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#51
General Discussion / On Cyric, the Dark Hope of Cha...
Last post by ServantOfTheSun - May 29, 2025, 02:13 PM
Or, less jokingly, an appeal for player interest. I hope I've picked the right board for this, it seems the most fitting since the majority of this is OOC: I had some life issues that sidelined me for a minute and stalled out some great interactions I had brewing, I'm sorry to y'all, but I'm back! This will be a little lengthy, so I'll break it into parts! First, a brief summary of this branch of Cyricism I'm cultivating, then I'll try to address some critiques I've read from players of Cormyr and the Dalelands about Cyric. Then I'll finish by giving an overview of the faith, including a copy of the Cyrinishad I've posted elsewhere.
My main hope here is that I know other Cyricist PCs are out there, even if they haven't been made yet. We gotta stop being so lonely! Go ahead and reach out to me if you're at all interested here in being involved!
First- I see Cyric as a god of adventurers. He was a mortal in the very place this server takes place. It's where he rose to godhood! What DnD party hasn't run into the idea of the murderhobo? And since Cyric was one, why not have him be the Patron of that spirit? I see it as a faith of enlightenment, of evil, of Nietzschean self-interest and of revolutionary momentum,. Law and Good in the forgotten too often support monarchies and class systems, which leaves chaos and evil there to work as the antagonist. And fittingly too- massive change and revolution entails upending the social order, even if done for good causes, it will cause tremendous harm to change the world. The message then is clear- Cast down the gods and crowns that hold you back, and seize divine power for yourself, the way Cyric did.
Addressing Critique:
I think that nobody really wants to touch Cyric on CD
I do! I think it's neat! What I hope here is to prove the case for Cyric's place at the Adult's table, and not just relegated to the dustbin of not-able-to-be-serious.
Cyric is just a nerd
So's your mom
Cyric is too new
This is a common critique, setting aside that kelemvor is even newer, the idea of newness works in cyric's favor. You have a new religious movement suddenly appearing, and that has historically been quick to find root among the dissolute, profligate and weary cast-offs. Exactly because he is new- a new god, wholly new, within living memory is a powerful thing.
"... I find Cyric's faith kind of unbelievable, since not only is it new- quite difficult to follow (you have to be a bit insane) widely unpopular, and hated by other evil faiths."
Not all of them! Shar, Mask, The Furies, Loviatar, most evil faiths are likely to tolerate Cyric- at least a little.
1. "He's just Chaotic Stupid™ – a Saturday morning cartoon villain."
2. "His 'madness' makes him too unpredictable to be a credible threat."
3. "He's just evil for evil's sake – no depth."
That's what I'm hoping to explore and correct. There's some Utterly Fascinating places to explore here. And I think I've constructed something that can be both taken seriously and seen as a villainous threat. His portfolio is pretty much strictly Chaotic Evil, and that's wild to me. Even LE and NE villains don't fit in so well, which makes it wild to work with.
All you do is leave spooky notes around
Look, I'm trying- not my fault people keep instantly destroying this stuff. I work hard on it for people to engage with and it gets wrecked immediately! Cut me a break! But seriously, there is more I'd like to do. It's hard. Outing my character as a Cyricist would be an IC death sentence, server wide. At least as things stand. I also really don't want to grief players or make anyone feel targeted or antagonistic, so open murder is hard to accomplish. Truthfully I'd really like to do more, but it's not like I can do anything without a DM. That's kind of the purpose here, a call to action to spread the good word of Chaotic Evil.
What you're proposing doesn't fit with the lore, does it?
It does. The thing is; there's very little about Cyric and his cult beyond painting him as a villain or the errant POV of a mad fanatic, but we also know the cult has more established aspects that are unexplored. The beauty of Cyric as a villainous god is his portfolio of lies, madness and strife- after all, if something is heterodox, who is to say that isn't keeping with Cyric's mad plans?
I'm not interested in playing an evil character, or I don't want to play a Cyricist.
This is also fine! Even though the cult itself is monotheistic, faerun is not. An adventurer (though more likely to invoke shaundakul) might make an offering or prayer to Cyric to grant them power for their quest, or to turn aside his gaze. An actor might invoke his madness to give power to a performance. A peasant or someone similarly impoverished might invoke him for change and revolution.
BUT- More importantly, villains need heroes, and heroes need villains. Something I want to accomplish here is a foil for all the good characters, to give them something to work against, a way to shine. Maybe your priest character can work to preach against the cult, maybe your paladin seeks to serve justice to a cabal of criminals.
I still have the strong belief that Cyric shouldn't even be allowed for PCs, given how it actually is in lore. Haha![/b]
That's just like, your opinion man.
cyric enjoyers probably dont have content on CD
This is true! But I'm a big believer in: Be the Change you Wish to See.
The Way of the Black Sun;
serving the Thrice-Crowned lord.
Other Churches preach the message of Cyric, they are deceived, for we have been given revelation.
Theology of the cult:
• A mortal man became a god, and because of that, is the true god- he is self-made.
• Other "gods" are little more than powerful beings, who selfishly hoard divinity for themselves
• Through Cyric, we see a path to divinity. In his footsteps may a mortal find their own way to godhood
• You may lie about your faith only if it causes strife or leads to your own power, this is holy to Cyric
• Similarly, you may lie and offer false prayer or thanks to other gods, they are not true divinities, so your acts do nothing so long as your heart is given to Cyric
• Cyric was an adventurer, you should follow this and adventure.
• Never allow yourself to be a servant to another for Cyric is your master.
• Neutral stance on slavery and racism, why do you care about such mortal trifles?
• Reach Heaven through glorious violence
• Murder is holy ((But do not grief players)) as it is the uttermost act of mortaldom closest to divinity- to decide the death of another.
• Walk the path of Cyric, and you will know him, follow the path, and you will Join Him.
• The greatest Lie is the Self, and this should be done away with
• Interrogte your motivations, do you act because morals dictate you should? Or because you wish it? A Cyricist should never follow the morals of others.
• Eclipses are holy, keep the day as one of prayer and worship
• Our faith is one of enlightenment. The bonds of family, love, friendship, are bonds forged between two masks, false identities under the guise of "self" and should be justly broken and shattered to pursue enlightenment.
• Do not proselytize, for this will only strengthen the false gods. Ours is a blessed faith, and those who wish it must come to it of their own will; because of this, strive to set an example, to be a path for others to realize the faith.
• Paradoxically, do not tolerate apostasy. One who casts away the path casts away their life.
Structure of the Faith:
• You will not have churches, instead you will follow the signs and join the cells of holy terror
• Members of each cell are between 3 and 13, and must always be an odd number
• Members of each cell take on an assumed identity for meetings
• Members of each cell must not know each other's "real" identity
• Meeting as this assumed identity is seen as communion with cyric, in the mask, you take on the power to be someone else (in this case, cyric) through lies
• Because of this, the cell is equal with each other. Leadership arises on a case-by-case basis, determined through mutual agreement to accomplish a task
• This is because strife is sacred to Cyric, and the "strife" of struggle and debate while in communion with Cyric brings one closer to him,
Pilgrimage sites:
1. Zhentil Keep (Birthplace)
2. Saerloon (Where Cyric slew his parents)
3. Deepingdale, South of the East Way (Where cyric was taken slave)
4. Arabel, house of the lady (Where Cyric began his journey)
5. Spiderhaunt Woods (Where Brion died and freed cyric from the chain of friendship)
6. Shadowdale Ashaba River Ferry Dock (where cyric led the defence of shadowdale against the Zhents)
7. Ashabenford Blackfeather bridge (where cyric met kelemvor and was taken prisoner)
8. Haunted Halls (Where cyric chose to seek godhood)
9. High Horn (Where cyric fought kelemvor and slew sneakabout, becoming an individual)
THE CYRINISHAD, REVEALED
Book of Beginnings
In those days, his path was deemed worthy, for he did slay and usurp, bringing low the proud and mighty. From their thrones did he cast them down, and all men beheld the splendor of his power. Lo, blessed are they who tread the darkened path, for they shall bear dominion over the meek, as the shadow doth conquer the light.
Verily, in the chaos of his reign, the followers of the Night shall find strength, and through the veil of darkness, they shall rise, for the sword of ambition is forged in the flames of betrayal. Thus begins the chronicle of the Thrice-Crowned King, the harbinger of strife-to-come, scion of holy madness and the lie-against-truth, who reigns eternal in the City Black.
The Book of Promises
And it came to pass, in the shadow of a bloodied dawn, that Cyric, the Mortal-Destined, did lay low the keepers of truth and peace for by fire and sword he set his message into action. In blood and dream would He be anticipated before his mortal birth; to the blessed he gave the Promise of his Anticipations that he would be known by the Faithful.
Anticipation of Chains: "In the cradle of moonlit chains, He-Who-Follows shall be a babe will be sold by his blood into the hands of strangers. Though bound, his freedom will fester like a hidden wound."
Anticipation of the Ashes: "He-Who-Follows will burn his kin's heart in their sleep, and flee a foreign land with death at his heels."
Anticipation of the Shadowed Grave: "In the shadowed keep of the Tyrant Lord, one of dark heart shall pierce the depths to rescue the light. From the prison of despair, he shall deliver the her of the Lie-of-the-Weave, and in her salvation, find his path to destiny."
Anticipation of Broken Steel: "In a time of smoke and dread, a city of shadowed wood and hills of bone shall falter, and one borne of murder shall guard its walls. As shadows close in, he shall bind souls to battle, wielding valor though steeped in deception."
Anticipation of Ash and Flame: "Of those who walk beside him in shadow and in blood, one shall cast them down, for trust is but a veil over the heart of ambition. When their backs are bare, his blade shall find its mark, and they shall know the price of kinship."
Anticipation of the Strife-against-Strife: "In the hour of reckoning, a god of death shall clash with one of strife, a battle fierce and fateful. And one shall stand over the defeated, proclaiming the new order, his voice drowning even the shout of the righteous."
Anticipation of the Blood-Stilled Blade: "When the blood-god casts his shadow wide, one shall come whose blade drinks deep, spilling darkness into darkness. By his hand, the prince of murder shall fall, and his death-breath shall whisper a new dominion."
Anticipation of the Bloody Crown: "Upon the bones of the murdered, he shall raise his blade, becoming the bane of kings, and the shadow of gods."
The Book of Ascension
Behold the signs, for the Lord of Three Crowns, the Ever-Made and the Always-Making, cast himself down among the mortal. He entered the wheel of becoming, immanent among men, to know the path of mortality.
Know, O Seeker, that in the year of the marching moon a tyrant of the black keep came upon a wastrel-maid- failure and misery she was, her blessing would be the annunciation of He-Who-Follows. From this wretchedness she would be lifted, but she was not to be a fetter upon the babe's neck, and the father's heart was made hard against his unborn child.
Know, O Seeker, the fulfillment of his journey: In the year of the marching moon a tyrant of a black keep drew near to a wastrel-maid, lowly and heavy with sorrow. A barren, pitied soul was she, and in this wretchedness, she bore He-Who-Follows. Yet she would not bear him for long, nor be the fetter upon his rising. The child was born to bondage, cast into foreign halls, sold for the coin of another land.
Know, O Seeker, his spirit seethed as a wound unseen, for in treachery he alone would know freedom. Know then that his bonds were not of blood but forged in the chains of deceit, his only comfort the whisper of vengeance. In the silent hour, he laid his kin upon the altar of night, and thus did he leave the lands of his youth with blood his only comfort.
Know, O Seeker, it was his destiny to bear the yoke of the tyrant's chains, and thus his spirit was steeled. His return to the keep was a promise made flesh, and upon that altar of blood did he carve the path to freedom. Through rivers of death, the gift of blood came freely.
Know, O Seeker, when Midnight—the Lady of Mysteries—lay bound in the dark halls of Kilgrave, Cyric alone descended to the shadowed deep, breaking her chains. Thus began his ascent upon the divine path. When the city of Shadowdale trembled before the Zhentish host, it was Cyric alone who stood, both as deceiver and champion, fierce in his blood-forged might.
Know, O Seeker, as night darkened his heart, he turned upon those who called him friend, severing bonds of kinship, his blade's arc leaving a trail of crimson where love once lay. And as the god Bane rose in fury, Cyric met him in the clash of steel, a storm that echoed to the heavens. Where others failed, he proclaimed dominion.
Know, O Seeker, so too when Bhaal's voice shattered the night, Cyric's blade answered swift and silent, spilling blood from god to mortal soil. And upon that shattered crown of Bhaal did Cyric's own rule arise. Thus did he climb upon a path of bones, where betrayal carved each step and a god's own bane became his throne. In the shadow of gods, he rose, bound not by fate nor flesh but by death alone.
Know at last, O Seeker, that in those days did many come to such darkness, their hearts filled with loneliness and anguish, their eyes blind to light- for they sat in His shadow. He would not help them, for he had already set the way before them. Blessed were those of the darkened heart then, for to tread in his shadow and marvel was to witness greatness. Know in those days that He came as a terrible cacophony- his power grew as the storm upon the waters, rising higher than the proud mountains that he might humble the grandest of thrones.
Such misery to behold such grandness! Such awful insignificance before sundering of that-which-is by he-who-ever-was! They wept then, those of the blinded path and fell to their knees! And Cyric raised his hand, proclaiming, "Quake before one who has ever-been your better! I am become the Sword of Lies, the Thrice-Crowned King of Madness; they who worshippeth me shall know no law, for all is but chaos and strength."
And thus, the wicked were brought into his fold, their hearts filled with darkness and eyes blind to the light.
The Book of Devotion
And it is written a fourfold way was set against the sense of the world, taught that his followers might know the path to heaven across all their incarnations.
Thus did He teach the first way: "Gather ye in darkness, where no light dwelleth, and partake in the Rite of Lies; drink deep the poisoned wine, for in its bitter draught lieth truth and freedom. In falsehood shall you find your true self, for it is in the depths of deception that the chains of reality are broken."
Thus did He teach the second way: "Let all faithful partake in the Ritual of Shattered Mirrors, that they may cast aside their former selves and be reborn in madness, for I am the Lord of Fractured Minds. Gaze into the shards of your soul, and see the beauty in chaos; for in this madness lies clarity, and in clarity, the divine madness of creation."
Thus did He teach the third way: "Embrace the Rite of Raised Knife, for struggle is the crucible of existence. Offer up blood as a sacrifice to your ambition; let each drop serve as a testament to your will to overcome. Through pain, you shall find strength, and in strength, the power to reshape your very essence."
Thus did He reveal the fourth way: "Through the Shadowed Baptism shall you understand the union of chaos, deception, and struggle. Submerge thyself in the waters of oblivion, shedding the weight of the world, and arise anew, unshackled and divine. In this sacred act, the faithful shall embrace My mysteries, for in the tumult of existence lies the path to true godhood."
The Book of Shattered Thrones
Hearken and know well what spake the Risen, who revealed the holy path. Know the ways of the humbled gods, and how He wove them into his heart
Those who came to him seeking the crown of the Tyrant cried out for kings to rule and guide. They did beg in those days for thrones to trod upon their throats and take the pain of destiny from them. But His heart was hardened against their pleas saying, "Let thine heart be emptied of fealty, for a god hath no master, nor friend, nor bond."
Those who came seeking the crown of the Murderer cried out for those to take their rage, for blood to flow and anoint themselves. They did beg in those days for the weak to slay, that they might know power over others. But His heart was hardened against their pleas saying, "Seek you a grand becoming not through purity, but through cunning, for power is seized by the hand that wields my word as a blade."
Those who came seeking the crown of the Liar cried out for a cloak of deception, to shroud their hearts from the truths they feared. They did beg in those days to be cloaked in shadows, to weave a tapestry of illusion that might hide their weakness. But His heart was hardened against their pleas, saying, "Embrace the chaos within, for it is thy shield. In the lie thou art truth, and all who would walk in my way shall know this: truth is a fetter, and those who call upon my name shall break it."
And from the union of these crowns was the Crown of Strife brought forth, radiant and terrible. Those who beheld it wept, for the path of divine discord lay before them. And in their misery they cried that its power be given to them. But His heart was hardened against their pleas, saying: "Walk my path and bear witness to the blessings of the Way-That-Is-Shown. For to strive is to become, and in thy becoming, behold Eternity."
Book of the Black Dawn
Hear now, O Faithful, the final revelation of He-Who-Is-Unbound!
Those who know these truths shall rise above mortality; their souls shall ascend beyond flesh. They shall wear the Three Crowns in the mystery of the night, for in the crucible of chaos, they are forged anew. Know, O Seeker, the path of Cyric is not one of endings, but of perpetual becoming—a storming serpent that devours its own tail, ever hungry, ever free.
Take dominion by craft and guile; make thyself a god by the strength of thy deception, and let no one behold thy true heart. For the lie is the womb of power, and the mask thy truest face. Shatter the mirrors of the world that seek to cage thee, and in their shards, behold infinity!
Blessed is he who lives as a shadow among men, for he knoweth the path to divinity. Let thy every breath be a blade against order, thy every word a seed of discord. The weak cling to light and law; the strong carve their names in the void. Rise as I rose—unshackled, unforgiving, unyielding.
So shall you become mighty, for in this path alone doth the soul become unchained and see that lies there power eternal. Cast down kings, break the altars of the gods, and tread upon the bones of the craven. Let thy will be thy creed, thy ambition thy prayer. For I am the fire that consumes, the lie that unravels, the strife that births empires. Follow Me into the tempest, and become.
Let the faithful gather beneath the Black Sun's gaze, where shadows drink the light. There, let them swear the Oath Unspoken:
"By blood, I sever the past.
By deceit, I slay the present.
By strife, I claim the future.
I am the dagger in the dark, the scream in the silence, the god yet unnamed.
All thrones are mine to shatter; all chains, mine to wield.
As Cyric is eternal, so too shall I become."
Then shall they take up blade and flame, and with each act of defiance, each stroke of betrayal, they shall etch their souls into the fabric of eternity. For the faithful are not followers—they are heirs. Their ascension is not granted; it is seized.
Thus shall be HIS Word
Lo, the age of trembling gods ends. The age of self-forged divinity dawns. Let the weak lament and the righteous despair, for the Thrice-Crowned King reigns where order falters. His law is lawlessness; his truth, the lie that unmakes the world.
Go forth, O Unbound, and let thy shadow eclipse the sun.
Let thy lies unravel empires.
Let thy strife carve new heavens from the carcass of the old.
For you are Cyric's children—blood of his blood,
For you are Cyric's dream- madness of his madness.
For you are Cyric's lies- truth of his Truth
In your hands, the crowns of tyranny, murder, and deceit become one.
Wear them not as a master, but as a sovereign of chaos.
And when the feeble ask thy name, answer truly:
"I AM THAT WHICH IS."
Thus ends the sacred word of the Black Sun Ascendant.
All else is silence.
#52
General Discussion / Re: Get to know your DMs!
Last post by jamaisvu - May 29, 2025, 09:56 AMDM Name: aDM Final Girl (she/her)
GSID: jamais vu
Discord ID: satanicpixiedreamgirl
Timezone: EST/EDT
Availability: Random, due to the nature of IRL. I'll try to be available in the afternoons at my time (17:00 UTC - 0:00 UTC during EST, 16:00 UTC-0:00 UTC during EDT).
Preferred Number of Players: 4-8, though I will try to make whatever number of players work.
Preferred Length of Quest: 1 to 3 hours - Expect dedicated intermissions of 15-20 minutes around the 1.5 hour mark to allow for whatever players (or I) need to do.
Thematic Styles:
Setting Reinforcement - Forgotten Realms has been my primary RP setting for D&D since I started, and there's a lot to love that's unique to it that I want to highlight and introduce people to!
Factional Activities - A character's faction is an important part of their identity. Similarly, a faction's identity is affected by the characters within it. My goal is to have factions and characters affect the world around them and be able to interact, while making it accessible to those who want to be part of those stories.
Intrigue/Politics - I like when characters are allowed to bring up good ideas and change minds. I like when people invest in social skills and want them to get the chance to use it.
Horror - I love spooky stuff.
Morally Grey Purposes & Evil Alignments - What can I say? I love antiheroes, I love villains, I love moral complexity.
Wishes to avoid:
Unnecessary, Lengthy Diversions - My plots are meant to be malleable, and their purpose is to allow players autonomy, so don't be afraid to veer off. Merely, given that everyone's time is limited, I just ask that players respect that everyone made time for our sessions.
Slave Characters - Don't bring enslaved characters into my quests.
'Wacky' Quests - I don't mind being light-hearted or silly at all! I just think right now there's other DMs who are probably more well-suited to this and could execute it better. Maybe when I get a better feel for it, but right now, I'm just focused on trying to learn and work with the community.
Apathy - Please don't just sign up and not have your character say or do anything for the possible reward at the end. The journey through the quest is part of the reward of questing, and I'd like everyone in my quests to be at least a little invested, both in and out of character.
Miscellaneous Notes:
We'll use the usual things for quests: /touchon, /diceprivate, hold after transitions, use Quest chat. I'll do a quick reminder in game before, too.
I'll try to get less-quested players, factions, groups, etc. If you feel like you haven't had attention for your group in a while, feel free to send me a Direct Message, either on the forums or on Discord, and we'll see what we can work out!
GSID: jamais vu
Discord ID: satanicpixiedreamgirl
Timezone: EST/EDT
Availability: Random, due to the nature of IRL. I'll try to be available in the afternoons at my time (17:00 UTC - 0:00 UTC during EST, 16:00 UTC-0:00 UTC during EDT).
Preferred Number of Players: 4-8, though I will try to make whatever number of players work.
Preferred Length of Quest: 1 to 3 hours - Expect dedicated intermissions of 15-20 minutes around the 1.5 hour mark to allow for whatever players (or I) need to do.
Thematic Styles:
Setting Reinforcement - Forgotten Realms has been my primary RP setting for D&D since I started, and there's a lot to love that's unique to it that I want to highlight and introduce people to!
Factional Activities - A character's faction is an important part of their identity. Similarly, a faction's identity is affected by the characters within it. My goal is to have factions and characters affect the world around them and be able to interact, while making it accessible to those who want to be part of those stories.
Intrigue/Politics - I like when characters are allowed to bring up good ideas and change minds. I like when people invest in social skills and want them to get the chance to use it.
Horror - I love spooky stuff.
Morally Grey Purposes & Evil Alignments - What can I say? I love antiheroes, I love villains, I love moral complexity.
Wishes to avoid:
Unnecessary, Lengthy Diversions - My plots are meant to be malleable, and their purpose is to allow players autonomy, so don't be afraid to veer off. Merely, given that everyone's time is limited, I just ask that players respect that everyone made time for our sessions.
Slave Characters - Don't bring enslaved characters into my quests.
'Wacky' Quests - I don't mind being light-hearted or silly at all! I just think right now there's other DMs who are probably more well-suited to this and could execute it better. Maybe when I get a better feel for it, but right now, I'm just focused on trying to learn and work with the community.
Apathy - Please don't just sign up and not have your character say or do anything for the possible reward at the end. The journey through the quest is part of the reward of questing, and I'd like everyone in my quests to be at least a little invested, both in and out of character.
Miscellaneous Notes:
We'll use the usual things for quests: /touchon, /diceprivate, hold after transitions, use Quest chat. I'll do a quick reminder in game before, too.
I'll try to get less-quested players, factions, groups, etc. If you feel like you haven't had attention for your group in a while, feel free to send me a Direct Message, either on the forums or on Discord, and we'll see what we can work out!
#53
Off Topic / Re: My Health
Last post by platinum01 - May 16, 2025, 08:50 PMDays have been spent training for home hemodialysis. We should complete training by June.
Cheers,
Plat
Cheers,
Plat
#54
Off Topic / My Health
Last post by platinum01 - May 09, 2025, 08:50 PMCDers,
Monday (Cinco de Mayo)... my health took an unexpected dive; I was immediately taken to the ER... then the OR. I had a quiet conversation with God to allow me to stick around for a little bit longer. He said it was okay. I've been in the hospital all week recovering; discharge was Thursday. I am a private person; though, I thought you should all know why I was missing. I am still holding on, still fighting and still trying to keep healthy.
As always, be good, respectful, and kind to one another. Remember we all have our struggles... whether we share them or not. You never know what someone is surviving on the other side of the screen.
Cheers,
Plat
Monday (Cinco de Mayo)... my health took an unexpected dive; I was immediately taken to the ER... then the OR. I had a quiet conversation with God to allow me to stick around for a little bit longer. He said it was okay. I've been in the hospital all week recovering; discharge was Thursday. I am a private person; though, I thought you should all know why I was missing. I am still holding on, still fighting and still trying to keep healthy.
As always, be good, respectful, and kind to one another. Remember we all have our struggles... whether we share them or not. You never know what someone is surviving on the other side of the screen.
Cheers,
Plat
#55
General Discussion / Re: Get to know your DMs!
Last post by Schroedingers Cat - May 03, 2025, 08:45 AMGSID: sdc
DM Name: aDM Schroedinger's Cat
Discord: Schroedinger's Cat
Timezone: (GMT/UTC) +2 (Europe)
Availability: Europe evenings during the week, more flexible and irregular on weekends
Preferred Number of Players: 3-6, as a rule of thumb, not a rule in iron.
Preferred Length: Usually 2 hours +, for planned / prepared things.
Thematic- and preferred play style
Wishes to avoid
OOC play style considerations
Why did the DM ignore my action/words?
Please feel free to prod me in a private tell if you feel I missed something or should have reacted to something and I did not. Feel free to also use a short message in CAPS to get my attention. I might (and usually do) miss a thing or two in the heat of the battle with the language barrier, the DM-Client and my own limited cognitive abilities.
Pro tip: type /tp sdc YourTextHere into the chatbar to send me a direct tell for important or DM-Stuff mid-event, so that will show up in bright green to me and has the best chances of not being missed.
On failure and consequences
Where is the thrill, if the heroes are always victorious? What room is there for heroic deeds, if there can be no ill consequences?
Expect the following possibilites:
On dicerolls
On pace and use of OOC
Mechanical considerations
A note on music and sounds
I like to make use of musics and sounds, to enhance the mood. I highly encourage you to download two sets of music files:
Last, but far from least
Most of all: We are here to have fun! To entertain and to be entertained. To collaboratively weave tales and stories, all sitting around a virtual table with the intention to have a good time, and to make all present have a good time.
If there's something I'm doing (or did) that you don't like, don't hesitate to reach out to me, and we'll work things out!
I am easy going and difficult to offend. And I am truly interested in feedback and criticism, as I have found it often to be warranted and an opportunity for self-reflection and growth. And if I should be of different opinion I still accept and understand a view conflicting with mine as obviously one perspective, among many.
DM Name: aDM Schroedinger's Cat
Discord: Schroedinger's Cat
Timezone: (GMT/UTC) +2 (Europe)
Availability: Europe evenings during the week, more flexible and irregular on weekends
Preferred Number of Players: 3-6, as a rule of thumb, not a rule in iron.
Preferred Length: Usually 2 hours +, for planned / prepared things.
Thematic- and preferred play style
- Smaller quests and ad-hocs
- More a focus on mood, story and RP, rather than combat
(though combat might be frequently happening) - More inclined towards lower level characters
Wishes to avoid
- Noble houses and -interactions, Cormyr politics
(due to lack of background knowledge on my part) - Deep lore
(I'm not an expert there and only have basic and limited knowledge) - Lengthy discussions about lore or mechanics mid-quest
(Feel free to inform me, if you think I am out-of-rules or out-of-lore, I make mistakes and am happy to be corrected. But the flow of events and the story will always be the priority).
DnD mechanics and Faerun lore are means to an end: we all try to adhere to it to the best of our abilities, but I call for enough flexibility on all sides, to enable tales to flow freely, without the necessity for an army of rules-lawyers and frequent arbitrations.
OOC play style considerations
Why did the DM ignore my action/words?
Please feel free to prod me in a private tell if you feel I missed something or should have reacted to something and I did not. Feel free to also use a short message in CAPS to get my attention. I might (and usually do) miss a thing or two in the heat of the battle with the language barrier, the DM-Client and my own limited cognitive abilities.
Pro tip: type /tp sdc YourTextHere into the chatbar to send me a direct tell for important or DM-Stuff mid-event, so that will show up in bright green to me and has the best chances of not being missed.
On failure and consequences
Where is the thrill, if the heroes are always victorious? What room is there for heroic deeds, if there can be no ill consequences?
Expect the following possibilites:
- ( no permadeath ) - I don't feel it is on me to call for permanently killing/destroying a character, unless asked for
- Failure, retreat, unhappy endings (no auto-win): Heroes will not always be victorious nor will they always get their way. It might be that they missed an opportunity to turn the tide of events, it might be that it was a lost cause from the beginning and there just was no other way than to accept defeat from the very beginning. Not because I try to outsmart you. But because victories and heroics need their corresponding counterparts (defeats and failures) to have any meaning and to make sense.
- Premature quest ending or removal of one or more PCs from the event:
A party swipe might lead to the party waking up in a temple and that was it, -for now. Individual PCs that get severely hurt or separated, might be removed from the remainder of the event to e.g.: Wake up in some temple, be taken prisoner, have fallen into a hole with no way to get out again, spend the remainder of the quest in the lair (and embrace) of a nymph, for having failed their will save and having wandered off, etc. - Alignment nudges might and probably will happen, as a consequence of actions and decisions
- Premature quest ending or removal of one or more PCs from the event:
On dicerolls
- Feel free to roll a (private!) dice, if you feel it is warranted. But please sparingly enough to not clutter up my chat window.
- Not every diceroll I might request has a deeper meaning. Maybe there was nothing exciting to hear, and I just wanted to keep you on your toes. Or to make sure you get used to rolling a dice now and then, without fretting over missing something just because the roll was bad.
On pace and use of OOC
- When in doubt, please err on the slow side of things, giving everyone time to act and react, so we don't have to rewind or call for a pause too often. Even what looks like a chase or time critical episode, should leave some space for RP-/Emote-/Story-Text. In the rare case that something time-critical is to be acted out within the engine, I will let you know!
- Please keep OOC to the absolute necessary minimum. It happens, and it must happen, but I prefer immersion over frequent OOC banter.
Mechanical considerations
- /touchon, diceprivate, use Quest channel, if you want me to have a chance to notice. I might be hopping around and miss things in /talk and /whisper!
- Transitions:
- Please wait at transitions if they are a named "A Path..." - feel free to use once they have a descriptive name, but wait for the group.
- Hold for area descriptions after transitions.
- Mechanical death is a knockout unless otherwise indicated by me.
- Teleporting: Please advise aforehand and give me time to react/adapt, when planning teleporting wildly about or out of the area you are currently in.
A note on music and sounds
I like to make use of musics and sounds, to enhance the mood. I highly encourage you to download two sets of music files:
- The CD custom music files (CD Wiki Link) --> Custom Music --> Download the files
- Schroedinger's Cats exclusive music files for use in events (Download Link) - Ping me on Discord or here for the password!
"Using/Installing the custom music files"
Using the custom music files:
- Place them into your .../documents/Neverwinter Nights/Music
- Don't rename the files. Filenames must remain as is, for this to work.
[close]
Last, but far from least
Most of all: We are here to have fun! To entertain and to be entertained. To collaboratively weave tales and stories, all sitting around a virtual table with the intention to have a good time, and to make all present have a good time.
If there's something I'm doing (or did) that you don't like, don't hesitate to reach out to me, and we'll work things out!
I am easy going and difficult to offend. And I am truly interested in feedback and criticism, as I have found it often to be warranted and an opportunity for self-reflection and growth. And if I should be of different opinion I still accept and understand a view conflicting with mine as obviously one perspective, among many.
#56
General Discussion / Re: Thank you for the positive...
Last post by Chadyo - May 03, 2025, 08:17 AMBig thanks to everyone who's so far endured Yphara and for the exceptional help offered to make someone who's making a return to this server. I've felt welcomed by open arms, and the patience as offered as I rediscover the passion I have for roleplay. I've enjoyed making Cormyr my permanent home for NWN RP.
#57
Art & Stories / Re: [SHW: A Silken Bond] Dark ...
Last post by probot - May 01, 2025, 07:19 AMVanya watched the big man propping the wall by the entrance with his great bulk, his face set to a seemingly perpetual frown. His arms were crossed the way she might expect a bouncer's, but somehow she got the impression that they itched him to do something else with them. What, however, was a mystery. As far as she could tell, he had no interest in the working girls, or boys for that matter, barely acknowledging either with his attention unless directly addressed, something few ever dared to do. When she spied him eating it seemed a joyless affair, the workmanlike efficiency with which he chewed and swallowed his meals kept brief. Surprisingly so considering his bulk. Or perhaps because of it, Vanya reflected. Perhaps he tired long ago of the vast quantity of food ingested each day. He didn't touch spirits, or the dice table. He barely even slept from what she could tell as he was there by the door when she arrived in the mornings, and still there when she left in the evenings. The only times he seemed to come alive were the scant occasions which called on his expertise to break up fights or toss out drunken troublemakers. But even that didn't last long and soon he would resume his sullen post again.
Sometimes other men would show up, an elf with a cruel twist to his mouth she didn't care a bent copper for, and an old warrior who seemed a decent enough sort but weighed down by whatever past he carried, and they'd trade a few hushed words. It never seemed to Vanya like there was any great camaraderie there, no warm recollections of old colleagues or brothers in arms, no jokes shared or backs slapped. More than anything they each looked like they could hardly wait for the episode to be over so each of them could be on their way again.
They had been there today, for the first time in a couple tendays and judging by the stoop of the older man's shoulders as he departed, nothing much had changed. Gathering her courage, Vanya stepped forward. Today is the day, she told herself and cleared her throat to speak. Surely, today. Today, damn it! The big man glanced down and all her strength leaked away. A strangled croak was the only sound she made and quickly tried to disguise as another cough before it caught in her throat and made her eyes water. One of the other girls patted her on the back and ushered Vanya away, all the while the bouncer stared at them without so much as a blink. Perhaps tomorrow. Definitely tomorrow.
Sometimes other men would show up, an elf with a cruel twist to his mouth she didn't care a bent copper for, and an old warrior who seemed a decent enough sort but weighed down by whatever past he carried, and they'd trade a few hushed words. It never seemed to Vanya like there was any great camaraderie there, no warm recollections of old colleagues or brothers in arms, no jokes shared or backs slapped. More than anything they each looked like they could hardly wait for the episode to be over so each of them could be on their way again.
They had been there today, for the first time in a couple tendays and judging by the stoop of the older man's shoulders as he departed, nothing much had changed. Gathering her courage, Vanya stepped forward. Today is the day, she told herself and cleared her throat to speak. Surely, today. Today, damn it! The big man glanced down and all her strength leaked away. A strangled croak was the only sound she made and quickly tried to disguise as another cough before it caught in her throat and made her eyes water. One of the other girls patted her on the back and ushered Vanya away, all the while the bouncer stared at them without so much as a blink. Perhaps tomorrow. Definitely tomorrow.
#58
General Discussion / Re: Get to know your DMs!
Last post by Seraphim - Apr 25, 2025, 12:49 PM❀ ◜𝕒𝔻𝕄 𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕡𝕙𝕚𝕞◞
𒀭 Preferred Reference:
Seraphim or Victoria (my actual name) are my preference, but Hallow is fine!
My pronouns are she/her & they/them, but I don't mind he/him either.
𒀭 Timezone:
EST (or GMT -5).
𒀭 Availability:
At the time of making this post, the general rule of thumb is: if I'm green on Discord, there is a probability I'm free.
I work from home, however, so it's best to simply ask. Friday evenings at 7:30pm EST and onward are presently a no-go.
(I will edit this post as this change. If it hasn't been edited in a while, it's okay to poke me for an update!)
𒀭 Preferred Group Count:
4 to 6 players is the sweet spot, without a doubt. The fewer players there are, the easier it is to focus and make sure no detail is missed.
I will likely never run a mass-combat, and I would (as of making this post) be very reluctant in co-dming one.
𒀭 Preferred Session Duration:
Probably 1 to 4 hours. If a session runs 2 hours are more, I'd probably establish 10 minute break times during.
𒀭 The Big "No Thanks!":
• (None presently - subject to change in the future.)
𒀭 Enjoyed Thematics:
• Traditional Medieval Fantasy, leaning more toward high magic/power.
• Choices, and the consequences they may or may not sow.
• Celestials. Fiends. Undead. The occasional dreaming.
• More dynamic and interesting villains.
• Moral quandaries.
• Personal Plots.
𒀭 Miscellaneous:
• The usual. /diceprivate, /touchon, hold on transition for area descriptions, stick to Party/Quest chat or perish.
• Players are encouraged to reach out mid-session- via Tells or DM chat- for questions/inquiries, a desire for a skill check, etc.
• If a player has been quested frequently, it is unlikely I will choose them for a plot- unless their own thematics align with the quest.
(e.g, An individual whose primary deity of worship is Oghma signing up for a quest about seeking a lost tome of knowledge.)
• I reserve the right to remove a player from my plot, even mid-session, if they exhibit unpleasant behavior. Such as, but not limited to ...
OOC belligerence, barely engaging with other players during session or with the plot in general, queerphobia of any flavor, OOC racism, other other heinous bullshit.
#59
General Discussion / Re: Get to know your DMs!
Last post by Lilim - Apr 24, 2025, 08:41 PM⚸ 𝓓𝓜 𝓛𝓲𝓵𝓲𝓶 ☿
•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•
✦ 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 ✦
My pronouns are she / they. Call me Nymph or Lilim
✦ 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒛𝒐𝒏𝒆 ✦
PST (GMT-8)
✦ 𝑨𝒗𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 ✦
My schedule is currently quite free, I can be available most evenings of the week/end except for Mondays and usually Fridays.
✦ 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑵𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 ✦
5-6! I excel in smaller spaces where I can really get to know the characters and craft something with them in mind that furthers their stories or brushes on things in the concept that do not often get to come to light.
✦ 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝑸𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕 ✦
Per session, I prefer 1-3 hours or somewhere in between. I am still in the testing phase but I would love to do a mix of both one-shot ad hocs and longer-form, multi session quest sagas.
✦ 𝑾𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒅 ✦
There is not a lot that comes to mind that I would instantly wish to avoid. I will be open to researching topics and concepts at request, based on my interest at the time. Just know I am one person and might make a mistake, or ask my players for their knowledge too when needed!
•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•······················•✦•
✦ 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑺𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆𝒔/𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 ✦
✧ Horror; gothic or otherwise
✧ Dreams, spirit quests, the philosophical and emotional
✧ Far Realm
✧ Fey, Hags, Fiends, Celestials
✧ Mechanus, and anything to do with constructs or living constructs
✧ Personal quests, plots, interactions
✦ 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 ✦
✧ /touchon, /diceprivate, hold for area descriptions after transitions, use Party channel.
✧ If you are ever unsure at any point about anything, be it mechanical or otherwise, please do not hesitate to send me a tell even if during the session.
✧ You are free to ask me during a session if you can roll for something I haven't asked yet.
✧ If you intend to use PnP spells, please reach out to me before the session begins so I can assess and approve at my discretion.
✧ Most importantly, I like to foster a collaborative experience. Please link your character biography with your sign-up, or I will request a TL;DR over Discord/ PMs. Likewise, please feel free to reach out to me with any ideas you would like for me to incorporate for your characters, if applicable, while questing with me. I will likely be asking questions about your characters, including their fears, wants, goals, etc; please consider those before signing up!
Overall, I am here to help foster stories and have fun with you all. If at any point in time there is a concern, a question, or anything you would like to talk over in general, please do not hesitate to reach out to me either via Discord, or forum PMs.
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚
#60
Suggestions & Ideas / New Shady Faction, somehow thi...
Last post by LynnMayers - Apr 24, 2025, 03:25 AMHello :D
I was suggested to put this here, so here it is.
The RP context :
So far, with a bunch of friends unable to really find legit reasons to play IC together, we made a kinda unofficial ghost faction, active in Miss Reagan's place. This fictive faction is basically a shady man (maybe ?) acting like a fixer in Cyberpunk, staying hidden in the shadows and communicating through Miss Reagan or others fictives NPCs. (I guess our point was to NOT mess up with any official canon lore we weren't aware about.)
The man was finding customers, giving missions to players like bounty hunt, informations collecting etc etc. Mostly giving IC purposes to go dungeoning while RP wise we don't play the casual adventurer.
Anyway, at some point, for story and character growth purpose, one of the mission led Náre to get a bounty on her head and goes from friend to ennemy with the fictive faction. (I can provide details aside as it happened IG.)
Now, Náre, still looking for money for her own personal goals, is thinking "Why couldn't i do that to ? Get rid of the intermediate and make much more money for less work.". I started to have some RP about this with her few comrades in misfortune.
The faction idea :
To summarize, the idea is to make something similar ; collect jobs from more or less shady customers, give thoses to faction members and create some RP around it. The faction isn't really outstanding evil, rather pretty... Open minded. The point is not to have a shady something full of chaotic evil characters.
There would be several different tones of mission ranging from clearly evil to more neutral things like helping the desperate farmer girl who saw her family slaughtered by some powerfull cleric, unable to get revenge officially, selling her farm and all her family belonging to pay someone to murder him.
Considering the actual mechanics in game, and with the will to keep it open to all range of players, i think a good amount of missions would actually be more like RP layers offering something to play on for the interested players.
There is probably a lot to do as well with missions focusing on investigations, standing watch of some place for a night, protecting a convoy and such.
I rarely saw PvP ending well, or staying drama free, i would rather evade it at any cost, unless it have been kinda pre-planned and the end is satisfying for everyone :D But keeping the faction sounding kinda neutral, with an official face, also make senses mostly for survival reasons.
Bullet points brainstorming / ideas (because everything is better as a list :D) :
- Keeping it open for as much interested players as possible, without restrictions. The restrictions are bring by the kind of tasks the players chose to take, or are granted. There would be something like "trust circles". As characters take a more important role inside of the faction, and win more "high ranked"'s one trust, they will have access to tasks requiring more discretion/being more shady.
- Giving players responsabilities and roles bringing RP and game. I'm still thinking this, but being tasked with keeping an eye on different cities for example could make some part of the map a bit more lively. And some basic things like watching the people around to seek potential new recruits.
- Micro-GMing missions and small players centered storylines on the main map. By micro-GMing i mean mostly describing and making up things with the layers already there, without really needing anything technical. Obviously something would be better with the help of a GM :D Like for ambush and such, but this would be something else. I have a shifter i try to build aside i think i could use as some generic NPC.
But theses small "events" would be related to the daily live of the RP, keeping things "simple". There wouldn't be any dragons, or anything that could collide with the lore of the server.
This is the general idea so far.
I don't really request anything right now, neither do i think it should be official too fast, even the faction name would be better defined in game as the RP goes.
I'm still not even sure where the faction would be located :D Some mentionned Yulash to make the city more lively, but i heard from others that there was already some faction here :D
Maybe eventually later, if the faction works and players are actives :D
I was suggested to put this here, so here it is.
The RP context :
So far, with a bunch of friends unable to really find legit reasons to play IC together, we made a kinda unofficial ghost faction, active in Miss Reagan's place. This fictive faction is basically a shady man (maybe ?) acting like a fixer in Cyberpunk, staying hidden in the shadows and communicating through Miss Reagan or others fictives NPCs. (I guess our point was to NOT mess up with any official canon lore we weren't aware about.)
The man was finding customers, giving missions to players like bounty hunt, informations collecting etc etc. Mostly giving IC purposes to go dungeoning while RP wise we don't play the casual adventurer.
Anyway, at some point, for story and character growth purpose, one of the mission led Náre to get a bounty on her head and goes from friend to ennemy with the fictive faction. (I can provide details aside as it happened IG.)
Now, Náre, still looking for money for her own personal goals, is thinking "Why couldn't i do that to ? Get rid of the intermediate and make much more money for less work.". I started to have some RP about this with her few comrades in misfortune.
The faction idea :
To summarize, the idea is to make something similar ; collect jobs from more or less shady customers, give thoses to faction members and create some RP around it. The faction isn't really outstanding evil, rather pretty... Open minded. The point is not to have a shady something full of chaotic evil characters.
There would be several different tones of mission ranging from clearly evil to more neutral things like helping the desperate farmer girl who saw her family slaughtered by some powerfull cleric, unable to get revenge officially, selling her farm and all her family belonging to pay someone to murder him.
Considering the actual mechanics in game, and with the will to keep it open to all range of players, i think a good amount of missions would actually be more like RP layers offering something to play on for the interested players.
There is probably a lot to do as well with missions focusing on investigations, standing watch of some place for a night, protecting a convoy and such.
I rarely saw PvP ending well, or staying drama free, i would rather evade it at any cost, unless it have been kinda pre-planned and the end is satisfying for everyone :D But keeping the faction sounding kinda neutral, with an official face, also make senses mostly for survival reasons.
Bullet points brainstorming / ideas (because everything is better as a list :D) :
- Keeping it open for as much interested players as possible, without restrictions. The restrictions are bring by the kind of tasks the players chose to take, or are granted. There would be something like "trust circles". As characters take a more important role inside of the faction, and win more "high ranked"'s one trust, they will have access to tasks requiring more discretion/being more shady.
- Giving players responsabilities and roles bringing RP and game. I'm still thinking this, but being tasked with keeping an eye on different cities for example could make some part of the map a bit more lively. And some basic things like watching the people around to seek potential new recruits.
- Micro-GMing missions and small players centered storylines on the main map. By micro-GMing i mean mostly describing and making up things with the layers already there, without really needing anything technical. Obviously something would be better with the help of a GM :D Like for ambush and such, but this would be something else. I have a shifter i try to build aside i think i could use as some generic NPC.
But theses small "events" would be related to the daily live of the RP, keeping things "simple". There wouldn't be any dragons, or anything that could collide with the lore of the server.
This is the general idea so far.
I don't really request anything right now, neither do i think it should be official too fast, even the faction name would be better defined in game as the RP goes.
I'm still not even sure where the faction would be located :D Some mentionned Yulash to make the city more lively, but i heard from others that there was already some faction here :D
Maybe eventually later, if the faction works and players are actives :D