Quick RP Questions

Moirean

Ati, the Shadow

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General:

Its age is unknown.

Its date of creation is unknown.

Its rank in Aetolia is unmeasurable.

It is a Corrupter of Rainforests in the Fellowship of Explorers.

It is a mentor but not a particularly good one.

It is considered to be infinitely above your might.

Fame:

It has ascended to an Idrethi form.

It has slain dozens of mortals without breaking a sweat.

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Bakhtuh

Lin said:

It's hard to say. The common answer is "we're very strong", but that matters little to people like Llazuth, Qeddwyn, Vusbati, or any other superpowerful NPC that can thrash a solo player.

I've never been able to come up with a better answer than "there are about a few thousand special people who are committed to the Fellowship of Explorers and operate in these organizations called guilds".

I've always seen it as the possibility of adventurers to absorb essence from other creatures they slay in the form of experience. We also get this from quests, which I interpret to be absorbing sapient essence for setting the world in order or something like that. Denizens, the low-tier ones that don't have names, don't have this. Adventurers, most of us young weak ones, aren't that strong compared to high-level mobs. But we can get to a higher level while they...stay at the level they're at. 

Xavin

Even membership in a guild isn't something that is exclusive to players. Some tutors are considered to be members of a guild and there are various npc's who are members of different guilds. For example, the goblin general in moghedu was a member of the infernals, there's that cabalist npc - sneak, I think? I personally know the ascendril have half a dozen or so npc guild members

And gaining levels isn't really something only pc's do either I'm pretty sure. Consider one of the nazheda invaders got tekal.

Rivas

Plus golems level up.

Areka

Maybe it's that we're the ones who can receive Divine blessings/favours? I've not seen an NPC (yet) with one. 

Atrapoema

What separates us from a normal NPC is the fact that we've decided to level, join a guild/House, learn a class, and defend our ideals/ways of life with our powers. Obviously, there are NPCs capable of the very same, and that puts them above the usual riff-raff, such as an NPC citizen of any of the cities, but it's what we, the players, do that defines the differences between ourselves and the NPCs.

Edit: Also the fact that we have honours (AKA public records). Now, there is the problem that certain NPCs don't have them and should, but one could argue, such as in Ati's case, that they would never take up a public record, etc. It's something you just sort of have to suspend your disbelief for.

Lin

The admin have made careful efforts to make NPCs more realistic: giving them special honors files, having them acknowledge game mechanics (Baelak Shipbreaker made mention of being braziered away once when threatened), and generally behaving as if they're as important as the players. I think this is a good thing!

What it means is that using identifiers like "adventurers" vs. "denizens" has become one of the necessary metagame terms to help people understand what the hell we're talking about.

Moirean

Areka said:

Maybe it's that we're the ones who can receive Divine blessings/favours? I've not seen an NPC (yet) with one. 

Chak regularly favors the Nazetu clans in Huanazedha.

Lin

(I wish She'd stop)

Haven

Setne said:

What separates us the players from the game denizens? E.g: In Lusternia, players are those who have gone through the Portal of Fate.
The slave island thing can't be it imo, as I believe there are denizen slaves in the game, unless I'm imagining things.

It has been my understanding that what separates the playersfrom the denizens of Aetolia is the fact that Varian has a special interest in each and everyone of us, hence our repeated resurrections which will presumably stop when we achieve our destiny or something in the grand scheme of things that have yet to unfold.

The no named NPCs aren't respawns but technically different people and the one with names... I imagine Varian has a special interest in them too but I feel like the reason they have names is a mechanical one to separate them in the code and as a visual aid to players to pay special attention to the mob instead of autobash. It'd be cool if the special NPCs generated random names from a select list to their region/race/culture/whatever to help further separate the PC and NPC divide but that's just me.

Missari

HAVEN YOU'RE WRONG, STOPPIT. >:|

Haven

Missari said:

HAVEN YOU'RE WRONG, STOPPIT. >:|

Then what's the IC significance of Varian and the death sequence? Then why is it some NPCs stay dead forever while some are resurrected after death? EXPLAIN DIS LORE TO ME SO THAT IT MAKES SENSE PLZ.

Xavin

Because sometimes Varian decides that that particular individual's story is over, or their soul is prevented from ever reaching the mirror for some reason.

Missari

Mobs respawn. Varian's purpose for them not getting rest in the halls is that they have to fuel the murderous PCs thirst for blood.

Haven

...is that just your personal interpretation of it all or is that backed by lore somewhere? o.o Because in the death sequence it says: "You collapse, with relief and with joy, for you know now that your Creator Wills you to live again." Which implies that Varian chooses you for whatever reason to return. We don't know that reason (maybe he just wants to see us die again!) but that means that there is a chance that next time he may not choose to revive us.

I've yet to see or hear of an event where no name NPC returns from death by Varian's will. So I think it's safe to assume that our death is unique and different from the regular denizens. The named ones being the only exception. Otherwise mob numbers wouldn't change on respawn? Right? o.o Or am I crazy and misunderstanding?

Areka

Not all mob numbers change on respawn. It's the same numbers in Xaanhal when I bash there, even in the instances, it cycles through the same 'groups'. 

Arbre

There's a mob in Xorali that goes "But it's such a long walk from the cave..." when you kill it.

Haven

Fair enough. I guess there is no real difference ICly between players and NPCs beyond the fact that we're generally more successful adventurers then as Atra said.

The concept that few people really stay dead in the lore seems really, really off to me though. But I guess if it's cannon...

:-<

Omei

Mobile numbers remain static in cases of death and respawn. The assumption is that they pass through the Cave and are returned to life, then return offscreen to their previous position.

More broadly, there is little difference, lorewise, between you and the denizens that populate the game. Obviously, some mechanics will not function on them, which requires a bit of suspension of disbelief to justify, but we are unlike some other IRE games in that no hard, indelible division exists between player and non-player characters. Permanent death occurs for both players and non-players, although it is far less likely to stick in the former case.

Haven

I feel bad for all the mobs we bash now... and how really, really dumb they apparently are.

Bakhtuh

Haven said:

I feel bad for all the mobs we bash now... and how really, really dumb they apparently are.

I'm sure they say the same thing about adventurers, watching the deathsights scroll past, while standing idly doing whatever they do when they are not being killed. "Hey Chad, that kid died again!" "Man...this is depressing. What is it like, 5 times now? How'd he go this time?" "Drowned lol" "Ugh...hey, someone's coming. Back to work standing really still and saying the same thing over and over again." <goes back to being a mob>

Omei said:

Mobile numbers remain static in cases of death and respawn. The assumption is that they pass through the Cave and are returned to life, then return offscreen to their previous position.

More broadly, there is little difference, lorewise, between you and the denizens that populate the game. Obviously, some mechanics will not function on them, which requires a bit of suspension of disbelief to justify, but we are unlike some other IRE games in that no hard, indelible division exists between player and non-player characters. Permanent death occurs for both players and non-players, although it is far less likely to stick in the former case.

It's good to have this clarified, thanks!

Arbre

Bakhtuh said:

I'm sure they say the same thing about adventurers, watching the deathsights scroll past, while standing idly doing whatever they do when they are not being killed.

That got me.

Alice

Having trouble connecting in general.. Seems my luck is either Afk'd people or others seeming to be disinterested. (Save 1 or 2 people, you know who you are heh) Been trying to sort of reach out a little and part of what sucks is my char will be needing interaction with people/events/something to happen before any growth & development can really occur? Where is/does any of this happen? Seems kind of like everyone's pretty established and distant atm?

Teani

I agree, there is a problem with people being afk and some of the places that are prime locations to snatch up some RP are also places where people tend to idle. All the cities have these places (Four corners in Enorian, the Core in Duiran, West gate in Bloodloch, Inner gate in Spinesreach or any of the local pubs, taverns and inns). There's also a good chance you can find some interaction at The Black Flagon Inn in Delos (owned by Kerryn), so if you see anyone hanging there head over and check it out.

Whatever you do, don't be afraid to just stumble into people at random and see if they RP back at you, and don't be discouraged if you don't get responses from those idling. You'll learn eventually who idle more than they talk. Also, don't be afraid to interact across the "border". That is definitely something that will bring some depth to your character, possible enemies or different RP arches.

Phoenecia

Gonna have to agree with Teani for the most part here. You kind of have to snoop around, observe, and see which people are likely going to be responsive to you - knowing who's good for RP is pretty important if you want to get started anywhere. Be discreet in your scoping at first until you figure out who you feel comfortable tossing emotes at. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. Toss out small emotes every once in a while when people are around - it can be a good way of hooking people and letting them know you want to interact with them.

Also, be aware that you shouldn't expect big character development or growth to happen right away. The best kind usually happens from repeated interactions with the same people over long periods of time. One thing to be aware of: be careful with character gimmicks because it can become a crutch or an annoyance or can leave you painted into a corner.

Alice

@Phoenecia & @Teani - Those are both good points. I guess I am or was a little anxious when I posted. When it gets too quiet I'll try to find something to busy myself with. One thing I definitely didn't try was looking outside Bloodlochs gates though! Thanks for the positive feed back

Aarbrok

As someone who frequently finds RP in random places....

Using the thirdeye skill, finding a location where many people are congregagating and party crashing, even awkwardly so is never a horrible idea.  ...

Just be like...ahh a bar! ..Then this:

Toz

So you're saying you come in like a wrecking ball?

Aarbrok

I never hit so hard in love
All I wanted was to break your walls
All you ever did was wreck me

Moirean

*cue banjos*