¶ Characters
Maelstrom Characters
Maelstrom uses custom lore that pulls on Howard and other official Conan sources. There are also additional deities available for RP purposes, however, only the base game deities offer any kind of mechanical benefit. The racial kits for your race are not something you can trade or give to others. Once you have designed your character, any extra racial items can be used on thralls if you wish, but do not trade them to other players. Test
Players cannot exceed or add to our lore without first getting permission. We have magic, racial, and historical lore. We have introduced archetypes and quests and other means for increasing or expanding upon certain aspects (such as artificers being able to imbue items with certain qualities). One of the goals for Maelstrom is to foster cooperative play where players rely on others for some of the things they need, and no one player can do everything. This rule applies to your backstory as well. Anything you write into your backstory must fit with the rules and lore of the server. If you are unsure of what you are seeking or want to do is within our lore, please open a ticket or post in your character ticket if you have one, and an admin will discuss it with you.
You must have an RP appropriate name for your character. You cannot use pop-culture reference names, modern names, names that are already in use by others, races as names, classes as names. names that do not fit the era. If you create a character with a name that is not RP appropriate it will be changed by an admin and you will be instructed to change it. Refusing to change your name will result with your removal from the server.
Characters on Maelstrom must be at least 20 years of age, or the minimum age of maturity for their race.
¶ Character Creation
There are many aspects of character creation that include races, classes and professions. Please read through the racial information before you create your character. There are feature requirements that accompany certain races and the easiest way to make sure you understand the requirements is to read that page. There are open races, application races, and restricted races – be sure you know what is and is not allowed. Currently you cannot begin play as a risen, wight, star elf, half-giant, dragonborn, winged folk, magie, psykin, or versakin without first applying and being approved for those races. If you create an application or restricted character without being approved by an admin (receiving a DM telling you that you are approved) you will have to change your race to an open race. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this, if a race is an application race or a restricted race you CANNOT play it until you have been approved by an admin. Undead (risen and wight) are not a playable race from the start. They require you to be level 300 and have lost all of your role play lives. You will need to apply for this race and you must have a detailed story that explains why you are now coming back as an undead. Risen and wight race icons will show the race that you were before you became an undead. This is to prevent players from using OOC information, such as your race icon, to determine that you are an undead.
Open Race - Anyone can play these races at any time without prior application or approval.
Application Race - Anyone can apply for this race, but must still be approved prior to beginning play.
Restricted Race - You cannot apply for a restricted race until and unless you have been on the server for a full season and were active during the season immediately prior to your application.
Dragonborn, Half-Giant, Risen, Star Elf, and Wight are restricted races. The bare minimum requirement for a restricted race is one full season on the server during which time you are consistently active. This means you MUST be ACTIVE for a complete season before you will even be considered, and that must be the season before you apply. You cannot return after being inactive for several seasons and apply because a year ago you were active for one complete season. Each race may have additional restrictions. You can look at their race page for more information.
After you pick your race from the journal, you will speak to a thespian to register your race and get your racial items. If you are using scales do not apply them to yourself directly, slot them into your fashionist slot. If you apply them directly and die, you will lose them. There are a few custom races that are available on Maelstrom that are not directly part of the Professions mod. These races will not give you a tracking feat like the base races.
Character backstories cannot include ties to gods, supernatural powers or abilities that are not part of our lore, or history that is not part of our lore. If you want to write something into your backstory and are unsure if it fits with our lore, please open a ticket in discord and discuss it with the team.
Character tickets are now being used for every character in Discord. All rolls and tracking that we used to use in discord will not go into your character ticket - which must be created before you leave the starting area. This ticket will remain open for the life of your character. Bugs, land claims, and general issues will still use standard tickets, but all archetype, spell casting, perks, leveling, PvP, research, thefts, and things that are tied to your character will need to be posted in your character ticket. You should copy and use the template that is in the contact an admin channel and fill in the information that pertains to your character. Not all information may apply to all characters, if you are not a mystic that has RP spells, you do not need to list your spells. If you are not level 100, you do not have to list your level 100 perk, same for archetypes. You will update this ticket as you progress through your levels. You will also need to link your consent form in discord to your character ticket in discord. You right click on your consent form post, click copy link, then ctrl V into the bottom of your character ticket.
Everyone gets 4 RP lives. One of those is an automatic resurrection offered by the Synod to all characters. There are different ways to lose RP lives, most often it is a wounds table roll, event, or carrying over a character from one season to the next, if an RP life is assigned for that carry over. Normal “deaths” are actually defeats as opposed to death. Your RP lives should be listed on your character sheet in your character ticket and if you lose an RP life you must post in the graveyard channel in discord that you lost an RP live and list how many you have remaining.
When you die and you are alone, you must let the admins know in your ticket. The admins will place your body and your items, including your currency, out in the world. You cannot tell others OOC where you died or that you died. If they have IC means to determine you have died, or a way to locate you, they must state what actions they are taking in their ticket and the admins will advise whether their are successful and whether they find the body.
We offer multiple items in the kits so that you can pick the one you prefer, but you must pick the item you will use and you cannot change it after you have used the item. In other words, model the items, decide which one you want to use, then equip it to your character. Once you make your debut with those items, you cannot change them unless approved by an admin. Each character must pick 4 backgrounds before they leave the starting area.
¶ Backgrounds:
We have backgrounds that will enable players to customize their background as it suits them. Player organizations are encouraged, and we hope to see player driven and player organized groups that can fill the need for professional and crafting organizations. These backgrounds are decided at character creation as you go through the starter experience at Auri's Pointe and will be expanded through gameplay via quests as you play your character. The full list is available once you arrive at Goab on the quest “Further Inland”.
¶ Additional Character Information
There are no races or abilities that will infer demi-god/god type of powers. Beginning with Echoes of Hyboria, characters will no longer have bracelets and are not considered prisoners or exiles. Characters have a few restrictions:
- You cannot roleplay as being possessed by, controlled by or serving as the avatar of a god. There are expanded roleplay archetypes available in the archetypes section of the website.
Giving yourself unlikely powers for your character, such being able to shoot laser beams at the sky, is not allowed. There are supernatural abilities in this game, but they are regulated. If you are using spells, make sure you understand their limitations and the requirements for using them. This rule extends to in-game features that may be enabled by mods. For example, you cannot strip someone of their equipment by using the thrall wars functionality menu without the other player's consent.
A character should always have value for their own life and wellbeing. They should have goals to pursue and a conscious desire to stay alive in order to pursue those goals.
Memory loss is not a common thing and players who seek to have their memory wiped must open a ticket and get approval for it from the admin team. It is generally not something that is allowed and when it is, it has very specific requirements. You cannot use memory loss as a free "new" character, and even if you are given permission for memory loss, it does not mean that everyone forgets who you are.
You should use multichar for your alt characters. Although there are shortcut keys for quickly changing between them, it can muck up your inventory and character information and feats, so you should exit to main menu and come back in to change characters. Your set home is limited to your main character with the /sethome command. You can use /mcsethome and /mchome will work for your alt characters.
All new characters must be recreated, you cannot change your name and race and keep the character you had before. You cannot hold onto gold, items or knowledge held by your previous character(s).
If you recreate your character after doing the starting quests in the starter area, you may need to contact an admin to clear your rank tags before you can do the quests again and proceed.
If you do not follow the rules for your class, race, archetype, or other aspect of game play, you will forfeit gaining any benefit from doing it after the fact and you may receive a strike or lose access to certain things. One example of this is if you must make a wisdom and you have not filled out your character sheet. You will have to roll a d20 with no level bonus and no attribute bonus and take that flat roll as well as any negative should you fail the roll. If you are an outlaw and you fail to roll stealth and/or disguise, an admin may make a flat d20 roll for one or both of those rolls and that is what you are stuck with for your roll. It is on the player to understand their own character and to do what is required of them.
If you for whatever reason become inactive or leave the discord and your character is deleted, we will post in the graveyard channel that you have not been seen and are presumed dead. This will be treated as though you have shelved your character and you will lose one RP life. You can return later to play that character provided you have not been banned, you have not permanently killed your character, you are still in good standing, and there are no other story or server issues that would otherwise prevent you from returning.
¶ Alt Characters – Apply here
Alts are allowed but you must apply for one before creating it. Once approved, you can create your alt. You cannot create an alt if your main character is not in compliance with the rules. You can use multichar mods for alts.
- Alts are by application only and must be approved by ADMIN. If you wish to have an alt apply using the above link. If you are found using an alt without admin approval you will have your alt deleted from the database and will receive a strike. You must apply and be approved BEFORE you create your alt.
- Everyone can have one alt, unless they are a gold patron that allows for a second alt and platinum that allows for a third alt.
- There are add-ons available for donors to increase your character slots.
- You can have one shelved alt at a time. If you have a main and an active alt, you can shelf one to bring in another character, but you cannot continue to shelve and rotate your alts. When you bring your shelved alt back into play, you must shelve or retire one of your other characters. You cannot shelf and un-shelf a character in the same season. If you are a patron, you get an additional alt slot, and you will have the shelving option for each of your alts. Every 100 years that pass from the time you shelf a character counts as your character being resurrected one time, eventually ticking down their available resurrections until they reach their final death.
- Alts who Outlaw have special requirements. If an Outlaw is an alt, you MUST make yourself available for RP should someone discover your theft or actions. You CANNOT log in, steal, log out and stay gone for a month.
- Alts cannot interact with their main or have any knowledge that is known only to their main character. This includes one of your characters killing one of your other characters, or gathering information on your main or alt which you then give to the other character you play. Essentially - don't metagame.
- Alts cannot roleplay with their main character. You can take part in server wide activities, but you can’t further your own storyline or plot by having your alt act on something your main set up.
- Alts cannot serve as subordinates or have direction interaction with their main character. For storylines, plots, events, etc., you must pick which character you want to participate and limit your involvement to the character you selected. You cannot flip this back and forth, once an event begins and you have chosen which character will be involved, you cannot later change and pull in your other character.
- Alts cannot take part in any form of conflict that their main character/clan is involved in.
- Alts are NOT meant to be created to help someone with conflict, war, or raiding. An alt is for players who want to flesh out and play a second character, involve themselves in active story lines and role play.
- Alts should not be created as replacements for current characters if there is outstanding RP with that character. We will not approve repeated or multiple alt applications or allow players to cycle through characters.
- All new characters must be recreated, you cannot change your name and race and keep the character you had before. You cannot hold into gold, items or knowledge held by your previous character(s).
- You cannot attend server events on both your main and your alt. This is true for all server, story point, and warfare events. If you wish to attend player run RP events on more than one character, you cannot get a Maelstrom token on both, you must pick which character you get the token on. If we find that you have the same charvar for an RP event you will lose your token and receive a strike.
¶ Roleplay Stats and Skill Rolls
There are roleplay stats and skills that are used in different situations to enhance roleplay. Game mechanics are still the default for most things, so if you can hear or see someone, then you do not need to make a notice roll, but you CAN do so if you wish to enhance your roleplay. You set your RP stats by using shift u and must set these up before you begin play. You must set your attributes first, then save, then add your skill points. Attributes are at the top of the sheet and include Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma. Skills are at the bottom of the sheet. Everyone gets one stat sheet reset per season. You will not be able to put negatives into your RP attributes. You cannot ever go above a 10 in any attribute, including bonuses from your items, archetypes, tattoos, or artifacts. There is one exception to this, and it required completing all milestones during the Shattered Reflection season. If you completed all milestones and were either a new character or an existing character that changed nothing about themselves, then you are able to exceed the 10 ceiling by 1 or 2 points, depending on how you spend the +2 bonus RP attributes you gained. The maximum number of points you can spend in a skill is 23, however, these skills can be increased beyond that number by things like archetypes and items. Racial and class bonuses are automatically applied when you use the shrine. Maelstrom is a level 300 server, which means we use virtual levels for progression with the awarding of additional skill points. To get your virtual level, you take the total number of levels (300) and divide it by 20. This means there are 15 level breaks for our players, so you will be awarded new skill points every 15 levels.
Professions has automated the application of skill points as you level. You must update your character sheet and save it. Admins will add certain bonuses to your sheet from specific magical items made by artisans, called their imbued items, imbued shaman tattoos, alchemy tonics that increase attributes and stats, the perfect body eromancer ritual, and from things you interact with in the world which increase your attributes or skills.
By level 300 you will get 3 bonus attribute points.
The class skill points are as follows:
If you are a warrior, you will get 4 skill points + your intelligence x 4 to begin play. Every 15 levels you will gain 4 + int points added to your skill points that you can spend.
If you are a mystic, you will get 6 skill points + your intelligence x 4 to begin play. Every 15 levels you will gain 6 + int points added to your skill points that you can spend.
If you are an artisan, entertainer, nomad, or outlaw, you will get 8 skill points + your intelligence x 4 to begin play. Every 15 levels you will gain 8+ int points added to your skill points that you can spend.
Example:
Joe Bob is a warrior with a ranger subclass. He has 0 points in intelligence. At level 1 he will have 4 + 0 x 4 skill points to spend, which is 16 points. By level 300, he will have gained 76 additional points to spend, for a total of 92 skill points.
Kelly Sue is an artisan with 5 intelligence. At level 1 she will have 8 + 5 x 4 skill points to spend, which is 52. By level 300, she will have gained an additional 247 skill points, for a total of 299 skill points.
The maximum for character attributes is 10. You cannot go beyond a 10 in any attribute. You also cannot gain more than 15 total points from admin bonuses.
The maximum for character skills is 23 base, plus your attribute bonus, plus an admin bonus of 12 from other things.
It is still possible to benefit from the effects of magical items or artifacts beyond the total of 10 or 12 from admin bonuses, however, they will not be added to your sheet and thus will never grant additional skill points and they must be on your person at the time of your roll for you to benefit from their effect. It is your responsibility to list any and all magical bonuses not reflected in your character sheet at the time you make a roll.
The skills and stat guide can be seen here.
¶ Character Progression
As you level up, you will gain RP skill and attribute points (see above). Make sure you update your discord character ticket with your perks as you select them. You will also gain a perk at levels 100, 150, and 200. You cannot pick the same perk more than once. These perks can be obtained in the Lost Vale, our hub, once you complete Auri's Pointe. If you change your class or your archetype, you will get to reallocate your level perks. The perks and their descriptions are below:
- Acacia’s Guile - once per week you gain one free reroll on a failed disguise, bluff, or any music-based perform roll.
- Alertness - once per week you gain a free reroll on a failed notice or investigation check.
- Arestiel’s Lesser Gambit - You must have spent points in Knowledge Battle. If you have Arestiel's Lesser Gambit you can shift someone else’s wound on the battlefield to yourself (cannot be a natural 100). This can be done once per week.
- Arestiel’s Greater Gambit - You must be at level 150+ and have Arestiel's Lesser Gambit. If you have Arestiel's Greater Gambit, you can shift someone else’s death on the battlefield to yourself. This can be done once per week and likewise does not apply to natural 100 rolls.
- Cyra’s Joy - once per week you gain a free reroll on a failed craft tattoo or handle animal check.
- Cyrfwin’s Kismet - once per week you can get a reroll on a failed spellcraft, knowledge (arcane), or any roll dealing with extra-planar events.
- Improved Physique - you pick one of the following RP attribute bonuses:
- +1 to Str, Dex, or Con
- Iniko’s Trick - once per week you gain one free reroll a failed disable device, escape artist, perform sexual technique, or sleight of hand check.
- Kaliko’s Gift - once per week you can reroll a failed diplomacy or sense motive roll.
- Klyaphae’s Perseverance - once per week you gain a free reroll a failed ritual roll.
- Master Crafter - once per week you gain one free reroll on a failed crafting check.
- Might of the Triumvirate - Gain
- +1 to the DC of your spells
- +1 to resist other’s spells
- Persuasive - once per week you gain a free reroll on a failed bluff or intimidate check.
- Self-Sufficient - once per week you gain a free reroll on a failed heal or survival roll.
- Sofiel’s Lesser Luck +1 to all saving throws.
- Sofiel’s Greater Luck - Must be level 150+ and have Sofiel's Lesser Luck. This perk grants an additional +1 to all saving throws.
- Spell Specialization - You must be a class with spell slots. You can cast one additional spell per day. When posting in your ticket, you would indicate the additional spell “6 of 11 remaining.”
- Spell Permanency - You must be a class with spell slots. You get the ability to make one additional spell permanent.
¶ Conditions
There are a few different things on the server that can result in what is known as a condition. Conditions are also referenced in several spells. These are specific conditions that have specific results. If a spell says you know the condition of another player, it is referencing one of the conditions listed below, not the general condition of the player. Not all of the conditions are in use currently, although they may be in the future. A condition is a temporary condition that will eventually resolve. They can also be removed with heal or regeneration spells. The conditions are as follows:
Blessed
The character is blessed. They gain a +1 to all saving throws and skill checks.
Blinded
The character cannot see. -4 penalty on investigation and notice checks that do not involve sight as well as some strength and dexterity-based skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and notice checks involving sight) automatically fail.
Confused
A confused character’s actions are determined by rolling percentage dice if the condition occurs right then. 01-10, attack nearest caster with melee or ranged weapons (or close with caster if attacking is not possible); 11-20, act normally; 21-50, do nothing but babble incoherently; 51-70, flee at top possible speed; 71-100, attack nearest creature. A confused character who can’t carry out the indicated action does nothing but babble incoherently. Attackers are not at any special advantage when attacking a confused character. Any confused character who is attacked automatically attacks its attackers.
Content
The character is unburdened and unworried about things. A content character gets a +1 to all will saves and wisdom ability checks and wisdom based skill rolls.
Cowering
The character is frozen in fear and can take no actions. A cowering character takes a -2 penalty to all skill rolls until they are no longer cowering.
Dazed
The creature is unable to act normally. A dazed creature can take no actions.
Deafened
A deafened character cannot hear. They automatically fails notice checks that involve listening. They are at -4 on all other notice checks. They have a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal components.
Distracted
A distracted character takes a -2 penalty on all rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Exhausted
An exhausted character moves at half speed and takes a -6 penalty to strength and dexterity as well as all skill rolls that involve strength and dexterity. Any activity that is physically taxing, such as closing a portal or performing a ritual, automatically fails. After 1 day IRL of rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued. A fatigued character becomes exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause fatigue.
Fatigued
A fatigued character can not run. They take a -2 penalty to strength and dexterity as well as all skill rolls that involve strength and dexterity. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 8 hours of rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.
Frightened
A frightened creature flees from the source of it fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may fight. A frightened creature takes a -2 penalty on all rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. A frightened creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.
Frightened is like shaken, except that the creature must flee if possible. Panicked is a more extreme state of fear.
Helpless
A helpless character is paralyzed, held, bound, sleeping, unconscious, or otherwise completely at an opponent’s mercy. A helpless target is treated as having a Dexterity of 0 for purposes of checks and rolls. Attacks against a helpless target get a +4 bonus. Ranged attacks gets no special bonus against helpless targets.
Inspired
An inspired character gains a +2 to all will saves and wisdom ability checks and wisdom based skill rolls.
Invigorated
The character feels invigorated. They gain a +2 to all strength, dexterity, and constitution ability checks, reflex and fortitude saving throws while this condition is in effect.
Nauseated
Experiencing stomach distress. Nauseated creatures are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is move at a slowed speed.
Panicked
A panicked creature must drop anything it holds in its hands (not in your inventory) and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It can’t take any other actions. In addition, the creature takes a -2 penalty on all saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers (see above). A panicked creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.
Panicked is a more extreme state of fear than shaken or frightened.
Paralyzed
A paralyzed character is frozen in place and unable to move or act. A paralyzed character has effective dexterity and strength scores of 0 and is helpless (see above), but can take purely mental actions. A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it becomes paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A paralyzed swimmer can’t swim and may drown.
Petrified
A petrified character has been turned to stone and is considered unconscious (see below). If a petrified character cracks or breaks, but the broken pieces are joined with the body as they return to flesh, they are unharmed. If the character’s petrified body is incomplete when it returns to flesh, the body is likewise incomplete and there is some amount of permanent injury or debilitation that may require regeneration to correct.
Poisoned
A poisoned character has been exposed to some sort of toxin whose effects will vary based on the type of poison. There is no way to just get over being poisoned with most poisons.
Serene
A serene character feels calm. They get a +1 to all will saving throws while this condition is in effect.
Shaken
A shaken character takes a -2 penalty on all rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Shaken is a less severe state of fear than frightened or panicked.
Sickened
The character takes a -2 penalty on all rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Staggered
A staggered character may take simple actions, but can do nothing that involves more than merely moving or speaking.
Stunned
A stunned creature drops everything held, can’t take actions, and has their dexterity and all dexterity based rolls drop to 0.
Turned
Affected by a turn undead attempt. Turned undead flee for 10 minutes (essentially leaving the scene unless they are pursued) by the best and fastest means available to them. If they cannot flee, they cower.
Unconscious
Knocked out and helpless (see above).
¶ Attribute Drain
Attribute drain is the temporary or permanent loss of one or more ability scores (strength, constitution, dexterity, intelligence, wisdom, charisma) or the loss of a level. This can only be resolved with a restoration spell.