Arelith F.A.Q 2018 Edition

OOC General Discussion

Moderators: Forum Moderators, Active DMs

Locked
DM Chiliad
Posts: 202
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2017 5:58 am

Arelith F.A.Q 2018 Edition

Post by DM Chiliad » Sat Sep 22, 2018 6:10 pm

F.A.Q 2018 Version

Index:

Contact and Support!
Miscellaneous RP
Quarters and Guild Houses
PvP Rules and Clarifications
Theft Guidelines
Rewards and Characters
Disguise Rules
Off-Client Communications!



Contact and Support!
How do I contact the DM Team? wrote: Make a forum account, and send a PM to the Group, Active DMs and fill it with your words. We will read it, we promise. Alternatively, you can send us an email to arelith.dm@gmail.com
How can I support the Server? wrote: https://www.patreon.com/arelith
Check out our patreon! Every little bit helps us get closer to our goals.
What is a DM's role on Arelith? wrote: Arelith Dungeon Masters serve as both community moderators, story tellers, event planners, and petty administrators. The full list of our duties is as follows;
  • -->Server Resets
    -->Minor Bug Fixes
    -->Player Mediations
    -->Report Investigations
    -->Cat Herding
    -->Event Planning/Running
    -->Administrating PRC tokens
    -->Answering general questions
    -->Upholding the server rules
    -->Answering Character alteration requests (cosmetic and alignment changes)
    -->Community Managers
    -->RPR review
Who do I send my reports to? wrote: The Active DMs group on the forums or to our DM email.
How do I send in my PRC application? wrote: http://wiki.arelith.com/Requests_and_PrC_Applications
Click here to check out our Wiki to see a template for PRC token requests. Fill out the template and PM it to the DM inbox on the forums or through the email. You can send in your application as early in your character creation process as you like. The earlier, the better.
I don't like the DM who picked up my case, I'd like to request another. wrote: Sorry, but that's simply not possible. You will not be permitted to 'shop' for your favorite DM to take up your request. There is a reason this DM has taken your case, be it because they have the most amount of time to see to resolving it, they have handled the situation in the past, or some other outlying reason.
What do the Admins do? wrote: As the DMs are to stage hands, the players are to our actors (and sometimes audience), the Admins are the directors, leading the direction of the server. They handle the financial upkeep, Patreon Goodies, add areas, make mechanical changes, and major area/server changes. For the most part, unless a situation involves a seated DM or Head DM, the Admins do not take part in the ticket process.
Is there anything a DM Can't do? wrote: A DM cannot make permanent changes to the module; if you want to take over the Banite keep and fill it with happy smiling Eldathans and turn it into a happy commune, that's not something we can facilitate with changed NPCs or placeables, though we won't stop you from trying depending on context and situation. DMs also cannot make coding changes or fix code bugs.
Miscellaneous
Can DMs RP as a God? wrote: A DM will not ever RP as any of the Divinity without express guidance and permission from the Admin staff for narrative purposes. The Team is interested in arming our players with the means to write their own great stories, not dictate them ourselves. To that end, we also do not allow players to RP for the gods. This is referencing to the idea that any Divinity or greater power (Asmodeous or Pazuzu) has directly commanded/forced/spoken to the character and forced a character's situation.

Characters are always more than welcome to interpret lies and coincidences however they prefer for their characters and believe whatever they want (and this is encouraged!); but please understand that the reality of the situation is not the same.
I crashed in the reset and lost all my stuff!! wrote: Ouch. It always hurts when a crash or reset hits and we aren't ready for it. Arelith supports the When Bad Things Happen to Good Adventurers Mantra. The Staff will not refund items lost in crashes or resets. Remember to -save often after important transactions and reclaiming dropped items.
How do I request a DM event? wrote: Send us a PM over the forums! This is the easiest way to get in contact with the team. Send us your event idea with the how, why, when, where, and who, and the team will deliberate on if its within our power to do, and if any of our schedules line up with the date. Ideas off the table are events around building a new settlement, building new houses, fixtures, 'bases', major module changes, and so on. These are things under the sole purview of the Admin and Dev team.
Where can I go as an Underdarker? wrote: Our current Underdarker Policy is as follows:
A monstrous race (drow, kobold, goblin, dragon, orog, dreugar, gnoll) will never be accepted or tolerated inside of surface settlements. These monstrous races are viewed by the general (sane) population of Arelith as dangerous, horrible monsters responsible for most, if not all of their hardships and struggles. Some of these races (Drow/Orogs) do experience severe and crippling light sensitivity during the day, and are expected to flee from the sunlight and not visit the surface during the day.

In the setting Underdark races are viewed as Monsters, despite whatever may be on the character sheet. NPCs will react poorly and flee from monsters allowed shelter among their homes and cities, and NPC lynch mobs formed to chase off the monster*. It will be in the best interest of players to keep monsters far away from their towns.
*This is a proposed scenario of what Could happen, not the definitive of what will happen every time. A DM will always read a situation and context before making atmospheric changes.
Can I RP my Pale Master levels as being a Lich or having achieved immortality? wrote: No.
Can my warlock inheret his pact from his parents? wrote: No. For Arelith specifically, all warlock pacts must be intentionally made and signed by the character. They cannot be inherited or family curses.

Quarters and Guild Houses
Can I own more than one quarter? What if one of my quarters is a ship? wrote: No. You may only ever own one quarter, and one shop at any given time across all of your accounts. Guild Houses and Boats count as quarters.
Exceptions: If you are the owner of the guild house, you may own a quarter inside of it.
I am going on holiday, is there anyway I can have my quarter reserved for me if it goes up before I go back? wrote: No. If you are going on holiday, you will be expected to find a means to refresh the quarter, or a house sitter in the mean while, In Character. Please do not use OOC means to find someone to mind your quarter.
I found a quarter that has gone for sale and is now unlocked; can I take everything in the chest? wrote: Yes. The quarter no longer has an owner, thus the items in storage are fair game. Loot to your pocket's content.
My house went for sale and someone else bought it. Can I still get my things back? wrote: This depends on the new owners of the house. The new owners now own everything that was inside the quarter when they bought it, and are not obligated to return it to you, however it is typical Arelith tradition that PCs have been amicable to working out In Character deals to get some if not all of their items back. The DMs will have no hand in this process.
Can I buy a quarter for the express purpose of auctioning it off? wrote: You can only ever have one quarter. Unless the other quarter you have is mechanically up for sale via the sign, then you can't have it. Please do not auction quarters off for gratudiously higher than their sign value.
Can I own two quarters if one of them doesn't have a chest? What if one of them is public? wrote:You can never own two quarters. Even if one of them is specifically for faction use, you can only have one. That includes boats.
Can I have my IG buddy deliver my exiles notices for me? wrote:No, unless your buddy also has exiling powers. All exile or house seizing notices must be given in person by someone with said power. You cannot give exile notice via speedy, letter, or through another character.
I have an amazing quarter, and I'd really like to use it for my next character concept! wrote:You will have to expand the horizons of your concept; you cannot mule quarters or shops in between your own characters. Please keep in mind our server hosts almost five hundred players. We need to let go of our things and let other people have a chance too. Be groovy, and give yourself a chance to expand and your fellow players a fair chance to enjoy the quarter too.
Do temporary shops and boats count toward my maximum number of quarters? wrote:No, they don't. But please release your boats when you're finished with them.

PvP Rules and Clarifications

Am I allowed to PvP infront of NPCs? wrote:This question requires a little more intuition to answer. In a place like Cordor, Brogendenstein, or Myon, the NPC guard force is large and will not look kindly on time stops and weapon master crits in the streets. However, in a place like the Druid's Grove, or Greyhammer, where there are significantly less armed NPCs to stop you, you could feasibly get away with it before reinforcements (Greyhammer/Crow's Nest Tavern) got involved. Be mindful of your surroundings and the In Game setting you're in, if you think you'd get in a lot of trouble with the guard for starting a brawl, then you probably shouldn't, but we aren't going to necessarily stop you either. We will however, review the situation, and the RPR of those involved accordingly.

Exception: Andunor is like Tortuga; brawls are allowed, but the Peacekeepers will step in if spells start occuring inside the trade hub that could cause major damage to the area, or if NPCs are hit in the cross fire (see AOE spells and epic evocation spells like hell ball or g-ruin).

If you are starting a fight in a major trafficked road way (the Hub, Mayfield Junction, Cordor Main Gates) please keep in mind the potential for collateral damage in the form of PCs not involved in the fight who transition into your evards.
I want to raid a settlement! wrote:Groovy, send in a PM on the forums detailing your raid. We want to know, Why (the motive of the raid), What (the objective), When (an estimated time frame/timezones), and approximately How many people will be coming. The most important factors are how many are coming so we can decide how to accommodate.

Wilderness areas do not require DM supervision to raid on, but areas where there would be an NPC response (front gates of settlements, the Mythal, Banite HQ/Radiant Heart HQ) will require a DM overseeing the event. When in doubt, reach out and ask us.
If my group is about to PvP with another group, do we all have to interact with one another first? wrote:No. That would be the equivalent of having to line up and shake hands before you got down to the murdering. As long as someone from each group holds interactive back and forth RP with one another, both parties are able to engage in the following PvP.

For the purposes of the PvP 24hr rule, Parties apply. If you were in a party that aided in killing Joey Hayfield, then you cannot attempt to kill Joey Hayfield again, even if your participation in that PvP was limited or you did not strike the killing blow.
Can I resurrect PCs during PvP? wrote:Please do not do this. While you could, and this isn't a rule break, it can make it complicated for either side to remember who was already killed, who shouldn't be killed again, etcetra. Instead, collect the bodies of PCs you want and run away from the fighting (lenses now work to transport corpses) before raising your PCs. This will prevent any accidental second-PKs.
Can I raise the PC I just killed for further RP? wrote:You must have OOC permission before you resurrect another PC from death. In accepting the raise, the 24hr PvP rule is waived and both parties consent to the potential of PvP. If you have consent, you may raise them for further RP.
Can I put the head of my enemy I successfully bashed on a message board, or in my shop for display? wrote:Please don't do this; unless you are actually selling the skull at a reasonable price, do not put bashed PC heads in your shop, it is not for displaying trophies. Do not put these on message boards either, as another player cannot simply come up and remove the head as they likely would be able to.
Team Note: When we receive a report, we take into account all outlying circumstances and context of the situation to make our decision. At the end of the day, we have final say on determining whether or not the spirit of the rules were upheld and respected.



Theft Guidelines

How often can I steal? wrote:You may steal ONE item from another character once every 24 hours. This means Sally the Swift can pick pocket everyone in the Nomad of their sweet berries, but she cannot hit the same targets again within 24hrs.

For the purpose of Pick Pocket, you may continue to attempt until you are successful in stealing an item.
I broke into someone's house! What can I take? wrote:You may take ONE item (a stack of items counts as one item) from the chest and or one fixture from the house. We recommend you leave a calling card or evidence you had been there to allow the player you've stolen from some avenue to find out about you and follow up.
If five people break into a quarter, can we each take one thing? wrote:No. As the PvP rules, you all count as 'one' person for the rule, thus can as a group, only take one thing.

Rolled Rewards and Remakes

I got a 5% major reward!!! What do I do!? wrote:Congratulations! Send a PM to LittleWeasel + Head DM Sypre over the forums to discuss your potential concept ideas.
Can I apply my award to my current character? wrote:No. You must make a new character + concept to use your reward with. Change is good.
Can I remake my character to adjust my build? wrote:Yes so long as your character is under Level 16. You will lose your quarter, bank account gold, gear, and portal destinations. If you are going to remake a character for whatever reason, you don't get to keep the things you had before. Even if you just need to tweak just one ability point. Do not mull your old items back to yourself; you have to start fresh.

Exceptions may be made for sentimental RP items, ask your local Dm for details.
Can I play a sub-race (Sea Elf, awakened dog, half drow, Crinti, half drow/angel/devil/cat) with my normal reward? wrote:No. For all unique sub-races you will have to use a 5% and pitch your request to Admins who will personally approve your request.
What sort of name is inappropriate or not allowed? wrote:Names that are inappropriate due to being sexual in nature, or names that are direct references to pop culture are frowned upon and will be asked to have changed. "Elean Dover" "Thorin Oakenshield" "Billie Piper" are all examples. Final call on whether or not a name is inappropriate falls on the adjudicating DM.

Disguise Rules

What are the disguise rules? When do I use -disguise? When is it not okay to use -disguise? wrote:When you use -disguise, you use it because your character is actively hiding their true identity for whatever their motives are. Your -disguise should not be a descriptor of your current actions, i.e "a sleeping man".

Your -disguise can be akin to, "Noblewoman", "Cowled Traveler" or "Guardsman" or "Johnathan Doeseph". It shouldn't be "Guardsman [pc name]" or "Admiral [pc name]".

We work on a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). While you are more than welcome to RP along with whatever a description, or -disguise says, you do not have to go along with it. For example; you see a half orc -disguised as an elf. You do not have to believe they are an elf.

In this, PC's can break disguises if within reason there are enough IG clues for them to put the pieces together. If your -disguise pc wears the same outfit in and out of disguise, and uses the same description, it would not be unreasonable for PCs to suspect. However, it would be unreasonable for PC's to jump to a direct conclusion about this disguised PC.


Off-Client Communications
Do DMs police out of character interactions? wrote:Yes and no. Everything within the Client falls within our purview, including tells. Discord, Skype, and Steam chats are not something we want to actively police. We believe Arelith is best enjoyed disengaged from OOC communications and drama, but depending on the situation we will step in if we notice something that is exceedingly dangerous and toxic to the community. We are here to help everyone have a fun and safe experience when playing here, and will do what is necessary to ensure that.
Can I sexy elven fun times if it's off client? wrote:Arelith is a PG-13 Server, children play this server and it is our utmost responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone who plays here, regardless of age. Because of that, it is NOT permitted to take your Sexy Elven Fun times from the client to wherever to be explicitly detailed. You have very few ways of knowing what age the other player is, or if they are telling the truth; If you want to write that manner of RP, there are other servers for that.
Can I make my report/PRC requests through Discord?" wrote:No. Please send all DM concerns, questions, and requests to us over the forums. This allows us to make tickets that we can keep track of.
Are third party communication servers off limits for Arelith? wrote: No. You are permitted to use Discord, Skype, Steam, etctera to chat with your community and friends. But it should NOT be used to hold RP, planning IC actions and decisions, or in any other means that give a distinct advantage over your fellow players. This includes sending IC 'letters' from one character to another. Please do this in the game instead. One of our golden rules of the server is that you must Role Play, and it does not count as Role Play if you are doing it through discord.
I can't come to the client because of reasons, can I hold my IC roleplay through a third party communication client? wrote:Absolutely not. While we appreciate that even during troubling times you want to keep playing with us, you must be on the client and having your RP in the game in order for it to be valid.

User avatar
DM Rex
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2020 11:13 pm

Re: Arelith F.A.Q 2021 Addition

Post by DM Rex » Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:39 pm

1. I have this really neat idea for a new temple* (insert any structure) if I did enough roleplay could it be made a permanent part of the game?
While it does happen rarely, it is just that; rarely. All changes to the module have to be approved by Irongron, so it really is best to send a message to him regarding such requests. The DMs can facilitate some roleplay if some changes are approved with NPCs etc.

Stories, festivals, quests. DMs can certainly field requests like these.
2. There has been a lot of PVP, and we know that our base in the Arcane Tower* (insert NPC filled area) is about to be attacked, and we want to attack them right back! Can we do a raid?
You still have to observe the above mentioned raid rules. So no you will not be able to instantly respond right back. A few exceptions exist for hostage situations (captured PCs) but it is advised to seek DM go-ahead first.
3. Hey there's this bug that I've found for X class (or X item) where...
There are a few bugs we can specifically handle, and while you can ask, the worst answer we can give you is "no, please send in a report to the bug forum, and/or PM contributors in the forum".

A small sample of requests we can and do handle for direct technical/appearance effects:
- Too much HP on level up (preventing level up)
- Character stuck in area, -makesafe doesn't help
- Skin/Hair/Tattoo colors and shape changes (slim you up, thicken the character out, as well as the option to change heads, for monsters we have a skin changer)
- RDD wing choosing (requires minimum 9th level RDD taken)

While we can do all of the following in game, for speed we do recommend http://support.nwnarelith.com/ (Sign in with your forum info)
- Needing to lose XP
- Updating character portraits
- Updating character soundsets
- Updating character name
- Deploying approved PrC tokens
- Alignment shifts (list your current alignment and justification)

Locked