Underdark General Discussion Thread

[DM Asgorath]

I haven’t played down there in ages, but from the sounds of things there are at least a handful of folk who do.. and a DM that is active (though working the Lolth stuff, which may seem different in Sshamath).

Said DM is currently following Lolthites (after having followed three Eilistreeans) because the 7th circle is basically frozen, because Bregan D'Aerthe is currently frozen, and because the only players who kept playing in the UD even when things went south and people started abandoning it had and still have, mostly and coincidentally, toons who worship Lolth. Not to mention that lolthites take precedence because of a certain event happened months ago...

As for the rest, the way I see it, adding a svirfneblin village (or another city/town/hub/whatever) would be a lot like trying to fix a leaking tap whilst it's raining inside your house after a hurricane uprooted the rooftop.

Now...someone wants to spark new life into the UD? Great, joyous! Roll UD toons and start roleplaying inside Sshamath, instead of pretending for a tiny svirfneblin village to be added to the game with no rp whatsoever behind it, saying that it will manage to revitalize a part of the server which was designed with mostly drows in mind.

And for everyone's information: yes. I am fairly aware what it means to be the DM most involved with the Underdark. Yes, I am fairly aware that all of my successors hoped to bring it to full life and, despite their best and commendable efforts, it never lasted long. And Yes, I'm fairly aware that I will never be as good as Strahd or Absolution at it. But those few dedicated (and good) players left down there still deserve some attention once in a while.

[Broham2]

It doesn't surprise me, that the lolthites were the hold outs and hanging in there. In all honesty their RP, in all of its various forms (Several houses worth, even) has always been very good and very persistent. Just not numerous.

I wasn't mentioning your activity, and the difference, to disparage it.. only to point out that while it may be quiet, the RP may be in unexpected (for Sshamath) areas.

Amaulinum (whose name I am surely butchering) was always one of the most entertaining characters to watch from the DM client, and as a Lolthite, she did that shiz up proper.

[Servin]

What the UD needs is regulars.

I'm going to drop down some names and I hope the mentioned won't mind.

Currently I'm away till May 2014, maybe longer, so I'm online sporadically.
Storm is still around and shows up, but he seems torn between 3 or 4 toons.
Roke42 as above, but 2 toons irrc
I get to see Empoweredfan a lot but she sticks by her char that's been banished from Sshamath for the time being so she ventured to the surface with a new char. I hope she won't like it there.
Sometimes DarkElfFan shows up, but he hides his location so you don't think he's in the UD.
I get to see some other peeps but sporadically.

Then there's not-so-RP regulars that I won't mention, but not everyone from the rest of the folk counts in there.

What the UD community could do with is get all RP hands on deck and scrap all their chars (as in, put aside) and start a new with chars of one fraction that we'd all agree here. No RCR crap too or muling for those - carte blanché.

We got:
New levels to gain
New environment to RP in
New challenges and new people around because there's the sense of some teamwork (a fraction to achieve a goal on the surface or something)

So which school of magic are we taking?

But I'm away, Empoweredfan I don't think likes to play evil, so that leaves a small bunch.

Once the numbers would grow, we could spread out again.

ETA: Oh and there needs to be some RP area for "campfiring" (as much as I hate it, it gets people together). Bring back the trader outside Varalla's and add some space there with a small tavern or something.

[Broham2]

Therein, though, lies two problems that have been there from the very beginning..

===
"achieve a goal on the surface"

and

"once the numbers would grow"
===

Historically the numbers fluctuate quite a bit, but they never grow to the point that people feel like it is enough. How much is enough, really? 5-10 that played in the same timezone would make for some interesting RP I think, are there that many though? Consistently?

The surface as a goal has always been there and has never really ended well. I guess it would probably depend on the goal, maybe something more subtle than 'destroy them all' would work better than things have in the past. There used to be some trade routes I think, but I dont know if the demand is there for goods really, and as mostly lolthites, I dont see that as much as a possibility RP-wise? You all have sooo many nice areas down there, why does the surface have to be an end goal, at all?

[Servin]

Because deep down, every, even a beginning drow player, has a surface mind in their list of things to do in life.

Heck it doesn't need to be a surface raid, it can be other stuff, as long as it attracts players. Trade routes, being trade routes, drow being drow. Currently there is a lack of a binding factor - everyone has their own aims and goals, that more or less limits RP with others.

There are a number of sexy scenarios you can play:
- One (or more) specialist school of magic or the school of magic itself wanting to grow in power (the wizard factor is greatly underplayed)
- Mentioned earlier surface raid
- Lolth's stuff (bare in mind, surface raids are more the domain of Vhaeraun)
- ...

As long as it makes Sshamath for what it is and it's not boring, I support that.

And I would like to take this opportunity to reinstate the importance of the lobby area in the bottleneck leading to West of Varalla's passage. It can be a Charnag Maelthra bar or something with a couple of benches and a barmaid as long as it attracts people to sit in there.

[Broham2]

A little pit fighting joint would be cool. Even cooler if it could be scripted to spawn a couple of creatures that would battle each other for wagering or some such.

[Servin]

There is a ready made arena for that. DM Absolution used to do utilise it. Up until the first powergamer entered the ring and it all collapsed as watching it was boring to bits.

[illithid]

Re instating the caravanserai would, I believe be a good thing, but would need to get political RP/effort devoted to it, as it was destroyed when the Alhoon's armies descended on Varalla's passage. Essentially the conclave, mage schools or another authority (the Circle or Bregan possibly) would need to pay (whip) to get the area back in to shape.

In terms of UD playerbase, well it comes and goes, good times keep people around and if things go through a lean patch then people drift away, the tunnels are lonely on your own. There's also timezones and some of the harshest racism and religious persecution on the server to deal with. Only with increased player numbers though RP will the UD start to gain momentum again, but this is contrasted with the surface getting the majority of new content, so people wander off. However if players play their characters and enjoy it, then there will always be a spark of life ready to ignite.

[Cubicle]

I've played strictly in the UD since joining this server. In the beginning, about a year ago, it was really social/active with the Baleful Maw + Drow houses running around. There was enough player activity and events to keep everyone happy. Nowadays, the activity has dropped and so have the events. Every time I see yellow font on my screen, I look down in a alright!-an-event! sort of way, but every time, I look down to find that it's meant for the surface, as always.

Imo, the playerbase is down only because there are no events, period. Maybe I've missed them somehow because of inactivity or not finding date/times on the site, but the last UD event I participated in happened about a year ago with the Maw, back in 2012. (they were awesome)

If the UD was given atleast one event per week, just one, I believe more players would go/stay there. I know we have a DM, which is great..I mean, it's great! But, I don't believe all UD events need to be major plot twists. I see random events on the surface all the time. Just one of those a week would make for a nice UD morale booster.

Lolth events for us non-drow? Bring it on. Stick my character in a cage and throw rocks at him, ya, that's the good stuff! As long as it involves/effects all of us in some way, then I welcome it. Doesn't really matter what it is, I feel one UD event a week will help increase UD player activity. Besides that, it'll help me sleep better at night, and I sleep pretty good.

[Empoweredfan]

The Maw might not have been the best RP guild around, but they brought on a place for new players. It was inviting in a way, and being dark and complicated in the UD, players need to have something to brighten their play time as well as help to avoid the endless grinding that for me at least, is boring after about 10 minutes with any character. For new players, who don't know where to go, I can honestly understand why they would rather be in a place that have people to help them get going.

For those that are not after Roleplay, we should try to get them to try it. I know that I can't play with anyone without *emoting* now and again, slowing grinding down considerably. Helpful influence, in a way. I'm glad to see that Servin and DarkElfFan has taken it upon themselves to help new players. =) That is the way to keep them.

[DreWalker]

This is awesome! people trying to bring life to the UD. I guess I would be what was referred to as a "not-so-rp" regular, and my play times are a little sporadic, but im trying to get more involved.
I like the idea of a campfire sort of thing, sure many of the evil characters would not be in character to stand around and have a drink with a random crowed, but something like a merchant stand to resupply could give an IC reason for people to gather.

anyways keep it up! if theres something I can do to help just ask

[Servin]

This is awesome! people trying to bring life to the UD. I guess I would be what was referred to as a "not-so-rp" regular, and my play times are a little sporadic, but im trying to get more involved.

I don't know. I only bumped into you once and exchanged 2-3 sentences and a wink Too early to tell But the other group is open, so be my guest and come in

[illithid]

There are no groups, if you play down there within the server rules, then you are a part of it same as anyone else

[Servin]

Yeah, why not. Let's go fully blown politically correct and say:

There is no 'down there', there's only the realm of different pleasures.



Faced with reality, like it or not, people stick together in their bunches dependable on their play style. Now I can tell you that grinding is not much of a different to what you see on the surface. If the people are to stay it's due to uniqueness of the play and RP opportunities. And not everyone is capable of that. I was hoping to fish those out that are capable to a bunch and together something that will draw more people down there to attract more. I'm all ears to people who say they want to RP and learn the lore and really don't have high expectations of quality, more than their desire to do so.

But at the same time I'm not a dreamer by thinking that we're all the same as everyone else and we all want to put effort in growing the UD.

[illithid]

It wasn't an attempt at political correctness, I just don't want any players to think 'their RP is only worthwhile' if it meets someone else's described edicts.

Whilst I know your intentions are to improve the collective lore and RP etc of the playerbase here and I agree and support the premise; the fact that some players may run around killing beetles yelling 'gimme yer pincers' every minute shouldn't get them ostracised in any way. If they are playing within the rules, then their RP is valid in whatever context.