The Easting Reach

Hi everyone,

The Easting Reach has had a long stretch of quiet, to which my own absences have contributed. Many of us have had a taxing year, and if not that, then busy lives. Nevertheless, the love for detail, mechanical features and history of this server, as well as the possible futures we can envision for it -- make TER a true gem. I would like to return to cherish and enjoy it with you.

This silent period has done neither us nor our characters and stories a favour, however. I would like to ask of you all still peeking in: What would the playerbase think of an in-game fast forward ahead (1-2 years)?

As mentioned, Impiltur has just gone through a series of crises - both the Everwinter and the Daemon Prince have left their mark on the country, and in the wake of these a period of calm, recuperation and yes, inactivity, settled in. The area knows peace, its inhabitants may have built on their plans or smoothed out old conflicts; little is the need for sword and sorcery and more for hardworking hands, or just for some rest. From 1364 DR we would move to 1366 DR, opening new doors... and closing some behind us.

Character storylines which were not given their due end, but which also have lost too much momentum for a lively pick-up, could be resolved in this skipped timeframe as well. Players and DMs could focus on fresh, new challenges, or perhaps on just something new and different than what they have left staggering.

But all this depends on you, old players and new. What do you say? Would you object to this wind of change if coordinated by the team?

~ Copper

Yes, yes, yes. I'd even go so far as skipping to 1369, or 1372, for new options for religious PCs (Bane, Kelemvor) as an instance.

I have been personally watching from the sidelines these last few months trying to find a reason to hop back in, and this might be it. What interests me is how we intend to resolve storylines during the timeskip? What were some ideas you had, regarding that?

Has anyone "qualified" shown interest in updating areas to reflect time changes and whatnot? Hi everyone btw.

Hello. I do not see any merit in this. Whoever has their storylines pending, can drop them if they want already, or continue them as they like. This would be, if anything, cosmetic change.

Hi folks. I regret contributing to the quiet as well, I just have had a hard time staying focused on NWN rp without burning out these last couple years. I've always thought that the place in the timeline was one of the small things that made TER unique, but I've never been married to the date or anything. That said, I am mostly of the same opinion as Blatob. Not that I see no merit at all, but that it seems more a cosmetic change.

I'm not incredibly involved or aware of what storylines are going on, however, so I could not speak to how this would or would not affect those, and in turn what effect that change would have on the server as a whole. I do see how fastforwarding would provide something of a fresh start, but the benefit would be constituent to the staff/dms setting in place a metanarrative, which I suppose could be done now, anyway. Might I suggest, if it isn't already the case, the staff brainstorm and plan out a long term direction for the various movers and shakers in the world, perhaps leading the server's story through the next few IG years?

My last point on this is, I've seen fast-forwards happen in NWN servers and I've never gotten the impression that they ruined anything, so I'm sure this wouldn't be a disaster if y'all decided to go through with it.

I'd welcome a time skip and a chance to dive back into TER!

I'm of the same mind as Crusader; a time skip would be very much welcome and even preferred in my eyes, and maybe just what I'd need to feel inclined to return to TER.

And does any of you know what that actually means?

I think I'd be great to skip foward a bit, not only to accelerate a bit on storylines, but also, as Dawnbreak said, to have access to more features and options coming from this time shift. Of course how this happens will be crucial to give a final opinion on this matter. Like how many years, how the storylines will be managed, which new choices/options will be avaiable, etc...?

I'd say it depends a lot per character for me (and for others as well perhaps). Purely looking at my own, a fast forward may be beneficial to some while others have a harder time explaining where they stood and what they did concerning the few years that are skipped. This means it also very much depends on what happens in those years.

I'm not against it at all, but I'd be curious what will happen or what has happened in those few years. On the other hand I understand this information is hard to provide since it's a huge spoiler in case the fast forward doesn't happen. Just raising my concerns. If a vast majority votes for doing this, I'll be on board. But I might need some time and / or assistance for readjusting my PC's in the setting.