I am normally a fairly strict adherent to the rule that one should keep their goals to themselves. Psychological studies have found a correlation between announcing ones goals and failing to achieve them, in that by frequently speaking about your ambitions you become more content despite not having accomplished them. However I trust in the competency of myself and my fellow staff members, and I believe our players will help keep us motivated and on track. So, I have decided for the sake of clarity I would make a post discussing my goals and intentions for the server. I fear there may not be much in terms of rhyme and reason for the way I list these intended changes, but I’ll do my best to cover them all in the next week or so. These may be based on themes such as:
Lore
Rules
Maps and Art
Mechanical Balances
Quality of Life Changes
These are just ideas. The topics will depend on how much I have to write about a specific subject, and if any others come to me.
For my first post, I will discuss the shard lore.
Lore Re-establishment:
This is perhaps one of the most important things that I am aiming to accomplish. As it stands our server-wide lore is in a rather shambled state. We have only survived this flaw because of its broad nature allowing for a wide variety of role-play. I am not certain what ideas are currently held about the server lore, but I will give a very brief summary of what is definitely canon. While much of this is based on existing lore, to an extent it is also innovative. In the case of any contradictions to what may be mentioned elsewhere, what I reveal will hold precedence.
Our shard is in fact believed to be a shard of the Gem of Immortality, canon to Ultima lore. It may be a shard, or it may be a flawed facsimile, the exact details of this are as yet unknown to any of its inhabitants. Whatever its origins and nature, its similarity to one is undeniable. It is a universe which possessed a huge variety of planes and facets, each one different than the other by various degrees and with different histories and inhabitants. These natives may have little to no recollection of this origin, or believe in an entirely different one. However they are all a part of it and whether they are aware or not they share in its fate.
Unique in its origins or not, our shard does contain a very unique feature in that within its center runs a fracture. Splitting through it like a dark chasm this fracture reflects, magnifies, and contorts its magical energies. For some facets this has little to no effect, to others this causes intense magical fluctuations. A particularly common effect of this flaw is the sometimes intentional but more often than not accidental transportation of beings from one plane or facet to another. To any player who is role playing a character not of our realm, this is the method by which you arrived. There is another secret to the fracture, one that had been known and forgotten, and is now becoming known again.
Within the fracture there exists a plane unlike any other, a seething ocean of vast magical energies inhabited by beings of near unfathomable power. If any such being were to somehow manage to enter another of the facets their simple existence would bend its nature to suit their own whether they desired to or not. The nature of their plane prevents this however, as it is contained entirely within the gem without exception. However from within the fracture they are able to by varying degrees peer into other realms and exert shadows of influence upon them.
There is a huge diversity to these beings, and while their true natures would be nigh incomprehensible to those of the mortal realm, we do possess common names for the physical manifestations and phantasms which are the direct result of their manipulations. These are generally classified by their behaviors and goals, although it is important to note that many of these are only the closest approximation to their manifestations.
The most benevolent or simply benign of these beings are commonly regarded as Gods, and each one is capable of imposing their wills upon a varying number of facets dependent on their power. In general these beings find pleasure in the furthering of their subjects goals, although there is often a lack of distinction regarding whether a God views its subjects as children, pets, or toys.
There are beings of similar influence who hold nothing but contempt for the inhabitants of other realms, known as Demon-Gods. They take pleasure in manipulation and treachery, using them to further their sickly and twisted designs. To these beings crimes, murders, and war are all games to amuse them. Their influence has caused the toppling of entire civilizations and many of them take great pride in the number of facets which they have caused to fall into ruin.
The third notable faction of beings are the most important to our realm as they pose a threat to its very existence. These are the Dragon-Gods. The Dragon-Gods are unique in that while their existence within the fracture is relatively wispy and ethereal, their influence upon other realms is at times stronger than any others. Discontent with their existence, they seek to cause strife and stress upon certain key lotuses of power within the various realms in order to further weaken our shard’s integrity and ultimately cause it to split and shatter.
This would result in a repeat of the incident of the destruction of the Gem of Immortality, splitting our realm into a multitude of facsimiles. This would allow the Dragon-Gods to each possess one as their own paradise while resulting in the destruction of the other beings of the fracture. In the distant past their aims were thwarted by the combined efforts of the inhabitants of various realms and they were sealed away. Over time this seal has weakened, and their influence is strengthening. They have achieved the destruction of Britannia and are now turning their eyes upon the Lone Islands, which is the location of perhaps the weakest points along the fracture, experiencing some of the greatest numbers of magical anomalies because of this.
The most widely accepted theory on the origins of these three factions of beings are that they are the lingering reflections and magnifications of the Avatar and Mondain which were imprinted upon our shard upon its creation. This explanation seems to hold merit by the fact that the strongest of the Gods each seem to fairly accurately represent the various Virtues, and the Dragon-Gods in particular seem to hold parallels to the anti-virtues along with sharing his ambitions.
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Keep in mind that most of the details I have given here would NOT be widely known. The true nature of the dragon gods is at this time shrouded in mystery but being revealed as the plot progresses. I am open to any and all questions about the shard lore, and highly encourage them. A key goal of ours will be to establish the Wiki as a clear and concise guide to all aspects of the server and with that in mind I would love to know what sort of questions people may have so that I can provide answers for them.
Also, if there’s anything I did not mention at the very beginning which you would like me to clarify feel free to mention it.
