Discord
Changelog
10-31-2008, 12:21 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-30-2020, 06:05 AM by Bertram Anders.)
The opening events all characters go through, which result in 'mysterious allies' placing a strange and powerful magic on them, play a significant role determining when or why characters may die in Thay and the Underdark. While the true extent of this magic is unknown, one of the powerful benefits it provides is a type of contingency magic that can save someone who is dying or near death. In short, this system is designed to give players peace of mind that their characters can, in most cases, cheat death - if they have the gold to pay for it!
DMs will not provide PC resurrections unless the server crashes, the PC's corpse is lost *and* there was the immediate intent of others to raise him or her. In addition, DMs and/or the Server Admin will not give XP back to a PC who chooses to escape the Fugue Plane by sacrificing part of their life essence (XP) to return to the living.
Character Dying
When PCs gets hurt badly enough to fall to between 0 to-50 hit points, they start dying at -1 hit points and lose 1 hit point each round until they reach -10 hit points. If no other PCs are nearby someone who is dying, each round a d100 roll is also made to determine if the dying PC is revived by the mysterious ally magic. This chance that they are magically revived while dying is modified by three things:
1. A PC's overall level acts as a positive modifier that decreases as the PC gains levels
2. A PC's total notoriety acts as a positive modifier that increases as the PC gains notoriety
3. The number of times the magic has been activated within the last in-game month (~1 real-time week) to save a PC acts as a negative modifier. However the magic does replenishes itself, which resets this modifier, on an in-game monthly basis
If the mysterious ally magic activates, it will revive and restore a dying PC to 1 hit point. In addition, the PC will regenerate hit points for a number of rounds dependent on their level, and will be made ethereal for a short time which will allow the PC to escape or give time to prepare to continue the fight.
Character Near Death
When PCs are hurt badly enough to be immediately dropped to -50 hit points or less, or reach -10 hit points after dying, they are 'Hovering on Death's Door', having a near-death experience. While in this state, their spirit has not left their body, but will soon pass on without outside assistance or without having purchased respawn contingency magic.
When a near death situation occurs, the player can choose to wait for help and remain in their near-death state a short amount of time though before the PC's soul succumbs to the forces of death (auto-respawn). However, to guarantee the PC does not die, a Raise Dead or Resurrection spell must be cast on them, or they may choose to respawn - which places their fate in the hands of the gods.
Respawn Details
When a PC respawns, there is a small chance that the PC's patron god -if they have one selected- may intervene, save them from death, and revive them where they fell. Alternately, due to the unique magic bound to all PCs by their mysterious "allies", NPC temple priests capable of raising the dead may create a Raise Dead contingency on any PC, which is activated when the PC respawns.
Important Notes:
1. Any Raise Dead contingency a temple priest places on a PC is good for one use only!
2. The cost of a Raise Dead contingency is determined by the level of the PC and the number of times he or she has respawned. However, not all temple priests charge the same rate per level for raising the dead, and PCs get a reduced rate from priests who worship the same patron god, and if they are members of the priest's temple.
3. This cost of a Raise Dead contingency is determined at the current level of the PC. So if you purchase one at level 2 by going to a priest who charges 1000/level to raise a dead PC, you will pay 2000 gold. But if you don't end up respawning until level 3 or higher, you will have saved money (paying at least 3000+), and ALOT of hassle, compared to if someone brought your PC's corpse to that same temple priest.
Character Death
When a PC has a near death experience and respawns, but a god does not save them from death, they truly die and are sent to the Fugue Plane. There they will have three options when they encounter a Spectral Red Wizard who offers to assist them.
Wait for Assistance
First, a PC may simply choose to wait. Within their remains in the mortal world is a 'corpse item' (their body) for them that another PC may cast a Raise Dead or Resurrection spell on, or they may take it to a NPC healer to be raised. Either method will transport the dead character out of the Fugue. If this option is performed, no XP penalty is incurred by the dead PC. However this option does require trust in other PCs, and patience...
Sacrifice XP and Notoriety to Return to the Living
Next, a PC may choose to sacrifice a percentage of their spirit’s essence (XP and notoriety) and return to life. With this option they can choose to return to the point of their death, or to the safe location to which they would normally have been transported if their allies saved them. The XP and notoriety percentage cost for this option starts at 1% and with each use increases slightly, up to a maximum of 5% of total XP and notoriety.
Retire the Character
Finally, a PC may choose to allow their spirit to pass on and be claimed by the gods. It may also be ‘retired’ in this way by deleting it through the Player Menu, by using the !delete command, or by talking to the spirit in the Fugue Plane. Once deleted, it will allow the next PC you create to start at a level half that (rounded down) of the deleted PC, with a maximum starting level of 9.
Important Notes:
1. This decision cannot be reversed. Once a PC is deleted, you will no longer see it in your player list when logging in to the server
2. You may not recreate a new PC with the same name as a deleted PC due to persistency settings
3. Note that after deleting a dead PC, the creation of a new PC *must* be completed before the server resets, or else the bonus levels will not transfer to the new PC.
Character Permadeath
Characters may rarely face death from which not even the magic of the mysterious allies will not save them, and from which the spirit on the Fugue Plane cannot return them to life. This type of permanent death can result from failing a Red Wizard trial or either a DM, or multiple notorious characters, marking a character for permadeath.
Character Death Marks
A character can be marked for death if multiple other characters call upon the mysterious allies to revoke the protection they grant to that individual. This means it is possible that true character death can occur if enough other notorious characters deem it appropriate.
1. This ability is activated by typing !death in a Tell to the character that should be marked for death, and then typing DEATH followed by the reason for death in 120 characters or less. The reason is considered OOC text (as if you are briefly explaining ‘why’ to a DM) and will not show up in the chat window. Once that text is entered to confirm the death mark, the individual will receive notification of this potential setback from the mysterious allies; however they will not be told who marked them. Every time this ability is used DMs are notified and the server log records the details
2. Only PCs with enough notoriety to have attained the top two faction ranks or higher will have the ability to mark other PCs for death
3. This ability is limited by CD Key and can be used once every 6 in-game months (6 weeks real-time). Even then, someone cannot place more than one mark on a character through the use of one or more of their characters or player accounts
4. Should a character get 3 or more marks for death the mysterious ally magic placed on them is negated and will not save them from death or from dying. In addition, the Spectral Red Wizard on the Fugue Plane will be unable to return them from the dead. However, a dead character’s corpse item (body) can still be raised by a PC or NPC cleric
6. DMs always have the ability to apply or remove a permadeath flag regardless of the number of marks on a character. Furthermore, they may choose to remove one mark at a time by typing !death in a Tell to a character as well
7. ANY potential abuse or disagreement about the use of this death mark ability should be reported to a DM, HDM, or Admin immediately!!!
DM Intervention with PC Deaths
Due to the nature of the death system and the fact that a character can only die unless it is chosen by the player or the result of IC actions that mark the character for death; the policy of this PW is that any mistakes, lag, bugs, unfair encounters, lethal rats, or whatever else killed a PC are covered by the death system. Additionally, PCs can be made virtually immortal by exchanging gold to ensure they also safely respawn, which is what should eb relied upon to avoid death - not by DM intervention.
DMs will not provide PC resurrections unless the server crashes, the PC's corpse is lost *and* there was the immediate intent of others to raise him or her. In addition, DMs and/or the Server Admin will not give XP back to a PC who chooses to escape the Fugue Plane by sacrificing part of their life essence (XP) to return to the living.
