Ravenloft: Prisoners of the Mist

Public (OOC) => Rules, Information, Applications and Core Principles => Topic started by: Soren / Zarathustra217 on July 14, 2012, 06:47:50 AM

Title: FAQ
Post by: Soren / Zarathustra217 on July 14, 2012, 06:47:50 AM
Ravenloft POTM FAQ

(Please help contribute to this FAQ by posing questions and possibly answers in this topic here (http://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=29189.0))

General tips and help

 :?: I am in need of help and can't find the answer here, where should I look?

 :arrow: If the help request is minor, the easiest way is to seek out other players in the server. We have a bright and respectful community who are always willing to help others. Our forums also have years of valuable information that can answer most questions. If you need immediate help then you can find a DM in game and chat using /dm or by changing your channel to DM. Otherwise you can also contact us via PM on the forums. Please note that you only need to send a PM to one DM, they will then post it for all the others to see. Lastly we also have a Community Council who are a group of elected players that handle all sorts of concerns including subrace and prestige class applications. Read more about them here (http://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=19144.0).


Neverwinter Nights in general

 :?: What is Neverwinter Nights?

 :arrow: Neverwinter Nights (NWN) is a computer roleplaying game by Bioware released for PC in 2002, and Linux and Mac in 2003. It distinguishes itself by easy modification and the powerful DM client. The rules and content is based on Dungeon and Dragons version 3.0. Read more here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwinter_Nights).

 :?: What is Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition?

 :arrow: The Enhanced Edition is a game overhaul released by BeamDog in 2017 which our server migrated to in 2018. At first glance, it might not seem like that big of an upgrade, but it offers a lot of new opportunities for us who design things for the game.

 :?: Where can I acquire the game?

 :arrow: You can buy it from BeamDog here (https://www.beamdog.com/games/neverwinter-nights-enhanced/).

 :?: How do I join the Ravenloft POTM server?

 :arrow: All the details are provided here (http://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=862).

 :?: I have issues running and/or installing Neverwitner Nights. Where can I find help?

 :arrow: First, try the BeamDog forums here (https://forums.beamdog.com/categories/nwn-technical-support) but we also have our own tech support forum here (http://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?board=56.0)

True Roleplay

 :?: What's the difference between roleplay and "true" roleplay?

 :arrow: The term "roleplay" is today popularly used in a very wide sense, covering every game that features fantasy elements or allows for the player to pick how the main protagonist decides to react in situations in the story. When we use the term "true" about roleplay, it's to point toward a more original and principal sense that has emphasizes the role part. True roleplay is like improvisational acting with a large amount of creative freedom: you design the role you want to play and then interact with others in the way you imagine the character would. In this way, you collaborate with others in forming a story - a shared narrative. It is first and foremost a way of sharing creativity with others and in that way make a world come alive and tell fascinating tales - of adventure, tragedy or heroism. It's all up to you.

 :?: What is the difference between the player and the character in roleplay?

 :arrow: An important aspect where true roleplay differs from most computer games is that it needs a clear distinction between the player and the character. The player is you, the real life person behind the screen - where as the character is the fictional person you make. His or her point of view and priorities may differ widely from your own - and this difference is often what makes roleplaying so interesting. It's a good idea to keep this in mind when roleplaying your character - it isn't about making the "right" choices that gets your furthest, but having your character make the choices that best enforces the role you've planned. Perfect heroes (or villains) are rarely very interesting.

 :?: What is IC and OOC?

 :arrow: IC stands for In Character and means all that obtain within the story world of the shared narrative shaped through roleplay. In the IC world, things like dragons, vampires and trolls exist. OOC stands for Out Of Character, pointing toward all that obtains in the real world, where players, parents, children, girlfriends and all else physically known exist. When playing, we aspire toward giving IC all the focus and avoid OOC elements interfering. It is at times inevitable though, such as when outside circumstances demands that players leave the game, etc.

The Ravenloft Setting

 :?: What is Ravenloft?

 :arrow: Ravenloft differentiates itself from other D&D settings, in that it is draws upon gothic horror as inspiration. The setting itself, which is often referred to as the Land of Mists or the Demiplane of Dread, is dominated by the mysterious and enigmatic "Dark Powers".

 :?: What is gothic horror?

 :arrow: Gothic horror is best typified by the writings of 19th-century Romantic writers, such as Lord Byron, the Brontė sisters, Edgar Allen Poe, Mary Shelley, Robert Louis Stevenson, Oscar Wilde, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and others. When you think about monsters such as Dracula or Frankenstein, that is a prime example of gothic horror. The Byronic hero, which paints those we would not normally consider 'heroes' in a new light, is another example of the gothic horror tradition.

It should not be confused with the cosmic horror of H. P. Lovecraft and August Derleth, which is more defined by man's confrontation with things it was never meant to know, and the ultimate insignificance of morality in the face of uncaring and all-powerful alien intelligences. Morality plays a huge part in gothic horror, and the actions of the PCs - be they heroic or villainous - are always watched and taken into account by the Demiplane of Dread's enigmatic masters.

 :?: What are the Dark Powers?

 :arrow: The Dark Powers are the enigmatic masters of the Demiplane of Dread, who serve as the tormentors to the darklords that rule over each domain within the Land of Mists. The Dark Powers watch all within their domain, and each wicked or profane act performed by those dwelling in mists stands the chance of attracting their attention. Those who do stand to gain what some might regard as a boon, others as a curse. The Dark Powers are not wholly evil. They empower curses laid upon those who are deserving by those who were grievously wronged, and they do not lead the good astray by enticing them with power. Note that only very few people within the roleplay world know of these Dark Powers.

 :?: What is a darklord?

 :arrow: A darklord is the ruler of a given domain; he or she is part warden of a prison, and at the same time is also the most important prisoner in the domain. To earn his place, he performed a deed so heinous, that it warranted the mists taking him or her and constructing a land in his or her image. For example, the darklord of Nidala, Elena Faith-hold, earned her place in the mists by zealously forcing the conversion of many to Belenus via a series of religious pogroms, and perverting her oaths as a paladin in doing so.

 :?: What domains are represented in-game?

 :arrow: At this time, Barovia, Blaustein, Dementlieu, Ghastria, Har'Akir, Hazlan, Markovia and Sithicus have been implemented. PCs can travel to any of these domains via Vistani caravaniers, or by venturing into the mists. We also have Perfidus, a homebrewed domain. In addition to this, we have numerous other domains represented for use in DM quests and events.