Albedos: Q&A

Haern

Ask me questions and I'll answer them! Or, I will be nebulous and ignore you. Either way!

Damonicus

Will the Divine get killed off?

Haern

Damonicus said:

Will the Divine get killed off?

Questions about Albedos itself only, please! We will not be revealing details on possible storylines for the game because that's just far too spoilery and unfun.

Calipso

When Albedos is launched, will Sapience be deleted and Albedos made the main continent or will the features in Sapience still be accessible to players?

Eleanor

You guys are really asking the wrong kinds of questions.


So like, tell us some more about Delve? It's got this delicious rainy industrial London feel, right.

Haern

Eleanor said:

You guys are really asking the wrong kinds of questions.


So like, tell us some more about Delve? It's got this delicious rainy industrial London feel, right.

Yes, that's a very accurate assessment of Delve's feel. I just posted the new thread about Delve, so make sure to read it!

Mastema

Is the idea to transfer all guilds etc over at once to the new place or will it be a matter of wait and see.

Also are we going to see cool new races without giving stuff away.

Oh and cheers

Haern

Mastema said:

Also are we going to see cool new races without giving stuff away.

I won't answer that first part, because that falls along the "I ain't spoiling major storylines!" thread. Yes, there are many new races across Albedos, both PC (player character, not politically correct) and NPC!

Belakai

Is it true that dwarves suffer -14 strength, -23 intelligence, and constant vomitting when they step on Albedos due to the fact that I hate them, and struggle not to wipe the race off the planet daily?

Calipso

Belakai said:

Is it true that dwarves suffer -14 strength, -23 intelligence, and constant vomitting when they step on Albedos due to the fact that I hate them, and struggle not to wipe the race off the planet daily?

I am a goblin and I approve this message.

Aldric

I'm going to just throw a bunch at you:

On the subject of races within Albedos, are there any that feud against each other like the Grooks and Horkvali?

Dreikathi are a completely separate race, right? Lore-wise, how'd they come to be the sorta natural higher-ups in terms of powah?

In terms of geography, is Delve sorta like the middle of the map? I know from snooping about there are tons of different races within, so it seems like the sort of meeting ground/melting pot.

Nevermind, lrn2helpfile

How does Delve actually go about keeping itself separate from the Underbelly?

How does Delve's government/hierarchical structure come about? Is it a mostly-democratic process for the council of the five with the others appointed, or is this creeping too far into 'you'll see' territory?

Haern

Aldric said:

On the subject of races within Albedos, are there any that feud against each other like the Grooks and Horkvali?

I wouldn't say that there is one particular feud between the races. There's a great deal of racism though within certain areas of the world. Delve, as an example, has an extremely low opinion of the Praexi and Aslinn. They are largely considered to be trash and are disenfranchised from much of Delve's upper echelons. The Parxian Order is comprised mostly of Praexi--you should keep an eye on them within Delve.

Dreikathi are a completely separate race, right? Lore-wise, how'd they come to be the sorta natural higher-ups in terms of powah?

That's a tough question and not one I can answer right now. Yes, the Dreikathi are their own race. You might want to think of them as Ankyreans who never fell from power.

In terms of geography, is Delve sorta like the middle of the map? I know from snooping about there are tons of different races within, so it seems like the sort of meeting ground/melting pot.

Nope! It's actually fairly detached from the majority of the continent. It's done wonders for them, but they're quickly becoming burdened under the weight of so many refugees from across Albedos and now, Sapience.

How does Delve actually go about keeping itself separate from the Underbelly?

Guards, hounds, and beatings.

How does Delve's government/hierarchical structure come about?

And ye, did Haern say, "you will see".

Daskalos

Are there any bashing places\places to bash over there? I think more people would visit Albedos, and explore these areas, if there were. I personally am now thinking I want to go find some Dreikathi and pick a fight. <<

Kerryn

Daskalos said:

Are there any bashing places\places to bash over there? I think more people would visit Albedos, and explore these areas, if there were. I personally am now thinking I want to go find some Dreikathi and pick a fight. <<

I think a big part of it is that when we go there, we are disconnected from 99% of the rest of the game. Which at times can be nice. But if you have responsibilities and/or like to help novices and fellow guild/city/order members, not being able to communicate is a huge negative. That alone is why I think people don't go there except to get that one crafting ingredient or to turn in our gauntlets for mist quota. And while I understand that it's a different continent and we shouldn't be able to communicate, I still feel it should be changed so we can all help novices and explore these wonderful new areas, without having to ask ourselves "Can I take the risk of going to rp/explore Delve for a hour and hope no novice logs in and needs help?"

Calipso

Is Drakennmont a sort of big steel forged fortress or a large mountain city ooor what? Im mostly  interested in the Dreikathi living environment and how it would reflect on their race (they seem somewhat draconic).

Aldric

Calipso said:

Is Drakennmont a sort of big steel forged fortress or a large mountain city ooor what? Im mostly  interested in the Dreikathi living environment and how it would reflect on their race (they seem somewhat draconic).

According to Chris What's-his-face, this is what they look like:

..badass

Calipso

Consider me converted! Hail the mighty empire!!

Haern

Daskalos said:

Are there any bashing places\places to bash over there? I think more people would visit Albedos, and explore these areas, if there were. I personally am now thinking I want to go find some Dreikathi and pick a fight. <<

You will never find Dreikathi NPCs as they would hardly sully themselves with the rank and file of watching over the dregs. You may find Vierkathi, however! As in terms of bashing, a number of the areas I have mentioned are a combination of questing and hunting, but the farther you get from civilization the more perilous it will become for you.

And, @Kerryn: Some new developments in ylem research may assist you with communicating with your novices across planes!

Calipso

what exactly -is- a Vierkathi? >.>

Ezrax

hi haern, long time listener first time caller

i want to live in ravenloft, are there going to be player run cities or is that too ambitious. i am talking long term here not next month

thank you

Haern

Calipso said:

what exactly -is- a Vierkathi? >.>

While the Dreikathi ascribe themselves to a lineage borne of the dragons the Vierkathi believe themselves to be the descendants of wyrms. They largely consider themselves to be kin, but extremely distant and the Vierk are the only race that the Dreikathi do not view as slaves. Lesser beings, but not slaves. Of course, not all Vierk are under the watch of the Dreikathi and those that are serve a purpose to them.

They've beaked maws, leathery skin, and a number of quill-like spines that dot their heads and backs. They have a penchant for eating enemies they encounter, mostly alive, and they are very well known for their skills with the taming of beasts (such as the wyrms).

Phoenecia

Since nobody's bothered to ask: What's the culture like for each race/region in Albedos?

Haern

Phoenecia said:

Since nobody's bothered to ask: What's the culture like for each race/region in Albedos?

I could spend hours talking about the various cultures in each area, so I suppose I should focus on Delve for now. Delve is largely a melting pot of cultures with a nod to a greater population of Caentoi and Tarpen citizens than the other races; their cultures tend to be more prevalent than that of the Utari or the Ursal, as an example. The Utari and Golbans are the next most populous and can be seen as merchants who are normally under the hire of the great merchant clans of the Caentoi, sailors, and studious scholars of the Academic Quarter. The Ursal within Delve tend to be roaming mercenaries or bodyguards seemingly out for hire, so I would not count some of them to be deemed citizens but a definite presence within the city. Of course, the greatest population of Praexi and Aslinn tend to be found in the Underbelly and, thusly, are not considered to be true citizens of Delve. 

There is a very topdown society in Delve: the Caentoi and Tarpen are largely members of the ruling council and have a thumb in every proverbial pie (the Delve Research Society, the Ecclesiarchy, etc) while the Praexi and Aslinn have very little say from the squalor of the Underbelly. Of course, the Caentoi and Tarpen have their poor as well, but with the vast merchant clans holding sway in the Exchange and the Tarpen range from your gutter-dwelling mechanic to an urbane industrial master. Money, ultimately, drives the last free city of Albedos.

Luna

So, Delve is a port city. But who the gently caress do they trade with if the rest of the continent is occupied by the Dreikathi? Or is it just a big ol' fishing village?

Haern

Luna said:

So, Delve is a port city. But who the gently caress do they trade with if the rest of the continent is occupied by the Dreikathi? Or is it just a big ol' fishing village?

Delve currently has partaken in trade with four townships not under the control of the Dreikathi, but they are relatively tight lipped about their locations. It should also be noted that several island nations have caught their attention recently and they have begun to trade with them, in addition to the business deals they've begun to conduct with organizations around Sapience.

Luna

Yeah, but they don't use ships to trade with us, they use the portal. At least I've never seen or heard of a Delvian ship in any harbour on Sapience

edit: clarity

Haern

Luna said:

Yeah, but they don't use ships to trade with us, they use the portal. At least I've never seen or heard of a Delvian ship in any harbour on Sapience

edit: clarity

Nah, I wanted to just address the general trade question in case it popped up again. 

Lin

So where exactly is the continent, in relation to Sapience? The Dreikathi ships landed in Scidve to the west, but there seems to be a mixed message as to whether or not they're actually in the west. And where are the Nazedha in relation to that?

Could you possibly answer this question via 20-second MS Paint doodle, as a bonus?

Haern

I will when I get home from work.

Razmael

MS Paint doodle? Stand back guys, I got this. Might be slightly longer than twenty seconds. Writing letters with a mouse is hard.

Razmael

The Drakkenmont forces landed in Scidve because it was, tactically, the best position they could find at the time. The eastern coast is too populated to set up a forward base, with the presence of Enorian, Delos and numerous villages, and Duiran. They wanted a coastal landing site, so they could sit the airships in the water, and the Scidve cove was a pretty good spot. There's a few other reasons, such as proximity to Ashtan, that they chose that spot too.