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Background Progression / Eliezra Baldwin

« on: February 18, 2022, 04:14:24 am »

Eliezra Baldwin

Eliezra Baldwin was born in the lakeside town of Lyrkos and was the third of five children.  Her family had for several generations run a notable textile business.  As soon as she was old enough, Eliezra learned the family trade and proved a talented tailor, if a little prone to daydreaming on the job.  It was expected that she would stay there until she married and had children.  She knew her parents were planning to arrange a marriage with a scion of a rival company.  Though Eliezra wasn’t entirely unhappy with her lot in life she was impulsive and a dreamer.  She decided she wanted to experience just a little more of life before she was stuck working with rugs and curtains and raising children.  In her late teens she stole some money from the family safe and ran away from home.  But her glorious dreams of adventures and wealth came to nothing.  A few years later she was scraping by working as a barmaid in tavern in Fenwick.  A shameful return to her family seemed inevitable until another opportunity arose. 

A tiefling lady by the name of Tylna came to the tavern with her entourage one night and with flattery, drinks and charm she convinced Eliezra to accompany them on a voyage to Conch.  Tylna said she was starting a "classy escort business" there and that Eliezra was pretty and charming enough to make a lot of money.  The fare for the voyage could be paid back through work, Tylna assured the young woman.  While there were no direct lies about the nature of the work Eliezra would be doing, Tylna deliberately omitted certain details such as that the business would be in the slums, the main clients would be gangsters and Eliezra would be an indentured servant rather than a free woman until her travel loan was paid off.  Eliezra’s new workplace was to be the Loving Lamb of Conch’s slums. 

Tylna craftily applied interest to Eliezra’s loan to stretch out her bondage for longer.  Most of the clients Eliezra serviced were brutes from the gangs rather than the drunk young nobles she’d optimistically expected.  There was one regular client of hers who was kind, a battle-scarred enforcer from the Knots gang named Trewin.  He had been an adventurer and noticed that Eliezra had some untapped potential for swordplay and roguery.  For several months he took her around the slums and taught her some of what he knew.  Eliezra proved adept at handling weapons, forcing locks and disarming traps.  Trewin had a plan behind this training but he was never able to complete it.  Unfortunately, he was one of a few Knots captured in a street fight with the newly ascendant Diiri’s Boys gang and tortured to death. 

After that brief glimpse of self-sufficiency had been torn away, Eliezra resigned herself to slowly paying off her debt until she could flee back to Lyrkos.  Then she could grovel to her parents, take her punishment and go back to working for the family business and taking an arranged marriage.  It seemed almost something to look forward to now.  But fate intervened.  A cleric of Moander came to the Lamb one night.  He was ugly, vulgar and coarse and frightening in nature but also seemed wealthy and generous with his money.  The ladies drew straws for who would accompany him that night.  One of the newer girls got the short straw and sobbed in distress. 

Fatefully, Eliezra offered to take that woman’s place to spare her this client and agreed to split the money with her.  Eliezra spent a few hours entertaining the cleric, but then came down with a fever afterwards. By the next day she was seriously ill with dreadful ulcers breaking out over her body, particularly her face which almost seemed to be rotting away.  Tylna had Eliezra wrapped in sheets and taken to the temple of Tyche to see Kardeen.  He was horrified by her condition which he diagnosed as a virulent magical plague.  But Tylna was even more horrified by the price he put on a cure and was terrified that the plague might spread to her other staff.  Cruelly, she fired Eliezra and hired one of Diiri's thugs to take her away and finish her off.   The Boy was a vulgar half-orc and eager to prove his worth to this gang.  However when he unwrapped the sheets to deliver the coup de grace, he was so repulsed by the woman’s state he simply dropped her and ran. 

Eliezra lay in a dark corner of the slums drifting in and out of consciousness as the disease ravaged her body. Her eyesight began to fade.  The few people who walked past gasped in horror and fled.  In this horrific state, Eliezra made her peace with her fate.  If nothing else she knew she had spared another person this horrid death, and that was a harsh burden she decided she could accept.  Her only resentments were aimed at the city itself, and its complete absence of mercy.   It was so lacking in mercy that even the man hired to put her out of her misery bungled the job. 

The sound of approaching footsteps interrupted her thoughts.  These footsteps did not flee in revulsion.  She looked up with her cloudy vision and saw a blurry, but unmistakable and pitiful sight. There was a man dressed only in a loincloth and his exposed skin was covered in a multitude of welts from what must have been a hellish whipping. His fingers were bent back and broken and he limped upon burned and blistered feet. His face, though plastered with blood, was that of the dead Trewin.  "Follow me, child" he said softly. "You, who would spare another a horrific fate and take on that heavy burden yourself, shall not die here."  The crippled man beckoned to her and she dredged up just enough strength to crawl to his familiar face as he led her.  Occasionally he stopped and smiled warmly with his gashed lips while Eliezra caught her breath.

Inevitably there came the moment where Eliezra could not even crawl anymore.  She looked up to plead for the man to have mercy and carry her.  Instead she moaned in anguish when she realised he was gone.  Yet her weak cry had gained the attention of others.  Several people rushed to her aid.  There was a gnome, a few human men and a woman.  They were dressed in the tattered clothing of beggars though their hands were wrapped in clean linen tied with red cord.  They lifted Eliezra up and carried her to a hidden shelter within a breach in the city wall.   Sister Mylene, Sufferer of Ilmater and caretaker of his hidden shrine then attempted to cure her. 

The disease was resistant to even her magical treatments but with painstaking and exhausting care the elderly priestess was able to cure Eliezra.  Some of the damage Eliezra had suffered was irreparable.  Her face would never be the same, and her hair had prematurely turned almost white.  It only took a single look in a mirror for Eliezra to resign herself to a single life wearing a veil for the rest of her days.  What lies beneath it only Sister Mylene and a few others would know, but it is horrible enough in Eliezra’s mind for her to keep it permanently concealed.   Her only concession to  fashion would become her immaculately styled dark eyebrows

When Eliezra was strong enough to leave the shrine she refused to.  She knew her family would be ashamed of the work she had done, and her face meant no one would ever be willing to look upon her again, let alone marry her.   Furthermore she felt a strong desire to do something, however small, about the appalling things going on in the slums.  It seemed logical to her too that now she would be more accepted in a district of shunned monsters than anywhere else.  She told Mylene of her life to that point, of the man who had brought her to this refuge and her thoughts for the future.

Mylene smiled at this news and told Eliezra that she had been chosen by an avatar of Ilmater to become a supplicant, one of the “Angels of Small Mercies” that secretly worked in the slums.  Brother Trewin had been part of this network until he had been martyred.  Clearly Ilmater had been watching Eliezra for some time.  For her part, Eliezra swore to protect both Sister Mylene and the shrine with her life and bring Ilmater’s light to the darkness of West Conch.  It would prove a lonely path for Eliezra which would bring her many enemies and few friends outside her fellow Angels of Small Mercies.  Her own experiences have not hardened her but rather made her kinder and perhaps even a little naive.  But like her patron, she will relentlessly bear that burden too.  Now she walks the slums of Conch as a defender of the weak, hungry and desperate.  She is Eliezra the Faceless, the Veiled Guardian, the Protector of the Lone Parish... and after she retrieved the Iron Helm of Heroes, a divine champion of Ilmater.

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Background Progression / Aarden Sovereignsoul

« on: December 21, 2021, 03:27:53 am »

Aarden Sovereignsoul

Aarden was raised within the Hadrian temple to Mystryl and was seemingly given to the priests before a time he could remember. Being raised as a squire to a young spell-blade, and in turn, becoming a knight of the weave himself was troubling on him throughout his childhood and adolescence. What seemed like every step he took, he was either tempted by carnal pleasures and desires or a disappointment to his peers, therewithal his celestial blood one could understand the shame he may have bared. Scolded time after time, his adopted father, unable to relate to his "son" had eventually married. With his new family, and child on the way, Aarden eventually fell into obscurity, and thus began to live at the temple before his teen years.


Aarden, a flirt by nature, and a young romantic, in his sixteenth-summer, easily fell for a young half-elven woman two summers before he would fall from grace. Awestruck by her beauty, kindness, and general lack of prejudice how could he not do everything in his power to make her his, and just that is what he did. For two years his temptations and faults were forgotten as he loved another being as they also loved him. He began to channel with clarity during prayer, and those of the temple would remark his devotion, attention, and drive had seen an unexpected boost. Indeed, all was well in the orphaned plane-touched's life.

But not all stories have such jovial endings. With two years of good graces, and Aarden finally being seen as responsible and maturing within the eyes of the temple, he was so very close to an understanding and acceptance of the oath he would bear, but fate or the gods themselves did not have this in store. His lover, fetching a parcel in the farmlands outside Hadrian was caught in a seemingly freak incident. A rogue-mage having rented the unused cellar room of a now long forgotten inn, said to be selling fireworks, and other small explosives to the peasants. They had been experimenting with powerful magics, or so the locals explained as bright-blinding lights would beam through the cellar door. Seemingly unable to wield the raw force he had somehow created, those who looked on from afar or somehow survived to say they saw a massive ball of pure white radiance, blinding, and expanding outward from the cellar erasing all organic life in its path before abruptly ending. With no trace of any "rogue-mage", nor their notes, or equipment to be found. Not even the bones of those caught within the sphere were present, and all were assumed dead. All but the mage, who couldn't have perished, with his equipment, notes, and even clothing being gone.


Upon hearing of this, Aarden was thrown into a fit of rage, though, how could he not? His pregnant wife was now nothing but a memory... With his wife and child gone, Aarden sought the authorities. Alas, when told it was accidental, and under Arcanist investigation, the guard captains hands tied, and unable to say more, something unhinged in Aarden, and with a balled fist, he stormed from the office. Returning to the site of the accident, he wept for his now gone family and promised vengeance. As he left the farmlands, he took a scythe in hand from a tool barrel and sauntered away, an aura of woe following him.

For days he hunted the man down, lead by the faintest of arcane trails left behind, and runes traced upon the cellar. If Aarden could do this, why couldn't those in charge of the investigation? After a ten-day, following descriptions, paying out his meager life savings for information, and partaking in favors that would dishonor him, and bring shame to those he loved and devoted himself alongside. He'd found the mage, now in hiding within an inn outside the floating city. In a small port near Conch is where Aarden first earned his title, with little finesse, and even less discretion he entered the inn, walked upstairs scythe in hand, and like a rothe, blunted his way through the door. A mage when caught off guard isn't the most challenging of foes, especially not one so drunk, washing away their sins in alcohol. Before the man could even utter an incantation or wave his hand to cast, Aarden removed them with a swipe of the scythe. A pained scream escaped the man who pleaded and apologized for his sins. But Aarden was too far gone, too much had been given to redeem his family's death, and he wouldn't stop here. With a fell swoop of the scythe, the mage was no more.

 Though with this, what was once Aarden was no more, and with the death of this mage, a sorcerous power awoke in him, vengeance and his actions leading up to so culminated alongside his celestial blood sparked, alongside his training with the temple. Unhinged, sadastic, and willing to do anything for coin, Aarden the Mage-killer worked for the highest bidder alongside many other mercenaries, Like Boofy the Kenku Scout, and Vyc "Scuzzy" the Ravager, before finding his way to Conch. Promised power for those willing to take it, he joined the Diiri's boys alongside his sellsword-born mates and began to work his way up the ranks.

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General Discussion / Re: Quest List & Locations ( OOC List )

« on: November 27, 2021, 01:03:08 pm »

//updated missing quests 27/11/21

- Sir Theodore Capstick - Whispering Tree Inn - lvl 4-10 (quest giver is the cup on the wall) party req 1-1
- Sir Theodore Capstick - Whispering Tree Inn - lvl 11-20 (quest giver is the cup on the wall) party req 1-1
- Sir Theodore Capstick - Whispering Tree Inn - lvl 21-30 (quest giver is the cup on the wall) party req 1-1
- Chary, Gallery Assistant - Southbank Art Gallery - lvl 7-15 party req 2-10
- Old Sullivan Outpost - Sullivan's Outer Edge - lvl 15-21 party req 2-8
- Julia Swift - Nebular University Lower - lvl 10-20 party req 2-10
- Lanna - Hamring Enclave Interior - 15-25 party req 2-10
- Chalinani - Scorched Plain - lvl 12- 20 party req 2-20
- Veriah - Whispering Tree Inn - lvl 6-12
- Mining sign - Skybreach Mine - lvl 6-12

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Development Ideas - Feedback / Re: Monster/Creature Re-Balance

« on: November 22, 2021, 02:07:00 am »

Matriarch — Today at 12:01 PM
Some of the stuff that is in the necropolis, in the lower levels. The duergars were pretty tough, but everything else was not as hard. Some are maybe a bit too easy even.
Then there were the orcs out in the orc hills and mine. Hills are easy to clear at a high level. (was 15 I think the first time I went in there and it was not too hard but then at 19, got really easy.) for level 17+, I'd say orcs are easy. It could use a few tougher ones in the mines at the very least.

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Feedback and Bugs / MOVED: Monster/Creature Re-Balance

« on: November 22, 2021, 12:54:55 am »

This topic has been moved to Development Ideas - Feedback.

https://netheril.net/forums/index.php?topic=7096.0

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Development Ideas - Feedback / Monster/Creature Re-Balance

« on: November 22, 2021, 12:30:04 am »

Please post here any monster/creatures that may need to be buffed due to being too easy now with the increase to loot and so forth.
Add as much detail as possible so area name and creature name.
Thank you all in advance we will start to work through these slowly

Thanks

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Background Progression / Hu Shangkun

« on: November 06, 2021, 03:40:28 am »

Hu Shangkun

A Shou man from the far east lands of the continent of Kara-Tur, Shangkun, or just ‘Shang’ of the Hu Clan was raised from the time he could hold a blade to be a Samurai warrior in the Emperor’s elite guard. His father was Samurai, his grandfather was Samurai and so on down the line. Shang was raised with a strict code that he adheres to in all of his decision-making and actions. He was raised to prefer death to dishonoring his code, his family or his emperor. He excelled in sword skills, quickly rising to the best and most favored among his peers. Some saw this as favoritism since Shang’s father, Hu Koshing, in addition to being captain of the guard, was also the chief trainer to who all the other teachers answered to.

A longtime rival of Shang’s was Zhang Long, the haughty nephew of the Emperor himself.  He was chief in spreading any rumor of nepotism at any of Shang’s accomplishments. When the final test came to move up from student to guardsman in the Emperor’s ranks, only a small number of the class would be deemed good enough to advance. The final spar for the final spot came down to Shang versus Long. When it became apparent that Long was not going to win the bout, he used underhanded tactics, feigning a strike, but instead throwing a handful of salt into Shang’s eyes, momentarily blinding him. Long scored several good hits on Shang as a result. The sly action was not noticed by the spectators but was noticed by the one who mattered, Shang’s father Hu Koshing. He immediately called out disqualifying Long, and advancing Shang to the prestigious position.

Enraged, Long stormed out of the fighting ring vowing revenge for the ‘obvious favoritism’ of father to son. There were many dissenting murmurs within the gathered throng. Suspicious of Zhang Long’s tactics, Hu Koshing went alone to conduct a search of the young man’s room. In a hidden compartment of Long’s trunk, some of the paraphernalia associated with ninja assassins. It was then that the ninjas made their presence known, attacking Koshing en masse from the shadows. Though he slew many, Hu Koshing fell. The ninjas and their dead vanished into the night as is their way.

Shang found his father’s corpse this way. Through his grief, his suspicions of the culprit were confirmed as he saw the name of ‘Long’ traced into the floor in blood by his father’s hand. In righteous wrath, he sought out the man and attacked without a word. He focused all his fury on the fight, it mattered not that there were scores of witnesses. It was a brutal, bloody fight, but in the end, Shang was always the better swordsman, and Long was slain, his head flying from his shoulders in the final stroke.

The other students moved to corral Shang. Feeling betrayed by his school and ultimately by his emperor, in allowing the same nepotism in Long as Long had accused between Koshing and Shang, Shang fled. He has been running ever since, staying ahead of any of the forces the Emperor might send after him, moving further and further from Kara-Tur. He earned coins as a guard along the way, taking boats and caravans, moving as far as he could from his home. It had been almost a year since he’d encountered any of the Emperor’s agents when he ended up in the lands of the Netherese. Feeling a calm settle on him, he decided to stay for a time in the city of Conch. His meeting with an intriguing young woman named Cori might have also been influential in this decision. Though a dark past haunts his dreams, for now, he feels at peace.

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Background Progression / Lauriella Sithmore

« on: November 06, 2021, 02:58:32 am »

Lauriella Sithmore
A Woman of Paradox

    Lauriella is a long-time adventurer She is a woman of paradox. Through the rigors of her hard life, she has changed greatly. She is not a true necromancer but practices white necromancy on a high level. She has a natural affinity for it. Yet she worships Sehanine Moonbow/Selune as her patron. A goddess who abhors necromancy. She specializes in both the study of the positive and negative planes two directly opposing forces which have led her to Chronomancy.

  She is a generally very good person but has no qualms about the realities of life and will do, when necessary, what she needs to do or protect those and the things she loves. She has been a spy, investigator, run misinformation campaigns in wars yet believes she should be as upfront with someone and truthful as possible. She was born a poor farm girl yet has reached the lower upper class as a merchant marine captain. She has a hard-as-nails blue-collar attitude but can compensate when necessity according to the situation. She loves both men and women yet only has one true love which she can never reach. Thus, as she becomes an archmage these very paradoxes are weighting upon her soul.

  Tonight, she decides to go to extremes and call out to her goddess in a rare ceremony to try to find a path through the haze of what she must do to accomplish her goals. Elves usually do not sleep they go into a trance where they can relive parts of their lives in a state called revelry. However, Sehanine is the goddess of dreams among other things. To access true dreams, you must induce true sleep. In the ceremony of Sehanine’s communion, an elven does just that. They drink a sleeping potion especially made for elves then sleep on a bed of moon lilies in the hope that the goddess herself will guide them in their dream.


    Lauriella wakes up near dusk and puts her uniform on. As she passes her magical research desk, she notices both letter and flag of truce are gone. She wonders if the shadow stalkers took the items or if it is the turbaned acquaintance trying to upset her plan. She should know fairly soon.
    She goes out on deck and up to the wheel. Cyr has the heading and position marked. “Everything ship shape and running smoothly, Lieutenant?”
    “Aye, Captain. Stan has a slight cold. I gave him some willow bark tea to ease the symptoms.”
    “Well done. I relieve you Lieutenant Stafford.”
    “I stand relieved.”
    Lauri takes the wheel. Cyr navigates for her until all her men come from below deck and the shift changes. Lauri looks over to him, “I wish to commune tonight before the new moon”
     Cyr spits out his tea and considers for a moment, “With all due respect, I’m not going to do it. I won’t”
     She turns her head studying his face, “I know you failed your priest training but as far as I know you can lead a communion with the goddess.”
     “I did’na say I can’t. I said I won’t”
     “Could you give a reason?”
     Cyr’s face turns red in shame, “There is no reason for you to try to commune with the goddess, ma’am. You know you may get nothing in dream and based that the new moon is in a few days it’s unlikely you will. Secondly you practice necromancy. You may not want to commune with the goddess.”
     “I only practice white necromancy Cyr. You know that. This is part of your duties on the ship and besides where else would I go. You know my proclivities.”
     “This is a very bad idea.” His face goes grave. “Alright but I will not………. I demand Arelush being the only other woman on the ship be here.”
     “If Arelush is here she will know me for my misfortunes. I cannot have that happen.”
     “Good, then we agree to not do this disastrous ceremony.”
     She huffs while watching his signal man at the bow flag something. She turns the wheel slightly to starboard while thinking about it. “Then bring Arelush with you, Cyr. It is too important.”
     “And just where are you going to get all the moon lilies you need?”
     “Got them in me room.”
     Irritated Cyr simply says, “Fine.”
    “You have your orders, Mr. Stafford.
    Cyr stomps down to midships to make a special ceremonial sleeping potion keyed just for the elven people.

     When the clock strikes eleven Cyr exchanges positions with Lauriella. She goes down and changes into something looking like a silvery full-length nightgown. She scratches at her stomach again leaving a line of blood spotting the gown. She comes up and approaches the wheel cautiously.
     As soon as Cyr spots her he puts his storm harness on. Arelush waits patiently behind him. She walks up to the wheel platform. As soon as Arelush sees her painted face she drops to her knees and bows her head exclaiming, “Hemet Netjer!”
      Lauri takes a step back a bit confused by her reaction. Surprised by Arelush’s comment Cyr himself who has been avoiding looking directly at Lauri studies her face. There are five dots across her brow in her makeup. “So that’s why you want to commune. You’re an archmage now. And shit you scratched yourself bloody again. Another bad omen but at least now I know the why.”
     He grabs Lauri’s wrist. She tries to twist away but without her armor she is no match for the elven’s strength. Arelush gets up. “What’s wrong with the captain?”
     He whispers into Arelush’s ear. Her eyes go wide a moment. Then she looks at Lauri with understanding and some pity. When he has her locked in his grip and in full control of her. He states, “Now check her belly.”
     Cyr turns his face away while Arelush checks her. “The wound is gone, sir.” Cyr checks her hand. The ring is still on her hand. He pulls it off forcibly. Lauri starts to stroke his arm. He pushes her away and tries to calm himself.
     “Lauriella, you know why you’re here. Face me.”
     “She stops and watches his eyes. Yes, I do.”
     “Are you willing to open your soul to the lady of Dreams?”
     “Yes. I am.”
     He takes the cup from the navigation table making sure her eyes stay on him and not Arelush. He offers her the cup.”
      She takes it and downs the whole thing. “You only have so much time, Lauriella. Go to the foremast. Everything is set up for you.”
     Lauriella goes down to the main deck. At the foremast is a single lantern hanging from it. The lantern lights up a small area where there is a large blanket. There are dozens of moonflowers resting upon it. She walks up to the scene. A few feet before she reaches the blanket she stops and undoes the strings on the gown. It falls down her body slowly until it lies at her feet. Her eyes harden slightly small age lines around them become more acute. She steps over the gown and drops to her knees in the center of the blanket. Resting her hands on them she bows in humility. Cyr must turn away.


     

Daughter of the Night, Goddess of Moonlight, Lady of Dreams I beseech communion and lay my soul bare before you. I am Lauriella Sithiir also known as Lauriella Sithmore. I was born 3150 years from now on an island called Evermeet. My family is shamed by a half-drow grandfather and famous shadow thief, so I grew up poor: his legacy always a stain upon our house.
     I left for the continent of Anchorome for the study of magic under a great enchantress/necromancer but failed and was sent to a place called Narfell. There I used the white necromancy I was taught to slay the very foes you detest. I became a spy and courier between Narfell and Mulhorand. And a necromantic investigator for a group called the Cerulean Stars.
     Learning navigation, I also became an ensign in the Mulhorandi Merchant Marines. I got pregnant and had a daughter to which I do not remember. For two weeks after she was born there was a storm at sea. I crushed my head on the mast of the galley I was piloting and went down with the ship. I remember nothing of what I have said for the mast crushed the side of my head I only know these things by record.
     My barely living body washed upon the dalelands. An Elven noblewoman Alluin pieced me back together. We fell in love, but she was betrothed to another. I left and bought my first ship. For centuries I sailed making this ship along the way. Adventuring but never to make more than 5th circle. Something always brought me back whether head injury or other hazard. I lost my first wife in a war for a city called Arabel two weeks after we married. I have lost much in my life and gained much.
     Now I am here. I will never see Alluin nor my husband and wife again. I wish you to guide my hand in dream so that I may accomplish a worthy goal getting my men who I love home again.
     I know I am not the best worshipper my patron. I am a white necromancer. I have done things from necessity that goes against the creed. I am of no import to the greater scheme. Yet I stand before you a new Hemet Netjer.
     Guide me Lady of Dreams so that I may have patience, humility, and understanding in this strange new world so that I may help those that need help with my small power. Guide my hand to make this world better and to avoid the arrogance that others of my kind would succumb too. Guide my mind to understand the challenges set before my table from the time device I must create to the rot within the walls of the Nebular university. Guide me with your wisdom……….

  Lauriella falls to her side in sleep, perchance to dream.  Cyr commands Arelush to put a blanket over her body while still turning away. They wait together for the sleeping potion to wear off.

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Background Progression / Gabriella Le'moure

« on: October 08, 2021, 02:30:02 am »

Gabriella Le'moure

Gabriella’s existence was, to her parents, an accident. It’s easy to see why when you look at her parents: Her father was a travelling bard who had seduced her young and naïve mother, the only living child of a family of lesser nobility. The father fled from town shortly after their union, and her mother was locked away to hide her infidelity. Gabriella was promptly given away to the town’s orphanage, which would for some reason, begin receiving a small donation from the very same family.

For the early parts of her years, she would be taught how to tend the gardens, wash the various pieces of clothing of the orphanage, help with cooking, and to clean, all in an attempt to teach her the very important life skills that would hopefully lead to her adoption by a family in the future. Unfortunately, Gabriella was too inquisitive for her own good – opting to skip out on most of these ‘lessons’ and seek fun elsewhere outside the orphanage, specifically the local Tinkerer and Alchemist shop owned by an aging Gnome magician known as Temlin.

Temlin would entertain Gabriella for her short stints at shop over many months, intrigued with how the little human would rather pull apart the toys he would supply her with to figure out how they worked instead of playing with them. He would eventually adopt her just for the sake of satiating his own curiosity at her own curiosity. Temlin would go on to teach her the ins and out of his tinkering and the basics of alchemy over the next few years until he caught her ‘cleaning’ his study. While Gabriella never had shown a true interest in the tinkering or the alchemy themselves past the study of ‘why does this do that instead of this?’, she showed an increasing interest in the various tomes he had hidden away from his earlier days of adventuring.

Allowing her to borrow them, Gabriella immersed herself into the world of books and tomes. At first, Gabriella was entranced with the stories of heroes rescuing princesses captured by dragons. Over the years as Gabriella would begin reaching her mid-teens, she began asking questions about these stories – if they were true, why did the princess get captured, what really is a dragon, is the magic in these stories the same as Temlins magic? Temlin did his best to offer knowledge in that regard, even going so far as to set Gabriella up with little course in introductory practical magic. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the best teacher, but even so as Gabriella reached adulthood, she would have the ability to cast Cantrips and a select set of first tier magic.

It wasn’t long afterwards that Temlin became bedridden, likely from his advanced age, and unable to care for himself or run his shop. Gabriella stepped into that role willingly, although not as talented as Temlin in either tinkering or alchemy, she was able to make just enough from repairing the various items he had made previously and using a little bit of magic when she couldn’t repair something the old-fashioned way. On his deathbed, Temlin would make his first and only request of Gabriella. The request being that, upon his passing, to visit their longest lasting Patron – A matron of one of the towns lesser nobility – in order to sort his estate so that she may have enough coin to travel onwards to Conch and enroll into the Nebular University.

Her adoptive father would then pass on, the following night, leaving Gabriella to mourn the loss of her father over several days. Following this event, she would honor Temlin’s request and make her way to their shops largest Patron and met her directly for the first time. Unbeknownst to Gabriella, this would be her real mother watching her from afar for most of her life and their first in person meeting. The meeting went well and the two discussed various things in a private manner, mostly with them reminiscing about Temlin and his creations and what he had done for the town in the past. They also spoke about what Gabriella would want to do and stated she would go to study at the university if she had the funds.

It was determined that anything Gabriella didn’t want to take with her could be sold off – to include the shop – to help finance her trip and studies to the University with the stipulation that she would either eventually return to the house as a court mage until the extra money was paid in full. Agreeing to this, Gabriella set off the next day towards Conch via Caravan to begin her studies.

Arriving and enrolling into the university, she opted for classes specializing in the schools of primarily enchantment, conjuration, and evocation, with a small dip into necromancy just to learn enough about what it truly is. She chose these three schools to specialize in after thinking about Temlin and all the little toys he would make, figuring these three would help her the most with creating magical artifacts that could possibly withstand the test of time.

10

Mechanical Changes / Multiclass Restrictions

« on: July 25, 2021, 07:20:29 am »

 The following combination of classes are not allowed on Netheril:

- Monk/Druid

Monk/Druid is not allowed to be created due to the power of the build and Monks are almost incomprehensible to Druids: their devotion to abstract ideals make them almost completely alien to the natural world.

11

Announcements / Netheril: Age of Discovery Server Rules

« on: July 24, 2021, 11:27:24 am »

Rules on Netheril are put in place to maintain the enjoyment for all of the community. These rules encompass the server, forums and Discord.

Below are the following rules that all players agree to follow when entering the Netheril server. Players are responsible at all times for abiding by the rules and role playing, and will be held accountable to them. Please make sure that you read and understand thoroughly each of the rules and if there is a question don't hesitate to ask a member of the Administration Team.

Netheril is a M15+ server. This means that the server will contain mature content and is therefore recommended for persons over the age of 15.
Netheril is also a roleplaying server and not a “social” one.  Therefore Erotic Roleplay (ERP) is not supported on the server.

As such sexually abusive roleplay, including but not limited to; rape, sexual assault, sexual harassement, etc is strictly forbidden.

Please do not portray self-harm or suicide. You can die a glorious death in battle fighting your nemesis, but we ask that the grim tone of self-inflicted wounds not be displayed.

On Roleplaying Children :

Playing a child on Netheril is strictly prohibited. No one with a character under the age of 18 will be allowed to play said character and will be required to remake the character if this rule is broken.
Pregnancy-related stories will not be supported.
Backstories that involve sexual assault or incest are not supported.

Language and OOC :

Derogatory or abusive statements pertaining to real-world race, gender, sexuality, or sexual preference will not be tolerated.
We ask that all players remain respectful to one another in OOC communications.
OOC disrespect or abuse is completely unacceptable. If you find yourself on the end of any OOC abuse in-game, on the forums or Discord we ask that you screenshot the encounter and contact a DM. Do not take the matter into your own hands.

Discord Expectations:
Netheril Discord you will be able to connect with your DMs and the other players of Netheril. We ask that everyone acts with respect. Arguments, name-calling, OOC/IC hostilities have no place in our community.
If you have any issues regarding a player or DMs we ask that you bring that to a team member in a private chat and we will look at your complaint and work with all parties to try and find a resolution. At no stage take this behind the scenes with OOC hostility as this will not be looked at lightly and will result in a ban.
Please do not argue with DMs in public chat. Again if you disagree that is fine but hostile behavior will not be tolerated. And will result in action being taken in the form of warnings and then bans.
We encourage discussions and feedback and we want discord to be a fun place for all of us to hang out and chat.

Player Versus Player Guidelines

These are the player versus player rules that apply in the town of Conch and the lands surrounding it. There are certain aspects of PvP that are just common sense, the main one being:
"Do not do something to others you would not like done to you."
Simple! With that in mind here is a list of rules you must adhere to as a bare minimum when engaging in PvP.

Player versus Player resulting in beatdown (subdual):

Players can engage in player versus player which leads to a player being beaten down and gold or an item taken. Dry looting which means the stealing of a player's entire belongings is not acceptable. You can engage in a beatdown without a DM in certain areas that will be clearly marked PVP areas. If you are beaten down in PvP, you need to stay down until after the PvP is over (exceptions are if a DM or the player who downed you gives you permission.

Beatdown Expectations:

If you are planning to engage in Player Versus Player it is essential that you set the other player to hostile before you attack. Setting someone to hostile isn’t an IC action, it’s only mechanical and can be done by going to your player tool. If you find yourself knocked down to the ground you should remain down and not engage in the player vs. player further, this is common courtesy and will be enforced.

Getting a players bag to drop

If you beat someone down in player versus player and wish to take an item or gold from them, this is acceptable. To get a player to drop their bag you are required to hit them while they are on the ground until their loot bag drops. You can take an item or gold but you should not fully loot the player.

Player versus Player resulting in permadeath:

Player versus player resulting in permadeath should be the result of buildup and conflict between characters. If you feel you have this character development you need to get the go-ahead from a DM.
This should be an absolute last option and players should try to think out of the box when going down this path. And you should remember that you are choosing to end other players' stories so do not do this lightly.

• Someone killed in PvP now has to wait 24 hours before he can respawn. The raise spells can still be used immediately. This was done to prevent PvP victims from immediately returning to the point where they died and accusing their attackers.

• If you choose to respawn you cannot engage with that player and any IC knowledge leading up to the death and who did it can't be used IC, much like having amnesia.  These lost memories do not return although naturally other PCs could explain what happened to the character.  Ignoring this and immediately continuing the conflict is NOT ALLOWED and will be handled accordingly.

• If player versus player has escalated to permadeath we would prefer that players on both sides worked to give OCC consent and inform the DM Team.

• The player that lost their character to permadeath may be offered perks/rewards in making a new PC. This is not enforced but is an incentive if you choose this. IE: Starting level increased, Crafting level Increased, App PC, other options can be discussed with the DM Team.

• DM events are generally not subject to permadeath. It would only occur for major server plots and will be stated well before an event

General Rules:

• PvP must be kept IC. Any PvP resulting from an OOC issue is unacceptable, as are any OOC insults or complaints made to your fellow player. Bring any complaints to the DM Team to handle. Please supply screenshots/logs where possible.

• No Full-Looting. This is just typically bad form and usually completely unnecessary.

• Once you are subdued you must stay down. This is an OOC courtesy to your fellow player and will be enforced. This applies even if you are healed by someone. Rather, ask if you can get up from the overseeing DM or the player who subdued you. Failure to follow this rule can result in consequences.

• Be Respectful. This goes for everyone. The person initiating the PVP needs to be respectful OOC. As does the person on the receiving end.

• “Crabwalking” or strafing to speed up an encumbered character and escape away from conflict is not okay.

• The act of escaping PVP by running through a transition and then doubling back, thereby losing your pursuer via. a load screen is not okay.

• DM Rulings are to be respected. If you think the ruling is unjust or unfair, you may bring it to the team as a whole or another admin.

PvP and Monster Races:

• Conch Slums is an open PVP area with beatdown allowed without a DM present; this area is controlled by gangs and monsters. So you should be aware of this if you chose to PVP in this area.

• Conch Market District is a neutral zone and as such certain monster races are tolerated and watched whilst in this district.

• Conch Upper District monsters are not allowed to enter and risk beatdown and being removed or killed on sight. DM needs to be present until we have a system in place. Monsters going into this area invisible or in disguises will have their character killed as this is strictly not allowed.

• Common courtesy should be given when meeting for the first time, even though you may want to kill it should be a beat down and warning on the first encounter.

• If a monster encounters a non-monster race they too should show the same consideration. This is to promote interaction and conflict without the instant win.

• Monsters should not be going into Hadrian or other major villages that would normally kill them on sight- this does not include Conch Slums, Sullivan’s Port, and Patrician Trading Post.

• Sullivan’s Port is a neutral zone and if you plan to engage in PvP you need a DM to oversee, Sullivan does not like the conflict in his port and will remove heads if it is done without his say so.

• Playing a monster is a lonely life and more suited to group concepts as isolation is part of the deal. The DM’s are happy to discuss new additions that you would like to see out in Sullivan’s so please send them to one of us

• Monsters on the rare occasion can be accepted into the main hubs, this would be based around the concept and application and is based on a case by case basis.

Pickpocketing:

Pickpocketing counts as a hostile action, while we won't ask that you hostile someone before you pickpocket them (as it causes a penalty of -10 or so for you to do so), the be considerate guideline applies here. If you steal something that honestly you probably wouldn't be able to? Their helm off their head, their armor, weapons, shields, etcetera, give it back and ask for the event to be OOCly forgotten.

Until such a time as we mechanically limit pickpocket to small size items and gold, we ask that you be considerate of the player on the other side of this action. Otherwise, we will have to block this action altogether until we have a system in place to handle it.

PvP On An Alt:

You may react to it if attacked or otherwise threatened, but you cannot start conflict with a character that exists only to quest or to mess around with for fun. Save this type of roleplay and conflict for your main character, don't mess with other people's PCs on a consequence-free alt.

OOC courtesy:

Please be mindful that you should consider the player on the receiving end of this encounter and you should endeavor to make it enjoyable for not only yourself but for them as well. This is a game where we all come to have some fun, so please remember this when engaging in PvP.

DM Events and Looting:
 
Dry Looting the rewards chest wants to make this very clear this type of action is unacceptable and is not to happen. We ask that some OOC consideration takes place with these types of events and everyone gets their fair share of the loot.
 
Now if you have an IC reason to take something from the chest then you should always inform a DM and get this cleared before doing so.

Further resources on game information and general rules:

For further resources on game information and general rules, please refer to the following-
Announcement Forum Subsection: https://netheril.net/forums/index.php?board=2.0
Netheril: Age of Discovery Wiki: https://netheril.net/w/index.php/Main_Page

For questions and concerns, please refer to the:
Netheril Discord: https://discord.gg/adW7j6
General Questions/Statements of Interest forum subsection: https://netheril.net/forums/index.php?action=helpdesk;sa=main;dept=2

Our Discord is the heart of the community, acting not only as an Out of Character lounge but also as an effective board for questions, finding people to play with, and many more functions. It is highly encouraged that you join Discord via the link provided above.

12

Setting Information / Information on Conch

« on: July 24, 2021, 06:38:32 am »

Information on Conch

Upper District
Upper Conch is the wealthiest district of Conch and is predominantly populated by humans and similar races.  Amongst the residents are landlords, petty nobility and Nebular staff and students.  Monstrous races are not welcome at all in Upper Conch and are liable to be violently driven out.  Players of PCs of this nature should be aware they are in danger of beatdowns or worse if they stray there. 

//ooc: You are not allowed to enter this area disguised. Until we have a scripted disguise system, that is not supported. Monsters risk being KOS in this area so keep that in mind.

Market District
The Market District of Conch is fairly cosmopolitan and is considered something of a neutral zone to residents.  Members of all races reside or enter for business in this district, although monster PCs will still be watched carefully by the guards.

Slums District
Officially termed West Conch, the Slums of Conch are home to a motley assortment of races.  Monster PCs are as welcome as any other.  Note that this a violent district and visibly wealthy PCs are in danger of being robbed or otherwise attacked.  The Slums are also an open PVP area so keep this in mind when entering them.   

//ooc: This area you can beatdown as per the pvp rules and can be done without DM present. This is not a full permadeath area.

13

General Discussion / Re: Step into the Future - Questions and Suggestions

« on: April 27, 2020, 02:08:32 am »

I think what we want is for the crafting system to be easy to use but not too simple as we still want it to be rewarding for players. Don't think everybody should be a master crafter in each craft. So becoming a master crafter should be an accomplishment and someone that other players would want to seek out.

The current system is very intensive and intertwined with many components that need to be fixed so we need to find something that will still give players a sense of accomplishment but at the same time having it fun and enjoyable.

14

General Discussion / Re: Step into the Future - Questions and Suggestions

« on: April 26, 2020, 04:39:57 am »

We are looking to implement a new system if we can find one that is more streamlined and intutive for players.

15

Netherese Library / Re: Research: Artifacts of Selune

« on: January 13, 2020, 12:44:23 am »

The librarian hands over a couple of books to Sarah stating that there is not a lot of information to be found.

 https://netheril.net/forums/index.php?topic=6136.0