*i

Good catch. Forgot to add that to the mage attribute. It's now in the Appendix.

Avernum games are classless. The character classes are there only to give you a decent beginner build. After that, it makes no difference whatsoever.

Good catch. It is now clarified that where there is a direct conflict, the new victory condition overrules. I ever gave your example where he would need all Avernites except Nociduas to be either dead or undead and still lose.

Thanks. According to the main rules, all structures are announced when built.

Sarachim is correct. When you report Dionicio's death, you use the task that explains you must report the killer. The report is not publicly announced.

Rules have been updated. I think I got everything inconsistent with the previous game, but if someone would proofread, that would be awesome. The lists of stuff have been moved to the appendix.

This appendix contains lists of attributes, items, and other game concepts. List of Artifacts Crystal Spire: Once per holder, if you are attacked by an enemy and would have lost, you will perceive the attack and flee. When holding this, Gladwell can learn your identity. Beware. Flaming Sword: +2 skill when attacking and all opponent's skill from armor and any derived skill bonuses are negated. (weapon) Fury Crossbow: If correct ID made during an attack, +2 skill and the skill bonus of all positive status effects except berserk is doubled (bow) Holy Symbol: +1 additional skill when defending. Instantly cures all negative statues effects including poison and dread curse. Shadow Leather: If you have stealth attribute, are attacked by a role without the stealth attribute, and would have lost the battle defensively, you ambush your opponent as the attacker. No bonuses or penalties dealing with identification apply. Artifacts all have a value of 40 coins. List of Attributes Anama: Membership to Anama faction Archer: +1 skill if you have a bow Bound: Membership of Gladwell faction. If Gladwell alive, +3 skill. If Gladwell dead, skill is decreased by 25% rounded down. Darkside Loyalist: Member of Darkside Loyalist faction. +1 skill. Additional +1 skill if attacking and identifying target correctly. Mage: +1 skill, gains no bonus from weapons or bows, and opponent receives no armor defensive bonus, may not join the Anama Merchant: Trades do not count as tasks, if attacked you will flee, may not join factions Stealth: +2 skill when attacking, gains no defensive bonus from armor Undead: status removed via resurrection. Warrior: weapons apply both offensively and defensively, +1 skill if opponent does not have mage attribute Weak: 50% skill rounded down when attacking. List of Faction Effects Anama * You receive the Anama attribute. * All Anama learn you have joined, and you learn who all the other Anama are. Roles are NOT revealed. * You share any potions, objects, and coins with all other Anama members. * You get an extra task: Build Shrine. You may build a piece the Anama Shrine for 25 coins. (Eight pieces needed to complete) * You receive an extra victory condition: The Anama Shrine gets built. * You become enemies with all those with the mage or bound attribute. * You may not attack another Anama member. Gladwell * You receive the Bound attribute. * Gladwell learns your role and can access your inventory as if it were his own. * If Gladwell dies, you keep the Bound attribute. * You become enemies with anyone who is enemies of Gladwell. Darkside Loyalists * You receive the Darkside Loyalist attribute. * You know the identity of the other Darkside Loyalist. * You receive all coins and items from any kills. * You may not explore regions. * You know the location of the Loyalist Hideout. If a person explores that location, they learn its location and become your enemy; you learn the unlucky explorer's nationality and faction. * When you are attacked, the attacker must identify the location of the hideout or the attacker has skill set to 50% rounded down. List of Items In parentheses, an approximate frequency of items appearing is given along with the base value. The base value is used by merchants to determine item value. Equipment, Weapons Sword: +1 skill when attacking (C - 10) Mace: +1 skill when attacking, additional +1 if attacking target with mage attribute (U - 20) Spear: +1 skill when attacking, additional +1 if attacking target without mage attribute (U - 20) Equipment, Bows Cavewood Bow: +1 skill when attacking and identifying target correctly (C - 10) Composite Longbow: +2 skill when attacking and identifying target correctly (U - 30) Equipment, Armor Leather Armor: +1 skill when defending against someone without mage attribute (C - 10) Chainmail: +2 skill when defending against someone without mage attribute (U - 30) Magic Ring: +1 skill when defending if you have the mage attribute (U - 10) Equipment, Shields Buckler: Reduce opponent's skill by up to 1 from weapons or bows (C - 10) Shield: Reduce opponent's skill by up to 3 from weapons or bows (U - 30) Potions Antidote: Removes poisoned status. (C - 10) Haste Potion: Gain hasted status. (R - 30) Healing Potion: Removes all negative status effects except poison or dread curse. (C - 10) Heroic Brew: Skill +25% rounded down when used in conjunction with an attack. (U - 20) Knowledge Brew: Permanent increase of base skill +1. (R - 30) Poison Potion: Can inflict target with poisoned status. (U - 20) Potion of Clarity: Gain enlightenment status. (C - 10) Resistance Potion: Gain resistance status. (C - 20). Resurrection Balm: Raise one character from the dead. (R - 40) Skribbane: Receive berserk status and gain weak attribute permanently. (C - 10) Objects Blessing Crystal: Target receives the blessed status. (C - 10) Box of Traps - When used, you are surrounded by traps. Anyone who attacks you in the next 24 hours will have skill reduced by 50%. (R - 30) Disruption Shard: Target receives the confused status. (U - 20) Explorer's Charm: Explore a location of your choice for free when used. (C - 10) Eye of Hawk: Target receives the sharpshooter status. (C - 10) Ivory Skull: Target receives weakened status. (U - 20) Null Rod: Target receives dumbfounded status. (U - 10) Scroll of Slow: When used in conjunction with an attack opponent has skill decreased by 25% rounded up. (U - 30) Shielding Crystal: Target receives protected status. (U - 20) Wand of Death: Target receives dread curse status. (R - 40) Other Flawless Crystal: Used by some characters for crafting. (C - 25) Herbs: Used by some characters for crafting. (C - 15) Research Notes: If used by a mage, permanent increase of skill +1. Each mage may only get this benefit twice. (R - 30) C = Common, 2+ per game U = Uncommon, 1-2 per game R = Rare, 0-1 per game List of Regions Abandoned Mine Crystal Cove Dead Swamp Enchanted Cave* Fang Clan Tunnels* Fang Clan Village Gladwell's Tower* Haunted Hut Lizard Den Mushroom Farms Northern Docks Old Warren Remote Island Ruined Outpost Shanker's Tower* Shanker's Ruins Shanker's Mine Stalagmite Field Sulphurous Alcove Webbed Cavern * These areas have a higher probability of having artifacts. List of Statuses Berserk: +5 skill when attacking or defending, weak attribute does not apply, enemies with everyone for duration of status Blessed: +1 skill when attacking or defending Confused: No actions are validated until this status wears off. Dread Curse: You will die in 24 hours or at the end of the game unless you touch the holy symbol. Dumbfounded: -2 skill if you have the mage attribute Enlightened: +2 skill if you have the mage attribute Hasted: When this skill wears off, another action is allowed to validate. Protected: +2 skill when defending Poisoned: You will die in 24 hours unless this effect is cured by either using an Antidote or the Anama Priest. Resistant: +2 skill when opponent is a mage Sharpshooter: +1 skill when attacking with a bow Warded: If you are attacked and have at least 50% of your opponent's skill, you will flee rather than die. Weakened: -2 skill when attacking List of Structures Anama Shrine: Built, in sections, by an Anama member, and is completed after eight sections are built. Each section is 20 coins for the Anama Priest, 25 coins for other Anama. When fully built, all Anama get skill +1, all mages get skill -1. Destroyed if all Anama are dead. Commerce Plaza: Built by the engineer with the help of a merchant and consumes 80 coins. Everyone gains the task of trading one item once per game for double base value in coins. The patron receives credit for the trade and half the base value in coins. Win restricted* to the patron and the three players with the highest wealth (coins plus worth of items). Destroyed if the engineer dies and the attendant merchant dies or flees in battle. Herb Grove: Located in three random non-faction locations. This is found during the course of exploration. Can be used by the alchemist to get herbs. Gladwell's Tower: Built by Gladwell if he reclaims his tower (requires he or one of his servants to explored the location for Gladwell's Tower and Gladwell to have an offensive skill of at least 10). Gladwell receives skill +2 and gets five items from the sealed storage. Destroyed if Gladwell is dead. Loyalist Hideout: Is hidden on a random location that is not affiliated with the Fang Clan, Gladwell, or Shanker. If this location is explored, that person learns of its existence. The Darkside Loyalists learn the nationality and faction of the explorer who found it. When attacking a Darkside Loyalist, the attacker must identify the location of the Loyalist Hideout or receive a 50% rounded down penalty to his or her attack skill. Destroyed if all Darkside Loyalists are dead. Obelisk: Built by the engineer with the help of another mage besides Gladwell and consumes four flawless crystals. The assisting mage receives base skill +3. Win restricted* to mages excluding Gladwell. Destroyed if the engineer dies and the assisting mage dies or flees in battle. Radiant Spa: Built by the engineer with the help of either faction leader, Gladwell or the Anama Priest, and consumes an artifact. The assisting faction leader a task allowing him or her to give others the warding status. Win restricted* to all those in the faction. Destroyed if the engineer dies and the assisting faction leader dies or flees in battle. Shanker's Lab: When built, Shanker receives two research notes immediately and one more at the start of each day. Destroyed if Shanker dies. *For the three engineer structures, the overall win restriction is the union of all the win restrictions. In other words, the more structures the engineer builds, the more potential people that can win.

Fixed the names. Nociduas, I don't know what I was thinking. Reverent was me being overzealous with spell check. I, hopefully, clarified imprisoned characters. They are indeed dead for all purposes of the game unless released. Two working versions of Shanker got mixed. She's now updated to the right final version.

Nicoduas' attacks may not stack. They are all separate, but he can command as many as he likes at any one time. As for the raw power bonus, he's supposed to be scary. Characters that are jailed and released appear as dead and resurrected. Engineer is a strange role. We've never done anything like it, so I'm interested to see how it may play out. That said, he cannot work with everyone, only a few. Oh, I fixed the typo you pointed out.

Registration is now open for game 12 (see the new rules in the Miscellaneous subforum). Game will probably start sometime this weekend. Time commitment will be for a maximum five days. We're looking for 16 players, but more is always good to act as alternates. It really is bad when people don't show, so please only sign up if you intend to play. Also, we will be using proxy anonymous accounts to those who want them. This really is recommended. So when you sign up, indicate if you want a proxy account or not. Please sign up below by typing: REGISTER NAME PROXY YES/NO Replace NAME with your current PDN and only do one of YES or NO to indicate your preference. Also, everyone must register from their own accounts. No registration on behalf of another.

Quote: Phanes...a blog is not what I enjoy. Would you prefer I not post here? You are free, and encouraged, to post here. That said, there is much we all could gain from being pithy. EDIT: I do agree, that these message boards are not everyone's personal repositories for their thoughts on the world. There are more appropriate places on the internet for large essays.

There are 16 slots in the game. The following roles will occupy those slots: 1-10: Adventurer, Alchemist, Anama Priest, Craftmaster Strine, Darkside Commander, Darkside Mage, Dionicio, Gladwell, Oliver, Shanker 11-16: Random of roles not selected. Two of the random roles 11-16 begin in an appropriate (and different) faction: Anama or Gladwell. Therefore, roles are also selected such that each faction gets one. The Rogue Mage and Pure Spirit will never start in a faction. List of roles in alphabetical order... Adventurer Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Archer, Warrior Inherent: +1 base skill. Additional +2 skill when attacking a faction leader (Anama Priest, Gladwell, or Darkside Commander). Receive a 60 coin reward if you kill a faction leader. Ability: None. Tasks: Bonus Explore. May explore one location for free each day. Rob Merchant. Once per day, if you correctly identify a merchant, you will steal all items (except coins, herbs, and flawless crystals) from a merchant. If incorrect, the target will learn you identity. May only target each person once and you may not trade with that merchant thereafter. Victory: Do three of the following: 1) Kill any faction leader 2) Hold any two artifacts at the end of the game 3) Rob all merchants in the game and get at least 100 coins worth of loot from this. 4) Join a faction and have its leader win 5) Explore at least one-third (rounded up) of explored locations Alchemist Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Merchant, Weak Inherent: You receive infinite trades per day, but may only trade items for a profit (greater than base value). You may not attack or explore land. You begin the game with two potions of low value. Abilities: Brew Potions. May convert any herbs you have into potions. Number of herbs required is the nominal value of the potion divided by 10, except for the resurrection balm which requires 10 herbs to produce. Tasks: Harvest Herbs. Target an explored location. If this location has an Herb Grove, you will receive 2 herbs and will continue to do so at the start of every day until it becomes unexplored. Victory: If Shanker is alive, need to be involved in at least 25 percent of the trades (gifts or trades between merchants do not count). If she is dead, you need involvement in at least 40 percent. Anama Priest Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Anama, Warrior Inherent: If you are attacked, your skill is +3. If you hold the Holy Symbol, all Anama have skill +1. If an Anama member kills a mage, you get 20 coins. You receive 20 coins for each Anama member you recruit. You are immune to dread curse. Ability: Once per game, may resurrect one person. Remove all status effects from a target. Tasks: Recruit Anama. May recruit members into the Anama. Build Shrine. Build a component of the shrine for 20 coins. Need 8 total to complete. Once the Shrine is completely built, this is announced publicly by the moderator. Victory Condition: Have the Anama Shrine built AND Gladwell not occupy his tower. Battle Mage Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Mage, Warrior Inherent: You receive normal bonuses from weapons and bows. When examined, no one sees your equipment. You are enemies with all Imperials. If you attack Dionicio, you will have a skill of zero. Ability: Mask Identity. Pick another role. You will appear, to all information gathering, as that role. Tasks: Report Death. Report the killer of Dionicio if he is dead. You may do this as many times as your tasks allow, but only the last report is honored. Victory: Dionicio dead (not through your attack or you inflicting a status effect such as poison) and report his killer AND win at least two battles, one of which must be defensive. Brigand Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Warrior Inherent: If anyone kills you in an attack while correctly identifying you, that person receives a 40 coin bounty and any items or artifacts in their possession that you stole from that person will be returned to the attacker. You are enemies with everyone. Ability: Burglary. If you correctly ID a non-merchant target, you will steal all of that person's items. If incorrect, the target will learn your role. In either case, you may not be able to trade with that person anymore. You may not rob fellow faction members. Tasks: None. Victory: Have the highest value of wealth in items and artifacts of any player besides merchants at the end of three of the five game days. Only wealth obtained from burglaries count towards this. Craftmaster Strine Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Mage, Merchant, Weak Inherent: You receive infinite trades per day, but may only trade items for a profit (greater than base value) unless trading with another merchant. You may not attack or explore land. You begin the game with two objects of low value. You gain one essence at the start of each day for each flawless crystal you possess. Abilities: Craft Objects. You may convert essence into any number of objects. The essence required is the value of the object divided by 10, except for the Wand of Death, which requires 10 essence to produce. Tasks: Drain crystal. Destroy a flawless crystal for an immediate 2 essence. Victory: If Shanker is alive, need to be involved in at least 25 percent of the trades (gifts or trades between merchants do not count). If she is dead, you need involvement in at least 40 percent. Darkside Commander Nationality: Empire Attributes: Darkside Loyalist, Warrior Inherent: Base skill +3. Receive additional +1 skill when attacking with a weapon. Receive additional +1 skill when defending with armor equipped. Receives normal armor bonus against magic users. Ability: None. Tasks: None. Victory: No Avernites except merchants win. Darkside Mage Nationality: Empire Attributes: Darkside Loyalist, Mage, Stealth Inherent: Base skill +1. When examining someone, the other person will not learn you did so. Ability: None. Tasks: Curse Target. Once per day, may place the weakened status upon a target. Victory: No Avernites except merchants win. Dionicio Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Stealth, Warrior Inherent: Base skill +2. Additional +2 skill when attacking a Darkside Loyalist that you correctly identify. You get 40 coins if you kill a Darkside Loyalist. You are normally enemies only with Darkside Loyalists. Your orders are to not attack other Imperials directly unless absolutely necessary. Ability: Query Influence. You will get the current Avernum Influence score. Tasks: Scan Land. You will learn if the Loyalist Hideout is present in a given location, and, if it is unexplored, what treasure is hidden there. Report Imperial. Correctly identify any number non-Darkside Loyalist Imperial to the moderator. Each Imperial correctly identified has skill -1 in all battles with Avernites. If incorrect, the Imperial learns your identity. Victory: Avernum Influence is positive. The Avernum Influence is calculated as follows: +1 for each Avernite that is alive +1 for each artifact an Avernite holds +3 for each Darkside Loyalist you kill -8 for each Darkside Loyalist that is alive -2 for each other unreported Imperial that is alive or dead -1 for each artifact an Imperial holds -2 if Imperials have explored more land than Avernites Empire Agent Nationality: Empire (Avernum) Attributes: Stealth, Warrior Inherent: Base skill +1. Additional skill +2 if attacking and correctly identifying a role. If you kill Shanker, you get a 60 coin reward. If examined, you will appear as an Avernite. Ability: None. Tasks: Examine Records. Once per day, may target an individual. You will learn that person's faction, if any. Victory: Do three of these: 1) Kill Shanker by your own hand. 2) Dionicio and the Darkside Loyalists dead by any means 3) Correctly identify, to the moderator, the identity of all roles. Only get one chance at this. 4) Hold the Crystal Spire at the end of the game. 5) Gladwell does not hold his tower and the Anama do not have their shrine. Engineer Nationality: Empire Attributes: Weak, Mage Inherent: Skill +2 when attacked. You are enemies with anyone excluded from victory by your structures. Appropriate players may join you as patrons for building structures. Ability: Build Structure. You must specify a patron who has joined you and have the required consumable(s). The construction of the structure is announced publicly by the moderator. Tasks: None. Victory: Build at least two out of three of the following structures by the end of day four: 1) Obelisk. Requires a patron mage (not Gladwell or yourself) and consuming four flawless crystals. The patron receives base skill +3. Win restricted to mages excluding Gladwell. 2) Radiant Spa. Requires a patron being the Anama Priest or Gladwell and consuming an artifact. The patron receives a task allowing the user to ward anyone. Win restricted to faction members of the patron's faction. 3) Commerce Plaza. Requires a patron being a merchant and consuming 80 coins. Everyone gains the task of trading one item once per game for double face value in coins. The patron receives credit for the trade half the base value in coins. Win restricted to the patron and the three players with the highest wealth (coins plus worth of items). Failure to build at least two by the end of day four requires the second structure be built on day five AND have both patrons win. Win restrictions are "unioned". For example, if both the Obelisk and the Radiant Spa are built, both mages (except Gladwell) and members of the faction of the patron of the Radiant Spa may win, but no one else. These structures are destroyed if you die and the patron dies or flees in battle. Fae Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Weak Inherent: You are enemies with anyone with whom you have traded. You receive an unlimited number of trades per day. Ability: Mask Identity. Pick another role. You will appear to all information gatherers as this role. Tasks: Query Partner. Pick someone with whom you have traded this day. You will learn that person's nationality and if that person has the attributes of warrior and mage. Victory: Collect at least 60 coins of value in loot. Loot is defined as the net wealth gained from any trades of people who subsequently end up dead later by any means. Gladwell Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Mage Inherent: Base skill +2. May not attack anyone, explore land, or use skribbane. +2 skill for each servant. +1 for each artifact currently held. -1 skill for each Anama member alive. You are immune to dread curse. Ability: Once per game, may inflict a dread curse upon someone. Tasks: Recruit Servant. You can bind, by mutual agreement, other players who are not Anama members or Darkside Loyalists. Scry Spire. You will learn the identity of the current holder of the Crystal Spire. Reclaim Tower. If you currently have an offensive skill of at least 12 (including statuses) you may reclaim Gladwell's Tower. This is announced publicly by the moderator. Victory: Reclaim your Tower AND the Anama Shrine does not exist. Hedge Wizard Nationality: Empire Attributes: Mage, Warrior Inherent: Base skill +1. Your skill is +1 if you hold at least one artifact. If you explore and find an Herb Grove, you get 2 bonus herbs. Ability: None. Tasks: Craft Item. For 1 herb or flawless crystal, can make one potion or object respectively. The potions available are: Healing Potion, Antidote, and Potion of Clarity. The objects available are: Blessing Crystal, Explorer's Charm, and Shielding Crystal. Victory: Get at least 15 Victory Points. +2 for each item crafted. +3 for each research note used (up to twice). +3 for each defensive battle won. +6 for killing the Adventurer or Empire Agent (may only get this once). Infiltrator Nationality: Empire Attributes: Warrior, Stealth Inherent: May use two weapons at once. Ability: None. Tasks: Identity Loyalist. You will learn if a target has the Darkside Loyalist attribute. Victory: Do three out of five: 1) At least one Darkside Loyalist wins. 2) At least three other Imperials who are not Loyalists win. 3) Kill an Avernite. 4) Kill another Avernite. 5) You and the Darkside Loyalists hold at least three artifacts AND no artifacts held by Avernites Marshal Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Warrior Inherent: You are enemies with anyone who has committed a crime. You yourself may not commit crimes. Crimes are: Murder: Killing someone in an attack or inflicting a poison or dread curse. (+3) Attempted Murder: Like Murder but not successful. (+2) Theft: Using an ability to rob or burglarize items. (+2) Selling or use of Skribbane. (+1) Killing someone defensively is not a crime. The number in parentheses denote the crime level someone obtains for each crime. Ability: Query Crime Level. Target a living or imprisoned character. You will learn that person's crime level. Tasks: Arrest Player. Target a player that has committed a crime. You must correctly identify the target's role and a crime they committed. If correct, that character is imprisoned. If incorrect twice, you are recalled for making too many false arrests and removed from the game. Imprisoned characters are dead for all game purposes except that they may only communicate with the Marshal until released. May only imprison three people at a time. Release Player. May release a person you have imprisoned. Victory: At least two top criminals are imprisoned. A top criminal is defined as having the highest crime level (greater than zero) of those alive at the start of the day of submitting the task for arrest. Note that it is possible to have multiple top criminals in the event of ties. Nociduas Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Undead, Mage Inherent: Base skill +5. You may not use Skribbane or be resurrected. Should you die, all your undead summons will die as well. Ability: Summon Demon. Once per game, may summon a demon. For the next 24 hours, you have skill +5 if attacked. Tasks: Make Undead. Bring back a player from the dead by correctly identifying their role. That player receives the Undead attribute and the additional victory condition: Nociduas wins (Where the original victory condition is in direct conflict, this one takes precedence. For example: a Darkside Loyalist would need all Avernites except Nociduas would need to be either dead or undead and lose to win.). If they remove the undead status via resurrection, they are no longer bound to you in any way. Compel Undead. Target any number of undead characters that you made. You may make them attack targets of your choice. This counts as an action for the target and overrides any action. Victory: Only undead characters except merchants "alive". Oliver Nationality: Empire Attributes: Merchant, Weak Inherent: You receive infinite trades per day, but may only trade items for a profit (greater than base value) unless trading with another merchant. You may not attack or explore land. You begin the game with two pieces of equipment of low value. Ability: Obtain Items. May convert coins for pieces of equipment (swords, armor, bows, or sheilds), herbs, or flawless crystals at base value. Tasks: Scan Inventory. You will see the inventory of any target that is not a merchant. Victory: If Shanker is alive, need to be involved in at least 25 percent of the trades (gifts or trades between merchants do not count). If she is dead, you need involvement in at least 40 percent. Pure Spirit Nationality: Empire Attributes: Warrior Inherent: Skill +2 if you join the Anama. If someone targets you with the Dread Curse, the person who targeted you will receive the dread curse instead and you will learn the that person's identity (name and role). Ability: Divination. May target an artifact. You will learn the location or holder of that artifact. Tasks: Antimagic Aura. Once per day, may give one target the dumbfounded status. Victory: Do two out of three: 1) Join the Anama prior to the shrine being built and ensure that the Anama Priest wins. 2) Kill Gladwell or one of his servants 3) Hold the Holy Symbol and the Crystal Spire at the end of the game. Rebel Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Stealth, Archer Inherent: If you are attacked and not correctly identified, you will flee if you would have lost. For each of your targets in your victory condition that you kill, you receive 40 coins. Ability: If you have a bow, may poison a target rather than attack. Tasks: Speed Burst. Once per game, you get the haste status. Victory: The following must be dead, one by your own hand: Adventurer, Darkside Commander, Darkside Mage, and Shanker. Revenant Nationality: Empire Attributes: Undead, Stealth Inherent: Anyone who examines you receives the weakened status. Skill +2 in battles with anyone not having the Anama attribute. Ability: Slowing Attack. Once per game, may make a special attack where the opponent's skill is decreased by 25% rounded up. Tasks: None. Victory: Achieve three of the following: 1) Have your undead attribute removed via resurrection OR Anama Priest dead. 2) Possess the Shadow Leather at the end of the game. 3) Kill an Avernite by your own hand. 4) Kill an Imperial by your own hand. Rogue Mage Nationality: Empire Attributes: Mage Inherent: Skill +2 if you join Gladwell. When you attack, all opponent's defensive statuses are nullified. Ability: Burglary. If you correctly ID a non-merchant target, you will steal all of that person's items. If incorrect, the target will learn your role. In either case, you may not be able to trade with that person anymore. You may not rob fellow faction members. Tasks: None. Victory: Do two out of three: 1) Join Gladwell prior to him reclaiming his tower and have him win. 2) Kill a member of the Anama. 3) Acquire any combination of eight: herbs, flawless crystals, or research notes. Research notes count double. Sacred Item Cultist Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Stealth, Mage Inherent: If someone targets you with the Wand of Death, the person who used it will receive the dread curse instead and you will learn the user's identity (name and role). You are enemies with any artifact holders. When in combat with any artifact holder, your skill is +1. Your skill is +1 for each artifact you hold. Ability: Once per game, may target a character. If that character has any artifacts, you will steal them. Tasks: Scry Location. You will learn what items or artifacts are present in a chosen location. Victory: At the end of the game, have any three artifacts in your possession. Shanker Nationality: Empire Attributes: Mage Inherent: Base skill +1 when defending. Skill when defending is +1 for each artifact you have researched. You may not join a faction. Ability: Ward Target. You may grant the warded status upon you or another person. Research Artifact. When you hold an artifact, you may research it. This produces two research notes. You may do this once per artifact. Tasks: Rebuild Laboratory. If you have researched at least three artifacts, you may rebuild Shanker's Lab. Victory: Rebuild Shanker's Lab AND The total number of unaligned characters outnumber combined membership of the two largest factions (The factions are: Anama, Gladwell, and Darkside Loyalists). Skribbane Addict Nationality: Empire Attributes: Weak Inherent: Skill +2 when you have the berserk status. You are enemies with everyone except those you have received Skribbane or members of a faction you may have joined. If you go more than two days without Skribbane or you will die. Ability: Skribbane Attack. If you have skribbane in your inventory, you may target a person. The Skribbane is used up and you attack with the berserk status. As usual, the status fades after the attack. Tasks: Black Market. Once per day, you may purchase one of these items at face value in exchange for coins: Spear, Mace, Composite Longbow, Antidote, Heroic Brew, Poison Potion, Disruption Shard, Scroll of Slow. Illicit Trade. In exchange for Skribbane, the other person receives the Black Market task. This task remains so long as you are alive. Victory: Total number of people you have received Skribbane exceeds the number of enemies.

Quote: You are not, in fact, correct. I was just pointing out the ironic word choice of having a "hard time" on "Hard difficulty". I agree some parts should be toned down. But more seriously, maybe a different word than "Hard" would better describe what you want the difficulty to be. Perhaps "Expert" to complement "Casual"?

Quote: I'm playing on Hard difficulty and have a hard time... I think it is apt that combat should be hard when you are playing on a difficulty level called 'hard'.

You are correct. I should have been more specific that you actually have to count the number of hits that are not crafters manually. It might take 5-10 minutes, but it will answer the question.

Do a find on Synergy's list at the top of this forum and count the number of hits. Sell all the Bolts of Cloth for extra cash.

You joined the Anama...oh dear, your game experience is about to get MUCH harder than had you not done that.

Spam is not allowed.

I think we should hear details about the explosive diarrhea that you get when you have the diseased status. I want graphics damn it! Seriously, not all realism is good...

I'm pretty sure the verdict here is to keep it optional but encourage it. If anything it helps the newer players most if lots of people do it, because it forces people to actually talk to them and give them a chance. For a while now, there was too much preference toward the experienced players.

I am restructuring things a bit again. The role assignments will be different: Slots 1-10: Adventurer, Alchemist, Anama Priest, Craftmaster Strine, Dionicio, Darkside Commander, Darkside Mage, Gladwell, Oliver, Shanker. Slot 11: Random Mage Slot 12: Random Imperial Slot 13-16: Random Role Note that Machrone, Bound Servant, and Micklebur are gone. The faction leaders will instead receive a randomly chosen faction member from slots 11-16. Should make things interesting. Also, all three merchants are now in every game. Merchants will no longer have separate inventories for shops. Everything will be mixed together. The focus will no longer be on the value of the trades, but the quantity of them relative to the rest of the trading that goes on. Merchants must now always trade for profit (artifacts will be worth 40). Some proposed role descriptions for the required roles: Adventurer Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Archer, Warrior Inherent: +1 base skill. Additional +2 skill when attacking a faction leader (Anama Priest, Gladwell, or Darkside Commander). Receive a 60 coin reward if you kill a faction leader. Ability: None. Tasks: Bonus Explore. May explore one location for free each day. Rob Merchant. Once per day, if you correctly identify a merchant, you will steal all items (except coins, herbs, and flawless crystals) from a merchant. If incorrect, the target will learn you identity. May only target each person once and you may not trade with that merchant thereafter. Victory: Do three of the following: 1) Kill any faction leader 2) Hold any two artifacts at the end of the game 3) Rob all merchants in the game and get at least 100 coins worth of loot from this. 4) Join a faction and have its leader win 5) Explore at least one-third (rounded up) of explored locations Alchemist Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Merchant, Weak Inherent: You receive infinite trades per day, but may only trade items for a profit (greater than base value). You may not attack or explore land. You begin the game with two potions of low value. Abilities: Brew Potions. May convert any herbs you have into potions. Number of herbs required is the nominal value of the potion divided by 10, except for the resurrection balm which requires 10 herbs to produce. Tasks: Harvest Herbs. Target an explored location. If this location has an Herb Grove, you will receive 2 herbs and will continue to do so at the start of every day until it becomes unexplored. Victory: If Shanker is alive, need to be involved in at least 25 percent of the trades (gifts or trades between merchants do not count). If she is dead, you need involvement in at least 40 percent. Anama Priest Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Anama, Warrior Inherent: If you are attacked, your skill is +3. If you hold the Holy Symbol, all Anama have skill +1. If an Anama member kills a mage, you get 20 coins. You receive 20 coins for each Anama member you recruit. You are immune to dread curse. Ability: Once per game, may resurrect one person. Remove all status effects from a target. Tasks: Recruit Anama. May recruit members into the Anama. Build Shrine. Once per day, build a component of the shrine for 20 coins. (Need 8 total to complete) Victory Condition: Have the Anama Shrine built AND Gladwell not occupy his tower. Craftmaster Strine Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Mage, Merchant, Weak Inherent: You receive infinite trades per day, but may only trade items for a profit (greater than base value) unless trading with another merchant. You may not attack or explore land. You begin the game with two objects of low value. You gain one essence at the start of each day for each flawless crystal you possess. Abilities: Craft Objects. You may convert essence into any number of objects. The essence required is the value of the object divided by 10, except for the Wand of Death, which requires 10 essence to produce. Tasks: Drain crystal. Destroy a flawless crystal for an immediate 2 essence. Victory: If Shanker is alive, need to be involved in at least 25 percent of the trades (gifts or trades between merchants do not count). If she is dead, you need involvement in at least 40 percent. Darkside Commander Nationality: Empire Attributes: Darkside Loyalist, Warrior Inherent: Base skill +3. Receive additional +1 skill when attacking with a weapon. Receive additional +1 skill when defending with armor equipped. Receives normal armor bonus against magic users. Ability: None. Tasks: None. Victory: No Avernites (besides merchants) win. Darkside Mage Nationality: Empire Attributes: Darkside Loyalist, Mage, Stealth Inherent: Base skill +1. When examining someone, the other person will not learn you did so. Ability: None. Tasks: Curse Target. Once per day, may place the weakened status upon a target. Victory: No Avernites (besides merchants) win. Dionicio Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Stealth, Warrior Inherent: Base skill +2. Additional +2 skill when attacking a Darkside Loyalist that you correctly identify. You get 40 coins if you kill a Darkside Loyalist. You normally enemies with only Darkside Loyalists. Your orders are to not attack other Imperials directly unless absolutely necessary. Ability: Query Influence. You will get the current Avernum Influence score. Tasks: Scan Land. You will if the Loyalist Hideout is present in a given location, and, if it is unexplored, what treasure is hidden there. Report Imperial. Correctly identify a non-Darkside Loyalist Imperial to the moderator. If correct, this Imperial has skill -1 in all battles with Avernites. If incorrect, the Imperial learns your identity. Victory: Avernum Influence is positive. The Avernum Influence is calculated as follows: +1 for each Avernite that is alive +1 for each artifact an Avernite holds +3 for each Darkside Loyalist you kill -8 for each Darkside Loyalist that is alive -2 for each other unreported Imperial that is alive or dead -1 for each artifact an Imperial holds -2 if Imperials have explored more land than Avernites Gladwell Nationality: Avernum Attributes: Mage Inherent: Base skill +2. May not attack anyone, explore land, or use skribbane. +2 skill for each servant. +1 for each artifact currently held. -1 skill for each Anama member alive. You are immune to dread curse. Ability: Once per game, may inflict a dread curse upon someone. Tasks: Recruit Servant. You can bind, by mutual agreement, other players who are not Anama members or Darkside Loyalists. Scry Spire. You learn the identity of the holder of the Crystal Spire. Reclaim Tower. If you currently have an offensive skill of at least 12 (including statuses) you may reclaim Gladwell's Tower. Victory: Reclaim your Tower AND the Anama Shrine does not exist. Oliver Nationality: Empire Attributes: Merchant, Weak Inherent: You receive infinite trades per day, but may only trade items for a profit (greater than base value) unless trading with another merchant. You may not attack or explore land. You begin the game with two pieces of equipment of low value. Ability: Obtain Items. May convert coins for pieces of equipment (swords, armor, bows, or sheilds), herbs, or flawless crystals at base value. Tasks: Scan Inventory. You will see the inventory of any target that is not a merchant. Victory: If Shanker is alive, need to be involved in at least 25 percent of the trades (gifts or trades between merchants do not count). If she is dead, you need involvement in at least 40 percent. Shanker Nationality: Empire Attributes: Mage Inherent: Base skill +1 when defending. Skill when defending is +1 for each artifact you have researched. You may not join a faction. Ability: Ward Target. You may grant the warded status upon you or another person. Research Artifact. When you hold an artifact, you may research it. This produces 2 research notes. You may do this once per artifact. Tasks: Rebuild Laboratory. If you have researched at least three artifacts, you may rebuild Shanker's Lab. Victory: Rebuild Shanker's Lab AND The total number of unaligned mages that are alive and merchants that win must outnumber the membership of the largest faction. * * * New Structures: Herb Grove: Located in three random non-faction locations. This is found during the course of exploration. Can be used by the alchemist to get herbs. Shanker's Lab: When built, Shanker receives two research notes immediately and one more at the start of each day. Items: Herbs: Used by some roles to produce potions. (C - 15) Flawless Crystal: Used by some roles to produce essence for crafting objects. (C - 25) Research Notes: When used by a mage, permanent skill increase of +1. (May only get up to skill +2 from this item.) (R - 30)

Doth ask for much. Making a good AI is very difficult. Sure, Jeff is getting better and many tricks are becoming available in this regard, but this is not simple stuff for one guy in a basement to do. Me personally, I'm impressed he pulls this stuff off at all.

It is. The Occus Cult is near Corta.

Duck, you died because you were the skribbane addict and attacked someone without skribbane. I guess you could say this was the new combat system, but I see this more trying the play a role in a way it was not intended. I like the new combat system because it makes defense stronger than offense. Attacking is now a risky strategy, and you need to be ready for it. The direction I want to take this game still involves some death, but not the massive bloodbaths we saw in the earlier games. Ideally, I would like around half of the players to survive until the end of the game. As for anonymous accounts, I do think they helped. I also think they worked when they were most important: the beginning of the game. You see, people have a habit of making a beeline to certain other individuals that they have worked with in previous games. This tends to favor certain pairings of players rather than roles, which I see as no good. This helps with that, at least in the initial stages of the game. I don't think I want to make them mandatory, but I still think those that want them should have them. Duck, I hate to say this, but they helped you too. In previous games, few people even bothered to talk to you because of your past performance. This is not fair to you. At least here, people talked to you, have you a chance, and now see that you are definitely improving.

It had nothing to do with you. After playing A6, I just couldn't resist bringing Levitt into this, so this came to mind a while ago before this round even started. Remember, he's not very nice.