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Will there be a Neverwinter Nights 2 version of this module? Yes. We've already done pre-planning for the Neverwinter Nights 2 (NWN2) version of Prisoners of the Mist and intend to start work once the toolset becomes available. However, persistent worlds take time to develop and NWN2 has some issues that will make designing a persistent world problematic in some ways. As such, our original NWN1 module will most likely be running for some time after the release of NWN2. It will be available to players as we work on the new module. [Back to top of page.] Are all of the CEP weapons available in Prisoners of the Mist (PotM)? You may come across some of the CEP weapons in the module here and there. However, these weapons do not have the advantage of feats like weapon focus. As feats are hard-coded into the game, this can only be changed by Bioware. Are traps available for use in this mod? And if so are they limited in capacity and strength? Yes, there are traps in the module that can be collected or purchased. You also have the option of making your own. Trap crafting has not been altered from its default state. [Back to top of page.] What are the modified spell effects or banned spells in this module? Generally, we've made three kinds of changes: PW balancing, changing party-affecting spells, and setting-specific. The setting-specific changes will just have to remain a secret for now (hey, we can't give away *all* our secrets). As for PW balancing, we've done things like making Time Stop an area-of-effect spell so it doesn't stop the whole server, changing the way True Seeing works so you can't see people using non-magical hiding skills, fixing the high-level summons spells to include earth elementals, etc. Changes to party-affecting spells were done because we have disabled the party system to reduce lag. Spells such as bless and abilities like a bard's song will affect all neutral PCs in the area of effect. For more information about spell changes, please visit this thread in our forums. Are certain head models unavailable? Generally, we ask that you don't pick the one with horns unless you've been approved to play the tiefling subrace. Also bear in mind that the CEP heads aren't available when you make a character for a server-vault game because of the way NWN works in multiplayer -- hak resources (like the heads and portraits) won't be loaded until after you've already created your character and entered the module. There are overrides on the vault that allow you to pick these when you create a multiplayer character. At this time it's set at 20 for most characters. Epic levels do not translate well to Ravenloft. Certain subraces with powerful bonuses are capped according to their ECL rating. For example, Aasimar, Tiefling, Drow, and Duergar characters have an ECL rating of +2 and are capped at 18. Is Ravenloft "high" or "low" magic? Generally speaking, Ravenloft is a "low" magic setting. The general populace is superstitious and fearful and views magic and those who wield it as tools of evil and corruption. This is not true of the entire world, but in the part we've made for the server, Barovia, it is very true. Bear in mind that “low” magic means that magic is not commonplace. It is not an indicator of the power of magic. You will not see magic item shops in every town, nor will there be dozens of famous NPC mages traipsing about or oodles of super-magical loot in each treasure chest. Can I play a vampire/werewolf/lich/ghost/angry manimal/etc.?
We have monstrous
templates that can be given to PCs if they role-play well and are in
the proper in-game circumstances to cause such a transformation to
occur. Monster races are templates that are applied to existing PCs,
and are usually the result of a curse, a series of failed powers
checks or some incident involving other monsters of the same type.
Do not beg to play one -- this will guarantee that you will not get it.
Are there scheduled server reboot times, and if so what times? We have no scheduled reboot times. However, we have frequent updates so the server is reset at those times. DMs also have the option to reboot the server if it's deemed necessary. Is potion brewing/wand crafting/scroll scribing included, as the HotU feats are described? Though we've included these crafting skills, we've made some changes to how it works. For one, there's no xp loss involved. However, the cost of producing these items in terms of gold value has increased. The items needed are not commonplace, but a few merchants carry the empty bottles and blank scrolls. You can craft bone wands from large bones ... which you get from killing nasty undead critters (yes, many of them drop these bones). Keep in mind that these are very expensive professions, however, for our setting. There are several factions available at the moment: Vallaki Guards, the Ba'al Verzi, the Gundarakite Rebels, the Red Vardo Traders, the Cult of the Morninglord, the Sewer Dwellers, and the Keepers of the Black Feather. There are plans for additional factions in the near and distant future. If there are guilds/clans, are they player made or DM-made? If players want to form their own "in game" groups, that would be their choice. The factions we're creating tie into the overriding storylines and Ravenloft canon. As long as it's all in character, if you want to make an adventuring troupe, etc. that's up to you. The factions we create are all led by Ravenloft npcs. However, that doesn't mean players will be powerless in their groups. For the most part, the leaders are not present on a day to day basis. Many of them are largely enigmatic figures who will help to move the storyline in places. They are there to enhance roleplay only. Due to the nature of some of these leaders (I don't wish to spoil any plot points), it's unlikely they will be "killed off" etc. by pcs. These factions are all optional, by the way. It's perfectly acceptable for pcs to choose to remain independent or to form their own groups. The short answer is no. We do not accept areas from those outside of the development team. We have many custom systems that we use and remaking areas made using the standard systems would be time-consuming for us. There are size considerations as well, as our module is quite large. Unfortunately, it's also been our experience that many player-created groups dissolve over time. This would leave us with many largely unused areas taking up precious space in the module. That said, should a player group prove to have longevity and contribute significantly to the world's roleplay, it could possibly be recognized as an official faction. What factions can PC's join and do they join through rp or is it automatic? PCs don't start in any factions. There are various organizations, both public and covert, that players may attempt to join and thus gain benefits from. There are currently seven active factions, though several are secret. More may be added in the future. Current factions are as follows:
What is the overall objective of the PC? The overall objective of the PC will depend on the PC in question. For some, escape might weigh most heavily on their minds. Some might wish to overthrow some great evil. Some might accept their fate and adapt to their new surroundings. Others might covet power and follow a darker path. There is no overall "plot" per se, though there are many plots taking place here. If you want to have some specific goal for your character to reach, PM one of the DMs and we'll see what we can work out. What are the limitations, if any, on the naming of PCs?
Are there purchasable dyes of all colors? What about hidden colors? Most of the dyes from the palette are available at various merchants in several locations but some are not sold to players (for example, pure black or pure white). Many can be found in stores in Vallaki. Some are sold in other locations, however. Without the music packs, can we hear music in areas with custom music? Also, how big is the pack? If you don't have the music files, you won't hear any music in areas that have custom music selected. As for how big the pack is, at this time we have approximately 270 mb of custom music available, spread out over 13 packs. This amount may increase in the future as we add more areas to the module. You can find links to the music packs here. Downloading the music is completely optional but adds to the experience a great deal. Is the death area in-character? Yes. Do characters remember their deaths? Remember as you see fit. You want to forget because you were conked on the head at death? Go for it. You want to remember every horrible detail of how you died and be haunted by how you couldn't even escape this place through death? Your decision. How is PC death handled? Respawn with an XP and gold penalty? Upon dying, your PC's spirit appears at an oubliette in the Near Ethereal. You must navigate this fog-shrouded maze to find a portal to return you to the Core. However, this does not instantly return you to life. Instead, you appear next to your remains. After a brief period of time, you're able to reenter your body. For whatever reason, should you not reenter your body in a certain amount of time (this period decreases in length as you gain levels), your corpse will decay and you will have to be raised from the dead to come back. In these cases, another player can raise you or you can be raised by an NPC priest for a fee (to be raised by an NPC, a corpse must be placed within range of them and used; an option will come up to make the NPC raise them, for a cost of 100 gold per level). If the period of time is very long, you will require a resurrection. We have no xp loss when you die. Upon death, you will drop all the gold you're carrying, along with the items in your hands. The other items you have equipped will be stored on your corpse. Note that it's possible for another player to loot your corpse while you're in spirit form. Unequipped items cannot be looted. Other players also have the option to stab or burn your corpse, forcing the player to be raised in the case of the former and resurrected in the case of the latter. If you come back to life by reentering your own body (picking up the placeable corpse), you will experience a stat loss that will be in effect until you rest. Since death uses up all allotted rests in your rest period, this means you have to wait for an in game period equal to your level (e.g. a level 2 waits for 2 in game hours to rest; a level 10 waits for 10 in game hours) or you have to go to a safe rest area like an inn room. If you are brought back to life through the actions of another player or an npc priest, you experience no stat loss and your rests are not used up. Is there a list of punishments for rule-breaking? Situations are handled on an individual basis. However, for serious violations such as attacking the server, hacking other peoples' accounts, or cybering (acting out sexual acts in game), the violator is permanently banned. With regard to the latter offense, our host is a university computer and as such they're liable for what goes on in our server. Cybering would also jeopardize the academic standing of one of our coders, Axel, who was gracious enough to get us an incredible server and internet connection. For other offenses, most people will initially receive a warning. If warnings are ignored, the next step is usually a temporary ban. One or more temporary bans can eventually lead to an indefinite or permanent ban from the server. How many Easter eggs are there? For fans of Ravenloft, aside from references to canon we have incorporated certain images into the module. We don't want to spoil anything but if you keep your eyes open you will likely notice a few things. ;) What kind of rest system do you have and are any items needed in order to rest? Food is needed to rest while resting outside of an inn room. Food can be purchased at most inns or can be made from killing animals and cooking their meat at a campfire. Monstrous PCs must devour the corpses of monsters and NPCs that leave lootable corpses in order to feed. Everyone gets three rests per rest period. The length of the rest period is determined by your level. Multiply your level by one hour. For example, a level 2 can rest three times in two hours; a level 10, three times in ten hours. Inns (and a few other locations) are exempt from the limits so if you rent a room you can rest at any time. Can PCs view each other's challenge ratings? No. Nor can you see the challenge ratings of creatures on the server. How many population centers (towns and cities) which are non-hostile are there? There are two towns: Vallaki and the Village of Barovia. There are plans to build westward to the Barovian city of Krezk in the future. With monster spawns, will some be random, depending on the time and place? Our monster factions are dynamic in nature. If they are left alone, they increase in strength over time. If they are hunted regularly, they become weakened. A faction's strength determines the spawns and numbers of creatures you will encounter in a given area. Also, time of day can be a factor in certain areas as to what you will encounter. [Back to top of page.] Do you have to apply for a prestige class? Yes. We now require that people fill out an application if they wish to play a prestige class. The application can be found here (link coming soon). We don't ask for lengthy biographies. Just some simple information about your character such as why you wish to play the class and how you intend to develop it in game. Please note that the potion creation feat for Harper Scouts does not work properly due to changes we've made to brewing potions. Also, if you're approved to play a prestige class with an unusual appearance, such as a Red Dragon Disciple with wings or a Pale Master with a skeletal arm, you may not get the most welcome reception from certain people on the server. You must also have followed our multiclassing rules. Have you added new prestige classes into PotM or are you using the default ones only? At this time, we only have the standard NWN prestige classes. Our hope has always been to add Ravenloft-specific classes and prestige classes (such as the Avenger, Anchorite, Voodan, Hallowed Witch, and more) but with NWN2 so close on the horizon, coding and implementing these hasn't been a priority. What domains from the Ravenloft setting are on the server? The server is set entirely in Barovia. At this time, our module encompasses the area between the Village of Barovia and Vallaki, along with several areas to the north and south of these, including Castle Ravenloft, some of Lake Zarovich, the foothills and mountain areas of Mt. Baratak, and assorted farmlands and wilderness areas. We are currently working on an expansion that will include all of Lake Zarovich along with some increased underground and interior areas. One of our developers even has an expansion in the works involving part of Bluetspur. Long-term plans involve expansion westwards toward the city of Krezk. Will you be adding other domains of Ravenloft in the future? Given the scale we're using, it's extremely unlikely. We weren't even able to fit all of Barovia! However, it's entirely possible that we'll eventually have small parts of other domains on a temporary basis. Right now, one of our developers is creating a portion of Bluetspur. We've also had a visit by (and special temporary areas created for) Carnival. Unfortunately, size limitations for NWN modules make it impossible for us to have unlimited expansion. What NPCs from the Ravenloft setting are on the server? Way too many to list here, but how's this for a sample: Strahd, Inajira, Jander, the Gentleman Caller, Lyssa von Zarovich, and the Weathermay Twins, to name just a few. As this is a persistent world, NPCs will come and go as needed by the DMs. You likely won't run into them in the local market. ;) Are any classic Ravenloft monsters on this server? We did our best to create as many monsters as we could within the limitations of the NWN engine. We were able to create a few custom models exclusive to our server for a few fan favorites, such as gremishka, carrion stalkers, and wolfweres. Many of our creatures were adapted directly from the Ravenloft Monster Compendiums. We have no firearms in the module at this time but that could possibly change with an expansion to Krezk. We do not have a special logging procedure. You can log out wherever you like. However, it might not be a good idea to log out in the wilderness or a dungeon, as the next time you log in you might find yourself surrounded by monsters. There are inns you can stay in which are safe. If the server resets some time after you log, you have the option of entering the module in several places, depending on things such as faction, last saved point, and so on. What races/subraces are available in this setting? Supported races/subraces:
Races/subraces not currently supported:
Coming soon:
Can we play as natives? Outlanders? You can play natives, but we ask that if you wish to make a character native to the Barovian areas in the module that you clear it with the DMs and Dev team first, so as to make sure your character’s backstory does not conflict with the backstories of the areas we’ve made. Barovians or Gundarakites from outside our module areas (e.g. Krezk, Zeidenburg, etc.) and natives of other Ravenloft domains do not require permission. However, if you choose to play a native, please make sure you're familiar with the setting. Outlanders are acceptable for the most part as well, though we ask that you don't try to make some of the more exotic races from some settings (i.e. half-giants and thri-kreen from Dark Sun, Warforged from Eberron, any of the wacky Spelljammer races, etc.). Plans for the subrace are currently in the works. If you wish to play one for rp purposes until then, you are free to do so but if your half-Vistani comes from within the areas of the module, please read the answer to the previous question. Yes. We have adapted a handful of Ravenloft-specific feats (Warding Gesture, Sharp Eyes, Soothing Presence, and Willbreaker), and more will be added in future updates. Note that these feats are only available for level 2+ since character creation occurs before the hak pak is loaded. Are there NPC dialogues that open quests for a PC to play without DM supervision? A few. Most of the automated quests are simplistic -- we designed it this way on purpose so it would make sense for people to be continually doing them. Nothing ruins immersion more than rescuing the King's daughter six times in one day. ;) These will be handled strictly by DMs. Basically, the DMs, for all intents and purposes, can be considered the Dark Powers. Instead of an automated check, a DM's discretion can determine if you're crossing the line into darkness. Some actions will warrant a roll. Others are so heinous that they will automatically result in a failed dark powers check. DMs have a special wand to apply the effects of a failed powers check. Few stores sell them, and those that do only do so in secret. Likewise, most stores won't buy them. You'll most likely only find them as treasure.
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