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[The First page is left blank. A canvas for thoughts, for art, for a dedication as all things should have...]

[Amenya Graen.]

Several letters are dispatched to the following individuals, each practically copies of one another...
The addressed individuals are as follows: Amelie of Kulamet, Zyaeed of Wroth, Khalid of Warad, Mari of Gellema, and Marcellus of Idzu.


[

Blessings of the Mother B'aara upon you,

As you are each aware, War is upon us.



The Mother weeps for what is to come.

Agaslakku sharpens his axe, eagerly.

Idzu draws up plans, his knowledge without equal.

Kula readies the earth, for the blood and growth to come.

Gellema twists the odds, and tilts the scales of fate.

Warad shifts the sands, and only through him can we hope to find our way.

The Twindari prepare their rites, for the dead who are sure to come.

And Wroth... Wroth prepares for long due vengeance. His terrible toll.


Each, must hear our earnest pleas. To know they are desired. To hear the cries of their children in word and in deed.
Tomorrow, I shall call for the faithful to gather. To usher up our pleas, a voice from each of the spokes.


I shall offer up meaningful sacrifice, that they might know the sincerity of my desire.

I ask that you join me, in this holy task.


Tomorrow, I shall call. Will you answer?


Prelate, Magistrate, Waterbearer.

Servant of the Mother,

Amenya Graen.

A letter is delivered to the Ambassador, Housed within Ephia's Well, for his consideration...

Esteemed Ambassador,

Where I'm from, a guest is greeted as a friend, and offered drink and food aplenty. They say its poor form to retire to rest before all of your guests have had their fill - And so, I'd wager I owe you as many drinks as you can handle in a sitting. Want to find that limit?

Still, I have more duties than being a good host. Reckon I've got a formal request for you, on behalf of Ephia's Well. We're marching to a battle like few others in recent history. Four armies are to fight, and we're looking for an edge - Baublium specifically. Nice, shiny blue stone that's got magic all through it.

We'd hear your terms for however much you have, if you have any at all to spare.

I'll be waiting for an answer -

Prelate & Magistrate Amenya Graen, Waterbearer of B'aara.

[A letter is left in Legate Marcellus' Care, to be delivered or not as he sees fit.]

Honored Legate,

As you requested, I've prepared a few letters for some of the Esteemed Ambassadors of our neighbors. However, it was made clear that we do not have an ambassador for Baz'eel - as we are a part of Baz'eel's demense.

As such, I figure I'll leave it to you to decide who this' delivered to, if at all. I've left it merely addressed to the 'Esteemed Representative' as appropriate.

Let me know if you need anything else, yes? I've written to Frostport, and will take a trip to Bafansi soon.

-Magistrate Graen.

Most Esteemed Representative of our Holy Sultan, Osman VI Maribid

I write to you now on behalf of the Mother, and Ephia's Well.

We march to war, to protect the innocent and the Sultan's lands from an encroaching threat.

Three armies are set to face us - A sibilant force, a warhost of the Thousand Clans, and the scattered remnant of Orentid origin.

We of Ephia's Well prepare judiciously for this War, and as such, we have a request for the Charity of Baz'eel. We have need for Baublium. As much as may be spared.

The Mother teaches mercy to the downtrodden, the weak, and innocent. We of Ephia's Well aspire to adopt these teachings, risking everything for the sake of scattered refugees who'd be doomed to death and slavery elsewise.

Your demonstration of these values, however, could very well shift the minds of many of these very same Refugees to align with that of Mother Baz'eel.

Should you wish a more private meeting to discuss the details, I am at your leisure.

Prelate & Magistrate Amenya Graen, Waterbearer.

[Two letters are writ in a shaky hand. They're fortunately rather free of most spelling errors, though the grammar can use some work. They vary wildly in tone, clearly displaying some political sense, though whether they're on their mark for each ambassador is yet to be seen. They're assigned to one 'Deputy Chief Scribe Aaisha']

Esteemed Ambassador,

Where I'm from, a guest is greeted as a friend, and offered drink and food aplenty. They say its poor form to retire to rest before all of your guests have had their fill - And so, I'd wager I owe you as many drinks as you can handle in a sitting. Want to find that limit?

Still, I have more duties than being a good host. Reckon I've got a formal request to you, on behalf of Ephia's Well. We're marching to a battle like few others in recent history. Four armies are to fight, and we're looking for an edge - Baublium specifically. Nice, shiny blue stone that's got magic all through it.

We'd hear your terms for however much you have, if you have any at all to spare. Trade, favors, you name it, and we'll talk.

I'll be waiting for an answer -

Prelate & Magistrate Amenya Graen, Waterbearer of B'aara.

Esteemed Ambassador,

I write to you now on behalf of the Mother, and Ephia's Well.

We march to war, to protect the innocent and the Sultan's lands from an encroaching threat.

Three armies are set to face us - A sibilant force, a warhost of the Thousand Clans, and the scattered remnant of Orentid origin.

We of Ephia's Well prepare judiciously for this War, and as such, we have a request for the Charity of Baz'eel. We have need for Baublium. As much as may be spared.

The Mother teaches mercy to the downtrodden, the weak, and innocent. We of Ephia's Well aspire to adopt these teachings, risking everything for the sake of scattered refugees who'd be doomed to death and slavery elsewise.

Your demonstration of these values, however, could very well shift the minds of many of these very same Refugees to align with that of Mother Baz'eel.

Should you wish a more private meeting to discuss the details, I am at your leisure.

Prelate & Magistrate Amenya Graen, Waterbearer.

Sergeant Anahit. Don't reckon we've talked much, since your duties keep you busy locked away in the basement, more often than not. But there's a few questions I've got, if you're willing to lend answer.
I was patrolling the Creep, as I still aim to do, despite being dismissed from the Fourth, trying to keep folk safe. And, well, I'll leave out of paper what I found down there. But more questions than answers have come of it.

1: Who would've cursed those known as Craven, as they're called now? I've had Djinni and worse mentioned, but I reckon you might know their enemies better...

2: How was the Orentid worship of the Pilgrim different from B'aara? I have heard three names, now. The Pilgrim. The Mother, B'aara, and Ephia.

I'm hoping you might be able to give a better answer than the Mother's of Baz'eel. I'm not above helping you as I can. Just ask.

-Waterbearer Graen

A journal, written and kept by Amenya Graen. Bound amateurishly with three metal pins pierced through leather and paper, bent to be kept secure...

Who are you?

At the start of the page is a symbol of two hands, raising an orb above them. It could only be Her water that they raise - a Symbol of B'aara's faith.

Illul 4th, IY 7787. Today I start writing. My own advice given to others - find time for yourself,  find who you are - taken. Reckon it's not as easy as saying "I'll do this later", or "Ink costs too much, I have higher priorities".  Who was I?

I am Amenya  Graen. Born in the town of Hardinsdale. Folk called it the home of the "Best steers you've ever seen!" or "That shithole down south", depending on where you lived.  My Ma and Pa...
... They were simple folk, as I remember them. Julie ... and Josieah...  Graen.  I always called them Ma and Pa though. Is.. that why It's hard to remember them..? We were farmers. Wheat, Yellat, beans, corn. Well ... they were. As soon as I was old enough to leave the nest, I went to the town proper and enlisted in the Milita. Had it in my mind to make my own way. Think I was really just running from their attempts to get me married off to the Yakesh boy.

But then... I don't know how long it was, that I was there. Everything from getting to town to... getting here, was a blur. Is, a blur. It's like it never mattered enough to be remembered, but that can't be right. Who forgets their own life?
Still, my next memory is from 'Awaking' within our present home. The 'Bounteous Garden' of our 'Blessed' Sultan, Osman VI, glory to his name. I awoke in a storm. An ash storm, the likes of which I've only seen once since. It felt like my skin was being torn from my bone, I couldn't see a thing, and worst - such a terrible thirst as I've never felt since filled my whole body. I've had a dry tongue, a headache - lack of water, as it were. But this? My very bones were dry. My eyes, like syrup. I could feel my lungs sticking - and it was /wrong/. But I was saved, from a terrible death as I came to learn.

Stonefolk, from the Tablet of Ephia's well. Why they were in the desert, I don't know. How they found me? I don't know. But by Her mercy, I live - as I was brought to the one place where a half dead refugee like myself would be given a chance...
And there, I found faith. Old Beatu was giving his morning prayers for Her protection from the rising sun - He calls it the 'Baleful Sun, Pra'raj' - and I decided to join in. And.. then I felt Her. Oh, it weren't much of a change. Barely more than a few droplets on my hands. But in that moment, She heard me, and answered.

I was chosen. Reckon I don't know why, or what she sees in me. But *She* *Heard* *Me*. I can never thank Her enough for sparing my life, for giving me a second chance in this world. To be reborn, to start anew. 

Lieutenant Colmes.

Knowing you as I do - I imagine you're confused. Hurt, or at the very least frustrated. Feeling betrayed by my announcement this eve.

Know this - My loyalty is, as always, ever more to B'aara and our Well. To the Sultan who rules this land, and to the people who dwell within.

Why did I chose not to seek Candidacy, Legateship? Time. Patience. This will not be the only election - in time, another will come. And another after that. And so on. I am not ready, and this is not the time to put what meager assets and allies I have to use to claim a seat. I don't have that capital - real, or political - to make it work without compromising. And so I will wait and work diligently to be ready for the next.

In the mean time - I will work to ensure a Purple  Legate, who may be favorable to the Fourth. I will take up the position of Magistrate, to better dispense Justice. I will speak within the Assembly, to enact change. I will fight beyond the Well, to protect Her.

Nothing has changed, but the time that I chose to act.

I'll keep the details close to my chest, as I'm sure you do and understand well the reasons why.

I hope this helps you to understand. Ask, if you've questions, and I'll try to answer.


In Her service -

Waterbearer Amenya Graen, Citizen of Ephia's Well.

Hey! I had an idea, might be cool, might not be.

Djinn-Touched. The cursed and misbegotten, these people have been tainted by the nefarious Djinn. What foul powers they may possess are uncertain.

Unique mechanic: The roachman mechanic. Rolled stats at 1,5,8 or whatever they used to be, with 1 locked at 18 and all else random. Some minor perks depending on what flavor / theme of Djinni you chose.

Possibly KOS or at least not welcome in the Wheel?

Apothar Vergal. Our interactions of late have been less than cordial, in light of current investigations against yourself and Nadiri Bestworth.

I do not know how, or why, but you may rest at ease today. My leadership has ordered the investigation ceased.

This investigation is closed.

I want this to be the last time we hear about it.

Lieutenant Cherkes Faral Teg

Wroth is most unpleased, as a death is unanswered for. Fortunately, I worship Baara am deaf to Wroths cries of anguish.

However, there is one matter yet still standing between final closure for all parties: The name and true history of the deceased.

With such, the deceased may be remanded to the afterlife, to begin again as is right.

Thank you for your forbearance.

Blessed be the Mother,

-Janissary Amenya Graen.

[A letter is delivered by way of Lynneth, some time after a meeting]

Acolytes,

It is with heavy heart that I write you. There has been a murder within our City, and the IVth has exhausted its means of investigating the case by our methods.

The Astronomers are unwilling to assist us, as the Victim was one of theirs, and the accused were also of the Astronomers.

Thus, I turn to you. Are there any means within your sisterhood that you might peer through the mists of time?

Your assistance would help solve this case, and I would owe you a favor.

Sincerely,

Janissary Amenya Graen.

I am not sure if this is desireable, hence the suggestion. Maybe a 5 item storage in the Krak for each room?  300 gold downpayment, 280 / week for resting. It is nice, but a small storage would be massive.

Thanks!

Please. Please, please. For the love of all that is good and holy. Add a 'shortcut' back. The quest is... very long to get to the end, running all the way back is... a lot.

Please.

As per the title, please make the reliquary quest a static quest. One of the primary complaints i have heard with clerics is the difficulty in finding any relic with their domains to use.

The Reliquary quest fulfills this design flaw, as it provides a relic of the clerics domains. It is hard to abuse as only a cleric can take the quest, alone, and only a single time.

The only ways to acquire relics that I am aware of, outside of a few edge cases where stores exist, is through DM love or grinding the Ghost Goblin quest.
This is a negative experience.

As it stands, the reliquary is located in an explorable ( to the best of my knowledge ) that rarely spawns as the server rarely exceeds 30 hours of up time.

Moving the quest to a static point would allow for clerics to have a relic of their domains, though not of guaranteed quality, and allow for more relics to enter the game world, creating more opportunity for these relics to be used. This would be a net positive.

I do not know why the quest was in an explorable in the first place, outside of the design philosophy of the module being dedicated to exploration. The system that was implemented for this philosophy (explorables) struggles to address irregularity in player activity and server uptime,  thus making relics dependent on DMs.

This change would improve the state of the game world and lessen the burden of the dms.

Thoughts? Thank you for your consideration.

So, I'm not sure when or how this works, but it's been a thing for awhile now. Creatures that should NOT be following stealth pc's suddenly lock on, run up to a pc, and follow them regardless of whether or not they are visisble. Not 'hearing', either.

I am current invisible with 41/38 hide and move silently, yet the instant I enter an area creatures of all factions run up to me and dog my character's tail. Currently, that's an Elite Blood hunter (possibly with spot / listen), and then a random pack of kobolds who should NOT have 20+ spot / listen, even if they could see through invisibility.


I know this has been a issue for months.

I am a druid in badger form, character name Dehkati, level 6. Underweald, Toad Stool forest.

Hark! The time grows neigh, to bid this world I love, goodbye.
My journey ended, my battles won, yet still I question what I've done.
As the Waters take my soul to sleep,  still I question who my friend will keep?
Shall I go to rest beyond, will the they weep for me, gone?

These things are not for me to fear, for the Waters are whirling near.
Soon I shall know peace foretold. I only wish I were old.

Goodbye this world I love. Till we see eachother once more -

It is better to die a hero, than live to see yourself become the villain.

I have a fair amount of screenshots, but I'll try to boil it down to what matters - I don't want to gloat.

Backstory: She was a bastard child, her mother having fled to Ticker among the rebellion, and her father dying in it. She grew up working hard alongside other such bastards - one being Trystan De Grey - before finding the waters, and making her way as a young adult studying and working as a mercenary. Thus, she became a rather comedic example of a priestess, about to go on a journey of a lifetime.

[hide=Stats]
Creation Date: 2020-06-15 21:22:00


[/hide]

As you might tell, she did a fair amount of significant, and good, things in her life. Yet, lets start at the beginning, shall we?

[Hide=At the Beginning...]
Valatina, fresh out of the lowbie circuit, was pulled along on a mission by Priscilla Klink to free the debt-slaves from the Vault. It didn't turn out so well.


But she impressed the Sons of Conquest, and at the request of her childhood friend, Trystan De Grey, joined.

She was a shorter woman then, leading to quite hilarious situations. I swear a dm made her taller.


But, in the middle of a war, there is always loss.

Valatina fought in a dangerous quest among many heroes to slay the Kasseax Queen - -- In ring 100, those risking death gather in a grim line. Their names to be remembered: Loric, Inquisitor Tristan, Valentina, Erlik, Godfrey, Merildir, Pebby, Bido, Beremud, Bergron, Larken, Tay'fi, and Mandy. --
Those that survived, became swift friends and for a select few - sisters and brothers.
-- The survivors and Jeffry return to ring 100, victorious. Bloodied... much fewer... but great. Each one, a hero...---- And they return to a failing defense, and a falling ring... --

Yet only a few did. Valatina, Erlik, Merlidir, Mandy, and Tay'fi.

Most, she was unable to put to rest. But one? She buried within the Waters, ensuring their peace forever. Oh, should I mention Trystan was the last scion of House De Grey, rightful owners of Grey Keep? She duo'd with Trystan with the intent of reaching 71 and claiming it.



Obviously, there was some sleepless nights. Sarah was especially savage.


Valatina fought hard throughout the Torc War, taking part in the final battle and helping to ensure Krown's demise...



Yet Glitt only joined at the request of the retainers - And, with Valatina pledging her service. And so began the middling part of her life.
[/hide]

[hide= The middling...]

She looked badass after joining Glitt.

She joined an adventuring band among a few friends. Together, they made it to the ninety second.

A few escapades, along the way...

Yet always, there is a turning point. Special thanks to @tinfoilhat. She was the one that turned Valatina from merely flirting with the idea of dedicating herself, to actually *DOING* what was right. There's a lot of missed context, but essentially they were arguing why Valatina would not stand up to an infernalist.

Valatina then began to stand up for what was right.

She traveled the plains, for her friends...
[PLACEHOLDER FOR SPOILERS]

A Slaver - Later known as Clarence De Foye - began to hunt down a man by the name of Joseph Null. And, having sworn to defend him? She did. She fought a duel to the death the day after, and layed the man to rest after converting him to the Waters.

She fought Elvur Al-Urv, Forever Cursed *three times* and made him flee. Always with 3 people or less.


But eventually, the days took their toll. Her friends started to die. And so, she gave those she could the best gift she had.


Not all is dreary, though! Her friend, Merlidir of the Wayward - One of the survivors of the Torc War - brought to her an orphan. Valatina considered what to do with the child...

She did the right thing - And adopted her. Her name? Melody - for Merlidir, who saved her - Lucretia Felton.



And then I took a month long break to deal with real life, and so ended the middle part of her life.

[/hide]

[hide=The End.]

I don't have many from the end of her life. There's not much to say, except for the very very end. She took part in helping for the tourney. Took care of a few plots, was heavily involved in ringrunning and helping to organize future endeavours - But her primary goal was helping a friend. One who she had stood by and had been helped by since the near beginning.
So she began a ritual. Her friend had complete faith in her. Again, an untrained merely human priestess, attempting to reach out to the divine? Surely doomed to failure. The results were laughable.



Yet still, she was offered a choice.

The ending was sure. The rest? Private. Yet one thing is certain...


[/hide]

[Hide=Loot]

She had only one bit of personal loot. The Ever-Dripping Blade. Typo and all.




[/hide]

And so ends Valatina. It was a blast! I'll see you all soon.

And remember...

It is better to die a hero than live to see yourself become  the villain.

Hey. While discussing the recovery xp aspect of the server, I came across the idea of making exploration xp permanent. Even if changes do not happen to recovery xp, I believe this suggestion is worth the effort to consider.

Currently, there is a rogue perk, explorer, that makes 1/2 of all experience gained from exploration as permanent, and works retroactively. Why not make that a baseline for all pc's?

Currently, xp gained from exploration is lost on death, as it's counted as normal experience. This feels odd, as exploration is part of the driving factors of CoR through ringrunning.

Why should a veteran ring runner who has traveled to baz'eel and back be "weaker" than a otherwise unmentionable character who has grinded trolls to get to the same level?

I truly feel that it it would be a cool incentive for people to actually go through the incredible effort of exploring, that can be felt more tangibly.

Note, I'm not complaining at all about how the ring running experience is, simply a suggestion to make exploring in its entirety more worthwhile.

As the title says, in the OPTIONAL content of the Sahuagin prince fight, there is a box of supplies that generates loot for each player who opens it.

But it can't be opened in my attempts to day from every angle.

Hey. So, take this with a grain of salt considering we just got stomped doing the *OPTIONAL* portion of the quest.


But I really do think that the current design of the fight with the Prince is *NOT* friendly to people trying new content. My immediate response to being slaughtered by it after trying for the first time in three years, is "Fuck this I never wish to do this content again."

I really don't want that to be the response to doing a quest in EFU.

One major problem I see with the design is that you *CANNOT* leave short of dying and spawning in 99, or reset. The major reason I remember this being added in v4 was people entering the room, taking loot, resting, and leaving. This was exploitative behavior and I understand why it was added.

But... Why? Why not just lock the chests, so people don't get a reward for entering unless they win? Why can't we decide "Oh my god we're being slaughtered can we leave?" the lost supplies alone in attempting the fight is not worth the cost of resting.


I'm not sure what other criticism  or suggestion I can add to this, other than:

Make it possible to leave, but lock the chests.

I really don't think it should be *required* to meta to know whether or not you can even attempt the content, because there's literally no option to leave after you *try*.

That was the response I got ooc afterwords. "Tried to tell you not to do it via emotes from the last major pc I did who did it!"

So! I've been having a problem on my current character. Npc's just keep disappearing when fighting them for longer than maybe 5 minutes?

This is a significant issue with npc's like Shield Sam or Madelaine of the Black Dagger who have mechanics that make them INCREDIBLY annoying to try to fight.

The following is a screenshot of the dialogue that triggers:

https://imgur.com/a/fvcxDNV

It's not that it costs me a lot in term of supplies, just /time/. I'm playing a non-combat focused cleric, so without access to some of my better spells (4th tier) it is a agonizing process to fight anything or anyone.

So when the npc just disappears, potentially without the opportunity to *EVER* fight them again on this pc? This is... aggravating.


PLEASE if there's a dm who understands what's going on, HELP! Thank you!