[Bertram Anders]

Thay.
The word is spoken like a curse throughout Faerûn.
It is a land of magic, shrouded in mystery. A land of evil, built on the backs and blood of slaves. A land of treachery where one must be wary not only of enemies, but also those considered allies. A land of opportunity for the cunning, bold, or ruthless. A land of death and despair for most others.

Welcome to Thay. May you survive the experience.
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Thay is a Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition Persistent World set in the Forgotten Realms, which allows players to join and even become leaders of the military, magical, and political forces of one of the most evil lands of Faerûn. The setting begins in the years prior to the Salamander War, the Time of Troubles, the arrival of the Tuigan Horde and the crusade to stop it, and more than a decade before Szass Tam makes his first bid at ultimate power - all events that greatly affect the realm of Thay.

One of the primary goals of Thay is to provide new experiences and many options to players every time they decide to adventure in the realm of the Red Wizards. To this end, systems have been created that dynamically generate creatures, items, treasure, encounters, traps, quests, and even areas. This provides a world and situations that are always different in some way and presents ever-changing challenges for both new and returning players.

The following list contains many of the other features of the Thay PW:

- 100+ Custom Adventure Areas
- Alternate Combat Styles
- Appearance Modification
- Area Exploration XP
- Assassination
- Caravan Travel
- Character Deletion Available In-Game for Players (via SIMTools)
- Character Renaming
- Class Modifications
- Combat Dummies and Archery Targets
- Cursed Items
- Custom Death & Dying System
- Custom Experience System
- Custom Magic Items
- Disguises
- DMFI Tools for DMs
- Drugs and Alcohol- Drugs and Alcohol
- Dynamic Magic Items
- Dynamically Generated Areas/Overland Travel
- Dynamically Generated Encounters
- Dynamically Generated Items
- Dynamically Generated NPCs
- Enhanced AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Ambient Life for NPCs
- Gladiators and Arenas
- Hunger, Thirst, and Fatigue System
- In-Game Message Boards and Message Delivery
- In-Game Modification of Clothing, Cloak, Weapon, Shield, and Helm Appearance and Colors
- Item Enchantment System
- Jousting
- Languages
- Lichdom
- Lycanthropy
- Magic Tattoos
- Mercenary Henchmen
- Merchants
- Mounts (Horses, Nightmares, Black Unicorns, Griffons, and Unicorns)
- Moveable Chairs and Stools
- Movement Skills
- Notoriety (Reputation System)
- NPC Healers (Some with the Ability to Raise Dead PCs)
- Object and Item Renaming Capability
- Party Loot Notification
- Persistent Inn and Tavern Room Rental
- Persistent Storage
- Persistent Time
- Player Awarded XP
- Player Joinable Factions (Legions, Red Wizards, Guilds, and Temples)
- Player Menu Conversation to Access MANY Features of the Thay PW
- Player Owned Buildings Player Owned Buildings
- Player Owned Merchants Player
- Player Owned Persistent Merchants
- Player Statistics
- Player vs. Player Combat XP
- Portal Stones
- Realistic Resting and Camping System
- Realistic Torches and Lanterns
- Realistic Weather
- Resting
- Riddles (Over 200+)
- Runes of Chaos Adventure
- Ship Travel
- Siege Machines
- Slavery (Pack, Pleasure, Estate, and PC Slaves)
- Spell Modifications
- Subdual and Nonlethal Damage
- Subraces
- The Underdark
- Tile Magic System
- Timed XP Awards
- Traps
- Travel in Thay and the Underdark
- Treasure System
- Underwater Adventuring
- Unlimited Quests
- Vampirism
- Voice Commands and Emotes for PCs and DMs (via the SIMTools System)
- Wand, Scroll, and Potion Creation
- Wealth Management
- Wild and Dead Magic Areas
- Writing System

[Balanor]

Server Rules

-Please just use common sense. If you ever think ‘I wonder what kind of trouble I'll get into if I do this’, you probably don’t want to find out
-No meta-gaming, power-gaming, or griefing
-Do not transfer gold or items from one from your characters to another. This is not allowed and we are able to track it
-Do not logout while in combat to avoid death. This is not allowed and we are able to track it. Severe consequences may be applied to your character if you repeatedly do this
-Walk instead of run when you are around other PCs if you are a roleplayer
-Do not use computer slang such as LOL, brb, ur, u, =P 
-See the feedback post below for details in regard to handling player, staff, or DM grievances

Roleplay is highly encouraged, but not required. Hack'n'Slash (or other type) play is allowed. If the latter is your style of play, respect those who are roleplaying and leave them alone unless you wish to try roleplaying yourself. Please be aware very little DM attention will be given to non-roleplayers. Regardless of your play style, all character names must be 'fantasy-like', even for non-roleplayers.

Roleplay takes priority here, while anything else is only tolerated as long as it doesn't interfere with the roleplayers. Those who do roleplay will find they *will* gain notoriety in Thay, and the benefits that come with it, more quickly than those who do not.

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Roleplay Guidelines

-Stay in character at all times. If you must say something out of character, use the ((Something to say)) method or type ooc: Something to say, or just use the Tell channel.
-You may choose any alignment for your character, but you're expected to stick by your choice and role-play accordingly. It the DMs prerogative to shift your alignment in increments if your actions warrant it.
-You MUST roleplay your alignment and stats. A PC with a low intelligence will not speak normally, one with a low charisma will find it hard to make friends, lead a party, etc.
-You are not allowed to use character names (or concepts) from well-known films, fiction, or games; such as Elminster, Han Solo, Frodo Baggins, Lara Croft, etc
-No titles are allowed in your character's name unless approved by a DM (such as Sir Tristan, Lord Balyn, Aaron the Great, etc)
-Just because someone's name is floating above their head doesn't mean you know it. For both PCs and NPCs, remember to RP to learn a person's name.
-On your character biography, write a short description of what your character looks like. 
-This description could include any visible scars, tattoos, very tall or very short, etc. It may also contain any habits or characteristics that can be identified by looking at the person such as always mumbling, a perpetual scowl on their face, etc.
-This description should not be a place to write your entire life history, however. Do not leave the generic NWN description. You can use in-game tools to modify it after character creation.
-Decisions you make in your character builds need to be story or character driven.

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Character vs Character Guidelines

In a land of power-hungry individuals such as Thay, eventually those individuals (or those who just get in their way), may become targets of each other. Typically you will be fighting against DM or environment-created opponents.

However, it is inevitable that characters will come to odds with each other. 'Player vs. Player' conflict, or what should be more appropriately called 'Character vs. Character' conflict, can be a very touchy subject and cause many problems if not handled in a way deemed 'fair' to most (but hopefully all) players involved. To help lay the groundwork to promote fairness in Character vs. Character (CvC) conflict, and alleviate Player vs. Player (PvP) hard feelings, please observe the following guidelines.

1. Because *character* conflict can lead to *player* conflict, it is requested you send a Tell to the player of the character indicating that conflict between your two characters may be imminent. It is then also requested that if the other player does not want to engage in character conflict, you try to respect that.
However, if you feel you have a very good reason for refusing the other player's request not to fight (example: the other character is being belligerent, demeaning, condescending, etc - and your character would not ever put up with that or just walk away), you may still attack as long as you follow the remaining guidelines. If you do not send a Tell stating conflict may be imminent, or refuse a request for no CvC conflict, make sure you keep logs, take screenshots of the encounter, and be prepared to explain your reasons to a DM should you be questioned.

2. Use the Subdual or Sparring mode (by typing in !subdual or !sparring) when engaging in CvC conflict if your character does not intend permanent harm to the other character.

3. If your character knocks down another character through subdual mode, you may not attack them again if they get up and do not attempt an attack on you first. Continually attacking a character who has been subdued and then gets up, but is not retaliating, is considered griefing and could lead to a ban for the offending player.

4. If subdual mode is not used, remember that a dying character will never stabilize on their own when other characters are nearby, so they must be bandaged by someone if their death is not desired. However, if a death or respawn does occur due to a CvC conflict, *all* characters involved may not engage in *any* CvC conflict with each other for least 24 hours. This is to prevent retaliation and give everyone time to 'cool down.' Not following this rule is considered griefing and could lead to a ban for the offending player(s).

These guidelines may change over time and with certain situations that arise. Those listed now are simply a basis for eliminating problems or for determining ‘right and wrong’ in CvC conflicts that result in hard feelings among players. Feel free to e-mail [email protected] to provide alternative or recommended revisions to the CvC guidelines.

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Playing in an Evil PW Setting

Remember that NWN is, first and foremost, only a game. Specifically, as a roleplaying game (RPG), we want to point out it allows you the opportunity to become someone you would not consider being and do things you would not consider doing in real-life.

For some players, this means the ability to play an evil character doing despicable things. For others, it may mean playing an uncaring character concerned only with self-preservation. And for others, this may mean playing a holy warrior hell-bent on destroying all evil he or she encounters.

Thay is an inherently evil place and as such, may attract a number of players wishing to play evil characters. This is fine, as long as you play within the constraints of the Server Rules. If you are playing an evil-aligned character, one of the most important things to keep in mind is the Golden Rule of Thay: "What you do on to others, expect to be done back on to you."

In addition, keep in mind you are adventuring in an evil setting of a fantasy world. The freedoms we have today, justice provided by the law, and perceived 'benevolence' of many people in the modern nations we live in does not exist, or is rarely seen in Thay. Do not be surprised or complain if your real-life sense of justice and right vs. wrong is not the same as that which you experience in Thay.

Finally, be aware that you (and your character) may be exposed to situations and material that are considered by some to be applicable only to a mature audience. Some of these elements include nudity, slavery, prostitution, exotic dancing, drug use, torture, and betrayal. If any of these themes offend you to the point you feel you cannot/will not enjoy playing on this server, we advise seeking your adventures elsewhere.

[Balanor]

Feedback
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Feedback about the Thay PW and your experiences here is welcomed, in addition to concerns or complaints about how the world has been designed or your interaction with fellow players and members of the staff. However, we have two requests regarding feedback which apply to players and staff - including our DMs, staff, and server admin.

First, positive feedback can (AND SHOULD!) be publicly posted on the forums every chance you get! One can never hear enough about how well they are playing their PC, or how much players enjoyed an event run by their local DM. But showing your appreciation of such in a public setting like these forums can be a great motivator and can encourage more of the same.

Second, negative feedback or complaints should always, and only, be sent privately to the individual(s) that can affect change to make your experience(s) better. This type of feedback or complaint should never go on the public forums as it typically causes further problems and hard feelings, seldom -if ever- affects positive change, and usually only makes the problem worse.
So if you do have an issue regarding another player, we recommend you first try to speak to that person about it (what a crazy idea, we know!). But if the issue still remains after discussing it with the other player, contact a DM about it. If a DM is not available, the DM cannot resolve the issue or does not resolve the issue to your satisfaction, or if your issue is with a DM or member of the staff, then please contact our Head DM. If the Head DM is unavailable, you may contact Balanor - the server admin. If you have an issue or feedback with gameplay, or how the world is designed, contact Balanor directly.

[Balanor]

Reporting Problems
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Hey! So I think I've found a problem. How do I make the staff aware of it so it can be addressed and possibly fixed if it is an issue?

To make the overall bug and problem reporting process from discovery to resolution as smooth as possible, there are multiple ways you can bring them to our attention. To do so, go to the How to Report a Problem thread for options and details.

[Balanor]

Forum Moderation
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There are some guidelines I want to clarify for the forum here, to help avoid confusion or more work for the moderators and staff than is needed.

As everyone can find by simply browsing almost any online forum, comments on news articles, and Facebook especially, it quickly becomes apparent that negativity breeds quickly on the internet. For NWN, it turns PW forums like this from being a place to share information and gather together with other like-minded individuals, to a place where problems with a person, feature, potential bug, or the PW as a whole are hung out for everyone to see. Even worse, transforming it to a place where people say things they would never think of saying to another person face-to-face.

Because of the negativity that persists on most internet forums, and because some people, when anonymous, enjoy fostering disagreement/discord on them rather than using them as a place for constructive conversations, I practice what I consider No-Negative Forum Moderation. By that I mean, whenever there are threads or posts that appear to be turning negative, that they already have more of a negative connotation than positive, or that they may cause more hard feelings or problems than they solve, they are removed from the public view on this forum.

Example posts and threads that may be removed include, but are not limited to, some of the following:
1. I died. Again. This sucks.
If you have a problem with the death system, with how you died, or you just need to vent, contact a DM. And if you think your death was caused by a bug, for Myrkul’s sake, post it in the Problem Reports forum.

2. This [part of the] PW sucks. Why does anyone play here?
If you dislike the PW as a whole, you are free to leave at any time. If you want to continue playing but would like to see something(s) changed, contact a DM.

3. The player/staff member/DM named Balanor (or whoever) sucks.
Attacks on any individual are not tolerated. Not only will these posts be removed, but they can result in a ban from the forums or PW as well. If you have a problem with someone, see the Feedback post, two posts above this one.

4. This sucks/You suck/Life sucks. I’m leaving.
Again, players are free to come and go at any time. You don’t need to announce it. If you want to say goodbye to someone(s), send them a PM or let them know in-game. The vast majority of the time these posts turn into a variation of examples 1-3, which is why this made the moderation list as well. Temporary absence posts are ‘OK’, so long as they do not drift too closely to one of the Dreaded 3 examples.
Finally, if you're retiring or deleting a character and want to make its departure public knowledge, do it ICly in the Character Background forum.

5. My post called Regarding Forum Moderation (or whatever) was removed. Why?
To be blunt; the administration of these forums and the Thay PW are not run by committee. We have all seen, time and again, the internet turn decent people into assholes. Because of that and the reasons stated initially, some of these public opportunities/debates that can encourage that transformation are limited here for the sake of all the volunteers (both staff and players) who choose to make the best of their gaming time in Thay.
If a thread or post of yours was removed, you may receive a PM about it and the reason why from someone on staff. If not, and you are wondering about it, reach out to a DM to ask about its status.

In closing, I do realize that what is considered positive or negative is very subjective, but I try to follow common sense when determining if something is removed from public view or not, encourage the staff members here to do the same, and now ask all of you reading this to use your own common sense when posting here. I do take player and staff comments very seriously and will act on them, if I feel it is appropriate or necessary for the PW. But since this place is run and frequented by volunteers, some of who have given immense amounts of their time and effort to provide a PW option for you to play, this is where I draw the line as to what these volunteers deal with on the public forums.