(This is a thread from Mizahar's fantasy role play forums. Why don't you register today? This message is not shown when you are logged in. Come roleplay with us, it's fun!)
A city floating in the center of a lake, Ravok is a place of dark beauty, romance and culture. Behind it all though is the presence of Rhysol, God of Evil and Betrayal. The city is controlled by The Black Sun, a religious organization devoted to Rhysol. [Lore]
Winter 517 marks a full year without snow or cold for the world. It seems the strange atmosphere is affecting more than just watersheds and racial tensions. Signs for Vantha capture are reposted as many have faded or blown away but that is simply a formality. No self respecting Ravokian would harbor a shifty-eyed Vantha.
Something else is afoot; whispers on the warm winds and weeping from the lapping waves echo along the canals. As people sleep, visions and vivid dreams begin to take hold. It's as if something is awakening within and around the city- something or someone is calling out to the people of Ravok.
✦ DREAMS
This season, I am allowing everyone the chance to play Rhysol. Before you lose your shyke, let me explain. No one will actually be writing as the Defiler but you will be allowed to play his likeness in a dream for another PC. At some point this season, every character in or around Ravok will have a dream where he or she meets "Rhysol". This can be in any form, realm, setting and scenario you choose. I will make a thread in The Docks subforum so players can link their threads and find partners. Remember, this is not Rhysol entering your dream. It is just the mind's conception of the god of Chaos. To summarize, each player has the chance to write two dream threads. One as his/her PC and one as Rhysol for another player's PC.
Here are the rules:
It must be done in the Dreamscapes Forum (open thread rule DOES apply)
Rhysol must be represented in some fashion that reflects at least one of his characteristics (Betrayal, Chaos, Evil, Lies)
You can only play Rhysol once and it must be for another Ravok PC
The goal is for 'Rhysol' to convince the dreamer that he or she is actually the Defiler so that after the dream is over, the character walks around verbalizing and thinking "I. Am. Rhysol."
✦ Lakeshore Storm Dates
Thunderstorms with very little rain from midday on the 3rd to early morning on the 6th
A mild storm for few bells on the 11th
Wind storms that come in gusts strong enough to tip over sailboats or tear canvas as well as bring down trees off an on from the 44th until the 51st
Unnaturally hot and hazy from the 52nd until the end of the season
Misting all day on the 66th
Driving rain, sour to taste in the afternoon until dark of the 71st
Two days of refreshing showers from the 83rd until midday on the 85th
North Ravok Outpost will experience the same storms/weather one(1) day after the listed dates.
✦ Events
Quest Etiquette by Gossamer
Secret :
Quest Etiquette The Player Section
Quest Etiquette can be a real make or break thing in terms of a quest. Players sin and moderators sin. Sometimes I wonder if its because players have no idea what true quest etiquette is? Do moderators? From years of D&D tabletop I've formed what MY OPINION of quest etiquette is. I go by it now on Mizahar. Be sure you review this if your in one of my quests and try to adhere to the basic premise of this post. If your a moderator, make sure you are trying to enforce these things in your quests. Otherwise, your quest party is full of douchebags and you should just run their horses off a cliff and end the bad behavior once and for all.
Acknowledge the other people in a quest. Note their actions in your post by reacting to them even if its just a brief line or two. Don’t ignore their presence. It’s rude beyond belief to come into a quest and solo it without paying attention to the others in the party. The same thing is true if people break into subgroups and ignore the other subgroups. Subgroups are fine as long as everyone is a part of one and they note each other’s actions and include each other and everyone else in their posts.
Acknowledge the actions of others in the quest. You aren’t in a solo moderated thread. Note others actions as part of your response and put some opinion of the action in there. Do you approve? Are they being stupid? Make that part of your post. Argue with their action if you disagree or try to block it. That’s all part of the fun. Agree with it? Help them do the action! Step up and say great idea and lend a hand. The biggest crime in a quest thread is to ignore a fellow quester.
Establish what your PC is wearing/wielding/and has on their person. Magically appearing gear is annoying in any sort of quest. That goes double for the whole ‘its in my bag at all times things’. Please make sure in your initial post to establish to yourself and the others what your PC is wearing, holding, and carrying for the duration of the quest. If your allowed to take the time to ‘gear up’ then go get your full gear and re-establish what you have in a post following a ‘gear up’ session. That way one can avoid the magical bag of ‘everything even the kitchen sink is in here’ and yet your pc moves unencumbered through the quest.
Don’t poach information. If one character learns of something by their actions, its up to them to share that information with the party. If they don’t then you don’t know it. So long as they are paying attention to you and acknowledging your actions, its perfectly fine to withhold information.
Stick to the posting order. This goes along with information poaching. Try very hard to post in the order the original postings were made. This gives everyone an equal chance to post and react in the order they carried out actions and learned things. Skipping posting order is only okay if a moderator says it is or the moderator is tired of waiting for one slow poster to post.
Don’t stand and do nothing. No one likes a PC who’s in a quest just to observe. This is a huge waste of time too. Don’t do nothing and don’t actually join a quest thread if you think all you are going to do on your first post is observe. Moderators hate that and might get spiteful towards your PC if all you are doing is lookilooing the whole time. Perform actions, ask questions, and think heavily about what might be going on.
Do things you can do. Don’t do things you can’t do. Are you a fighter? Fight then. Are you a wizard? Perform magic. Healers can heal. Everyone can look and observe for things. But if your unskilled at something like say disarming traps, don’t try to disarm traps. You’re going to get your stupid ass killed and probably those around you. Quest parties form organically and come together in a way where everyone has a role. Play your role. Don’t suddenly think your superman when you’re a three inch pycon. Those roles don’t work. Play roles that work.
Make quest posting a priority. If you are in a moderated thread, post to that FIRST before you post to your solos or socials. They are important to the moderators and the players so be sure you make it a priority to yourself as well.
Keep information organized in your mind. Understand and keep it straight in your mind what is ‘general’ information that everyone learns and what is ‘private’ information that someone finds out. You can act on general information but not on private information unless it is private information you earned.
Know your character limits. What is your characters size and strength? Can you lift that? Can you wield that? Does your character know what that thing is even if you do? Make sure you are aware of your lores and your skills. If you don’t have say a huge physical presence, don’t think you can lift a knight in full body armor as an average female and carry him out of a burning building. That probably won’t happen. You probably can’t even roll him over.
Be aware of YOUR location and the locations of the rest of the group members. Describe where exactly you are standing carefully in the scene in relation to fixed objects or things that are the focal point of a scene. Are you right next to another group member? Are you standing behind the group ready to heal them? Are you kneeling in front examining something? Be specific. Remember, let everyone know where you are. Don’t stomp on anyone in making an action. Slide around someone if they are in front of you and what you want to do. This goes back to acknowledging someone is somewhere doing something. Acknowledge them.
Just ask and you’ll know. Sounds like a simple thing right? But don’t assume anything. If you want to know more about something specifically examine it in your response. Ask in your post. “John Smith wondered how the man had managed to carry enough water to traverse the desert without dehydration. He should have been dehydrated right? So John decided to check his gear and see if there was any evidence as to how it was done.” Boom. You’ve just asked the Mod how something happened and made it clear you were looking for the answer. Now it’s the mods turn to do their job and tell you in their response to your actions. “After a few minutes of searching, John found a bag of holding that had five hundred canteens, most of which were still full, all stuffed inside it.” Don’t assume. Ask!
Let the Moderator know how you’re feeling about their quest. Are you bored? Have your PC yawn in boredom. Are you feeling left out or ignored? Write about that. It’s their job as a moderator for everyone to have fun as they tell a story to you. If you’re not having fun or there’s nothing for your PC in the quest so far, let them know by writing about it. They can and will adjust the story accordingly. Though remember, there are two types of quests. One is a sign up quest where a story should be tailored to every PC that signs up. And there are random posted quests you join. The random posted quests are the luck of who shows up first and its less about the PCs and more about the story in that case.
Don't criticize the moderator. They are doing it for your fun and their own enjoyment. Go easy on them. Understand that a good moderator might be flexible with the rules to preserve pacing or flow and add an element of the fantastical to the story. This goes for undermining the narrative, too. “This seems straight out of last months' Letters to Penthouse, Jen. What's the deal?” NoteYou know I'm just throwing this in there as a humorous reward for reading this far right? That might not be cool to point out. Just go with it. A good mod will change the ending or the middle and if you hate the quest you can not opt in on another one of theirs later down the line. Also, if you’re noticing inconsistencies, and can’t help it, try phrasing it in the form of a question. E.g., Is this the same begger we met in the last scene? If so, why is his peg leg on the right now instead of the left? Is that really necessary to point out? Probably not. The whole point is that hes a peg-leg dude and leave it at that. It might even be intentional. Is he an illusion that has changed over time? The changes might be hidden clues.
Don't engage in non-rewarding conflict or squabbling. Everyone knows that fighting among party members can be hugely distracting. try to limit this type of conflict to those instances which are dramatically rewarding. Contribute to the narrative as a PC rather than distract from it. This game is a social cooperative one. Players forget that. They like to grandstand defiance under the banner of staying true to a character concept. That's bullshit and everyone including themselves know it. The exception to this rule comes when tension or opposition within the party results in dramatic role-playing rewards. In order for the latter to work, remember, all PC’s need to be on the same page and it needs to be fully IC. OOC contempt for another players actions can't creep into the overall narrative or you're violating this rule.
Understand your role in a quest as a party member. Your PCs presence in a quest should be to strengthen the bond of the party, support each other player’s character-concept in game, weave your story alongside the other characters’, and finally work together towards your goals. That's it! Everything else like comedic humor or superfluous knowledge is icing on the cake.
And finally…
Don’t void the social contract of quest fellowship! Remember, when you are joining a quest, you are agreeing to join a group and work towards a common goal for the benefit and fun of all the player and the characters in the group. This is a social contract! Avoid slavish behavior meaning a character acting in a way that makes no attempt at originality, constructive interpretation, or development. We all know the pc types. There’s always that pc who won’t go with the party even though the player has joined the quest because they don’t know the others, don’t trust the others, and can see no benefit in it for them. It’s your job as a player to suspend disbelief and find a reason to go and help and be in that group. It’s not the moderator’s job. It’s your job and your social contract of RP QUESTING that you signed. Follow through.
Rumors
Secret :
Rumors - The Ravosalamen talk a lot but they hear everything. Take a few rides and you might not believe your ears! Can these things really be true? Maybe you'll just have to discover for yourself.
Players: This will be something that can be done in any order and on any days you choose. PCs will need to investigate the Rumors listed in the Ravasolamen section below. In order to do so, one must take a ride in a ravosala in thread to hear the Rumor. Once that has been posted, send me a PM with the link and we will reply with a clue or tidbit that can be used in another thread. Some Rumors will be shyke and some might have multiple layers which need to be peeled away in order to find the truth. As you use the clues you're given in thread, keep us apprised with links so that we may track your progress.
To summarize:
RP hearing a given Rumor.
Send us a PM with the thread link.
RP with the information you're given.
Send us a PM to finish the investigation.
Anyone can investigate any rumor so long as you go about it in a way that makes sense for your PC. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Cat Got Your Tongue?
Secret :
Cat Got Your Tongue? - 36th & Onward - There have been several disturbances at The Healing Hand. On the 9th, a man approached on foot then collapsed into the water. When the Ebonstryfe fished him out to question his behavior, the found him without a tongue. The wound was recent but had been cauterized and he had been whipped. On the 18th, two women were found in the bottom of a ravosala waiting for the gates to be opened. They, too, were relieved of their speaking muscle and had their wounds sealed by some kind of extreme heat. They were hysterical but weighted down so they could not sit up. Fingers had been broken to prevent them from writing anything if they ever managed to calm down. On the 27th, a family of three was rushed in with the exact same issues. The little boy was bone white from fear and not moving. The ravosalaman who ferried them had no answers for the questions of the Black Sun agents who arrived almost instantly to ascertain the scene. The poler was taken away for further interrogations elsewhere. Sensing a pattern, people were gathered nearby the Healing Hand on the 36th when the sun started to rise.
Players: You will be among that crowd and chosen to help sort through some evidence. Depending upon the skills of the PCs, this could last for several days or more.
2 Slots available.
The Great Wild North
Secret :
The Great Wild North The North Ravok Outpost needs bodies. The leadership of Ravok has finally decided to upgrade its northern holdings. Adventurers, mercenaries, laborers, slaves and any with the itch for some fresh air and hard work are needed.
Players: This was never lifted off the ground in Fall. It'll be a series of prompts and random interactions with players based upon which points of interest are highlighted. Once the update is made, PM me if you have a need for my services but there will be many things for players to do simply by reading the Work Board.
The Defiler's Navy
Secret :
The Defiler's Navy - The Black Sun and Ebonstryfe have absorbed the navy and are restructuring certain crews. Sailors, medics, officers and other men and women of skill are needed. Report to the Ravok Shipyard for details. Certain jobs may expedite citizenship.
Players: This is open to everyone. If you're in the Guard, Stryfe or Sun or just a regular person- you are eligible for a position on a crew. There are those who work the water gliders, patrols around the city or the rest of the lake as well as other missions which will not be disclosed to the public. PM me with questions or for more details.
Where Has the Water Gone?
Secret :
Where Has the Water Gone? - Lake Ravok has receded nearly an entire foot. This has caused problems for people on the shore especially those with farms but it has now started to affect buildings, walkways and even certain canals within the city itself. Feel free to have fun with this as it should not only be a concern but a headache in many ways. Until winter returns, the water level will continue to drop.
Make a Fist...Now Use it
Secret :
Make a Fist...Now Use It - Ebonstryfe, Black Sun and City Guard members. PM me for your seasonal assignments and deployments. If you have a specific PC goal in mind, please include it and I'll do my best to include it with your orders.
Spoons
Secret :
Spoons - There are still unclaimed spoon effects even though all of the spoons are gone. This is merely a reminder.
✦ Rumors of the Ravosalamen
To get around Ravok, one will inevitably end up in one of the sleek vessels that cruise through the canals. The drivers are known as Ravosalamen. They come in all shapes and sizes but know more about what goes on in the city than just about everyone aside from the top brass of the city's main organizations. These public servants talk amongst themselves but also to their fares. Sometimes, the conversations expose a dirty secret about an affluent member of society or reveal the true purpose of a mundane structure. There are also times when the gossip is just hot air. Regardless of one's station in Ravok, it's always wise to keep an ear to the canals.
Completely investigate every rumor and receive a special IC token.
Rumors :
⌬ "My neighbor's a fisherman...he says there's been boats not returning to the shipyard. Sounds weird to me, I mean... it's a lake with no rivers. Where are they going? I'm sure those navy sailors know a thing or two but they don't think much of us ravosalamen so I ain't got no answers."
⌬ "Bloodbanes are steeds from nightmares, sure. I heard a cattail worker telling me he heard some Stryfers talking about one with the fiery eyes and flamin' mane but the rest of it was white as a ghost! Brr-r-r-r-r-r! I get the creepin' willies just thinking about the demon horse."
⌬ "I saw one of those fish people at the slave market the other day" The scruffy man leans closer and lowers his voice. "I hear that ole Tine bought him, harvested his lungs and is selling bits of 'em so folks can breath underwater!" He leans back. "Crazy shyke, if you ask me..."
⌬ "Sad state of life, isn't it?" A pause is given for response. "The water in the lake going so low... I've lived here my whole life and never seen a thing like it. It scares me...heh. Not as bad as a washed up body scared the skins off some lil kids, though." The poler laughs. "Heard some cherries talking about how the low levels are exposing all kinds of bodies that were supposed to have stayed in black depths. Useless and gruesome, some might say, but the Last Row is supposed to be paying good money for the waterlogged devils. Don't ask me to haul any for you, though...you ain't cursin' my boat."
⌬ "I heard the Silver Sliver is serving some new funky fish dish. Couple o' the regulars spoutin' off like that stubborn cuss, Jeb, is willin' to pay for a good haul. I 'unno. I like my fish but I prefer steak...not that raw stuff. Weird bastards."
✦ Sign-Up
If you wish to participate in any event, simply complete the form provided below and submit it to My Office.
[b]PC Name:[/b] [b]Skills you want to improve:[/b] [b]Moderated thread (date):[/b] [b]Your interest in this thread:[/b] [b]Something you're willing to lose:[/b] [b]Can your PC sustain an injury:[/b] [b]Preferred outcome:[/b]
✦ Challenges
Complete 5 for the city's medal.
Complete all 8 for the medal and a custom gift from me.
You cannot cover more than two seasonal goals in a single thread.
The thread must be at least 1200 words long for a single challenge; 1800 words for two challenges.
Please be sure to include detail when completing your challenges. I reserve the right to deny anyone for lack of effort. The challenges are used to encourage everyone to think and write. Simply restating the challenge in a thread will not suffice.
⊷ Take a ravosala ride. (PC)* ⊷ Engage in a political argument about the leadership of the city. (PC) ⊷ Attack an innocent person for stealing your _____ then find the item you lost later. (PC)*** ⊷ Investigate a rumor.** ⊷ Make a scene in a local establishment. ⊷ Make an offering to Rhysol at the Temple. (PC) ⊷ Commit a crime in the name of Rhysol. (PC) ⊷ Gain 5XP in Swimming.***
*(PC) Indicates the challenge must be completed with another PC. **Rumor indicates one of the given gossips of the Ravosalamen. ***Can be achieved over multiple threads
When you complete the challenges, fill out the form below and post it in my Office.
[url=]⊷[/url]Take a ravosala ride (PC) [url=]⊷[/url]Attack an innocent person for stealing your _____ then find the item you lost later. (PC) [url=]⊷[/url]Engage in a political argument about the leadership of the city. (PC) [url=]⊷[/url]Investigate a rumor [url=]⊷[/url]Make a scene in a local establishment. [url=]⊷[/url]Make an offering to Rhysol at the Temple. (PC) [url=]⊷[/url]Commit a crime in the name of Rhysol. (PC) [url=]⊷[/url]Gain 5XP in Swimming.
