Topics

1. Some of the skeletons outright do not fight, even when being struck in melee.

2. The wall around the fallen adventurer's body can get players stuck.

This has been something I've noticed since the last chapter, but the poison system for food and drinks seems absolutely non-functional ig. As it stands, it does nothing but produce the message that the system is currently not functional.

The lvl 8 rogue perk we all know and love has a serious bug in which it doesn't provide any tick of gold in either the Square or Peerage Ward. Likely due to this perk being tied to being in a Sanctuary zone (which no longer exists!).

I know it's not high on the list of priorities, but getting this fixed sooner than later would be deeply appreciated :( (Peeps were counting on it!) A quick hotfix (rather than carefully tailoring it to certain areas) could be just to make it a normal tick of wage, regardless of the zone (Assuming that's easier to script of course). Otherwise, hope to see a wage soon!

The moles in the Underlite gnome quest attack the gnomes. Faction bug.

The Saurian Borrow quest blob doesn't initiate a conversation upon clicking it.

The quest-giving blob that gives the 'Attack the Ironsnails Gang' quest currently does not initiate any conversation upon clicking.

When attempting to select a combat style in the starter area for unarmed (monk) stances, I noticed there wasn't actually any change in style of fighting. In short, combat styles for monks be bust.

[As it stands of the appropriated date, the t-2 summon of good-aligned planar-bound sorcerors summon not a celestial light or benevolent presence, but rather, a naked dwarf with 1 hp who is content to stare and die on a whim. I don't know how many more (if any) summons in this theme are bugged, but it's worth investigating from what I've been told.]

As it stands of the appropriated date, the t-2 summon of good-aligned planar-bound sorcerors summon not a celestial light or benevolent presence, but rather, a naked dwarf with 1 hp who is content to stare and die on a whim. I don't know how many more (if any) summons in this theme are bugged, but it's worth investigating from what I've been told.

["My name is Loppi. And uh, I was an apprentice to a craftsman before Sanctuary fell. Wasn't anyone special. Wasn't a big adventurer or hero. A lot of folk probably never even noticed me doin' errands between the trade hall and my tutor. Fellah never did finish teachin' me how to make a blade proper. But I guess we all kind of had our lives upped, after a tyrant-prick name Dhimani went and took our army away to fight the Dread. Worst day of my life, it was. Never could stop hearin' the screams.I was angry, saddened and wanted to die at times after we lost the city. But after solitude and contemplation in my tent, I chose instead to fight and join the Enginetown Militia. Was sorta inspired by our mayor, ya see. And well, I couldn't just sit and do nothin' anymore when everyone else was off fightin' and scavengin' for our survival.My first battle wasn't slaying some rats in a basement, or ringing worms. It was against a rampagin' horde of Chosen trying to break through the gates. Somehow, I survived. Can ya believe it? I mean, I never even used a sword before. Much less killed something. And here I was, swingin' with the best of them. I survived my first day. And every one after that. Right up until the very end.It wasn't easy. A lot of times I nearly came to blows with the wrong people who'd play a big role at the end of it all. Some of them, I wanted to outright gut for murderin' innocent folk and just bein' generally awful people. Would like to say I can attribute that to self-control, but really, I was just sick of seein' people dyin'. Lot would call that a weakness. Didn't want to go with blood on my hands, ya know? I mean, I knew. I held hope, but knew in my heart that I was gonna die. Just didn't know how. So... why bother? Well except that one asshole who killed a puppy. Seriously, a soddin' puppy.Then there was the idiots. Good GODS I've never seen so many stupid people in one place. Fightin' over the stupidest things! Actin' like fools! Can't tell ya how stressful it was, especially since I was militia. But ya know, a lot of folk turned out decent. Even folk I never met in all my four years... or was it five? In Sanctuary. Even the ones I knew left us to die. In the end, everyone did the right thing. Well, almost everyone.I never wanted this, ya know? I wasn't a fighter. I wasn't a warrior. But no one was left to protect us on our behalfs, ya know? And I had family to protect. My kinsmen. My friends. Don't doubt a moment I would've stopped breathin' if I was the last lass on Toril. But so long as they lived, so to did I have a reason to go on.I prayed every hour to the Wary Sword, right up to the end. Even when folk whispered the gods died. I still didn't stop. Never gave up. We didn't have a god of war, us hins. But we do have our watchmen. Our sentinels. And at the time I took up the sword, that was what we needed in Enginetown more than ever. I won't say there weren't moments I was regrettin' it. Watchin' innocent folk die, or get hurt. Watchin' assholes bein' assholes. Gettin' set on fire again and again and rolling around on the ground for dear life. But it always came back to the community. Flaws and all. Wish the longlegs appreciated that more before all this.In the end, we all won... and lost. We destroyed the Dread, ourselves, even Dendar. We didn't go out quiet. We stayed brave and set. And even though we lost family and friends, we didn't just avenge their ghosts.We honoured them. In victory, and the hope sent off in the new dawn.I wish I could be there. Seein' it all unfold. Maybe someday, the sun will nourish life on another world. Maybe someday, folk like us will live on it. With their own gods, stories and communities of their own. Damn, I wish I could see it. But... yeah. I'm dead, ya see. Died holdin' the hand of a gal I wanted to live next to my whole life; Nih. And, well, there just ain't comin' back from bein' engulfed in a new sun. No matter how beautiful it is.My name's Loppi Ironheart. I was a refugee, made worker, made warrior in life. And I got no regrets.Whoever ya are, I hope ya ain't sufferin' from any meanness in your world. Been enough in mine to last an All-Time."]

"My name is Loppi. And uh, I was an apprentice to a craftsman before Sanctuary fell. Wasn't anyone special. Wasn't a big adventurer or hero. A lot of folk probably never even noticed me doin' errands between the trade hall and my tutor. Fellah never did finish teachin' me how to make a blade proper. But I guess we all kind of had our lives upped, after a tyrant-prick name Dhimani went and took our army away to fight the Dread. Worst day of my life, it was. Never could stop hearin' the screams.

I was angry, saddened and wanted to die at times after we lost the city. But after solitude and contemplation in my tent, I chose instead to fight and join the Enginetown Militia. Was sorta inspired by our mayor, ya see. And well, I couldn't just sit and do nothin' anymore when everyone else was off fightin' and scavengin' for our survival.

My first battle wasn't slaying some rats in a basement, or ringing worms. It was against a rampagin' horde of Chosen trying to break through the gates. Somehow, I survived. Can ya believe it? I mean, I never even used a sword before. Much less killed something. And here I was, swingin' with the best of them. I survived my first day. And every one after that. Right up until the very end.

It wasn't easy. A lot of times I nearly came to blows with the wrong people who'd play a big role at the end of it all. Some of them, I wanted to outright gut for murderin' innocent folk and just bein' generally awful people. Would like to say I can attribute that to self-control, but really, I was just sick of seein' people dyin'. Lot would call that a weakness. Didn't want to go with blood on my hands, ya know? I mean, I knew. I held hope, but knew in my heart that I was gonna die. Just didn't know how. So... why bother? Well except that one asshole who killed a puppy. Seriously, a soddin' puppy.

Then there was the idiots. Good GODS I've never seen so many stupid people in one place. Fightin' over the stupidest things! Actin' like fools! Can't tell ya how stressful it was, especially since I was militia. But ya know, a lot of folk turned out decent. Even folk I never met in all my four years... or was it five? In Sanctuary. Even the ones I knew left us to die. In the end, everyone did the right thing. Well, almost everyone.

I never wanted this, ya know? I wasn't a fighter. I wasn't a warrior. But no one was left to protect us on our behalfs, ya know? And I had family to protect. My kinsmen. My friends. Don't doubt a moment I would've stopped breathin' if I was the last lass on Toril. But so long as they lived, so to did I have a reason to go on.

I prayed every hour to the Wary Sword, right up to the end. Even when folk whispered the gods died. I still didn't stop. Never gave up. We didn't have a god of war, us hins. But we do have our watchmen. Our sentinels. And at the time I took up the sword, that was what we needed in Enginetown more than ever. I won't say there weren't moments I was regrettin' it. Watchin' innocent folk die, or get hurt. Watchin' assholes bein' assholes. Gettin' set on fire again and again and rolling around on the ground for dear life. But it always came back to the community. Flaws and all. Wish the longlegs appreciated that more before all this.

In the end, we all won... and lost. We destroyed the Dread, ourselves, even Dendar. We didn't go out quiet. We stayed brave and set. And even though we lost family and friends, we didn't just avenge their ghosts.

We honoured them. In victory, and the hope sent off in the new dawn.

I wish I could be there. Seein' it all unfold. Maybe someday, the sun will nourish life on another world. Maybe someday, folk like us will live on it. With their own gods, stories and communities of their own. Damn, I wish I could see it. But... yeah. I'm dead, ya see. Died holdin' the hand of a gal I wanted to live next to my whole life; Nih. And, well, there just ain't comin' back from bein' engulfed in a new sun. No matter how beautiful it is.

My name's Loppi Ironheart. I was a refugee, made worker, made warrior in life. And I got no regrets.

Whoever ya are, I hope ya ain't sufferin' from any meanness in your world. Been enough in mine to last an All-Time."

Unfortunately, I don't have many screenies. But I do have one that summarizes her character and preludes her ending :)

~Into the breach: Scavenging at its most desperate~


~Farewell my Friends: A final goodbye to the Appetite 8~


~Twillight's Army: I am ready for the End~

[I left EFU a few months back because I felt player agency, in terms of value, was unwelcomed and would be punished in either overt or passively aggressive expressions. Be it ig or ooc. Anyone familiar with the Shinning Hammer Society and what they attempted to do after the withdrawl of the Spellguard can probably make some educated deductions there.That's not what I wanna discuss though. I came back after a good break because I enjoyed the player community and genuinely missed a lot of he players here. You guys are top notch and always fun to interact with :) I've always enjoyed efu's creative setting, even if the non-stop, melancholic and outright depressing atmosphere can be taxing at times.Sadly, changes were made to the server that created several problems. Problems which interplayed and were made worse by recurring behaviors that have just completely drained my enthusiasm and excitement as a roleplayer.The first was the killing of the hub. I mean, there's always been SOME kind of hub (didn't get deep into the ymph chapter or the previous island one, so I can't comment on those) for players to interact/get together. Probably one of the best things about the server was politics/backroom deals/the uncertainty of who was your friend or enemy. It made pc interactions interesting and kept everything dynamic in the backdrop of story archs. Those are kinda still there? But it's so hard for people to gather around/do anything anymore unless half the server logs to play 'team this, team that'. Why? Because every single little thing now spirals to pvp-pvp-pvp (for some, merely being a member of one faction is enough buildup in itself). Something I personally have never cared for, but understand it gives a rush/air of constant danger and authenticity to your mortality. This was always kept in balance/check, however, with impressively-done story-archs to complement, an encouragement not to gear towards mechanical power and even a karma system. All of that seems to have gone out the window with a 'Meh' attitude towards everything players do now (or at least, most players; more on that later).You can't avoid it. It doesn't make -sense- ic not to attract to one of the DM factions (or pc factions which end up as extensions anyway); you're in a lawless hell-hole where your best bet on survival is to nestle in with one of the factions that actually keep a sembelance of safety/order in their territories. The moment you do, you've immediately made 2/3rds of the rest of the population your enemy. Markets are spread. Territories are spread. This leads to fewer player interactions/actual rp if your 'circle' isn't present. Especially since there's so few 'safe zones' to do that anymore (I miss the old square). Encouraging altinidus (the practice of making multiple toons at the cost of staying focused/enriching one's story in particular). The list goes on. This is not in the least bit sustainable or interesting without a player pop to constantly support it. It's not there. Right now, everything feels like murderhobo paradise. Don't kid yourself into thinking that have an impact on player creativity/concepts.All of this is compounded by another perception that's been growing more and more profound in the backdrop of a decreasing player pop. A general lack of interest/increasingly obvious behaviors from the team in general. One of the things that made this server was amazing was the stuff dms would dish out to keep things rolling/dynamic. They were often inclusive and made the setting feel alive. I'm not entirely sure what happened in the past few months since my last departure, but it's outright impossible to ignore just how withdrawn (Like the Reformed Order :P ) the team actually seems to be these days. Events are few and far between. Seemingly cycled between the factions, because again... there's no hub anymore/everyone not in the circle is an enemy. The team seems to have a priority list for players requesting assistance or apping for something. Even simple attention seems fixated on a few specific individuals which only interplays with the aforementioned topics (very much fostering a sense of 'why bother' for those looking to go roll beyond the current status-quo). Also, if that sounds like an accusation of favoritism...It is. It's always there on every server; it's just more obvious when there's so little to go on/few to drown it out in the background. And that's strictly on the dms; it's not the responsibility of the players to keep those kinds of checks and balances in place. If there are any, they're failing. Horribly.I'm exhausted and just so very tired of all this apathy and indifference. Player perception matters; mine is thusly:EFU's setting has degenerated into an unstable, pvp-focused, static gang-war-themed server. One with little to no dm interaction (if any) outside the scope of a few players (who are understandably, awesome). When the enthusiasm and dynamic components aren't there anymore; when you know everything is being railroaded, regardless of player agency; when you can't even get invested in people anymore because you know they're just more meat for some grinders; I find myself asking the same question again and again (no matter how hard I try to enjoy it). "Why bother?"I've played here since I was a teen. I'm crushed to see the state the server's in and where everything's ended up. Between the disastrous decision to cut up the player population into little circles v.s an interactive hub, the withdrawl of the team, blatant favoritism and the never-ending-pot-stirring that's killed any investment in anyone and anything in a setting in which nihilism is already a prolific mindset, I just can't be bothered anymore.I'm not alone in this state of mind.I'm going to wrap up some stuff ic and call it a close. Big thanks to everyone who made my time here enjoyable in this iteration and others (you know who you are!).]

I left EFU a few months back because I felt player agency, in terms of value, was unwelcomed and would be punished in either overt or passively aggressive expressions. Be it ig or ooc. Anyone familiar with the Shinning Hammer Society and what they attempted to do after the withdrawl of the Spellguard can probably make some educated deductions there.

That's not what I wanna discuss though. I came back after a good break because I enjoyed the player community and genuinely missed a lot of he players here. You guys are top notch and always fun to interact with :) I've always enjoyed efu's creative setting, even if the non-stop, melancholic and outright depressing atmosphere can be taxing at times.

Sadly, changes were made to the server that created several problems. Problems which interplayed and were made worse by recurring behaviors that have just completely drained my enthusiasm and excitement as a roleplayer.The first was the killing of the hub. I mean, there's always been SOME kind of hub (didn't get deep into the ymph chapter or the previous island one, so I can't comment on those) for players to interact/get together. Probably one of the best things about the server was politics/backroom deals/the uncertainty of who was your friend or enemy. It made pc interactions interesting and kept everything dynamic in the backdrop of story archs. Those are kinda still there? But it's so hard for people to gather around/do anything anymore unless half the server logs to play 'team this, team that'. Why? Because every single little thing now spirals to pvp-pvp-pvp (for some, merely being a member of one faction is enough buildup in itself). Something I personally have never cared for, but understand it gives a rush/air of constant danger and authenticity to your mortality. This was always kept in balance/check, however, with impressively-done story-archs to complement, an encouragement not to gear towards mechanical power and even a karma system. All of that seems to have gone out the window with a 'Meh' attitude towards everything players do now (or at least, most players; more on that later).

You can't avoid it. It doesn't make -sense- ic not to attract to one of the DM factions (or pc factions which end up as extensions anyway); you're in a lawless hell-hole where your best bet on survival is to nestle in with one of the factions that actually keep a sembelance of safety/order in their territories. The moment you do, you've immediately made 2/3rds of the rest of the population your enemy. Markets are spread. Territories are spread. This leads to fewer player interactions/actual rp if your 'circle' isn't present. Especially since there's so few 'safe zones' to do that anymore (I miss the old square). Encouraging altinidus (the practice of making multiple toons at the cost of staying focused/enriching one's story in particular). The list goes on. This is not in the least bit sustainable or interesting without a player pop to constantly support it. It's not there. Right now, everything feels like murderhobo paradise. Don't kid yourself into thinking that have an impact on player creativity/concepts.

All of this is compounded by another perception that's been growing more and more profound in the backdrop of a decreasing player pop. A general lack of interest/increasingly obvious behaviors from the team in general. One of the things that made this server was amazing was the stuff dms would dish out to keep things rolling/dynamic. They were often inclusive and made the setting feel alive. I'm not entirely sure what happened in the past few months since my last departure, but it's outright impossible to ignore just how withdrawn (Like the Reformed Order :P ) the team actually seems to be these days. Events are few and far between. Seemingly cycled between the factions, because again... there's no hub anymore/everyone not in the circle is an enemy. The team seems to have a priority list for players requesting assistance or apping for something. Even simple attention seems fixated on a few specific individuals which only interplays with the aforementioned topics (very much fostering a sense of 'why bother' for those looking to go roll beyond the current status-quo). Also, if that sounds like an accusation of favoritism...
It is. It's always there on every server; it's just more obvious when there's so little to go on/few to drown it out in the background. And that's strictly on the dms; it's not the responsibility of the players to keep those kinds of checks and balances in place. If there are any, they're failing. Horribly.

I'm exhausted and just so very tired of all this apathy and indifference. Player perception matters; mine is thusly:
EFU's setting has degenerated into an unstable, pvp-focused, static gang-war-themed server. One with little to no dm interaction (if any) outside the scope of a few players (who are understandably, awesome). When the enthusiasm and dynamic components aren't there anymore; when you know everything is being railroaded, regardless of player agency; when you can't even get invested in people anymore because you know they're just more meat for some grinders; I find myself asking the same question again and again (no matter how hard I try to enjoy it).

"Why bother?"

I've played here since I was a teen. I'm crushed to see the state the server's in and where everything's ended up. Between the disastrous decision to cut up the player population into little circles v.s an interactive hub, the withdrawl of the team, blatant favoritism and the never-ending-pot-stirring that's killed any investment in anyone and anything in a setting in which nihilism is already a prolific mindset, I just can't be bothered anymore.

I'm not alone in this state of mind.

I'm going to wrap up some stuff ic and call it a close. Big thanks to everyone who made my time here enjoyable in this iteration and others (you know who you are!).

"You are loved."

If you dye this item, it will use whatever default summoning theme you chose rather than the one fixed to it.

[In the end, she fulfilled her function and purpose for being in the Dunwarren nexus. She helped inflict casualties on the Dread's key clusters. She died with love.]

As I have something of a personal policy in that after a certain level is reached, I'm essentially playing ironman mode on the server. Sadly, Narawen died after this milestone in a raid against the Dread on the surface :(

In the end, she fulfilled her function and purpose for being in the Dunwarren nexus. She helped inflict casualties on the Dread's key clusters. She died with love.

~WARNING! MAJOR SPOILERS!~

[hide]Her story is one that started in sorrow and utter despair. During the early days of the darkening, she lost all. Including her family and betrothed. In the face of suicide by starvation, or drinking the vial that offered a 'better way', she chose to take that step. Her last years the happiest of her life. This was during the period in which the kingdom of Evermeet was being overwhelmed by the Dread. She would have been among the casualties if she wasn't holing up in the isolated fishing village of Elion. Many peculiarities emerged after the sun perished, but the one that changed her and the village's inhabitants was the emergence of a mysterious, symbiotic creature that would create a deep an intimate bond with its host.

The creature would grow closer on a physical and mental level. Injecting a narcotic-like venom that would essentially put its host's body into an utter state of euphoria, while simultaneously developing a psionic-link very reminiscent of other aberrant creatures. However, where others would come to dominate or create disastrous unions, the creature itself was lacking any true intellect prior to the joining. Much of what it came to believe or perceive in this strange world would be shaped by the host. As it turned out, many in Elion had a more 'benign' and 'neighborly', if somewhat haughty, nature typical of sun elves. Very soon, their minds quite literally became one. Indeterminable from the other; one shaped by the sun elf host to be protective and caring of its kinsmen in the end-times while the other came to be more open-minded, tolerant, as well as curious.

After coming to understand its host, the First strove to ease the suffering of the other Tel'Quisser wallowing in despair or misery. The world was dying. The kingdom was fading. Their gods were dead or missing. And many had known great loss. Sadly, when its presence became became known to the others, both were greatly ostracized. Some even tried to kill the two. They were bested; more baffling to the villagers, they were spared.

"We know this. We were this. Your lives and wellbeing matters deeply to us. You are loved."

Every chance the host and the symbiotic creature could, they took the high road. Where others showed hate and fear, they showed them love and care. Indeed, it was rather difficult to stay angry when the host was in a near-constant state of euphoria. Something that often reciprocated and expressed in goodwill, as the symbiote had all but assumed every bodily function and movement. Two had become one in body and mind.
Some left the village. Others died to the mutating wildlife. But some came to grow curious, if wary. What had their kinsmen become? Was the creature truly a benign one? Others saw it abominable, but there was something very attractive and sincere; even envious; to be seen in the constant state of happiness and benevolent rhetoric of the First. Familiarization was slow, as was tolerance. It wasn't until the lover of the two followed their bonding in kind (a romantic gesture as much as a want to simply be with her again) that something interesting happened.
While the two hosts and their symbiotes remain parted in body, it seemed there was a link between the symbiotes themselves that allowed them to bond in mind, if not flesh. Whether it was maturation or something about the sentient hosts themselves, the capacity to share a psionic bond seemed to develop. In the years to come, this would grow as more and more villagers slowly succumbed for the want to escape the ever-hopeless world that had come to haunt them. Sadly, some still struck out; no matter how much mercy and 'love' was shown. Others even committing suicide, rather than succumb to the 'abomination' that had seemed to take over their village. Only a single villager remained committed to killing the whole, however. Thankfully, they were spared a choice of morality when mutated flora ate the 'one-man-hunter'. Though some had already been lost by then.

Many minds had become one at the end of it all. A true enigma born from the biological, instinctual, circumstantial and cultural-social variables that had resulted from the symbiotes and the hosts:

A Benevolent Hive Mind.

Sadly, Elion would not be ignored forever. The symbiotes did much to help protect and preserve their hosts, but it became increasingly clear that they would not be able to fight off the Dread in their little village forever. No matter how coordinated and precise they had become. With most of the wildlife gone or hostile, the hive mind instead approached relatively docile or at least 'approachable' entities that yet remained in the hills and dying trees of Evermeet. The only entities it believed it could understand and 'harmoniously' incorporate into itself. Other hives.

Bees, wasps, ants, beetles, and even new aberrant (sometimes terrifying in appearance) insectoids were soon incorporated into the whole after the symbiotes made similar bondings to their queens. This had an unintentional effect, however, of affecting the whole as more and more joined. Dialogue, rationality, as well as bizzare instinctual drives soon began to supplicant the nature of the hive mind.

"Can we fly or crawl there? We will devour them. Let us protect you. We are ready to die for the whole."


It would even come to conflict or interplay with some of the sun-elven characteristics that had come to shape it, but ultimately balance out into the expressions that Narawen would come to demonstrate during her time in the Underdark.


The want to build and expand the hive for the better of the whole: "Let us make the Dunwarren Hallow more habitable for the solitaries."
The want to protect those in the hive: "We wish to eradicate this hostile hive predating on Dunwarren Occupants."
The extreme ethical and moral confusion resulting from her broad inclusiveness of likeness with others: "We are confused. We do not wish to attack any of you? Why can't we be harmonious and attack the Dread as one?"

Her general regret when Dunwarren Occupants would rather fight to the death than run: "Please flight. We do not wish to eradicate you, but we most protect the host."
Even her willingness to incorporate drow occupants (of all things!) into the sphere of likeness: "There is no hate. Only love. We were one, once? Let us help you find harmony again? Join us?"

Thankfully, the original hosts remained central to the core being of the hive mind, not just tempering but channeling the drives of the insects that had been uplifted to a new state of being and understanding.
"We understand. We were this. We are this. We are one."

The escalation mirrored the growth. Soon the village became little more than rubble and ruins; many of the hives and colonies having effectively migrated to the village. Very soon burrows were dug. As the climate continued to deteriorate, so to did the Hive dig deeper and deeper as their home had become an effective wasteland above. The only ones even able to set about for resources or interception of Dread forces being the hive's warrior caste broods themselves. Even then, few were expected to survive. They died with love for the whole.

No matter how quickly they adapted or effectively they warred with the Dread as a single entity; no matter how fast growth or expansion below occurred; the Hive could never effectively strike out on its own. Its 'presence' and coordination waned the further its broods set out from the will of the hosts. Tel'Quisser or otherwise. Effectively turning them feral and aimless beyond a point. Lost and forgotten. Dooming them to a defensive posture that was made worse by the ever-relentless, adaptive Dread attacks.

Then it came. The hooded man. He who spoke of the Exile Collective. Offering not only allies, but a way for the Hive to strike at key Dread facilities if they were willing to join the Collective.

Out of sheer desperation, despite the Hive's wariness, they agreed. Sending the only one among them who had the means to not only retain their presence (and will), but summon the broods where they they could do the most good. A biological nexus in the form of Narawen. The young elf who had been scarred with sorcerer by the Red Star's rebirth. The Hive was loath to risk any of its hosts. Even the loss of one meant losing a part of itself. A significant loss that would weaken the Hive overall. But it had no other means of extending itself so far from the Hive. Were it not for the promise of allies, it would never have risked her at all.

The journey was long. Many died. Many more would die still. But they would do it with love (For the Hive!).

Her time in  Sanctuary was as much a learning experience for the Hive as much as it was for her. Seeing so much mutual bloodshed and violence in the backdrop of the Dread threat not only confused but grieved the Hive. It made less sense since many had a close likeness to eachother; attributing much of their woes to their state of being 'solitary' (sun elf haughtiness showing itself yet?). At first, her inclusiveness was broad over who was 'part of the whole' in her stay in the Dunwarren. Every 'occupant' was an extension of the Hive allies. To be attracted to the cause or made to be indirect allies that could be coordinated with in mutual benefit and harmony.

Sadly, this receded more and more to the Collective's territory and the Tel'Quisser in the Gardens. There were moments of conflict when she (that is to say, they) nearly strayed from their harmonious and benevolent nature, but they concluded (thanks in no small part to some of the city's better halfs) that nursing cooperation and goodwill between themselves and others was the most rational course. Not only to ease the suffering of the solitaries ("We remember. We were this. Let us ease your suffering?"), but also because it made the most rational sense. More numbers; greater coordination; a bigger threat to the Dread.

Where others strove to kill or cannibalize on the city's carcass, Narawen became a busy little worker in her efforts to promote harmony and happiness. She had sub-goals of turning Starag's Rest and the Vaults into much more pleasant areas (perhaps even a 'New Sanctuary', in light of the chaos outside the Collective's territory).

"When needs are met, there is no need to cannibalize. When understanding and mutual cooperation grow, so to does harmony. Intimacy; a shadow of our whole; can strengthen the many in this. When there is love, it is no longer a question of how to take. But what can I give for the whole? For it is loved. This is the true power of harmony. Being."

She had aspirations to attract the elves of the Garden into the Hive. It was, in fact, second in the hierarchy of goals and priorities that dominated her (in)actions and behavior. Sadly (to no one's surprise) no other elf seemed particularly eager to 'understand' or 'embrace' what she spoke of (or rather, who she was). It was ultimately another loss for the Hive, as it had a very real want to grow in harmonious joinings in order to extend its presence and incorporate more into its whole. It had not forgotten the loss of the elven 'godsires'. The "Greater, intimate beings that made solitaries feel whole; a shadow of what we are". It very much wanted to fill that void, so the hosts that had shaped it would know that warmth and intimacy once again...

"Do you feel us?" *A sense of goodwill from the Hive (Bless!)*
In the end, much of her preachings ended up being applied to a broader audience; harmony and love among them.


Her (their) vision was one of creating a more tight, closely-knit community in Sanctuary. Expanding minds and seeing to the needs of the many while their (her) presence was there. Sadly, she died before she could see it even come to its infancy.
Like the warrior drones, she was fearless in the face of death. It was never a question of if, but when and how much productivity could be achieved towards the goal of eradicating the Dread between then and now. Unfortunately, she was weak in body what she compensated in mind. What fate will befall the Hive, or what it has learned from Sanctuary's self-sustaining disharmony and chaos, may never be known.

But it's unlikely anyone will forget that smile anytime soon.

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Only screenie I collected. Does a pretty good job of capturing Narawen's strength. Numbers.

"We are Many. We are One."