Messages

I should have done this weeks ago but work and other obligations kept me occupied.

​Ultimately, after clearing my head I've decided that I'm done playing EfU, at least for now. Maybe one day I'll come back and I'll certainly try to linger in the IRC as I can, but I just don't feel like I'm able to commit to the required time it would take to be able to play in EfU seriously. Maybe sometime in the future time will be available to me again, but for now... I just don't have the hours without dropping prior commitments.

​Thank you to those who helped with making some fun times in my return and it was good to come back older and more experienced and to see how the server had changed, but ultimately I feel like I'd be better off doing other things with what time I have to put into EfU. So thank you, and I hope to see you around.

Personally I like to avoid doing too much multifaction, but there's nothing wrong with it either as long as it makes sense, though you should probably weigh which faction would be your 'main' one too if it is inevitably going to come down to conflict.

​The other factor is the state of the two factions. Some lend themselves to being multi-member without involving being a potential traitor, others not so much. So something like being a Watcher but also being a member of a Sanctuary political guild makes sense and feeds into the politics Sanctuary loves and you could probably do that without an app. But being part of an industrialist faction seeking to strip mine the Hidden Shore and the Stewards probably doesn't without expecting tons of friction both ways, and likely needing to talk to the DMs especially if you're in one faction to betray the other.

​There's also character to consider. Would it make sense for your character to join another faction without having sorted out their prior loyalties first?

​But as Dagonlives says, OOC courtesy and style is important, especially if you'll be an antagonist. But all else fails, I'd say talk to a DM. They're not going to go "WTF are you thinking joining a faction just to betray them", but they might either suggest ways to go on that idea or help you out in ironing out which way to go for the idea

​Though if you intend to be an infiltrator... dump points into bluff or even take Skill Focus: Bluff. You're not prohibited from lying without points in bluff, but if you intend to maintain a masquerade for a while it's probably a good idea...

So, I'm going to take a week or so off of EfU. I've enjoyed quite a bit, but I've also let a LOT of other things fall down doing so. That, and I think I just need to get away from it for a time and think things over without having EfU leaning over my shoulder - especially the good ol' "suddenly have a ton of things to do that you can't easily get out of".

​Still going to be on IRC and the forums, but unless you need Kaylee specifically for something I'm not going to be on and around in game.

Another thing might be to consider is normal supplies. As it is, I read favor as how much kit the WaW will outfit you with, or at least how much they're willing to pull 'off the books' per se in order to aid you. So supplying you with more advanced/rare equipment. In this case, why not small bundles of useful supplies? Not enough to replace just buying them, but something to represent the Watchers and Warders being willing to kit you up a bit because you're either useful or the right people don't want you to die. Sort of like a standard issue requisition - you pay X favor for Y potions or other consumables, and not using it means that you can request alternatives because you're not consuming Sanctuary's resources to be battle-ready (and perhaps put in some incentive to maintain a certain amount of kit so it isn't "you just are banking your favor rather than getting standard issue"

​Though on the side of armor; perhaps upgrades to the standard kit as well? as it is the main difference between a Duty Plate and something from Tagnar's is that the Duty Plate counts as on-duty, and you can upgrade your stuff from Tagnar but not from the WaW. Perhaps something like that to keep the on-duty kit viable? Most of it already has a player's name, plus it could be tied into the above (your favor being expended is the WaW seeing you as an asset worth protecting, though don't expect more favors until you prove that the investment was well spent). It can be viable for all levels of armor from the standard tunic/mail/leathers to Warder robes as well as plate (and given that it'd be far more useful to many more given there are those who can't use the heavier power suits), and on top of that it provides a sort of show of growth for players who are actively earning and using favor.

That said I also like the idea of more fluffy perks too. Perhaps some things that Watchers can use to reward (un)deserving allies, sort of like those old Appreication Tokens like what was given out by House Sharbenoth to the vets of Red Elient? They don't need to be major boosts like what those had, but even a small 1/day Cure Minor pin that has a text to flash can be helpful to issue out for those that want to try and promote patriotism to Sanctuary and think shiny medals are good proof. Sort of like that iron/steel/mithril pin idea, maybe taken a little further. Plus, it allows for the favoritism that seems to be the norm these days...

Given that I have other obligations as well as work which already eats much of my time, I will be very infrequent during the weekdays. That said, weekends (at least before Sunday night) I should be fairly free, but overall I'll be sporadic on weekdays.

If there was a PC for a returning player to run with to get an impression of Sanctuary politics, Kendall did that incredibly well. I enjoyed playing with him and only wish that I was on for when it all went down. Great run, blue. Can't wait to see what you do next. Got a few screens to add, I'll put them up later.

EDIT: And here's the screens I got of him.
His Announcement for the Vaults: http://sta.sh/0k6obfuntl7
The Boycott Meeting: http://sta.sh/025wgl5ua2mg
That Drunk who Barged In: http://sta.sh/019y6edvmsm3
Character Moments in the Grotto: http://sta.sh/01g4czo8w30u
Giving Greywall Enforcing Power: http://sta.sh/01pmziz2aufx (not really a shot of him, but his sending making that announcement)
Alturiak the 1st: http://sta.sh/01dbj8nfstwr
Full Circle with Triss: ​http://sta.sh/02cvsj5oe6da
ON THE FLOOR FOR XP! http://sta.sh/01j2ptrer1iz

and some Bulwark Crew screenshots:
The Bulwark is Named: http://sta.sh/0yuk6wvh4ec
Talking Shop about the Gnolls: http://sta.sh/01tntr5rfl6c
"Let's send in a pure fighter type team into this 5-12 quest!" http://sta.sh/02ct1ksxq9qj
After Rescuing Bulwark Settlers: http://sta.sh/01xq6w1g5d5s
... and the Gnolls saying "Fuck you Happy Ending" http://sta.sh/02e6thue8e0j
Blue Mushroom Meeting: http://sta.sh/0jdjk1pf0zn

And finally, logging in to his corpse: http://sta.sh/01golwv8v369
:(

RIP Brent Kendall



 

I didn't get to interact with him nearly as much as I had hoped.. It's sad that it didn't pan out, but I hope you at least had fun
   
  ​Never realized he was a sorcerer though!

She was a hardass, but the right kind of hardass to try and whip the Watchers into shape. And it was fun interacting with her.

Going to be more limited in playing time very soon as I'm going to be starting work. I'll still be around, but I will have less time than I used to, particularly depending on the hours.

Fortunately, I got a few screenshots!
Kem getting Markem's Attention: ​http://sta.sh/02wjo6ojvun
Fighting Undead in the Windy Caverns: http://sta.sh/02gfrxyu98q9
Ghost in the Files - Adventurer PC Casualty Rate: http://sta.sh/0alk84fi5uo
First Contact with the EC: http://sta.sh/0hkkgvt0ea6
Manning Barricades: http://sta.sh/0wiewfp182m
When Kem actually WAS an Ascensionist: http://sta.sh/013y5zc6qmkr

None of those should be spoiler territory.

I enjoyed playing with Kemsith. Had a lot of great times with him and great conversations. He'll be well missed, but he has been avenged. And despite several people /trying/ to Fall him, he remained a Paladin in good faith to the very end.

This has my vote of approval. Plus it's also great for chases - they use this, book it past, and now there's essentially a barricade to those pursuing them.

I remember him when we walked in upon a brawl in the In-Between, then the subsequent Chosen invasion. Both our characters dived in, Kaylee getting her first taste of the Chosen as the Bone King howled "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!" like Khorne incarnate. Unintentional allies against a sudden threat, fighting against the horde and pushing it back until the "Appetite" attacked, both of us getting dropped in that fight. Little did me or my character know that this was a first encounter with what would perhaps be one of the best villains in EfU. And I did get a screenshot of him from that, though sadly it is not the most glorious.
http://sta.sh/021o83obwmlq

Still, looking back it makes me wonder. How would our characters have interacted had they know what was to come? Sobering thought, really, when you muse back to how far a character has come. From what looked like some random nutter screaming "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD" to one of, if not the, most feared PC on the server.

​Unfortunately he and Kaylee never interacted much. Sometimes seeing each other and crossing paths, but neither really interacting. Yet playing Kaylee I felt his presence as he continued to act. Heck, was even rooting for him as he dueled Nivero (admittedly it was of the 'shame they can't both lose' type), and being perplexed as Watchers and Warders did blood games with him despite his actions in the past on the gate.

Then he began to stalk, claiming his turf and I began to try to get the ball rolling on our end to attack his Lair - to defeat him and end his threat, but do so in a way that gave you a chance to let your work building the lair shine and give him a proper end that such a great villain deserves. Alas, that was not to be as fate happened to see you another challenger. Time will tell if the Bone King's last gambit shall pay off.

But he deserved his death to be better than what it was, and for that I am sorry. You deserved far better than what he got with what you had done with the character.

I salute you and your ability to make a great concept, have it work, and then your class in being a villain. I wish you good fortune on your next concept, which I imagine will be as impressive as the Bone King.

*Scratches off a name in the Greywall book*
 
  ​One wrong put right. But the book.... eh, nevermind. *tosses it* :P ;)
   
  Still, good luck on your next PC.

You know I always wondered whether Dubois meant well but just ran with the wrong crowd, or was genuinely being manipulative. Think the alignment answers that nicely ;

Still, enjoyed watching her as Kaylee, seeing her go from Black Guilder to Red Guild to the squids. Always felt she was a character who was meant for nicer things, ended up in nasty stuff and that destroyed her.

But hey, the best plots are often those we don't initially envision for our characters.
   
  Should have a few shots with Dubois in there, but I'd have to dig them out of my computer.

Leaving for a family vacation tomorrow, and after that I'll likely be making preparations for an internship this fall. May still be on IRC, but playtime is likely to be drastically curtailed if not eliminated.