Update Links

Complied by Drachon on the ALFA Forums

Over time (since I’ve gotten into the Forgotten Realms Campaign Settings) I’ve gathered information of interest on various subjects from various sources around the net and I thought I might share with you my notes on these subjects.

Monks of the Long Death
Took this info from www.wizardsofthecoast.com - have always wanted to play one of these guys.
(Note: What’s written here isn’t necessarily (to my knowledge) related to ALFA).
For additional information concerning FRCS, try a search on the FRCS community boards.

Though the organization known as the Monks of the Long Death is strongest in Thay, it does have monasteries in several other parts of Faerun, including the Silver Marches. Some two dozen members of the order dwell in a hidden stronghold built long ago by unknown hands in the Turnstone Hills, not far from where the pass is blocked by a gigantic landslide. From here the monks pursue their one abiding interest: death.

These monks seek for the secrets of life by studying death. It is the condition of being dead that concerns them most, and not what lies beyond: The afterlife holds little interest for them. Their laboratories are full of decaying, dying, and dead animal and plant specimens that they study with detached interest; they frequently purchase rare specimens that they cannot obtain easily themselves from adventurers and merchants. But such studies are only part of the monks' daily life: They seek to understand death as it pertains especially to intelligent living beings.

To this end, they exhume corpses from crypts and graveyards, and then they transport the corpses to their monastery. There they examine the cadavers in their well-stocked laboratory and observe them as they decompose. They also -- and it is for this that they are most reviled and feared -- purchase living slaves and put them to death, slowly, recording their observations and asking the perishing slaves questions about their fatal experience. Slaves are hard to come by in the Silver Marches, however, because Lady Alustriel and her confederations condemn the practice. The order has been obliged to obtain its living specimens by other means, such as abducting them from outlying farmsteads and poorly-defended hamlets in the dead of night. The monks suffer no moral qualms about these deeds: Death is the most natural thing in the world, from their perspective, and to expire in service to its principle is the most profoundly holy experience any living being can hope to enjoy. It is for this reason that the monks themselves do not fear death, and while they may study the dead, they do not seek that state themselves.

Most of the order's members are either scholars who share mutual fascination with and worship of death and dying, or clergy who worship one of the deities concerned with death. Some of the monks consider themselves to be nothing less than visionaries whose work will pave the way for a better future for all Faerun: When death is truly understood, it can be harnessed and used as a tool for the betterment of all, or so they rationalize to themselves. Others who take the Vows of Death could not possibly care less about anything other than increasing their personal measure of understanding about their chosen subject.

The Monks of the Long Death are easily recognized by their pale skin and gaunt features. They eat little, and they spend most of their time inside their monasteries, in crypts and graveyards, and other dark places where there is little natural light. They affect the trappings of death in their garb, wearing long, dark robes and shroudlike hooded cloaks to hide their features. Though fearful of those who do not understand them and who might seek to thwart their studies, they can be civil hosts if approached by learned folk who offer to share knowledge or wisdom. Their narrow vision and single-mindedness makes them dull hosts, however, and the rigid structure of their society seems quite stifling to outsiders.

High Crypt Information
The Abbot of the High Crypt, as their base in the Silver Marches is called, is Seyjayanus (LE male human Mnk8/Ftr4). This enigmatic man embodies the mystique of the warrior-scholar, and, like many cast in that mold, he harbors a plan that he has not yet shared with those he leads. Seyjayanus believes that the mere study and understanding of individual deaths is not enough: He is convinced that the only way to truly serve the core principles of death is to study it on a grand scale.

Encounters with the Monks of the Long Death in the Silver Marches are likely to be with grave robbers, crypt breakers, or slave purchasers who will not take kindly to being discovered. The monks try to avoid moving openly among the general populace for fear of retribution fueled by misunderstanding. They are quite prepared to defend themselves if attacked.

Plots and Rumors
Deity Ties: Kelemvor believes the Long Death to be his enemy, while Velsharoon is attempting to actively sway the monks to his service. Recently, a former monk of the High Crypt left her brethren in favor of worshiping Kelemvor. Before she died at the hands of her fellows, she gave the plans to their temple in the Silver Marches to a couple of adventurers, mercenaries, merchants, and travelers. She did this in the hopes that someone would go in well prepared to face the monks and destroy their numbers in the Silver Marches. Will someone step up to the challenge?

Seyjayanus's Plot: Currently Seyjayanus is formulating a plan that will result in the mass deaths of thousands of citizens in the Silver Marches so that he and his monks can observe the process and its results. It is his desire that the orc hordes of King Obould ravage as much of the area as they possibly can, and to that end he is considering the best way to help the orc lord attack and destroy the cities of the confederation. Encounters may occur if travelers or adventurers happen upon monks who are engaged in discussions with King Obould's forces concerning the best methods of emerging victorious from a war against the Silver Marches.

A series of useful links posted on the ALFA Forums by White Warlock. None of the links have been tested so may be dead. Please let someone know if they are.

General FR Info
Downloads from WotC
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/downloads

Complete FR Timeline
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Castle/2566/realmstime0.htm

A list of useful 3rd edition D&D and FR info
http://crystalcove.stormsong.org/reference/

Excellent collection of FR resources, hosted by one of ALFA's members
http://sunsetvale.dfxwebs.com/realmslore.htm

Yet another Forgotten Realms web page (that's what it's called)
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Castle/2566/

Excellent FAQ on the Forgotten Realms (from Candlekeep). Scroll down to the Table of Contents
http://www.candlekeep.com/fr_faq.htm

Other excellent FR resources from Candlekeep
http://www.candlekeep.com/library/library.htm

Another collection of FR information (scroll down)
http://www.livinginafantasy.com/rpgfantasy/index.html

The Forgotten Realms Magic Item Database
http://www.sss.org/~maecenus/frmagic.html

Roleplaying
A collection of Gods, as they should be applied in ALFA
http://themago.brinkster.net/gods.htm

Excellent single source on Races of Faerun
http://myth-drannor.net/DlabraddathNet/z-Dlabraddath/Main.htm

Excellent info on all the various dieties and their followers
http://www.nwncityofarabel.com/aspbite/categories/index.asp?intCatID=50

Nice collection of insightful info on the PC races of Faerun
http://www.nwncityofarabel.com/aspbite/categories/index.asp?intCatID=40

Viola's Dictionary of Planar Cant (not directly applicable to FR, but a nice touch for those planars)
http://www.mimir.net/cant/cant2.html

Nice very name generator, plus an add-on FR-names download
http://www.wormspeaker.com/download/ebon34.zip http://www.wormspeaker.com/download/bkfr.zip

Maps
Some nice maps, with preview, hosted by one of ALFA's members
http://sunsetvale.dfxwebs.com/places01.htm http://sunsetvale.dfxwebs.com/places02.htm

FR Sword Coast Map (sectional)
http://www.livinginafantasy.com/rpgfantasy/frealmsmaps/frswordcoastmap.html

FR Western Map (sectional)
http://www.livinginafantasy.com/rpgfantasy/frealmsmaps/frwestcoastmap.html

FR Maps (click on map to cycle through 4 maps)
http://nwncityofarabel.com/worldmap.htm

Maps of Faerun in CC2 (the second url also includes JPG and PDF versions)
http://crpp0001.uqtr.uquebec.ca/www_wanderer/Towns/Towns.html#Faerun http://www.profantasy.com/fratlas/examples.htm

Free CC2 printer & viewer
http://www.profantasy.com/library/dpv.asp

Online FR Calendar
Interactive calendar for Forgotten Realms holy days
http://www.localendar.com/public/ALFA_calendar

It is well known in Faerûn that those who die without a patron deity to send a servant to collect their souls from the Fugue Plane at their death will spend eternity writhing in the Wall of the Faithless or disappear into the hells and infernos of devils and demons. In ALFA, this is represented by the a small (a few percent) chance for a resurrection if your PC is killed. If you have no patron diety in the diety field on character creation, your PC will not be given such a possibility.

Having a patron deity does not preclude a mortal from worshiping other deities as need arises. On the contrary, it would be considered foolish to NOT seek the favor of a diety who's portfolio pertains to your current sitution.

For example, Tymora (Lady Luck) is often thanked when things happen to work out or invoked when a risk is about to be undertaken, regardless of the person's patron. Similarly, a wizard heading into battle is well advised to give obeisance to both Tempus and Mystra.

Major Deities of Faerun

• Azuth
• Bane
• Chauntea
• Cyric
• Eilistraee
• Gond
• Helm
• Ilmater
• Kelemvor
• Kossuth
• Lathander
• Lolth
• Malar
• Mask
• Mielikki
• Mystra
• Oghma
• Selune
• Shar
• Shaundakul
• Silvanus
• Sune
• Talos
• Tempus
• Torm
• Tymora
• Tyr
• Umberlee
• Uthgar
• Waukeen

Other Deities of Faerun

• Akadi
• Auril
• Beshaba
• Deneir
• Eldath
• Finder Wyvernspur
• Garagos
• Gargauth
• Grumbar
• Gwaeron Windstrom
• Hoar
• Istishia
• Jergal
• Lliira
• Loviatar
• Lurue
• Milil?
• Nobanion?
• Red Knight
• Savras?
• Sharess?
• Shiallia?
• Siamorphe?
• Talona?
• Tiamat?
• Ubtao?
• Ulutiu?
• Valkur?
• Velsharoon

Drow Pantheon

• Ghaunadaur
• Kiaransalee
• Selvetarm
• Vhaeraun

Dwarven Pantheon

• Abbathor
• Berronar Truesilver
• Clangeddin Silverbeard
• Deep Duerra
• Dugmaren Brightmantle
• Dumathoin
• Gorm Gulthyn
• Haela Brightaxe
• Laduguer
• Marthammor Duin
• Moradin
• Sharindlar
• Thard Harr
• Vergadain

Elven Pantheon

• Aerdrie Faenya
• Angharradh
• Corellon Larethian
• Deep Sashelas
• Eravan Ilesere
• Fenmarel Mestarine
• Hanali Celanil
• Labelas Enoreth
• Rillifane Rallathil
• Sehanine Moonbow
• Shevarash
• Solonor Thelandira

Gnome Pantheon

• Baervan Wildwanderer
• Baravar Cloakshadow
• Callarduran Smoothhands
• Flandal Steelskin
• Gaerdal Ironhand
• Garl Glittergold
• Segojan Earthcaller
• Urdlen

Halfling Pantheon

• Arvoreen
• Brandobaris
• Cyrrollalee
• Sheela Peryroyl
• Urogalan
• Yondalla

Mulhorandi Pantheon

• Anhur
• Geb
• Hathor
• Horus-Re
• Isis
• Nephthys
• Osiris
• Sebek
• Set
• Thoth

Orc Pantheon

• Bahgtru
• Gruumsh
• Ilneval
• Luthic
• Shargaas
• Yutrus

• 1 INTRODUCTION
   
  • 1.1 IN-GAME OFFENCES AND OUT-OF-GAME OFFENCES
  • 1.2 DISPOSITION
   
• 2 IN-GAME OFFENCES
   
  • 2.1 METAGAMING
  • 2.2 CHEATING
  • 2.3 GRIEFING
  • 2.4 PLAYER KILLING
  • 2.5 POWERGAMING
  • 2.6 HACKING
  • 2.7 FAILURE TO COMPLY
   
• 3 IN-GAME COMPLAINT PROCESS
   
  • 3.1 SUBMITTING A COMPLAINT
  • 3.2 WHO MAY SUBMIT A COMPLAINT
  • 3.3 THE 90-DAY RULE
   
• 4 IN-GAME INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES
   
  • 4.1 INVESTIGATORS
  • 4.2 CONFIDENTIALITY
  • 4.3 CONFIDENTIALITY AND THE ACCUSED
  • 4.4 INVESTIGATION DISMISSAL OR DISPUTE
  • 4.5 DUTY TO COOPERATE
   
• 5 IN-GAME DISPUTE PROCEDURES
   
  • 5.1 INITIATING A DISPUTE
  • 5.2 ACCESS TO A DISPUTE
  • 5.3 DISPUTE TIME LIMIT
  • 5.4 DISPUTE VERDICT
  • 5.5 APPEALS
  • 5.6 INFORMAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION
  • 5.7 REMOVAL OF ILLEGAL GAINS
   
• 6 OUT-OF-GAME RULES
   
  • 6.1 OUT-OF-GAME BEHAVIOUR
  • 6.2 INTENT TO HARM
  • 6.3 SEXUAL HARASSMENT
   
• 7 CENSURE
   
  • 7.1 INFORMAL CENSURE
  • 7.2 TEMPORARY SERVER BAN
  • 7.3 FORMAL CENSURE
  • 7.4 CENSURE RECORD
   
• 8 DM CODE OF CONDUCT
   
  • 8.1 DMS AND PCS
   
• 9 CHANGES TO THE ALFA RULEBOOK
   
  • 9.1 RULE CONFLICTS
  • 9.2 RETROACTIVE APPLICATION OF RULES

ALFA Rulebook in pdf format available here

Every year, ALFA hosts the AO Awards, acknowledging talent and contribution from within the community. A variety of categories allow every Member to have a say in who they think is most deserving of recognition.

The latest Awards ceremony was held on 11 July 2007.

[alfabox]

Best DM

Eligibility: Anyone who has DMd on a Live server in the past twelve months. Judge: DM Admin

Winner: Electryc (Sembia)

Electryc has a reputation as one of ALFA’s premier Dungeon Masters, and this was widely reflected in the comments nominating him. A master of immersion and suspense, Electryc’s work remains, for many, the defining standard for ALFA DMs. An honourable mention goes to Brokenbone who, in his first year as an ALFA DM, has developed a widely-admired technical excellence.

[alfabox]

Favourite DM

Eligibility: Anyone who has DMd on a Live server in the past twelve months. Judge: Popular Vote

Winner: Mizbiz (Daggerdale)

One of ALFA’s most dedicated Dungeon Masters, Mizbiz’s commitment to her server, players, and NPCs is remarkable. Countless hours of interaction with scores of PCs are key to why Mizbiz is ALFA’s most popular DM.

[alfabox]

Best Builder

Eligibility: Anyone who has contributed Toolset content to a Live server in the past twelve months. Judge: Technical Admin

Winner: ThinkTank (Luskan)

ThinkTank’s innovative and inventive building has created some of the most adventurous and memorable areas in ALFA; it is for this creativity that he has been awarded Best Builder 2007. An honourable mention goes to Twiggy, for a consistently high quality and clarity of work, and for her commitment to keeping Daggerdale up-to-date.

[alfabox]

Best ALFA Representative

Eligibility: Any member who has served as an AR in the past twelve months. Judge: Player Admin

Winner: Regas Seive

Nominees commended numerous ALFA Representatives, but it was Regas’ politeness and ever-ready willingness to help that won him this year’s award.

[alfabox]

Favourite Character

Eligibility: Any Character who has played on a Live server in the past twelve months. Type: Popular Vote

Winner: Valdur (Ronan)

In the words of one DM, ‘perhaps one of the greatest snobby elves to be in ALFA’; alternatively, ‘a nazi-fascist-homogenic-rural-elven bastard’. Either way, Valdur’s unfaltering dedication to a curmudgeonly pursuit of magic won the minds, and apparently the hearts, of ALFA.

[alfabox]

Favourite Party/Group

Eligibility: Any Party or Group with at least two members having played on a Live server in the past twelve months. Type: Popular Vote

Winner: The Obsidian Blades (Sembia)

In a city known for its love of gold and back-room deals, one organisation is reputed to do business better, and quieter, than the rest. Wild rumors swirl in hushed voices about the mysterious organization that owns the dark alleys of Selgaunt, but one thing is known for sure - you do not cross them. The Obsidian Blades are not known for forgiveness...

[alfabox]

Favourite NPC

Eligibility: Any NPC present within a Live server in the past twelve months. Type: Popular Vote

Winner: Kiksa (Daggerdale)

Kiksa has many roles in Daggerdale. A Freedom Rider officer and loyal friend of Lord Morn, he is the primary liason to the Rystall Wood helping to maintain peace between the forest dwellers and dalesmen. A patient loremaster for those willing to heed his words, with unmatched knowledge of the fey and land itself, though he has little tolerance for those foolhardy enough to dismiss or defy his warnings.

[alfabox]

Favourite Event

Eligibility: Any Event or Quest which has occurred on a Live server in the past twelve months, partially or in-full. Type: Popular Vote

Winner: The Doompool (Daggerdale) tied with The Fall Of the Black Temple (Sembia)

Equal in popularity, both of these two long-running quests were major events on the servers. The Doompool saw the hallowing of a corrupted Eldathian shrine in Daggerdale, while on Sembia, the power of the church of the Dark Sun was brought crashing down, both the culmination of months of risky PC endeavour.

[alfabox]

Favourite Screenshot

Eligibility: Any Screenshot taken from a NWN1 Live or Beta server, currently linked from the ALFA website or Forums. Type: Popular Vote

Winner: "Hallowe’en Quest" (Daggerdale, by HEEGZ)

After finding a stolen cursed amulet, a brave group of dwarves, humans, and elves entered the haunted mines of the Brightblades, abandoned since the clan’s decimation by the Mage Lord Colderan. Battling the undead and the ghostly dwarves, they bravely risked life, limb, and in one case a soul, to return the amulet from whence it came.

[alfabox]

Favourite Library Contribution

Eligibility: Any contribution to ALFA's Library created in the past twelve months. Type: Popular Vote

Winner: "The Twelve Lessons" by ewayneself

ewayneself’s stories, from the perspective of his riddling gnome and later his Bedine paladin, have won numerous plaudits over the past twelve months, and it is his Twelve Lessons that ALFAn’s most enjoyed reading over that period.

[alfabox]

Best Writer

Eligibility: Any member who has written a Story which has appeared in the ALFA Library in the past twelve months. Judge: DM Liaison

Winner: Misty Eyes

Several outstanding contributors to ALFA’s Library were nominated for this award, from newcomers danielmn and ewayneself, to old favourites such as Wynna and Mikayla, but it was the varying range and experimental styles of Misty Eyes that clinched the award for 2007.

[alfabox]

Special Service to ALFA (Out of Game)

Eligibility: Any member who has made a single, or ongoing, contribution to ALFA out of game in the past twelve months. Judge: Infrastructure Admin

Winner: wvincenti (for hosting)

wvincenti’s readiness to step in and help ALFA servers that found themselves short of a host, either temporarily or longer-term, is recognised with this award. It is on the generosity of such people that ALFA is founded.

[alfabox]

"Heart of the Pig Dragon" Award

Eligibility: Any current ALFA member. Type: Popular Vote

Winner: HEEGZ

HEEGZ efforts as DM Administrator, Admissions Head, and Baldur’s Gate Head DM are recognised with this award, given to the ALFAn who best represents the spirit and ideals of the community.

ALFA's Open Application Server provides a different way to get accepted into ALFA. Instead of sending in a written application, you just log on to our hak free server and get accepted by one of the DMs there. Any ALFA DM can DM on the OAS, but we also have a group of dedicated OAS DMs, who run weekly events on the server. More info on those weekly events can be found here.

The OAS is set in Tervale, a small frontier town in the Hartsvale region, far up north. It is a desolate town, plagued by goblins and wolves. Still, a few dozen souls call it their home, and many more visit - The town has had a large influx of adventurers ever since a mysterious, ancient temple was unearthed just outside of town. So far the temple hasn't made anyone rich apart from Tamerald, the owner of the only tavern within a forthnight's travel, who has made good money on thirsty, frustrated adventurers.

Finding lost treasure is not the only reason to come to Tervale. Saeryl is a sloanberry wine producer who has settled in the town simply because the berries in the region are deemed some of the best in the Realms. Tethos the wizard, on the other hand, surely chose Tervale as the place to build his tower for the very same reason that most avoid it - Tervale is far from civilized, and outside of town frontier law applies. Tethos is typically the topic of gossip in Tervale, and many stories are passed around about what foul things happen in his tower.

Tervale may not look all that much to the experienced traveler, but for an adventurer there is much work to be had here. To learn more about the server, take a look at our forum.

[alfabox]

Screenshots

Here are some screenshots of Tervale