Rare Materials

[Seralcard]

There is a stock of rare materials that are listed as "not for sale" within the Bazaar, or any shop for that matter. I assume these all have a sort of Legendary status within the RP, things like Adamantine Alloy and Haidian Demonhide.

My question is, is it alright to have NPCs who have at some time in their lives come into possession of such items. I am not saying that these items would be made available to my character, but for example:

Would it be alright for an NPC merchant to speak of how he went through great lengths to attain an Adamantine sword, which he sold for 50k gold? It would be like giving merit to the merchant's claims of being quite skilled and connected in his craft.

On a similar note. Is it acceptable for powerful NPC villians to be in actual possession of such items? Again as a show of their own prowess and again these items would be unavailable to the player (unless a judge decides to add such a thing as a spoil if an appropriately high leveled player character defeats said powerful villian).

I'm sketchy on whether villians should have a hold of such things, but in the case of a merchant where the player character can never attain the material I think it should be alright (I'm thinking the only exception to this would be if a mod approves of the purchase, in which event it would work much like it does in the Bazaar with the player character needing to complete a quest and then buy the material for an extraordinary amount of gold).

[Cyrus the virus]

Yes. You are allowed to do pretty much anything you want. You have pretty much any freedom you want as long as you aren't hindering another player.

Hell, I could have Izvilvin (a character of mine) find forty-five adamantine swords and use them throughout an entire quest. They wouldn't be awarded as spoils, of course, but... you know.

[Seralcard]

bwahaha, that's pretty awesome. I don't think I'll be renting awesome weapons to my character, but simply knowing I have the freedom to do so is pretty neat.

On the subject of rare material spoils, does that ever happen? I imagine if it did two criteria would need to be met:

First - the post would need to be spectacular. Maybe +90 score?

Second - The player would need to be of a high enough level. I'm hazy on what "high enough" would be considered. 10 - 15? +20?

I plan on RPing here for a good long time in any case, so I'm not sweating it if I'll need to actually buy the cool stuff I'd like months down the road.

[Cyrus the virus]

I have no idea. I know Letho has an adamantine sword or gunblade or something, so you could give his profile a look, maybe he has a link to where he got it. Thing is, Letho is amazing.

But you probably wouldn't need a 90 to get a wicked rare item. I think if I were awarding the spoil, it'd be a mix of score, level, how long the thread was, how much effort I perceived, things like that. It depends on a bunch of things.

[Seralcard]

All great things to know.

Also, I hear much of the Legend of Letho, I'm going to have to read up on what he's written lol.

[Cyrus the virus]

He's all over this forum: Judge's Choice! (http://www.althanas.com/world/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=75)

We should just rename it "Letho's whore emporium", or something.

[Dirge]

Zephyriah also has an adamantium weapon, and he's lower level. So you might want to check his profile and see that too... I think he got it lvl 5-6. Not sure.

[Tsukiko]

one thing you could do is earn the item in pieces. Like 3 parts of an adamantium sword then you get the sword. Or you could do one where you find the raw material in one quest and then have to find a legendary blacksmith to forge it. Just an idea. I'll probably get yelled at for saying that adamantium can be forged^^

[Seralcard]

Someone had to forge it at somepoint, lol, otherwise it would be a hunk of metal. Perhaps it was worked during the initial molten stage? Who knows.

If it can't possibly be reforged then I suppose I have a problem, where am I going to find the weapons specific to my character? I dunno, I'd feel rather lame simply making that part up out of no where:

Strafalgar EagerClaws once had custom black Adamantine claw gauntlets which were exactly Seralcard's size! It's so coincidental it has to be fate! Or terrible plot writing on my part...

[Cyrus the virus]

You're overthinking!

[Seralcard]

Am I?

heh heh, I love this place.

[Dirge]

This historical background of the material is that it was worked during the times of legends, way back during the war of the tap. The ability to create, work, and finalize anything created out of it was lost with the times and the people.

I'm sure a blacksmith after a good amount of levels would undoubtedly be able to quest for the ability to do so, nobody's done that. But working it would be even harder to get than a single weapon made of it... lol

[Seralcard]

You know, difficulty and all I like that idea much better than the random happenstance of stumbling across a legendary weapon that is "just right" for my character.

He's a blacksmith so, after reaching the master level in the skill, I wouldn't mind questing for such an ability. Hell, I wouldn't mind gaining the ability over the course of several quests. Sure it would be harder, but the story development would be a thing of beauty.

[Dirge]

True true, which is why I suggested it, lol. Maybe finding bits and pieces of the puzzle over a series of quests. That'd be interesting to say the least

[Seralcard]

*sigh* Such an adventure is weeks or more months away. Thankfully the time will let me think it through properly, story-boarding the quests in my head.

Thanks Dirge, you're a genius.

[Valentine]

I have a giant Adamantine sword. Why does no one sing stories of my awesomeness?

Anyways, Seralcard, I was thinking of doing a quest with one of my other characters where I would procure something awesome. When it becomes more than a onthepotty idea, I'll let you know. And we can find Adamantine slabs on the ground together.

[Cyrus the virus]

*sigh* Such an adventure is weeks or more months away.

You can tell he hasn't been here too long :p

[Karuka]

We're talking 8 months bare minimum, and that's only if you're the next Damon Kaosi, guy.

I'd say, if you're more like the rest of us, you're looking at a year an a half, two years, or more.

[Logan]

Lol. Or if you're like me...seven. hehe.

One thing Althanas has on a lot of sites is a quality mod team that doesn't powergame themselves for their own glory. Most of these guys are the most down to earth awesome fellows ever. I speak with most of them frequently on AIM...though cyrusboy doesn't ever im me anymore :-(.

I love being an oldbie, and some day, a while from now, you will too.

Oh, and there may be another way to acquire rare materials soon enough...well...still a few months out, but it'll be kickarse either way!

[Cyrus the virus]

I don't IM anybody.

[AdventWings]

I'd say two years is a generous estimate.

*Has been here for three and none of his character has reached level 3*

Also, canonically, Adamantine items were forged using power from the Eternal Tap itself. And that Tap was shattered way back.

Canonically speaking, of course. If you can find a way to plop down some ultimate mage/blacksmith/randomsuperpowerfulguy who can work the Tap, kudos to you.

EDIT: I am saddened by the fact that only 3 people recognize me when I get on AIM. :(

*Goes away to cry in a corner*

Sure, it's only because I'm the only one with a completely different sleeping cycle than you guys.

*Sniff*

[Seralcard]

A year and a half? Two years?

My my, this is exciting, I'd like to view that as a friendly challenge.

heh, if I write as much and as well as I can I wonder how quickly my character can advance in levels. So very intriguing.

[Vampiric Angel]

I've been here for two years and haven't even hit level 1! Of course, I did go inactive, create two other characters, go inactive some more, then finally finish another quest, but meh, such is life.

[Seralcard]

heh heh, I'm not trying to be a jerk here honest.

I'm just saying I like this place a whole lot and plan to be extremely active after I've finished my Solo to my liking.

It's all conjecture and speculation, but I would imagine that very high activity would yield quicker accumulation of experience than the norm. Leading to higher levels which leads to more epic questing and in turn would eventually lead to epic rewards, somewhere down the line.

Don't mind me, I love writing and have no life to speak of beyond the courses I'm taking at college :rolleyes:

[A Nony Mouse]

Hey, me too Seralcard! Let's hear it for those with no life!!

*Looks around and sees no one cheering*

:-(

[Raelyse]

I understand how you feel. When I first created Raelyse, I was so enthusiastic to write with him that I just kept going and going. I think I hit Level 1 after about a week, then Level 4 after 2 months. I've slowed a bit since then but I've recently got my second wind and the ideas have kept on coming.

Isn't it amazing how I can turn a thread like this into a talk about myself? I'm so conceited it's amazing.

[A Nony Mouse]

Isn't it amazing how I can turn a thread like this into a talk about myself? I'm so conceited it's amazing.

Hahahaha, nice... it's a rare talent.

[Seralcard]

That's what I'm talking about Raelyse :D

heh, I'm happy to see that other people have advanced as quickly as I thought, though I'm very slightly disappointed that I don't get to be the first one to do so :p

Hooray for my mediocrity!

[Raelyse]

Your writing looks good. You just need a push in the right direction to stimulate a spurge of activity.

More importantly though, thanks for bolding my name. That's what it should always be like

[Seralcard]

It's not finished, but thanks. Still, I think half a solo on my first day is pretty good :p

[A Nony Mouse]

it's some solid writing, JC right off the bat?

[Tsukiko]

it's some solid writing, JC right off the bat?

who knows^^ I seen some guys get JCs right when they join though it's rare.

[Seralcard]

Heh heh, thanks for the support man :D

I dunno if I'll get it, but I know I'd like to. A man can dream can't he? lol

[Tsukiko]

hehe yeah a man can dream^^

well on another note it might be more fun and easier to just get a magic sword. It's far easier to get a sword with a cool enchantment than adamantium sword and it would be more fun to fight with. Adamantium's kinda boring really.

[Seralcard]

With this character I'd like to keep magic to a very bare minimum offensively, if I use any at all that way.

His enchantments will all be based on defense of some kind, 10% protection against this or that, gained some levels down the road in whatever quest I write to have him forge the things.

The end goal offensively for this character would be Adamantine, since it fits with the way the character fights and how I plan to portray him.

I'd like to stay true to him throughout my stories, no matter how much added difficulty that might bring, as I'd find the writing that much more fulfilling.

In the end it's all about having fun and building up my character through hardship is the pinnacle of fun or me.

P.S. And with business that needs attending I leave you all time sunday night. *Ninja Vanish*