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Escordvi is a semi-private, primarily invitation panfandom game set in a "post-apocalyptic" world that is completely covered in water with only a few islands scattered around. While there are various populations and tribes around, there are two main factions called "armadas" that dominate the seas: the Paladins and the Corsairs.

However, this is not a faction game.

Although by nature they oppose each other, the armadas will often work together for a common goal, and the game promotes this by the plethora of quests that are provided. These quests give points that can be exchanged for rewards, and they can also be pooled for group rewards, including gamewide expansion unlocks.

Characters also have a chance to create their own crews and ships, working together to earn rewards to upgrade their ships and even create their own island bases.

Thus the game is ultimately about making your own adventure, exploration, and character development building. There is a little bit of plot based on finding some special treasure map pieces that will serve as the "endgame," but those will be doled out slowly and as we see fit. There's no set end time.

As mentioned, the game is semi-private with an invite system, but we will on occasion open applications to the public if we have space. For the first round, only the mods can offer invitations. After that, players can request invitations to be handed out. The game has a 65 player cap limit that will be enforced after the first round. Our application cycles are bi-monthly.

The three main communities are escordviooc, escordvi, shellphones, with bootylovers for the meme comm. If you have any questions that can't be answered here, feel free to use the Mod Contact. We have a discord server and a plurk members can follow, seawardens.

»»» RULES

» Play nice. Use common sense and at least be amiable towards each other. If there's someone you don't get along well, politely request no contact and respect those boundaries. If there's something you can't resolve on your own, contact the mods and try not to let a problem fester.

» Communicate. The game is designed to promote interaction, so be prepared to communicate with each other! Everyone in the game will primarily use the Discord server and Plurk, but please use any plotting posts or create one of your own in escordviooc.

» Stay (mostly) ic. Development and changes are expected and we're all here to have a good time, but don't completely change a character's personality without good development. There are no required HMDs, but if there are problems they can be brought to the mods.

» Player permission. At no point should another player dictate what a character does without permission or understanding from the other player. This goes back to communicating!

» Mature content. Although this is not specifically an 18+ game, such content is allowed in the communities. Any mature or graphic content should include warnings and cuts. If you prefer privacy, using character journals is perfectly fine. Just note that only threads made within the game communities or character journals will count for Activity Check.

» Activity Checks. Our Activity Check requires 1 thread of at least 5 comments from the character to pass. There is no strike system so if you miss AC, you're out until the next application cycle. Depending on how bad a player's activity has been, we might not allow them back in unless there are stipulations that they can keep up with the game. Please refer to the Activity Check information for further guidelines, especially for what we consider squatting. We reserve the right to reject AC on the grounds outlined there.

» Invitation (usually) required. As a semi-private game, we are starting out with invitations only. However, depending on the size and speed of the game, we may open up to occasional limited public app rounds where we'll have a limit of the number of public apps allowed.

» We reserve the right to refuse any invitation or reservation.

» Caps. Our current cap is 65 players with allowance to increase a little. We'd like to go no higher than 75.

There is a total cast cap of 10 per canon. This cap is not a franchise cap, but it may be considered if we end up with overly dominant franchises.

Everyone is limited to 3 characters at the start with the possibility of increasing the cap in the future. There is an additional limit of 1 character per canon. This does not include franchises, but we do expect that the characters will have no reason to interact with each other.

» Applications. Please refer to the Application section for more details on what we expect and allow. There is a two week waiting period on both new canons and canon updates. Discussions can be made for canons that have already existed for a while and receive translations later. In all cases, be ready to mark for spoilers as a courtesy to others.

» Contact the Mods. If you have any problems that you can't resolve on your own, contact us either by PM or use the Mod Contact form.

»»» INVITATIONS

Escordvi is a semi-private game, meaning the game will primarily require invitations from current players to join. However, if we have enough space available, we will open the game for limited public application cycles. There is no known schedule right now for these cycles, but we will hold one at least once after game opening.

Everyone on the mod team can hand out invitations at any given time. However, players are limited to one invitation per cycle and they must get approval from the mods by commenting to the Invite Request entry. This is so we can vet the player they may wish to invite.

Interested players who are not connected with anyone in the game will have to wait until the public application rounds.

»»» APPLICATIONS

The information can also be found on the Application entry proper, but here's some additional information up front.

Invitation required. Reiterating that we are a semi-private game that requires invitations to apply. We will occasionally hold limited public app cycles.
Reservation required. Making a reservation will also be required before applying as this allows us to gauge how many potential applicants we'll have for the round.
Caps. The current player cap is 65. We can increase this if we have more interest than expected, but we don't want to go over too much. The current cast cap for each canon is 10. Series within a franchise are considered separate, but we may place an overall franchise cap if necessary. Players are limited to 3 characters and further limited by 1 per canon. This excludes different series under a franchise. (ex, a player could have a character from three different Final Fantasy games.)
New Canon Waiting Period. As mentioned in the Rules section, there is a two week waiting period for any new material, be it a complete new title release or a new update to something ongoing.
Cycles. Our current system will have bi-monthly application cycles, but we may switch to a rolling system depending on size, interest, and pacing.
Samples for the application require participation in our Test Drive as links. This is to allow players a chance to truly test how their characters fit in the game setting. It can be either a toplevel or tagging into someone else's thread. If needed, you may supplement with threads outside of the game.
All character journals will need to fill out the include a small Profile Card code as it will contain information specific to the game that will be needed by other players. It's basically the same as the code on the Taken page.
While almost every character is applicable, we have the right to refuse characters that may be too insensitive to players. Basically if a character has to have 50 trigger warnings for every post or is inherently so offensive that most players are uncomfortable interacting with them, then they are likely to be refused or at least require some discussion with the mods.
Although we use invitations, players must still make a reserve for their character. This is also a first come basis, but those who use the TDM will take priority if there is a contest.
Application challenges are allowed.

For the kinds of characters we accept, the usual Canon and Canon AUs (ex, Kingdom Hearts, Tsubasa Chronicles) are accepted. We do not accept fandom AUs/OCs.

Here is the list of other characters that can be accepted with certain conditions:

Minimum age 14. While we're not strictly a mature game, there are mature themes baked into the setting and some events or quests might involve more mature concepts that might be inappropriate for younger characters. So we put the base minimum to 14, however, we are also aware that fiction will have young characters deal with adult themes in their canons. So we'll be willing to discuss younger characters to see if they will fit or not.
Malleable protagonists. Or characters that are silent or have different quest lines that the player can shape through choices or routes. They are acceptable however if they have a "default" canon personality then we would prefer the character be set to that state. The exception here would be characters that have different personality tree branches that are affected by game event routes. Players can pick the route. 100% blank slate protagonists are not allowed. There must be some canon information about the character that gives some basis of the character's personality. These can be a case-by-case basis, but we have already determined that Tav and Dark Urge from Baldur's Gate 3 are not allowed.
MMO heroes. Technically under malleable protags, but out of fairness we will not allow any true main MMO heroes. Whoever is going out leading the charge and dealing the big bads will be considered an NPC instead of a PC. However, "heroes" who follow more of their own storyline as an adventurer instead of the main one are perfectly fine.
Original characters. Most OCs are acceptable and to be clear we mean characters that are completely unique and of the player's design. Characters created using tabletop RPG systems like D&D or Pathfinder are also allowed.
CRAUs. Characters coming in with previous game experience will need to limit the carried over game history to one game. If you wish to CRAU a character that's been through several game iterations, only the most recent one will be dominant. All other previous experiences will still be considered as part of their development, but specifics especially regarding a game's setting or people will be vague and they will have difficulty recalling it.

Any physical changes, transformations, or powers gained from the previous game's setting will not carry over, however any knowledge or natural skills they may have learned can. The same is true for items. Only their original items and personal regained items can be brought. Nothing from the previous game can carry over, but they can be regained later.
Canon AUs, aka Franchise duplicates. It is possible to have multiple versions of a character if they are from distinct enough installments and background stories. For example, the Final Fantasy characters and their Kingdom Hearts counterparts. What would not be acceptable would be multiples of different media adaptations, such as book to movie or tv series. Only one version may ever exist at a time.

»»» ADJUSTMENTS

Some character types will need some minor adjustments to fit into the setting, and we'll cover abilities and items here as well.

Abilities. There are no ability nerfs EXCEPT for game breaking ones, i.e. the standard game nerfs. No instant deaths, no city/island wiping powers. Extremely strong and ultimate attacks are still allowed, and most won't need any reduction unless the power is borderline godmode. So just in general, be reasonable. Any other modifications or adaptations because of original canon limitations can also be worked around, including options such as using an item or the special tattoo. More about this can be read in the Magic section.
Weapons & Items. Characters can arrive with their personal weapons and items that they would normally have on hand. The only limitation is that it must be considered their own item, not borrowed. Weapons and items must also follow the "no game breaking properties" and will need to be depowered to be very strong, just not god tier. If weapons or items come with abilities, those can be retained with the same restrictions.
Nonhumans. Robots, animals, and other nonhuman characters can stay as they are in form, but anything super huge will be downsized to at most 10 feet tall. Good luck, mechanical creatures, hope you have rust protection.
Dead and incapacitated characters. For characters who are taken post-death or while they may be incapacitated such as unconscious or sealed away, the bottle used to bring in characters will have somehow found them and sucked them in. It's magic, don't think too much about it. They will arrive with their last known living body, so if they died while transformed into some super duper cool monster form, that's too bad. All powers and such will be regained (with standard limits) if the player so wishes.
Vampires and characters with special dietary needs. For characters who need a specific kind of sustenance like vampires and blood, they are free to go ham and feast upon NPCs and PCs alike. Or they can be nice and not become a target and figure out some alternatives. Players have the option to reduce their needs as well.
Supernatural characters like angels, gods, demons, Cthulhu, etc. will maintain most everything that makes them supernatural and unique. They will just have to be nerfed down a bit so that they can't do anything game breaking.
Pets and other sidekick-like creatures and entities. Allowed to be brought in but will be limited to 5. This will include creatures and summons that need a canon-specific feature to exist. That feature will no longer be applied, so the creatures/summons can just exist freely with the character. Special note about summons, they will need to be somehow "held" on the character's person, either by being a part of the summoner or having stones or some artifact used to call them. So long as the character has those items, then either part (ie, a fragment that will mirror the original) or a whole (ie, the actual whole entity) of the summon will be able to come through. However, that summon will be trapped with the character and will not be able to return to the world. It'll just exist in some subspace within the world, or chill with the character in some kind of physical form. For more information about how summon magic works in game, refer to the Magic section.

»»» ACTIVITY CHECK

Our Activity Check is held during the last three days of the month and we do not have a strike system nor a make up system. We make official announcements when it goes up but it is suggested the players keep track on their own. We do not make warning reminders.

Requirements:

Provide 1 thread of at least 5 comments. The comment count is from your character.
Any thread counts, including 1) inboxes, 2) threads made within your own entries, and 3) subthreads within your own toplevels. While you can use threads from within the same entry or toplevel, it's preferred if you provide threads from separate sources. Using threads from different toplevels within the same entry like an event (mod or player hosted) is also allowed. Quest threads are allowed to be used and won't be counted against reward redeeming.
Entry posts alone do not count, only the threads within the posts.
Continuation threads (i.e., overflow threads) are considered as part of the previous thread so they do not count as separate threads. However, you can combine them to count as one thread. So if the first part is 2 comments and the continuation has 3+ that will work as one proof of 5. For sake of ease, we would like the two threads linked together.
Backdated threads can be counted so long as they 1) start in the previous month, 2) the majority of the comments are in the current AC month, and 3) was not used for the previous month.
Test Drive threads will count because our test drives will be canon for the game.
You are exempt from any checks for hiatuses that last for over 21 days. Anything less and you'll still need to submit your AC unless there are other circumstances. Players can still tag out and even make AC if they find they have more time than initially anticipated for the hiatus. Doing so will cancel out the hiatus and allow a clean pass.
Free passes are given to those who meet the requirements for the December AC of the previous year (ie, December 2023 AC will reward free passes for 2024 year). They can be used one time during the year and do not carry over. They are player tied, not character tied, so if a player apps or drops a character it won't matter. However, if a player leaves the game and returns within the year, the free pass will no longer be available. A free pass cannot be used right after a hiatus unless there are extreme extenuating circumstances. A hiatus will also be looked disfavorably if placed right after using a free pass unless there are extenuating circumstances. This is because we don't want a hiatus > free pass > hiatus situation where a player skips out 2-3 checks in a row. We keep a list of who has free passes available, but it's up to the players to keep up with and remember their own.

» BONUS AC POINTS
All extra non-quest threads not used for AC will be worth 2 extra points that can be used for reward redemption. Quest threads will not count because they will be counted for quest points only. These "extra" threads need to meet the 5 comment minimum requirement, and the rest of the rules apply. This also means backdated threads that were not submitted before can count with no time limit. Additional information can be found in the Rewards section.

» SQUATTING POLICY
In regards to our policy on squatting we have some basic guidelines that we follow that will determine whether a player is continuously squatting on a character and may need to be removed. Because we are a capped game, we are being more stringent about this. To be considered as squatting a player must:

Tag mostly within the AC period (ie last 3 days of the month);
Tag only the bare minimum (5 comments per thread);
Drop the threads once they reach AC;
Repeat this behavior for several months in a row.

Meeting all four criteria will guarantee a kick out of the game, no question. Any other combinations (particularly 2, 3, and 4) will warrant a message from us to see what's going on, but we still have the right to remove a player without a warning for these reasons if the pattern is obvious. To be clear, we differentiate this from players being slow. We don't mind slow, but we do mind practically non-existent players that only check in for AC. Such behavior is not showing clear investment in the game and is wasting our time and everyone else's in a limited capped game. This is especially troublesome for other players who want to make CR and make their own AC. Given how small the requirement is, there really is no excuse to be barely here.

Basically, if we constantly have to remind ourselves who you are and are surprised because we thought you already left the game, then you are squatting and will be removed.

(If any of this sounds familiar, it's because it is /cough)

»»» HIATUS & DROP

Players must comment to the Hiatus & Drop page to make it official.

» HIATUS
When a player goes on hiatus, they have the option to have their character be on auto-pilot or go into a deep sleep. Should this happen, a protective bubble will appear around the character so no harm can come to them. The bubble also serves as a sign that the character is just asleep. Why this happens, no one knows. They can only guess it is because they are not native to the world.

A player can be exempt from AC if the hiatus period is more than 21 days. Any less and players will need to provide AC. Since our AC is fairly small, this should be doable. Of course, we will consider any emergency circumstances and work with players to accommodate. We will be much less lenient to those who are inactive for the first half of the month before throwing in a hiatus unless there is good reason. Players cannot hiatus two months in a row without good reason.

We encourage players to post a hiatus for months they think they may not be as available. Players can still play and submit AC even if on hiatus. If a player submits AC, the hiatus will be considered null and a player can post another hiatus if needed. For example, if a player posts a hiatus in January but ends up making AC to clear it, they can post a hiatus in February if they unexpectedly need it without worry. Obviously, we do not want players to constantly post hiatuses. This is only for those who may be uncertain, want to be safe, and end up having more time than expected.

» DROP
When a player drops a character, the character is completely removed from the world with only their belongings left behind. No one knows how or why this happens and just assume it's part of the magic that brought them in the first place.

»»» CANON UPDATE

There is a two week wait limit for updating to new material. Everything must be marked for spoilers.

When a canon updates a character, they will leave the world and come back with new knowledge and experience. They will not retain memories of Escordvi while there, however players are free to play around with the idea of characters having odd dreams that might give vague hints or glimpses about some things about the world. Nothing concrete for them to recall or say anything more than, "Well that was weird."

Characters can be gone for up to three days.

All canon updates are to be posted in the Canon Update entry.

»»» STARTING OUT

» Sucked in a bottle. Back in their home worlds, a small ship in a bottle will appear in a character's vicinity. Could be rolling at their feet, displayed by the window they're passing, or just hit them right in the head after falling through the sky. However it happens, they will be drawn to it and touch it. The moment they do, the cork will pop open, water floods out to wrap around them, and they are sucked into the bottle. At this point canon timelines diverge to allow canon events to continue, and whenever a character returns to their world, they will pop back to where they were and the timelines converge back to one (but without Escordvi memories). The bottle remains mysterious and unseen to everyone else. (For dead and other incapacitated characters, refer to the Adjustments section.)

» Arrival. When a character arrives in Escordvi, they will first find themselves on the deck of their armada's starter ship. For the Corsairs the ship is the Stormbringer, and for the Paladins it's the Royal Fortune. Both ships call Eltrut their home port and will eventually bring new arrivals there to disembark. They will be referred to as riftfarers, though they will likely hear a number of a different names during their stay.

» Universal Language. Speaking of hearing, everyone will find themselves able to speak, hear, read, and write in the world's native language without realizing it. That is to say, everything is autotranslated. No one loses their ability to use their own language, of course, and it is possible for someone to hear the "foreign" language and thus learn from others. Characters who are from different worlds but speak the same language will be able to pick up on that, likewise someone naturally speaking a different language will have an accent as a tell. But for all intents and purposes, passing through the rifts and other mysterious magic allows everyone to understand each other without issue.

» Clothing. They will arrive in basic clothes that fit their armada's style–poorly. For Corsairs: ragged shirts and tattered pants with maybe shoes. For the Paladins: an ill-fitting uniform. Fortunately, they will be given one change of better fitting clothes along with their first quest to find their original clothes. They are in a chest buried somewhere, so good luck.

» Stipend. To give characters some help in starting out, they will be given roughly $500 USD in varying amounts of copper, silver, and gold dubloons. It will be enough to purchase some more clothes, food, and maybe some basic necessities for living without going completely broke.

» Basic Orientation. In addition to above, characters will be informed by the locals the general situation of how they got here and places they need to go to. Fortunately or unfortunately, this phenomenon of riftfarers landing in their world has been going on for quite a while, so they're more or less used to it. Here's the rough outline to give players an idea of what their character could hear (how much the character hears/learns is up to the player):

Basic orientation about their armada and what they can do. Includes information about the starter ship and what they should do if they want to leave or make their own crew.
A powerful magic artifact is the reason why they were brought but no one knows where it is.
There is a search for the treasure map pieces that could lead them to the artifact to stop the rifts.
The major port cities are on top of large, legendary creatures called leviathans.
Go to the MicroShell store to receive their Shellphone.
Go to the Inkwave Tattoo Parlor to get special tattoos to allow them to use magic without artifacts. Run by a burly octopus.
Go to the MANTA branch office to learn about quests and assignments to earn money and other rewards.

All of this can be handwaved.

» Living Arrangements. Characters will have at least two places of residency: on land and on a ship.

On land. Every character will be granted a small apartment in their armada's city to use whenever they wish. It is possible for them to buy something larger in the future if they so desire. They have complete control of its furnishings, but renovations can only be done once they purchase their own home elsewhere.
On ship. Every character will have an assigned room on the starter ship, and then when they join a crew they will have their own room on the new ship. They should be able to have any furnishing they like, but it will also depend on any restrictions the ship crew might have.
Inns. There are plenty of inns on all three major port cities that can be used when visiting.

»»» SETTING

Some more general information about the world setting to help get an idea of how things work.

» IC:OOC Time. Because we don't want people feeling like they are locked out of CR, time is whatever. Officially it's 1:1 and the calendar will follow the real world calendar. However, players can backdate, forward date, handwave however much time passes, etc. Whatever will help keep things flexible.

» Filler NPCs. There are no official named NPCs that we control, but there are plenty of NPCs that exist for player use and populating the world. The world has humans and non-humans of all races and sizes. These filler NPCs are used for both town settings and for ship crews, so whatever players need to fill their ships, they can have. The NPCs also include people who were brought through the rifts just like the characters, so it's possible to they meet someone else from with their world, but no named canon characters or people directly related to them. Generic NPCs only. While we don't have any named NPCs, we do make note of some organizations to flesh out the world setting and to give players (and thus characters) some structure to go with while playing in the game.

» Past riftfarers. It should be known that people have been drifting through these rifts for several years now, ie before the game starts. That means that the locals are already used to the riftfarers and have already adapted to their existence. This also means that some technology and trends have already begun to develop in the world, so while there may not be modern computers or ipods, some traces can be found (those Shellphones were designed by someone from another world, like Stony Park or something).

» Non-humans and animalfolk. In relation to above, most of the world is actually filled with many different kinds of non-humans. Some general ideas include spirits, demons, golems, trolls, ogres, goblins, mermaids, etc. While some lack intelligence and considered more as "monsters," each type will also have a branch that are intelligent, capable of speaking and thinking freely with their own societies. In addition to these, we also have "beastkin" that we refer to as animalfolk. There are a variety of different species based off animals, and they include all domains: sky, earth, and water. You can have birdfolk, butterflyfolk, cowfolk, oppossumfolk, fishfolk, squidfolk—there is no real limit. There are so many, they outnumber humans in general. However, because humans are also well populated, they mix in and integrate well with one another. While there will always be those that prejudice against one kind against another, for the most part everyone is able to live with each other without issue.

» Technology. Other than the Shellphones, Escordvi does not have a lot of advanced technological development. No computers or TVs, but they do have radios and magitech. An electric refrigerator won't exist, but a magic ice box that keeps food cool does. Thus there are a lot of minor conveniences and quality of life appliances and systems that are available. However, this is also dependent on where the character is. The main port cities will have the most development. Ships will be limited to what upgrades they have. Upstart islands will have only the bare essentials.

» Currency. There are two "types" that players should be aware of, but only one you actually have to keep track of.

The point "currency" used for the quest rewards is the only type of currency players need to keep up with. These are the points granted upon completing quests and can be used to exchange in the Rewards Shop for in-game rewards. They are used both for personal and crew items.
The monetary currency used in the game is dubloons. There are four denominations (in least to most valuable): copper, silver, gold, platinum. Platinum dubloons are usually held by the very rich, companies, and small amounts for crews, so it is unlikely for a character to hold any. Otherwise, characters can have a mix of the other three, with copper and silver more in abundance. Characters will earn more through work and quests. Players do not have to keep track of how much money their character holds. Just keeping it reasonable and so they have enough to afford whatever they need is fine. Playing them always broke works, too (theft and such is common after all). It is possible for a character to become rich, but it'll take time and effort for that to happen. Banks are also available for characters to deposit their money, although they are also free to bury it or stash it under the bed or something.

» Travel Time. To get an idea of how much time it takes for ships to travel between places, it should be no more than 1-3 days on average with only special event locations possibly taking longer as they would be farther out from most of the common areas. There is no need to thread out traveling unless that's just something players want to do. When it comes to events or special quests, time skipping is encouraged. There will be ways for people to fast travel, either individually or taking the entire ship, but this will be developed in game.

» Deaths. Those that enter Escordvi do not die permanently. Instead they will respawn in their armada's island after three days with complete recovery but with some fatigue. Two things can happen within this three day period:

Revival. If someone has the right spell or magic artifact, it is possible to raise someone back to life before the respawn period. However, the injuries will still remain and will need to be treated or they may risk death again. This method can be difficult or costly to perform (ie, need a lot of points for the item), but doable.
Undead. Another option is for the character to be in an "undead" state. How aware they are is up to the player. They can be perfectly fine, just, you know, dead, or they can be more of a zombie state and cause destruction. If you choose this option, then the only way to return to "the living," so to speak, is to use a Vial of Liquid Life available in the Rewards Shop. If you or another person doesn't have enough points, a quest is available to obtain the item.

Both of these choices are optional. If players prefer, the character can simply remain in a lifeless state until the respawn period ends and they wake up on their armada's island.

»»» ARMADAS

There are two main armadas — "factions" — that rule the seas in Escordvi, and while they constantly clash and go against each other there are times they work together for the common goal of not dying to the larger threats that lurk beneath the waves (and sometimes the clouds). While there are certainly extreme groups on both sides, there are quite a number who are less "rigid" in their armada's views, allowing more middle ground and positive relationships to form. It's not unheard of for members to form their own group or even turn against their original party to ally with the other. In fact, both armadas recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the other. Although both are begrudging about it, they each recognize that they need each other to survive in this world.

More importantly, it's not a matter of "good vs. evil," and is more like "order vs. chaos." These nuances allow a more "gray" area for both, with each side having their own range of views and ideologies. Yet despite these differences, like two sides of the same coin, the two have found ways to exist with one another–even if some would prefer to cut the other's head off instead of holding hands.

Both armadas have a "council" of sorts that oversee what's going on with their group, but the characters will have no direct interaction with anyone with the council. On occasion the "council" may be a driving force for questlines, but no one can curry favor or be directed by this group. We're not going down that "true faction game" rabbit hole, so this is more for background information for world structure purposes. Attempts to contact anyone from either council will be met with no response...but it's because of them ignoring the messages. It's mostly due to bureaucratic incompetence ranging from getting lost in the pile to parrots eating the missives.

» CORSAIRS
Their main colors are red and gold and their symbol is the skull and crossed bones.

Often referred to as "pirates," they range from the stereotypical criminal murderers and plunderers to the treasure hunting adventurers and mercenary sellswords, members of this armada move as they wish with only their personal codes to follow. Their goals are individual to the group and while they can work with others, they're usually more selfish.

Furthermore, Corsairs are often the first ones who jump at an opportunity. They see maritime exploration as a chance to stake their claim into something new. Ships often seek adventure and exploration to dig up old relics and treasures and uncover the secrets of the old world before it’s washed away. Corsairs don’t often believe in taking the time to chart maps or check records and seek the thrill of discovering and taking something old as something new.

It must be stressed that the term "pirate" is being used loosely here and will take on all different variations and genres. Those who are uncomfortable with the more unsavory origins and acts of piracy that do exist within the game and may be referenced should be reassured that we would never force a player's character in a situation the player does not want. We'll allow most anything as long as it's not overdone or publicized, but all players should also respect these boundaries and provide adequate warning when necessary.

Any targets they mark are put on their Hit List.

» PALADINS
Their main colors are blue and silver and their symbol is the shield and crossed swords.

Initially organized as enforcers of the law and seekers of justice, the Paladin armada is a group known for its strong military presence. They work to keep all criminal activity in check and handle any troubles of not only the local citizens encounter, but in other islands as well. They are among the best for investigations and local defense, similar to a city guard or enforcer.

However, they are also filled with more affluent members, with prestige more of a factor for some things. While they do not seek to conquer any new lands, Paladins believe in exploration as a way to chart the world and cultivate it for future generations. They believe their expeditions are pivotal in searching the old world for safe places to conduct research, collect precious resources and make scientific discoveries. They believe in recording and researching any new life and plant species found. All in hopes of bettering their new world for all who inhabit it.

Like with the Corsairs, this armada has different groups that follow diverse morals that fall under the blanket umbrella of "justice" and "order." Some are more extreme and rigid, and some are more loose and flexible. Thus varying different concepts will also be used to flesh out the group to again allow flexibility for players to work with. The Paladins are also not good in the strictest sense. There are corrupt individuals and those who are so narrow minded on their version of justice and enforcement that borders tyrannical.

Any targets they mark are placed as Bounties.

»»» CHOOSING SIDES

When deciding how to fit your character in the game, remember that each armada has a range of values that allows for variety, and to make things easier there will already exist NPC groups that fit that category so no one will ever be the "first" or "unusual." If you would like a character to be on the Corsair side and just focus on lighthearted adventure and treasure hunting, there is nothing OOC or IC that will stop them. If someone on the Paladin side wants to rebel in some way and work more with Corsairs, that's cool. We only ask that players use great discretion and put up warnings, cuts, and have permission before doing anything too violent. When in doubt, ask us.

While players will have first preference, we do ask for those who are able to be able to go into either armada. This is in case we have an extreme imbalance of one side or the other and need to even things out.

» SWITCHING SIDES

It is possible for a character to either "play both" armadas by helping both sides despite their actual affiliations. But it is also possible to switch allegiance. However to keep people from switching every other week, there are some requirements:

First switch within the first 3 months because the character does not fit is free. There will be times when an armada is chosen for a character, but turns out it's difficult for the player to get them involved or would like for them to change for better opportunities. We don't want to lock players into a situation they don't like, so we will gladly allow players to switch without much of a hassle for this situation.
Limited to 2 times in a year. Both sides will not take too kindly if one of their own decides to switch for no good reason. They're much more lenient towards those who obviously don't fit, but those who may have been more active will be less pleased. After all, they don't want any secret information leaked out. (IMPORTANT: the "free switch" does not count towards the limit.)
Special quest. There will be a special quest that a character will be assigned to complete in order for the change to occur. This will vary depending on how close the character was to their original faction and why they want to leave.
Potential Consequences. It is possible to leave an armada on good terms with not much consequence. It is also possible for an armada to see a departure as betrayal and put a bounty or hit on their head. We'll be sure to inform players and work with them so everyone is on the same page.

Overall, we want to allow our players flexibility, especially since this isn't a PVP faction game and armadas are mostly for fun flavor and give a little natural conflict. But we also don't want players to hop around too much, so we hope this will provide a fun compromise for everyone.

»»» OTHER GROUPS

We do have some other known organizations within the game that are often referenced to. They are more "NPC" and cannot be joined, but players can utilize them in any way they need.

» MANTA: MISSIONS AND NECESSARY TASKS AHOY. The guild that is in charge of dispensing all missions and tasks for everyone. There is an agreement in the treatises that no one can threaten them. They swear to secrecy with their clients and will not reveal who those clients are. However, they do have a loophole that allows them to reveal the client if it is a matter of safety to the islands as a whole or some other extreme circumstance where knowing the source is important. Otherwise, they will not ask questions, as their main purpose is to make the post and dole out the rewards.

» RAY: RETAIL ASSOCIATION YARR. The free merchants guild that controls most of the trade between the islands. In return for their services, the armadas will provide protection whenever near their waters and whatever else they can offer.

»»» CREWS & SHIPS

» Starter Ships. While new ships and crews can be made at any time (pending requirements), for sake of ease, there is a starter ship and crew for each armada that everyone is a part of until they split off or form their own crew. These ships are fully equipped with NPC crew, provide basic housing, services, information, and can be returned to for whatever reason. It is also possible to never leave the starter ship and instead be an official part of its crew. The two ships are similar to each other, but are still unique to their armada. The starting Corsair ship is called the Stormbringer. The starting Paladin ship is called the Royal Fortune.

» Joining and Leaving Crews. There are no special requirements on our side to join a crew. Just contact the player or respond to their recruitment posts and if accepted, you're in! Likewise, anyone can leave a crew, though it may depend on the crew on how easy or difficult it is. Overall we encourage players to not make it so difficult and be upfront if there is some challenge or condition for a character to leave the crew. This is to allow some flexibility for characters to change and not lock players in a group.

» Visiting Crews. This is different from officially joining a crew. While visiting a crew, the character is temporarily joining them for whatever reason, be it a friendly visit or assisting with a mission. Any crew based quests completed as a visiting member will count towards the crew the character is visiting. No points will be given to their original crew. Thus if Character A is with Crew X for a crew based mission, A's points will go towards X, not A's crew.

» Creating Own Ship and Crew. There are a few requirements to acquiring a ship and establishing a new crew and must comment to the Crews & Ships entry to be official:

Must have at least 3 members. To register for a ship and crew, there must already be 3 members part of the group. This is to prevent too many small crews to keep up with.
Have basic information available. The main Crews & Ships page will only have basic information. If players want something more in-depth, they'll need to create their own journal entry.
Help us keep information updates. While we will maintain a reference page for all crews, we will need the group to help us keep it updated by notifying us if there are any changes. We will ask for updates every Activity Check.

If all conditions are met, then characters will have to embark on a quest to get certain materials, apply for a ship at their home base, and after turning in the materials their respective leviathan will spit one out for them. Yep. That's what we said.

» Upgrading Ships. Through missions, crews are able to upgrade their ship in various ways, including anything from decorative looks to gaining new equipment and weaponry to install on their ship. Some upgrades can be done individually by a crew member, but larger upgrades will require group effort and pooling points to get the upgrade. The only upgrades we will want to be informed of and will be part of the crew's info page are the major upgrades. We want to be sure no one is getting too crazy on their ships, and for now there is a limit of 5 major upgrades per ship. You can swap upgrades once a month. If it's of greater value, additional points will be required. Points will be returned if it's of lesser value.

» Ship Repair and Maintenance. Just like in real life, these ships can receive damage and will need maintenance every so often. This can be mostly handwaved, but it's something that players can utilize for their own purposes, as well as serve as an easy excuse to have their shop at port if needed.

» Island Base. It is possible for a crew to acquire their own personal island base to develop. However, the crew must have been established for at least 2 months. Crews will submit their island requirements and requests to the mods; then either the mods will create a quest log on request, or the crew can host one for themselves. See the Crews & Ships page for more details.

»»» MAIN HUBS

While the world has numerous islands and other populations, there are three main hubs that reside on the backs of giant, powerful leviathans that we focus on. Sometimes they are referred to as "islands." We also include some other locations that characters can visit but won't spend too much time in (well, except for maybe at the Naughtilust—). For ease of play, players can handwave travel time to and from these places. This is just a quick overview, so go to the World of Escordvi entry for fuller details.

» Eltrut. The central port that everyone arrives into and is neutral to either armada. Members of both armadas can arrive and exist as long as they do not fight. Occasional scuffles and brawls are allowed, but anything worse and the locals (nonhumans) will drag them to jail for some cooldown time or kick them off completely. It is a giant turtle.

» Nogard. The main hub for members of the Corsair armada. It's a mostly lawless place where outlaws and brigands gather. If theft occurs, the victim has every right to cut down the thief or hire others to do said cutting. Overselling or undercutting prices is the norm, and selling each other out is just another day that ends with Y. For most, "trust" only goes as far as they can hold in front of their face. However, they do have a few codes that they all follow. Its leviathan is a bone dragon.

» Elah. For the Paladin armada, Elah is a more bureaucratic and organized place, boasting itself to be the "most civilized" of the leviathan populations. It is also where the more affluent gather, preferring the security of the Paladin officers centralized there. There is a government that, while usually keeping to their own area, sometimes tries to press their influence onto others. Its leviathan is a whale.

» Atnam. The central headquarters for two of the largest free organizations: MANTA and RAY. They hold treatises that prevent either armada in harming any of their members and provide their services with complete neutrality. There are groups within both organizations with their own range of "moral" and "corrupt," but so long as the economy flows, they continue to operate with success. Their leviathan is a manta ray that is the most mobile and will sometimes "fly" over the water.

» The Naughtilust. AKA Pleasure Island. While every central island has their own brothel and "entertainment" districts, the Naughtilust specializes in pleasing their patrons to their utmost satisfaction. It's neutral territory, and the sirens who run the island ensure that everyone plays nice or off into the waters they go. Because of this, it's a great place for secret meetings between members of the two armadas as well, for the sirens also keep their clients' secrecy...for a price. A large, bustling city, districts and services are differentiated by different colored lanterns. The leviathan is a nautilus that is active at night.

»»» MAGIC

Magic exists in the world, but no one can innately use it. Items such as weapons, artifacts, and other talismans are needed to cast magic or use superhuman abilities.

The exception to this would be natural abilities to a character, especially physical ones. For example, being able to fly, breathe underwater, certain types of eyesight, etc. can still be done if these are more natural to the character as opposed to an ability that needs magic to function.

Another method is through magic tattoos that can be cast onto a person via a special artifact found and controlled only in Eltrut in the Inkwave Tattoo Parlor. They do not hurt or harm the skin (just a warm yet cool sensation) and will fade away over time, thus needing reapplication every so often. It's also possible to change the tattoos without much issue (aside from the fees of course). These tattoos allow the use of one elemental type of magic, with different elemental tattoos possible but not recommended. The magic power draws upon the individual's own spirit and ability, thus it is recommended to only focus on one or two and use other items and artifacts to cover anything else.

The elements are also more general and are not drawn from a specific list. So while there are the usual "fire, water, earth, wind, light, dark," there can also be "metal, wood, ice, death," etc. The nature of the abilities themselves is also not limited so long as they fit the elemental theme. A character can have access to offensive, defensive, and healing abilities all at once so long as they have fit the theme of the tattoo's element. Ultimately, although there is some limitation to give characters a challenge, we don't want to restrict players too much, so players are allowed to be as creative as needed to make it fun.

There are no ability nerfs EXCEPT for game breaking ones, ie the standard game nerfs. No instant deaths, no city/island wiping powers. Extremely strong and ultimate attacks are still allowed and most won't need any reduction unless the power is borderline godmode. So just in general, be reasonable. Any other modifications or adaptations because of original canon limitations can also be worked around, including options such as using an item or a special tattoo. For abilities that are not allowed on entry, it can be possible to unlock them through points after the character has been in the game for some time. Usual stipulations and modifications apply.

Tattoos will be needed for those who want their characters to have their innate abilities with the same restrictions. But otherwise, once they have the tattoo they will be able to utilize their abilities like usual unless players want to play around any difficulties or challenges their character might face in adapting to the world.

For those who have the ability to summon, conjure, or make some kind of pact with creatures, they will be limited to only creatures that came with them and creatures within Escordvi. So it's possible for a summoner or beastmaster to create pacts or however with certain entities and creatures within Escordvi. If it's for normal monsters or animals, no mod contact is required. But if it's for something stronger or if you're not certain, please ask us and we'll work it out!

»»» NETWORK

There is a network system that is run by special magic that no one really needs to understand the mechanics of, it just works (~~5G towers~~). Not only do all individuals have their own personal device, all ships have their own communication systems capable of connecting to other ships and ports. There can be interference, especially the farther out they are or in bad weather, but for the most part everyone should be able to send out communications somehow.

» Shellphones. The main, portable device that all characters will be given upon entering Escordvi. For all intents and purposes, it looks like a modern cell phone with a shell casing. It will be configured and modified to fit the character, so players can have fun with the actual look of it. If damaged or lost, the device must be replaced in either Eltrut or the character's armada island.

Functions. The devices have the ability to use voice, video, and text. It also has an answering machine function to leave messages.
Accessibility Features. Text-to-Speech and Speech-to-Text are available for those who may need it. Any images or videos sent can be "seen" telepathically so long as the user is holding the phone in their hand. Images and video can also be sent using this feature, but it must be enabled. It will be automatically enabled for those who need it.
IDS. Everyone's ID will be the character's journalname. It will be assigned by the device and the character cannot change it by themselves. The only way is through the MicroShell vendor for a fee. However, it is possible to mask the ID to be anonymous. Characters can also assign personal names on their own device to keep reference of everyone. There is no directory.
Touchscreen. Because it has a touchscreen, users can write and draw.
Stylus. There is a simple, standard stylus pen that comes included with all Shellphone models. It can either be inserted directly into the Shellphone for storage, or be a separate attachment.
Emojis. Emojis are available to use.

» Open Conference Calls. While the default is one-on-one calls, it is possible to create open conference calls similar to Zoom conferences. Users will be able to see if there are any active calls and join, though sometimes this feature glitches and it will automatically place someone in a call they didn't mean to join. Locked channels are possible, but accidental leaks or settings switching off can be a thing. Threadhopping is allowed unless the player states otherwise.

» If Lost or Damaged. As mentioned, the device will need to be replaced. Fortunately, all data is stored in the magical network system so it can be pulled up on the new device.

Emergency Signal. Everyone is given an SOS charm that is able to send out a special emergency text message for one minute. There is a limit of 250 characters so it'll have to be quick. While it is likely to reach an intended recipient, it can also be put on blast on the public forum. The charm is limited to three attempts, after which a new one will need to be obtained.

» Crew Announcements. Crews can make group announcements using a ship's communication device. While individual devices cannot send messages to a ship, ships can send out messages to all devices.

»»» QUEST SYSTEM

While there is a background plot for the game, it is not really plot driven. We'll be a lot looser with the map piece collection as the primary focus of the game is for character and crew developments.

We utilize the quest board for the primary source of mod-given content for players to use. These will refresh bi-monthly in escordviooc with the -board tag, and may have minor updates to the original postings in the following off-month. The quests range from simple to special. A sample of how the quest board looks like can be found here.

Quest chains will stand in for the traditional event, but it functions similarly. Instead of "prompts" we will have a series of quests that characters must complete. These chains will usually be involved for new large island discoveries, some "boss-like" creature, or some other wide-scale situation that affects the setting. These special quest chains will be contained in their own special log.

While we provide general bounties, character bounties are allowed and players are free to write up and submit a bounty on their or another character (with player permission). All submissions can be made during AC.

Crews are allowed to create their own quests without needing to submit them to the MANTA Board, as long as they are directly related to the crew and the mods are given notice if the quest will have a noticeable impact on the game. they can either be "locked" to crew members, or "accessible" to non-crew members. All participants- including non-crew members helping- will receive 4 points per thread.

Along with item and monetary rewards, quests will be points that can be redeemed for rewards.

Players are also welcome to submit ideas or even host their own quests on our Plot Submissions entry.

»»» REWARDS SYSTEM

Rewards in Escordvi use the point system. There are two types of rewards: quest and bonus AC. The rewards go into one pool of points that can be used to redeem various rewards on the Rewards page.

While there are common individual rewards such is regains, personal items, ability upgrades, and furniture/housing upgrades, there are also group rewards for larger rewards, including expansion unlocks. Read the section for more information.

» HOW POINTS ARE COUNTED
Generally the points are streamlined to try to make it as easy and straightforward as possible for both players and mods to maintain. But there are some requirements to actually earn the points.

» Quests. Quests are allotted the following values based on type:

General, Paladin, Corsair: 4 points each
Bounties: 6 points each
Specials: 12 points each

When submitting threads for rewards, they must meet a minimum of 5 comments to match the Bonus AC. Completion is not necessary and ongoing threads are acceptable. However, if we notice a player having just the bare minimum of comments all the time with no continuation (i.e., reach the 6 comments and stop cold) then mods reserve the right to refuse. We still want to see activity and have players actually play through things. Every once in a while is okay, but not, for example, 80% of thread submissions. Threads will only count once per specific quest, but they can be used for multiple quests. So say you're ambitious and tackling 3 quests in one thread. The thread can be used for each quest once.

» Bonus AC. Any threads not used for either quest or AC submission and have reached minimum AC requirement will count as 2 points. The purpose is to give players a small boost as well as help compensate those who may not do many quests but still actively engage with the setting and characters. Information on how to submit can be found in the Activity Check section.

» Optional Spreadsheet. While we're doing our best to make this easy for players to keep up with their points on their own, we have an automated spreadsheet available that serves as a thread and point tracker. It also has a form generator players can use to easily fill out reward forms.

»»» GROUP REWARDS

These rewards require players to pool their points together to reach the required amount. Some may even have thread requirements to keep things fair. While stocking points is encouraged, some items will require specific activity. The group pools are to help encourage threading both within and between crews. There is also a gamewide reward for all players to donate a certain amount of points to unlock special worldbuilding or event rewards.

Only one instance of the thread will count.

» Ship Upgrades. Better sails, better cannons, better everything! There is even an upgrade to improve a ship's travel time. These will always have a quest(s) associated with it that must be completed by members of the crew to be redeemed. The quest(s) may have additional requirements or options that need to be met. To encourage cross-crew engagement, these quests may also require assistance from outside crew members. Threads with non-crew members will also count unless the quest restricts it to just the crew.

EXAMPLE: A fast travel upgrade costs 100 points and requires participation of Quest A or B that rewards 25 points per thread, or Quest C that gives 10 points. Thus you could have any mix of Quests A-C, with a minimum of 4 threads split between crew members.

» Island Upgrades. Crews can pool their points and resources to establish their own personal island base to use. This would be a huge investment and would need a crew to be established for at least a month or so. There will also be a special quest chain for the crews to complete, which include finding an island, clearing it out, and protecting it from being taken over by other creatures or other groups.

» Worldbuilding & Expansion Unlock. For a high price, players can pool their points for a community-wide unlock. This could be a new island, a boss creature, special event, or some other large scale event-like quest chain that would expand the world. To really encourage a group effort, players will have a max amount of 4 points per character they can donate to the cause, and these points will be detracted from the representing character pool. So if an unlock is 80 points, we'll need around 20 players to donate, less with those who have multiple characters. We'll adjust points and requirements as time goes on to fit actual play, but this is our initial concept.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hey mods! Question on Paladin things. What's the process for submitting a formal complaint to, essentially "Paladin Management"? What would happen if Xenk were to do that? Xenk is of the mind to send them a strongly-worded letter regarding their management of the cursed gravestone as well as that rogue setting up a sketchy gallows in the less fancy part of town.

Edited (specified) 2023-11-12 19:31 (UTC)

As mentioned in the Game Info, while anyone can send messages, they will not get a response due to bureaucratic incompetence and getting lost or ignored.

However, there may be a quest or log prompt later that could reference the complaints! The Gallows Gambit quest and tombstone in particular are likely to return in some form regardless.

Things like this are perfect to include in AC submissions so we'll remind everyone about it as well!

Excellent, thank you!! (And sorry for not seeing that oops) If that's the case, can someone opt to abandon their armada if they perceive the bureaucracy to be too much, or is the main option to switch sides? (Not saying this would happen immediately, I'm mostly just curious)

EDIT: one more question while I'm here -- can crews be unaffiliated with an Armada or do they need to subsist between one or the other?

Edited 2023-11-13 00:12 (UTC)

At the moment, the main option is to switch sides. This might change in the future, though, but for now this is to preserve the tension between the two armadas.

Similarly, at the moment all crews must be affiliated with one of the armadas, although said affiliation can be as nominal as you wish it to be.