Something EVIL this way comes....

[Jaren]

As of now I am the only player so far to "join the dark side" but this may not be the case forever. So I had a few thoughts on the subject.

As of now if someone decides to go evil there is nothing to prevent them from saying "ya I'm evil now.. grrr" then killing me and taking whatever loot they please. As such, we may need some way to prevent players of the same faction (yes I said it.. faction) from taking advantage once they are allowed into the good graces of that faction.

There are many different ways to do this. One way would to make it so characters of the same alignment cannot "truly" kill each other. You can knock unconscious but never kill. A second way would be to have the GMs babysit any would be "faction posers" and punish accordingly. Probably some other ways as well.

It would also be neat to have an "evil only" forum section where ideas, suggestions and plans regarding just one faction can be freely discussed without the battle plans being leaked to the enem... umm other players. (I also assume the goodie-two-shoes would like a similar forum section)

Right now the "frost-covered scythe" is kinda becoming a capture the flag item with the harvest lord playing referee and goalie.

So if we're going to make the item so difficult to hold onto, we might as well spruce it up "story wise" a bit. Maybe make the scythe spout random items during battle like "RETURN!... KILL!... RETURN!..." Or maybe generate some significant background story. Maybe explaining how the scarecrows came to be in the first place.

We can also look at the "capture the flag" item in the long term and say what happens if one faction manages to hold onto it for a considerable amount of time. (maybe like a month with active game time or something). How would this effect the scarecrows? Would the item change to suit it's new keepers? How would the world change? Like maybe a new area will only open depending on who has the item?

Another thing to consider it since the "flag" is on a character, that character can log out at any time and nullify the game. So a mechanic could be in place so that where the character logs out is where the item will stay until he logs back in or someone manages to find it.

Well those are a few ideas. Of course you can just ignore this whole post and keep poor lonely Jaren as the sole "keeper of evil" in the game.. which is ok too.

[Rias]

Regarding player killing, for the time being I'm okay with having the GMs just interceding when someone gets out of hand. If someone goes "evil" and then says "I'm evil, I can kill whoever I want whenever I want now," then they're not being evil, they're just being destructive and disruptive, and will be dealt with. You can have big, grand evil plans for world domination without running around and killing everyone on sight. You'll get a lot more respect if you find ways to drop hints to your eeevil plans and methods without just killing everyone all the time. I've found that in previous game experiences that some "good" people will even play along with the "evil" ones and allow themselves to be captured, etc. for the sake of furthering the "evil side of the story. (Jaren, note I'm using the general "You" and not talking to you specifically - from what I've seen, you haven't been disruptive at all, and have started a villainous player character that the other player characters can band against, which is neat.)

I like the idea of the scythe having to stay in-game at all times, so a character would have to hide it somewhere before logging out of the game to prevent someone just grabbing it, then logging out forever, or whenever there was an attempt by other players to retrieve it.

I'd be thrilled to reveal more about the scarecrows through this turn of events. I've got a history for them all worked out, and the exist for a real reason in the in-game lore (they weren't just created as hunting ground fodder). I'll see if I can work some story events and revelations in somehow.

[Isiaa]

What about a neutral side?The magic users or those that use elemancy thaumaturgy and the dark arts (for want of a better word) can be classified as this:Monks=good,Mages=neutral,Sorcerers=evil.The Tse'gaian guilds can be seen as good while the symbiants race can be seen as evil and the dwaedn wyr as,well not exactly neutral but not as zealous in the destruction of the spores etc. as the tse gaians.The templars seem to be good as it were although these terms are somewhat relative to public opinion,while the thieves are neutral.There is no evil knights class nor a really neutral Knights class even if the thieves qualify as fighters.Merchants and artificers are neutral as they are not combat based.
The evil knights class as I said would have access to necromancy or sorcery.Some art that depends on death or is classified as dark.They would use different weapons to the templars and would wear blackened steel rather than polished steel.Possibly they could train in scythe combat as the scythe is symbolic of death which most people associate with evil.
Some abilities they would have:
Steel winds:The knight uses the scythe for a ten strike attack at all targets in the room like this.3 targets:1st 2nd 3rd repeat,repeat,1st.It would basically cycle between targets and strike each once.A miss would disrupt the action,however the pure speed and training required for the skill increases the hit chance.

Circle of the Black Moon: A bit dramatic but hell.The knight spins the scythe at high speed.The knight cannot attack however any magical and physical blows that strike at the abdomen and torso would definitely be blocked while the arms and legs would receive a defence bonus also.The back would however be completely vulnerable except for armour.

Strike the Spark:Strike at the opponents neck.If the other person is channelling instead of damaging the neck you would sever the flow of magic if you were channelling necromancy at the same time.If the opponent is channelling thaumaturgy
some damage would be dealt to the head.

Falling Fangs:Three quick if inaccurate strikes at the opponents torso.For every blow that strikes its target you channel necromancy.If all three strike The third will flare with a level three necromancy flare dealing nether damage to the foe.
This will drain your energy badly through the effort of channelling through all that armour.

Dark Storm:Sacrifice all defences for an all out attack at a thaumaturge or being of the Light or someone who's managed to get you REALLY annoyed.This will tear at their mind reducing their energy by two levels and stealing some of their sustenance.This requires level three necromancy and you must be annoyed enough to channel necromancy.This is measured by how hungry you are and how tired you are.Unless your at least ravenous and tired you cannot channel three necromancy.

These knights are solitary people which is why people tend to annoy them.Their guild hall is a black stone castle.Possible location is in the glacier that is swallowing Caldwell.They hold together by fighting for the same cause.
The sorcerers guild hall could be the 'church' there as well.Or under it.


The neutral knights use two long or two broadswords which they make themselves.They use swords only,no magic.
However they are the best and of course are sword connoisseurs and as such do not use what we would call normal swords.Theirs swords are imbued with an element each.They gain one sword shard per guild promotion and a complete sword every 4 shards with a maximum of three swords.The first sword is always fire.The other two may be air,water,earth,fire or cold.They crowning skill of these of these great warriors is the art of three swords:
Art of Three swords.Allows the wielding of three swords at once.Adds round time of one second to every action outside of combat.In combat every blow is followed by a second and a flare of the third sword.

Other skill ideas:

Steel Fire:Using one sword only a blademaster gives the illusion of wielding a sword made of pure fire.This must be the first sword,marked with a snake.

Steel pincers:Use two swords,Marked with the Snake and the Circle too strike at the arms of an opponent and trap them.

Blademastery 1/2/3:Every skill increase in blademastery reduce combat round time by one second and grants another sword marked with either a Snake, a Circle or a Heron.

Cave In:Inspired by the cave ins in mines where sometimes stalactites skewer miners a Grandmaster blademaster can use his three blades to strike at his foe.Two from Above and the third from below.

That's all I can think off.