Sham404

Clan Vildr 4th of the First Seed, 23rd Year of the Second Age Family, Faith, Fury - The motto of Clan Vildr. Words to live by, carried in our blood and carved into our legacy by my own hands. We are among the youngest of the Norlandic Clans, born from the union of myself and my beloved wife, and by these words we have followed, fulfilled, and continue to pursue the Three Tenets of the All Father. Each of those tenets aligns with a part of our maxi; The first aligns with Faith, the second with Family, and the third with Fury. On this day, however, we stand apart from the All Father’s flames - this new conflict is entirely temporal. Regardless of this circumstance, we stand as a Family, we remain Faithful, and we blaze with Fury. On my return from a number of years away, news burned across the land like the fires of the Ashwood. War has come to Nyrheim, after years of disrespect toward the people of Norland by the southron men. Joined by our allies in Urguan and elsewhere, King Sven has raised a call to arms to force the Orenians to see reason; a call well overdue, by the measure of all Highlanders. The Kingdom of Orenia has spent the decades spreading deceit about our people, about our ways, and our faith. Never have we of Norland stooped so low to do the same, and yet they claim we are immoral and lacking in substance. Never would Norlandic soldiers attack civilians, or bring willing harm to women and children, and yet Orenian forces do that very thing, revelling in it - then have the audacity to call us barbarians and savages. Even their own Church denounces their actions, exposing their wickedness for all of Nyrheim to see. This is no religious war, but it is clear to all that the actions of the Orenians are perverse in the eyes of every god and spirit from Krugmar to Haelun’or. As Chieftain of Clan Vildr, I call upon my blood and my banners so that we might play a part in bringing an end to the posturing of this southern King. Wherever we find the child killers, be it along the roads, in the fields, or in the streets of their bloated city, Clan Vildr, the Northguard, and our formidable Allies will bring them to justice. Norland struck the first blow in this conflict. We shall strike the final one. Edric Vildr Chieftain of Clan Vildr

Combatting the Long Dark: II - Slimes The following text is both an informative piece, and an advisory guide, on the nature of Slimes and how to fight them. It is no doubt incomplete, as it is based on the experiences of one man against this enemy. Contents Prelude Environment Creature Abilities Conclusion SECTION I - Prelude The slime is not an overtly threatening enemy to a warrior, however it is one that can cause difficulty if you are not prepared. Given their nature, they can quickly overwhelm an unwary warrior. While I have personally encountered a Slime in one such unprepared situation, I know that others have been fought to great success by properly prepared warriors. SECTION II - Environment The exact preferred environment of a slime is unclear, though it is likely they prefer warm and damp places such as caves and sewers, which are welcoming to their makeup and lifestyle. Both of these environments present little threat to a slime - as we will go on to discuss - while also providing sustenance and opportunity for growth. In the case of a cave, there are varieties of small wildlife that may roam through unaware. In the case of a sewer, we have the ever-present rat. SECTION III - Creature The slime is, quite simply, a disgusting creature. While other monsters may be offensive in a variety of ways, the slime is just upsetting to the senses. They smell, sound and appear unnatural and unpleasant, and it can be assumed that if one were so foolish as to consume part of a slime it would be equally bad, however the most disgusting part of the Slime is when they are touched. Wet and gelatinous, and sucking, so that if you linger you shall find yourself sinking in and eventually becoming trapped. This makeup lines up with the agenda of the slime, which appears to be consumption of living creatures by absorbing them into itself. It remains unclear if the slime has any organs as I have not had a chance to dissect one, however if they do have hearts or something similar, it is likely located in the centre of the creature, where it is safest. SECTION IV - Abilities As mentioned, the slime is a dangerous creature primarily for the unaware and unprepared. The slime will attempt to suck it’s prey inside its body, trapping them there without air until they perish. Given what we know about them, it is likely that the entire slime body contributes to a digestive process to consume the flesh from their victims. It is also likely that this process is ineffective against bones, given their toughness, so looking for unnaturally clean bones may be an indicator of the presence of slimes. Also, it is encouraged not to fight slimes alone, as once trapped within it will be exceedingly difficult to escape. The nature of the slime suggests a reliance on mass, built up by converting the flesh of prey into more ‘slime’. This slime is rubbery, though not overly resistant to cutting weapons. If a warrior has no other options, they ought to focus on cutting away slices of the slime, which seem to become inert and lifeless. This technique relies on not embedding the weapon within the slime, as I personally experienced the creature trying to absorb my sword when I stabbed it. Rather, slice at the edges and slowly deprive the slime of its mass and shape, and therefore also it’s weapon. The previously mentioned slime does seem to have a reaction to one commonly available substance - salt. My own encounter with the slime took place in a dinner hall, and throwing salt upon the creature seemed to cause it great pain, causing a bubbling on the surface of the slime. The amount used was minor, so further usage of large amounts of salt may in fact be dangerous or even deadly to a slime. Further research is needed into this, however if anticipating combat with one of these creatures, the ready availability of salt means that a prepared warrior should carry it just in case. The most effective weapon against the slime seems to be the cold. My encounter was ended by use of Athin, an alchemical ingredient with a great cooling effect. In this case, I believe it had been prepared into a freezing potion which was thrown at the slime and immediately crippled the creature and allowed us to push it out of the window to fall and shatter upon the ground. From this we can identify that freezing a slime is perhaps the most effective method of combating one, especially if a warrior can enlist the assistance of an alchemist to prepare the suitable potion or reagent. Aside from Athin, it is possible that Frost Vine has a similar effect, though this is currently unconfirmed. When the slime is defeated, make sure that the entirety of the creature is inert. Whether you have frozen and shattered the creature or cut off slices or pursued some other method, it is vital that the creature is entirely dead, else it may find sustenance and regrow to a threatening size again. To make sure, burn upon the pyre any and all remains of the slime. SECTION V - Conclusion In closing, when fighting a slime try to avoid doing so alone, so that you can rescue each other from it’s grip if necessary. Further, try to cut slices off the slime rather than stabbing it, as this puts your weapon at risk and has uncertain effectiveness. Finally, if you have an alchemist to assist you have them prepare a freezing potion or a tool of similar function from the Athin plant, as this is highly effective against the slime - it can then be finished off with blunt force. Whatever method is used, ensure that the creature is entirely destroyed to stop it from slipping away into a sewer or cave and recovering its mass. Written by Edric Vildr, Warden of the Northguard

Clan Vildr Family, Faith, Fury 9th of Sun's Smile, 22nd year of the Second Age Cold winds blew across the snow covered fields and forests of Norland, howling down the roads that crisscrossed the countryside, hidden beneath the leftovers of past blizzards. Most inhabitants of the northern country knew these roads by heart, and so their hidden nature presented little obstacle to the well travelled. Along these roads one such well travelled Norlander made his way, seated upon a cart laden heavy with unknown goods, hidden similar to the roads, beneath canvas and snow. Heavy cloak wrapped about his shoulders, a fur laid across his knees, Edric was glistening in the pale light too, with snow-melt across his shoulders and among the hairs of fur. The air coiling, mistlike, with every exhalation. At his side sat the eponymous Witchslayer Hammer, aurum spike resplendent and unmarred by his years away from home. Deep grooves in the white tracked behind the cart, with the sound of wind accompanied only by the creaking of wooden wheels and the whinnying of horses pulling it. Varhelm was now in sight, the tall, grey walls imposing and stark against the wilderness, gates shut to ward off whatever enemies may lay in wait, be they man, mage, or monster. Normally this would have worried the old warrior, but he had heard on the road of the declaration of war against the Kingdom of Oren, and so the closed gate was to be expected. Pausing on the road for a moment, Edric took in the sight. It had been some five years since his departure. Five years spent in the wild of Norland, and the wilder lands outside of their borders to the north, with only a word to his wife that he would be gone for a while. A task from the All-Father, he had told her, though he knew it was more than that. The journey was rooted in faith, yes, but it was not a mission given by the All-Father, rather it was one of discovery of self and belief, driven by Edric’s desire to understand what the All-Father desired from him, beyond the Three Tenets he lived by. He wondered how his children would view his return. While his elder two would remember him, Eirik and Astrid had been but babes when he departed. He knew they would understand, as they grew and he explained his absence. More importantly, he wondered how his brother Agmaer had handled affairs in his years away. With that thought in mind he urged on the horses, and the cart continued on its journey toward the gate. Though his absence from the lands of his people had been extensive, Edric remained a Warden of the Northguard and chieftain of one of the clans of Norland. His approach to the gate was met by guard, though their caution was replaced by surprise and respect when he lifted his hood. His visage held new scars, his blonde beard now flecked with grey, but it was enough. Still, they were at war now, and the Northguard insisted on checking the cart. Pulling back the canvas sent the veneer of snow cascading away, some being caught and carried by the gale. Beneath was revealed the bounty of five years in the wilderness, a wealth of stories and glories. Upon the cart lay a bed of hides and furs from wolves, boars, and bears, slain and skinned. Upon that bed lay trophies from all manner of beast and monster, from tusks and teeth to claws and horns and more. While most were from mundane creatures, there could also be found scales and fangs and other trophies taken from servants of the Long Dark that make their lairs in the shadowy and forgotten parts of the world. It seemed the Witchslayer had not been idle in his spiritual journey. A low whistle was the only response of the guard, as he waved for the gate to be opened. The cart was once more urged into motion, as Edric Vildr finally returned from the hunt.

Combatting the Long Dark: I - Ice Witches The following text is both an informative piece, and an advisory guide, on the nature of Ice Witches and how to fight them. It is no doubt incomplete, as it is based on the experiences of one man against this enemy. Contents Prelude Environment Creature Abilities Conclusion SECTION I - Prelude The Red Faith often uses symbolism of fire and flames, with our tenets often making reference to them in one way or another. The Flamebrands wielded by our Keepers and the flame they maintain in their temple hold further importance to our faith. It follows, therefore, that one of the servants of the Long Dark should be a creature that makes use of and manipulates ice, snow, and the cold - The Ice Witch. Also known as Frost Witches, these foul beings are likely to be found in our homeland of Norland, given our settlement of the Northern climes of Nyrheim, where snow abounds for the Witch to make use of. SECTION II - Environment The environment of our homeland gives the Ice Witch an advantage in resisting our efforts to fight them, as their magic and nature allows them to make use of the snowy landscape both in combat, and in hiding. The exact origin of these creatures remains unknown to me, and we shall go on to discuss what unnatural abilities they do possess, but given the rarity of their attacks, and the fact that they lack a distinct presence in any mortal realm, we can assume that somewhere out in the cold wilderness they have a lair or home, protected by their foul magics and hidden among the ice. It can also be assumed that the power of the Witch gives them a resistance to the debilitating effects of a freezing environment. This presents a difficulty when fighting the Ice Witch, as hunting for and destroying their lairs should be our ultimate goal, but it is made almost impossible by the aforementioned factors of magical defence and of inhospitable environment. SECTION III - Creature My first encounter with an Ice Witch was in Morsgrad, where I came across what seemed to be a regular Norlandic woman, standing in the square beneath the Ashwood tree. On noticing my approach, her human form seemed to melt away, changing her appearance to reveal the true evil that hid beneath. This new form was clearly one of dark origin, for she had unnatural white hair, grey skin, and adorned with unnaturally blue jewelry. Further I could see within her mouth sharply pointed teeth akin to those of a wolf, suggesting to me that the Ice Witch has a taste for the flesh of descendants and other mortal races. When we look at these factors combined, we can assume that the Ice Witch makes use of her ability to change appearance to attract and prey upon lone people, or to infiltrate society and do the same, as this one did attempt with me. It remains unclear if the Ice Witch can take any form, or only specific ones. SECTION IV - Abilities Aside from their ability to change form, I identified a few other capabilities of the Ice Witch in my encounter. As mentioned before, the Witch has power over ice and snow, and so the first power I will discuss is their ability to freeze a being in place. After revealing herself to me, the creature tried to engage me in conversation, while she weaved dark magic to entice the snow to freeze around my feet, and make it impossible for me to move. It took a few moments for the magic to take hold, and though I made an attempt to evade it, ultimately my feet were frozen in place. As any warrior knows, mobility is vital to victory, and as we go on to discuss, the abilities of the Ice Witch seem to capitalise on the enemy being unable to move or evade. Thus when in combat or hunting an Ice Witch, ensure to close the distance quickly so that they can not ensorcel the ice to freeze you in place. The next ability I witnessed was the creation of a weapon. As my feet were frozen in place, the Witch began to create a spike formed of ice, which she promptly launched in an attack at me. I deflected the spike with my weapon, though given the appearance of it, and it’s magical origin, I expect that my armour would not have been capable of resisting it. Thus remember that the magic of an Ice Witch may be capable of defeating even an armoured man should they have the opportunity to use it, and a hunter should take efforts to make sure they do have that opportunity. As further inhabitants of Morsgrad began to take notice of the attempts of this Ice Witch, she began to flee. To ensure her destruction I threw my weapon at her, impaling her upon the greatsword up to the hilt. Here we see the third noted ability, when the Witch simply pulled my weapon out of her torso with only a grimace of pain. No blood spilled from the wound, however there was a slush of ice and snow that escaped in its place. We can identify then that the Ice Witch is a being apparently composed of ice and snow, not only with power over it. So, when anticipating conflict with an Ice Witch, bring sources of fire with you - torches, fire cocktail, or similar weapons which should be effective against their frozen nature. Further, it seems they are highly resistant to wounds that would kill or cripple a mortal being, so when using a melee weapon you should aim to sever limbs or go for killing blows such as the head. It is entirely possible that the Ice Witch has no organs at all within their body, and so targeting them is a fruitless endeavour. When the Ice Witch is defeated, burn what remains of the corpse. In my case, once the head was severed much of the body collapsed into slush. As much of this as possible should be collected and burned upon the pyre, to ensure as little trace of the dark creature remains as possible. Given the nature of the dark, we have yet to confirm whether the Ice Witch truly remains dead, as it is well known that servants of the Long Dark practice spells which corrupt the proper order of life and death. SECTION V - Conclusion In closing, when fighting an Ice Witch keep in mind that they have an advantage in frozen environments, their magic works best at range, and that you should use fire when possible. When not possible, aim to sever limbs, not target organs. When the Witch is defeated, destroy the corpse and remain vigilant, as we can not guarantee that they will not return. Written by Edric Vildr, nicknamed ‘Witchslayer’

Il give a pound a month if i get bathwater

Edric reads the missive, and raises his eyebrows in surprise. "Well bugger me sideways. Did they crown a pretender without even checking they were following their own laws?"

Edric, sat by a root of the Ashwood tree, sips from his mug and watches the fresh corpse of William Santiago sway in the wind. After a moment, he stands and scratches his arse. "I can't hear them....but by the All Father I can feel in my bones how mad the kneelers are!"

Edric, hearing of recent events, raises his mug of Ashwood Spirits in celebration. "I can't wait to see how the Canonfodder moan at this development!"

Okay Its not arguing to point out that energy usage on building mats is a bug its not arguing to ask how you intend to discourage IC/OOC bleed Its not tried and tested to say "get rid of bad staff" with no preparation for what happens if you get rid of a large number of staff

you dont use energy to mine blocks. if you do report it on the bugtracker, because thats not how its supposed to be. your issue sounds like a mapsize issue, i would rather see shorter distances than more teleporting around the map. I have had plenty of fun rp with encountering all kinds of things on the road, not just bandits. thats not really valid. prices change relative to value of currency. They make less mina, but the value isnt the same as if they charged that amount of mina in last map, because there is less mina. This has been explained 100 times since the new map. I spent 200 mina on skins for some roleplay involving another player, so... i know what gatekeeping means, but thanks for clarifying that you mean the cliqueness of TAs, not the applications themselves. i dont even know how to start explaining this to you. Getting rid of staff enmasse is a bad idea. Absolutely get rid of bad staff, but dont do it enmasse, that will create more problems. discourage how though. Its already in the rules not to let IC and OOC dictate eachother. HOW do you discourage it more than making it against the rules? they literally are RPed with. I rped with every single new player i have seen in RP. I have seen other people RPing with new players as well. These statistics in no place cite "I wasnt RPed with" as a reason for leaving/not playing.

Removing nation tax wouldnt benefit anything to my understanding, it would just lead to the admin bank running out of money and then people complaining about that. What do you mena vortex energy for building mats? no building mats need vortex energy to craft I think this is planned/being discussed to some extent? Why add soulstone slots? If anything we should be moving away from soulstones as a concept IMO. They have no grounding in lore, and they make it trivial to jump around the map - removing rp on the road of all kinds It seems like you pulled 7.5k out of nowhere? agreed on gatekeeping, but please define what you mean by gatekeeping. Do you mean cliques of people who dont share, or do you mean removing applications or something else? Yes, thats not as easy as it sounds though. Removing staff en masse will lead to shortages if not done carefully yeah, but how? and yeah, they are rped with, thats clearly not the base issue/only issue

I understand that. And please dont take this as me being arsey when i say: Just because something has been done a certain way in the past doesnt mean it should keep being done that way. I just dont know a better wording right now!

Here are a few suggestions that i think could improve the current situation, both in terms of direct correlation between new player and server, and to help retain current server numbers (and help encourage rp and such). These arent final, tweaks will obviously be needed based on feasibility and if there are any flaws i havent thought of. Move CT off mainland to an island, its annoying tilewise, it just gets in the way, and there is no reason for it to exist smack bang in the middle of the territories of three nations. Replace CT warps to hubs with warps to docks in/near nations. Maybe have a southern and a northern dock and then roads from those docks to each nation etc. Carve out a mini tile for this that cant be obtained by nations instead of multiple full sized tiles. Replace warp hubs with roads between nations. Map feels totally disconnected and over reliant on soulstones to move around, breaking immersion that i have to soul stone back to CT and then use a warp if i want to go from Norland to Urguan and cant just travel there. Traveling by road also leads to more ambient roleplay and exploration. Mark some tiles as freebuild, ones that are less likely for nations to want to obtain due to distance or position. Consider charging a fractional mina upkeep for people with active builds there. You build a tavern next to the road, you pay 20 mina a week or something. Obviously monitor the builds to make sure theyre at a suitable standard for roleplay/lore etc. Pursue more 'ambient' storylines, rather than 'events'. Event/story or whoever should work with members of the community to establish situations where it isnt just staff playing monsters/villains, but gives players more chance to flex their villain muscles under supervision from staff without it descending to modreqs. For example, a group of outlaws for nations to send guardsmen after. Get a few players to play the outlaws along with the staff member running things, they get to do naughty things, other players get to fulfill their hero desire by hunting down and stoping them. This isnt an ultimate solution to the lack of things happening as ideally we want it to be more organic, but its better than what we have now, where any villain rp is almost guaranteed to involve a modreq and moaning. As i mentioned before, as a new player i dont really care to talk to a monk, as theyre gunna disappear and never be seen again. Establish the means and encouragement for veteran players to fill the role monks have had, guiding new players and introducing them to rp in a community. Dont leave it to CT to choose a place to leave the new player and then disappear. give the vets reward tokens that can be exchanged for something as mentioned before, or some other system of incentive for them to he on the lookout and help induct new players both ooc and ic. I know it has been done/is being done, but add more random ruins and interesting locations and such in the world. And then put down your sign or whatever for someone who finds it to message the relevant person for a bit of interaction - combat, talking, exploration, learn a bit of lore, whatever it is. As an aside...arent dungeons or something like that planned as well or was that scrapped?

Okay, now im awake. There is nothing wrong with rules and regulations. As a community grows larger the rules must become more detailed to account for scenarios tbe community encounters. I think the issue comes when rules and regulations become the be all end all, and players and staff feel they can not do things spontaneously due to the restrictions. Look at the rules regarding player run events - you cant do this, you cant do that, you cant x y z. What can you do? It doesnt create an environment very encouraging of player run events. Certainly CT shouldnt baby new players, but clearly what we have now (CT essentially dropping new players off in a location and saying adios) isnt working either.

As a relatively new player and being friends/acquaintances with a number of newer players as well as old players, I think i sit in a bit of a middleground between the old and the new members of the community, so I will be commenting with that perspective in mind. The numbers there are certainly spooky, considering we also have player bleed from veteran players leaving the server permanently or taking breaks, or just reducing their activity due to burnout, and so on. If someone have time and interest, it might be worth doing a survey of players to look into that existing bleed to get an idea for the scale and the causes. Candid feedback of why someone is leaving the server could be very enlightening to staff, as long as they actually take notice of it, and dont shrug it off as I know some staff members have previously. It has to be acknowledged that a very small fraction of our lost playerbase comes from people who apply and then forget/move on/lose interedt without ever logging on, the greatest chunk of players we lose here are people who log in, experience the server, and go 'no thanks' after a mere day, or week. What are the reasons for this? We can guess at some, as you mentioned a few likely candidates. I dont agree with saying this isnt our fault. Yeah, not all of it is our fault, there will always be some players who applied and then realised it wasnt for them, or they no longer have time to play, but I certainly think that the initial impression a new player receives of the server and especially the community is very important. And frankly, the behaviour I have seen and in some cases am guilty of myself, has not been such that is welcoming to outside groups. Chief among this at the moment is vortex. I dont think vortex is having a distinct negative effect on our retention, however I do think the vast numbers of threads created in the last few weeks often parroting the same criticisms of vortex, and the number of people who are complaining almost all the time in game, in ooc, about one thing or another - not enough nodes, not certain types of node, not able to do this certain thing, this thing takes too long, etc - do have a negative effect. Not to mention the status updates of which a ridiculous amount are 'vortex bad' or some variation. How does this reflect on new players, when they see existing players complaining so much? And yes, some of this is genuine feedback on vortex but so so much is not. We should also consider accessibility. Mechanics aside, which is its own issue constantly being worked on, the accessibility issue that stands out to me is that the server has cliques. We all know it and they run deep, with intraplayer relationships going back years leading to ooc friendships and enemies and groups and so on (one of the first lessons in server metalore i received was about the Flays and the Reivers, for example). Its very difficult for new players to come into this situation, and in some cases for certain nations it does seem almost predatory, that the nation wants a player to join because it boosts their numbers, their activity count, not because they think the nation is a good fit or so they can rp with the person. Then they go back to interacting primarily with their chosen few players who they are friends with ooc. I could go on at length regarding how this further corrupts the application system for magic, making some kinds of magic impossible to learn due to OOC agreements for people to just teach their friends and vice versa. One thing I havent seen much is community team interacting with new players, checking up on them, etc. Im sure that a monk was available when the players first joined, but i didnt see any sign of them following up with new players, and anyone who has experience in recruitment, management, and that kind of thing knows that following up is extremely important. Consider this - how likely is it for a new player who encounters a problem or has issues to reach out and contact a staff member directly? I expect a good portion just log off, and dont come back. They dont want to bother staff, or dont know who to ask, and so on. This could easily (in theory) be rectified by a few things. One that occurs to me now is that we have the pink tag for new players, which expires after ~20 hours of game time. Is it possible to have a "fresh" tag, or something along those lines, which lasts for...lets say 4 fours, and when it expires it notifies community team similar to a ticket, for one of them to go and check in with that player? Answer any questions they have at the time, make sure they feel welcome or safe, see if they need help getting somewhere or doing something, etc. The benefits of this might be obvious, but it would also be a step towards giving community team more things to do, considering the recent complaints about a lack of that. Something I did talk to snoopie about a few weeks ago is giving veteran players more incentive to guide and assist new players, though nothing seems to have come of it as of yet. How beneficial is it for a new player to start their tenure by making friends with a permanent character (and a regular player to boot) who can perform many functions similar to a monk? Making a friend on your first day might go a long way to keeping you on the server. Not to say that CTs cant make friends with new players ooc, but a monk is rarely going to make friends with a new player character, and even if they do the chances of that monk ever being seen again by the player are slim to none. I might come back with more thoughts after my breakfast

Written by Edric ‘Witchslayer’ Vildr, shortly after the event. Lesson One. A lesson instilled into me as a young boy, beginning when I would clutch my mother’s skirts at the sight of a stranger, up until my teenage years spent hauling wood, coal, and ores for my father’s forge or for winter warmth, is that I should not fear death. Destined as I was at the time to live out my days as a village blacksmith, eventually taking over from my aging father, the lesson was still consistent, and not one someone outside of Norland might expect for a village boy to receive - do not fear death, rather fear never beginning to live. Such a lesson is one consistent across all of Norland, to all who follow the Red Faith, for it is by this earliest lesson that the foundation of our strength is built, and upon this foundation are the Tenets of the All Father fulfilled. Lesson Two. A second lesson, one I was not given by my parents but rather by the rigours of life, is one that assists with understanding the first. It is thus: Man has power over their mind, not the world around them. The crux of this lesson is the ability to draw strength from this understanding. Circumstance is nothing. The will to act is everything. It is often misunderstood by those outside of the Red Faith that the term ‘Unworthy’ as referenced in the Tenets of the faith refers to those who are physically weak, uneducated, or those born of another race or colour. It can be said that at various times in our past, by various groups who claim to adhere to the word of the All Father, this was certainly believed. But the Keepers today, and for many years, maintain that Worthiness in the eyes of the All Father and the Faith comes from the crux of this lesson - The strength of the mind and spirit alone. Lessons Three and Four. Some who do not understand our Faith claim it to be barbaric, or that we despise peace and claim it is weakness. I can speak on this matter from close personal experience. My mother was burned alive, an event I well remember after all these years. Accused as a Witch by a Keeper I later discovered to have lost his mind, I did at the time seek vengeance, misguided in the belief that revenge would heal the damage done to my life, and the lives of my family. I abandoned my home in the pursuit of that vengeance, that desire driving me to heights and deeds I wonder if I would have been capable of, had I not nurtured so carefully the passion for revenge that burned in my heart. So many years later, when I did eventually come across the man responsible for the death of my mother, I found him a broken man. As I was taught as a boy, I did not fear death - though death would surely come for me if I were to murder a servant of the All Father unlawfully, though his crimes were great and many as I later discovered. I did not fear, though I was given pause, before I acted, by the state of his existence. Wispy white hair, thin pale skin, a body littered with liver spots and worse, wasted by some disease such that I could likely have lifted him with one arm, and snapped him like a twig betwixt my fingers. The ravings of this man, who alone in the woods screamed that I was a servant of the Long Dark come to take him from his flock of faithful - in this case, a coop of chickens - made it clear to me that to exact vengeance was not only an unworthy act, it would lead me inevitably to a state not unlike the one I was witness to. It was clear, then, that this Keeper, for all the deeds he did in his youth to combat the Long Dark, was eventually infected, and overcome, by the seed of doubt. The seed grew into a thorny hedge, blocking the Keeper from the Light of the All Father, and yielding poison berries. For it is most assured that when we spend our lives combating the Long Dark, we must be vigilant that the Dark does not seep into us. I brought that man, who I could no longer consider a Keeper, to be judged and cared for by our people in Morsgrad, overcoming my desire for vengeance and helping to lead him back to the flame in his final days. Thus I learned a third and fourth lesson. Firstly, those who do injury to others firstly and most greatly injure themselves, and all injustice is first struck against oneself as a mark upon one's soul, inevitably leading oneself to evil. Second, do not look upon hardship and proclaim 'I am wronged' or bemoan that you suffer misfortune, rather determine that to overcome this misfortune will serve to strengthen you, and place you in greater esteem in the eyes of the All Father. Lesson Five. According to the doctrine of the Red Faith, and the understanding of most common folk of Norland, all things unnatural serve the Long Dark. But we must consider what the term unnatural applies to in the first place, and do so carefully, such that we do not mistakenly attribute things we do not understand as things that are unnatural, and ensure we destroy only that which is assuredly in service to the Long Dark. The Undead are unnatural by all laws understood by the Faith, and so are considered either servants of the Long Dark, for those that are malicious, or victims of their own condition - and so must be put to rest - for those that are not. This distinction is far clearer to me due to recent events, after which I have gained the moniker ‘Witchslayer’ - evidently an event in which I slew a true Witch, unlike my Mother, one who had power over ice and snow and used them to attack. While I will not claim the deed as mine alone, it was mine in the greatest share, and my body that bore the brunt of hardship and injury. Mere moments after the destruction of this foe, I also encountered a spirit, and was urged on by witnesses to put that spirit to rest. In reflection, the deed was poorly pursued, for it was done more due to the height of my blood than out of a desire to help the ghost. Thus, I consider that a moment of weakness, though I do not regret it, I instead resolved that I shall act in a more worthy manner in the future. For is that not what we of the Red Faith are encouraged to, and truly must do to be considered faithful? Destroy that which must be destroyed, but remain compassionate such that we do not become deserving of destruction ourselves. Thus, another lesson presents itself, and must be remembered. Lesson Six. Mention of my Witchslaying brings me to think on the nature of talent, of skill. When exchanging tales of deeds, be they personal stories or legends of years past, I have wondered, and I expect some onlookers also thought at the time 'This tale is exaggerated, that act is not possible' or 'You seek to do the impossible.' I must remind myself then, that all things have been and will be considered impossible by some, until the act is done and proof otherwise is obtained. When asked of my own deeds, and faced with disbelief, I remind listeners that just because an act seems difficult for them to accomplish, it does not make it so for others, nor make others lesser for not being able to do it themselves. Not all of Norland, or all of Humanity, and assuredly not a significant number of Descendents as a whole could be capable of killing a Witch, or dark mage, or monstrosity, similarly not all Descendents are capable of brewing an exquisite ale, or of singing like a nightingale. Nor either of carving a likeness from stone, or healing the wounds of others. We must each appraise ourselves within the context of our own lives and abilities, and not bemoan gifts we were not given by fate. Rather, awe at the skills you naturally possess, and take joy in your own excellence, and think of how you would miss those talents otherwise. Here, another lesson I have come to accept - I shall never have the touch of a healer, for my hands are too ungainly, and worse - they are covered in the blood of enemies. This is my service to the All Father, and how I combat the Long Dark. Think - for what task were you made? Each of us has a role to play, and we must determine what that role is in order to Spread the Flame. Lesson Seven. In reflection of this certainty that not all skills can be mastered, not even in the lifespan of an Elf can a mere hundredth of all knowledge be learned, much less in the short life of a man, I come to the idea of mortality once again. Humanity is said to be cursed to short lives, though some consider this a blessing, for our expiry gives us a drive not found among long lived races. We do not have a thousand years to throw away, for death is in our shadow smiling at us - and so, we must smile back. To die without regret is something perhaps unobtainable to most, but should ever be strived for. Take action where action is warranted, do not be frozen by indecision - to leave something undone may be just as evil as an evil act itself. That in mind, one must take action, and later must not regret it. Any course of action, even flawed, is universally superior to taking no course, or to taking action and later being plagued by guilt or regret. Know that whatever comes, you engage the future with the assurance that failure is natural, and to regret failure is foolish - and wasteful. Rather, learn from your failure, and become greater for it. Another lesson is learned, that we must not live in the past, as that is neglectful of the present - and one should not be disturbed by what may come in the future, as that may misguide you from a true course in service of the All Father. Lessen Eight. Mortality is a complex subject, one important for those of the Red Faith to comprehend. Physical Immortality is a goal many descendents have pursued since the inception of the concept, across all races. Man, most especially, has looked upon immortality as something to be desired, for what better way to overcome our condition, and ascend to heights greater than our ancestors? This dream is not held among the followers of the Red Faith. It is understood by the faithful, and most especially by those such as me who have encountered death close to hand, that the only path for man to reach physical immortality is through service to the Long Dark - be that employment of undead magics, manipulation of the void, or otherwise utilisation of the Dark. While other magics are known to affect aging, such are often not considered related to the Long Dark - the teachings of the Red Faith accept the prolonging of life in order to Spread the Flame. Thus, we can conclude that physical Immortality is a concept to be disregarded, for only by abandoning the All Father and aiding the Long Dark can it be obtained - an abhorrent course of action. Lesson Nine. As an alternative to the abhorrrent, let us who are faithful to the All Father seek immortality in spirit, in name and in action. Central to our Faith, and to our People, are guiding concepts that not only lead to these results, but exhort us to them. We recall the names and lives, not to mention deeds, of the Paragons with awe and reverence. We have established them as one of the guiding pillars of our lives, both on an individual level and as a community. Thus, each Paragon has obtained immortality blessed by the All Father. The only form of True Immortality. With this in mind, it is virtuous and indicative of worthiness for Norlanders to seek our own path to Paragonhood, to become someone remembered by our people forevermore. This is the final lesson of mortality, that the path to immortality lies not in the extension of life, but in living a great life. Closing. In the end, I recall the earlier lessons, and the Tenets of the faith. It is, ultimately, Entropy that serves the Long Dark, and in mirror to that is Life, in service to the All Father. Live long, live well, and your soul will burn bright. For a blazing fire will consume all things thrown into it, and make of them greater flames, and brightness. Thus do we overcome our weaknesses, our mortality, and the unworthy, and defeat the Long Dark.

Sat in the barracks of the Northguard, with a cloth in hand as he polishes the head of the Witchslayer Hammer gifted to him by the High Keeper, news reaches Edric of the new appearance of Frost Witches in Haelun'or. Looking down at his new boots, Edric recalls the Witch he slew in Morsgrad, the start and apparent end of his Witchslaying career. "To Haelun'or and glory, then." He affirms to the empty barrack.

Sat by the roots of the Ashwood Tree, news comes to Edric of the Hyspian response to the aggression of the Canonists. Surging to his feet, he pulls the Witchslayer hammer from his belt and plants a kiss upon it's head. "All Father send me some foolish Cross-god kneelers to break."

Edric, hearing of the conversion, nods approvingly, and raises his mug in praise of the Prince. "To Hyspia then, welcome to the embrace of the All Father."

While sat within the tavern 'neath the Ashwood tree, with a mug of ale in one hand and a hunk of bread in the other, Edrick overhears a few of the Nyrheimer residents telling the tale of the recent Ferrymen conquest. "Cheers to that, you mad dockworkers." He says to himself, before biting off a chunk of the bread, and washing it down generously.

I think its important to be distinct in that people should not see themselves as the protagonist of the server but there is nothing wrong with seeing yourself as the protagonist of your own story. The distinction probably is difficult for newer players or people who are new to roleplay. I should not expect everyone on the server or anyone I interact with to treat me as the hero or the protagonist, but it is entirely fine for me to play my character as the hero of their story. An example of this is Edric, my own character. He has gone from a village blacksmith to killing a hellhound and an ice witch, to him, this is an incredible achievement that no one from his home would ever believe. Thats why he calls himself Witchslayer, and used to call himself Houndsbane. In RP, Edric brags about this because to him its a huge deal. Ooc, i dont expect people to care, nor be impressed. Nor am i impressed when people ooc say "its not impressive Sham. My character 4 maps ago killed FIVE witches" or something of the like. The entire point here is that my character is not the protagonist of the server, so doing this should be a big deal and make him feel like he is the protagonist of something - his life. But yeah, aversion to conflict is crazy. I prefer the term drama to conflict though. Drama drives interesting roleplay. Tavern rp can be dramatic, war rp can be dramatic. Anything can be dramatic, but getting upset over others creating dramatic rp, or avoiding dramatic rp, is just going to lead to boring experiences for a large number of players. Some players might be happy to spend hours sitting in a tavern talking about the weather, or running their bread shop and chatting with customers, but many people Roleplay exactly because they are tired of the mundane, or slice of life experiences of their lives and want something dramatic.

Im not being condescending. Im stating a fact. Big numbers do not equal big value. Your maths are dependant on people not spending any of their mina, which is exactly why the system is the way it is, to encourage people to spend mina not hold onto it. If youre charging 600 mina for a skin, youre literally charging enough to upkeep an entire nation for a week. You need to put these numbers in perspective - you might think you can charge that amount, but no one is going to pay that amount. And again, your maths are dependant on these skinners hoarding their money - which is what the system is designed to encourage people not to do. Why would you have 4000 mina in your account knowing that youre going to be taxed? Why not spend some of it? Why not invest it in something or someone? Youre slippery sloping up to 7 percent with no evidence it will go that high. Your cap before tax might also increase to a thousand, or two thousand, or three. We cant criticise the system based on how it might change in the future. If you decide your skins are worth more than an entire nation, feel free to charge that amount. You wont sell any.