The underdark is one of the most dangerous areas in Faerun. It is a place of epic monsters, dark beast, abothith with so much power that even the gods cant destroy them, and dragons made of shadow. Now, I accept that there are reasons why there are less powerful monsters around sanctuary. But, I, personally, Dont think the feeling of embattled escaped slaves is still prevalent at all. So, I reccomend, about once per day, drop a very powerful monster in the underdark. Something no player alone could beat. Probably not with haste, so the players can run, but something groups of players can set off agenst as a non-scripted quest.

It would give the feeling that sanctuary is not, truly, safe. And add RP situations.

I think there are such creatures out there, in certain places. I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to admit that the further you get away from civilization, the more dangerous it is. Still, I have to agree that it would be nice to see an increase in such things, especially closer to Sanctuary.

Coldburn and I have both felt this way, ourselves - so I'm glad you bring it up. Yeah, indeed. The Underdark seems somewhat too populated by 'lesser' creatures. You can't walk anywhere without running into a Goblin and his mother(s). Adding these stronger creatures wouldn't necessarily add something to our gameworld, however, except for people loading the fugue more frequently - and potentially getting a better understanding of how dangerous this place is. Whilst it seems like a really awesome plan to log super-creatures, having the right formula to give people a real kick, I think that in the end these creatures will just become an OOC burden to live with. Such awesome creatures might do well in the more dangerous parts of EFU I suppose - but otherwise I suggest leaving these creatures in the DM's pocket of spawnoptions to spawn when they are around to keep things real.

Just a few days ago, I witnessed a party of five mid- to high-level characters having to turn back to Sanctuary because they encountered a monster (a single monster) that pwned them all. This was in a commonly traveled region and the monster was not DM controlled.

The same day, I witnessed another party beat this monster, but not without all of them being Near Death at some point. Afterwards, one guy from this party died to a mushroom. (Seriously.)

All seems to be well!

You seemingly haven't met an Umberhulk Behemoth yet.

Yes, there are a lot of powerful creatures around, and yes, if you aren't a full-plate warrior with a towershield on lvl 6+, you want to dodge and avoid most of the lesser creatures too!

Deep Malar Beasts eat you and couple spiders with increased speed and poison can easily pwn even high-level players. And these both certainly exist in the Underdark.

It could be possible, that you have been in the Underdark on a clear and peaceful day, but walk through Sanctuary's surroundings on a crazy day and you know what I mean.

Ogre bandits, they hurt, BAD.

I've found things out in the wilds that would have quickly killed a fully buffed party of five, and to wit, I've also seen fully buffed parties get wiped out by lesser creatures.

If I can put in my two cents worth, I love the shrieker mushrooms, and I vote for more things like gas spores (they look just like beholders) and living stalactites (they fall on you as you pass underneath). I agree that the wilderness needs to be more hostile, but dropping in impossible to beat monsters seems like, in a word, overkill.

I feel it's hard enough as it is to be honest and lets also think that if you make it so that going in the underdark is death for anyone who does then how are all these slaves making it to sanctuary i mean if a well equipped uber party is getting hammered how can a slave with not but rags survive and reach sanctuarys gates.

This topic seems to resurface once every third month.

In continuation of Obedience's remark, last year, several powerful drow NPCs roamed one of the farer out areas you don't just cross. People still complained, and it's not as if there weren't warnings enough (ICly and OOCly).

Now, keeping in mind that "really powerful monster" is relative, I still don't support this. Mainly because, yes, we're puny mortals, and puny mortals don't go battling dragons on a daily basis. I'm cool with powerful monsters taking a swing at Sanctuary once in a while, but experience tells me I wouldn't appreciate the monsters we're likely to be presented with, and so I wouldn't appreciate the event itself.

Besides, the fact of the matter is that more one hit, one kill monsters aren't going to make Sanctuary feel any less safe. Truth is you can stay withing the walls and pretend nothing's happening, and when monsters do come aknocking, you can just not log in. And you'll even still be able to reach high levels.

I just want to say that I think this happens to some degree already. Jusy the other day I managed to get a few fool-hardy adventurers to help me attempt to map some areas outside the city. I had mapped a couple close areas (stealthily) but I wanted to go a little further. Well imagine my suprise when our little group met a deep lizard outside the gates right around the corner from where I wanted to go (and I had just recently come from that way)...for our little group the deep Lizard would have killed us if not for a certain "Sentinel" nearby who saved our bacon...

It was fun, unexpected and challenging. If this was a random spawn, great. If not, thank you to whomever. I don't want to know one way or the other. It is these little details that keep me coming back to EFU for more. I have had several characters killed here, some from my own mistakes, and some simply due to the fact that the Underdark is a dangerous place (as is).

Thanks to all who play & DM here.

-Kalos

Take a walk around the Ghruntstuble mines.

As my previous character lived there, and I wandered there and fought things daily, I can tell you that the spawns are lethal, no matter where you go.

I saw everything from Two Deep Lizards cavorting to Four Orog Bandits, a Minotaur Shaman, and a Lizardfolk Bandit, all in the main area past Gnolls

Not all random spawns are lethal.

That's why its called random I think.

However!

UD: East though, from what I've seen, is oddly almost all kobold/goblin populated.

There are creatures like this. There once (not sure it it is still there) was a bounty from Fort Mur for the eyes of a creature (wont say which one). A group I was with encountered it while exploring for something entirely different - and let me say this:

oh

My

GOD

!!!

It was the biggest creature I've ever seen in NWN ever, dragons included, and it could do nearly 50HP per hit. Needless to say it was rough.....

It was a Behemoth Spider. It's just a big spider. OMG spoiler. :roll:

The Sand Caves are still pretty scary. I guess we could add in a few more terrifying areas though for the die hard thrill seekers.

Yes, please. The Sand Caves get boring after you practically lived there and walked through them dozens of times. Maybe a differently themed area with equally or even more powerful denizens, and while you're at it, a nice level 9-12 quest.

Yes, a nice nine to twelve quest will get us to level twelve.

That will make even the scariest areas easy to walk through again.

So then we will need scarier areas.

So then! We need a nice twelve to fifteen quest.

A bit off topic and all, but we do plan to keep the level cap at roughly 10 for now. (Though it's not impossible to get 11 and higher by any means.) There is a high level quest around that you've probably not tried yet if you want a ridiculous challenge!

Jasede Yes, please. The Sand Caves get boring after you practically lived there and walked through them dozens of times. Maybe a differently themed area with equally or even more powerful denizens, and while you're at it, a nice level 9-12 quest.

There are several quests for those levels, well 7-11 but if you mention them people wet thier pants and run for cover. On another note however theres some things in there, well maybe it was removed, won't spoiler it, it well sort of- you'll know it if you ever encounter it and never say that again.

Animals and non-humanoid creatures do not want to live near civilized areas with hundreds of humans. They will avoid them altogether, because they are strange and they sense danger.

Any decent hunting party that is prepared is a threat to an animal. They aren't afraid, as much as know it's lethal to be injured in the wilderness. Hence, things tend to avoid anything except easy prey.

Any beast living near Sanctuary, Fort Mur or Traensyr would likely be a scavenger or herbivore. Large predators would tend to stay away, and prefer remote and wild areas.

Of course, they can be driven from one area towards another by widespread pressures such as hunting or new species moving in, but I assume the Underdark around Sanctuary has achieved some sort of ecological balance.

So...I wouldn't expect to see even intelligent humanoids like kobolds and goblins near Sanctuary unless they were desperate. Bats, small herbivores and small predators should be the norm. This may take away from the fun I guess, so ultimately it depends on what makes EfU the most fun.

I'd like to see a Deep Lizard or Bulette pop up, eat some NPCs or PCs, and then try to escape. PCs get together, pursue the thing and have to kill it.

Possible scripted quest idea?

I support some stronger creatures but I do not think they should be impossibly hard. I feel a lvl 8 character that has some combat skills whether melee or magic should have a decent chance when fully prepared. Besides that, let the monsters scatter the Underdark terrorizing.

Naga

There are several quests for those levels, well 7-11 but if you mention them people wet thier pants and run for cover. On another note however theres some things in there, well maybe it was removed, won't spoiler it, it well sort of- you'll know it if you ever encounter it and never say that again.

One of the reasons (next to school) why I am not playing at the moment: hard to find people to do REAL quests with without OOC tell shenanigans. Try and make a sending for good old Seer and watch people not turn up. [Though in my experience the few who do show up are all awesome roleplayers. I think the hardest challenges attract the best players.]

Maybe I am just uncharismatic, though. :kobold:

About that it aint dangures monsters around. At the gate road I faced with Mr min-max Hafur (the 140 hp dwarf for the ones who do not know, lvl 8) a green underdark lurker. That thing bashed as *ell. I had to pull back, took in to injured, but had to leave. It is hard monsters around.