Rift expansion preview (storyline)

Rift Expansion Preview

Category: Hunting and Combat
Topic: Pinefar Hunting Areas
Message #: 3394
Author: GS4-MESTYS
Date: 6/30/2009 7:40:17 AM
Subject: Rift Expansion Preview.

During the SimuCon roundtable discussions, I released a few details concerning the new Rift expansion that is currently in development. Here are a few of the points that I covered.

The Area:
The new portion of the Rift that is to be unveiled will be known as the Scatter. It is a chaotic, twisted region that exists between the current planes of the Rift.

Redistribution:
Along with the introduction of the Scatter, the existing creatures will be redistributed a bit in the planes, and a couple of creatures will have their levels shifted. The goal here will be to spread the creatures in such a manner that all of the planes will be more desirable to hunt for a wider group of characters.

New Creatures:
A total of seven new creatures will be introduced to the Rift, inhabiting both the Scatter and Plane 4.

a fallen crusader (97, non-corporeal undead) [Plane 4]: A Paladin slain in battle, corrupted physically and spiritually to fight again. Though their previous connections to their deities have been severed, they wander the Rift, powered by an unknown and unholy force. The crusaders have a selection of Paladin and a couple of necromantic Sorcerer spells.

a glistening cerebralite (100) [Plane 4, The Scatter]: An oversized and highly developed floating brain, accompanied by a pair of eyes on stalks and tentacles to lash out at opponents. The cerebralites are drawn to mental activity, and utilize mental and electricity-based attacks to subdue their victims.

an enormous rift crawler (103) [Plane 4]: A huge worm whose gaping maw pierces through planar dimensions within the Rift. It resides primarily in its home plane of the Rift, but has a small chance of burrowing to an "adjacent" one. It would be able to swallow its victims whole by catching them unawares, sometimes emitting a telepathic blast to incapacitate them.

a darkly inked fetish master (104) [The Scatter]: A child-like voodoo witch doctor, drawing upon elaborate inked designs on its skin for its dark powers. The masters cast mostly Sorcerer spells and can summon a cluster of wooden dolls on their current target, who would lay down a barrage of attacks.

a murky soul siphon (106, corporeal undead) [The Scatter]: An undead entity subsisting upon the souls of the living. Classified as a semi, it uses various debuff spells to set up its foes for easier consumption. Its attacks have a chance to drain spirit and they also make use of a maneuver-based grasp to suck spirit from characters.

a Vvrael destroyer (108) [The Scatter]: A greater servant of the Vvrael, sent to dispatch the strongest of their foes. These are warrior type creatures; very powerful and highly destructive.

a lich (110, corporeal undead) [The Scatter]: A highly intelligent spell caster who went to great lengths to gain power and longevity, at the cost of his soul.

-M.

Re: Rift Expansion Preview

Category: Hunting and Combat
Topic: Pinefar Hunting Areas
Message #: 3413
Author: GS4-MESTYS
Date: 6/30/2009 5:00:41 PM
Subject: Re: Rift Expansion Preview.

>Why plane 4 instead of 5? There's no mention of new critters on 5, but new ones on 4 that are higher level than the ones currently on 5. It seems a bit upside down to me, though as it is, most people skip from 3 to 5. -Kerl

All of the planes will have some shifts made in creature population, though only 4 and the Scatter will have the new ones. The classic plane 4 is really the most remote of all the planes, so it made some sense to place some of the higher level stuff there.

>2. I really hope the name for the critter really just is "a lich." It's so simple. -Keleborrn.

It isn't. There are a lot of little things that will be revealed with the release of the area. The nature of the liches is one of them.

-M.

A torn parchment page (storyline)

Category: Hunting and Combat
Topic: Pinefar Hunting Areas
Message #: 3725
Author: RAFFELS2
Date: 10/3/2009 1:46:23 PM
Subject: A torn parchment page

Perigourd and I found a parchment page on a lost soul today, which appears to be part of Haukragg's notes.

In the Common language, it reads:
...the depraved grimness of this place, but it has only grown worse and worse. Fortunately, I was correct about holding a black diamond when passing through the sphere, so the strength of my spirit is unabated. Nevertheless, the unease I feel remains, and can only be tempered by my resolve and my faith in the Lords and Ladies to see my task done. The rift must be contained. For if the escalated chaos pervades not only this dimension but also the world beyond, then we shall all perish.

Of some quaint comfort to me, I have noticed that the soft glow of the toadstools I gathered in the caves of Zul Logoth have not lost their shine, even at times when the darkness here would otherwise be blinding. In the lack of a fire, a handful of these is sufficient light by which to make camp and write a few pages. I must rest here and gather myself before descending to the lower...

Missoni.

Another page (storyline)

Category: Hunting and Combat
Topic: Pinefar Hunting Areas
Message #: 3736
Author: ELIZAISGOD
Date: 10/3/2009 2:40:05 PM
Subject: Re: A torn parchment page

Another page:

In the Common language, it reads:
Day 1, Imaerasta 29.
May Lumnis guide me into all wisdom. I pen these words as I sit in the very Cavern of Ages, my mind swimming with the heady memories of great and terrible deeds done on these sands. I have not returned here in many years. But now, in a pale echo of them of former times, the Chosen of our Lady, they who forever broke the curses of the Vvrael that were laid against us, so too in like manner am I come by the leave of our Right Master Theon and in behalf of our many faiths to slip behind this veil and fall into that world between worlds, to discover how we may repair this new bleeding wound torn into the scars of this hallowed place, and thereby forever turn away the sneering face of this new threat, confided to me in some secret detail by the elders of our guild. It has alrea...
...slipped into shadow and death, but a fate much worse than this may ensnare those whose faith is o...

* * *

...stores laden not only with provisions for my own self during the sojourn, but also with a stock of the tools of my ministry and my specialty, alchemy, if by any means with a blessing from Liabo I may be able to establish an island of order in the chaos and have a light wrought in the darkness. I have brought enough pearlescent trinket oil to afford many experiments, along with as many samples as I was able to procure of plant life, animal parts, minerals and crystals from the world over. I have reason to believe that a ward may be fashioned which will seal...
...ay even perhaps nullify this power to destroy both life and truth. Though it seems impossible, unless it is true, then there remains no hope for even the bravest of...

Droit

A drunken sailor wanders by, muttering about some "accursed kids" and "their dog."