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HOUSE WIZARDS (Excerpted from "The Drow of the Underdark" AD&D Forgotten Realms Accessory) The most dangerous of drow, and those most likely to be encountered alone outside of their Underdark communities (as opposed to fighting bands) are wizards. Drow wizards, especially males, are often driven into exile out of fear at the treatment they expect from those of rival Houses, jealous priestesses, and the angered authority of Lloth. Drow wizards can become quite powerful. By tradition, all house insignia are crafted and enchanted by the House Wizard (and any apprentices, colleagues and assistants they employ). Although the enchantment is done under the direction of House priestesses (who participate in and control all attunements), it is common for the House wizard to work a few little secrets and surprises into each insignia he enchants. These give the wizard an unknown, waiting "edge" in internal House conflicts. They are activated at the will of the House wizard (or another who knows a secret word or phrase of activation), and can be activated whenever they are within 90' of him. The wizard need not touch or see the insignia, nor speak the activation word(s) aloud, but must concentrate, foregoing any spellcasting for a round. Hidden insignia "traps" typically include the following: any being bearing or touching it dimension doors to a place of the wizard's choosing; emitting smoke equal in effects to a pyrotechnics spell; growing hot equal in effects to a heat metal spell; or exploding (4d6 damage to all within 10', 2d6 to those 11-20' distant). Every house insignia can be traced by those who have been taught to do so (typically the Matron Mother, the ranking High Priestess, and the House wizard - who does the teaching). Consequently, house wizards always cloak the insignia they wear to foil such tracing (a secret never revealed to drow females by House wizards, for their own safety). All insignia powers function at the level of the House wizard who worked the enchantment. Geee.....house wizards are sneaky! heheheheheh ;x I would suggest that any drow who do not yet own "Drow of the Underdark" should immediately purchase it, and read it through. It will give you a great idea of what we (in the TOL) are trying to "simulate". (Product # is 9326 from TSR) LORD ZOR'AKs TRAINING CENTER (Part 2) PvP...love it or hate it, everyone has to do it sometime! There are many "unwritten" rules concerning PvP. In order to keep the TOL's name "clean", we all should endeavor to follow these rules, and to be known as good PvPers and good sports. The most important rule to remember, is to NEVER REENTER A BATTLE! If you are gated (PvP term for being killed and sent to the gate), it is considered very bad form to heal up, rememorize all your spells, and reenter combat. If you are killed, then you are killed. Stay that way for the remainder of that battle. Reentering does not prove your PvP abilities, it only proves your cowardice and inferiority. Another "rule" to think about concerns Dispel Magic and Silence. Most veteran PvPers consider the direct usage of these spells (offensively) to be cowardly. MANY novice PvPers use these spells in combat unknowingly. Many evil characters disdain any rules and use these spells ("cheat") to win. The TOL should not approve the "breaking" of these rules, as it only would give us a bad name. Virtually everyone I have ever PvP'd with has respect for me and my PvP style. I do not cheat, do not whine, and am just there to have fun. I am also considered an excellent PvPer, and tend to receive a lot of "attention" in team PvP (everyone casts on me in the first round, ignoring my companions! heheheheh). Now I must address CADding (again). NEVER EVER EVER NEVER EVER IN A MILLION YEARS EVER CAD!!!! People CAD (self punt) usually to avoid the effects of losing a combat and being feebed. If you punt yourself, NWN will "remember" you to be somewhere else in your "pre-feebed" condition. This is the infamous "it never happened" school of PvPing. If you can fight PvP, then you should be willing to make the trip to a temple (and deposit 5000 gold) for it. CADding is done by the lowest form of life in NW. Virtually EVERYONE who CADs trys to deny it...."I punted, I didnt CAD!". Nobody ever believes this. It is immature, cowardly and selfish to have to rely on CADding to dodge feebs. Take your lumps, and go on. If I ever hear that one of you Drow out there is a CADder, watch out for me...I'll make your life hell. (gee...can you CAD an assasination?) };-> Keep in mind that it is not worth cheating to just win a single combat. You will face these same players many times in the future, and they will remember if you are a coward, or if you fight with honor. I would like to make a note that some players disdain the use of "feeb" as a first cast. This is not cheating, but simply a tactic. It is rather heavy handed and ungraceful sometimes, but it is definately not outside the area of good PvP. Any KAAOS member will generally feeb anyone on sight, for example. This is simply their "evil" PvP style. I have some "rivalries" with certain players, and we will feeb each other immediately upon entering combat. This is all in the bounds of RP however. Don't ever forget that RP is very important in PvP! Keep up your character at all times! Future topics will include: proper prepping, spell choices in combat, group PvP, how to win when outnumbered, "jumping" opponents, and more! GOSSIP CORNER Lord Zorak again has the honor this month of being the "Drow most likely to be assasinated". The loudmouthed wizard has swept this honor since his inception into the TOL. Congrats Zorak! Enjoy it while you still are breathing! ;D With the ascension of Yathrin ST1LETO from the 3rd House to the Matronship of the 2nd, one wonders if this will mean close cooperation between these houses, or if it will mean strained relations. Where does the TOL stand in this war between dwarves and duergar? There seems to be confusion in the ranks of drow as to our place in the war. The dwarves assume us all to be enemies (perhaps rightly so).... The population of NW is becoming restless and is chafing at the restrictions placed upon them by the fool Nasher and his minions. The recent failure of the Febuary Farce, the moving of the mystical "Options menu gate" (making interdimensional travellers into NW stop first in some hellish 'Lounge'), the attempted takeover of the Arena...all of these things are mobilizing the people of NWN against the entrenched power structure. Our chance to usurp the weakling Nasher draws nigh! DROW OF THE WEEK ::still waiting for those bios:: SUBMISSIONS I will welcome any and all submissions of articles/editorials/etc. by any member (Probationary or not) of the TOL. Gossip can be submitted also (under an anonymous screen name). Note that the editors of LC reserve the right to edit any and all material, and can refuse to publish material considered "offensive" or out of place. LC will NOT become a place for name calling or for airing feuds. The number of submissions (and the amount of my free time) will determine how often an issue of LC will come out. Anyone who is interested in having a regular "column" should contact me and submit stuff! This newsletter is for all of us. Send stuff in! There is no official LC staff yet, only me as editor. I will accept just about anything! Please send all submissions to "Zorak". ::waiting at mailbox for submissions:: DISCLAIMER All information contained herein is considered non-official by the TOL. Any and all official TOL business will be handled by Shael and the Talthalra of Ilharessen. LC is willing to post "official" releases by the TOL. Any Ilharess can submit official House "press releases" to LC, and it will be labeled as "official" only if the submission is clearly labeled as such.
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