Weapon Pyrotechnics

ya know something? everytime I play Soul Calibre, and other similar games, I really like the flash and flare the weapons give up, the little bits and blurs of light and the like.

Would that be hard to do? I wonder.

I think it would be a magical thing bards could do. Tuning Weapons like Instruments, to Perform for their masters. I think this would work best on mundane weapons, nothing with lots of verbs already attached, although I'm certain dyed and forged weapons should be allowed to have these functions added.

A weapon could have up to 2 combinations placed on it, but bards would have up to 5 combinations available.
Special bardic weapons , perhaps bonded through Pyschometry? could have all 5 combinations tuned onto them.
This is done by tuning a weapon with sub-sonic vocalizations and weaving magic into the melody. When the weapon strikes an object it has a 20% chance of activating it's tuning. Tuning tends to wear off after so many uses. Also by wielding, dancing with the weapon, or waving the weapon around the wielder has a 100% chance of activating its flashy effects.
The vibrations tuned into each weapon, interact with the force of the air, causing strange, paranormal interactions.

should probably make the system open-ended enough so that additional color requests, or other things can be added later-on.

Tune Weapon Color (red, black, green, blue-white, gold, orange, violet, white rainbow)

Tune Weapon Pulse ( quick flares, flickers, dancing lights)

Tune Weapon Noise (Zzzing!, Zweeeeeee, Swooosh!, Shhhing!, Thhunk!, Chink!)

Tune Weapon Steady (dull red glow, shining golden aura, shining silver aura, bright blue glow)

Tune Weapon Speak (Custom Start Phrase, Glory!, Vigilance, Victory!)

Custom Start would be a specifically high bard ability, that would let a Bard give a sword enough vibrations to almost seem like speech-song.

Sircha wields her dueling iltesh a White Rainbow of Dancing Lights accompanies the light sweeping Swooosh! as she holds it ready. The iltesh hums and seems to sing the phrase: "For Death and Glory!"

Bardic Appraised As

Appraise Self Weaker

You think a little less of yourself, slouching over a bit.

When appraised in combat, the bard appears weaker by up to 50% than they really are. Critter Generators then use this data to generate easier monsters for the bard.

Appraise Self Stronger

You think a great deal of yourself, you are a war god!

Booga-Booga-Boo!

Bardic Scare Tactics:
Mwahahahaha!

Reqs: Must be hiding.
Bard jumps out of hiding and scares the living begeebes out of victim, (NPC, PC, or Monster) The creature in question must make a willpower check vs. the bard's charisma check. When the victim fails their face goes stark white and they loose all speech, roar and spellcasting, all attacks suffer a critical penalty, if they attack it is solely based on their ability stats while under this effect, all of the victims ranks are temporarily reduced to 0. This lasts for a number of minutes equal to the bard's lore divided by 60. Requires a full tank of Bardic Mojo to pull off.

You attempt to talk, but all you manage is a pleading jibber.
You attempt to attack, but your hand is shaking so badly you miss by a mile!
You gasp in terror, your eyes going wide as the room around you goes black. Stunned 10 seconds.

If the scare fails, the creature in question laughs it off.

This ability can only be countered by Redeemer's Pride, and Courage.

Bardic Protection Knots

Bardic Knots for the most part seem underdeveloped, like, something fantastical was planned for them, but nothing ever really happened to make them truely powerful bardic-only items.

So....

Celtic knotwork is much like a circle, perfect knotwork loops on and onto itself over and over again, infusing one end with another. The complexity along with it's almost magical tendency to sing in a bard's ear make it the perfect magical bardic item.

Spirit Knots, would conceivably protect a bard's spirit from harm, or at the least halve mental effects. Like... Badass Moonmage stares into your eyes, You are stunned! You hear the gentle whisper of music eminate from your Spirit Knot replacing the evil influences of Badass Moonmage. You shake off the spell.

Soul Knots, gives bards a protection bonus vs. aether and harmful spiritual spells.

Blood Knots, could replenish Bardic Mojo at a faster rate when worn.

Eternity/Life Knots, I want to say Reincarnation, but that might be going too far. Perhaps a continuous Wren Protector, or Bird Familiar when worn? If the bard dies, and departs a flock of birds enshroud the gravesite, making it harder/ more difficult to graverob said bard. Perhaps they might even peck and dive attack anyone who tries to dig up the grave?

Weapons outside the Box

Dartenian said, think outside the box, not all bardic bang HAS to come from our enchantes. So what does that leave us with?

Mime, ballet, more wheels in the pudding, rhyme-activated powers, shoes, drums and trumpets, bells, mundane music, sympathy, crushed herbs, new scents, candles and trances, meditations, the chocolate goddess monument to Melodia, woot, those drama things I was thinking of earlier! Also Pychometry, but I think I over-covered that. The Palladium Superheroes book: Ideas gleaned from it: Bardic Spellcasting, the ability to enchant weapons with chants of rhyme and verse, requires that the hero be holding their weapon in the bard's group for this to work. It really doesn't enchant the weapon though, but it gives the attacker an enchantment-like bonus, believing that the sword has been enchanted. It's all in the mind, people believe because they want to have a legend fixated on an object to believe in, causing them to attack at maximum skill level + 1 rank = to some mathematical equation involving the bard's charisma and skill in Lore. When using this ability a bard must first Recall the weapon to see if it has yet been named, then they need to name it when prompt using this ability and Psychometry of some sort, before the weapon can be Spellcasted upon.

Perhaps a separate naming system for weapons to tie into this ability? Barbarians with named swords could get a bonus to MR, or something, and bards could name the swords with Psychometry-like powers, and perhaps get tipped a bit of coin for doing so. Using Psychometry to find a weapon name, would only tell you it's name, it wouldn't tell you it's owner, so you'd still need to search around a bit to find the proper owner.

Tar and Feather: Someone just pisses you off, not enough for a direct challenge, but you feel the need to get even. Taking some lessons from some villagers who occassionally have to deal with the occasional pest or moron in a village where there may not be a police force, you learn the art of Tar and Feather. While in town/village/home areas: You yell out, Miscreat! Let's get em! This can be for anything from nabbing a few gold pieces to agravated assault, if it's a crime and you see them do it, you can take matters into your own hands, and lead a tar and feathering gathering of civilians. Watch out for the town guard though, they may take your crime of Vigilanteeism as a serious offense.

Villagers might look at someone who is tarred and feathered and interact with them differently.
Anything from, you might want to get that mess cleaned up, to (if you try to steal in their shop) miscreat! Commiting crimes again?! We'll just see about that, Guards! Guards!

Tar and feathers can be removed by going to The Baths and waiting there for 15-20 minutes.

Build Campsite: You build a temporary campsite for yourself and your companions, it lasts a few days, and then collapses in on itself. This can be in the middle of gargoyles, or some other super-dangerous place, it provides an emergency safe-haven for the injured, perhaps built off the main road and if a ranger is in the group, they can use their woodsmanship skills to Disguise Campsite. This is a temporary room for a bard to rest in during their travels, others can come in, unless you have a Ranger disguise the campsite as perhaps a pile of branches, or a Paladin can ward the enterance. Bards have always been great travelers, often on the roads sharing songs and rumors, sometimes they've found the need to make camp on the roadside to rest.

Fly as the Eagle: You feel so instilled with your own ups and downs from your mundane music, that through the power of your own song, and some lingering enchante magic that you find yourself transformed into an eagle capable of flying to another bard, anywhere in the lands but the bard must be above ground!

Countersong: You sing an earth-grounding melody that keeps you and your party well protected from the songs of other bards, and mental spells. Not an enchante, just another mind-effecting bardic ability.

Gather Information: extension of Rumor: Gather Information enables the bard to induce a simple hypnotic suggestion upon any intelligent being or monster such as "you like me" or 'Were best friends now", "you trust me" or "let us pass" This can be used to get into just about anywhere depending on the charisma and mojo of the bard. The verbval suggestion should be weaved into a sentence or brief conversation. The enchanted person responds only to simple suggestions and can not be forced to do bodily harm to himself or friends. The tactics used are similiar to getting information by getting the person drunk. Subtlety is key. There are dozens of places in the realms today where such an ability would prove to be more than useful.

Another Psychometry addition: Mystic Alarm, The bard can protect his possessions and domicile by placing mystic alarms on them. By invoking the mystic alarm spell, invisible ward-like symbols appear on any one object. If this object is touched/disturbed in any way, an instant, silent alarm will buzz in the bard's head. Reverse Psychometry, alerting him to the intrusion. Giving the bard a vision of the person touching/handling said item.

Amplify: Ability to enhance the effects of enchantes. For example: Desert's Maelstrom, with amplify in effect an additional effect comes into play, Amplify makes the whirlwind of desert's Maelstrom much more deadly, knocking people down, knocking riders off mounts, shifting the location of objects up to 3 rooms away to another adjacent 3 rooms away. Amplify drains Bardic mojo and can only be used by a bard not leading an enchante, but must be singing with one.

Words of Truth: Works on NPC's and GMPC's only. The being affected by this ability is compelled to answer all questions truthfully. The bard must be within the same room, and group, and it is wise for bards to keep questions simple and clear to avoid confusion. Saving Throw: Charisma and Intelligence of the GMPC or NPC vs. Bard's Charisma.

Additions to Bluff: Once a successful Bluff self is made, a bard can attempt to invoke one of these 3 responses: friendship/trust, power/fear, successful deception. A statement of friendship, peace, or trust will inspire those sentiments with everyone effected. The bard cannot be attacked, advanced, sniped or hurt by anyone effected by Bluff Friendship. If someone attempts to do as such they might get the message: You wouldn't do that to your best friend would you?

A statement of power, anger, strength, or vile intent will strike awe and fear into anyone effected. If someone tries to attack the bard after that statement is made they might get the message: Shouldn't you just bow your head and worship the greater person?

The first 2 can wear off more quickly over repeated attempts to attack/injure said bard.

The third one: Successful Deception: This enables the bard to successfully lie like a con-man. There is an 80% chance that those affected will believe anything he tells them. For example: PracticalJokester Bard pulls off a successful Deception, "I'm the town-guard, really, and I mean it, you have to hand me your weapons before I'll let you pass." If the bard is guarding something a room, then if you choose to enter the room twice, then you pass any weapons your holding to the bard in question.

Mask of Deceit Bardic Spell. Range: Self or other. Duration: 20 minutes.
A useful tool in deception, it magically creates an illusionary mask over the enchanted person's features. The mask is mentally molded by the bard into any facial features changing color, race, gender, etc. However the spell only affects facial features and not any other part of the body. This spell is an illusion; The original, true physical features are hidden, but unchanged.
The mask can also be placed on someone else, but the bard must do the mental molding of the illusion and the intended recipient must be in the same room. Lore is used to counter someone seeing through the disguise through the use of Perception, however all attempts must be directed as Perceive Person.

Stage Illusion Bardic Spell. Range: Room effect. Duration 40 minutes. Temporarily changes the room appearance through the use of Illusion, to what the bard wants. Does not disguise exits, unless they are mentioned in the room text.

Turn Self to Mist: Some wily bards found a way to escape imprisonment and entrapment by adapting a series of mental exercises and spells to their own uses. Turning into mist is particularly useful for escaping prisons, traps, and all sorts of unpleasant situations. An angry mob for example. While in this form the bard cannot speak, cast spells/enchantes or carry anything but he can hear and think. Only the physical body is affected, not any possessions, weapons, or clothes; these simply drop to the floor after the transformation. Runs off of Bardic Mojo.

Powder of confusion: This takes a bit of alchemical skill and mech lore for a bard to whip up, but essentially it's a special bardic recipe that can be tossed into the room and have the effects of causing chaos for 1-2 minutes. Giving the bard in question enough time to escape.

Bard Events

"Since it was mentioned...

Y'all want some events? Do YOU have any ideas for events?

Toss 'em my way...either via email (dr-vaeldriil@play.net) or by posting here.

Let me add that I'm not really referring to a fully-thought-out event idea ("I'd like us to find a relic that will allow us to storm the lighthouse and signal the pirate battalion, then take over the main ship, where we find out the commander can't make spinach dip, so we find a recipe, allowing him to carry on, and in his gratitude he gives us the Bardic Cutlass of Doom and Looting, as well as his ship, which we then use to start Bardic Party Cruises, with your activities director Silvy, and Macfrae as the bartender, and..."(breaks out into the Loveboat theme))...but more an idea of what type of thing you'd like to see.

Full-blown things like the Karovaas/Yalleck/enchantes or Medmaev event?

Short-term events like finding Esmaril's daughter (and the things that belonged to her mother)?

One-day type events like escorting someone like Annelore, Tasdrean, or a guildleader to a particular spot for a meeting or delivery?

Eagerly awaiting your input :)

-Vaeldriil"


In the least bit, this'll be my pre-email writing exercise.

The full blown events they just seemed to drag out forever, and ever, and ever. Some bards I know loved em, but me... no I got bored and went back to the hunt. Getting harrased by critters was just plain annoying. Now if it was introduced differently, like it involved the PC's more, then I'd like it better. Like.... a PC starts hearing inner music in their playing, if they're scripting or something, they miss out, but if they ask a guildleader or certified elder bard within a certain time-frame, they get involved in a major plot as if they were as important as Yallack or Medmeve, along with all their buds. Put a watcher on the bard in question to see what he whispers, says or gweths to anyone, when he asks a wise old bard, NPC, GMPC, or PC for guidance on this issue it means he or she accepts the quest. That would be cool and fun. If the chosen one doesn't, then the quest moves on to another random candidate.

Short term and One-day events were definitely more interesting to hear about.

I'm thinking a series of One-day events that all tied together would be fun. On the other hand, I always wished Silvy or one of the more jovial guild leaders would suddenly hold a birthday bash for 1 elanthian day. They might invite a few tailors, minstrels, a face painter or two, PC or NPC to fancy up everyone's clothing. Perhaps providing them with a rare/custom pattern particular to that event. I would also love to see a particularly kindly guild leader hand out an alteration scroll or two as gifts for particularly talented bards singing at such events. There could even be a small series of mini-events leading up to the B-day.

Some Character Thoughts

When I get back into DR, I think I'm now going to make 2 new characters, 1 Rakash, and 1 human, and just RP with them. Dress them up with some of Sircha's wardrobe, heaven knows she's got more than enough! Ever since Rakash came out I've been seriously jealous, I admit it! Me was jealous of Rakash!

Some changes in Role-play for Sircha: she's no longer a full-time adventurer, will make occasional appearances in guild visiting old friends and such. She'll trade in her fury-attitute for more of the jovial usual good-humor she's been noted to have. I think I'll finally buy an event, and hold a birthday party for her comming of age. For an elothean, I think that happens fairly soon.

The New Human character: I'm thinking, human barbarian fury, I'll keep her away from the guild, since I know from experience, the guys there can be a bit condencending and harsh towards females in general. Dress her all in red-violets, the hottest flame-colors. And of course, as with all of my characters, get her 11+ favors. I'm thinking of giving her my Angel character's name. Which is not Angel, Angel is a spin-off RPG from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.

Rakash commoner: Dress her in some nice robes I have, give her the heavy gold torque. Perhaps a priest? Maybe not? Have her roleplay around town, trying out different professions, perhaps pretend to join a guild, and be known as someone from that guild. Ultimately, she'll go necromancer.

Another character thought... create Buffy the Paladin? lol!
To pull it off in DR: I'd need to get a plain silver cross necklace made, dress the paladin in black leathers, actually, no, the volumtuous leather dress from the warmie shop! Weapons: A vial of holy water, a pig sticker with a cross engraved on the hilt. High agility is a must here!

Bardic Whistles

Hmm, well, that does appear to be fun, something I'll have to play with once I get back. A lasting gift from the Deryka reign? I always knew she was cool!

"Not long ago, Bards rediscovered the secret of the Piercing Whistle, but they didn't quite find it all. For those who are interested, there are more ways to whistle than just with your lips.

There are, for instance, whistles.

Nothing about the ability or how it is invoked has changed. If you want to use a tool, just be in the proper condition to use it, and have it in your hands."

Inventory Limits

"Since character corruption is such a traumatic experience and with the advent of the new restoral fee policy, we feel it's in everyone's best interest to prevent anyone from being able to get into this danger zone and risk character corruption, or in the event they choose not to deal with the restoral fee: character loss.

Effective immediately, there should be no way for your character to EVER get more than 500 items at any time. This change effects the GET, ACCEPT, BARTER, anD SKIN verbs. Any other verbs or systems that put items into your inventory will also be modified, but these are the main culprits." So I quoth Solomon.

GAWK! No more visits from DM's and the Junkyard man? I had so much fun, with those lengthy visits! And DM's would come and chat, and we'd have these poking contests in the junkroom with invisible DM's... ::sniff:: I'm going to miss those good old days. And then to tease the DM's I'd leave the room, pick up more junk, log off, log on, and get dumped back into the Junk room.

Ahh fun times, my second most fav moment in DR.

******************
[SEND] DERYKA: You did that on purpose!
******************
You say, "Yup."
Deryka comes out of hiding and ruffles your hair.
You hear a giggle from the shadows.

PIRP - Player Issued RP Award System

Posted by Godrich: G'day,

In a few moments, the Player Issued RP Award system (PIRP for short) will be going live in the Platinum instance of the game. Barring any unforseen problems Prime will follow shortly. Fallen will be added in a couple of days once the system proves to be stable, probably in a couple of days.

Solomon posted pretty much how the system will work so I'll be brief in my comments about the system.

-The system checks at login to see whether a player qualifies to be a participant in the system. By participant I mean those who are able to bestow points on other players. All players can receive points to earn RP awards.
-The number of points you receive to bestow, if any, depend primarily on your RP history as reflected in your RP score and number of RP awards received.
-The points you receive are reset, not rolled over, every 30 days, so no sense holding on to them since if you don't bestow them, they are lost.
-You cannot use the points you receive to bestow on other players to earn your own RP awards. Nor can you bestow points upon yourself.
-The number of points you can bestow on other players is in part determined by if they are also a participant in the system. If they are, you can only bestow 1 point on them, otherwise you can bestow up to 3 points.
-You can only bestow points on a given player once per point cycle. So if you bestow 1 point on MaryRoleplayer, you will not be able to bestow any further points on her until your available points get reset. As mentioned above, this reset happens every 30 days from the day you enter the system.
-Information about your position in the system will show up when you use the RPA verb. Non-participants will see how many points they have had bestowed on them and how many are needed to get an RP award. Participants will also see the additional verbs they have access to. These include how to bestow points and how to see how many points they have to bestow, how long until those points are reset and how many points they will get at that time.

I think that about covers the highlights. If you have any questions about how the system works, feel free to ask.

Regards,

Godrich de'Finchal

OooOOOoooo, pretty darn close to what I had under Roleplaying Awards, See "Improving the Dragonrealms World" published at the beginning of this month. Paragraph 1.2: Player Drama Points. All in all, its similiar, it's a step in the right direction. I like it, but as always, I think more can be done.

An RP score, hmm, I wonder if my DR contacts can show me what one looks like?

"-The number of points you receive to bestow, if any, depend primarily on your RP history as reflected in your RP score and number of RP awards received."

OMG, Bard Daerlynn's gonna get the maximum a month!

"-The number of points you receive to bestow, if any, depend primarily on your RP history as reflected in your RP score and number of RP awards received.s
-The points you receive are reset, not rolled over, every 30 days, so no sense holding on to them since if you don't bestow them, they are lost.
-You cannot use the points you receive to bestow on other players to earn your own RP awards. Nor can you bestow points upon yourself."

In the more practical sense this keeps DM's from getting spammed with Reports for Extrodinary Roleplay Requests and/or Demands as well as keeping things well rounded, and fair for people like me, received lots of RPA's on the old system, and then turn around and give 60% of those away to more 'deserving' roleplayers.

"-The system checks at login to see whether a player qualifies to be a participant in the system. By participant I mean those who are able to bestow points on other players. All players can receive points to earn RP awards."

One Question, what determines a participant? Age? RP history? Something else? Premie only?

But, me being a lurker, I can't ask.

"-Information about your position in the system will show up when you use the RPA verb."

All very cool, well noted.

DR Magic: Enchantes

DR Magic: Enchantes

This is a big topic for everyone, with views on both sides. Continuous effect looping spells, essentially. It's been suggested that bards have two settings for enchantes our continous effect spells are like the headlights of a car, they're either on, or off on high beam.

Lieutenant Elriic Melniibone of the Zoluren Dragoons has suggested that a Low beam setting be added for enchantes, the strongest effect would be more control over beneficial group enchantes. The same idea presented by Elenelear was Chant Rage Self, Chant Rage Group, Chant Rage Room. Adding to this, why not, have a setting for Chant Rage Allies, which would benefit only those in your immediate area who are on your friend list?

Eoworfinia suggests a slightly different approach: So my idea is to play to or or , down to the lilt. It is similar in thought to the self, group, room idea, however, it is more of a targeted "spell" method. If we could do things like this, a player vs player challenge would put us into the same boat skill wise in hitting back our challenger, MR would only come into play when doing a one on one challenge or room enchant, yes, it would change our position in a triage situation and possibly weaken the enchants that help in those situations, however, we would be able to be on the battle field more.

Whichever way development bends, bards simply do want more control over their enchantes. Who and what they effect and so on, especially with MR issues when you just want to target one person with Abandoned Heart. (My personal favorite)

Typical chat with a DR Newbie

Sircha: DR combat is second based. You have to type super-fast to be the best.
Wouldbe novice: I almost hunt and peck still
Sircha: yeah, well if you were just starting out, I'd reccommend not participating in invasions at all, just stay inside a house somewhere where it's safe.
Wouldbe novice: That doesn't sound like fun I want to be where the action is
Sircha: true, but low circlers.... they'll just get in the way most of the time and die.
Sircha: and then, not only do I have to worry about my stuff, my comrades stuff, I have to worry about the little 2 bit clueless novice who doesn't know when or where to run.

Sircha: It's almost like, me the player picked up all the 'feats' for the game.
Wouldbe Novice: Well don't worry I won't get in the way

Sircha: I feel like I have the feat Combat Sense, when I play the game. I instinctively know which way the tide of battle is going, and if it's going bad I know when to grab people and run.
Sircha: that's probably the most addictive part. You run your character, but it's the player that earns all the feats.
Wouldbe Novice: Well it's good to have you around

World Building: Xibar

To travel to and experience the blue caverns of Xibar, only poets dream of such, from imaginings of old bards and legends.

Foreshadowing: NPC storytellers and such have it added to their list of tales. Often it is referred to as a child's story tale, it spreads to other NPC's and similiar storytellers. Perhaps this is done months, possibly years in advance of the release, to give it time to sink in as part of DR culture.

The Legend Unfoldes:

Getting to the caverns was a bit of a quest within itself, starting off as the faintest of rumors about the new province. A hidden room underground that led to the stars. At an excavation archeological site hidden deep within it. Perhaps with only a .001% chance of discovery lies the blue key an artifact crafted from a blue mineral that eminates it's own light, it's handle the shape of Xibar, the blue moon. Once found, rumors begin to surface around the provinces of an ancient dwarven legend. That once upon a time, the dwarves forged a gateway deep in one of their mountains, that connected to the stars. Often regarded as a child's myth to entertain children, this legend seems to become more and more a reality. A new archeological dig is begun under one of the oldest and most sacred dwarven mountains. Adventurers who wish to work, must complete a mini-quest to obtain the dwarven king's permission to operate on sacred ground. Like any other archeological site it has 8 areas to work in, some with incredible amounts of mana, some with none. Lots of dwarven artifacts are hidden in these areas, and each will eventually unlock a part of the gate, but all 8 need to be fully excavated to work.

Perhaps even a cart system where character's can place unwanted items, then the cart just rolls away. (empties the trash) and is replaced by a new one. Each area of the gate is hidden under 200 ft of rubble from cave-ins and other debris. Knowing how zealous some character's can be, a system should be worked out so that parts of the gates are slowly unearthed, perhaps in a room that gets a lot of attention, a roleplaying scenario, where an NPC worker trips over something, and then discovers part of a buried archway made of a curious glowing blue marble.

Rumors later abound as to what's been found, it's significance. Different NPC scholars publish statements in the local province newspapers. There could even be a contest to write about the historical findings, the best 3 get placed in the Waerd-Av, and a free alteration. Over time, more archways of a fine blue mineral are discovered, in the same archeological areas although it's unknown how deep they go. (Like discovering a buried Stone Henge)

No apparent changes then occur for a long time, 6 months to a full year to let the excitement of it all die down a bit, and for those who are dedicated to archeological digging there to have a breather. Prince Vorclaf or some other dignitary visits just for appearances. Some interest is renewed in the area but not much. Nothing new is continued to be found, except perhaps a 2% chance of finding blue glowing marble gemstone chunks, or some of Dartenian's rumored treasures.

Another real-time year passes by, and floor is taken away in some of the most dug-up rooms and replaced with scaffolding, and ladders are added going downwards. Some note will be taken of this, as the excavations continue. Perhaps a small influx of curious people digging, asking questions or looking around. New archeological treasures appear on the next level down, perhaps more curiousities and such, less rubble and even a few bodily remains.

The dwarven king could express interest, and ask that the remains be placed in special bags and reverently cared for, for burial in ancestral homelands. This could slow the digging down, but add the opportunity for gaining RPA's for those who act as the dwarven king requests. Also those who blantantly violate the dwarven king's requests may find themselves given an RPA and have their passes permanently revoked by his guards.

As areas continue to be dug up, perhaps one of the less used rooms on the top, suddenly has a constant dedicated adventuring crew in attendance, then those archways could begin to be revealed.

Additional levels are slowly dug up and revealed, until a solid marble floor with blue glowing quartz lines is revealed at the bottom. More NPC and PC scholars could write their varying views on the new and exciting discovery, another contest ensues. More give-away alterations.

Eventually when all 8 original rooms are completely dug up by zealous adventurer-archeologists then the full pattern will be revealed. A room with 8 connected archways made of glowing blue marble. In the center is a groove for the blue moon key. Once set in the groove, the key seals itself in there, and becomes a part of the room. Completeing an Arcane Grazhir key, The blue stone archways each glow, and new directions become available in the room. N, NE, NW, S, SE, SW, E, W. Going in either direction teleports the character to the blue stone caverns of Xibar, the pit where long ago, a meteor from Grazhir crashed into Xibar. Once there they get promptly chased around or slain by a blue dragon wyrmling.

Further adventures: Exploring Xibar caverns are sure to lead to the invention of many new races, underground caves, and creatures to fight, love, and play with. The mountain and surrounding country-side starts seeing a lot of new creatures, curious visitors from Xibar start to wander the province, and extend their journies to other provinces. A new character class is born.

Prydaens and their knotwork

Knotwork, okay, granted something as complicated as such might be hard to explain, but just knotwork? *sigh* *shake*

The blood-knot pendants should be more descripty then just knotwork! Same goes with all Bard things! Kudos to Melodia for even giving us such things, but they should be expanded, enhanced and built on, instead of left on the shelf to gather dust. I just spent all summer studying varying kinds of knotwork, from pictish, to ancient and contemporary celtic.

It has seemed to me, that prydaen's with their fascination with ritual knotworks and such might be the equivalent to ancient celts. Certainly if it was possible to make knotworked items, prydaen's should get a heritage bonus to the crafting of them.

Ideal descriptions:

Eternity or Blood-Knot
A fancy interweaving of interlaced red and gold strings form a delicate continuous pattern with no apparent beginning or end.

recall Eternity or Blood-Knot
You remmember a prydaen guildsib telling of the true meaning behind these knots, that is that the looping knots continuously each going on and on forever is a visual representation of life, with all of it's loops and turns, re-uniting old friends, firing up new romances, and exploring new horizons to in the end return to the beginning in it's eternal cycle.

knotwork on a tunic:
A fancy filligree of embroidered lace intricately repeating an interlocking circular repitition. (I didn't want to use the word pattern, that word is just over-used in DR since the invention of Embroidery!)

An older knotworked item:
You recognize the embroidered interlocking square pattern to have been popular during the last days of the seven star empire.
(historically square interlocks were created by the Egyptians, Sumarians, and early Greeks, but I figure GM's can use old history to enrich DR history.)

Rumors, Treasure, and Dartenian

Wow, I'm so hyped from reading it, I wanna play, I wanna play, I wanna play. And here I gotta wait until I'm graduated, but this is why the D'kara exists, so I can make ideas, watch the game develope from the outside, make more ideas, that's what I spent most of my time doing in DR in the last 6 months I was playing. Usually I was just posting, posting, posting more ideas. For me, this is my idea of fun.

exerpt:

Beginning in October, I'll be feeding some rumors into the Rumor System around the start of each month. Not necessarily on the first, but definitely within 5 days either side of the first. Some of these will be pure rumor, plain and simple, and some will be rumors to support current or upcoming events, although moreso in Platinum than in Prime or TF, since that's where I run most of my own events. However, there's a reason I'm announcing it here for everyone....

Included in mix at the start of each month will be at least one rumor that is a clue for a "treasure" hidden somewhere in the realms. It may be something as simple as a lost family heirloom with little real value outside being unique to a buried pirate treasure to something very rare and valuable indeed! There may be more than one rumor involving said "treasure", providing clues to both location and nature. There may be deliberate red herrings put in by both myself and possibly fellow treasure hunters looking to steer you off the track. But there will be at least one rumor in there that points to something waiting to be found...somewhere.
A few quick notes:

If something remains unfound for a given month, I'll add more rumors to support its existance in addition to adding the new monthly treasure.

I will say straight up front that most will be hidden in little used areas, specifically to encourage people to get out and explore more, as well as to lower the chances of accidentally stumbling over things - I want the rumors to be the best way to find them.

In general, expect that if the area is dangerous (or if you have to pass through a dangerous area) that the reward will be at least worth the risk...but understand that this isn't a guarantee, merely a general guideline.

The more valuable the "treasure", the more vague the initial rumor will be, and the more likely it will be that people will need to wait for future supporting rumors. Again, a general guideline, not a hard and fast rule.

Why am I doing this? For one thing, I know a few people out there who would have a lot of fun with treasure hunts, and this is a simple, straightfoward way to provide them to everyone in all instances with minimal work on my end. Second, because the Rumor System is woefully underused, by both GMs and players alike. If more players use it, I'll have better luck badgering more GMs into using it. If more GMs use it, I'll have more luck prodding more players into using it. I'm sneaky that way. Third, because encouraging people to use the system opens the door to slipping other little things out as well."

End Exerpt

Surprise Attacks, Combat Addition

"Someone asked me once, what would bring me back to Dragonrealms?" This is my answer.

Each character with at least Expert in Brawling and the weapon wielded would have 1 suprise attack per dr day, that's 4 surprise attacks per real day.

Call it a skill, call it a feat, whatever.

The skill takes weapon ranks, expert for the weapon being weilded.
Coolness Factor with ACT.
On the coded side of the programming, is a list of words. nose to head, ear to head. Any reference of nose in the coolness factor before a person's name would mean that person would take damage to their head.
Full List: This is where damage is assigned after using ACT for an attack with the Surprise Attacks.
nose to head, ear to head, head, right eye, left eye. lips to head, hair to head, neck, right shoulder to chest, left shoulder to chest, tricep to chest, stomach to abdomen, gut to abdomen, abs to abdomen, left side to abdomen, right side to abdomen spine to back, lower back to back, right hip to right leg, left hip to left leg, and then something for the arms.

Sample of what I mean:

Barbarian roars at swamp troll. Swamp troll cowers.
>SAS
Prompt: Surprise Attack System Activated, use ACT to target.
>ACT dodges to the left and slams his Scimitar into the troll left side.
Barbarian dodges to the left and slams his Scimitar into the trolls left side.

An attack under the surprise attack skill unbalances you, but deals extra damage to the target, it also places you in the stance you set after your name. A coded prompt would look like this:
ACT

My Own Workshop: A Bard's Dream

A player expends X number of TDP's and X number of In game plats, and X number of real cash, and they get their own Workshop where they can invent numberous objects based around a single item, they get to be the first and only headmaster crafter of that item in the game, until their character is deleted, or retired.

for example: Adrianne's scarfs, they all do the same thing, but many look different, appear different, and they are very popular.

My character might choose boomerangs, an exotic LT weapon. She'll get 30 plain boomerangs shipped from Qi to her shop in Shard for a fee of 100 plat dokora, in her workshop she'll have up to 5 boomerang alteration scrolls available to her per month, for lengthy or customized descriptions, and a few added verbs, she also gets to use her Artistic skills and mechanical lore to paint regular wooden boomerangs all she wants. Her workshop can hold and store various items, including roleplaying art supplies. Brushes, paints from a recent festival. She can Mark her crafts so they show up on Appraisal. The quality of her boomerangs increases with her skill in Light thrown weaponry. She also has to tender regular monthly fees for having a business in Shard. Once per month, she can have a DM alter the properties of a single boomerang, from wood to metal for example, making it a mastercrafted boomerang from her shop.

The trader's guild that contracts the movement of supplies and shipments might get a 15% stipend from the 100 plat paid shipment.

Improving the Dragonrealms World

Novices

1.0
DR could use it's own special newbie villages, not Crossing or Riverhaven, I'm talking small villages specificially set apart and built to accomodate new people, complete with a starter quest or two, from which older players are banned from setting foot inside of. This will give novices the chance to learn without being bullied by PKer's. You all know who you are.

1.1
Once a novice advances to their next level, perhaps they could be shuffled to another new village, from there they could set up with parties of folk approximately their level. Upon reaching level 20, they can go anywhere they please without worry of being 'reshuffled' someplace else.

1.2
I know some attempts have been made to transform Riverhaven and Crossing into newbie villages, but this really doesn't help any, because it makes the majority of older and younger players miserable. The older ones get annoyed to death by repetitive newbie questions, and the younger players get annoyed when they don't understand the answers given, or are ignored by everyone.

1.3
An automated Hint system for younger players should be implemented along with an official player's guide for them to read on the website. A verb: Hint: would give a player a game hint.

1.4
Only Mentors, GH, GM's and Novices would be allowed to travel in these 'newbie' villages. Newbie villages must be easy to navigate. A long street with a few north and south directions would be best, also with a few shops to look at, but nothing more complex than 15 rooms to explore when first starting out.

1.5
A help request system should be put into place so that if a novice has a question they can't easily find the answer to, a GH or Mentor could answer via a special world long-distance gweth channel for novices.

1.5
Better formated novice maps of towns.

Roleplaying

1.0
A special online Journal made available from Simutronics Corp for any players who want to write journals, diaries, etc. for other players to read, about an adventurer's life. (and to help clear up some confusion hither and there. Or maybe players should start their own character blogs right here!

1.1
Instead of banning OOC disruptive players for a month, give them the option to stay in game, entrapped in a magical castle where they can continue to practice a few skills, but can only do so if they take the time to read various books on proper behavior in DR. Time being the essense here, they can turn a page every 45 seconds, ensuring that they are indeed reading these books. Also, they would only be allowed to practice skills after spending a substantial time reading the material in the books. Perhaps experience use would be disallowed until one had recently been rewarded an RPA for studying a book from the library? Players who end up in this special area could be considered candidates for chaotic nuetral alignment.

1.2 Player Drama Points.
Give all players 10 Drama Points to distribute as they will per month. These Drama Points will eventually add up to a full Roleplaying Award, and will not be deducted from the player's own total earnedDrama Points. These can only be distributed to character's not on the same accnt. as the player. If one person is seen giving all their Points consistantly month after month to a single character, it may be investigated, as a possible RPA abuse case. If RPA abuse is found, that character will be permanently banned from giving out RPA's again. These are not 10 rpa's per character, this is 10 rpa's per accnt, which may be drawn from and used by any character in the account. Player's are not required to use all their Drama Points for the month they are given, however, unused RPA's would never stack from month to month.

Once a character earns 20 drama points, they are flagged to receive a Role-playing award at the end of the month. If they earn more than that, up to 100, they may receive a stronger role-playing Award.

Drama Points would be earned by players at the rate of 12 hours of Roleplaying earns 1 Drama Point to give away, up to 10 Drama Points or 120 hours of active playing a month.
Drama points earned by role-playing and receiving awards also gives performing bards a boost to bardic mojo.

Trader's might get their own version of charisma bonuses, and to be a little more fair. A Barbarian might get a small, immediate boost to Inner Fire.

Any player that is nominated for 10 or more Drama Points within the space of an hour is flagged, if they continue to role-play particularly well then it is possible they may receive a GM RPA.

1.3
Practice dummies to practice those attack combos on! They have billions of hitpoints, shudder back and forth when you really kick butt, and don't bleed and can't be killed.

1.4
A true alignment system based on what a player - character does. If they do a good deed, during an event, they can be nominated automatically by an NPC or perhaps an Event GM running the show for a good deed, if they do an evil deed during an event they can be nominated for evil. However, if a player repeatedly gets nominated for an almost equal amount of good and evil deeds over the course of a few years, they become chaotic. Burning down a village one moment, and rescuing the prince might be a good example of chaotic.
If a character is often avoiding conflict, but participates a few times to aid a some friends that character can be considered nuetral, with the addition of whatever acts they have commited to become good, lawful, evil, or perhaps they've earned chaotic with the neutral. A chaotic nuetral player would be considered 'insane'.

1.5
More NPC's wandering around and about their daily lives.

1.6
If a player - character continues OOC behavior despite being thumped. Perhaps a new system could be implemented to make it so that they're credibility would be questioned. Like... hmm don't wanna call it alignment... when you appraise someone. Personality: A highly improbable character to A highly credible character. :)

1.7
Require all players to find and eat food. Make a system of intoxication.

Travel

1.0
Expand the world, sure it takes 1-2 rl days to travel from the farthest northern end to the southernmost tip. Why are players still limited to the coast and islands? What else is there and where is it? Now make more islands, perhaps a new mainland out east. Then what the heck is west of crossing, theren, and shard? An imperial kingdom of somesort? Expand everywhere going out west.

1.2
Ever played chrono cross? The whole game revolved around for the most part a bunch of islands! Have island quests and events spanning Ratha, Aesry Surlaenis'a and Mer'kresh. Not just tiny ones where the villians escape to the isles for a few days, but bigger ones!

1.3 (actually I love this idea, if only I was a gm, i'd try and build it myself!)
Also, add just a peaceful fishing village on a single island. Call it a character's vacation spot! Make all rooms a safe, no fighting area, except on the beach. And give it some fun features!

Suggested Features:
Exotic fish which are constantly updated and added too.
pearl diving,
coral diving - for various crafts that can be done exclusively on the island,
sheep shearing - expanding on this a bit, offer to shear a few sheep every autumn, it would be wild, you catch the sheep, hold it down with your strength, keep it down with your dexterity and cleanly shave it of it's wool. Later you could opt to sell it or keep it for carding practice (mech lore anyone?) taking it all the way up to a spool of wool (quest of discovery) that you could barter in a village shop for something really nice.
Village shops on this island don't accept gold, they have no practical use for it (unless a merchant vessel is approaching!) and will commonly barter for items they need, like 200 spools of wool for a special cloak with hidden pockets. (okay maybe not) just an idea.
A craft shop at the back of the hut, where you can pick up different tools and experiment with your coral, fish, and pearls. The right combinations will give you the chance at creating something beautiful. The wrong combinations will give you an odd bit of junk.

Post a few ads on the mainland advertising its' existance! Have nothing but fish, some villagers, a small library, a village gift shop, a few npc quests, and a few sheep there! No collosal mountain to climb, no big slavering beasts in the forest out beyond, no pirates interested in barging into paradise because there's really no place to hide a pirating vessel, there's no amount of gold there, not even a bank. Just a peaceful small place where players can sit back, relax and say, Aahhh! Wonderful! The island could be limited to gweth-thoughts only from others on the island. Also it would be free to any player-character that wanted to go visit. Not a priemie only area, not a plat-only area, a nice place anyone can go to anytime they want, completely free from outside 'stresses' of the rest of elanthia. A merchant vessel might show up once in a while and give a concert for a set amount of golds. Island would have it's own history.

1.4 a set of visual ascii directions available in every room. A north, east, west, ne, nw, se, sw, up, down.

1.5
Underwater travel.

1.6
Ariel travel by those handy gnomes.

Messages

1.0 We've all used AOL IM for years, now it looks like AOL is going to be cut altogether. Players want and need a way to communicate OOC, either by use of website PM's, chat rooms, or message services. If free games can pull it off there's no reason Dragonrealms shouldn't have it. Especially since so many players are already paying for it. Usually players use them to hook up with each other so they can all get together in a party of friends to go hunting. Not so they can share game secrets.

1.1 PM's Private messages available with the board system. Although I suspect this could lead to a great deal of trouble, I feel it a neccessary suggestion. Dragonrealms hook up with mygo.com?

1.2 In game pigeons. Perhaps characters if they really wanted messages right away could keep pigeon cages on them? An idea. NPC pigeon keepers in town?

Houses

1.0 Semi-completed with invention of Personal Ships for players. 11/16/04
Make it so that anyone 60+ can own a house, not just priemies and platties. Don't care if it costs 10 million plats to buy one cottage for a non-plat, non-priemie player. Or 100 million plats to buy my own personal castle.

1.1
Make houses variable sized, multiple rooms if you will. Different house sizes available to everyone. From 1 room to 200+

1.2
Custom room descriptions that can be changed by the owner at whim, magical lighting gaethzen spheres which can light the room in a variety of colors, From peach to blue, yellow, green, red.

1.3
Courtyards, with optional objects like stone fountains, statuary, a shallow bathing pool, and the like. Special moods that can be set for day and night, winter, dew, frost, etc. (if the courtyard has ice, the bathing pool should transform into a private skating rink.) A garden could be even added (akin to a piece of furniture) purchased in a shop to bloom with roses that can be plucked at first spring, trees of all kinds too, fruit bearing, etc.

1.4
Custom-built furniture for the cost of half a million plats each.

1.5
Save-item furniture that has a key and lock. I call em personal house vault.

1.6
Personal bookshelf, a safe place to put diaries, books and other bits of paper, maybe even store some old scrolls.

1.7
Grandfather clocks that chime the hour.

1.8
Stages, Arenas, indoor gardens.

1.9
multiple doors, balconies, windows.

2.0
food renewing rooms, a kitchen or wine cellar permanently stocked with all kinds of foodstuffs.

2.1
Ability to order pig carts or other forms of entertainment inside to entertain friends and guests at whim.

2.2
A house owner could have the option of buying non-janitorial rooms, and viscious buckets of gloop.

2.3
House owners should be able to specify rooms where only 1 person, or 2 people may be in. The Out House, or a private bedroom would make a good example.

2.4
House owners get the option of buying NPC's and placing them in their homes. A maid for example, or a butler to greet guests.

2.5
Home owners should be able to pay for duplicate keys and give them to friends to use the house.

2.6
Stables should be available in mansion and castle housing areas.

Decay

1.0 Some foods should decay, others like wines, and cheeses, preserved jams should not or if they do, it's a slow progression.

1.1 Decay for anything should be reasonably slow, nothing should decay overnight.

1.2 Decay should only happen on items that are being used. For example I'm wearing a bright red skirt everyday, so it should be worn down to tatters. However if I pull my 'dressy dress' clothes out of my red leather case which they've been neatly packed away in, they should be as fresh as the day I put them away.

1.3 Grape juice put in a waywerd pyramid and left there to rot should decay into wine, and then not decay any further after it's removed. In a word, sometimes decay should be good for items. Other things would be properly seasoning wood.

Quests

1.0
A few more quests that anybody can complete if they want to. Puzzle solving, intuitive quests, with small treasure items at the end. I don't mean the apocalyptic rapier from hel, I'm talking a small decorated weapon, something sold in a store already perhaps, something you'd find in the AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide, Treasure System, a minor or simply mundane bit of treasure an example would be a carving knife from the general store, with a griffin head on the pommel. The more difficult the quest the more interesting and rewarding the item would be. Perhaps a crossings scimitar that casts Swirling Winds on the wielder? With very low or limited uses.

1.1
Group quests, small puzzles that anyone can sign up for once to complete. Meant for fun & enjoyment of the game.

1.2
Enough with the invasions already! I'm sick of bashing a million monsters at a time, or worse, getting bashed by a million monsters at a time. I'd rather pursue the rumors of pirate's plunder waiting to be found in the middle of the ocean or go diving for pearls.

1.3
Have different NPC's hand out different quests. Let player's submit ideas for quests. Might require a new verb, or a gm's email addy.

1.4 Rumor Treasure Quests: Reading about this, I think it's an awesome idea. I like it, yes I do.

1.5 Okay there's how many castles in DR prime right now? How many of them are rigged with elaborate dungeon traps, deadly surprises and scary moments just awaiting a bold party of adventurers to try for Prince Vorclaf's crown jewels? I'm proposing a regular dungeon crawl available under all castles in DR, as a free continuously available event for everyone who plays DR.

Pits of acid, sand-traps, you name it. Perhaps an insider NPC could for the right amount of coins, a secret handshake or two, and some assurances could sneak a party of 6 into the back door to the dungeon, where they would then need to use their wits, cunning, and stealth to outwit wandering monsters, traps, and other diabolical nasties. This would be something a character could do as many times as they wanted but it would also be a requirement that they could only do and complete one trip to a dungeon every 6 months. The dungeon's would need to be constantly restocked with treasures, have their rooms moved around, and have regular dungeon maintenence done.


Ideas

1.0 Reward all player's who contribute to the game with constructive and good ideas that perhaps lead to lots of people signing in and playing. 1 month half price subscription, or perhaps some custom decorative work on that old longsword.

Improvational Verse & Enchante Structure

Having gone off and roleplayed bards a bit in other game systems. Hehehe me evil I knows. I've thought of some additional ways bards could roleplay with their songs. Implementable? It might be hard.

Improvational Verse
Idea creation date: 7/19/2004

Commands:
>Improv Verse On
Improvational Verse System Now on.
>Improve Verse execute script Adan'f Blood Mages
System: Select Enchante
>Sing DEMA
System: Binding Accepted. Demarris Maelstrom is bound to Execute with Script Adan'f Blood Mages, awaiting mana set.
>mana 15
You say: Adan'f Blood Mages written by Sircha Rankmere, inspired by Mr. Zombie.

You Sing in a chilling voice:
Dead I am the one exterminating adventurers
Dead I am the Mage watching Empath's cry
While they slowly die, conquering the swarm
Round Time: 0
The sand stirrs up around you.

Your song cuts through the sand around you:
Dead I am an animal, Slay the adventurers, slay the empaths
Dead I am the dark, hound of adan'f you cry, I can never die.
Turn to the empaths, Burn through the mages, and...
The wind begins to blow things about!

You sing in a cold voice:
Eternal I am the darkness Hear my song, and feel my sandy burn!
Treasure... Take it all!
A wind tunnel forms around you sucking up everything in sight!
A silver spoon takes flight and is sucked into a growing funnel!
A box takes flight and is sucked into a growing funnel!

Voodoo Rituals, Clerics, Necromancers and Bards

Okay, yeah, everyone knows there's one voodoo doll with wax and pins in the game. What about a system of voodoo rituals that anyone can utelize? Prepare a specific ritual, use a specific set of items, red sand drawn in penticles, candles, incense and herbs, and even an EXP cost to create a special effect.

What kinds of effects? Anything from waving your hands all day and having rainbows appear to affecting the stats of all local monsters, perhaps even to influence RP events themselves. These are the things that would be hard to get right, impossible to do daily, but perhaps, summoning a rainstorm in the middle of the desert? Global weather effects, super-strong spell effects requiring the cooperation of multiple guilds, and even level sacrifices. Mass-ressurection, or even bringing the soul and body of a walker back from the heavens. Banish all attackers to another part of the world. Open a gateway to Urrem'tier's 7th level of hell.

What's in it for clerics? They know how rituals go, they dance for their gods. They get things to happen, they also get lots of Exp for pulling off a successful one with logical roleplay behind it.

Why necromancers? Clerics are presumed good characters, they'll naturally do good rituals. Necromancer's are the balancing factor, they'll naturally do evil rituals to influence depression, sadness, bad dreams, or even summon hellhounds from the gates of Urrem'tier to wreck havok on the local populace.

Why bards? All rituals characteristically need 2 factors, magic and music. The right tempo, the correct melody would meld with magic, potentially correcting minor errors in timing, penticle drawings, or other neccessary bits. The chances for success are thereby increased as those doing the ritual fall into the tempo, the rhythm of the step, the mark of the march, the focusing of the power. Drums of the Snake for example. Perhaps the enchante need not be used, but the bard be there playing constant melody.

Psychometry and Bards

Moon mages shouldn't have such a monopoly on Psi. Bards manipulate emotions, true, bards could possibly study a more mental path, similiar to recall, but perhaps pick up emotions on objects. (Much like Psychometry essentially. At higher levels, perhaps even place very strong emotions on objects. Like if an item they were wearing or holding when they died was stolen, or lost they could pick up the mental vibe if it was recent. If it's something they touched/used often, they could perhaps imprint the item with their spiritual essense. (Shared Cleric/Bard Ability?) Instrument bonding was meant to be, only this would extend to personal or favorite items as well.)

Perhaps, this could be abilities tied directly to enchante paths? Like, Rage of the Clans literally as the pre-requisite for this ability. It would make more sense for emotion-changing enchantes to be tied with the ability.

Later on, perhaps Psychometry, could be advanced to the point of detecting thoughts, those sent by someone in the same room via gwethdesuan, and incomming thoughtcasts to that person.