[Balanor]

Hello all. While this is typically not done with feature development, I would like to request player comments and feedback on an expansion I am making to our faction system.

As hopefully most of you know, and several of you have experienced, it is possible to join the Red Wizards as an apprentice. At this time though, the option to become a full Red Wizard is not yet handled by the automated systems in place. However, I am currently working on completing this process and plan to finish it with the next update.

My dilemma though, and what I would like comments on is –
How does one actually go from being a Red Wizard Apprentice to a full Red Wizard?

I have not seen any official source material on the process, but if anyone has seen something (official or not), please let me know.
Otherwise, my initial thought is that the PC in question will be jumped to a ‘Trials’ area, similiar to what happens when they choose to become an apprentice. There will be a series of challenges there (some of them lethal), that the Red Wizard Apprentice must overcome. However, I’m not sure what these trials should entail at the moment.

Any ideas?

[kta]

Well, I never really played a spellcaster... So my opinion might not count in this - but let any Red Wizard get a lay of the land. That means send them also on some missions througout Thay to prove their worth to the Red Wizards...
Well, not only theoretical stuff that is...

KTA

[Travster]

I think you should test them at birth atop a mountain; if the child looks sickly, throw it off, but if it looks strong, train it hard through all its life to become a spa- Red Wizard.

[Balanor]

Haha - nice!

THIS. IS. THAY!!! :@

Unfortunately, due to game mechanics and the fact that PCs look like adults, no PCs in the Thay PW are selected as Red Wizards at birth - which is how most Red Wizards come to be.
The current process we have in place is an unknown wizard (the PC) will catch the eye of a Red Wizard and be sent to an area called the Red Wizard Apprentice trials. If/After sucessfully completing the trials, they become an apprentice to a Red Wizard master who gives them various tasks which will send them around Thay retrieving items, delivering messages, etc, etc. The culminating point I am looking for and trying to decide the details on; is when the PC Red Wizard Apprentice has performed enough tasks and gained enough notoriety to become a Red Wizard - what exactly should happen as a final test?

[Balanor]

While I would still appreciate any comments on this, I'd like to mention that due to my own testing of spellcaster AI as part of this process (i.e. - my PC against Red Wizard NPCs), I have decided that AI needs improvement before I can implement anything further with the option of becoming a full Red Wizard.

Unfortuantely, that means this will likely not be ready with the next update as I mentioned in a previous post here - but it should give people more time to voice any opinions on this if you have one.

[Axdec]

I suppose one can conspire and/or kill their master to take his place.

[Jechal]

possibly even when the PC reaches a certain level of rank within the red wizard tower he/she can maybe actually talk with some of his fellow apprentices and get them to back his power if he decides to kill their master, by offering the other apprentices stakes in the power structure.. making some that help him higher ranked apprentices or some such.

[Balanor]

OK, after considerable problems that initially started with caster AI, which led to the implementation of the new AI, I’ve finally got back to the original reason behind all the changes and the Red Wizard Trials are now about 90% complete.

They will be very intense, mostly combat-oriented, with a few puzzles thrown in here and there. These will be dangerous, and any PC who dies attempting them cannot be saved by their mysterious allies. This means that PCs who die in the trials will be permadead. Because I want to make sure the trials *are* passable by a PC who has not seen them before and does a little preparation; I am looking for one or two volunteers who are interested in trying them out in an OOC method.

I would prefer players who are not currently playing Red Wizard apprentices (so as not to ruin the surprise), plus players that are 'discrete'. Essentially - I really hope any who volunteer and help with testing will keep the details of the trials a secret! :)

If you feel this is you and you have time to help test either this weekend or next week, please send me a PM or e-mail thayan@thaypw.org