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The History of Asheron's Call

Under Cover of Night - September 2005

SEPTEMBER LETTER TO THE PLAYERS

Welcome to the September Letter to the Players! We've got quite a large event in store for all of you this month. The September Event, "Under Cover of Night" marks some dangerous times for the Dereth, but also includes some new improvements players can use to defeat their adversaries. This event is currently scheduled for Wednesday, September 21st.

COMING SOON
(These are the items we plan to implement for the September Event)

GLOBAL CHAT
Global Chat marks a significant upgrade to Asheron Call's chat system. The Global Chat system will include four new chat channels – General, Trade, Looking For Group, and Roleplay.

General
The General channel is an all-purpose channel that allows all players of Asheron's Call to chat with each other about any aspect of Asheron's Call.

Trade
The Trade channel exists specifically for players to advertise their wares to each other and to arrange trades.

Looking For Group
This channel exists specifically to help players find others to join them for in-game activities.

Roleplay
The Roleplay channel allows players who enjoy roleplaying their characters a place to chat in-character, arrange roleplaying activities, and meet likeminded individuals. Note that this channel does not receive any special enforcement.

Joining and Leaving the Channel
All channels can be joined and/or left in one of two ways:

Through a checkbox in the Character Settings tab of the Options UI Panel. Note that this change takes effect as soon as the checkbox is used; the Apply button does not need to be pressed before this change takes effect.

Through a text command:

/join
/leave

The text command is just a shortcut to the UI checkbox, and it sets the checkbox as appropriate. The player will see a confirmation message in their chat area when they have entered or left a channel that looks like this:

You have [joinedleft] the [tag] channel.

See the Global Chat Channel Summary below for channel names and tags.

Players are automatically joined to any channels that they have checked when they login, and they will also see the join messages on login.

Talking in the Channel
Players can prefix any text they wish to send to the channel with the command symbol (/ or @) and the channel name. For instance, the following will send the message to the trade channel.

@ct I have Elysa's Crystal that I'm willing to trade for 4 MMDs!

In addition, players can also set their Chat Bar menu so that everything they type without a prefix automatically goes to the selected channel.

You may also join or leave a channel by selecting it from your Character Options panel, under Chat.

Note that players can only send text to a channel if they are currently listening to it. Players who attempt to send text to a channel that they are not listening to will see the message:

You may not speak on that channel because you are not currently listening to it.

When a player receives text from a global channel, that text will be prefixed by a channel tag (detailed below) and the name of the character who sent the text. For instance, other players listening to the trade channel when I sent the text above will see:

[Trade] Mor'gan says, "I have Elysa's Crystal that I'm willing to trade for 4 MMDs!"

All global channels will display in the same text color: a kind of blue-grey.

Squelching
Squelching rules apply to text in global chat channels in the same way that they apply to text sent in open local chat ("says"). That is, if I have a character is explicitly squelched, I will never see anything that that character says. If I have the character's account squelched, I will not see things that other characters on that account say as well.

We will also be increasing the maximum characters/accounts that can be squelched at once from 32 to 64.

Global Chat Channel Summary

Channel	Default	Checkbox Text	Tool Tip	Name	Tag
General	On	Listen to General Chat.	When this option is enabled, you can hear and speak on the global General chat channel. This channel is for general discussions about Asheron's Call.	general, cg	[General]

Trade	On	Listen to Trade Chat.	When this option is enabled, you can hear and speak on the global Trade chat channel. This channel is for arranging in-game trades with other players.	trade, ct	[Trade]

LFG	On	Listen to LFG Chat.	When this option is enabled, you can hear and speak on the global Looking For Group chat channel. This channel helps you find other players to adventure with.	lfg, clfg	[LFG]

Roleplay	Off	Listen to Roleplay Chat.	When this option is enabled, you can hear and speak on the global Roleplay chat channel. This channel is for in-character roleplaying and for discussions about roleplaying in Asheron's Call.	roleplay, crp	[Roleplay]

Chat Windows
We are also adding some new functionality to the chat window to help players better manage the new chat channels. This new functionality can best be described as: extra floating chat windows and filtering the text that displays in those windows.

In short, we are adding four buttons to the resize bar of the current (main) chat window. Clicking on each of these buttons will toggle a floating chat window that can be dragged around the 3D area and resized at will. The size and position of each window will be saved for each character. The floating chat windows are translucent; in normal circumstances, items can be selected through the window, and hovering the mouse over the chat window will darken it and cause it to intercept mouse clicks.

By default, all text types are displayed in the main chat window and no chat types are displayed in the floating windows. The player can, however, open the new Chat tab in the Options panel to select which types of chat display in which windows. Players may choose to display the following types of text in any (or no) windows:

-Area Chat (@say, @emote)
-Private Chat (@tell)
-Fellowship
-Allegiance (includes Allegiance Broadcast)
-General
-Trade
-LFG
-Roleplay
-Combat (not including magic)
-Magic

Gameplay (includes Recall, Craft, Advancement, Housing and System Messages, etc – anything which is not communication from another player or Combat/Magic)

The Gameplay category will always display in the main window (unless individual components are filtered by the @filter command). In this way we guarantee that you cannot accidentally miss important system messages more easily than they can now. The Gameplay category can be turned on or off in the floating windows, however.

Note that this functionality is in addition to the existing text filtering capabilities. The UI does not replace the @filter command, because we do not want to remove functionality that many of you rely on. In addition, @filter allows players to filter out subtypes within the "Other" category.

In addition, players can also adjust the active and inactive opacity of the floating chat windows in the new Chat options tab (although note that this slider controls all four floating windows at once; it is not a window-by-window control).

Expanded Chat Commands
In an effort to make the chat system more user-friendly, we are adding a number of new commands for existing chat types that mimic other games. We have added an @w command that maps to private chat (@tell). Note that all of these new and existing commands will be listed by the @help command.

And, to make the system less confusing, we consolidated the format of communication in several channels to better indicate to players how they can respond. The following table illustrates these changes.

Chat Commands Summary

Channel	Existing Commands	Additional Commands	Old Tag or Format	New Tag or Format
Area Chat	say	s	From: You say, "" To: Name says, ""	No Change
Private Chat	tell, t (reply, r, rp, retell, rt)	send, whisper, w	From: You tell Name, "" To: Name tells you, ""	No Change
Fellowship	f	fellows, fellow, group, g, party	From: You say to your Fellowship, "" To: Name says to your fellowship, ""	From: [Fellowship] You say, "" To: [Fellowship] Name says, ""
Allegiance	a	guild, gu	[Allegiance] Name says, ""	No Change
Allegiance Broadcast	allegiance broadcast	ab	From: You say to your Allegiance, "" To: Your allegiance speaker Name says to you, ""	From: [Allegiance Broadcast] You say, "" To: [Allegiance Broadcast] Name says, ""
Monarch	m (mr)	monarch	From: You say to your Monarch, "" To: Your follower Name says to you, ""	No Change
Patron	p (pr)	patron	From: You say to your Patron, "" To: Your vassal Name says to you, ""	No Change
Vassals	v	vassals, vassal	From: You say to your Vassals, "" To: Your patron Name says to you, ""	No Change
Co-Vassals	c	co-vassals, covassals, covassal	From: You say to your Co-Vassals, "" To: Your co-vassal Name says to you, ""	From: [Co-Vassals] You say, "" To: [Co-Vassals] Name says, ""

Click Name to Tell
This feature makes communication easier for players. Players will be able to click on the name of another player when that name appears in the chat window as the originator of communication, and the following will happen:

The chat entry bar will gain focus

The text "@tell , " will appear in the chat entry bar (minus quotes).

The cursor will be at the end of this text, so that the clicking player can immediately continue with a private message to the clicked character.

Note that this system does not currently work in the allegiance, general, trade, looking for group, or roleplay chat channels. We may add this functionality in a future update.

NEW LANDMASS – VISSIDAL ISLAND
The new island for September is called Vissidal, or "Summer Palace" in the Falatacot language. It was once a private island retreat for Falatacot royalty and nobility, before catastrophic events sank it to the ocean floor.

Vissidal Island sits off the northeast coast of Dereth. It is shaped like a long continental shelf, and seems to almost echo the shape of the Derethian coast. In general, the island is close to sea level, but it rises up to a ridge shape along most of its northern and eastern coast.

There is one outpost on the island. Located on the western shore of the island, It is shaped like a long continental shelf, and seems to almost echo the shape of the Derethian coast. In general, the island is close to sea level, but it rises up to a ridge shape along most of its northern and eastern coast. The island, recently re-surfacing after untold years under the sea, features flora and fauna never before seen by Dereth mainlanders, including great forests of coral and anemone.

There is one outpost on the island. Located on the western shore of the island, it is populated by a strange group of Mosswart-like creatures who have been taught language, reasoning, and commerce by a mysterious benefactor that the creatures only know as "Angry Grandfather."

Players will need to be a certain level and complete a quest before gaining entry to the island. Those that venture to the island should beware the Remoran!!

TREASURE
Crowns, Hats, Shoes, and Gloves spawn with much higher Armor Level can now be found.

We've changed elemental wands so they can be tinkered to increase their elemental damage multiplier.

Level 7 spells are now available as loot!

In addition, several types of armor will receive modified base protections.

REFURBISHERS
For those who have trophy items that lost their original art and display in a partially broken state after the release of ToD we have created a new NPC that will accept a number of these items and exchange them for a brand new version of the same item. These NPCs can be found in Holtburg, Shoushi, Yaraq, and outside Sanamar.

The Refurbishers will accept the following items:

-Pack Cow
-Pack Drudge
-Golden Gromnie
-Pack Golem
-Pack Grievver
-Pack Idol
-Pack Lugian
-Pack Mosswart
-Velveteen Olthoi
-Pack Scarecrow
-Plush Tusker
-Pack Ursuin
-Pack Virindi
-Mu-miyah Guise
-Mu-miyah body with a Head
-Decorative Bronze Statue
-Commemorative Bronze Statue
-Oxidized Statue
-Decorative Bronze Statue
-Commemorative Bronze Statue
-Oxidized Statue
-Decorative Bronze Statue
-Commemorative Bronze Statue
-Oxidized Statue
-Commemorative Bronze Statue
-Decorative Bronze Statue
-Commemorative Bronze Statue
-Oxidized Statue
-Decorative Bronze Statue
-Commemorative Bronze Statue
-Oxidized Statue

DUNGEONS
Due to the over crowding of the Path of the Blind hunting dungeon we have created two duplicate Path of the Blind dungeons. In addition, the XP rewards for the Egg Orchard and Dark Design will be adjusted upwards to be comparable to Path of the Blind.

Path of the Blind: Two copies will be made of the original Path of the Blind dungeon. The entrances to these dungeons will be placed on landscape somewhere on the Isle of Ruin

Egg Orchard: Modifications to the Olthoi within will be made so that they are easier to kill. This will bring up the XP over time in line with the Path of the Blind. In addition, we will create two duplicate dungeons similar in design to what will be done with Path of the Blind.

Dark Design: Again the XP earned in this dungeon will be brought more in line with the Path of the We have created versions of the Mosswarts that do not cast and have interspersed these versions among the chain casting versions of the Mosswarts. Also, the chain casting Mosswarts will have their spellbook altered to cast less war spells and debuffs. Base stats will remain the same as they are already fairly easy to kill.

NEW QUESTS
A variety of new quests have been added to the game. Here is just a sampling of what's to come!

Gateway to the Deep - Players level 130 or above can engage in a continent-spanning quest to open the portals to the new island. Once this has been done, the quest serves as an initiation to gain access to the new island. The initial iteration culminates in a group battle against the fearsome creature!

Temple of Xik Minru – Level 130 or higher players can help a grieving widow locate her long-lost husband. Xik Minru sounds a little familiar doesn't it?

Enrico's Betrayal - Level 60 or higher players can help the commander of the Viamontian invasion cover up evidence of his various betrayals.

Marae Lassel Kill Tasks - Level 20-80 players can obtain kill tasks involving the Viamontian invasion of Marae Lassel

Well that just about covers everything. But of course there are many more quests and surprises in store for you in this event! We'll be talking about the October Event in the near future.

See you in Dereth!
- Calandryll

Teaser
Two youths perched on the top of a ridge. Though they were young, not yet fully grown, they had the broad shoulders and thick limbs of Aluvian mountain folk. The bows they clutched in trembling hands were huge and thick, requiring enormous strength to pull properly. They were crouched down, trying to remain hidden behind a rock formation, and spying on a gathering of warriors in the valley far below.

"They didn't find our trail," said the younger one, Matthias, with obvious relief.

"See, I told you," said his brother, Jedeth. "We've been hunting Gromnies and Siraluun in these parts for years, we got the advantage on these big, clanking brutes. They don't know their way around our land. Especially not at dusk, when there's not that much light and a body's eyes haven't adjusted to the dark yet."

Matthias, now more calm, turned contemplative. "You ever seen any man that big?" he asked, as they watched the squad of monstrous Viamontian Knights on the valley floor, standing around the corpses of two of their friends. Red-fletched arrows perforated the chests of the two fallen Knights.

"Papa used to talk about how tough it was to fight Ferran Knights, in the Viamontian Wars back home on Ispar. But they were just men, same size as us. And Count Tenera, when he told us that these new Knights weren't Ferrans, but worse, and ten feet tall& Well, it's one thing to hear it, and another thing to see it. And to have to shoot at it while it's waving a sword as big as you are..." He paused, and looked at his younger brother. "I won't lie to you, Matty, I felt a powerful fear when we sprung that trap. My hands were shaking when we attacked. Still are shaking. It's lucky we got them both."

Matthias put a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "I was scared too, Jed. But we did good. The plan worked. And we'll only keep getting better, as we get in more practice killing them Knights."

Down below, a smaller figure had joined the armored brutes. He, too, was armored, but of normal human size, and issuing orders to the great soldiers. He was clearly some kind of officer among these Viamontian invaders.

Jedeth pointed. "Look, there, a guy our size, in armor. What'd Tenera tell us about them?"

"He said they were the magic types," said Matthias. "That we'd better make the first shot count, because they could hit us from far away."

"Yeah, that's what I thought I remembered," said Jedeth. "This one may be more clever than them others, but he isn't that smart. He's not wearing a helmet." He drew another red-fletched arrow from his quiver. This one, however, had the word "Carenzi" painted on the shaft, in vivid red letters to match the fletching.

Matthias drew a similar arrow from his quiver. Both brothers moved quietly from their spying position behind the rock formation to a low crouch on either side of it. With great care, each nocked an arrow. "On three," Jedeth whispered.

They lifted their bows, pulled the strings slowly back as the thick wooden weapons creaked softly, and then aimed. "One& two& three."

Two soft twangs went off, and a heartbeat later, the Viamontian mage had two quivering arrows sprouting from his forehead. He toppled stiffly to the ground. The cluster of warriors looked up at where the arrows must have come from, but only saw rocks and empty ridgeline. Three of them broke from the formation and charged up the ridge at terrifying speed, but by the time they reached the rock formation, there was no sign of the brothers' passing.

******

King Varicci II stepped over the armored bulk of a dead Viamontian Knight and looked down on the dead mage. He bent to yank one of the arrows out of the corpse's forehead. He turned the bloodstained arrow over in his hands and saw the word painted on the shaft.

"Carenzi," he read. Varicci turned to his companion, Commander Enrico di Bellenesse. "What is this Carenzi?" he asked.

Enrico glanced at the arrow. "A small animal... like a badger from Ispar, but terribly ferocious. They are common on this island. It seems the local resistance has taken them as some sort of symbol. A cache of weapons recently went missing from a storeroom. There was similar writing on the storeroom's broken door."

"The people of the towns have come to their senses and are cooperating, but these Carenzi&." The King's face twisted in disgust. "They are probably Aluvian gutterfolk, again unable to accept conquest by Viamont. They are beasts, Enrico. You will have to kill every one of them."

Enrico nodded stiffly. "Yes, Majesty. It will be done."

The King put his hand on Enrico's armored shoulder and regarded the soldier with a cool and appraising eye. "We must have a quick pacification of this island so we can dispatch forces to the new land, Enrico. I cannot have these Carenzi rebels bleeding off my soldiers one and two at a time, not when there is such a pressing need to investigate this place called Vissidal."

"I have not heard much of Vissidal, Majesty, since I have been so occupied with the campaign on this island. What has happened?"

"It is an island that apparently has risen from the deeps of the ocean. We don't know what buried it, or what caused it to come to the surface again. But there is good reason to believe that at least some of the knowledge I seek is to be found there."

"May I ask, Majesty, what knowledge you seek on that distant island?"

Varicci smiled, his eyes glittering in the early evening moonlight. "The way to achieve true and final victory, my dear trusted friend. On Vissidal and elsewhere, I seek a way to destroy the only advantage of poor Elysa's ragtag army of Bloodless mongrels."