Author Topic: Lismore Tutorial 2.0 - Work in Progress  (Read 6469 times)

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Lismore Tutorial 2.0 - Work in Progress
« on: February 04, 2016, 04:23:09 pm »
Welcome to Lismore Lands Tutorial & Visual Guide!




What is Lismore Lands? Lismore Lands is a Fantasy RolePlay world in SecondLife, hosted in the Clockwork region, with the main entry point at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Clockwork/228/250/1701. While our population is mostly furry, we welcome all sorts of players, so long as they stick to the Fantasy genre, and to our Rules (http://sculptyworks.com/lismore/index.php?topic=22.0).

If you are new to RolePlaying, please read this glossary of terms and definitions.   http://sculptyworks.com/lismore/index.php?topic=16.0
For a detailed Introduction to RolePlay Guide, check out this link: http://www.fur.com/tapestries/wiki/User:WhiteWizard/Roleplay_Guide

Our RolePlay takes place in ancient times, during some unspecified date somewhere in antiquity, when the great ancient civilizations were still around and thriving (the Romans, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Persians, the Celts, etc...). Our world draws from elements from real ancient history, and made-up fantasy elements, so don't expect an accurate history lesson here.  ;)

Lismore used to be an island in an unspecified location in one of the oceans of the world, but a cataclysmic event coupled with supernatural intervention has set the place afloat as islands in the sky, in a dimension separate from that of normal Earth. However, a teleport portal exists on Earth where the island used to be, allowing back-and-forth travel to and from Lismore's new location.




    This guide is divided in the following sections, which you can navigate to by either scrolling down, or clicking the links below:

  • Getting Started
    The Entry Point

  • Locations & Information
    Info Signs
    Lismore City
    The Undercity Caves
    Cruentus
    The Temple Isles


And as always, if you have any questions not covered by this tutorial, or just prefer to interact with someone instead of reading documentation, don't hesitate to contact one of our staff members (as listed in our Staff Members section http://sculptyworks.com/lismore/index.php?topic=17.0 and in our Rules http://sculptyworks.com/lismore/index.php?topic=22.0).
« Last Edit: February 16, 2016, 02:58:47 am by Athian »
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Ausar

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Re: Lismore Tutorial 2.0 - Work in Progress
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2016, 06:28:41 pm »
Getting Started


If you just arrived, chances are you are seeing something like in the picture below:

(picture)
...minus the axe-wielding hyena and the neko. They aren't permanent fixtures.  ;)


That is our official entry point, located at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Clockwork/228/250/1701. There you will find our most important OOC documentation, one of our donation boxes, the character cards dropbox, our RP Tool dispenser and RP Tool Updater widget, the Looking-For-RP sign, and our Staff Members Online Status Indicator panels.


  • The Documentation

All of the essential documentation can be found in our blackboard at the Entry Point.

(picture)
All the info is just a mouseclick away...

You can click the scrolls on the board, to receive the notecards containing our Rules, the Character Creation Guidelines, the listing of Staff Members, our RP Economy preamble, and listing of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Alternatively, you can use the links below to access the same material outside of SecondLife:

Rules: http://sculptyworks.com/lismore/index.php?topic=22.0
Character Creation Guidelines: http://sculptyworks.com/lismore/index.php?topic=24.0
Staff Members & Roles: http://sculptyworks.com/lismore/index.php?topic=17.0
RolePlay Economy: http://sculptyworks.com/lismore/index.php?topic=27.0
Lismore FAQ: http://sculptyworks.com/lismore/index.php?topic=26.0

You can get a blank character card from within the Rules notecard and from the Character Creation Guidelines notecard, or though the following link: http://sculptyworks.com/lismore/index.php?topic=21.0




  • Character Card Dropbox

We require players in Lismore to have their characters approved before engaging in RolePlay. Visitors are welcome to look around the place, and uncarded characters are welcome to interact so long as they do not do anything a normal average unskilled human couldn't do (that means no special abilities, no special items, definitely no magic!).

Once you have read the Rules, and the Character Creation Guidelines, you are ready to fill out and submit a character card for approval. To do so, open your SecondLife Inventory and select your character card notecard, then press & hold the CTRL key, and drag your character card notecard from your inventory to the red, British post-box looking thing pictured below:

(picture)
Always hungry for your notecards...


A staff member will read the submitted cards and approve them or contact you to point out required changes that might be needed to make your character approvable according to our standards as soon as possible. Cards are not necessarily approved in the same order as they are dropped into the box, since they vary in character complexity, can be worked on by different staff members and in some cases are pending the feedback of individual members of staff or other players (if, for example, you wish to play a member of an already established family). However, if you don't hear from us in a couple of days, please contact us to check out on what could be delaying your card's approval.     




  • RP Tool

Neckbeards Anonymous has developed a RolePlay Tool which consists of a titler (a list of brief stats displayed above your avatar) and a HUD to be used while in Lismore to enhance certain aspects of the RolePlay. The Lismore RP Tool package has been painstakingly developed and optimized to ensure a lag-free product that uses little in terms of resources and is available for use outside of Lismore as well. You can get a copy of it in-world at Lismore's entry point, or in the SecondLife Marketplace https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/NBA-Lismore-RP-Tool/4898935?

The in-world vendor is shown in the picture below, on the right:

(picture)
Grab your RP-Tool here.

Players are not required to use the titler or the HUD tools, but it's recommended they use a titler of some sort. An active titler that is not set to OOC or AFK usually is one indicator that you are ready to play and waiting for company. Our RP Tool is available free of charge.

Right next to the RP Tool vendor (on the left) is the RP Tool Updater (the thing with the blue arrows), where you may acquire an updater tool to bring your Lismore RP Tool up-to-date to the latest version.




  • Staff Members Online Status Indicator

This series of panels on the wall is our Staff Members Online Status Indicator, where you can easily see which of our staff members are online at any one point:

(picture)
Our staff members, spead over different time zones, so hopefully you will find at least one of them online most of the time.

A green border indicates that a staff member is online and in Lismore at the moment. A blue border indicates that a staff member is online but somewhere else in SecondLife at the moment. A red border indicates that a staff member is offline.

If you click any one of the panels (Ashtyn Ninetails in this example), it will display the following message in your Nearby Chat / LocalChat:
[timestamp] Lismore's Staff Online Status Indicator: to see Ashtyn Ninetails's profile, click this link here: Ashtyn Ninetails
You can then easily contact a staff member if you need to get a hold of them for whatever reason.




  • Looking-For-RP Sign

The Looking-For-RP (LFRP) sign is a tool that works in conjunction with the Lismore RP Tool, to broadcast the status of those actively wishing to RolePlay usually with anyone who might approach them. You can activate this feature by simply clicking the LFRP letters on your Lismore RP Tool HUD and follow the easy steps on the menu that pops up to add yourself to the LFRP list, remove yourself from the LFRP list, or display the current LFRP list.

(picture) 
     
The sign at the Entry Point displays the current LFRP list.




  • Donations Box

Everyone is welcome to RolePlay at Lismore Lands free of any charge! The place is 100% non-profit and all our staff members are volunteers.
But unfortunately keeping this place around in SecondLife isn't free, and we do have a monthly bill to cover. So if you are feeling generous, please drop a few L$ in our donations box! Thank you. 

(picture)
Every L$ donated goes into the Tier Fund!
« Last Edit: February 22, 2016, 07:20:38 pm by Athian »
The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

Ausar

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Re: Lismore Tutorial 2.0 - Work in Progress
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2016, 06:30:47 pm »
Locations & Information


Information Markers:

Lismore is dotted with info markers that offer tidbits when clicked. You can easily spot them either because they are signs on a building, or because your normal SecondLife cursor icon becomes the little clicky hand cursor when you point at them. Examples of info markers are the signs indicating the nature of a building (such as Library, Arena, Baths, etc...), the various banners that pertain to the various different groups, institutions, and factions of Lismore, or the occasional poster on a wall.

If you click such a marker, it will display the relevant info in your Nearby Chat / LocalChat. The information displayed uses the SecondLife message format so only you get to see it.

(picture)
Now hopefully your character can read, otherwise you can only go with pictures and obvious symbols. ;)
« Last Edit: February 23, 2016, 10:43:10 am by Athian »
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Lismore Tutorial 2.0 - Lismore City
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2016, 06:32:10 pm »
Locations & Information


Lismore City:

The City of Lismore occupies a large floating island in the Sky realm. Giving the large cave structures underneath the city, it is probably the largest of the Lismorean isles. Local lore says the city was set afloat in the skies after a great battle where even the gods got involved. The city is a hodgepodge, both of people from various species and walks of life up to the buildings, that resemble styles from various time periods of Lismore history or are incorporated to reflect far away cultures from some of Lismore's later immigrants; at present the oldest building is probably the windmil, that is part of the much newer grranary building. Among the newest structure in town is the Hotel Fennecia.

(Picture)
The City of Lismore, flanked by the Cruentus island on the right, and the Entry Point on the left.

Scholars still debate how, and even where the islands stay afloat in the sky. There are many theories discussed, but so far the best answer they managed to come up with is the simplest but least explanatory of them all: It's magic!



Points of Interest:

  • The Market Area

Like any place where people come to inhabit and cultures mingle, Lismore has a marketpalce, situated on the North East extremity of the island. Here commonplace items such as food and basic equipment can be acquired IC, and you may inquire with the local merchants about less common items.

The sale of certain alchemic produce (especially those that allow for physical transformations) and weapons of the common and arcane variant usually requires an extra permission by the royals/their ministers, other vendors just obtain a general trade license to let the crown have their cut in the profits. Generally speaking, no specific items are branded illegal for trade in Lismore, but certain things can and will get people's attentions, depending on their personal and cultural backgrounds.

Lismore's Marketplace on a sunny day.




  • The Smithy

The smithy workshop is located in the marketplace area. This is the main blacksmith facility in Lismore. Here weapons and armor and generally any metal items are made and sold. The head of the facilities, and consequently current leader of the blacksmith guild,  is a character named Nina Farwell, played by Ani Aunerfal.

Those whose characters possess blacksmithing skills are welcome to claim access and use of the facilities of the smithy, but it's always nice to meet the ones in charge IC to arrange for official recognition.

(picture)
Never go adventuring without proper equipment.




  • The Gryphons

Gryphons are one of the ways to get around from one floating island to another floating island in Lismore for those who can not fly or otherwise have means to make the journey through the airy void between the more hospitable spaces. They charge a small fee for their transportation services, varying from a silver coin to other objects of trading value.

The gryphons are NPCs, the only thing they do for you is take you from place to place. They offer no other assistance or information unless a GM says it so. If you attack it, the gryphon always wins! You right-click a gryphon and select RIDE! to be taken to another place.

(picture)
Evan is an easy-going gryphon. Cassiopeia is generally more grumpy.




  • The Crystal Gateways

These are an alternative to the gryphons. They open a small portal to other gate structures they are linked with. Unlike the gryphons, they are usually free for the common people, since merchants or generous nobles tend to cover the maintenance costs. Their great benefit is that they can transport heavy weights with ease, that the gryphons would struggle with. They are also usually independent of weather and other effects, that may impair flying.
However, they come with some drawbacks of their own. Not everyone feels comfortable using these magic portals, they are prone to induce nausea or other side effects. And like most other magical constucts, they can be disturbed by other great sources of magic that are not properly shielded. So if you are carrying the most powerful artifacs or are maintaining a myriad of passive spells on your person, you might want to think twice before stepping into these gateways.

(picture)
Travel by the speed of magic!





  • Downtown Houses

The downtown houses, called that because they are literally in the lowest part of the city (without going underground), are the home of several characters. They don't offer much in terms of luxury, but they are private spaces in a bustling city where free space is an expensive commodity.

(picture)
City living can be a bit cramped.




  • The Arena

Most people treat the Arena as a mere training facility to hone their skills. And when there there is no other activity scheduled, that is usually perfectly fine. However, the Arena is also the place where you may duel one another in combat without fear of the law coming down on you. Be warned, if you step into the Arena to fight someone in that fashion, your life is in your own hands!

Underneath the arena is a part the city prison, where criminals are taken either because they are going to be there for a while, or because the cells back in the Guards' Tower are currently filled to the brim with people that need to stay locked up for a while.

(picture)
Nothing says entertainment like the grunts of skilled fighters and a crowd cheering from the stands.




  • The Rabbit Hole Inn

Every town needs a tavern. The Rabbit Hole is our local 'watering hole' and often host to all kinds of small events and celebrations. The current innkeeper is Aryn Gentlepaw, the tabby cat, played by Cylliano Dreamscape. You can get food and drink there, or if you wish just hang about and chat with the other patrons. The Inn is a good source of gossip and info. Or perhaps a good place to meet someone new!

Rooms are available for those whose characters might be travelers, or looking for a place other than their own home to spend the night, or plain simply those who wish to be long-term tenants.

(picture)
Ready to join for a pint or two? ...or five?




  • The Vance Estate

The Vances are a family of foxramau, demon-foxes who call Lismore home, and this building is pretty much their lair. The two other large foxramau families reside in similar large estates, though the Vances probably have the most wealth on display. They are known for having tremendous amounts of coin, artifacts and other valuable resources. Sometimes looked down upon for events from the past ("Have you heard their grandfather staged a coup against the royal family?") or issues of the present ("Is it true that they took incest to a new artform?"), they are nevertheless an influential family in the grand scheme of Lismore.

Figures that the current head of the Vances, Djoser Vance Fu Sheng (played by Ash Hammerthall), managed to snatch the hand of Princess Yuna in marriage.   

(picture)
No visit of Lismore is complete without gazing at the marvel that is the facade of the Vance Estate.




  • The Guards' Tower

The Guards' Tower is where the City Guard, the organisation dedicated to protecting the peace within the town, resides. Here you can enter to report crimes or suspicious activities. Or can ask for directions whenever you get lost as a newcomer. Arrested people usually are first taken here for some interviews and will most likely spend time in the cells in the basement.

The City Guard is officially headed by Guard-Captain Drucilla Fu Sheng (played by Drucilla Ceawlin), though most of the day-to-day work is handled by her second-in-command, Lieutenant Miriamella Valentine (played by Cylliano Dreamscape).

(picture)
Better make sure to always enter this building out of your own will. ;)




  • The Tower Palace

Lismore's seat of power, the Tower Palace, is the residency to a large number of members of the Fu Sheng family, who form the current line of royalty within these lands. The tower was constructed right after the city was set afloat in the skies, based on a tower the architect saw in a dream, and it was lavishly decorated with marble, stone and gold, reflecting a new era of prosperity and peace for the city.

It is in here where open court, or town hall meetings take place, and where the High Council of lords formally gathers. The current emperor is Xahu Fu Sheng (played by Hazel Alchemi) and at his side is empress Ewyllyn Fu Sheng.

(picture)
Lismore's seat of power

(picture)
A scroll containing the city laws is posted at the base of the tower.




  • The Library

Here is where Lismore's books and scrolls are stored. You can find history and legends and lore in here! The master librarian is called Abbadon (played by Ani Aunerfal). The building also houses a small museum and Lismore's master time-keeping astronomical clock is located on the top floor of the library building.

(picture)
A good book is a good friend. It will talk to you when you want it to talk, and it will keep still when you want it to keep still – and there are not many friends who know enough for that.




  • The Qu'a Ramani Tower

Monumental tower that serves as a gathering space for the Ramau population living in Lismore. Traditionally their local leaders reside in the upper layers of the tower. While at one point in time it used to be a religious building, nowadays the ground floor serves a more mundane function:  Here you can find Lismore's first dedicated bakery, opened on the 273rd day of the 25th Year of the Fourth Age. It is still run by former Ramau refugees who found a new home in Lismore and their offspring. They specialize in traditional Ramau baked goods but also have all sorts of cakes and breads and pastries from around the world!
(picture)
If baking is any labor at all, it's a labor of love. A love that gets passed from generation to generation.




  • The City Park

Sitting right in the middle of downtown Lismore, the park is a place to meet and greet your neighbors or to sit down for a few moments and contemplate life. The flowers and plants are usually well kept throughout the seasons. There are benches to rest, the song of flowing water surrounds a fountain and a statue commemorates fallen heroes of the past. You see Lismoreans play chess during the summer or build up snow foxes in winter. 

(picture)
Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends.




  • The Zenko Academy

Officially recognized as Lismore's Institute of Arcane Arts, most people just refer to the place as Zenko or the Academy. Next to the library it is the official place for studies in Lismore. Once an order of warrior monks with an Oriental flavor, the members of Zenko now focus on teaching ways to harness the magical powers within. A certain focus also rests on managing to handle said powers well and not to turn into a threat for your fellow men.

Additionally, the institute specializes in harnessing the power of a physical manifestation of magic: The Tass. Thus they usually help out and interact with the caretakers of the tass refinary. Exposure to tass has led some Zenko members to undergo a metamorphosis, becoming manabeasts: Creatures whose flesh is magical (known as aer).

The Zenko Academy is led by Lady Relina Harem (played by Felix Stourmead).

(picture)
I have learnt much from my teachers, more from my colleagues, and most from my students.




  • The Tass Refinery

One of the most surreal structures in Lismore, the Tass Refinery is a building precariously dangling from thick metal chains between the City island and the Cruentus island. Here, mana is refined into physical form, tass, and into a rarer liquid form, the vistus.

As a truly industrial operation, the refinery is a dangerous place. Free-floating mana levels are extremely high and prolonged exposure could lead into mana-poisoning and potential mana-corruption.
The tass refinery is headed by Jack Lanterns and his wife River Lanterns, played by Caex Silverfall and Symphicat Resident respectively.

(picture)
Floating buildings - Lismore likes to bring out the best magic and the other sciences have to offer.





  • The Alchemy Guild

Here is where potions are made and sold, where alchemist make their experiments, and the occasional abomination is created. The guild is open to those with alchemy as a skill to use the facilities. Those whose characters practice alchemy are welcome to claim access and use of the facilities of the alchemy guild, but it's always nice to meet the ones in charge IC to arrange for official recognition.
The Alchemy guild usually co-operates with the Academy on the subject of Alchemy and related topics. Heads of the Alchemy Guilad are Arlen (played by Ani Aunerfal) and Ike Harem (played by Felix Stourmead).

(picture)
Watch out if things go Boom in Lismore. More often than not, this place is the source.





  • Lismore Farm & Granary

The farm's terraces and the stables provide some of the foodstuffs that help sustain Lismore's population.  The large granary building houses most of the goods that can be stored as medium- to long time supplies. A lot of fresh food also passes through here and gets redistributed to vendors, taverns and the kitchens of those noble and wealthy.

For those with an interest on local history: The windmill tower is probably the oldest structure left on the city isle. It dates back to the times when Lismore was still firmly grounded in the Old World, before the ascension to the Sky Realm. The rest of the structure was build around the tower when the former granary was destroyed during an attack. To this day this windmill still is in operation, grounding most of the local grain.
 
Of course the farm also yields some plant & animal products that are not suited for consumption. Most of these are used by Lismore's weaver and textile works, which occupied a floor in the granary building. There local fabrics are made to then be sold to merchants and clothing makers.

The farm and its facilities are under the jurisdiction of Lord Athian Hoggard, Overseer of the Granaries of Lismore, and Radem, the purple rabbit. (The players are Athian Hoggard and Darren Azemus)

(picture)
Lismore's Granary




  • Lake House

Lady Ara Foxxian (played by DarkFoxxian) is a local artist and lives in a quaint little timberframe house by the lake on the city isle, right next to the beach. Thus her place is a bit removed from the hustle and bustle of the city streets.

(picture)
Here she can paint in tranquility or spent time with family members and friends.
 
« Last Edit: September 07, 2021, 04:18:07 am by Athian »
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Lismore Tutorial 2.0 - Lismore City Continued
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2016, 09:55:58 am »
  • The Lake

When Lismore got moved into the Sky Realm, it lost the beautiful coastline along with the beaches. Nowadays the only part where you can find a genuine stretch of sand nearby the city is the lake next to the granary and behind bathhouse and park. The lake is fed by a hot water underground spring, which means it usually won't freeze over in winter. It is a nice spot to swim and cool down in the summer, but be aware of the waterfalls dashing over the edge of the isle.

(picture)
Anyone up for some skinny-dipping?




  • The Harems House

The Harems are one of Lismore's noble families with a long and colorful history - and not only because some members are Manabeasts. The family is headed by Relina Harem (played by Felix Stourmead). The Harems are quite known for their engagement in various services towards the city. Relina Harem herself works as the headmistress of the academy. Kain Harem is a distinguished member of the city guard and his son Ike is co-owner of the Alchemy guild. The Harem family also holds a seat in the High Council.

(picture)
A grand estate for a large family.




  • The Boss House

A family of German Shepherds resides here. Head of the house is Rainer Boss (played by Gossamer Cleaven), a member of the city guard.

(picture)
Who let the dogs out?!




  • The Hoggart Estate

House Hoggard is a noble dynasty with its roots in Wölfelsgrund, a kingdom far north of Lismore near Germania. The head of the house here in Lismore is Lord Athian Hoggard (played by Athian Hoggard), a Tiwilder, which is basically a very large breed of wolf. The Lord serves as Overseer of Lismore's Granaries, has a seat on the High Council and has a reputation for being the person to turn to, if you got a grand ball or party to plan, since he also dresses up the town for the various holidays.

Lord Athian Hoggard has been with Lismore since the later days of the rule of Lord Xian, the father of the current emperor. He was one of the founders of the Winterwhite Guardians, freedom fighters who took it upon them to oppose the rule of the Valentine family during a coup. They managed to free the original royal family and reinstate them after the disposal of the usurpers. It is said that back in the day these rebels often met at this house in secret.

(picture)
Rumor has it, that the kitchen of this house works 24/7




  • The Apartment Complex

Build by order of the royal family to deal with an influx of new citizen, the apartments of this house serve as a cheap means of housing for new citizen who are just starting out as well as people who only spend a limited time within Lismore, like foreign students of the academy.

(picture)
A reasonable choice for those not wanting to rely on tavern and hotel rooms.




  • Hotel & Bistro Fennecia

Run by two fennec families, the Hotel Fennecia offers luxurious rooms with a bit of foreign flair to its guests, which mostly are the wealthy and important kind of people. The ground floor is open for the public and houses a Bistro, which specializes in foreign cuisine, mainly dishes from Egypt and India. The owners are Solrin Natine and his friend Malik Nejem, played by Anubis Kawadias and Anippe Resident.

(picture)
Plenty of room at the Hotel Fennecia. Any time of year, you can find it here.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2016, 02:13:42 am by Athian »
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Lismore Tutorial 2.0 - The Undercity Caves
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2016, 04:24:58 pm »
Locations & Information


The Undercity Caves:

Soon after the relocation to the floating islands, it was discovered that there was a system of caves beneath the city. There is an upper and a lower set of caves, with the upper caves often having access points to the basements of some city structures. Bringing in her expertise in the underground environment from old Lismore where she ruled the Caves, Xela Soulstar laid her claim on the underground of the city island.

For several years she maintained a crime syndicate in the underground, working behind the front of a brothel. In more recent times, her daughter Zeela, with the support of the crown, chased her mother and her old associates away and established herself down in the lower caves as the leader of a new settlement project: New Eden. Destined to give an influx of refugees a new home and turning them into a profitable workforce.

The Lower Caves serve primarily as a source of ores and heat from the seemingly endless pools of lava!

(picture)
The main entrance to the Undercity Caves is located behind the tavern building.



The Upper Caves

  • Mushroom Farms

Due to only having limited space in the Sky real, free land quickly turned into a rare and costly commodity within Lismore. Farms and agriculture in general had to compete for free space with those wanting to build their homes, shops and other city structures. One of the results was to look for alternative means to produce food, that was less dependent on using surface ground. The mushroom farms turned out to be the answer.

On large mycelium beds in the dim light of the upper caves mushrooms are grown and harvested by workers from the farm and granary. Part of these have been converted into local Lismorean cuisine, like the now famous Funghi-bread. Other parts are used to feed livestock. Lord Athian keeps a flock of pigs that are raised almost exclusively on a heavy mushroom diet. The resulting meat is regarded as a delicacy. 

(picture)
Mushroom Culture is a thing, not only in Lismore, but also in the caverns beneath old world metropolises like Paris.






  • Dwellings of the Cemetery Keeper

It is unknown who first carved out this cave dwelling, some assume it has been workers rebuilding the town in the early days after the upraising of Lismore into the Sky Realm. However, these days these halls house a most interesting tenant: Navaru Sil-Dur, an Anuvian jackal played by Cylliano Dreamscape. This man is a priest of the dead as was tasked by the emperor to hold watch over the graveyard.

Those in-the-know also recognize Navaru for being one of the few necromancers tolerated by the crown. His work obviously officially limited to white necromancy, it is hard to say what actually is happening behind closed doors. However, the fact that he lives there with his wife and children seems to put a lot of minds at ease.   

(picture)
The Anuvian jackal living here is rumored to grant people a chance to speak with the dead.




  • Cemetery

Death is a reality and regular occurrence in Lismore. While time sometimes seems to move faster or slower within the realm, some mortals will reach the natural end of their life, while others will fall violently, defending the lands as soldiers and guards. And despite best efforts, some lives will also be claimed by crime and punishment. With free land being a rare commodity, most corpses are cremated, but those that can afford some luxury often opt to bury their dead at the underground graveyard.

Down here people have a place to go to, when they want to pay their respects to the dead or dwell in silent dialogue with their dearly departed. The cemetery is taken care of by a priest, Navaru Sil-Dur, who lives nearby in the caves.

(picture)
One event happeneth to them all.




The Lower Caves

  • New Eden Gates

These are the gates to Zeela Soulstar's new settlement project New Eden. These days they are wide open to welcome the homeless and impoverished. The idea is to build up a future for those that currently don't have one, putting them to hard, but simple labor that will earn them a means to survive.
 
While some root for New Eden, there are also many turning up their nose and averting their eyes, simply happy for having a place to send the homeless and be done with them. Because to some, a problem unseen is a problem that doesn't have to concern them.

(picture)
There's no scandal like rags, nor any crime so shameful as poverty.




  • New Eden Town Hall

Formerly being known as a brothel by the name of Phoenix, the Tudor-style building nowadays serves as headquarters for the New Eden settlement project in the city island's underground. It is the domain of Zeela Soulstar (played by Xela Soulstar) and her associates. They manage the undercity and it's manufactories, mines, the extraction and refining of ores.

Viewed by some as a welcoming and open minded project to embrace the massive influx of refugees from other kingdoms, there are also rumors about the place being little move than a hub for chear labor, prostitution, thieves and other less-than-honest dealings.

(picture)
Here you can find the pack leaders of New Eden.




  • New Eden Town Square

The clocktower marks New Eden's town square. Here is also where the people come to gather fresh water from the well. The structures around the plaza are among the first build for the project, they are considered to be of reasonable good quality and highly sought after.

(picture)
Make a home for yourself in New Eden.





  • The Lava Forge & Mines

New Eden miners use the molten lava that flows at the core of the city island to help them with their mining process, the refining of ores, and the forging of items of all sorts.

(picture)
Only a stainless steel rat can be at home in this environment.
« Last Edit: February 22, 2016, 02:42:48 pm by Athian »
The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

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Lismore Tutorial 2.0 - Cruentus
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2016, 10:23:32 am »
Locations & Information



Cruentus Island:

Cruentus is the large forest island that neighbors the city island to the West, connected to it by a rope bridge. It is also the name to the loyal followers of the Versthaler family, who rule over Cruentus as their duchy. The arch-demoness Valencia Katherin Corumbra-Versthaler (played by Valencia Hydraconis) is in charge here, albeit she still answers to the royal family and Cruentus is considered a full-fledged part of the Lismorean Empire.

Aside from the Cruentus fortress these lands have been neglected in terms of building progress for many years, only seeing some minor use for hunting and farming. Only in recent years people started to get more active there as well, which led to small houses, like the one of guard quartermaster Sha'Roos or the makeshift docks of Princess Aurora, who is working with her grandfather Nazatuur and the (in)famous Jack Lanterns to make airships a viable means to explore and expand within the Sky Realm.

Another thing this area is known for are the Mana Springs, a natural wonder that can be found hidden in the deep caves. While beautiful to look at and a favorite place of study and experimentation for the Zenko teachers and students, these are however dangerous to the mundane people who are not magically inclined to mana based casting. Nobody wants to get down with mana-poisoning!


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The inviting rope-bridge. So far, nobody has ever fallen off one of these. At least nobody the public ever learned about.


(picture)
A top-down view of Cruentus Isle.



  • Mana Springs

The Mana Springs are located on Cruentus Island, to the West of the city. They are a cave, where the over-saturation of magic in the area caused mana to crystallize in physical form, the tass crystals. Mana is abundant in everything in that area, including the waters. The place is very scenic, a magical glow illuminating the caves and fog playing hide and seek with your senses.

However, there is a danger hidden behind all that beauty: Drinking from the enriched pools , bathing in them or even just staying for too long in those caves could lead to mana-poisoning and potential mana-corruption. Thus the general populace is advised to stay clear of the Mana Springs, unless they are in the company of able magic users who can ensure their safety.

(picture)
The place is an ideal hangout for manabeasts, but potentially dangerous and even fatal for common folks.

The Zenko institute loves the place for magical studies and you can often see students work around those caves. Also the place provides a healthy atmosphere and nourishment for manabeasts. So the Zenko usually has people out looking after the Mana Springs, despite them being on Cruentus lands. Ironically, it wasn't the Zenko wizards who discovered these caves. Instead it was an exploration by Zeela Soulstar and at-the-time leading figures from the Valentine family, who came across it first, most likely while scouting for mineral resources like gold, silver and gems.  The empire took control of the Mana Springs shortly thereafter.




  • Cruentus Tower

The fortress the Versthaler family and their associates live in, is largely buried into the hillside. It is lost to the ages, who initially build these structures. However, Valencia Versthaler bought them as a headquarters for what was at the time her mercenary group called 'Cruentus'. Later proclaimed a Duchess of Lismore, Valencia's mercs turned into the house guard of a noble family and she took control over the isle.   

The large tower, easily seen from afar, is a more recent addition to the fortress and put the Versthaler's own mark upon their home. The noble family living here is both respected and feared for their extensive studies in the arcane, especially demonology. Valencia Versthaler, played by Valencia Hydraconis, is the head of the family. She is well-known for being the only arch-demon currently making a permanent residence in Lismore with the approval of the crown.

(picture)
Cruentus Tower, home of the Versthaler family and their allies.




  • Airship Docks

Princess Aurora (played by Cylliano Dreamscape) grew up with the tales of her grandfather about his life as a pirate. Drawn to the adventure and camaraderie among sailors, she always dreamt about commanding her own vessel. Since Lismore is sadly lacking in a proper ocean, she instead pondered about how to tame the very sky itself. Together with Nazaturr Radonovich and Jack Lanterns she is looking into bringing the age of Airships to Lismore.
 
These docks and the makeshift workshop are the playing grounds of that trio, the spot where they try to turn dream into reality. With some funding by the crown and noble families there is a good chance that something practical will come out of it sooner or later...

(picture)
To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.




  • Rabbit Burrow

Lately some people started to make the untamed wilds of Cruentus isle their home. One of the first to do so was guard quartermaster ShaRroos (ShaRroos Nansen), who settled down in the outskirts, creating a comfy rabbit burrow for herself.
(picture)
A friendly door to knock at in the heart of the green countryside.

« Last Edit: March 03, 2016, 08:42:09 pm by Athian »
The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

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Lismore Tutorial 2.0 - The Temple Isles
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2016, 02:45:31 pm »
Locations & Information


The Temple Isles:

Way up high above the city and Cruentus, two heavily forested islands are floating in the skies. Both commonly referred to as the Temple Isles, only the larger one actually houses the temple and thusly is deserving of the name Temple Isle. Various nature loving folks, druids,  clerics and rangers among them, banded together after Lismore's rise into the Sky Realm and formed a new community. They went through a lot of names, before most people just settled on calling them the temple tribe, which was finally adopted by them as well.

(Picture)
Temple isle with various shrines and the large temple forest in the back.
 

 
The Temple's neighboring island is known as Unity Island. Mostly covered in trees with a few rocky caves about, in the center of the isle proudly stands an immense estate, inhabited by one of the major foxramau demon families. This pretty much hints at the reason for naming the isle 'unity'. It is here, where the peace between foxramau and the temple tribe first led to a permanent residence of a demon near their sanctum. And by now some unusual unions have happened in that house as well, like the Paladina Miriamella marrying the demon Amon or landlord Vheljen Valentine welcoming an angel into the family.

(Picture)
Like the Cruentus and the city islands, the Temple and the Unity isles are connected by a rope bridge.


  • Lismore's  Temple

The Temple is the physical and spiritual home of the Temple Tribe. Their home only has a few rules, that center around the belief that on temple grounds all shall be treated with equal respect and peace shall prevail, even among those warring with each other elsewhere. Weapons are expected to remain sheathed at all times outside of friendly spars. Their peace-loving nature should however not be misunderstood as them not being able to stand their ground in a fight. The temple has highly trained guardians and they can and will kick your ass just as hard as the city guard, if you force their paw.

(picture Central Fire)
The Everburning Flames, a blessed bonfire that wards the temple against harmful influences.


Usually, however, they are rather hospitable and welcoming people. Weary wanderers and pilgrims are invited to the temple's kitchen to quell their thirst and sate their hunger. There are usually beds available in the temple's dorms for those that are visiting for more than a day or that need a temporal home while sorting out accommodations in the city below.   

(picture Kitchen/Beds)
Guests are welcome to stay a while, free of charge. However, helping out with some day-to-day tasks can quickly earn you the goodwill of others.

There is no singular god or spirit being worshiped on the holy ground of this temple, rather the shrines of many entities fill the terrain, forging a union of faithful folks that banded together despite their differences, knowing that their various beliefs complement each other. Still, there is one goddess that is regarded as the patron deity, who is focused to keep her blessing upon the temple lands and keep a harmonious balance with the others: Nephele.

High Priestess Mariah (Ani Aunerfal), a clever vixen, often acts as the voice of Nephele among the people of the temple. She tries to mediate the interests of the other clerics, scouts and guardians. It is also her, who represents the tribe when dealing with the city below, unless she appoints other members of the temple to go in her stead.




  • Means of transportation

Like the marketplace on city isle below, the temple has its own gryphon carrier, as well as one of the Crystal Gateways.

(picture Gryphon/Gateway)
Cassiopeia, famous for her grumpiness, which makes her an odd choice among the usually cheerful temple folks.

The gryphons normally don't work for free. They charge a small fee for their transportation services, varying from a silver coin to other objects of trading value. They are NPCs, the only thing they do for you is take you from place to place. They offer no other assistance or information unless a GM says it so. If you attack it, the gryphon always wins! Right-click a gryphon and select RIDE! to be taken to another place.

The Gateways are free to use, but prone to induce nausea or other side effects, especially if you are handling objects with a powerful magical charge.




  • Nephele's Shrine

Nephele is a goddess of nature and promotes peace and a sense of natural balance among her followers. She is the patron goddess of the temple and her powers usually keep the temple grounds safe and aid in the various acts of healing done around the area. Her shrine is being tended to by High Priestess Mariah, who likes to use the nature throne in there as her seat of power during some official rites and ceremonies. Guardian Fang is also often found here, offering services.

Don't be alarmed if you notice all kinds of small animals wandering by the shrine, seemingly without any natural fear of people. Nephele's domain is over both flora and fauna and she likes for those praying and meditating there to meet with the beings of her forests.

(picture)
Come and find inner balance... or just enjoy being a part of the circle of life.




  • Shrine of Senka

This place is dedicated to Senka, the goddess of change. There is no surprise that her shrine is usually surrounded by butterflies, which go through some major metamorphoses in their life. Senka likes to push for changes, which is why she offers her followers and others interested various tasks, ranging from a simple errant to finding oneself in the middle of armed conflict. Her priests, like Ichtlarin (played by Ani Aunerfal ), are often referred to as 'taskmasters'. If one managed to fulfill a task and please Senka, she will always reward them in some fashion.

(picture)
Bringing change about the world, one butterfly at a time...




  • Vandruin's Shrine

The primal scent of predatory animals and the smell of blood hang heavily in the air around the shrine of Vandruin. This wolf god respects strength (in various forms) and loyalty and is willing to focus on the deeds of a person, rather than fleeting renown. His priests perform impressive feats of blood magic, which they usually employ to heal the pack or boost attributes prior to a hunt. The shrine here at the temple is maintained by the Tiwilder Tierney (played by Stark Silverfall).

(picture)
Tierney meditating at the shrine.




  • Shrine of Araia

Araia is a goddess of the lost kingdom of Velidére, where she represents the radiance of the holy light, with the duality of both justice and mercy. Many of her followers seem focused on one of both paths, with few having archived the true balance between both. Her shrine is special in that there is no ordinary mortal priest taking care of it, but one of her angels, Azathiel (played by Quintus Janic). He introduced Lismore to the dangerous force known as the Void that threatens the Sky Realm. He is currently leading missions to fight back the influence of said Void.

(picture)
Azathiel charging the statue of Araia with holy energies.




  • Inari's Shrine

This place of worship is set up in a style that alludes to Inari's original place of origin, Nippon. Tea plants seem to surround the shrine and fill the air with their fragrances. There is an abundant number of feral foxes roaming the land around her shrine, serving as messengers, guardians and watchers for the goddess. In general, Inari's name is brought up in relation to agriculture, prosperity, fertility and of course the foxes that are her special animal. It is not surprising that many kitsune worship Inari as well.

(Picture)
Followers of Inari can sleep at the shrine while feral foxes keep watch over them.




  • The Shrine of the Church of Light

The Shrine of the Church of Light is a simple altar with a lit candle on it. This faith is all about spiritual growth, the divine origin in all beings and the promise, that at the end of a long night there will always be a new dawn. Sarah Nejem (played by Cylliano Dreamscape) serves as a priestess at this shrine and offers help to all those coming here for prayers and meditation.

(picture)
The black moment is the moment when the real message of transformation is going to come. At the darkest moment comes the light.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2016, 05:41:55 am by Athian »
The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

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Lismore Tutorial 2.0 - Surrounding area & Temple Forest
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2016, 02:47:59 pm »



The Lumber Mill

        This lumber mill facility survived since the days of lord Ashtyn, when he and the Tirrenelda' tribe struck a deal: With their ability to make plants grow very very fast, they would grow trees, that would then be chopped down and made into high quality lumber materials which the city would then export, and they would divide profits.



The Temple Shrines
« Last Edit: April 02, 2016, 05:42:05 am by Athian »
The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.