Discussion: Heartwood Grove Cavern sleight redo

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The Kriv
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Discussion: Heartwood Grove Cavern sleight redo

Post by The Kriv » Wed Jan 31, 2018 4:43 pm

Thought about posting this as a suggestion, but there's too many folk who could offer insight and perspective to any Heartwood Grove Cavern rework, so I thought I would offer something I'd been milling around for a while to the general public to see what folk thought and to ask for refinement suggestions.

current situation: The cavern in the Heartwood Grove, w/ its 2 shops and 8 residence quarter 'caves'

I propose The Heartwood Grove's quarters be collectively turned into a guildhouse-style area... Main Cavern remains as it is, with access to some quarters restricted.

The two 'front' cave-quarters (the ones who's doors locations recently changed) remain as they are, but the 6 other quarters, the back hallways are closed in with one locked-entrance on each side (similar the guildhouse in Cordor's Culture District)

Access to the rear crafting area becomes locked off but otherwise remains unchanged, accessed through the side-hallways of the six quarters (three on each side) which become a Guild-house.

The two remaining front-quarters (one on each side) keep their entrances public and able to be leased outside the guild-house access area.


Bonus: Who would then 'run' the guild-house? -link it to the quarter at the Weatherstone. -lease the Weatherstone Quarter = runs the 'guild house' of the Heartwood Grove, linking the Weatherstone and the Heartwood Grove.

Added Bonus: a portal inside the Weatherstone's quarter to travel to the interior of the Heartwood's newly created guildhouse area, similar to the Earthkin portal connecting Brog and Burrowhome. It would allow travel one-way, from the Weatherstone Quarter -to- the interior of the Heartwood's Guildhouse Cavern (probably to the back crafting area. -think Zhurkwood Portal to Sentient Cube)


I've seen LOTS of really amazing RP from the Druid/Ranger community, but nothing exists currently that galvanizes the Druid community together in the same way Light Keep did and then the Radiant Heart Stronghold for Paladins and "Team-Good"... the temples of Mask and Bane, and Sencliff Island does for the various factions of "Team-Evil."

(Even the Zhurkwood Grove has a built-in layer of class-restriction/protection to access its Druid-HQ.)

comments? suggestions? anecdotes? funny stories?
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DarkDreamer
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Re: Discussion: Heartwood Grove Cavern sleight redo

Post by DarkDreamer » Wed Jan 31, 2018 4:47 pm

I don't like the idea of tying the weatherstone to the Grove, as it is the Player owning the Weatherstone currently isnt actively with the Grove although an elder Druid in his own right. Forcing him to take on that aspect I see is wrong, now the ArchDruid having a room IN the grove that can ONLY be owned by the current Archdruid? Sure.

Nitro
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Re: Discussion: Heartwood Grove Cavern sleight redo

Post by Nitro » Wed Jan 31, 2018 5:46 pm

I've always liked that there is no mechanical enforcement for archdruid, unlike other guildhouses. That there's not constantly behind closed doors RP at the grove. It makes it feel more open, less like a mini-settlement than other factions/guildhouses, it's uniquely open in that sense, in a manner I find very fitting for a druidic society.

I think having it tied to a mechanical guildhouse like the tower or abyssal fortress would restrict some of the cool inter-faction RP we've seen from druids in the past, stuff like Malarites challenging the archdruid for control of the grove for example. It'd still be possible, but would rely entirely on the person holding the keys being willing to hand over ownership.

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Re: Discussion: Heartwood Grove Cavern sleight redo

Post by derkot » Wed Jan 31, 2018 6:17 pm

I like how Arelith Forest Grove looks currently. Perhaps it is missing something like gates in Zurkwood Grove but it is still looks very nice.
Making this area more closed - will cut some part of this ranger/druid RP. Groves is always sort of open places for all druids/rangers and as it was mentioned if that stays open - then new druids(of any nature deity which may be even not in favor) may attempt challenge other druid to take higher rank.
And because druids/rangers it is more about team-balance where is place for very different characters - guildhouse in my opinion will make it not look nice.

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Re: Discussion: Heartwood Grove Cavern sleight redo

Post by Sab1 » Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:04 pm

I always thought Heartwood should be more like the tower, with a public area and a secure area. Would at least make it so you could store stuff in the common chest and not have it robbed daily. Having a back area only accessible to grove members would add something to joining, just like getting to the "secure" tower areas adds a perk to joining the tower. I wouldn't want it totally closed off like Zurk, but it could use a member only area (maybe the tree for members).

Weatherstone is pretty useless so linking it to anything is pointless.

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Re: Discussion: Heartwood Grove Cavern sleight redo

Post by The Kriv » Tue Feb 06, 2018 4:23 am

Sab1 wrote:I always thought Heartwood should be more like the tower, with a public area and a secure area. Would at least make it so you could store stuff in the common chest and not have it robbed daily. Having a back area only accessible to grove members would add something to joining, just like getting to the "secure" tower areas adds a perk to joining the tower. I wouldn't want it totally closed off like Zurk, but it could use a member only area (maybe the tree for members).

Weatherstone is pretty useless so linking it to anything is pointless.
Ooh, nice one, Sab. I like your idea.

With the majority of the Cave being public, but joining the Heartwood as a druid grants you access to a small portion of the back of the Grove Cavern, in the same way joining the Tower gives you access to that special reserved area. Like a right of passage.


Maybe out the back of the Grove Cavern, where the crafting stations are located, gets a back cave 'exit' that takes you to a teeny tiny area. And that area has a access to the Treehouse, only instead of the ladder, you get something like what is at the Dreaming Tree. And the existing Tree House becomes the defacto area which only Heartwood members may have access to (like the reserved areas of the Tower for Mages and Wardens)

-modification: Exit/cave tile added to the back... taking you 'outside' to an expanded area of the existing exterior "grove' that is only accessible via this back exit. -then the existing access to the Treehouse moved there? Ladder removed and access granted via similar way as Dreaming Tree.


Maybe talking to NPC Deith Hollin gives you the option to 'join the Heartwood" in the same way the NPC in the Radiant Heart stronghold lets you 'join' that group with similar 'description' line added to your character description just like Radiant Heart, only saying Heartwood Grove (obviously) -and with that 'mark' then gives you access to the Treehouse.

-just making this up as I go. ;)
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