RULES/FAQ - CHAPTER I

[treasuremap]

RULES/FAQ

NAVIGATION

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RULES/FAQ

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COTERIES

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LOCATIONS

RULES

HAVE RESPECT. Remember the golden rule: treat others how you'd like to be treated. When in doubt, communicate with your fellow players, and please observe the IC/OOC divide. There is a no tolerance policy for wank and bullying, and any toxic behavior brought to the mods' attention will result in action taken, including and up to being removed from the game. If you are unable to resolve an issue, please contact the mods and we will advise as needed. RP is a hobby, and hobbies are supposed to be fun. If you aren't having fun, take a step back. We want this to be an enjoyable experience for everyone.

DON'T BE A POWERPLAYER. In other words, no godmodding (taking control of another character without permission from that character's player, or forcing actions on that character during a thread without checking if it's okay first), and no metagaming (projecting OOC knowledge onto characters ICly). Nobody wants the game spoiled for them, so please mind your actions, particularly when concerning in-game plots and events. Much of the plot will be revealed to players at the same time as their characters, with discoveries and new elements being uncovered at a fairly even pace. However, anything players know should not be used to gain an advantage for their character, or to spoil the plot for others.

BE ACTIVE. Activity check (AC) will be due by the last day of the month and can be submitted anytime before then. Any characters who have not had activity check posted for that month will be swept by the 5th of the next month. Characters accepted in the same month as their first activity check will be exempt, as will players who have been on official hiatus for at least two weeks during that month. We will also allow exceptions in special circumstances, however, if we notice a pattern of using hiatuses or exceptions in order to remain in the game, you may be asked to provide extra proof of activity.

Proof of activity will be check-in with a brief summary of what your character has done in the game that month. This can be a few sentences, paragraphs, bullet points—whatever works for you, so long as it gets the point across. You may provide links to threads and the like in your summary, but it is not required (unless otherwise asked, which we may request if we find a lack of substantial activity from your character). Activity must be done in any of the IC communities except for the meme comm (which will not count for AC, with the exception of the Test Drive Meme), or character inboxes.

PARTICIPATE. While there will be opportunities for characters to fly solo, many of the events will be collaborative between players and, at times, the NPCs. We all have lives and different schedules, so pacing will vary, but the story can't continue without character input, so please, get involved! It's OK to break out of your comfort zone and try something new, too. And as always, if you have any suggestions or ideas for the game, we are always open to hear them.

PREMISE & ARRIVAL

What sort of game is Incensed? incensed is a fantasy horror game where characters will be tasked with fighting their way through dense jungles, forgotten ruins, and myriad twisted flora and fauna to locate powerful and valuable relics that will grant boons to whoever holds them. The ultimate goal will center around finding a way to put an end to the "incense," a scented, fog-like substance that blankets the entire continent with devastating psychological and physical effects awaiting anyone or anything exposed to it. Characters will be encouraged to join one of the four guilds, otherwise known as coteries, where they will be given tasks to complete and, under the guidance of each coterie's leader, eventually converge on the source of the incense and uncover the truth behind a century-old mystery.

In-game events will run on a quarterly schedule: one quieter month with a smaller, more minor event, if any; one middle month for questing and any player-run plots; and major story events every third month. Depending on the time of year and player input as well as the pace of the story, there may be busier quarters than others, but as events will be interactive and collaborative, we will be mindful of pacing and people's time, with plenty of opportunity during the downtime for establishing CR, participating in smaller quests, and worldbuilding.

Haven't I seen Incensed before? These comms are pretty old... Yes! This was a very different game back in 2012, and while there were some applications and a couple of IC posts, it never actually got off the ground and fizzled out as soon as it started. We're looking forward to giving it another shot with a fresh coat of paint and new management.

What exactly are the effects of the incense? Since the incense tends to stay low to the ground, like fog, all of the major settlements are built high up on plateaus and surrounded by mountains and windmills to protect themselves from the effects. While in town, characters will be affected very little except during windstorms and certain events.

Outside of the city walls, some effects can be felt depending on location; Coba and Tikal are located more inland and are more susceptible to wind than the other two cities, but all are susceptible the further away from the city you go. As they go below the cloud of mist, characters will begin to feel mostly psychological or minor physical effects which will increase in severity the longer they are exposed to it.

Deep in the jungle, and in particular close to certain ruins, however, the effects begin to affect characters at an exponential rate. Where minor exposure may take hours to drive characters to the brink, at this point, for some it can take only minutes. If characters are careful to cover their nose and mouth, breathe in as little as possible, and make quick trips, their likelihood of recovery is high. However, combatting the effects will be key in retrieving the relics, which means they'll undoubtedly be left suffering from a few things by the end of a mission.

A non-comprehensive list of effects are as follows:

✶ extreme irritability, mood swings, oversensitivity to stimulus
✶ heightened senses, often resulting in overstimulation
✶ paranoia and hallucinations
✶ anger and aggression, lashing out violently
✶ excitability, energetic outbursts and manic or reckless behavior
✶ acute increases in physical output: faster breathing, hotter blood, adrenaline-fueled strength and speed, quicker reflexes
✶ intoxication, general poor judgment, delirium and confusion
✶ becoming uncontrollably overwhelmed by emotions, memories, or other stimulus, resulting in erratic behavior
✶ increased monster aggro—characters will be targeted more often, and more aggressively

More extreme effects can also include:

✶ bodily changes: appendages, tentacles, and other monster-like transformations
✶ out of control innate powers or drained energy
✶ afflictions and "mist-sickness," which functions a lot like poisoning and can lead to coma or even death if not removed from the exposure area and treated quickly

Most of these symptoms start out unnoticeable and grow steadily more uncontrollable the longer the person is exposed to the incense. It becomes nearly impossible not to act out, and it's widely known that death can result from an out-of-control person on incense, particularly since the only way to escape the effects are to remove them from the area of exposure and get them fresh air. This can take up to several hours to wear off depending on the severity, and can even be permanent at times. How long and how severely these things affect your character is up to you, and you may choose what effects they can be affected by—there are no rules or guidelines on that.

But what even is the incense, actually? As it turns out, it is not supernatural or literal, actual incense or mist, but rather horribly corrupted mana/life energy. How and why this is happening is a mystery the characters will need to solve throughout the course of the game, but it has since ICly been established that the incense works by affecting the life force of all things because it is the life force of all things, only warped by something sinister. Characters with magical ties will be able to sense its spiritual and elemental properties, but at this time no one has found a way to "cleanse" it.

Characters can transform into monsters? They can, either temporarily or permanently. There is no specific list of monsters available—it can be something from the bestiary, something from your characters' homeworld, or something else entirely. Transformations can be as dramatic (full blown turning into a dragon, various body horrors) or as minor (kitty ears) as you want, so long as the scale and magnitude doesn't break the game. Transformations also do not have to be strictly organic—characters may also become more elemental, or even mechanical (but cannot be robotic, unless you want the tech limitations to constantly wreck them).

Transformed individuals typically suffer from other debilitating long-term symptoms like rage, mania, pain and the like more than others, so keep in mind that your catboys may bite. These effects can be permanent, can take effect gradually, and can also change or disappear as you please. A character dying may not necessarily "reset" them back to normal, or maybe it will—if you want it to! There's lot of creative freedom here, so go wild! This mechanic is also not mandatory under any circumstances; it's only an option available to anyone who would like to play that sort of thing out.

Does my character have to be affected? Can someone be immune? There are no immunities and no easy cures, period. It's not possible to be exposed to the incense and not be affected, but how it does so is up to player discretion. If a character stays in town indefinitely, there is still a chance during some events that they may be affected, so you can't avoid it forever, however the worst of it will be during quests and plots involving the ruins.

Is it possible for characters to build up a tolerance to the incense over time? To some degree, yes... in the sense that constant, prolonged exposure will more than likely result in permanent, debilitating effects your character will eventually become accustomed to. The incense works in mysterious ways, though, and will always be looking for new ways to screw people up, so is it possible to eventually become immune to it entirely? No.

Are animals affected as well? What about fantasy creatures such as Pokemon, summoned monsters, etc.? Animals (and plants as well) are all affected, yes; with some exceptions, the native monsters on Copalli were once all regular animals that were mutated over time into different species. Any companions from your characters' world can (and will, eventually) be affected in the same way as human characters, including and up to transforming into monster forms themselves. These also can be temporary or permanent, depending on what you'd like to play.

What if my character doesn't have a respiratory system/doesn't breathe? Will they still be affected? Yes. Exposure can happen even if a character holds their breath for a long time or if they don't breathe at all, as it will also "sink in" to any pore, apparatus, or what-have-you it can touch. Effects will happen much more slowly to those who don't breathe, though, so they may have an advantage—at least until they get inside the ruins.

...What happens when they get inside the ruins? Powers and inhuman abilities will begin to act strangely. Characters with cybernetics may begin to "malfunction," those who practice magic may not be able to control their spells, animal companions will behave erratically, and the like. The incense (or whatever is controlling it?) will do everything in its power to halt intruders, and like the other effects, you may choose how this hinders your character. Don't worry, though—it is possible to beat.

What does the incense smell like? That's up to you. Some say it smells earthy, and some say it smells floral or fruity. The truth is that it's up to character interpretation and will smell "familiar" to each one.

What happens when my character arrives? Characters will be sent by player choice or, if they have no preference, by RNG to one of four locations (Tikal, Coba, Kiichpan or Coatepec), arriving out of a sudden cloud of incense somewhere within the walls of their assigned city. There is no specific “arrival spot” where someone is more likely to appear—it can be anywhere! They will “wake up” there and this will only be surprising to the locals if it’s an especially odd place to be. Upon arrival, there will not be much in the way of NPC involvement, no “welcome committee,” “starter packs,” etc. NPC townsfolk will simply think they’re adventurers coming in from another city, or perhaps from some mysterious place beyond the mist, and won’t treat them with much fanfare. The coteries will be glad to have them even if their skillsets don’t align with the specialty of that group—anyone can be taught! The leaders of the coteries will be Intrigued, to say the least, about these new arrivals, and some may have questions about the worlds they come from, but will generally avoid prying too much. Each coterie leader will explain the gist of what they aim to do, what their jobs are, and will provide characters with their communication medallion (see more on this below), something that even the native members wear. After that, they'll be on their own to begin taking quests, exploring, and saving the world.

Minor quests will be available pretty much all of the time, and characters may take on as many as they wish (within reason/being realistic with what your character is able to do). Characters are encouraged to party up as survival outside the towns is dangerous. These will be broken down by area, although characters may travel to another location and take quests there as well and are not locked to particular coteries, in most cases.

How will characters communicate? Is there a network? The "network" comes in two parts. Upon joining a coterie, your character will be given a large golden medallion on a chain to wear around their neck, the back of each emblazoned with the crest of their coterie (a jaguar, eagle, snake or lizard). These medallions enable characters to understand both the natives and each other, as well as speak in a universally understood way; think of them as portable translators. Without them, characters who speak the same language would understand each other, but not anyone else, so they would really be wise not to lose this object as it cannot be replaced. The medallions must be worn in order to be effective, but it doesn't have to be around the neck; anywhere on the body is fine.

Not only do these medallions translate spoken language in person, they can also be used to communicate long-distance—speak the name of the person you want to reach into it, turn it in your hand, and you'll be connected to them so long as they also have their medallion. If two characters have the same name... you'd better hope they have a surname. And if they don't, you might end up talking to the wrong person. The name the medallions respond to will be the name your character gives to the coterie, which can cause some confusion if your character is the type to give out fake names. There is no IC way around this, and names cannot be changed once they're "registered."

The other part of the "network" comes in the form of journals. Writing done by one character will appear on the pages of everyone's book, and they are all linked this way. The same goes for stains, spills, stabbing a hole in the pages, etc. On the front of each journal is a round divot where characters can insert their medallions, enabling a sort of one-way voice-to-text function, if you will (that is, you can speak to the journal and have your words transcribed, but it will not read the words on the page back to you). The journals will not auto-translate written text, so it is possible to write in foreign languages.

Characters are not given the journals by default; they can be bought from a particular trader in each of the four cities, and can be replaced if lost or damaged, but you cannot own more than one per character at a time. Journals will not function until your character signs the inside of the front cover—this will also act as their "signature" on their entries. If a character comes into possession of another character's journal, it will stop functioning and will simply be a blank, useless book.

What if my character can't speak, read, write, etc.? Sadly, there are no magical workarounds for that at this time. Characters who cannot speak won't be able to use the voice function, but will still have spoken word around them translated for them. Characters who cannot read/write won't be able to utilize the journal effectively—they can use the voice-to-text feature to dictate written words, but unless someone writes very hard on the page and they trace the letters, or if someone is able to translate for them, they won't be able to see written responses.

What happens if a character dies? Within six hours after death, the character's body will dissipate into wisps of incense and disappear. They will return 24 hours after death at one of two locations: back in the city they arrived in originally (whether that's the current city they're living in nonwithstanding), or in the spot where they died, up to player choice. At that time, they will reappear just as they did originally, made of mist and tumbling out of a cloud back into the real world. And yes, animal companions can die and respawn the same way.

During that 24 hours, they will have no "presence" or memory of that stretch of time upon returning. There is currently no "cost" for dying, but this may change if anyone happens to die enough times.

APPLICATIONS & CHARACTERS

Is there a player or character cap for Incensed? Yes, the current player cap is 50. You can see the updated number of players at the top of the taken list. There is no character cap, however players may have a maximum of four characters in the game at a time.

How do I reserve and apply for a character? At this time, Incensed is not accepting applications. Applications are now always open! These will only close if the game reaches the player cap. At this time, we have done away with reserves due to the low volume of new players and always-open apps, but if you have any concerns, please let us know.

What characters can I apply for? We are currently accepting applications for canon characters from any video game, movie, TV series, comic book, webcomic, etc., as well as original characters. We do also allow malleable protagonists, however, we will only accept one version of these characters. That is, there can only be one version of Byleth from Fire Emblem, Traveler from Genshin Impact, or Warrior of Light from FFXIV.

At this time we do not accept applications for real people such as musicians, historical figures outside of fiction, etc., fandom OCs (original characters created for a specific canon's universe), Alternate Universe versions of canon characters, or CRAUs (canon characters apped in with memories carried over from another game).

How long should I wait to apply for characters from a new canon? One month from release date. This also includes new seasons/chapters/etc. when canon updating, to give people a fair chance to avoid spoilers.

Do you accept "challenge" applications? No, applications will be judged on a first come, first serve basis. If we do receive two applications for the same character at the same time, we will look over both applications and accept whichever is better.

Can I reapply for a dropped character I previously played? Yes. If you were the last person to play that character, you may reapply for them with or without their memories from their previous time in the game intact, whichever you prefer. On your application, be sure to make a note that you are reapplying in the subject line. Please note that they won't be able to be apped in with any items they would have had in-game currently on their person, nor waiting for them immediately upon arrival; unless they had close CR who may have saved some of their things, NPCs will typically claim anything left behind by a dropped character. Any changes to their powers, permanent bodily/mental changes due to the incense, and the like will also be reset.

If you are applying for a dropped character that someone else played before you, none of this is applicable and must be treated as a brand new arrival.

Can there be doubles of a character (show version vs. book version, etc.)? No. There can only be one version of any character—we will only accept Kingdom Hearts Cloud Strife or Final Fantasy Cloud Strife (this also applies to OG Cloud Strife and Remake Cloud Strife), to use an example.

What if my character died in canon? That's okay, they're not dead anymore. They will be fashioned out of mist just like the rest, even from beyond the veil of death. Characters coming in from after their deaths may remember what happened to them or not—up to you.

My character was injured/is dying at the point in canon I want to app from, is that allowed? That's fine. NPCs and other characters can attempt to help them as best they can, but there will be no guarantees at saving their life, so you may play that out as you see fit. If your character dies from these injuries immediately upon arriving, they will still be subject to the 24 hour respawn period, though.

What if my character is terminally ill, has a disability, requires a special diet, etc.? There are no magical cures for ailments, injuries and disabilities upon arrival, however there will likely be healers or medicine in-game that may help, so you may play that out as you see fit. As for special diets and requirements, such as vampires, they will still function the same here.

Are non-human characters humanized? Not at all. Animal characters will stay animals, robots will stay robots, etc. Characters with cybernetics may keep those, however if they require electricity to function they will eventually break down as there is no such power source on Copalli. There are no options to humanize characters via the setting, so if they are not human in canon, they will not be human here. The only change would be characters that are gamebreakingly large or cumbersome—they will be sized down to a more manageable size.

Are character powers enabled? Character powers are fully enabled, however abilities that obstruct the flow of time or space will have a cap placed on them. That is, no creating portals in order to escape to other dimensions (including off the planet the game takes place on or "alternate realities"), teleporting, or changing the flow of time. Powers will also receive a considerable nerf the closer they get to the ruins, as the incense and whatever is controlling it attempts to dissuade anyone from getting close. Magic-users will find their magic less effective or difficult to control, super strong or fast characters will be come slower and weaker, etc. Once they leave the area of effect, their powers will return to normal. Healers will also be effective when treating others under the effects of the incense and may be offer to some reprieve, but they will be unable to prevent characters from being affected.

Everything else, in the meantime, will be fully functional, and that also extends to weapons. We only ask that before you cause significant damage to any NPCs or part of the setting that you PM a mod for permission first.

Can my character bring an animal companion/familiar/etc.? Yes, provided the animal companion is not sentient enough to be considered an appable character themselves, characters may bring one animal with them. This also includes Pokemon, Personas, summonable beasts, etc.

What items can characters bring with them on arrival? Anything that's on your character's person can come with them, including weapons and technology. However, keep in mind that there is no way for tech to function for very long, and there will be no way to obtain more bullets, laser gun cells, etc. at any point, so many things will become functionally useless before very long.

Can I change my character's canon point? Yes, just fill out the form here. Characters being canon updated will be treated much like dead ones; they will dissolve into mist and be reformed again 24 hours later at minimum, up to seven days later. Rolling back a canon point is a special case scenario that will need to be discussed with a mod for approval. The same goes with character resets. Contact the mods for further discussion on those.

SETTING

What is the setting like? The world the game takes place on is called Talam, and the continent for the setting is called Copalli. Its weather, seasons, and the like are most similar to Central America several hundred years ago. Copalli is covered almost entirely in dense jungle and rainforest, with mountainous regions and various plateaus housing the four main cities. While we don't have a real-world land mass in mind, the continent is roughly (give or take) 1800km/1100 miles from the western-to-eastern coast. While not technically an island, the shallows and peninsulas that connect Copalli to other continents are impassable at this time. For further details on the setting, please see the locations page here!

Inspirations for the setting, including the names of the cities, some characters, and other elements are heavily influenced by ancient Mesoamerican culture, architecture, and language, particularly the Mayans and Aztecs. What started out as a Road to El Dorado nod expanded well beyond that, some of which will be revealed as the story progresses. In most cases these influences have been heavily fantasy-ified, but we have done our best to be respectful toward the very real people and places these locales, names, and symbolisms represent even in the modern day. We have also lifted ideas directly from some of our favorite role-playing games and movies, most notably Final Fantasy IX and its own Mist. Some monsters, story elements, etc. will look familiar to fellow fans, but we hope what we've come up with will provide a few surprises, too!

What is the housing situation for characters? Housing will be free for coterie members, otherwise they will have to pay for living arrangements (which are plentiful enough to have their pick of). “Rent” isn’t expected, but paying for utilities and groceries, as well as any other supplies, is. Characters won’t automatically have any in-game currency, or an immediate exchange of their denomination into local currency (however, some merchants or maybe even someone at the nearest coterie may be willing to buy some of your character’s currency if it’s interesting enough). Naturally, “nicer” homes in the heart of the town (safest from the mist) will cost more, becoming less costly the closer you get to the walls. Coterie members will be automatically entitled to something more mid-tier, with options to upgrade relatively quickly.

Can characters live outside the city? It's possible for them to, yes, but likely won't end well. There are next to no settlements outside of the plateaus, but if your character were intrepid enough to, say, scale a mountain and build a home there above the mist, they might stand a chance. Outside of that, survival below the mist will eventually drive characters to madness, so it isn't advised.

How difficult is travel between the cities? How long does it take to get from place to place? To cross the continent on foot would take over a week if everything went perfectly and you never needed to stop to rest. For normal people, and factoring in incense effects, stopping to rest, and dealing with monsters, it's closer to two weeks. Characters who can fly or otherwise move at super speeds can save days and hours off their trips, but hindrances will always pose a problem one way or another.

As of February 2022, however, beast-drawn carriages and wagons have been deployed in each city to make transport faster and safer. For a small gold fee, one of these transports can get you to your destination in half the time. There is always the possibility of a terrible mishap along the way, however—the only certain thing in life is uncertainty, after all.

Is it possible to travel outside of Copalli? Not at this time, no. But maybe once the incense is dealt with...?

What is the technology level on Copalli? The short answer is that there is none. There are no capabilities even for solar power, no electricity, nothing. The setting is as ancient as it comes, and it doesn't seem like it's any different outside of Copalli, either. They have carts and carriages, but few animals to safely pull them (or to ride on in general), so faster travel is at times scarce. The windmills are their primary source of energy for anything they do have, and there are even watermills for hydro-powered looms in a couple of the cities. There is no way to build any sort of technology at this point, either, and none of the locals will know what to do with anything characters may bring with them.

One thing we would like to stress it that we have no intention for this to change—while the setting will slowly grow over time with characters bringing things from home with them, hunting for available resources and utilizing them, etc., incensed was designed specifically to be a tech-free game. We would prefer to keep advanced weaponry, machines, more complex tools and the like out of the game entirely, as the idea is to play in a less convenient setting and to be subject to the various struggles of surviving in it. We are always willing to discuss what would be "too much" if you're unsure, but request that players please use their best judgment with regard to what it's possible to find, build, etc. in this world. Thank you for understanding!

Can my character start their own business? Yes! Every city except for Coba has a marketplace and ample space to set up a business (although nothing whatsoever is stopping anyone from setting up shop in Coba if they'd like, for that matter). Much like housing, "rent" won't be expected for the space, just the cost of utilities and supplies. You'll have to procure the materials to sell whatever you're selling, but this can be done for trade and profit.

At this time there is no "businesses" page, but you may comment to the locations page under the city the business is located in to make mention of it if you like.

What is the currency on Copalli? What is the economy like? "Currency" exists in the form of gold pieces, referred as exactly that. Money does change hands plenty on Copalli, and is universal across all of the cities, however the much more valuable form of commerce is done in trade. Coterie members in particular will have access to many valuable things natives, other members, and other characters will likely be in need of. In the marketplaces, trade is the preferred form of barter as well. Food shortages are rare, but anyone who can grow things, cook, or kill edible monsters will always be welcomed with open arms, as will anyone who can make weaponry, or things that might help protect against the incense such as masks.

COTERIES

Does my character have to join a coterie? Technically, no, but this is the only way characters will be able to participate in the story, receive a communication medallion, or benefit from any perks coteries are privy to. Most employment opportunities, business, and politics wind up filtering through the coterie anyway, so it's by far the best way to get involved and make a living. Characters don't need to fraternize with their coterie to benefit from it, necessarily, but so long as they have that emblazoned medallion and something to prove they're making an effort, it counts.

What will my character do in the coterie? It depends on which one they're in. Further details on what each coterie specializes in can be found here, but the short version is that they'll be fighting monsters, exploring the land, and recovering lost treasures. The main goal will always be to put a stop to the incense by gaining control of the four cursed relics, something that all four coteries will work together to accomplish during story events. In-between those, though, their jobs range from security to courier work, capturing monsters to ride, bringing back supplies, and tending to the wounded. They'll also get to know both their leader and the other members over time, and who knows where those connections might get you?

Can you join multiple coteries? Characters can only be a member of one coterie at a time, however it is possible do jobs for other ones when visiting the other cities. Depending on which coterie your character is in, the leader of a neighboring coterie may welcome them or treat them with disdain, but in general no help will be outright refused. It is possible to leave a coterie and join another; when this happens, your character will exchange their medallion for one with the symbol of their new coterie on it. No, they can't get the old one back; it's gone forever.

Are characters able to interact directly with the NPCs/leaders? Yes, at times. NPCs will never comment to characters' journal entries, voice posts, or logs, but there is a specific post here where characters will be able to interact directly with the leaders of their coterie. This is meant to be limited to more minor interactions such as asking questions or reporting in on a situation outside of the city, or maybe even catching up for a drink... if they're in the mood. The leaders of the coteries aren't always available or willing to chat, and may not always be completely forthright with their answers, however they are all generally interested in helping their comrades.

Who are the coterie leaders? What do they look like? You can read more about the four coterie leads and see their picture on the Coteries page! In short, their names are Alaric, Florian, Jun and Aminat, although they typically just go by the name of the animal their coterie is based on (Jaguar, Eagle, Viper and Salamander). Each of them have their own specialties, motivations, and roles in the story and gameplay, which you'll find out over time, and by interacting with them!

What are the pay and rewards like? There is no "paycheck" exactly, but members will be given free housing, free training and supplies, and oftentimes will have free or easy access to food and other amenities. When completing quests and other missions for the coterie, they will be rewarded in gold pieces primarily, but may also get to keep a relic or tool they find. Since this is based off of RPGs, don't be surprised if Jaguars are paid in better weaponry and Salamanders in fancier, older books to read. Rewards for jobs completed will be listed on the quest posting, so you'll have an idea of what to expect at the end.

QUESTS & EVENTS

Where are the ruins located, and how does my character reach them? You can see where the currently mapped out ruins are on the locations page! New ruins, from story-related ones to mini-events, ruins for quests, and just random ones thrown out for fun will be added to the page and the game map over time, and announcements will be made when new content is available! Quests and events will help direct characters toward suspected locations, and at times the mods will respond to players in a "choose your own adventure" interactive style until they find something (or die, I guess). In many cases characters will have to party up to reach them.

What does the treasure do? Well, it's treasure. It's shiny, valuable, and rare. Most of the easier to obtain relics characters find will be good only for trading or selling, or else keeping as tchotchkes. The more uncommon ones, though, will grant characters special powers upon possessing them—things like rapid healing, greater strength, night vision, the ability to conjure certain elements, and many other things. Not all that glitters is gold or a mysterious old artifact, though: there will also be ancient equipment to find, like armor, weapons, and accessories, just like in RPGs. In some cases, boss monsters will drop special items, or quest rewards will be something else entirely that may or may not be useful—you'll just have to wait and see.

How will relic distribution be determined OOCly? By RNG, for the most part. If a party of characters successfully completes a quest and obtains a relic, RNG will spare them the trouble of infighting for it and it will be granted to that character. Now, if the players of that party decide amongst themselves to thread out a fight after that... that's on y'all. A description of what the prize does will be provided so players (and by extension, characters) can decide to roll for need or not—we won't trick you into fighting over garbage. Most of the time, anyway.

What happens to a relic if the character in possession of it is dropped? Their coterie will claim it, in most cases. Characters can in theory leave their items behind to another character if they plan ahead, and in most respects those wishes will be honored upon discovery. It's possible for someone to steal it, too, but coteries won't look too fondly on that kind of behavior. Not even the Vipers. (Probably.)

What about the four cursed relics? You'll just have to wait and see what's up with those as the story progresses!

What sort of monsters can my character expect to face? A non-comprehensive list of mobs can be found here, however generally they will be the sorts of things you'd find in any RPG. Wolves, birds, viney evil flowers, possessed crabs, land worms, floating things that look cute but cast misery-inducing spells, and so on. There are also "friendly" creatures and domesticated animals that haven't been twisted by the incense's influence, as well as other fantasy creatures that may appear more rarely, or during events. Oh, and deep within some of the temple ruins, there are also boss monsters.

...Boss monsters? You heard me.

Are players able to run plots of their own? Absolutely! Drop us a line over on the suggestions page with any ideas you have in mind.

Comments

[jinxs]

hey mods!

i'd like to know the state of tobacco! can we get any?

also, is it possible to store incense to release it later? asking for a friend.

[treasuremap]

There is tobacco on the continent, although the Salamanders keep it almost entirely for medicinal purposes. Anywhere else that might have it uses it for rituals and ceremonies, so it isn't available for recreational use typically.

Incense will linger inside airtight containers for a very short period of time but will dissipate within minutes, so it's not possible to store it.

[comelately]

hi mods! potentially silly question here again. is any of kiichpan still livable, or have all the residents been moved to coba for the time being, including outlanders?

[treasuremap]

Some of Kiichpan is still livable! Most of the residential area was leveled, but there are still buildings that can be repurposed as housing, or homes that were built closer to the front gates that are available, and there's also a rooms available in the Viper HQ. The places toward the front of the city would've received minimal damage/flooding, so not much work would need to be done for them to be habitable.

[givenofox]

Hi! If I feel Ren isn't a good fit for me in the game and want to app someone else, would there be a waiting period between the drop and app?

[treasuremap]

Nope, no waiting period! You can drop and app another, up to four at a time, whenever you're ready.

[fallingsand]

A few book and library questions here.

- Is written fiction (outside of simply recording legends and myths) a thing at all? And what kind of legends are there, anyway, if one were to just give a rough idea?

- Are Coatepec's libraries limited to the Salamanders or is anyone welcome?

- And do they have a printing press? Or are all the books in Coatepec (libraries and the marketplace) handwritten copies?

[treasuremap]

- There are fiction books as well! The age range varies, so one could find children's stories in the same vein as fairytales, young adult, and adult fiction as well, including the... saucy type of adult fiction, if that's your speed. (I would even go so far as to say coterie leader shipping fic exists somewhere. This is a lawless wasteland.) Legends mostly center around the old gods, very similar to the Aztec pantheon, as well as some of the more uncommon/mythical monsters, some of which are on the bestiary and some of which have ~yet to be revealed~. It would be fair to say that a character could've read something about one of them when they are revealed without completely spoiling the surprise, if one wanted to go that route.

- Salamanders (and at the moment, Vipers) are automatically allowed in—the other two coteries will need to check in when they arrive but other than a quick "what's your name, which group are you with" they won't turn anyone away. You can bypass that if you namedrop someone in the Salamanders too, which they won't bother to reference check because security is awesome here.

- They are all handwritten, any artwork painted by hand etc. That's one reason the libraries are looked after and books are a big commodity especially in Coatepec—it is a nightmare to replace one that's damaged. That said there are occasionally multiple copies of the same book, because someone really had that much time on their hands, but it's not common.

[skyglider]

Hello. I'm sorry in advance because I am here to ruin you.

(As in, I have questions about the ruins.)

1. Style. Do the structures look like they were once lavish? Modest? Are they mostly just rock, do they look like they've been looted for treasured items (ie gold inlay, whatever), things like that? Or do they look like mostly utilitarian spaces?

2. Details. Are there any artistic flourishes in these ruins? Reliefs, carvings? Paintings/frescoes/etc? Statues? Decorative columns or touches? And if there are, is the style used fairly universal across the different ruins? (If there aren't any, do they look like they were created without these things, or do they look like they've been looted?)

3. Structure. Are most of the ruins constructed from similar (or the same) materials? Do they look like they might have come from the same era? Are most of them in a similar state of disrepair/being reclaimed by the wilderness? Do any of these structures bear a passing resemblance to types of structures that currently exist in Copalli?

4. "Roll History and Investigation at disadvantage" stuff, meaning, is there anything in any of the ruins listed on the Locations page that might indicate anything about ancient Copalli lore, societies, gods, religion, etc?

(i am VERY VERY SORRY to ask things that might involve very........detailed answers ;;;;;)

[treasuremap]

Sorry for the delay, no thoughts head empty. And never apologize for the in-depth questions, they're the most fun to answer!

To preface, we're planning to add more "named" minor ruins to the locations page pretty soon, and those places can fall into these examples as well, but there's an expansive amount of ruins all over the continent that can be handwaved into existence as well. If anything strikes a picture in your mind's eye you could even drop us a suggestion to make it a Thing, but otherwise this is just kind of "in general, if you were wandering around and found something out in the jungle that isn't on the map."

1. The style does somewhat vary depending on what region you're in. In some ways, they are almost reflective of their closest city—that is, the abandoned ruins near Kiichpan are usually bigger and more decorative while ruins near Coba are often open spaces with no ceiling, narrow and tall types of buildings. This isn't always the case (ie. Tepeticpac is a tall tower, Tenyo is mostly unimpressive sewers, etc.), but sometimes the outside doesn't match the inside, so at times a nondescript outer area will be very impressive on the inside, or a fancy-looking building will have absolutely nothing in it. Many (not quite "most," but a good amount) ruins do still have things like gold and jewels all over the place, like solid gold floors or gemstone doorknobs and things like that, but others will be utterly picked clean down to the last shiny crumb. A vast majority of the ruins one could find give the impression of having been places of ritual and worship, so there is a lot of focus on things like raised platforms, decorated altars, and the like, which in some cases can be quite grim and rough-hewn, and in others extremely lavish and seemingly important. On the other hand, there are also what seem to be entire lost villages, with many of the buildings decimated completely, but those that do still stand clearly resembling dwellings and with ancient civilized items still able to be found, like tableware, blankets, candles, old kids' toys, and all sorts of things of that nature.

2. Yes! Lots of art, statutes, carvings and the like, oftentimes on the interior walls of many of the buildings that are still standing. For the most part, artistic depictions will be of ancient gods, rituals, and things of cultural significance such as holidays they might have celebrated or traditions the people of those times followed, done in essentially a hieroglyphic type of style (although there may also be detailed murals of more impressive scenes). The general architecture will be consistent across the continent with regards to style and method of construction. There will absolutely be evidence of looting in some places, with entire pieces of buildings seemingly missing. It's feasible one could track down where those pieces went if they explored the four cities and asked around, with conclusions ranging from "kept on display in Coatepec for historical preservation/educational purposes" to "some hunter in Tikal found it and is keeping it as a mantlepiece". There's a lot to be found in the markets for trade/sale as well.

3. For the most part, yes, most will be of same/similar construction materials (which more often than not was stone, but also stucco, adobe, or even clay or wood). Of course, buildings made from less sturdy material will be the most fallen apart if not completely disintegrated. They are all from the same era and in the same amounts of disrepair generally, although those toward the fringes of the continent will be even wilder than the ones in the center or closeby to the cities. As mentioned in #1 there is some correlation between what exists now and what can be found out there, but the resemblances are distant as far as the actual style and decoration currently used in the cities (for example, there are distinctly Asian-themed influences in Kiichpan that you won't find anywhere else, including the outlying ruins).

4. Yes, a bit! Atotclalli seems to be one of those lost villages, although all that once resembled housing is essentially lost, leaving only ritual daises and scattered items. Tenyo doesn't have a lot to offer directly, but its construction and the intricacies of the waterways leading into Kiichpan is noteworthy of the industriousness of whoever designed it. Tepeticpac doesn't really have much anymore, actually, having been largely destroyed (and now an even bigger wreckage thanks to Phoenix), but there is some evidence that it was a site more or less specifically erected for the legendary bird. Xochityotl and Tezcatli, however, have all kinds of murals, carvings, statues, lost treasure and other various indicators of ancient culture still available to find inside, the latter in particular to Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl and the culture surrounding those gods, and the former just in general history. There will be even more of these, and more info on what's already there, coming soon!

[rinwell]

Hello modly ones! A couple of questions for you:

1) I've generally treated Rinwell's ability to sense astral energy vs the incense as sensing that magic feels increasingly "sick" and overwhelmed the more incense is present. It also causes her magic to fail and/or get heavily disrupted. Is that an accurate way to view it going forward, given her current canon point and limited reading of astral energy? And would there be anything to take into account that could be big (or little) trouble down the line?

2) Tangentially related to the above + the recent phoenix log, Rinwell plans to go back and check the tower for incense levels, as well as to see if the phoenix was indeed reborn. Is there anything in particular she might notice, both element wise and energy wise in the area? And how safe/friendly is it to approach a baby phoenix?

3) Do baby phoenixes like (large) bird toys?

[treasuremap]

1. That would be accurate, yes! The incense will absolutely trash elemental sensitivity and muddy any identification of it up completely, like a fuzzy picture on an old TV. It's notable that it is possible to detect elemental energy within the incense itself, although again it will be a complete hazy jumble of conflicting input that can, when the incense is very dense, almost seem like an overload but indistinguishable amount of everything. Where the incense is thin, or inside the cities, it would be much easier to discern specific elements and the "planet's will," for lack of a better term, which there will be more on very soon! One major obstacle is the incense's tendency to dampen this magical sense over time, and to make magic harder to access, especially the more it's used. This will also be coming up very soon!

2. Nothing in particular about the area itself, but she may get a strong magical read on the Phoenix. As a baby it will be pretty harmless but not the most receptive to humans, although it will very much appreciate food. It grows fast and will reach the next stages of its life in matters of weeks, so it won't take long for it to become properly flaming and flying around on its own.

3.

[fallingsand]

I am back with additional setting questions, sorry, sorry.

1. If someone were to ask about brewing/distilling setups in Coba, would anyone be willing to give him a tour of just where they get their copious amounts of alcohol? Or is it all a well-kept Eagle trade secret?

2. What's the verdict on sugar? I know there's honey but sugarcane or sugar beets are unclear. My assumption is no since those aren't typically native to the area Copalli is based on but wanted to make sure.

[treasuremap]

1. It is something of a well-kept Eagle secret, in the sense that they basically treat it like their own personal inside joke and will tease other coteries about whether they're down to hang what with being a bunch of super lame squares and all... but if you're actually interested, Isabella the barkeep or even Eagle himself would be willing to show off the distilleries, yes!

2. Correct in that there wouldn't be sugar! Using things like honey and nectars, they've found ways to compensate here and there, but yeah that chocolate is bitter as hell.

[goldenscarred]

Hellooooo, I have a character specific question. I'm looking to app this guy, and he has a certain item I'd like him to bring that has quite a lot of power to it, and unsure if it should be nerfed or not.

For something like this, is it preferable to limit how many "spells" it can do a day, or to eliminate a certain amount of types of powers it has? For example, instead of infinite use, it can be used to do 10 "spells" a day, or to say "it can't do earth/water/creation magic"?

[treasuremap]

The staff should be fine without a nerf! The only thing that might need tweaking could be the scope of what can be conjured with creation magic -- as long as it isn't anything setting- or game-breaking then you're good. And of course you can have the incense cause it to malfunction whenever you want to, too, so you can play around with self-imposed limits as you go along.

[dumbjockenergy]

Hello, hello!

I was wondering if there were any plans for a Discord server for the game?

[treasuremap]

There is not, and we would ask that this not be set up on a game-wide basis since this isn't something the mods are able to moderate unfortunately (we don't have a problem with cast/plotting servers or anything like that though).

[patchricide]

So, the medallions translate spoken word, and they can convert between speech and text in the journals. Is there anything that translates the actual written words on the page itself? Specifically, if Allura writes in Altean text, will others see it as such, and need to use their medallions to decode it?

(I apologize if it sounds like I'm overthinking this! Alien language stuff comes up a lot in her canon.)

[treasuremap]

There is nothing that translates written text, or that can turn text into speech! So any other language/runes/code cyphers etc. will stay as-is.

[directedby]

Hello! I'm shopping around for a game and wanted to ask: is applying with a "two minds, one body" sort of character acceptable? As for the specific character I'm wondering about (spoilers for Deadly Premonition):

York is a character who spends a lot of time talking to his unseen companion, Zach. To onlookers, it looks like Zach is his imaginary friend.

In reality, Zach is a real person, and York is the "imaginary friend." But to make things muddy, York also has his own soul and likely originated as a separate being. So they are two different people, but there's a huge amount of overlap in their history and personalities, as they've lived together in one body for their whole lives. York's comments to Zach are a part of his character voice and why I think he'd be fun to play, so I'm hoping to find a place where I can play them as a package.

[treasuremap]

We would be open to accepting them as a package since they have lived in the same body! On the application, you'd want to make sure to detail information for both and we'll take a closer look to make sure everything checks out and whether there's anything that would need to be changed, but it seems like you should be good to go.

[takingchances]

I know there's a few tidbits about clothing, fabrics and accessories dropped in here and there in the location descriptions but I wanted to ask a few more questions. If you have any good resources to link instead of having to write up anything detailed, feel free! I just asking because eventually Eva's going to have to put the turtleneck and slacks away and I want to have a good idea of the sorts of things she'll end up in.

1) What's the general fashion around here that might be readily available to buy? Shirts / pants / dresses / tunics / whatever? Is it more likely there isn't anything ready made and they'd have to go to seamstresses and the like?

2) I know it's mention Coatepec typically has more subdued colors. Do the basic fashions vary quite a bit from location to location though? If I missed this in reading over everything I apologize.

3) What sorts of fabrics are most common?

[blackmages]

1) Fashion across Copalli amongst the locals is roughly based off what may have been seen in ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. Some loose examples might be something along these lines and another lovely chart. Another good example are Huipil! Tunics, dresses and pants are available as well, as each city has a little bit of flair picked up from their respective Coteries and their leaders even if they're a bit incongruent with the local style.

Finding a good seamstress shouldn't be too difficult all things considered, so if Eva is ever in the market for another turtleneck they could most certainly provide so long as she doesn't mind alpaca wool!


2) Coatepec does tend to lean towards muted colors when it comes to their clothing but they're still fairly vibrant, and while they're nowhere near as flashy as Coba's residents they still enjoy adorning themselves with gold. It's not a lot since they prefer practicality over looks.

Some other examples that we hope help:

- Tikal incorporates the bulk of the animals they hunt into their garb, so seeing a Jaguar warrior and/or hunter with the entire pelt including the head acting as the hood of a cloak/part of a helmet may be fairly common, as well as claws/fangs/feathers acting as jewelry or other adornments.
- Coba takes some influence from their leader, Eagle. Think tunics, high waisted pants, ribbons, ruffles, anything to make them stand out.
- Kiichpan likes their brocade-esque fabrics and belts to go with them. Nobody tell them that half of it clashes with their current outfit!
- Coatepec, courtesy of their love for Salamander, enjoy their fair share of cloaks and robes. Everyone loves a good cloak, and the Salamanders are no exception.

3) Textiles are most often made from cotton/maguey fibers and alpaca wool. The residents of Copalli are fantastic at making brightly colored fabrics with natural dyes, but they don't know how to work with anything synthetic. Silk is present in Kiichpan and Coatepec courtesy of some of the local wildlife/plantlife, while Coba and Tikal wind up using more leather and metals with their fabrics.

[pyralisit]

Hello and I apologize for the nature of this question, but I'm just wondering what the policy/preference is regarding characters with triggering content involved in their backstories? I'm considering apping in a character who has some triggering content in his past and while he is not likely to discuss it (and I always cut/lock/warn when it does come up), and I have an opt-out/permissions post in place, I understand if that would be the sort of character that wouldn't fit well or be allowed.

Thanks in advance

[blackmages]

As a fantasy horror game, our policy is that you should always communicate with your fellow players, particularly in regards to triggering content. Permissions and opt-out posts are great to have, and clear warnings and cuts for content on logs are actively encouraged.

Always be conscientious when playing with others, use your best judgement, and if you have any doubts on something specific, you can always ask here on the FAQ or contact the mods directly for clarification
.

[forethinking]

hello mods!

so, my question is, how would persona5 work in this setting? persona5 is tied to a cognitive world, that is non-existent here. would ren still have access to his phantom thief attire and persona? thank u!

[blackmages]

Ren can keep the clothing! The gun would only function as an airsoft gun since further use would be tied directly to his canon. For the persona, it would fall under the "one summonable creature" rule, so he can have access to one of your choosing to summon at will (invoking would be subject to the same incense hindrances as other magic from time to time, and could potentially affect the persona itself being able to use its abilities as well).

[cyberlife]

hey, i noticed the tdm mod question top-level is from january, so i decided to pop over here instead! i hope that's alright.

i have to ask if the flan side-effects would have an impact on an android like connor (i'm not saying he's going to lick a sample, but anything could happen with this idiot), or if he'd be immune to them. thanks so much!

[blackmages]

Whoops whoops! You're good, link is fixed now!

Connor can definitely still be affected by the flans! Same as the incense, the slime can "sink in" even though he technically doesn't have the same sort of porous human skin etc. that humans do! You're also free to play around with that and have it affect him less, take longer to kick in -- whatever works! (Please don't lick the flans.)

[hardwearing]

Hello! I have another technology-based question... when you say there's "no way for tech to function for very long" does that account for things that have their own self-sustaining power? Or does anything technological degrade somehow? Halo armor runs off a built in reactor that's meant to run indefinitely, so in theory unless something about the setting would destroy it structurally most of Wash's tech would continue to function.

Since it's not 100% necessary to playing the character (as opposed to an actual robot like Connor) I'd understand if you preferred some kind of middle ground! Like nerfing certain capabilities? There's nothing game breaking except the life support, but that's easy enough to ignore since the incense doesn't behave like regular smoke/fog.

Thank you in advance!!

[blackmages]

Hey there! That's correct! While it may function for a time, eventually it will eventually break down and cease to function since it isn't vital to survival (as opposed to early MCU Tony Stark for instance). Essentially he'll still have the armor to act as protection from monsters and other physical/magical threats while it's in one piece, prolonged effects to exposure to the Incense will make it corrode and degrade at a faster rate. Due to the lack of technology as a whole, repairs will also be difficult-to-impossible so once something else breaks, it'll simply be a nice display piece.

We'll leave it to player discretion as to how long break down takes, but in the meantime you're absolutely free to have it malfunction, backfire, hiccup, etc however which way you'd like!

[thelaw]

Hello lovely mods, I got couple more questions this time (forgive me!!) mostly regarding death/body horror.

1. With transformations into monsters, I recently had Flynn turn into an armored dragon. If I wanted to play with the idea of Flynn's transformation not fully going away/leaving armor-scales on his arms, would that be acceptable? Since it's not entirely an animal/monster transformation, given that it's part dragon-scale, part metal.

2. With regard to the question above, if a character had something that physically impacted them, would dying "reset" someone's body to the state it was in when they first came in, or would they be brought back to life in the same state they died in, just not dying anymore? And would canon updating affect this as well?

Three specific examples I have in mind:
a. Flynn should have bullets in him, from when Jinx shot him, and then was canon updated. Would the canon update have removed the bullet wounds?
b. If Flynn had his scale-arms, and died in game, would he lose the scale-arms, or come back with them still in place?
c. Viktor is dying of a terminal illness in canon. If he were to die in game from this illness, would he be brought back to life from his initial pull in point? KINDA DARK... SORRY X(

[blackmages]

1) It's more than acceptable! We whole-heartedly encourage folks to play with the incense effects however much they please with transformations and any lingering changes after the fact whether they be physical, mental, or otherwise! Armored scales is perfectly fine! (Even Viper has a few permanent features herself, after all!)

2) Tied in with the above, they can retain their changes/scars/etc regardless of dying if one so chooses! As far as canon updating goes, they would more than likely disappear but they can certainly be reobtained from future transformations!

To go with your examples:

a) Canon updating would remove the bullets and subsequent scarring, but if you wanted to play with phantom pains brought on by the incense... ;)
b) If Flynn were to die, you're more than free to have him retain any changes (scars, scales, etc), have them vanish and reappear at a later date, etc. There's a lot of freedom with this!
c) Were he to die he would return from his initial pull point. No need to worry about respawning and instantly keeling over again in some nightmarish version of Groundhog Day!

[fallingsand]

Hello, mods! Which page should I ask about character-specific stuff that isn't really a FAQ question but more of a 'can my character find out XYZ via this thing'? Specifically, I'm trying to figure out where I can ask about Bruno trying to get a vision on event-related stuff (even if the answer is 'he doesn't get anything', etc).

[blackmages]

We will DM you shortly on this! ;)

(In the future, you can DM us also! Alternatively you could ask on the event plotting post that goes up a week before the event log, but if you want to see about a sneakier peekier feel free to hit us up and we'll see what we can do in advance.)

[skyglider]

Hi there! Quick question about canon updates. The description in the FAQ says that a character getting canon updated would disappear for 24 hours; however, is it possible for that disappearance to last a few days longer (ie no longer than a week, if you knew you were gonna be away from a week or something)? Or is that a hard 24-hour rule?

[blackmages]

That'd be fine! If it were any longer than a week it wouldn't be a bad idea to put in a hiatus, but overall it can take however long you'd like! 24 hours is simply the bare minimum!

[dumbjockenergy]

Hello again!

On the activity rewards page, it says "Regained items cannot break the setting—that is, no objects that would introduce modern tech or enable the easy production of such things." Which feels pretty straightforward. However, the part about "modern items they do receive" is throwing me off a bit!

So just to clarify, does that mean modern items are completely out, or they're okay with the expectation they'll be essentially useless in the long run and can't be used to try to introduce the tech?

I'm specifically thinking of having Adora request something along the lines of spy bot or these little flying bots. They wouldn't be able to be used for offensive purposes, as their capabilities are meant for scouting and reconnaissance. The intention is to cheer a friend up by letting her take a look at some cool, alien tech with the understanding it would eventually run out of power or break. With the flying bots specifically, the tech would likely be far too advanced for anyone to even consider replicating it without extreme difficulty given the setting. The Spybot is much less advanced but, you know, lack of material in the setting.

SO TL;DR would this be regainable with the expectation it will break eventually or are all modern items a total no-go? The wording just has me a little confused. Thanks!!

[treasuremap]

Hi there, sorry for the delay!

We would prefer to keep more high-quality modern tech out of the game entirely when possible (with exceptions for things like life-sustaining types of tech, which would still be subject to degradation issues depending on what it is, etc) but would like to offer alternatives that are a little less impactful! That is, the dragon statue doesn't always "get it right" and might deliver a simplified version—instead of the actual bots, maybe a cheap toy version made out of plastic and cheap metals with a remote control like those old toy helicopters, or even just. A funny-looking bird. That will loyally fly around and do Adora's bidding if she feels like training it. Or if you have any other misfire ideas that could work as well!

[fallingsand]

Hello, mods!

Bruno hit up the network last month looking for volunteers to help comb the libraries in Coatepec and check over maps in Coba to try and pin down any clues to new locations for pre-incense places of knowledge and/or power that might give them more answers to the gods and their relics. The ultimate goal to try and get a better idea of what might happen if the sealed relics do get brought together, if it's good or bad or who even knows? But I do expect that will take much more legwork IC, so this is just a start to it!

Essentially, I'm asking if any leads get turned up by the following characters investigating the following topics:

Jayce - Folklore and legends.
Julian - Local language dialects to help pinpoint where certain recorded events or stories might have originated from in Copalli.
Dohalim - Researching death and resurrection in Copalli, the history of it and its rites, and its place in local religions.
Onni - Elemental energies in Copalli and going over maps with some help from Rinwell.
Connor - Pictorial writing found in ruins since he's been working on studying and learning hieroglyphic Nahuatl.
Bruno - Bruno will be heading back out the burnt-down ruins of the Great Temple in Kiichpan to see if anything has been overlooked. Onni and Rinwell offered to go with him to help sense/track down any residual magic out there, too.

By their powers combined, can they summon CAPTAIN TALAM would they be able to find anything pointing to some new ruins or new information on the gods or relics, related to those specific topics or areas?

I know this is a big ask, so don't feel the need to rush an answer to this! o/

[treasuremap]

Hello!! Now that I'm done spending two days straight shitposting as Eagle to hard refresh my brain, just wanted to let you know I/the team are hard at work on drumming up some juicy info for this (that will lead into the story event next month as a matter of fact!) and I should have it done in a day or two! Just so you didn't think we forgot you ;_;

[untsundered]

So here's a question in regards to the whole companion/summoning thing.

Emet-Selch comes from a race of people who can more or less create anything they can imagine (or if they get distracted it can create something unexpected) so long as they have the magical ability to make it manifest (which in Emet's case he absolutely does). In the faq it says that you can choose only one companion/pet, and that makes sense especially when there isn't exactly a means to swap out, say, a pokémon for a different one, or how summons are specific beings. However in his case, he would be forging these beings into existence through his own creation magic, and likewise dissipating them out of existence when he is done with them. In this regard, would he only be able to create a single creature, or would he only be able to create one creature at a time—as in, so long as that creature exists he cannot make a new one?

Sorry if this is confusing wording, I'm mainly asking this because the mechanics behind the creation magic is a little different than typical summoning magic.

[blackmages]

You're perfectly fine! We had to go back and look at our own notes about this sort of thing, so we hope this makes sense on our end!

He would still be limited to the single summoned creature whether it be a mount, a particularly adventurous axolotl, or something as simple as a canary. Dissipating said summon and attempting to conjure up a new one would wind up producing the same being with some minor changes (think an extra pair of eyes, feathers if it didn't have any, different colors, barks instead of its usual sounds, etc) brought on by the incense itself interfering with his magic. The closer he is to any ruins or places that are thick with the mist/during certain events, the potential for it to backfire increases.

For instance: that loyal and friendly mount might come out looking misshapen and aggressive, but if killed/dismissed and recalled at a later period it can return to normal or keep any changes you'd like.

Overall there would have to be other limits placed upon his creation magic outside of summoning creatures so as to not break the setting, but we'll leave that up to your discretion and ask for an adjustment if needed!

[ascarylady]

In this month's (June, that is) quest line-up, if folks were to try and backtrack where the little treant bulbs were coming from after picking them off, would they be able to find what scared them so badly, or will that remain a mystery for the time being?

[blackmages]

Apologies for the delay with this reply!

While you can certainly follow the prints of the poor little treant bulbs to find the source of their terrors, there is little in the way of physical evidence to find. However, the deeper into that area of jungle you go, the thicker the incense gets around the roots and foliage - as does a sense of overwhelming dread, which will eventually compel you to flee, overwhelmed by paranoia.

There are no answers today — but, perhaps an opportunity to follow up on this mystery will arise again..

[armourheart]

hey mods!

i just wanted to ask if getting al's armor as a reward would be too much, as it's pretty big... or maybe it can come disassembled?? or he could get it in pieces?? it's just because it says small in the post and i wanted to ask how could i make it happen!

[blackmages]

With how big the armor is (even in pieces), we'd prefer to err on the side of caution and for the time being say that he'll be able to regain the helmet at the very least. With the rest of it, the dragon may wind up getting a little confused and backfire into something akin to a 1/10 scale model made out of tin or wood minus a head!

[skyglider]

Hi again lovely mods! Question about plant life, because apparently Link is the plant guy. (Instagram name: sadplantelf)

I see above that tobacco does exist on Copalli, and that the Salamanders restrict their store of it for medicinal use. But how common is it to find tobacco plants in the wild? Are they prolific, rare? Would they most easily be found near Coatepec, or elsewhere? Someone is asking Link about them and I’d like to know whether he’s seen the plants regularly in his travels.

[blackmages]

It does exist! The plant itself is relatively rare to find anywhere on the continent, and generally if it's going to show up anywhere in the wild it'll be close to Coatepec. Those wily Salamanders are quick to pounce on it and collect it whenever it crops up in most cases, so while it's possible Link may have seen it, unless he thought to snatch it up at the time there's a good chance it'll be gone the next time he goes back to find it again.

That said, there is a way to get it outside of lucking out in the wild or convincing the Salamanders to give up their medicine, and that place is the Coatepec Plant Black Market. Passiflora, the plant store, is known for dealing under the table and selling/trading things they really shouldn't be (the Mandragora craze still isn't over), so you may be able to buy up a cutting of a tobacco plant there if you're lucky.