seaboards (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
seaboards) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
escordviooc2024-11-01 12:15 pm
seaboards) wrote in escordviooc2024-11-01 12:15 pm
Entry tags:
« captain's log #15: november 1, 2024 »
QUICK UPDATES
YO HO HO!! Hope everyone had a fun Halloween and is getting ready for winter! Unless you're on the other side of the world and it's getting warmer.
We have updated the Calendar for important dates, but here is a quick heads up on what to expect this month:
The MANTA Board has been refreshed with new quests! Because of the heavier event this month, we've included lighter quests for the month to balance it out. The Special questlines have been updated to reflect current progress. They, too, are going to be on the "slower" side to allow continued progression and we'll advance them further in December. But they are steadily coming along, so thank you to those who have participated in them so far!
Our Rewards page has been updated with a few new things for the month!
We have updated the Calendar for important dates, but here is a quick heads up on what to expect this month:
» 11/01: Applications open
» 11/03: Applications close
» 11/04~05: Apps processed; CR Meme
» 11/13: Event: Farplane
» 11/28-30: Activity Check
» 11/03: Applications close
» 11/04~05: Apps processed; CR Meme
» 11/13: Event: Farplane
» 11/28-30: Activity Check
The MANTA Board has been refreshed with new quests! Because of the heavier event this month, we've included lighter quests for the month to balance it out. The Special questlines have been updated to reflect current progress. They, too, are going to be on the "slower" side to allow continued progression and we'll advance them further in December. But they are steadily coming along, so thank you to those who have participated in them so far!
Our Rewards page has been updated with a few new things for the month!
AC RESULTS
Here are the results for last month's AC round:
Sumina Heartleaf |airdnd
Ann Takamaki |cakebuffet
Aerith Gainsborough |cetra
Krile Maya Baldesion |lalasass
Felix |lighthousediving
Satoru Gojo |unliminal
Dongfang Qingcang |yuezun
Our player cap is currently at 43/65, which means we have 22 slots open.
Sumina Heartleaf |
airdndAnn Takamaki |
cakebuffetAerith Gainsborough |
cetraKrile Maya Baldesion |
lalasassFelix |
lighthousedivingSatoru Gojo |
unliminalDongfang Qingcang |
yuezunOur player cap is currently at 43/65, which means we have 22 slots open.
MOD CHANGES
We're having a bit of a mod team shakeup this month. With heavy hearts, we must bid LWP and Colleen a tearful farewell as they must leave the team and the game, and they have a few words to share:
However, we are also adding someone to the team: Leo! He will be part of our Think Tank and will help brainstorm lore and events. Thanks for helping us again, Leo!
Thank y'all so much for letting me mod for you guys, from coming up with weird food prompts to figuring out how many blowholes a giant magical whale should have! Keep the mods on their toes with taking the plot in new directions, and I'll see you the next time Lae needs a mod for the next last-one-for-sure game she makes! So long, and thanks for all the fish! ❤️
It has been an absolute pleasure being a mod for Escordvi, getting to play and spend time with people old and new. I have had a blast getting to know you all and your characters, especially reading the fun asides in reward requests. Stay silly and fun loving, friends.
I’ll miss this game a ton while I follow in Lae’s footsteps and take some RP maternity leave. Once I’ve adjusted to my new life as a mom, I hope to dive right back into the craziness. ❤️
I’ll miss this game a ton while I follow in Lae’s footsteps and take some RP maternity leave. Once I’ve adjusted to my new life as a mom, I hope to dive right back into the craziness. ❤️
However, we are also adding someone to the team: Leo! He will be part of our Think Tank and will help brainstorm lore and events. Thanks for helping us again, Leo!
Hello! I am excited to be pulled into another Think Tank by Lae and the others to help create things for everyone to have fun with! Stealth helping last month helped settle me back into the groove of it, and it's nearly like I've been here all along— wait. ( •̀ ω •́ )✧
Looking forward to giving more in store!
Looking forward to giving more in store!
THE MARKETS
We've finally made a page dedicated to all businesses and services characters may have developed while in game. It is completely voluntary and is an unofficial directory. Players do not need mod approval to start up any kind of business or service, so this page is just to serve as a neat, easy reference page for those who want to use it. You can read all the information and how to submit your character's enterprise on the official Markets page.
EXTRA NOTES
Here is a recap of a few things that occurred last month.
SPECIAL QUESTS:
OTHER QUESTS:
SPECIAL QUESTS:
» Underwater Ruins: Secret Mirror Chamber. Continuing off the discoveries made last month, significant progress has been made here! Thanks to the efforts of Emet-Selch and Darin, they were able to create the constellations on the ceiling. Two constellations have been discovered with ties to the Ancient Leviathans and the mural found on the wall of the main chamber, though the constellation is not an exact match to the drawings. So far one depicting a crab and a snake (the spiral) have been confirmed. Here is what happens:
For both mirrors, a strong sense of magic can be felt before it all flickers after a few seconds and disappears.
Recreating the constellations again will produce the same result, and those who manage to touch the mirror before the images fade will be repelled back as if by a great magical force. No harm will be done, but there will be loud clicks as if something is being reset. But the mirrors will not change, it will always be the same mirrors for those constellations.
There are potentially five more constellations based off the mural, but could there be others…?
The questline will continue throughout November as is for others to try and recreate the constellations. Those interested should make a claim or comment of interest in the designated thread and will have freedom to depict the constellation any way they wish, but you have to still try and guess what the creature it is. We'll give you three chances before giving the answer! We'd like to limit constellation claims to one per player/group, but if by mid-month there has been no further comment players can take two. This is mostly to encourage more involvement and "spread the wealth" so to speak.
December will have the next big update.
» Whale Helpers. Some big progress has been made here as well. Kaveh has learned of a particularly suspicious location that needs to be investigated, and Cid and Benedikta burned down another location, but not before retrieving ledgers and records that are in the process of being decoded by those in the Hideaway and those in charge of this entire operation. They also discovered that at least in this location, the whales are being harvested for their oil and for a substance that is similar to ambergris. While the oil is used in various ways, the ambergris substance has been determined to be found in very expensive high end luxury perfume, oils, and even wine—products that are very expensive, hard to get and primarily found in the black markets.
Although names and locations are still being figured out, the ones that have been deciphered have been released to those who wish to investigate and even try for arrests before they catch wind. Or perhaps they already have…? There will also be some interesting discoveries found in some of these locations. Read the updated quest to find out the details to work with!
The questline will continue throughout November and continue steady progression depending on activity. Given November being stacked and this type of operation naturally taking a long time, we may stretch out this particular "investigation and raid" period into December with some minor but important updates to keep things moving.
- The crab constellation will have the ceiling flash in hues of blue while the snake constellation will have it flash in hues of green.
- A silhouette that looks suspiciously like Norhpip will also appear over the ceiling. Something similar will happen with the snake constellation, a silhouette of a much larger creature.
- Both instances will have a mirror flash and ripple. One mirror will flash in hues of blue, another mirror will flash in hues of green. Both mirrors will be somewhat tall and along the wall. When the ripple ends, there will be a brief glimpse of strange landscapes reflected on the mirror's surface.
- For the blue mirror, it's stone walls, as if in some kind of building. There are hints of perfectly cut masonry, suggesting perhaps a grand room. Temple? Cathedral? Something of grand significance.
- For the green mirror, all that is visible are lush green fields and blue skies, some branches overhanging from the top.
- For the blue mirror, it's stone walls, as if in some kind of building. There are hints of perfectly cut masonry, suggesting perhaps a grand room. Temple? Cathedral? Something of grand significance.
For both mirrors, a strong sense of magic can be felt before it all flickers after a few seconds and disappears.
There are potentially five more constellations based off the mural, but could there be others…?
The questline will continue throughout November as is for others to try and recreate the constellations. Those interested should make a claim or comment of interest in the designated thread and will have freedom to depict the constellation any way they wish, but you have to still try and guess what the creature it is. We'll give you three chances before giving the answer! We'd like to limit constellation claims to one per player/group, but if by mid-month there has been no further comment players can take two. This is mostly to encourage more involvement and "spread the wealth" so to speak.
December will have the next big update.
» Whale Helpers. Some big progress has been made here as well. Kaveh has learned of a particularly suspicious location that needs to be investigated, and Cid and Benedikta burned down another location, but not before retrieving ledgers and records that are in the process of being decoded by those in the Hideaway and those in charge of this entire operation. They also discovered that at least in this location, the whales are being harvested for their oil and for a substance that is similar to ambergris. While the oil is used in various ways, the ambergris substance has been determined to be found in very expensive high end luxury perfume, oils, and even wine—products that are very expensive, hard to get and primarily found in the black markets.
Although names and locations are still being figured out, the ones that have been deciphered have been released to those who wish to investigate and even try for arrests before they catch wind. Or perhaps they already have…? There will also be some interesting discoveries found in some of these locations. Read the updated quest to find out the details to work with!
The questline will continue throughout November and continue steady progression depending on activity. Given November being stacked and this type of operation naturally taking a long time, we may stretch out this particular "investigation and raid" period into December with some minor but important updates to keep things moving.
OTHER QUESTS:
» Crystal's curse. Thanks to everyone's efforts in rescuing the crystallizing victims and the detailed ledger that Alhaitham and Kaveh found, the operation that had been using the victims as slaves has now been abolished. While a complete cure for the crystal infection is still in the works, Miriam was able to help identify the crystals as something similar to the crystals that grow on the starfish leviathan Astares. Miriam was also able to help the healers find a minor cure for those with less advanced infections. However, there are still ongoing investigations as to who all were involved and finding still missing victims, and perhaps…a hidden connection somewhere? (Hint hint, check the special quests.)
» The first magitek engine ship is going through its final adjustments before its maiden launch at the start of November! Emet-Selch will be offering it to RAY, the free merchants guild, at an inviting discount. With its success, citizens of Escordvi will start to see a slow upward trend of development in similar technology.
» Hiro and Tadashi Hamada have developed a new cleaning robot that is still being tested.
» Congratulations to Clive Rosfield and Jill Warrick on their recent engagement!
» The first magitek engine ship is going through its final adjustments before its maiden launch at the start of November! Emet-Selch will be offering it to RAY, the free merchants guild, at an inviting discount. With its success, citizens of Escordvi will start to see a slow upward trend of development in similar technology.
» Hiro and Tadashi Hamada have developed a new cleaning robot that is still being tested.
» Congratulations to Clive Rosfield and Jill Warrick on their recent engagement!
FARPLANE
It's finally time for that special event everyone unlocked through the donated points! We try to use these special events to do deep dives into the world's lore, and we're going to be diving very deep, to a completely different realm. Last month we introduced the Farplane, which is basically the "afterlife" for Escordvi.
As hinted in the log, however, there seems to be trouble afoot in this ghostly realm, and it's bleeding into the world of the living. Because the log features heavy themes of death, character participation is opt-in. However, we don't want to leave everyone out, so there will be a section of the event that takes place outside of the Farplane in the "living" realm of Escordvi. We will also incorporate lighter themed prompts in the Farplane setting.
In terms of timeline, the log will go up Wednesday, November 13th which will coincide with the IC timing. There is no definitive "end" date as this will be an ongoing issue and will take time to deal with all the problems, but we do aim to have it "concluded" by the end of November as we don't want to drag this on for too long. Fortunately, while there are important stakes at hand, this is not a "mass invasion" type of situation that calls for constant action and instead takes on a more realistic approach of taking time. The situation itself will also force characters to take breaks.
While some parts will have a definitive ending, the actions of everyone here will continue to affect the game lore and environment. Perhaps there is a connection to another Ancient Leviathan here and perhaps even…the rifts? So we hope to see a lot of good stuff from the event!
On the edge of the watery world of Escordvi, where the horizon blurs between sea and sky, tales of the Farplane echo through the salty winds. This underworld, a shadowy mirror of the living seas, is where the souls of the departed find their final resting place, guided by the spectral hand of Envoy Jades and his ship, The Asmodeous. The Farplane, this is where the spirits and ghosts can spend the rest of their eternity in the bliss they choose.
As hinted in the log, however, there seems to be trouble afoot in this ghostly realm, and it's bleeding into the world of the living. Because the log features heavy themes of death, character participation is opt-in. However, we don't want to leave everyone out, so there will be a section of the event that takes place outside of the Farplane in the "living" realm of Escordvi. We will also incorporate lighter themed prompts in the Farplane setting.
In terms of timeline, the log will go up Wednesday, November 13th which will coincide with the IC timing. There is no definitive "end" date as this will be an ongoing issue and will take time to deal with all the problems, but we do aim to have it "concluded" by the end of November as we don't want to drag this on for too long. Fortunately, while there are important stakes at hand, this is not a "mass invasion" type of situation that calls for constant action and instead takes on a more realistic approach of taking time. The situation itself will also force characters to take breaks.
» Island in the Mists: Samdre.It turns out the island that was surrounded by the mists and held the competition back in September has a direct connection to the Farplane and will be used as the main staging area for those heading into it. It is also where Envoy Jades will ferry those who will help.
» Jellyfish of Death: Cassiopea. The spirits of the dead are all brought to a truly ancient leviathan, one that may be more primordial and lesser known. Perhaps it has existed since the world's creation, perhaps even long before that. It is a passive, mysterious entity and any known knowledge is bare. What is known is that Envoy Jades is its servant, collecting and bringing all passed souls to it. Even those that are missed or try to resist and escape will naturally feel drawn to it, its seemingly infinitely long tentacles catching those that drift in its path like a patient hunter. The upside down bell of the Cassiopea is massive, perhaps as large as the oceans itself, thus creating plenty of space and pockets for the ghosts to reside.
Most of the Farplane is peaceful and safe to foster a restful life after death. However, souls are fickle things and there are places that are more twisted and corrupt, prime breeding grounds for souls changing into creatures of hatred and anger to appear. Here is where the guardians of the Farplane, tapirs and kirins, appear to try and contain and purify these corrupted souls. They are usually successful, but circumstances have made it more difficult and now they need outside help.
» Cracks to the Underworld. It's not so unusual for ghosts to escape the Farplane, especially during Ghoul's Moon, and it is usually contained and controlled. But in recent years, large "cracks" between the Farplane and the living realm have increased both in size and number, and the primary cause is twofold. The first is an uptick in blood rituals. These rituals have pried the cracks wider to summon wraiths and ghouls, and even corrupting innocent souls to do their bidding. The most major recent incident of this is the ghost ship that appeared last year, and it is this same captain and crew that is the secondary cause of the cracks. Although banished from the living realm, it has been attacking Cassiopea, specifically the cracks, making them wider and spreading the corruption.
Assistance is needed to find the cracks, both within the Farplane and in the living realm, and seal them off.
» In the Farplane. Envoy Jades will bring those willing to the Farplane and those who volunteer will have an out of body experience as their soul will be expelled from their body, but will still remain tethered so it's not a complete separation. Their bodies will be heavily guarded so that rogue ghosts don't try to possess them instead. But there is a time limit of 3 hours, after which they must either return to Envoy Jades or activate the special talisman given to immediately bring them back to their bodies. Should a living person stay too long in the Farplane, they risk death and become a permanent resident of the Farplane instead unless they can be revived and brought back to life in time (24 hours). Fortunately there are different methods to revive a person, and there will be a good stock of Vials of Liquid Life available.
There is a side effect for entering the Farplane, which everyone will be warned of before entering. Upon leaving, one will feel great fatigue and extreme sickness, as if they had been drowning and brought back to life. These effects last at most an hour and medics on hand will help try to reduce it. Because of this and the risk of exposure to the deathly realm, all who go in will need to stay out of the Farplane for a few hours, even days, or else there could be further strain on the soul.
Any who were originally dead or has experienced death and rebirth will have some advantages. They will be more resistant to the effects of the Farplane and will be able to "blend in" with the ghosts more easily, as their souls have already been marked for death before. However, this also puts them in more danger as the corrupted souls may recognize them as those who were once dead and are now living, making them a target of aggression, the souls angry about the circumstances.
Most of the Farplane will be dealing with ghosts, and the themes will range from helping displaced ghosts, to purifying corrupted souls, to dealing with ghost possession and perhaps facing one's "ghost" themselves. It will be possible to combat and subdue ghosts, but the worst case is destroying a ghost completely, in which case the soul is gone forever, so all attempts to purify it will be prioritized.
Exploring Cassiopea with other objectives will also be included as there is much about Cassiopea and the Farplane to discover. Who knows when the next time anyone can visit it directly.
» In the Land of the Living. For those who are either taking a break from their Farplane ventures or too wary to deal with ghosts, there is plenty to do back in the living world. First of all, finding and catching the cultists will be a primary focus. This is especially so as these cultists may seek out people to serve as sacrifices as time goes on.
As mentioned, there are cracks that can be found and sealed off in various locations. For those who do want some ghost action still, dangerous ghosts and ghouls will have escaped and must be taken down, but possession will be less likely.
However, similar to those in the Farplane, anyone who once died and is alive again will be a target of the ghosts, as if they want to try and drag their soul to the underworld where they belong. They may even try to possess the body, and the cultists may also try to use them for their rituals. Because it is possible to prevent someone's soul from passing into the afterlife due to magic, or even through medical resuscitation, there are numerous potential targets, more than one might realize.
Soothing hurt spirits will also be possible, and besides interacting with ghosts directly, finding and restoring graves will be an option. Besides the obvious grudges and negative emotions carried through in death, another cause for corruption is the sense of being forgotten. Unmarked and forgotten graves, or perhaps even destroyed, this can affect a soul's stability. Thus finding neglected graves and restoring them can do wonders for the soul. Building new memorials for the lost ones will also be a large project.
» Jellyfish of Death: Cassiopea. The spirits of the dead are all brought to a truly ancient leviathan, one that may be more primordial and lesser known. Perhaps it has existed since the world's creation, perhaps even long before that. It is a passive, mysterious entity and any known knowledge is bare. What is known is that Envoy Jades is its servant, collecting and bringing all passed souls to it. Even those that are missed or try to resist and escape will naturally feel drawn to it, its seemingly infinitely long tentacles catching those that drift in its path like a patient hunter. The upside down bell of the Cassiopea is massive, perhaps as large as the oceans itself, thus creating plenty of space and pockets for the ghosts to reside.
Most of the Farplane is peaceful and safe to foster a restful life after death. However, souls are fickle things and there are places that are more twisted and corrupt, prime breeding grounds for souls changing into creatures of hatred and anger to appear. Here is where the guardians of the Farplane, tapirs and kirins, appear to try and contain and purify these corrupted souls. They are usually successful, but circumstances have made it more difficult and now they need outside help.
» Cracks to the Underworld. It's not so unusual for ghosts to escape the Farplane, especially during Ghoul's Moon, and it is usually contained and controlled. But in recent years, large "cracks" between the Farplane and the living realm have increased both in size and number, and the primary cause is twofold. The first is an uptick in blood rituals. These rituals have pried the cracks wider to summon wraiths and ghouls, and even corrupting innocent souls to do their bidding. The most major recent incident of this is the ghost ship that appeared last year, and it is this same captain and crew that is the secondary cause of the cracks. Although banished from the living realm, it has been attacking Cassiopea, specifically the cracks, making them wider and spreading the corruption.
Assistance is needed to find the cracks, both within the Farplane and in the living realm, and seal them off.
» In the Farplane. Envoy Jades will bring those willing to the Farplane and those who volunteer will have an out of body experience as their soul will be expelled from their body, but will still remain tethered so it's not a complete separation. Their bodies will be heavily guarded so that rogue ghosts don't try to possess them instead. But there is a time limit of 3 hours, after which they must either return to Envoy Jades or activate the special talisman given to immediately bring them back to their bodies. Should a living person stay too long in the Farplane, they risk death and become a permanent resident of the Farplane instead unless they can be revived and brought back to life in time (24 hours). Fortunately there are different methods to revive a person, and there will be a good stock of Vials of Liquid Life available.
There is a side effect for entering the Farplane, which everyone will be warned of before entering. Upon leaving, one will feel great fatigue and extreme sickness, as if they had been drowning and brought back to life. These effects last at most an hour and medics on hand will help try to reduce it. Because of this and the risk of exposure to the deathly realm, all who go in will need to stay out of the Farplane for a few hours, even days, or else there could be further strain on the soul.
Any who were originally dead or has experienced death and rebirth will have some advantages. They will be more resistant to the effects of the Farplane and will be able to "blend in" with the ghosts more easily, as their souls have already been marked for death before. However, this also puts them in more danger as the corrupted souls may recognize them as those who were once dead and are now living, making them a target of aggression, the souls angry about the circumstances.
Most of the Farplane will be dealing with ghosts, and the themes will range from helping displaced ghosts, to purifying corrupted souls, to dealing with ghost possession and perhaps facing one's "ghost" themselves. It will be possible to combat and subdue ghosts, but the worst case is destroying a ghost completely, in which case the soul is gone forever, so all attempts to purify it will be prioritized.
Exploring Cassiopea with other objectives will also be included as there is much about Cassiopea and the Farplane to discover. Who knows when the next time anyone can visit it directly.
» In the Land of the Living. For those who are either taking a break from their Farplane ventures or too wary to deal with ghosts, there is plenty to do back in the living world. First of all, finding and catching the cultists will be a primary focus. This is especially so as these cultists may seek out people to serve as sacrifices as time goes on.
As mentioned, there are cracks that can be found and sealed off in various locations. For those who do want some ghost action still, dangerous ghosts and ghouls will have escaped and must be taken down, but possession will be less likely.
However, similar to those in the Farplane, anyone who once died and is alive again will be a target of the ghosts, as if they want to try and drag their soul to the underworld where they belong. They may even try to possess the body, and the cultists may also try to use them for their rituals. Because it is possible to prevent someone's soul from passing into the afterlife due to magic, or even through medical resuscitation, there are numerous potential targets, more than one might realize.
Soothing hurt spirits will also be possible, and besides interacting with ghosts directly, finding and restoring graves will be an option. Besides the obvious grudges and negative emotions carried through in death, another cause for corruption is the sense of being forgotten. Unmarked and forgotten graves, or perhaps even destroyed, this can affect a soul's stability. Thus finding neglected graves and restoring them can do wonders for the soul. Building new memorials for the lost ones will also be a large project.
While some parts will have a definitive ending, the actions of everyone here will continue to affect the game lore and environment. Perhaps there is a connection to another Ancient Leviathan here and perhaps even…the rifts? So we hope to see a lot of good stuff from the event!
LAST WORDS
And that's it! If you have any questions, feel free to comment here. All quest-related questions should be posted to the Manta Board post.