Messages

First,

We'll be introducing a new mode of subdual combat: The Black Out mode, that you can set yourself on to knock someone unconscious.

/c subdual BO
/c subdual Black Out
/c subdual Blackout

You can then pickup the body and carry it around, a "UNIQUE POWER:SELF" will be on the corpse if you want to wake him/her up Or you can wait the delay that it takes for people to wake up (generally 5 minutes).

Secondly, corpses will now be persistent for the duration of a reset, which means if you died and crashed, your corpse will remain where you died during that time even if you are logged off. When you log back in, people will be able to raise you, or you will be able to respawn just fine. This will allow people to have funerals, or sacrifices, or (possibly necromancy, in the future!) with more dramatic representation IG.

Finally, Backpacks. Every instance that someone drops his entire inventory on the ground (Death, subdued, blacked out, drop_pack command), an item called "XXX's belongings" will be dropped along with it. If you pick this item up, it will pick up XXX's entire inventory (and add weight exactly as if you had picked everything). This allows several thing:

 - Moving the inventory of your dead allies without having them cluttering your inventory, passing an hour figuring out which are your potions and which are his, etc...
 - Moving the inventory of a blackout individual along with his body more easily.
 - Confiscating the inventory of one of your prisoners.
 - Helping us DM with events where you are captured, etc., or clearing bodies when there is a TPK; now it will be much easier to clean up battlefields from a bunch of locked pc packs littering it...


On a sidenote, the dreaded double-death bug as well as all inventory/death weirdness should be FINALLY fixed. This will be possible next Update.

For the past week or so,

The XP gain curve has been distorted and was way too rewarding. We appreciate the help from the players who put this to our attention, and please, if you notice something that looks 'off', too good to be true, please tell us...

We'll be removing a level from everyone to balance for it. This will be done automatically the next time you login for all non-new characters.

Thank you.

[REQUIRES]

One of the easier application that seems to be boycotted is the one surrounding Special Backgrounds. If you want to be part:

- A canon organization (Thayan, Zhentarim, Cowled Wizards, Purple Dragon Knights, etc.)
- Roots with nobility somewhere in Faerun
- An Order of Knights
- A Church
- Good Friend of Elminster
- Lord of some Non-Canon Land.

This is all possible, but it REQUIRES an application before creation. The only time when it doesnt is when you're character is lying about it. Please, please, do not invent these titles for your PCs if they are not lying about them. There's been a lot of farfetched stuff that has been popping about lately, enough that this rule needs to be reminded. Unless it is earned In-Character, your character shouldn't say he was a Lord, High Priest, member of a group of Knights from a distant non-canon/canon land (unless you are lying of course!).

Thank you.

[The Benefactor Agents:]

A slave camp maintained by the Bloodmoon Mercenaries next to the city of Almraiven suffers from well crafted uprising during a time of weakness. The slaves manage to steal their weapons, burn down part of the camp and make out with a docked ship unto the shinning sea. For this Prelude, It will be a two part, one part will be the slave PCs escaping guided by their leaders and the secret outsiders who organized the uprising. And the second part will the Bloodmoon reacting to the Uprising and giving chase to the slaves.
 
You can apply to be either a slave PC, or a Bloodmoon mercenary.

The Benefactor Agents: Very little is known of this organization aside that one PC will be a member and be divulged more information in-game. They are the ones behind the uprising and their motivation for it are unknown as of yet..

The Bloodmoon Mercs: Ruthless and paranoid, the bloodmoon Mercenaries are based off in Almraiven, they take part in slavery trades and other less-than-kind businesses of the seas. They'll hire and outfit anyone that seems durable enough and shares a passion for gold. They're greedy and your typical scumbags.

Hello,
 
I'll try my best to run a Prelude adventure every week or every two week. These Preludes to Ymph will incorporate mini-adventures across Faerun and each will be centered on a specific group, whether its a small town, a local group of thieves and bandits or soldiers to a Lord escorting the tax money back to their Lord's home. I'll be posting beforehand what this week's Prelude will be, you can choose to participate if it interest you. Priority will be given to people without characters and this can be a good opportunity for you to meet new players and start EFU:A with a small group that will make your experience easier and more enjoyable.
 
I'll also be taking suggestions for preludes, so for example, a week I might be running a prelude suggested by a Player, you can PM me such if you want. These adventures should be for low level characters (3-4 levels).
 
Why run these? Well, sometimes if people have trouble coming up with new characters, these preludes could give them ideas and nudge them to start EFU:A with a small group. It also helps people cope with character lost, if you know you can, without any effort, jump back into a small group concept and return hastily to the action of the gameworld under a new guise. And of course, because Preludes are fun and I miss low level, ambience and old school D&D.
 
So, if it interests you, take a look at this week's Prelude:
 
http://www.escapefromunderdark.com/forums/showthread.php?p=215019#post215019

[Number of Characters :]

I'll be trying to run a Prelude/week, each consisting of a mini-adventure and introduction to the Isle of Ymph. This is an opportunity for you to join and start the module with a small group if you are in-between characters. This week's adventure will be:
 

The farmers of the neighbouring region of Hluthvar's Rest have sent a messager to the lord mayor of the small town as each night, bone chilling screams are heard and their cattles are found brutally mutilated in the morning. The farmers are terrified and ask for help. Lord mayor Louis de la Verandrie asked his local deputy to investigate. A few concerned citizens, driven by adventure and a will to help others, have decided to lend their aid.

Number of Characters : 3-5 (Priority to those without characters).
Starting Level : Deputy at 4, rest at 3.
Characters: The Deputy + Citizens of the town of Hluthvar.
 
If you are interested, simply write down a short biography as follow in this topic: (I also need someone to play the Deputy, design him as you want but he must be the town's Deputy.)
 
Example:

James Sullivan is the young son of Eddy Sullivan, the town's grocer. He has work with his father at the shop to make a few coins on the side with which he bought a sword wishing to leave the town and make a name for himself. He figured helping the Deputy with this dilemma will help him to achieve this as well as helping his father, whom the events have put in distress due to his work relationship with the neighbouring farmers. He's nervous and hoping this will simply be a routine wild beast to hunt...

I wanted to run this tomorrow, but we'll see if I garner enough interest by then. It's a low level, low magic, old school adventure with a few twists.

[Animal Skinner:]

Well, I've finished implemented partially, at least, something that was in the Suggestion forum a while ago. Thanks for everyone's ideas!

Here's the current available perks that can be selected by your character after level 5. Only 1 perk can be selected. There are 39 of them available so far with more in the works as well as possible balance touch in the future. Feel free to not select one if you dont find one that fits your character as more may be implemented in the future.

Animal Skinner:
  You’ve always been proficient at skinning the fur or scales out of the hapless critters of the land.
  - Bonus: You will now receive twice the amount of hide when skinning an animal.
   
  Artificier:
  Pouring your magical essence into artefacts and goods holds no secret to you and you are capable to do it more efficiently.
  - Bonus: Crafted Wands will have a bonus d4 charges.
   
  Battle Rager:
  Having attain the pinnacle of releasing your fury in battle, you care even less about incoming blow in order to gnaw, bite and crush your foes.
  - Bonus: Extra -2AC to Barbarian Rage, but extra d4 damage to your attacks while raging.
   
  Blight Walker:
  Covered in filth and swamp matter not only attracts flies but also makes you more resilient to poison and diseases. (Evil only).
  - Bonus: You attract flies. +2 vs. Disease, +2 vs. Poison.
   
  Bloody Mess:
  People tend to die in horrible horrible ways as long as you are around.
  - Bonus: More gruesome killing blows with slight bonus XP.
   
  Brawler:
  Fist fights are a tradition for you and with such experience; your fists seem to make more teeth fly away than anyone else. (Chaotic only).
  - Bonus: Improved Critical (Unarmed)
   
  Cannibal:
  Eating your relatives and friends hold no secret for you. You’ve partaken in the pleasure of the flesh in ways most would not dare of…
  - Bonus: Killing a member of your race restores 10% of your hit-points, as well as providing you a temporary bloodlust bonus.
   
  Catnap:
  You require more sleep than most to live through the day, but it does allow to appear more vigorous in the few moments where you are awake.
  - Bonus: You may rest every 20 minutes instead of 25.
   
  City Slicker:
  You are accustomed to crowded places and use this to blend right in. Unfortunately you haven't spent the time outdoors to translate the skill to the wilds.
  - Bonus: +2/+2 Hide/MS in the City. -2/-2 Hide/MS in the Wild.
   
  Channeler:
  You’ve mastered the way to pull out energy from outer planes, and can therefore channel more summoned creatures at once.
  - Bonus: +50 Summoning Points.
   
  Crusader’s Zeal:
  You are a growing beacon of faith for those around granting them more courage as you fight alongside them. (Non-Evil Only).
  - Bonus: Replaces Turn Undead; Grants +1 to all saving throws, restores HP equal to the user’s charisma modifier, and grants +4 vs. Fear to all friendly PCs nearby for a duration of :character level + (charisma modifier x 2)/rounds.
   
  Dreamer:
  You’re a dreamer. The Mist speaks to you through your dreams and can provide you guidance through them.
  - Bonus: Every time you sleep, there is a slight probability that you will wake up more clairvoyant, wise and vigorous.
   
  Drunken Haze:
  While alcohol is a poison to others, it is an essential condiment of life for you.
  - Bonus: Drinking alcohol restores your hit-points as well as grants you temporary hit-points as long as you succeed the fortitude saving throw.
 
  Elemental Bond: Element
  You've made the focus of you studies or power tied to a specific element granting you to access its powers.
  - Bonus:
  - Change Flame Weapon/Dark Fire to chosen Element
- Change Bard Song Damage Bonus to chosen Element
  - Change Summoning Theme to chosen Element
  - +2 Saving Throw vs. chosen Element
   
   
  Eunuch:
  You were castrated in your youth in order to perform a social function… how lucky. (Male Only)
  - Bonus: -1 Fortitude, +2 vs. Mind-Affect, +2 Concentration.
   
  Flower Child:
  You’ve lived in harmony with the plants and animals of your homeland and have grown knowledgeable in their wellness.
  - Bonus: You harvest twice as many produces from plants.
   
  Gloom Walker:
Your shadowy ways have learned you extra skills in the domain of blending with the darkness. However, you have developed an aversion for light.
  - Bonus: +Blindfight Feat, light sensitivity (reductions in AB, saves, and chance of blindness while in sunlight)
   
  Herbalist:
  Being a competent herbalist allows you to cut corners while creating certain balms, ointments and potions.
  - Bonus: -10% to the cost of brewed Potions
   
  Lion Heart:
  You’re generosity and care for the wellbeing of others grant courage and discipline in even the most hopeless of situations. (Non-Evil Only)
  - Bonus: +4vs. Fear, +2 discipline.
   
  Man of Faith:
  Following the dogma of your patron has seen you both rewarded and mystified. You are truly faithful to your deity.
  - Bonus: Bless (Spell) also adds +1 divine damage to everyone around. You may also be rewarded each night by your deity as you rest.
   
  Miser
  You collect every knick-knack from the junk piles to the ruined armours in hopes of making a few extra coins… and you do.
  - Bonus: Every time you rest, you gain extra d4 gp.
   
  Night Stalker:
  Your eyes have become adjusted to the dark, permanently, making you a capable hunter at night but damaging them during the day...
  - Bonus: +3 spot/ +3 listen during Night. -2 spot/ -2 listen during Day.
   
  Obese Stigma:
  You’re large and in charge. Of what you may ask? Who knows, but it definitely gives you more bulk to support more punishment. (Fat Phenotype Only)
  - Bonus: -2 Dexterity. +2 Constitution. -1 Fortitude.
   
  Pathfinder:
  You’ve always been one to find the easiest paths to travel the wild and not waste any time.
  - Bonus: +10% speed increase while in the wilderness.
   
  Planar Lock:
  You’re able to sustain the link of your summoned servants to the prime material realm longer than most.
  - Bonus: +20% summon duration (also affects charges from items).
   
  Putrescent Flesh:
  You smell like a corpse that has been taken out of the ground after a few years of decomposition…
  - Bonus: You attract flies. +4 vs. Disease, +2 intimidate.
   
  Rune Master:
  You’ve developed a dominion over the magical powers that are bestowed upon you making them harder to spells.
  - Bonus: Any cast spell on you will count as 1 level higher for the purpose of dispel magic.
   
  Sewer Dweller:
  You are strange. You are filthy and you live off the filth in the sewers below the city…
  - Bonus: +4 hide/ +4 MS while in the sewers. +3 vs. Disease.
   
  Slum Child:
  Living with the gangs of the Docks has left you hardened and tougher while you hang with this crowd.
  - Bonus: +1 ab, 1/- Slash Resist, and +2 intimidate while in the Docks.
   
  Soldier’s Rest:
  You’re a born warrior; however, you do need a restful night of sleep in order to endure the punishment that awaits you during the day.
  - Bonus: With each rest, you gain 10 temporary HP that can go over your maximum.
   
  Skeleton in the Closet:
  You’re grim and your past has been built over the dead bodies of a thousand men… which means that sometimes they chose to keep you company.
  - Bonus: With each reset, a skeleton susceptible to necromantic powers will spawn in your backpack.
   
  Steel Lungs:
  You’ve lungs of steel while it is time to hold your breath making you capable of staying underwater a great length of time.
  - Bonus: Double duration of breath while underwater.
   
  Survivor:
  You’ve always been the lucky one. The one that survives against the odds and it has always remained a trait of your personae.
  - Bonus: You are 15% more likely to stabilize when bleeding.
   
  Totem Warrior:
  Your dedication to the ancient ways has given you greater willpower and resilience to survive the hardship of the Wild.
  - Bonus: In the wild, you gain +1 will, +1 fort, +2 concentration.
   
  Undeath Mourner:
  You mourn for your fellow undeads that are always persecuted by the so-called goodly forces of this world, which is why you have develop means to bolster them.
  - Bonus: Replaces Turn Undead. Grants +2 AB, turn resistance equal to charisma bonus, and a 5/- DR that absorbs (charisma bonus x 2) to all nearby undeads for a duration of: character level + (charisma modifier x 2)/rounds.
 
  War Screamer:
  You’re a war priest, a priest that leads his companions in the midst of battle and revel in the glory of warfare. Let’s enjoy it.
  - Bonus: Replaces Turn Undead; Deals 1d8 damage to nearby foes. Gives 1d8 Temporary HP and +1 AB to nearby friendly PCs for a duration of: character level + (charisma modifier x 2)/rounds.
   
  Whisperer:
  You’ve always been the quiet one and you’ve always been one to follow a patron that would allow you more to blend in.. and blend away…
  - Bonus: Replaces Turn Undead; Grants Invisibility to all friendly PCs nearby with a bonus to hide/ms equal to your charisma modifier for a duration of :character level + (charisma modifier x 2)/rounds.

These should be selected in ways that best fit your character, in order to make him more unique, and so on.

Hello!

Just a small announcement to say that it will now be possible to corrupt/enhance your undead minions as well as make them equip weapons of your choicing should you wish it so!

The rituals to corrupt/enhance your minions mix the skills of :
 - Alchemy
 - Lore
 - Spellcraft

As well, they can be boosted by the feat "Spell Focus : Necromancy" and its greater counter-part.

What this means? It means that you can really create a unique and diverse undead army with your necromancer that you can experiment upon to make them ... faster... stronger.. more resilient... and so on.

Similarly, DMs can now give your PC a significant boost to your summoning/animating skills as a reward for roleplay, good stuff and awesomeness making it possible to control a LEGION of undead creatures (or other things!).

Cheers and Happy Animating!

Go Dark Arts!

[8]

Hey there!

With a busy schedule, I cannot really take part in the efu:a world as much as I would want to, but I cannot depart from it still. To reconcile these two parts, I decided to steal an idea from the Big Chief, Howland, and begin working on a campaign, i.e. regular typical dungeon crawling adventure with treasures, puzzles, betrayals (I love those), etc.

It should be pretty fun! I dont want to take too many people so I'm limiting the spots to 8. Here is the basic information:

 - 8 players/characters
 - 1 session/week , probably saturday afternoon.
 - You have to attend every session, some sessions might be moved (You'll be informed prior to them moving)
 - Your character is in stasis for the duration of the campaign. This mean, you cannot play it outside of the campaign if you decide to partake.
 - Preferable level range for startup characters is 6-7.
 - When you return, (IF you return), to the gameworld, the happenings during the campaign will have implications for your character afterward (meaning, you will be intertwine in many things!).
 - HIGHLY preferable to be in the EST timezone or closeby...
 - We'll be starting on December 1st (or as soon as I'm ready), the campaign will go on for undetermined, likely 3-4 weeks.
 - If you are part of a faction, you can still partake. Of course, I suggest you to make an alternate character so you can still play efu during off campaign times.
 - This, I will try, to make as oldschool as possible, with skillchecks being important and so on.


Alright, I will divulge more information when the date comes in closer. What is the motivation of your character to likely prepare and partake? Glory, adventure, thrill, curiosity, and so on...

[SIZE="1"]P.S. No Griff.[/SIZE]

[Transitions.]

EFU:A is a roleplay server working within the limitation of the NWN engine. There are some limitations that can be abused. One such limitation is Transitions.

Play as if our areas are all connected. Normally, if you hit stealth in front of someone, unless you are a Shadow Dancer, you do not vanish. You still need to break the line of sight.

Transitions are a big advantage to stealthers since they are a 'free break-line of sight event', but we expect people to NOT abuse this and to only stealth when they think they have truly broken the line of sight with their foe physically (i.e. running far enough or using invisibility potions, etc.). This is very similar to the corner sneaking abuse.

You should never hit stealth prior or right after (before your opponent load) a transition. Be fair to your opponents and they will be fair to you. We're a small community. Sooner or later, you'll be tagged as a 'lamer' if you consistently engage in these behaviours and ... things will be significantly less fun for you (both from the DMs being tired of having to intervene in all your events as referees and from other players who just dont like you because you are abusing every encounter in order to 'win').

Another "No No" in reference to transition is that if you are running away from a monster, you transition and the monster does not transition after you. You, hence, stop running... Now, is this an ooc behavior or an ic behavior? It's definitely OOC and your character should probably keep running away even if the monster is not following rather than chill right next to the transition fully knowing 'it' protects him.

We are not scared to completely RETCON events, and ban (maybe permanently for repeated offenders) where people abuse/metagame in order to 'win'.

Thank you!

[- Ore - Clothe - Food - Wood - Arcane Goods]

I'm not a fan of how the system works at the moment. Points are awarded but their effects are rarely seen. Rather, there will be a large update on how the system functions... So this is just a headsup that the system is going to be revamp in order to make it better and have the influence it provides be more visible across the city.

We'll also be given communial bank accounts for members of a banner that people can withdraw from/donate to lending more power as well as a variety of upgrades that can be bought for the Guild House.

Instead of gaining reputation, you will gain resources directly. There will be five main resources:
- Ore
 - Clothe
 - Food
 - Wood
 - Arcane Goods

The city will have quotas of these resources that it can gain by donations from Banners, trade from Banners, trade from other city-states. A global revenue will be generated based on tax (which will be set by the leaders of the Colony) and trade incomes... Failure to achieve these quotas will have visible effects such as price fluctuations, equipment failure or other events. Similarly if the gold reserve are brought dry by the current administration, wage for characters who have wage will stop until the situation is attended to. This will hopefully create a realistic climate and make it more interesting to be in a leadership position and govern the city / improve the city in additions to DM-events and regular PC-events.

This may sound complicated but once it is implemented, those who deal with it (i.e. people in leadership position) will have the documentation required to deal with this adequately.

- Party Invites have been disabled.
 - Getting Quest Requirement is done through proximity and a tool ended by the Quest-Giver.
 - Boating is done by proximity to the Captain.
 - XP is handed based on proximity to the kill.
 - Spells/ability (Bard Song, etc.) that usually affected only party members now affect neutral NPCs/PCs.
 - New Chat Command called "/c setally"

"/c setally nearby" will set nearby PCs as allies.
"/c setally xxx" will set xxx as an ally or remove him as an ally if he was already an ally.

Ally status is used in conjunction with "/c hostile all,radius,area". Allies will not be set hostile'd by these commands. Ally status persists through reset making it a very efficient and easy to use mode.

 - Quest Reward has been adjusted to be increased for larger parties (i.e. chests may have more stock that increases with party size).
 - Quest Reward has been adjusted to be increased based on quest difficulty and roleplay (i.e. if a quest is hard for your party, takes time, etc. You have a greater probability of getting increase in loot).
 - Mini-boss/hero monsters have been added. Some monsters may spawn that are tougher and more dangerous than regular mobs. They will have unique names and title and usually be hard to take down but give rare items, more xp and can add some randomized difficulty to an otherwise very well-known quest or wild area.

The benefits of disabling party and working around it is to provide a more immersive gameworld where OOC is seldomly used or hidden completely from sight (tells). No more knowledge of your party's HP, AB, AC, Saving-throws. No more knowledge of your party's location. No more knowledge of your party's health status and condition. This will likely require some adjustment but it should be amazingly rewarding to play in and make the gameworld that much more awesome.

If you ended up picking any potions (dropped by PC nightrisers) that seem to get grey when you use them but do -not- dissapear from your inventory.

Please trash them.

Thank you!

This is really a big pet-peeve of mine when I need to scrap good looking areas just to ensure people dont metagame a 'ROCK' or a 'WALL' and block the stupid NWN AI off this way. Or lure the AI through their perception (or with arrows)...

I understand there is a thin line separating strategy and exploit, but usually people are -aware- of when they cross it, and it's been cross multiple times too many in a particular quest of mine.

This isn't a strategy. This is cheating. This is exploitation of the AI.

Come on people :???: . This has been said countless times. Do we really need to ban people for this? -_- Maybe, Maybe not. But the next set of characters that do quest properly and without metagaming can expect some extra goodies from me for trying to play the game as its meant to be played.

[Status:]

In the end of the Iron Halo incident, the last remaining members of the chapter decided to sacrifice themselves in order to prevent the evil that was brewing inside them from ever emerging. Little did they know that this idea had been planted into their mind by Syndri, himself. It was meant to be safeguard should the battle for his essence turn badly.

This safeguard was to create new shells to be inhabited by the followers of Syndri and so, Syndri created a few warriors bound to the Nightriser ritual that could be inhabited by the consciousness of his old followers. These conciousness are extremely strong and durable capable of returning to awareness if left unchecked in a matter of days.

The rest is their own history and will be learned in-character.

Status: Minor Faction
Races: Nighriser.
Classes: Non-clerics, non-druids, non-paladin
Deity of Worship: Syndri Larenius.
Alignment: Lawful/Neutral obligatory. Evil obligatory.

They will receive access to their own lair. They rarely quest and instead have a different system for both gaining experience points and acquiring equipment. They are 'allied' (or tolerated) to/by most other undead populating the ruins. Starting solo as a Nightriser is rather hard and so, it is preferable if a few people apply for it together.

This is also a very hard application in terms of its requirement in PvP attitude, maturity, and style.