Rebirth Cycle: Arc 723
The Rebirth Cycle has Cylus (30 Trials) and then Ashan (123 Trials) which are open for you to play. All new threads from February 1st 2023 - May 31st 2023 should be timestamped within one of those two seasons.
Please see Timekeeping for more information and reach out to a member of staff if you're confused!
This announcement includes information on:
- Dates & Seasons
- Staff Changes
- Open and Closed Cities.
- Community Updates
- Storyteller Swap Seasonals: Eternal Empire and Rharne
- Tech Guy
Dates & Seasons
We're rolling into the new Cycle. The Rebirth Cycle marks the Winter and Spring seasons of the Arc, and begins with the season of Cylus.
While the days slowly tick on, the sun begins to sink to the horizon before finally being blocked by one of Idalos' slow orbiting moons. The stationary effect of this moon, however, is partly due to the Ellune and their dormant ruler, Treid. His influence over the moons, and his less than favorable views of Faldrun, prevent the moon from showing any light for 30 trials. A curse he enacted to punish Faldrun for his backhanded and wicked ways, Treid was incapacitated by Audrae before he could remove it. Now the world suffers sunless for 30 trials an Arc, until the light of Ashan touches it once more.
Ashan lasts a total of 123 trials (days) while experiencing pretty moderate weather. Later in the season, rain clouds become a common thing, depending on the environment. The temperature begins to heat up while the green haze of pollen dies away and the budding plant life fully sprouts into bushy trees, thick grass, and lively, colorful flowers. As the season closes, the temperature rises, ushering in stronger storms and much hotter weather.
Staff Changes
Unfortunately, the past season has seen two Prophets retire from Standing Trials, although we still hope to see them active as their PCs. Please join me in thanking Tempest and Vulpes for all their contributions.
As well, I'd like to reiterate that while we're aware this is a volunteer role, there are certain standards of communication for Peer Reviewers/Wiki Workers/Prophets to communicate with the rest of staff for hiatuses or absences.
Please see the following article for more information if there are any staffers current or those wishing to join, what is expected. Activity Guidelines/Requirements. There are certain standards of communication for Peer Reviewers/Wiki Workers/Prophets to communicate with the rest of staff for hiatuses or absences. As well as being basic courtesy to fellow reviewers, it allows us to understand and be aware of how many Peer Reviewers / Wiki Workers / Prophets we have at any given time - this is important for knowing what we can take on and what needs focus.
On that note, we have good news, in that Fate and Wanderer have decided to take on Prophet duties, and will be running their own cities in Melrath and Yaralon (respectively) which will be opening this cycle!
Cities & Areas Open and Supported by City Mods
The following Cities are Open and have City Moderators presiding over them. This means they will have active Calendars, Events, and will moderate threads for players. These city moderators are on hand to provide active support for their cities.
- Melrath - Fate
- Rharne - Pig Boy
- Scalvoris - Peg and Avalon
- The Eternal Empire - Basilisk
- Viden - Peg and Avalon
- Yaralon - The Wanderer
Cities Under Active Development
Avena - A new island in the West whose development will be headed up by the lovely Avalon. A place of culture and learning! Stay tuned! For a preview, here's a blurb written by Avalon:
"The smell of exotic spices lingers throughout what most call a peaceful paradise. By day, a gleaming epicenter of culture and craftsmanship, capable of seducing people’s senses without the slightest concern. A place where the artisans of all trades come to learn and showcase their skills for friendly locals and adoring tourists alike, seeking acclaim and renown. The best always find their way there eventually…
What makes the city shine in the light of day? The answer is shimmering irizat, the resident crown jewel of resources. Gleaming roofs, overlaid with irregular tiles of the mollusk byproduct, pieced together like stained glass – a tradition from the early trials - showcases the prevailing architectural style: form, function, beauty.
As the sun(s) disappears beyond the horizon and the remaining luminosity shifts from dusk to twilight, the city comes alive with light and energy. The music beckons from candlelit concert halls and amphitheaters. Colorful illumination of the city’s art galleries ensnares one’s gaze, bouncing off the ever-present irizat, producing some of the most dazzling displays in Idalos.
But as every coin has two sides, so does every city. Illusions, created by those protecting purpose and longevity, can be broken by those willing and stubborn enough to seek out the dark underground that hides in plain sight.
None of this do you suspect as you approach the city – by air or water - captivated by the rocky cliffs that form the base, laboring under the lofty expectations of those that founded the place you now find yourself.
The Isle of Avena awaits you...."
Yaralon - It's opening this cycle but there are many opportunities to develop it as it grows! Here's a basic blurb on the city itself:
"With the deaths of several immortals confirmed and the return of dragons to Idalos, tensions have begun to rise within the hierarchy of Yaralon. New mercenary companies and would-be merchant emperors/empresses are looking to exploit the reopening of the city to foreigners while old powers fight in the streets and in the shadows to hold onto the status they've killed for."
Melrath - Melrath will be reopening which also presents special development fun as the lore progresses from prior storylines. Fate will be spearheading all of those efforts as the Storyteller of Melrath. Here's a blurb written by them:
"Melrath has been quiet in the aftermath of global events. Despite its isolation the world turns, and change comes to the Valley of the Induks as the great spirits and their worshipers must adjust to a world that has seen the rise of other powerful Induks, and the return of Dragons. The Great Houses struggle with the Circle to keep power and wealth. The traditionalist clash with the modernist as to where the nations future lay. With its vast forest, and craggy mountains adventures can easily forge there own name without ever entering the political hotbeds of the cities. Come and forge you own legend however your passions take you."
Cities & Areas Closed
The following cities are closed. PCs are not allowed to play here.
- Rynmere (including Andaris and the Eastern Territories)
Unmoderated Cities
Central: Ivorian Empire
Eastern: Athart
Southern: Augiery
Southern: Desnind
Southern: Quacia
Western: Etzos
Western: Ne'haer
Western: Rhakros
Western: Sirothelle
Western: Uthaldria
Community Updates!
Rather than something every month, which I realised will overlap with this - I'm going to put the Community Updates here.
Currently, staff are working on the following:
- Working on streamlining the Site Guides & where they are. This project is an all around team effort. If anyone wishes to adopt it for their selves, please speak up!
- NPC updates and revamp - This project is an all around team effort. If anyone wishes to adopt it for themselves, please speak up!
- More Effigies are forthcoming! This is being headed up by Basilisk and is ongoing.
- Valtharn's blessing is also being developed.
- Daia's blessing is being developed! Exalted line is up for feedback, and the curses will be next!
- Darius is leading on trying to streamline the languages we have on Idalos - on giving them descriptions and so on. This is ongoing.
- We're working on simplifying the Shoppe - on making 1 page per Wealth Tier that gives you an overview of that Tier, and the Shoppe only being for buying things outside your Tier. I'm leading on this but it's kind of stalled a bit. If anyone would like to help, that would be very gratefully received.
- There's a new race (from beyond the Barriers at the edge of the world) and some new magic(s) in the process of being dev'd.
- We're thinking that maybe the whole of creation started when a mouse laughed. Deep lore /ancient history clarification is forthcoming.
- There's an ongoing discussion on Ghosts. ~ if someone would jump start the discussion again, it can be found here: Ghost Skills and such
- Glamour has been released!
- Draithadir's Effigy is in Feedback phase. Maybe consider volunteering as a Peer Reviewer or Wiki Worker if you want to participate in feedback! Basilisk is heading up the development of this Effigy.
- Immortal Personalities Chart is being worked on by Basilisk also!
- We're working on a 1-5 guide for how likely an Immortal is to mark a specific person meeting certain criteria.
Tech Guy!
I can't even begin to explain all the things Tech Guy has done for us over the last few years and this continues. We've had a lot of updates, including an automated review system, an automated XP / skill ledger - lots and lots of things! If you're not up to date then start here in the updates! Massive, enormous thanks to Tech Guy for all he's done and continues to do. There's also still so much more to come, such as Tier 2 skills being added, and the UCP skill system exiting beta. Thanks go out to Pegasus who's worked side by side with Tech Guy through all of this.
Also thanks for excerpts, say code, and integrating the Calendar into the forum structure!! Here's to any ongoing developments you have coming. They truly have been a gift.