July 2023 - Printable Version +- Verdict Forums (https://forum.verdict.dev) +-- Forum: Out of Character (https://forum.verdict.dev/forumdisplay.php?fid=1) +--- Forum: Announcements (https://forum.verdict.dev/forumdisplay.php?fid=4) +---- Forum: Development Direction (https://forum.verdict.dev/forumdisplay.php?fid=60) +---- Thread: July 2023 (/showthread.php?tid=4334)

July 2023 - Roomy - 07-08-2023 Hey everyone! Welcome to another Development Direction. This month, we've heard your questions: we'll be talking primarily about races, their lore, and the mechanics you can look forward to coming up in Verdict: Descent. We also have an important announcement to make at the end (that you've likely already read if you came from the discord)! Race Categories One of the big shifts coming to Verdict: Descent that we've talked about a little before are race categories. In short, rather than having one race with many subraces (like Wildkin with their overwhelming number of divisions), we instead have the Wildkin category, then Wolf Wildkin, Fox Wildkin, etc. as entire races themselves. This helps keep things organized and makes them less confusing to parse through, generally. Our roster of categories is as follows: Human Galvian Sarean Aurien Kal Azulan Wildkin Fox Wolf Cat Rabbit Bear Bird Pig Draconian Azulan Deft Resolute Spirited Sylvan Faerla Anima Hedera Automata Empyrean Homunculi Celestial Seraphim Nephilim Starchildren Shade Starborne Sidereal [Not present at launch] Human Races As old as history can remember, the human races represent the majority of Rhyst's population. They're generally adaptable and do well in almost any environment, having forged through wintry tundras and blazing deserts to establish grand cities like no other. Still, they're divided into distinct groups over time, each with a preference for a given locale. Galvians Galvians are best-suited to the urban environment of Galvia. They move quicker through alleyways and can always find their way back to the city with ease. Sareans Sareans are best-suited to wild, untamed environments, and are adapted to new ventures they've never encountered before. Moving through regions grants additional speed and they can locate valuable resources more easily. Aurien Aurien are descended from Faerla, taking on their ears and magical affinity but with the pale skin of humans. They have outstanding grace and stamina, and are known for being veritable wells of mana. Kal Azulans Kal Azulans are hardier than most other races, attuned to the unforgiving desert heat of Kal Azul. They're difficult to drain and even more difficult to slow or stop. Wildkin Races Similar to humans, Wildkin embody adaptability. Rather than working well in any general environment, though, Wildkin have a variety of species-types that designate their best-preferred locale instead. They share the ability to favor a given season, gaining additional stats during said season. Fox Wildkin Historically, foxes represent good fortune and wealth. Fox Wildkin are no different, though they've attained a reputation for being tricksters and thieves as well. They're said to be capable of stealing the luck of opponents felled in battle. Wolf Wildkin Wolf Wildkin embrace vicious rivalry and supremacy in their hunt. They're adept at locating their kin, and gain bonuses for beating other Wolf Wildkin in battle. Cat Wildkin True to the predators themselves, Cat Wildkin are nocturnal. They see better at night and gain significant speed boosts when moving between bits of brush and trees, or when night falls. Rabbit Wildkin Ever evasive, Rabbit Wildkin are difficult to lock down. They themselves are lucky, capable of coming out of a sure loss with less than a scratch- assuming their fortune doesn't run dry, that is. Bear Wildkin Bear Wildkin are territorial by nature, capable of locking down an area and securing it with ease. They can move their territory every so often, allowing them to shift their home over time. Bird Wildkin Bird Wildkin emphasize their flight-given superiority, gaining strength (up to a cap) with consecutive wins and losing it all should they face defeat. They have an easier time getting over rough terrain. Pig Wildkin Pig Wildkin are very resistant to sudden, hard-hitting damage, but are also extremely sensitive to nearby herbs and edible items. They're better at tracking these down than any other race, save possibly Hedera. The Draconian Race Draconians have merged into a single race to represent all of their elemental facets. They pick a Dragonflight- one of the six basic elements- to represent themselves, which will determine the color of their wings and a small passive stat bonus. Their active ability reflects this choice as well, behaving differently depending on the Dragonflight of the caster. Unlike before, where Draconians were individually attuned to one of the four dragons, Draconians are now a unified collective. They stand together as one, and embody the elements as a whole rather than one subset of them. Sylvan Races Long ago, many races arrived in Rhyst from the Faewild, or were otherwise altered by Fae antics and catastrophes. Since then, they've integrated into our world. Sylva, whose dream yet persists, has taken them under her wing. Their greatest populations are now with her on her isle, and though they still retain the influence of the Fae, they're growing ever more connected to Rhyst and its wildlife. Faerla Faerla are no longer as stigmatized as they once were. Since the Convergence ended, they've proven incredibly useful via their outstanding magical connection. Though still small in number, they demonstrate the same remarkable potential as ever. Like before, Faerla are outstanding mages. In Descent, they're pushed further into this archetype, becoming more reliable with a strong, rotating beam. Anima Once Lesser Spirits ripped from Rhyst by the machinations of the Fae, Anima are now reintegrating into Rhyst. They've become stabler creatures, capable of more controlled shapeshifting without nearly as much pain as was required prior. They're also among the best dreamwalkers under Sylva's wreath, given their background as natural Spirits themselves. Their shapeshifting takes on a more active role in combat, now, allowing them to briefly change form to inflict damage or defend themselves at will. Hedera Now divorced from Yggdrasil and Urosil, the Hedera of Rhyst have roamed far and wide. Many have taken root in Arlandria, rebuilding groves of their own accord... others ventured to Sylva, then to new locations around the world. Together, they form an intricate network that spreads her influence. In Descent, Hedera have several mechanics revolving around starting temporary groves. While inside these groves, they're more protected and perform better in combat. Low to mid rarity herbs also spawn periodically in their bounds. Automata Races Not all races reproduce naturally. Some, such as the Automata, are born of metal, magic, or other artificial means. Empyrean The Empyrean, well-known under the umbrella of Isegrád's technological advance, have now become wide-spread even without the influence and aid of the Emerald Heart. They've made their way to Galvia as well, though here, they're less magical stone and more cold, unfeeling metal. They take on the appearance of traditional steel and otherwise, trading antimagical properties for even greater weight and strength. The fluff of their abilities has changed to reflect these adjustments, too. Vent Mana has become Vent Steam, and acts as a strong disable rather than a constant AOE. The same is true of their defenses, which are now generalist instead of specifically targeting magic. Homunculi The Homunculi draw their origins to the ruins of Galvia, comprised of flesh and a magical core forged from stardust. They're incredibly few in number, but bear significance in Galvia given their possible connection to the mystery of what lies beneath the city. Prominently, they embody one of seven Omens, each with their own distinct advantages: Hatred Despair Spite Mania Apathy Fear Desire Each Omen determines several mechanics. Most prominently, though, it decides the effect of Emotional Collapse, which ranges from being a strong knockback (Hatred) to preventing enemies from modifying their stats (Apathy). Celestial Races Descended from the influence of Eden and Nevanerro, the Celestial races are abnormally rare, especially outside of Sarea. They're almost never seen in public, and when they are, it's best to hope they don't stumble across their opposite. They've been condensed down mechanically to their core functions. Rather than have several tiers you level through (given the larger number of things you already have to level with roleplay), we've taken their identifiable spells like Abyss (no relation to the new Abyss!) and turned them into more acceptable, reliable racials. Seraphim Seraphim exist as heralds of Light. With all of Rhyst largely sealed off from the Astral Sea and beyond, Seraphim act like wandering nomads and shepherds, guiding lost travelers and healing wounded where they can. By far and large, they don't own any major settlements and chiefly seek to delay Nephilim plans and goals. Nephilim Nephilim exist as heralds of Shadow. With all of Rhyst largely sealed off from the Astral Sea and beyond, Nephilim carry out their remaining prime directive and goal. They act in pursuit of achieving individual godhood and freedom at all costs, encouraging others even not of their race to break bonds of all kinds. Like Seraphim, they don't own very many settlements and chiefly seek to delay Seraphim plans and goals. Starchildren Races Largely new to the world we know as Rhyst, Starchildren are races that've wandered from the Astral Sea or that've been otherwise influenced by its embrace. They are often known to be strangely aloof and distant, connected to the strings of fate in a way other races can't quite perceive. Shades Shades are descended from lost souls, ever adrift in the Astral Sea. Whether their ancestors were sucked through a portal and left to wander for an eternity, or perhaps a creature of great power saw fit to strip them of their humanoid silhouette... they exist now as shapeless goo, meandering nomads of the stars ever seeking a better suited purpose for themselves. While they inherit the majority of the Umbra gimmicks, they've been polished significantly to avoid the issue of lackluster mechanics. Starborne Starborne exist exclusively in Galvia, beholden to the embrace of the Reflecting Well. Over generations, its touch has warped the nature of its closest acolytes, eventually creating children that glow with starlight and reflect the stars themselves in their skin. Not much is understood about them just yet, but they hold great importance in even Rhyst at large as word spreads of their fortune-telling abilities. Prominently, Starborne are capable of conjuring starlight in combat. Think Vent Mana if it burned a whole lot more. Major Announcement As mentioned above- and in the discord, if you came from there first- we're unfortunately delaying Descent's launch to September 1st. While I know this is disappointing to many players, I felt it was important to polish these experimental new features to the degree of quality I'd like to see from such a major update/launch. If you have questions / want to know more, please head to the discord to read up on everything!