The Future of the UD -- what happens now?

[DM Lobo]

With DM Dia's Ooze Campagn coming to an end I wanted to get a feel on what you guys would like to see as the next big storyline for the UD?

This is your chance to talk about things you want to see in the new weekly events after the Ooze thing levels out -- which should be in about two weeks time.

I want to take this chance as well to thank all the players who have been turning up every week, without you guys non of this would have happend. The weekly UD Ooze event has been kick starting a lot of RP, and I wish to build on this success -- as I said in my other thread, I am probably the worst DM for the job and would gladly allow another DM to take my place, but as it stands I don't think anyone else wants to tackle the issue. I am very proud of the RP you guys do outside / after my events, and it is one of the main reasons the UD has had a burst of life -- I do hope in the future we can get a stead 10 - 13 players in the UD every day.

I like my events to be free flowing, but with the numbers it makes it difficult for me to do. However I am getting better, and will be giving players several options each mission as well as putting in risks and bigger chances of failure. I hate having a glass ceiling in my games thus I will be giving the players a chance to put their idea forward as well - as I tested this week (a player came up with going to the 9 hells, which I would have rolled with; but players voted in favour of going with the black dragon) The issue I have hosting these sessions is this: They are very 'hand fisted' and I typically roll up a storyline 5 mins before the event, I have no structure or focus and I plan nothing, my hosting style is very chaotic but I am told my DMing style is very enjoyable, so I am glad some of you are having fun. This does have its advantage however as I can turn and twist in any direction and 'write as I go' so to speak -- the only issue is I can not cater to two different points of view aka group splitting without another DM co-hosting for me.

I am also aware that some toons ICly will not go with the option the group goes with -- which I am fine with, but as I can only be in one place at once I can only cater to one group. I understand this weeks session a few players ICly did not want to dive into the water and it caused a divide. This will always be a problem sadly, unless I get aid from another DM to co-host as it were, if this happens again I will ask if a DM is free to co-host for me.

With that said, let me know below where you would like to see things go from here.

[Cubicle]

http://bgtscc.net/viewtopic.php?f=399&t=50240

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Economics

Trade between Sshamath and other Underdark settlements
Trade between Sshamath and the surface
Difficulties put upon trade of Sshamath by the tunnels closed down by slime cultists
Economic competition within Sshamath internally
Trade between Sshamath and certain surface factions such as the Zhentarim

Politics

Relations between the different school and non-school factions of Sshamath
Relations between different faction members of the Bureaucracy
Relations between the Bureaucracy and the Conclave, the Magistrature, City Guard, the Charnag Maelthra intelligence organization, and the City Militia

Intrigue against the Conclave and Sshamath

Forces at work within and without Sshamath in the interest of slime
Forces at work within and without Sshamath with no particularly focused aim
A darker and more sinister force perhaps behind the above…

Imo, it'd be a good idea to establish a good political foothold in Sshamath. It feels leaderless at times and without direction as a whole. Maybe get some player factions high ranking seats with the Conclave so that they can help direct the flow of RP within the city.

In time, I would like to see Trade being established with outside factions. While Sshamath is an UD city, it'd be great to see relations opened up with the surface, quite possibly integrating UD/Surface RP on some level.

[Blackman D]

thats what the bureaucracy is...

tho the issue with that is the forum use to only be available to DM Dia but is now there (or should be) for all normal DMs, so lobo still cant get to it

the other issue is there is no point of contact DM side to handle it, so getting new members on the forum is a bit hard (tho atm everyone who should be on it has access that i know of)

the surface/UD thing is already happening as well, tho slowly given the complications

[Storm Munin]

Personally Id like to see a few loose ends knit up and I think they can be solved more or less by a political campaign.

Anyway here goes:
1) Political powerplay between a few of the wizard factions vying for power through any means necessary including arcane displays of spell might, daggers in the dark e t c.

2) Cleaning up of Varalla's passage.
5 years after the Alhoon war the area between the ward spire and the exit to west of Varalla's are still a mess.
Optional:
The Temple of Lolth/House Sshamath have back in the day asked for the privilige to build a statue of the Conclave Seat in all their glory as they stand upon the fallen Alhoon victoriously.
A humble side request were to be allowed to place a few guardian Jade Spider constructs at the site in a silent homage to the Avatar of Lolth who truly slew the Alhoon.
A team of wizards of whom one are still around (Isendur) were assigned by the clergy to steal whatever knowledge could be had from Menzo the great or Ched Nazad to learn how to do it.
The thing more or less ran out in the sand due to the content lack of humongous construct spiders.
Something along that line being done could also spawn a few future problems.
I mean contingencies!

3) Conclave declarate a contest for guilds and houses alike, whoever clear out the tunnels from Varalla to Darkhold itself win the prestige.
Opens up for further shadow play, politics and blatant sabotage.

4) The arisal of a counterweight school of magic vying to outmanover the School of Necromancy politicaly.
Considering the weight necromancers has thrown around for the last 5 years it would make sense for the other schools to come up with a response.
The School of Conjuration had a thing going for a while, and undoubtedly the School of Abjuration were a major player in the making of the Ward Spires.

5) Attempts by unknown parties to sabotage the Ward Spires.
Seriously, that should have happened a long time ago. Again, cloak and dagger stuff.

6) Trade wars centered on the new Upperdark trade settlement.
Houses, merchant factions and wizardly household all should want a piece of the merchant action and housings.

Edit: Keep it lowkeyed on NPC state/faction officials. Conclave Seats and School leaders really ought to use pawns who can be blamed when they overdo themselves causing mayhem.
The Seventh Circle merchant faction and the Temple of Lolth(House Sshamath) have a Seat each in the Conclave by player actions gaining server lore a few years back.


What I would like not to see for a while:
6) Another massive threat against the city from outside sources.
Isnt it time for the city to start backstabbing itself, instead of constantly demanding its citizens to come together and save the day vs almighty conqueror X?


Considering all the different things we players want from events and the many ways our toons can decide to act during these events you run with high numbers of participants, they are bound to cause nightmarish discontent at times.
Honestly, you are doing well in my book.

My pennies

/M

Edit:
I know at least 2 merchant guilds have trade connections upstairs, I also suspect at least 2 Lolthite Houses to already have trade connections to surface factions as is.
The stage is set...

[Storm Munin]

*bump* I am confident there are more UD players with their own ideas.

[BigJ]

Storm Munin: What I would like not to see for a while:
6) Another massive threat against the city from outside sources.
Isnt it time for the city to start backstabbing itself, instead of constantly demanding its citizens to come together and save the day vs almighty conqueror X?

I would also like to see smaller DM story-lines in the UD (a couple of months max?) as unlike the surface I don't think a 'Yearly' arc works down here, and like Storm said they don't need to be about great threats to the city. With all the schools, temples and the conclave there are plenty of 'Masters' that need smaller issues looked into. It might also encourage more DM's to pop down to run something now and then if it doesn't mean making a long term commitment.

The 'bureaucracy' also needs some fleshing out, starting with the name tbh. Its a great idea, but calling it something like "The Small Council" makes it a little more obvious what it is. It also needs some visible presence IG as apart from a few forum posts I expect most folk don't even know what its about (Ie. a noticeboard to start with, next to the laws, listing its 'esteemed' members and edicts). Gotta advertise to create the interest, pad egos with IG recognition to create envy and competition.

Others thoughts:

All the schools need to be represented IG to show their IG importance re lore. I will make a 'suggestion' thread about that in the other forum though.

Obviously a lot of great work has got into the UD in the last six months I've been off-line, its terrific (Including those little touches, not just big new maps), kudos to all the builders involved .

Next I think it should be the city itself that gets some overhaul and create more reasons to stay in the city (Ie. Slave market / Auction house with regular events, 'guest' merchants could be invited down . Slaves (monster races) could be OOC'ly attached to a summoning stone so they can be 'called' into service but ONLY available at the IG auction, not in shops/Mudds)

There was some really fun RP when long ago Schezalle did an impromptu auction of her indentured slave (names escapes, another PC though) to the gathered crowd, its little events like this that build up the picture/immersion, not grand arcs. The grand arcs can come when the picture has grown a bit.

BigJ

[Flasmix]

One way to make more people play in the UD is if there are event chains that don't need a DM on. For example, giving certain people or groups a piece of a puzzle to a huge payout. Without all the pieces, there's no pay out. If different people have a different piece of the puzzle then it'll require RP to be done in the background.

I'd honestly like to see more than just Lobo run events down there. The surface gets a lot, thus, the general population gravitates there.

[DM Lobo]

One way to make more people play in the UD is if there are event chains that don't need a DM on. For example, giving certain people or groups a piece of a puzzle to a huge payout. Without all the pieces, there's no pay out. If different people have a different piece of the puzzle then it'll require RP to be done in the background.

I'd honestly like to see more than just Lobo run events down there. The surface gets a lot, thus, the general population gravitates there.

I like this idea and will definatly consider it for the future. I would also like to see more DMs running events for the UD, but from what I can understand a lot of the DMs get intimidated by hosting for the UD.

Although I would like to put more focus on the schools / council / masters -- I just can't, as my lore is too thin, and I do not have the time to sit through books to learn it all. If another DM wants to step forward and bring more focus to the schools / council I welcome it, but I barely get by with what I know.

[DM Hera]

I am fairly confident in my UD Lore. I love the underdark in Faerun and have a good grasp of the unique city we have to represent our UD.

I would enjoy running the occasional pick event for the Underdark and its Strong Roleplayers but I feel walled in by a lack of knowledge of our player base there. I do not know about the Underdarks factions, what they want or who the players are in there.

There is no pile of information for me to read regarding our UD that is current. I do not feel comfortable because I could do an event then some player may feel hurt because "well... this i.. insert ancient event"


I Will try to make some efforts, but Who are our UD Factions and the members, goals and wants... I kinda like to know. I also hate there are no map pins on some of the UD MAps.. hard to get around with out them...

Some of my thoughts on the subject.

[RamenKing]

Rockrun is a new hub for story development with only limited IG lore behind it. Perfect for molding.

[pimpjwp]

Rock run is coven of darkness controlled area at moment right next to our keep . The three most active groups at moment in the ud are bregan ,coven of darkness and the school of necromany

[Israe]

I'm active again, factions secret though :/

[RamenKing]

Rock run is coven of darkness controlled area at moment right next to our keep . The three most active groups at moment in the ud are bregan ,coven of darkness and the school of necromany

well done! That didnt take much time at all

[Empoweredfan]

The 7th Circle have a few people active down there.

[BigJ]

School of Evocation (through Freekender, not me) have been active in the main storyline / 'The Bureaucracy'. I see House Zau'afin have also made a return (Moridin).

The point I was making before is if "The Bureaucracy" was better positioned IG (Inc name change, ie. "The Small Council", any thoughts on that?) and had a couple of named NPC's as the Conclave Reps on it, it would be the perfect tool for DM's to pick up and use, especially for one-drop events (missing trade caravans, kidnapped nobles, resource hunting like beholder eyes etc)

Also, most of it members will likely be from active guilds / RP'ers.

If its well documented/structured both IG and in the forum, it should be easy to pick up and use.

I also don't mind doing the legwork / research for DM's ahead of time, just drop me a line.

Finally, given the bounciness the server I don't mind spending time creating a roster of NPC's for the various factions in Sshamath, a bit like I did for the School of Evocation.

BigJ