Surfacing and Descent Policy

THESE OLD RULES ARE BEING LOOKED AT AN READJUSTED TO REFLECT RP CHANGES IN THE SERVER SETTINGS

(The Updates may change or be removed depending on how well they work, one thing I will say is, when PVPing starts to become stressful to either side, just go your seprate ways and take a brake for a bit)

Surfacing and Descending Policy: UnderDark


The purpose of this guidline is to ensure accurate and lore appropriate gameplay on our server, within reason. It is important to understand that there are exceptions to every rule and a certain amount of flexibility allowed for the sake of enjoyment and productive role playing. The following concerns only the race of Drow, all other denizens are considered “monster” races and should refer to the policy regarding that and interaction with surface races.
The three main reasons for this policy are stated and defined below;

(If your character is caught doing any of these, expect consequences)


1. Socializing – Unless you are a surface Drow (Jaelre, Grandfathered Eilistraee) then you have no business casually socializing with surface races. Such RP interactions should be at least hostile with intent to engage (from both sides).

2. Metagaming – As a Drow you should never be able to initiate the quests in Shadowdale, The Ranger Camp or the Ring Quest. These NPC’s simply would not trust or interact with you. Furthermore, getting into Shadowdale would require Invisibility on top of a Hide/Move Silently 90+. The Skymages and Guards are serious business folks, they have extremely high spots and the Skymages have True seeing active 90% of the time. You simply could not make it without a DM’s involvement. So if you are caught in Shadowdale Metagaming the guards and Skymages expect to be captured and likely executed in an enormously public way. This means you can be fugued with no Resurrection and if the infractions are persistent, items and/or XP can be stripped from your character. If you do not possess a special hood from the Zhentarim and are of any Drow type, then you are Kill on Site in Shadowdale. It is not considered Metagaming if hostility/suspicion arises from your character being masked and hooded. Myth Drannor goes without saying.


3. Grinding/Mining – The act of hunting and patrolling is important to Drow custom and society. It is the way of the Ilythiiri to seek and destroy, they lavish in the prowl and violent confrontation with an enemy. But realistically, they would never ever travel top side alone to kill monsters. Drow are calculating and cunning survivors, such an act for the mere sport of Beastmen/Goblin killing is absurd. This especially goes for the Masters of a Qu’ellar. Would a house risk its entire existence by risking even a few of its House Masters to go Grind for Horns or Teeth? Most Priestesses have a very high Wisdom and should use it appropriately. So what it really comes down to in this subject is gaining the necessary components to create essences that are lacking in the Underdark. There are other ways to gaining these ingredients/Essences, such as building connections and contracts with NPC or Player Factions.

Policy on Surfacing


a. A notification must be sent to a DM before any Drow proceeds to the surface. The type of notification depends on the goals and objectives of the journey. Large scale surface raids, which are complex in objectives, should be sent by PM a few days in advance, which gives us time to prepare and possibly enrich what you are trying to do. Simple notifications are acceptable by via the DM Channel for Large scale, but low complexity surfacing (Terror and Chaos). Do not request to Grind or Mine solo.


b. If a DM is not available, then the discretion of the ascent can be made by a present and In Game House Master. The order to surface along with the objectives should be made clear in a screen shot. If an order is made in the nature of grinding and mining to a solo or even a duo, then as the player(s) receiving the order, you may assume that the Master is sending you on a suicide mission. Because if you think about it, she/he is really saying “I’m willing to risk your life for the sake of some monster parts I need to create a stronger item/weapon.” If you are caught by the right people, they will not only kill you, they will torture you to no end, and imprison your character.


c. The Alpha Bastards are a group designed to deter the reasons mentioned above for this entire guideline in regards to Drow Surfacing. If you are caught infracting on any of the reasons, then expect them to pay you a visit. Exceptions to this will occur when The Black Archer’s are online and In Game, then they will receive a notification and will be allowed to handle it if time allows. Eventually, when The Black Archers are fully staffed they will handle all surfacing Drow in violation.


d. Freehaven is as tolerant as its DM and Player Character’s want it to be. There will be no AFK trekking to and from here and The Underdark. If you decide to go, you must do so by foot, using the wagon lady is considered Metagaming. As of right now she will not be taking anyone who will not show the color of their skin or who possess the Drow Physical Stature. This also means she will not take shape shifted or invisible/ethereal characters. (Jaelre With Zhentarim Hoods and Grandfathered Eilistraee are the exception)


e. The Order of The White Spear are a Drow shock troupe designed to deter surfacers from entering the Underdark. They are the elite and stealthy faction whose main objective is to create hatred and hostility with the surface races and to annihilate any who dare traverse the Underdark without a viable reason (See Reasons 1-3 at the top of this page). These are the Anti-Black Archers and will quickly overwhelm any who defy this policy. They will fugue any they conflict with and will not offer an RP out. Do not expect to be resurrected if you are killed by them (with exceptions to planned events).

f. Special missions, Quests, Blood rites Etc. should be made aware to the DM and a screen shot should be taken concerning Surfacing and Descent. This includes rescue missions, or escape attempts for the purpose of documentation and accountability.

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There are no neutral areas here, if you pass into the Upperdark then you are subject to the full condition of this policy. Temporary exceptions can be made by the DM team.

Please note while I am more relaxed about this, and Drow are welcome to go moonlighting and surfacers are welcomes to come adventurering. I expect from both proper good reasons for going surface side, gridning and because you were bored are not good reasons. Those that abuse this will be docked five levels.

How do they get there, through the middle of Zhentarim territory?

The workaround up til now is that if you are a drow and going through the North from by the spider house to the transition by the north wagon point, then you shoot any zhent player a tell that you're going through and why, as a courtesy and to cover your corellon-cursed arses.

You do need to be careful in crossing those north zones btw. There's some nasty mobs.

One question has not been answered when the Freehaven and Drow blanket rule happened:

What about the Surface Drow (Jaerles, Jen, Elva) Can they use the Freehaven cart yes or no? Last answer I got on that was "It will be taken on a case by case basis" Which is Vague, to say the least.

Dormouse wrote:

Also, drow may not use the Wagon to Freehaven. That is metagaming.

it has been said several times and players can and will be docked levels for it if it's caught.

How is it metagaming? The lady offers a ride to Free Haven, no one has said she has the same spot/listen/true seeing spells as every guard? What's to keep some sneaker from sneaking into the back of a simple wagon, or a mage turning into a sheet of paper or cup and rattling aboard? Or did this game suddenly turn into Synnibar? I'm sure you aren't going to tell us some npc is just dying to give people rides in the back of her wagon to a city built off the slave trade, yet has a problem with some Drow?

Ill need to check with Deffiler and Dragloth and the answer may be no, they can't. but ill check.

Im sorry pathfinder and Gaussafae, if you wish to appeal the ruling then you can apply to Admin but until then it stands

it comes down to this: if you don't want a hard life, don't choose to play one of the most hated and feared races in Faerun.

Drow are outcast and reviled.

Yes Miss Mouse. It doesn't really effect me since I deleted my Drow, it was just nice seeing them in the Neutral city.

Given that it is so we cannot go to Freehaven anymore using the cart
(unless you have a powerbuild that can defeat the all seeing Giants in the hills)

Then I present the staff with a glaring problem. Surface Drow have become unplayable. For example, if I have been hunting in the wilds, and ant warrens (wilds is surface drow start point) Eventually I need to sell the loot I found, yes? Now with this rule the only way that can be done is waiting for the next reset, and sell your things to the merchant in the OOC room.

That's not metagaming, but having absolutely no choice because all the other options (Freehaven, ranger camp) are locked out by blanket rules.

I understand that it should be more challenging for surface drow yet - doesnt mean it should be made completely impossible to do bare minimum trading.

Given the 47% Drow population on the surface there should be at least be a Drow tradecamp somewhere in the forest, and not a faction only one. But a neutral one so non-jaerles can go there as well.

Locking this option away for Surface drow such as the Freehaven cart while not offering an alternative for trading is not really fair to Surface drow players. imo.

I am not quite sure why this is becoming a hot topic now. After all the ruling has been in place some time.

You -can- get there at a lower level if you are careful and I'm sorry, but the trader wants to stay in business and not be chased down by absolutely everyone who hates drow - which is nearly every surfacer.

Perhaps either you can negotiate with Jaelres / the Vhaerunite drow for access to their place if you don't wish to go across the harder territory, or contact mustang to ask if you could make a small camp?

Currently busy on Grey Isles and MD v2 projects, but i'll see what I can do.

-Tic.

that would be great. check with mustang then hopefully it can go ahead

THESE OLD RULES ARE BEING LOOKED AT AN READJUSTED TO REFLECT RP CHANGES IN THE SERVER SETTINGS

.... forgot to lock this >.>

Okey look, the reason why drow are not allowed to use the waggon is because she is a Lawful good (I kid you not) npc, the ride is icly a numble of hours long and to be honest that is a few hours of sitting next to somone, eventually a nat 20 would be rolled on spot or what ever random skill Sence Motive has been replaced with and you would be discovered and then kicked off the waggon the wagon charging off in terror from the ebil drow monsters.

I intend to get a route from the dales too free haven only drow and other unsavorly types can use, because I reconise it as not being fair and will see to this, but at the moment our awsome builders have a lot on their plate and I ask you to surport those builders by being patient, repsect the staffs ruling on the matter and know if something needs to be changed, we will get around to it, and lastly offer up your bodys to Lolth!

Ticladesign wrote:

Given the 47% Drow population on the surface there should be at least be a Drow tradecamp somewhere in the forest, and not a faction only one. But a neutral one so non-jaerles can go there as well.

On a side note, please look at this as it is inherently incorrect. I have posted the breakdown of races in another thread to show how this is super high percentage is not correct for the server area. It is only for the location of the forest directly around MD (as that little blurb with that percentage shows MD as the "capitol") and not any of the other areas such as Shadowdale and the other Dales or even the Daggerhills and such. The percentage of Drow in the Dalelands (which I believe is the name of the server ) is only like 6%.

Assistant DM_Arcanum wrote:

Ticladesign wrote:

Given the 47% Drow population on the surface there should be at least be a Drow tradecamp somewhere in the forest, and not a faction only one. But a neutral one so non-jaerles can go there as well.

On a side note, please look at this as it is inherently incorrect. I have posted the breakdown of races in another thread to show how this is super high percentage is not correct for the server area. It is only for the location of the forest directly around MD (as that little blurb with that percentage shows MD as the "capitol") and not any of the other areas such as Shadowdale and the other Dales or even the Daggerhills and such. The percentage of Drow in the Dalelands (which I believe is the name of the server ) is only like 6%.

The server includes both Myth Drannor and the Cormanthor, and these areas account for a large percentage of the maps; perhaps more than Shadowdale, even. I don't see how it can be ignored if it takes up so much actual server space and player interest.


To explain the "math":

(Population of Dales x Percentage that are Drow) + (Population of the Cormanthor x Percentage that are Drow) = Number of Drow

(602 640 x 0.06) + (154 223 x 0.47) = Number of Drow

36 158 + 72 485 = 108 643 Drow

Out of the Population of Dales + Population of Cormanthor (which is the population, essentially, of the server), 108 643 are Drow. That combined total population is 756 863, which mean that Drow should account for approximately 1/7 characters.

Lets say there's about 200 active characters. Of course, drow are probably going to be more common amongst adventurers, but lets go purely by the NPC stats just to err on the side of caution. If one in seven characters are drow, we should be looking at about 28 active surface drow. As far as I know, there are far less than this; perhaps half or slightly over. Even if there are 30 active right now (which I doubt) we're still quite close to lore. This, of course, also doesn't include UD drow who are on business on the surface, which; though rare, still happens regularly by lore.

Of course, if drow are causing problems in non-lore-related ways, there might be other ways to deal with it without stifling the verisimilitude or lore-accuracy of the server. Perhaps surface drow should be application only, and ECL (max level 28) should be properly applied. A dedicated DM could even be designated to keep an eye on them, and make sure they have something to do and that their presence isn't causing too much drama. It just seems that the Zhent vs Rebel vs Evil Cult X vs Elfcity could use a little spicing up at this point, and the surface drow are the best way to do it.

In terms of Ticla's point, there are (again, lorewise) a ton of drow; representing members of every one of the Dark Seldarine, present in our server's location. With all these disparate drow also being thrown against a number of outside enemies, it's not inconcievable that some small, neutral and limited camp would be avaliable to the drow. A priest or priestess wouldn't be appropriate, but there's no reason not to have one with a garbage can, rest point, merchant and spawning area. Also, while it's perfectly understandable that drow wouldn't be able to ride the carriage, Freehaven provides RICH RP opportunities when drow and non-drow can mingle a little.

Just for the record, I understand that drow can be problematic to the server, but so can a lot of other characters and concepts I've seen floating around here. I think if there must be a good way to address the surface drow and include them in the server, but obviously it would take work and decision making.

Enough, I said its being delt with.