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Messages - Shiokara

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21
Just for Fun / A little addict fun
« on: December 25, 2009, 04:23:27 am »
Twas the night before the Giver, when all through the server
Not a creature was stirring, not even a char approver.

The dirt heaps were piled, in Port Hempstead with care
In hopes that donations of shield scrolls would soon be there.

The refugees were nestled, all snug in their tents,
And all the monsters slept, even the treants.

Zahid asked for balance; Argos, a knight of sorts,
Razeriem for more women, and for Steel, witty retorts.

When out on the battlefield there was a great clatter,
We looked to find the Dwarven Army out sorting the matter,

And then came the Angels, the Orc Bashers, too,
And all the other groups and guilds jumped into the stew.

They were saving the world, one day at a time,
From cults and cutthroats and gelatinous slime,

They were sorcs who cast, and bards who sing lyrical,
And fighters who want to de-nerf devastating critical,

There were druids who shift, and rogues who are shiftier,
They were wizards who solo, and whose pixies are thriftier,

They were gallant paladins, and rangers who track,
They were charging barbarians, and clerics had their back.

They were monks, so disciplined and so tame,
And they all rushed into action when the DM-run quest came.

The Narrator called out in his bright yellow text,
Roll me spot, listen, search, and hide checks.

The players obliged, and got ready to play,
The natural 20s could see Santa in the real-world, miles away,

They finished the quest, and used their remembering orbs,
And then logged off, and hit the forum boards.

Off Alazira, Hood!um, Off faedanz, and Gelooo
Off Hellblazer, Lord Dark, Off Andrew, and Tod Fellow.

They all got off to update their CDTs
And then time for bed, and a good night's sleep,

But wait, what's this? They've logged on again,
Just to finish up some crafting, for an hour or ten.

It's what makes them, and this server, dear to me,
Addiction, and then some, to the Layonara company.

Happy holidays!

22
NWN Ideas, Suggestions, Requests / Make Vehl's vendors Large-City Vendors
« on: December 18, 2009, 02:42:47 am »
While I originally thought only to suggest the pawnbroker be switched to the large-city version, I now think that, perhaps, all vendors should be switched to be large-city vendors. Here's why:

1) Vehl is one of the two starting towns, and it isn't fair that the Hempstead starters should get better sell/buy rates, even if it is just a few true (it adds up). This is particularly true for those races who can't go to Hempstead.

2) Lore-wise Vehl's population is only 2,000 people less than Hempstead (47,000 to 49,000 respectively), so it makes a lot of sense to me that Vehl should be considered a "large city" vendor area. It's also a port town, and despite its crooked history (which one may argue is the cause of higher prices), I would argue that a lot of haggling would happen in such a culture such that prices would work out to about the same.
The following users thanked this post: Hellblazer, Ravemore

23
Character Library / Perri Crosby
« on: November 07, 2009, 03:30:32 am »
Name: Perri Crosby
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Age: 26
Alignment: True Neutral
Class: Cleric
Deity: Aragen
Domains: Knowledge / Travel

   Perri was walking through Vehl. He discovered a figure in an alleyway lying down. Upon walking closer to him he saw that he was a man and he was bleeding. Perri did not know if the man could move, but the man did not move. The man was still conscious.
   The man said, "Thank the Gods. Len' me a han' will you? Some runt jus' mugged me an' made off with my dough."
   Perri, standing very still, looked around to see whom the man was talking to.
   "Com'on! I-agh," the man tried to life himself up. He failed and fell down in blood. "I need some help here. I can pay you." The man put his head down in the dirt.
   Perri opened a burlap sack and pulled out a book, a quill, and some ink. He wrote, Subject is male. Found in Fort Vehl on an alley off of, Perri looked around for a marker of where he was, some houses and a general store. Subject called for help. He is bleeding. I can see it by the way the pool of blood is growing under him.
   When Perri rustled through the sack, the man lifted his head. "What are you doing? Please! Just help me." The man coughed.
   Perri looked over the book, into the man's face, then wrote, Subject called for help again, then he coughed. When he coughed blood came down the side of his mouth.
   "Pits, what's wrong with you! Can't you hear me? I'm going to die if you don't help me. Can't you hear me? I'm going to die!"
   Perri wrote, Subject spoke for the third time. He stated the inevitability of his own death. His pupils are smaller now. There is perspiration on his forehead.
   "You're going to burn, do you hear me? For the Gods' sakes are you deaf?"
   Subject is using words that possess a more negative, insulting connotation. No one has come to help him. His breathing is very labored. The pool of blood is expanding more slowly.
   The man's eyes did not leave Perri for a moment. After thirty minutes (Perri was counting in his head) with no change Perri wrote, Subject is dead. His breathing stopped thirty minutes ago. Perri finished writing; put the book, quill, and ink back in the sack; and left the man lying dead in the alley.

   Days later Perri was in the One-Eyed Harpy. An old newspaper was on his table and he was writing the dead man's obituary into his book. Perri could have the subject's name and basic information now. When he was finished, he left the soggy paper exactly as he found it.
   He sent his report to the temple in Bydell Castle on the next ship to Mariner's Hold, to be taken by carrier pigeon thereafter.

***

Perri Crosby does not have any living family members or ties to Layonara. His mother and father died in a raid on the Gypsy Camp (featured on the Alindor map) and he was dropped as a burden at Bydell Castle. The events left him emotionally disaffected by everything around him. He understands human customs because they are written, but has little knowledge aside from texts and observation. This disaffection eventually drove what caretakers he had to eventually disown him, but at the same time made him a very attractive candidate to be a collector in the order of Aragen. Thus, using logic, and not stating his reasons he joined the order. This would be the last effect he would have on the world.

   Note: Perri Crosby is intended as an RP challenge for anyone who is willing to take it. He is intended to be an extremely devout Aragenite. His alignment is True Neutral because he remains completely removed from all events. He records solely facts, and looks towards Aragen as The Great Collector. Keeping in line with Aragen's dogma, this character should probably not speak. In the event one does go out in a party with him, I would suggest remaining in the periphery, and never heal, buff, or do anything. If someone is looking for a character to level and explore the world beyond RP, I do not recommend this character, but as a player, I have always been attracted to those characters who exist in the extremes. With that said, Enjoy.
The following users thanked this post: ShiffDrgnhrt

24
This is quite a small thing, and not something I expect to change, but it's an idea I had so I thought I might post it if it wasn't the kind of thing that would cause too much trouble.

I thought it might be nice to have the backpack customization, the one that's in robes section where it appears the character has a quiver, bow, bedroll, and pack on his back also inserted into the cloak customization screen.

I have two reasons for this: First, the backpack look that is currently in robes is colored off of the secondary cloth color and the primary leather color. This makes it slightly inconvenient for users who don't want their armor to share the same color as their backpack, something which seems it would be a more miscellaneous add-on. I noticed this on my Dwarf mainly because when I thought of making his pack visible it turned out to share the same gray/metallic tones I had for my armor.

The second reason is that having the backpack in the robes option makes it disappear if you change armors. If you had it in the cloaks section it could remain visible, or you could unequip it (say to take it off your back and look through it) and still have your armor on.

It might also make sense to have in the cloaks section as having the backpack customization and a cloak on create clipping problems.

Just some thoughts. I realize this is pretty much nitpicking, but if it's not too much trouble, something to think about?
The following users thanked this post: Gulnyr

25
I just thought I'd start this for a bit of fun discussion. The subject line provides a fair enough summary of the argument, but I'll lay it out clearer here.

Have you ever met one of those people that insists their selfless actions or the selfless actions of others are actually selfish? They usually say that the only reason some people do good things for others is because afterward they can receive praise for those actions, or feel good about themselves knowing that they did a good thing. Thus, all altruistic actions become a means of self-gratification.

In the context of D&D the concept of altruism vs. selfishness is reflected by good vs. evil. In NWN a default good character has an 85 on the good meter. This has already been discussed extensively in another thread, but not in the terms of altruism vs. selfishness. Technically these characters would perform selfless acts 85% of the time and an occasional selfish act (maybe they smoke!) 15% of the time. But is this accurate? This discussion calls the existence, or legitimacy, of the 85% into question.

So what do you think? Does altruism exist? How does it play out in your own RP? Has your chaotic good mercenary slipped into an, "I'm going to get these items because I need them" or a, "What's in it for me" mindset? Do you ever find yourself thinking in the mind of your LG character how this may benefit you? Do you, yourself, feel good when your character does good things for other people? Why is this?

So I may as well get the ball rolling. I believe altruism exists. I think it is a logical fallacy, a kind of faulty cause and effect, to assume that just because I feel good after doing a selfless act that that means I did the selfless act because I knew it would make me feel good. This is not necessarily the case. The outcome of my feeling after the selfless act (or any act), in reality, is uncertain, and so to consider all actions selfish based upon the feeling one gets from performing them seems faulty to me.

So, what do you all think?
The following users thanked this post: ShiffDrgnhrt

26
Rumour Has It / Rumors spread through Hlint!
« on: June 14, 2009, 01:40:51 pm »
The town's gossips all know what the hottest story in town is. Rumors of Elastic (or Ellipsis, or was it Ephasia?), a fire-headed girl, sprout up in streets, inns, and dinner-table discussions of good, decent Hlint folk.

*overheard in the streets between two women talking at market*
"Did you hear the latest about Elastic?"
"No, what?"
"I heard she was spotted in town, twice! You wouldn't believe who she was askin' fer."
"Who?"
"A Duchess-"
"What?"
"She's lookin' fer a Duchess, I said."
"A Duchess, here?"
"That's what I said."
"Well, what's she lookin' round here for a Duchess for? A Duchess 's royalty! Ain't been no royalty 'round here a while. Must be mental."
"Mus' be. 'S sad really."

*In the Wild Surge Inn between old friends*
"You 'ear 'bout Ephasia?"
"Who? Oh!-you mean Ellipsis?"
"No, no. Ephasia, small lass, red hiar, walkin' 'round askin' for food an coin?"
"What, like a beggar?"
"Well no, 'cause if'n ya answer no, I hear she'll fight ya fer it."
"What a lil' girl? Ha-"
"Don't laugh, she'd fix you right on the floor!"
"Reckon she won't, I-"
"Beat a dwarf-"
"What? I never beat no dwarf!"
"She did, she-"
"She what?"
"-boxed him but good I hear."
"Tha's no beggar, 's a bandit! But she a girl you say? Young?"
"Yeah, yeah, real short-like, a kid."
"Well 'en no worries! Can't bother me in here! Barkeep, another round!"
*the men laugh*
"But s'r'ously," one says as he puts down his mug, "What's'is world comin' to, little girl gotta beat up dwarfs for food!"

*two farmers walking along a wall, repairing it when it needs repairing*
"You hear about that girl up yer way, yet?"
"What girl?"
"Elastic'r somethin' like that."
"Oh yeah, her? My wife been tellin' me 'bout her."
"Yeah, 'parently she likes fire."
"Fire, you say?" One man says, looking at his fields, then back to work, "There's a hole there."
"My side," the other says automatically, putting the stones back in place, "She's talkin' 'bout fire 'n balance 'n what not an' boy what a temper."
The other man pauses, "Sure, fire's good fer balance, let's me clear a land easier, an' scorchin' a field can actually help it grow, but it's only so good if yer usin' it fer somethin'."
"'S true, but she says fire's it. Tha's the best'r somethin'."
*The farmers get to the end of the line where the corners turn, finishing their work*
"Well she can stay away from my fields come harvest time."
"Mine, too. Should send her up Jenkins's way, he's got a real nutter, too."
"Oh yeah, heard about him. So, same time next month?"
"Oh sure, but-"
"Good fences make good neighbors, neighbor," says one farmer as he's walking the other way. The statement causes the other farmer to stop and look back.
"Elves."
"What?"
"Oh, nothing."

Other rumors are coming in from the caravans. They speak of curious activity around the goblin caves, as if the goblins had suddenly taken to farming. They report seeing unusual amounts of chickens pecking near the Red Light Caverns. Similarly, there are many strange reports of birds in the area that "look like they're wearing suits". No one is sure why, but one thing is for sure, it seems the adventurers are trying to stop the goblins as the chickens are never seen when there are adventurers around.
The following users thanked this post: Xaltotun, osxmallard, Link092

27
//Lore States, "An annual meeting is held on each of the six major locations on Layonara. During that meeting druids are shifted from position to position or dismissed entirely. From this annual meeting another meeting is held on Dregar for the East and West branches to plan and socialize. After that meeting the two leaders of each branch then travel to the Great Oak to meet and update the Hierophant."

And before that, "Besides their connection to nature, the one thing that unifies this diverse population is the complex, and highly secretive, druidic political order. Each druid has a place within this order, and this place is negotiated and re-established at annual meetings somewhere on Dregar and in more frequent local gatherings. It is said that there is an Arch-Druid, a sort of druidic administrator, who serves as the central unifying agency. His presence in a druid’s life is far less tangible than a High-Druid, who may be the representative of a local grove or forest. These posts are more formal in nature than functional, however, as the connectivity between druids and all living things is the true source of all druidic organizing."

I've interested myself with this topic, but I realized something recently. 1 year on the Layonara calendar according to the Time Conversion page is 22 days, 9 hours, and 36 minutes.

I understand this meeting to be one of the important factors in organizing the druid hierarchy, something I've been considering doing lately, but meeting once every 22 real-life days seems a little too often to me, especially since one can only propose a CDQ once every three months.

How can we evaluate the positions of each druid within the hierarchy if there is not even enough time to further develop one's character from the last meeting? Indeed, it seems there can be cases where even two or three druidic meetings will occur before one can continue to make noticeable changes in the world.

I have to admit, I would like to start making these meetings Player initiated events with DM involvement (that way everyone gets a say in who's moving where in the hierarchy as it appears to me the Druid commune works), but I could never expect such a thing to be set up once every 22 days.

This is an attempt to help bring the druid community to life, in a sense. Right now, it would appear that these meetings where "druids are shifted from position to position or dismissed entirely" are shadowy affairs that none of us are really involved in. I feel like an opportunity is being missed here.

The easiest fix, in my opinion, would be to reduce the frequency of the druidic meetings to say once every three or four years.

Another possible fix would be to change the times in such a way that Layonara time is only slightly closer to our time. This would be very problematic, however, as I seem to recall past concerns about being able to walk huge distances in a short amount of time, and this second fix would only increase that issue.
The following users thanked this post: miltonyorkcastle, Hellblazer, ShiffDrgnhrt

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