expected to attend.
Specifically for group efforts, you will succeed and fail as a group. Keep that in mind.
PCDQs:
Plot CDQs are likely to stretch out over some period of time, and they likely will not follow the general CDQ format, which is to say they may not be run in “sessions” or have a distinct beginning or end. The plot is not monolithic, and neither is any CDQ based upon it. Actions will build upon actions. Results will build upon results. Your past actions can and will come back to you in some way, for good or ill. Be prepared. You can also walk away at any time. The world will move on.
At this time, there is only a narrow range of plot-related issues for which I will entertain PCDQ efforts. I'm not going to disclose them either. If you ask, and I say “no” then it's probably not on the list. I will, however, attempt to direct you to someone else who may be able to assist.
WLDQs:
For as choosey as I am about CDQs, I am even moreso about WLDQs, given the nature of such quests and investment required in preparing and running them. As such, I'm only going to accept requests that I feel I can do with justice and the appropriate level of attention I feel they deserve. Otherwise, I'm going to decline. Do not be offended. It's better for everyone that way.
Everything that applies to CDQs (of all types) and in general will apply even more strongly to WLDQs. This is especially true for the comments regarding playing one's character (not just one's character sheet) and party composition.
Party size for a WLDQ must be a minimum of three, which is to say the WL candidate and at least two other people. I will place no limits but the practical ones upon WLDQ party size, but I highly recommend keeping the the party limited to those who can help or who the character would have along on such a task. This can change over the course of the WLDQ, of course.
As with CDQs, I request the courtesy of knowing who you intend to invite to your WLDQ. This can change as circumstances change, but I like to be prepared.
Am I done yet?:
I'm sure there's more, but it's long enough already and hopefully this will give everyone a good idea as to what to expect from a CDQ run by me.
226
« on: July 10, 2005, 09:27:00 am »
First let me say I'm flattered by the response to my first official quest as a GM. There are 27 people (at last count) signed up for this quest, and all I can say is, "wow!" The following, however, is a heads-up. Unfortunately, this is a problem in several ways. I stated a party limit of "10-ish" characters. While I'm willing to relax the party size limitation a bit, 27 is not going to happen. Early last week, I ran an impromtu introduction to this quest, and it drummed up interest in about 12 people by the end. Several of those people specifically asked when this was being posted and/or the name of the quest so they could resume what they had started that night. In the interest of being fair to those people, I included a note on the event that preference will be given to those who participated in that prelude event. To keep anyone from being surprised or shocked tomorrow night when we all gather in Krandor, I'm letting you know right up front here that not everyone who signed up will be able to participate. Those who took part in the prelude will be included automatically if they wish. Of those who are left, I will need to thin the ranks. I posted a limit of approximately 10 for several reasons: 1) It's a limit I fell comfortable with as a GM, especially as a new GM. 2) a small-to-medium sized party, I think, works better together than a larger one. I want people to have fun, not be frustrated by chaotic activities of sub-factions within their party, which is supposed to be working together to solve a common problem. 3) larger parties produce lots of server lag, and when 40+ players are on one server, whether in the party or not, the effects are strongly felt everywhere. Future installments of this series may take place on Central to lighten the load on West. If that is the case, then I may be willing to accept a larger party. This first installment, however, was envisioned and planned for West. Everyone who is signed up at the time the quest starts is welcome to show up, but some of you will be sent away. I will be taking more than 10 characters, but exactly how many more will be decided Monday night. Please do not feel offended if you are not asked to join the group this time. Party size limits are in place for a reason. I'm trying to be as fair as possible, but it's not really fair to anyone if lag and chaos prevent the entire server from having a good time. I'm sorry to have to do this, but I thought you all deserve to be warned of the possibility now rather than find out when the quest starts and we all spend 30 minutes debating this when we could be questing. If anyone has any questions or comments, feel free to post them here or PM me.
227
« on: July 07, 2005, 10:14:00 am »
*Posted up in various places around Haven, Hlint, Fort Llast, Leilon, Fort Hope, Port Hampshire and Fort Velensk*
Name: Unknown
Description: a figure, presumed human, covered in dark robes, often seen carrying a walking stick and a lantern made from a skull.
This individual is wanted for questioning regarding the discovery of various dead and drained creatures, including one of the Queen's guards. Reports have been received of the figure walking through Hlint, in the Krandor and Zainge River area, near Fort Llast and the road between Fort Llast and Hlint.
This figure should be considered very dangerous. If spotted, do not approach, but notify the local authorities as soon as possible with any information regarding these sightings.
228
« on: July 07, 2005, 05:03:00 am »
I just wanted to let you know our thoughts are with you this morning.
229
« on: September 16, 2013, 09:49:54 pm »
DM Name: Æther
Forum Name: Dorganath
Timezone: Central US (GMT -6:00)
Real Name: Steve
Occupation: Professional and father, not necessarily in that orderI've been rattling around in the D&D universe since the late 1970's when a good friend of mine (waves to dfiremann) told me about this cool game where you get to play wizards and fighters and go find treasure and explore and solve puzzles and of course kill nasty monsters. I was instantly hooked. Since that time, I've spent untold hours on either side of the GM screen involved in a world that was as rich as the players themselves could make it....all the while consuming massive quantities of Doritos, pretzels, chips, sour cream and onion dip and beverages of many varieties (Dr. Pepper being a steady favorite). Life went on and our group got separated by distance and the growing responsibilities of real life. NWN came along and I thought, "WOW! This would be great and we could get the old group back together...." though sadly, it never quite took shape. But then, that same good friend of mine told me about this place called Layonara, and I was hooked all over again.Since I've joined Layonara, I've been a player, GM, developer and eventually a site/world administrator. These latter duties haven't left much time for the former, but I'm still plotting behind the scenes. When I do GM, I love telling the story and putting characters into situations where there may be more than one way out. Each way may end in success to varying degrees, or it may end in utter failure or at least a more difficult hill to climb from that point forward. The easy, obvious way is not always the best way or the right way...or even a way that will work at all. Then again, sometimes it is. *evil GM snicker*I'd like to see my players use all their abilities and skills to solve the problems I put before them, even if it is somewhat outside of what the game's mechanics can directly support. I generally welcome non-standard ideas and actions, and I'm more than willing to let the players influence my stories...up to a point, that is. Hints and such will be dropped, if you know where to look. Good playing and problem solving will be rewarded. Bad playing and general disarray will be dealt with. You will be allowed to dig your own hole, and I'll provide the shovel....just do not expect a rescue. Simply put, play smart and play your character.Overall, though, I want the players to have fun, or be challenged, or be amused....because these are the things I enjoy about the game. Constructive feedback is always welcomed, as I know I am far from perfect. As I tell my wife, I am a work in progress!I'm not generally running any quests directly. Those efforts I'm doing in some way line up with other motives I have or because I found both time and interest. As such, many of you may not directly experience my style of GMing. However, should such a thing come to pass, or if I decide to throw something up on the calendar, most of my quests will take place on evenings and weekends in the US/Canada timezones. Weeknight quests will be shorter, on the order of 2-3 hours at a time, to hopefully get some players involved who cannot make a typical 4-6 hour quest during the week. I generally do not run groups larger than 8-10 people except in special circumstances. Level requirements and limits, where applicable, will be somewhat flexible, with the understanding that they're suggested levels for a reason. The same goes for party size limits. I am presently more likely to run world- and plot-level events.Oh, and about the name....It was once believed to be the medium that filled empty space until science figured out that empty space truly is empty. Still, it seemed fitting and I thought it sounded neat. Oh yeah, I'll answer to "Aether", "Ether", "Dorganath" and sometimes "Hey you!". If you're really interested, hold down the Alt key then type 0198 on the keypad.
230
« on: June 09, 2005, 05:27:00 pm »
"I'm telling you...they were acting strange."
"Nah, cats is always strange, lad."
"No, I mean more than usual....like they were attacking something."
"Eh? Like what?"
He shrugs, "I dunno...the air."
"The air? Lad, you've been hitting the ale too hard lately."
"I'm telling you...it's not normal...even for cats."
"Bah! Probably jest got inter the catnip...."
231
« on: May 28, 2005, 06:07:00 pm »
I have in my possession the following for immediate sale:
Iron light mace
Iron light flail
Iron battleaxe
Also...
Iron bastard sword with Frost Enhancement II
Contact me to arrange for a sale or trade
-- Connor
232
« on: May 21, 2005, 06:01:00 am »
I want to thank vgn for a great series, and I also want to commend those on this last installment for the excellent teamwork! We were a small group and not overly strong, and I think we all worked very well together.
Good job all!
233
« on: May 17, 2005, 07:16:00 pm »
After this last update, I went to talk with Garent, just to see his reaction, and I still get the "Leave me to my rounds! I don't have time for young adventurers."
The character I used has 13 character levels, and has had Garent's quest in his journal since before it was changed to a higher level quest.
Thought someone would like to know...
234
« on: May 10, 2005, 05:43:00 am »
...for keeping us on our toes when leaving the Haven mines. Nothing like a few Ogre Cheiftains coming at the party from all possible directions to make one appreciate the exit to that cave...mine...whatever.
Oh...and also for the yummy pie afterward. *drools*
235
« on: May 06, 2005, 03:04:00 pm »
Oak Light Crossbow (( +1 to hit, Level 5))
Iron Dagger (( +1 to hit, Level 5))
Iron Mace ((+1 to hit, Level 5))
2000 gold each. Reasonable trades accepted.
Contact Connor
236
« on: May 03, 2005, 06:58:00 pm »
I have one light oak crossbow for sale or trade.
Contact Connor to work out a deal.
237
« on: April 22, 2005, 06:27:00 am »
OK, maybe this is a HAK issue on my end...but just in case.... A couple times now, I have been customizing some armor in the craft hall, and I would be cycling through the options for torsos, for example. What would happen is that while I continue to hit "Next", the style would not change for several iterations. Then it would start changing again and go on as normal. If I reversed and hit "Previous" it would eventually stop changing again until I got past a certain number of styles. This was all very predictable and repeatable. Here's an illustration of what I saw: (-> = next, Style B -> Style C -> Style C ->Style C -> Style D -> Style E -> Style F... Going back the other way (start at the right).... ... Style A
238
« on: December 20, 2004, 12:15:00 pm »
[SIZE=13]* the writing is hurried, but very legible * [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]"If you want to remember something, write it down." -- Arthur Garvill [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]Not very original advice, and certainly not a saying of his own making, but it is perhaps one of the truer bits of wisdom my father...my adoptive father, that is...ever gave. I wish of all times I would have heeded his advice after I arrived here in this strange place called Layonara. More has happened to me in these few months than in my entire life up until this point. Before I forget anymore, I must put these thoughts down in my journal. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]Where to start...Perhaps, at the beginning. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]I guess I've been different all my life. I was the only orphan in my home village of Osterhaf, which was within the protection of King Althain VII on the northern continent of a world called....curses! I have forgotten the name of my world already. It may come to me in time. I do remember it was some word in an ancient, forgotten tongue which meant "ground" or "rock" or something silly like that. Anyway... The people I called my parents, the ones who raised me, were a human couple named Arthur and Elaia Garvill. My father was a woodsman. Made furniture and homes for people. We lived right outside of town along the main road. They always wanted a child, but it never worked out for them. My coming to them was something of a blessing, despite the fact that I quite obviously wasn't their true child. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]Which brings me to another reason I was different...slightly pointed ears...like the Elves. Elves were things of stories, of legend, of fables. In truth, no one had really ever seen one, and it caused people to be suspicious of me, to fear me....though out of respect for my father, they were rarely hostile. I grew my hair out a bit to cover the tips of my ears. It kept the questions to a minimum....questions I could not answer. I can only assume that I am half-elven, because I do not carry all the markers and traits of elves. I don't really know, however, as there are precious few clues to my true ancestry.(note in margin: be sure to include what I do know later) [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]A third thing I discovered at an age early enough to really scare me. I found that I could do things that other people could not. One day...night actually...darker than most. I was about 13 years old at the time. There was no moon and the stars were obscured by clouds. It was cold, and I always had more trouble seeing in the dark when it was cold. I had returned home before my parents and I was looking for a lantern so I could see well enough to light a fire. I found the lantern alright, hanging in its spot next to the door, but I could not find a sparker (a special rock and a rough piece of metal....flint and steel they call it here) to light it. So after the third or forth time that I banged my shin on the furniture, I remember thinking how nice it would be once I got that light. As the thought passed my mind, I felt something roll over me...through me even. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]And before I knew what was going on, the lantern flared to light. But it was not burning, it was just giving off light. "How extrordinary" I remember thinking...right before I realized the enormity of what had just happened and dropped the lantern in a panic and ran from my home. After a while, several minutes, an hour, not really sure...I caught my breath and went back in the house. There was the lantern, on the rug, still giving off light and yet cool to the touch. Cautiously, I picked up the lantern and convinced myself that there was nothing really to fear. I used the light, located a sparker and some tinder, then built a fire in the hearth to warm the chill night. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]I debated whether or not I should tell my parents of this. I wasn't really sure how it happened, if I had done it or if I could even do it again. But I could not conceal it, for my father returned home while the lantern still glowed. To my amazement he did not seem surprised by this at all. We talked at length about what had happened. That night, he told me two things. First, I must be careful and not let anyone else see me do that, if I can help it at all. Second, he told me of the night I was found by them.... But I will need to continue this another time. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]My hand is cramping and I am tired. [/SIZE]
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