Regional Activity and the FQ!

[Taskmienster]

Hey folks, I’m putting this up so that you all have a head’s up about what’s going on right now. This announcement will pertain to Story/Regional activity by myself and the writers, the FQ storyline to this point and what could come in the next chapter, as well as the revamped rewards that are going to be in effect for this chapter and the coming chapters.

A poll will be posted in this link (http://althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=19403) so that you can discuss what has been posted here as well as get out your opinion about all things regarding the FQ!


Story and Regional Announcement!

So, if you haven’t noticed a few things have been worked on lately to help the site work a lot more smoothly… these things are all for the betterment of Althanas, and hopefully for your enjoyment on the site. There are still a lot of things that are being planned, worked on, and put into action that I would like to inform the members about. Of course, there are things that are going to still be a surprise that we haven’t finalized yet and will be putting out for you to know about in the future. However, the list of current activities that I and the regional writers are working towards:

~~ Cleaning up the forums:

All of the regional forums are being preened and cleaned out so that things will be more organized and look better. It’s a personal mission as much as it is something that needs to be done every so often. That being said, any thread that has been waiting for over a year will be closed and moved to the Unresolves forum. If you would like your quest reopened and plan on putting activity back into it feel free to PM myself, another admin, or another moderator and we will be able to open it and move it back.

~~ Getting back to basics:

This is easiest to explain in the way that I think we have too many sub-forums and not enough activity in them or the main forum to warrant their necessity. I’m going to be shutting down some sub-forums that aren’t receiving attention, moving the threads that pertain to that forum into the main forum, and retrieving the necessary information attached to them to keep up for use if a player decides they’d like to write something in that specific place. This is not to say that you can’t still write about the places, or in the places, just that the threads that are specifically geared towards that area are going to have to be put into the main forum. I’d suggest that you put up some sort of note specifying where it is taking place, or simply put it into the writing so that the setting and the general feel of the setting isn’t lost.

~~ Regional Continuity:

All of my writers are working on fleshing out, clarifying, and making the regions something truly open to anyone and everyone to write in! This means that the almanacs that are created for the regions are being more focused on pertinent information that the player can use in threads, to help create characters specifically for that forum, or for Powergroups to fully utilize the new rules that are in place for the clan system. Also, each region will have the major groups that are present clearly stated and put in the public view with a description of each for the same purpose as the almanac. There will also be mission boards for all regions, so that those of you that would like to gain favor with a certain group, join a group with your character, or just find something to do can do so easily. Rewards for the missions that are claimed are no longer going to be just simple items and a small purse of gold either… look for missions that will offer better spoils, up to double the normal gold received, and/or up to double experience for their completion.

Don’t let the opportunity pass you by, and remember that just because it’s not something that’s a mission posted by the writer doesn’t mean that is the thread cannot potentially be accepted as a mission for the group in question! If you have a great idea about how to make the Corone Empire more powerful, want to do something on your own to garner respect and rank within the Cult of Mitra of Fallien, or cement the power-base of the Trade Company in Salvar you are more than welcome to!

[Taskmienster]

[Center] Featured Quest Announcement! [Center]

That time has come for the attention to once again return to the feature that we have all come to know, and now we are actively throwing everything we have into this to make it enjoyable and engaging to anyone who had expressed even an inkling of interest! That’s right, new rewards are coming your way, new chapter summaries for you to better understand the current state of the FQ, as well as a rough outline of the interesting conclusion of the feature.

Of course, “conclusion” does not mean that the featured quest and what will come when it ends is by any means the true end to anything. It is more of a beginning of a new age for the site, a place where the world of Althanas is intensely dictated and controlled by… that’s right… you the members. We are reshaping the world as you know it, sending you a few curveballs that you can feel free to run with. Your creativity is what makes this site interesting, diverse, and truly a premier play-by-post forum; we would expect nothing less of you in the coming chapters.

If you don’t agree with the way the world is going to possibly change, according to what I as the Story Admin or the writers of the regions have discussed, you are always welcome to affect that change. Don’t be afraid to try and change canon, change the way things work, and get your name etched into the history of Althanas itself!

There are also new rewards to be had; rewards per post have been upped by 5 gold each, doesn’t seem like a lot when you put it that way… but if you post 30 posts in a chapter you’d have gotten 150 gold for it, not including what else you could earn. Now, those 30 posts are going to get you 300 gold for your efforts.

On top of everything, you have a chance to have an item/weapon/piece of armor added from your character to the list of “Legendary Items of Althanas (http://althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=1237)”! Or, you can gain a regionally approved “Legendary Item” of your very own. You get it on top of any rewards, and will be able to create it yourself, though it will be up to the Story Admin and the Regional Writer whether you can have it.

Finally, the reward for PG’s gold that is added to their account is going to be doubled! Check out the end of this announcement for all the specifics.




Pertaining to the Featured Quest’s so far!


Chapter 1

Raiaera: Escape from Raiaera


Xem'zûnd, a necromancer and one of the Forgotten Ones who tormented the world during the Wars of the Tap, returned to assail Raiaera with a massive army of undead warriors. In the space of hours the garrison at Carnelost was overwhelmed by the forces of Xem'zûnd, which seemed to be made up of almost everything that once lived -- even once-alive trees and the corpses of the dumb beasts of the Red Forest returned for the assault.

Xem'zûnd's forces turned north and assaulted Vanwanen Bridge, which was defended by a force of elves under the command of Captain Tyreles of Eluriand and a ragtag band of volunteers under the command of Caden Law. They held the Bridge for longer than expected, but in the end Xem'zûnd overwhelmed the defenders and attacked the fortress.

Meanwhile, at Valinatal, the brave defenders tried to hold off the assault. But in the end, it was not Xem'zûnd that overcame them. All those who survived the holocaust of Valinatal claim they saw the moon smash into the world, and proclaim the return of N'jal to bring destruction to the world. Although this was in fact an illusion created by Khal'jaren, the Sage, and the assault was also done with his power, those who were eyewitnesses truly believe they have seen N'jal return to earth in power and glory. Following the death of Valinatal's defenders and the waste of this area, the hosts of Valinatal rose again to serve Xem'zûnd and began a march to Eluriand.

At Eluriand, the Horn of Velicë was blown and its defenders took the field. Xem'zûnd suffered a wound at the hands of great magic worked by Caden Law and the bards of Aglarlin, and was forced to flee the battlefield. As night set across Eluriand, it appeared as though Xem'zûnd's flight would turn the battle in favor of the defenders. But at that moment the undead host from Valinatal arrived and swept the elven regulars and the Bladesingers Guild off the field.

And thus, in one day, the heraldry of Raiaera was wiped from the land, and the valor of her people was ground into dust. And so the day will live for ever as " Aurë Unótimë Unqualë," or the "Day of Untold Agony."

Salvar: Like Lambs to the Slaughter


month the Church of the Ethereal Sway launched a bloody civil war against Salvar’s monarchy and feudal institutions. Almost all major cities remain in royalist hands, but the Church has taken control of vast swathes of rural farmland and many country estates. The capital, Knife’s Edge, is split between the two sides with the Church controlling the city west of the river known as The Knife and the royalists holding the city east of the river. An uneasy truce has settled, but sporadic clashes are common.

The Justice of the Church who initiated the war, Lev Testhan, was slain by a band of royalist assassins. However, the Church’s most revered figure, Saint Denebriel, has risen from obscurity to take command of the Church and its war. She remains in St. Denebriel’s Cathedral in the west of Knife’s Edge. King Iorlan Rathaxea is rumored to have fled the city for a safer command post, but this has not been confirmed.

Most of Salvar’s large peasant population has sided with the Church, while the royalists maintain the support of the nobility and the military. Salvar’s class of tradesmen and merchants has been cautious, but seem to tilt toward the monarchy after its repeal of previous acts that were deemed to cut into their business interests.

Salvar’s ruling institutions are largely in shambles, with law and order having been absent for nearly a month. Riots and looting are commonplace. There has been a general breakdown in the ability of people to live their lives as they normally would.

Worst of all, a particularly harsh winter is settling in. Previous food shortages have been compounded by the war. There are worries about famine. Many of the weather towers that Salvar’s aeromancers use to ameliorate the cold and snow have fallen into disrepair or been the victims of mobs or terrorists, only worsening the weather.

Salvar is settling into sporadic violence and despair with no hope in sight.

Chapter 2 [/u]

[i] Raiaera: Bind up the Brokenhearted


Raiaera struck back and brought the scourge of undead to a bloody standstill. Eluriand's held, if only barely, while its citizenry slowly but inevitably began to starve and the magicks protecting the city began to collapse. The battles waged were devastating, and the campaigns fought were as epic as they were personal: Vast swaths of Tembrethnil Forest were utterly destroyed and rendered lifeless, while Xem'zund's own tower was brought crashing to the ground in a daring attack; a Legion of Light rose in tandem with the return of the Elves to the oldest ways they could ever know, and some of the Necromancer's greatest generals were brought down one by one at the blade of Godhand Striker.

Raiaera has been fundamentally changed. The Bladesingers have been decimated, leaving behind only a few dozen to a hundred genuine veterans of old – and more than a few of that number are still trapped in the halls of Istien University in the remnants of Eluriand, dying by inches from hunger and war. Most of the other Bladesingers are little better than hedgemages with bardic magic and sword skills, and for the first time in recorded history, humans and other non-elven races have taken up the Songblade for Raiaera's sake. The Rangers still thrive, performing hit-and-run operations all over the continent even as they try to spirit away as many refugees as they can. A third sub-faction, the Wanderers in Starlight, have also emerged. Fanatical hard-liners pledged to the Endless Path, the Wanderers follow a warrior-cult philosophy steeped in the arcane and the unfathomable. Initially little more than a militant social movement, they've gained huge grounds since the fall of Eluriand, helped in no small part by their willingness to go on the counterattack.

What remains of Raiaera's old government and military command is divided between these three groups, with a dwindling conscript army below and a single voice above: Nalith Celiniel, the Lady General, High Bladesinger and sole survivor of Raiaera's original High Bard Council. Under Nalith's leadership, most of Raiaera has begun to solidify into a united front against Xem'zund – if only barely.

Salver: The Long Winter


A harsh winter puts a lull in the civil war between Church and State, giving both sides a chance to lick their wounds and rearm themselves for the coming spring. While the larger powers are waiting out the winter, however, the war rages on in the fiefdoms within Uroda. As the Church continually tries to ambush and invade the lands of the feudal lords through subterfuge and cunning in an attempt to cripple the Crown's most powerful asset, the League of Salvic States is in turmoil. While spending years in power often lavishly and growing lazy, many feudal lords have become weak and are overcome and slain by agents of the Church seeking to seize their lands. It seems more and more like this is an act of seperating the wheat from the chaffe, leaving only the strongest of nobility and rulers of their fiefdoms to fight off the Ethereal Sway and burn any inclination of their presence on their land to the ground.

The leaders of the League, known as the Vagarand, meanwhile begin to be seen as the temporary rulers of Salvar that are still loyal to the Crown as Salvar's king goes into hiding. Reining in their followers, both new and old, the Vagarand begins to strengthen its base of power by seizing the land of their fallen brothers and treating the Church's presence in Uroda as if it were a cancer, attacking it with no mercy.

Meanwhile, Saint Denebriel has taken control of the Church after it's leader, the Justice, was assassinated. While the assassination offered a brief bit of confusion and chaos within it's ranks that the League took full advantage of, Saint Denebriel's sudden presence restores order in the Church and plans begin to be made to bring the worst of the war to the King's doorstep, the Rathaxea Square. Only once Castle Rathaxea has been captured and the noble's Parliament has been burned to the ground will the Church truly have won the civil war.

Chapter 3!

Raiaera: By Sword and Sorcery

So far little's been done here except due to the harsh winter, both sides retreating to lick their wounds, and by filling up the gap in time with a number of inconclusive skirmishes and prolonged sieges. There have been a lot of back and forth conflicts, where the two sides have continued to war on. However, in no way has a definitive battle been fought nor had a change in pace come into play. The war is dragging on, and the longer it does so the more the former face of the high elf nation changes. Old traditions, powerful forces within the country, and the very nature of the lands itself are fundamentally changed due to the dark influence of Xem’zund.

Hope still lingers on the hearts and minds of the shattered high elven people. Their country may never be the same, but the people may very well be able to escape with their lives and prosper in some other lands that would be open to accepting them. The generals of the Forgotten continue to fall, but is it at a fast enough rate to truly turn the tide completely in the favor of the Raiaeran’s? Only time can tell.

Salvar: A False Dawn


As spring returns to Salvar, so does the war. As bitterness and the lack of resources begin to put both sides in a state of attrition, plans begin to be carried out. The League of Salvic States has reformed after being pushed to the brink, the Church's presence in most of Uroda now entirely eradicated. Their numbers have been bolstered as nobles who weren't previously within the League join in an attempt to strike back at their common enemy. Borders within the League's fiefdoms are entirely withdrawn as lands of fallen feudal lords are taken out of both greed and necessity to plunder their remaining resources to fuel the war effort.

With the sense that the Ethereal Sway has used their remaining churches to retreat from the League's growing aggression, only the peasants remain a problem. It doesn't take long for the nobles to crush the rebellion with new weapons and fresh mercenaries purchased from the Vogruk-Stokes Trading Company secretly seeking to back both sides as long as there is opportunity for profit.

As war within the lands at large begin to finally cease, The Vagarand have issued an order to all nobles within the League to regroup and then march on Knife's Edge, intending to seize control of St. Denebriel's Cathedral and destroy the Church's remaining presence in the divided city.

Meanwhile, the Church of the Ethereal Sway circles Rathaxea Square's walls like rabid dogs, seeking a way to penetrate its defenses and invade the military stronghold. Unknown to them that the King has long since departed, the Ethereal Sway embark on a dangerous plan to gain entry into the city through the sewers. For those loyal to the Crown, the time for a sweeping victory is running short.

Elsewhere, towards the north in the tundra of Skavia and near Berevar, tribes of barbarians begin to fall under one banner from a powerful warlord known as Sigmund Aangdrul and a war machine is being built to invade Uroda and its unwary inhabitants.

[b] Chapter 4! What’s in store!

Raiaera

Desperate battles are renewed around Galonan and Anebrilith as surviving Raiaeran forces fight to trap and destroy the suddenly cut-off Death Lords, while Nalith launches an offensive towards Eluriand in the faint hope that she might be able to salvage some of the city and/or the High Bard Council.

Xem'zund, finishes construction of its replacement in Narenhad and seeks to take out the defenders at Eluceliniel whilst Nalith is absent. The Death Lords to the east, finding themselves isolated from Xem'zund, take matters into their own hands and either strike out south or consolidate their holdings in Timbrethinil and around Trenyce... It’s this disorganization that could cost them, but will you take up the sword and attempt to sway the tides of battle and remove the head of a General of Xem’zund?

Rumors persist, to the East, mere rumors that are hardly taken note of since the current state of the Raiaeran society is without need for further darkness to loom. But rumors spread like wildfire, and these rumors pertain to the possible invasion of Alerar into their cousin’s, and long standing rivals, territory. For countless centuries the lands of Raiaera have been soaked in a magic that could hinder the developed weapons of Alerar, but the long standing magics have faded with the powerful onslaught of the Forgotten. Could these new magical ‘deadzones’ be the key to the invasion? Could they truly exist? That is for you to find out.

Their main target is said to be the former fortress of Valinatal, now Narenhad, for they know from the bitter experience of the previous attempt that this is where their invasion can be stopped... or, if they can break through and establish a beach head there, where would their invasion end?

Salvar

Possibly the bloodiest of all times when the battle between all the forces, those established in the beginning and those come to power during the Featured Quest all clash. This is the closing chapter for Salvar, the end of the involvement in the FQ for the region and the time for it to branch off into the new face that has been created for it.

Are you going to stand with the Church and assist its zealous conquest? Is the League more your style, join in and help it rise further to power?

The plan on who will win in the end of this chapter, and in turn the end of the Salvar involvement in the FQ, is up for the members to decide still. You can still have your say in what will happen, how the war will end, or how you will make it drag on. There is no clear cut winner yet, so feel free to step in and really take what you want and fulfill your creative needs!

[Taskmienster]

Rewards for the FQ

This thread (http://althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=8342) has the necessary information regarding the Ways to Play and Time Constraints. These are still going to be in place. The special rewards are being tweaked just a little bit though, with opportunities for everyone involved!

Special Rewards!

“Highest Score” is still the same. 250 exp/level and 500 gold/level.

“Most Active” goes to the player with the most posts. Players will receive 10 GP per post at the conclusion of each chapter, provided the posts are in threads completed and judged. The first through third most active players will receive 40 GP/post, second place will get 50 GP per post, and the most active player will have their point total multiplied by 75 GP per post!

“Most Valuable Player” goes to the player selected by the Regional Writer’s, Story Admin, and writers as the best in that chapter. This player gets 750 EXP/level, 1500 GP/level, and a choice between a few powerful items.

“Exemplary Contributor(s)” is an award that can be granted a number of times to a number of people. Anyone who distinguishes themselves by maybe doing something others don't want to do can win this award. If everyone's trying to slay the enemy and lead quests to find great magic objects to save the world, you might find yourself an "Exemplary Contributor" if all you do is stay back and defend the city gates from evil. This award can be given many times in each chapter, and if you do something exemplary more than once, you may receive the award more than once. Each reward comes with 500 EXP and 1000 GP, along with an extra something for being a good team player.

In addition, if a PG organizes a quest within the FQ, their group will have 50% of the GP their members earn added to its treasury, and this is ON TOP OF the other GP rewards individuals get, not subtracted from them.

New Addition

On top of the Most Active and Highest Score rewards, a person who qualifies for either, or multiple people, is going to be rewarded with something extra. The Legendary Items of Althanas have been a corner stone of the site, allowing people to become a legend themselves just by having one or taking one. Now, you too can be added to the list!

Be the most active, have the highest score, or be among the top of either and you will be able to receive items of Legendary Status or have your own added to the list. You can be rewarded with either of these once in the FQ. If you receive it in the current chapter, you will not be allowed to receive it again. That’s not to say that you can’t still receive the “Most Active” or “Highest Score” rewards, but whoever has not yet received the Legendary Item and is the runner up will receive the item instead.