Social systems give bonuses, never requirements. Solo is never blocked.
Party & people
Move as one
- IN GAMEOpen or closed
Open parties by default with a level span; closed by invitation. Refusals give a named reason.
- IN GAMEClosed before the boss
A closed party stops hidden players from joining at the end of a boss fight to share the kill.
- IN GAMEOne unit
The party stands on one square and the leader steers. Size 5 (placeholder). Separated means you are out.
- IN GAMENo leader, no party
If the leader dies, disconnects or leaves without handing over, the party breaks up. Someone starts a new one.
- IN GAMEShared sight
Discoveries are pooled; a new member sees what the party already found.
- IN GAMEDistribution
The killing blow goes to the party. Experience is shared by level; the leader picks one of five modes for gold and, separately, for loot.
- IN GAMEProtect chains
The tank protects the one with the next-most HP, and so on down to the healer, who protects no one. It is a puzzle, not always in HP order. You can protect someone outside your party too.
- IN GAMEBuff anyone
No party is needed to buff or heal another player. The only block is the other side of a fight you are in yourself, and healing or buffing a Wanted player makes you Wanted too.
- IN GAMEInspect
See another character’s presentation and worn gear on the same square, never their build. Monsters and NPCs can be inspected too.
- IN GAMEYour own book
The Monsterpedia counts only your own meetings and kills, never the world’s statistics, never other players’. A kill counts for whoever gets its experience: the killing blow and that character’s party.
- IN GAMELocal chat
Talk with everyone on your square. Chat shares a window with the log.
- IN GAMEOnline list
See who is online, and open anyone’s presentation from there.
- DECIDEDPrivate and global chat
Private and global chat beside the local one. Not built.
- IDEAMentorship
May exist; the form is undecided.
- IDEAFriends, enemies, ignore
Whether to have these lists at all is open.
Companions
Someone at your side
A companion follows you, fights in your fights and protects you. It hangs on you, not on a party, and takes no party slot: with a mercenary at your side you still play solo.
- IN GAMEThe Mercenary
The Mercenary stands at The East Guardhouse and fights for whoever pays: a price to hire, then upkeep, drawn only while you are in the world. When your gold no longer covers the upkeep, the Mercenary leaves you.
- IN GAMETalk someone into it
With enough Charisma (12, a placeholder), a townsperson asked “Come with me.” follows you for nothing. Without it, the choice is never even shown. You can have one companion of each kind at a time.
- IN GAMEIt fights in your fight
A companion follows you from square to square and strikes your target, or whatever attacks you, but never starts a fight of its own. Its killing blow is yours: experience, gold, loot and, in front of a guard, the deed.
- IN GAMEIt protects you
It protects you by itself in the protect chain, catching blows meant for you. With enough Charisma (12, a placeholder) you can order it to protect another party member instead.
- IN GAMEIt carries for you
The Mercenary carries what you give it in a small grid of its own, and nobody else can look in.
- IN GAMEGone when it falls
Monsters strike it too, and if it dies it is gone for good, leaving a corpse with what it carried. Dismiss it, or die yourself, and it stays where it stood for anyone to take on. It logs out with you and comes back with you.
- DECIDEDMercenaries from a barracks
Mercenaries are to be reworked: hired from an NPC in a barracks, appearing at your side, paid per started hour or a fixed price for a fixed time. Some cities are to offer stronger mercenaries than others.
- DECIDEDA pet for nearly every kindred
A dog, a cat or more, that carries loot and helps in fights. Bound to you, it is to follow you into death and be reborn with you at the clay. How pets will work is not fully thought out.
- DECIDEDMore at your side
More than one soldier once clans exist, and companions that do not fight but are escorted. Tamed beasts, raised undead and summoned creatures wait for their schools, whose higher levels are to let you direct a companion’s protection without a Charisma test.
Ahead
More company, more hands
Decided, not built.
- DECIDEDCompanies
NPC workers sent to worksites for passive income.
- DECIDEDNPC tutorial parties
Beginners can join an NPC-led party that leads to a quest goal and back: a first taste of protect chains, buffs and healing.