Post by Neeq Machine on Dec 12, 2011 13:11:05 GMT -5
News & Updates
Whoof! A lot has happened in the short time since we've opened! Firstly, we'd like to welcome all our new members, as well as our returning members. We've had two birthdays so far -- happy birthday to Zen and to Shinska! Special thanks go out to:
There's been a good number of updates around the site, to add more information or just total rehauls of things. In case you missed something, here's all the new things around the site!
» The new site stores have opened. The Beachcomber's Shop takes sand dollars, which are earned through posts and won in contests, while the Rabbit Hole takes plot points, which are earned by participating in plots or by playing plot characters! A third store, the Stash, is in the works, and will be a black-market style store in Smuggler's Drop where you can get things found nowhere else.
» Candidate lessons and chores have been totally re-done. No longer will we run en masse lesson threads, because Evil Overlord Neeuqtar finds them boring and annoying. Instead, Candidates must be played in one thread a month which relates to lessons or to chores -- have fun!
» There are new ways to play! Though perhaps not written explicitly, you don't have to play merely in threads. One-off story posts are allowed as well, in order to tell parts of your character's story that might not be easy to role-play in a traditional thread. And we're working on putting up a journal board, so that journal entries for a character can also count in your role-play (and earn you sand dollars!).
Exciting, no? Keep an eye out for some more things in the future -- a guide to piracy and smuggling is in the works, and a weyrling lesson plan similar to the Candidate plan should be up within the next week~
Ongoing & Upcoming Events
There's a couple ongoing events on the site! The first, is, of course, our moderator applications. We're looking to close these on the 20th, so if you're interested, please apply! We promise not to bite, and encourage anyone who's interested in being a moderator apply. The applications are more to get a handle on experience so we don't throw too much at you at once, rather than a way to deny people the opportunity to help!
Also for players is the first big contest. We're having a salamandyr Hatching on the 10th of January, and we'd love to get some submissions for this contest. You've got a chance to design the queen salamandyr as well as other babies for the Clutch, and the prizes are a guaranteed 'mandyr Impression and sand dollars. So what're you waiting for? Check out the contest and submit those entries to 44 Caliber Love Letter (PM: lovemachine)!!
Now for some in-character events...
» There are still (at the time of this writing) 7 fire-lizard eggs available from the dozen which Kes'len brought to South Run Weyr from the Archipelago. So what're you waiting for? Claim one of those eggs before they're all gone! The Weyrleader surely doesn't want a fair of his own!
» Did we mention thesalamandyrgreen fire-lizard Clutch that will be Hatching on the 10th of January? It's going to be run by Caliber and we all know that this means a great deal of chaos. And who doesn't love chaos andhorrible monster spawnadorable baby fire-lizards??
» There's going to be a dragon Hatching shortly after thesalamandyrgreen fire-lizard Clutch Hatches. The exact date depends on how quickly the egg theft plot moves, but be assured it's going to be pre-February!! So get your Candidates in, get them up to speed on lessons, and get ready to meet their soulmates~
Are you excited yet? There's a lot coming up! And we haven't even gotten to the plotting yet....
The Plot Hatchery
We've updated the way plots work, because we'd love to see everyone involved in plots. The biggest change is that now, players who participate in plots are going to be rewarded by earning plot points. So let's talk about earning plot points...
» Participating in a plot thread earns you a plot point. Posting in a dragon or wher Hatching with a non-Candidate character a minimum of three times scores you a plot point. Same with participating in Threadfall!
» Skirmishes take place over the Archipelago between Northern dragonriders seeking to demolish the coalition and coalition riders trying to protect their territory. Doing a skirmish thread earns you a plot point! (Again, three post minimum.) They're easy to spot, being labeled [[SKIRMISH]] -- and look~ There's one open right now!
» Participating in a plot thread (like, say, the egg theft plot) earns you a plot point! Easy to spot, they'll be promoted, labeled [[PLOT]], and usually open to the first people who reply!
» Starting your own plot, or participating in a member-made plot, earns you plot points! If you start and run a plot, you earn three plot points. If you participate in such a thread, you earn a plot point, just like in admin-run plots.
» If you play a plot character, you earn a plot point for each thread you play them in. However, because we need plot characters to be active, you must be in a minimum of five threads a month to earn these points!
There are two plots ongoing at the moment. The first is run by Caliber, and is a relatively mysterious thing to do with science, draconid breeding, and the coalition's lone goldrider! Read her post about it for more information! The second is admin-run, and is an egg heist! This plot begins on the 15th of December, so get prepared to jump on board with the second theft of dragon eggs in Pern's history. But now, the Weyrs are prepared and things are going to be much, much harder...
A list of needed plot characters can be found here. There's no requirements for making one of them -- you just have to get the profile accepted! Go go go~
Site Gossip
There's a couple open threads up!
» Of all the stupid...! - Relyssa & Ktarith - Apparently hunting in the eastern caldera isn't so easy when your dragon is being obnoxious and doing some hunting of her own!
» [[SKIRMISH]] - 20 July 1257 - Istan brownrider - Looking for a fight? Want to defend the Archipelago from the northerners, or avenge the death of a friend? The first skirmish is up, and the first to post here, claims it!
And everyone knows dragons are the most gossipy creatures around... so what're those people getting up to?
» Naked dragon oiling? Apparently Aryna and Re'laur find nudity far more acceptable than oiled clothing!
» It seems that people have been helping themselves to weaponry from the westies without asking. Tsk tsk...
» Nyssa and her two browns are keeping up the work of making friends with those in power. Bronzers, watch out!
» Aww, Kes'len is making friends. Can Orlaithe really get the Weyrleader to play?
