2017 ALT Event (Teaser Stories)

PART I

Chrona OMEGA7812/12XN - Tavern Near the End of Time

The taint of good and evil had stayed with some of the fey and dragons as they left Arawyn. The disease spread and creatures of the astral realm broke into massive war. These creatures took their war back to the world of Arawyn and ravaged it in the process. Finally one of the creatures summoned forth a comet to slam into the world. Its force created tidal waves that drowned over half of the world’s population. The rest of the world’s inhabitants died from the after effects, for immortality has its limits for even the greatest of beings. One single being is however exempt from this rule; The Time Reaver. This level of supreme immortality is no blessing at all, but a curse. For at this moment, the Time Reaver is at its saddest as it marks the beginning of its worst times to come, an eternity of loneliness. Time can only truly end when no living being exists to perceive its passing, and time refuses to let itself die, pushing all of its power onto a being capable of keeping it alive…

Klarington Everest sat in an abandoned tavern sipping a lukewarm porridge he had made out of leftover grains, oats, and a frozen deer he found. He was huddled under a mountain of blankets and furs, shivering from the extreme cold. Winter had not ended as it usually does. He knew what was happening around the world, and he knew it was nearing the end… he had prayed for his own death many times over the last few weeks, but no matter what happened the force of time itself kept his heart beating. He originally never expected that this was what he signed up for when he absorbed the mantle of the Time Reaver, but he had made good use of the countless ages that had passed, and so with grim resolve he readied himself for the curse to fully set in and to pay the price for the power he so recklessly and selfishly claimed. His mind drifted to his love from so very long ago. He did this all to keep her alive, but time would eventually take her from him anyway. He wished that he was sorry, but he was not, and he would do it all over again the same way, if he had to.

He felt a few tears on his face freeze in place; he chipped them off with his fingernail and shrugged off the furs to stare into the empty hall of the tavern. It was at that moment, when his glance surveyed the empty desolate room, that the last living being on the world breathed its final breath and closed its eyes for good. He felt a surge throughout his body that felt like lightning traveling through his veins. When the pain subsided, he was no longer cold, though through the windows he saw the snow continued to fall. He walked outside onto the porch and witnessed the beginning of the end. The world itself cannot last and so it was collapsing and would be gone in thirteen days. Thirteen days, all the time he had left with which to prepare. He walked back into the center of the Inn, knelt down and placed his hand on the ground. This building and a small amount of land around it would be protected from the collapse, and would serve as his lair. Thirteen days to collect what he could and bring it here, Klarington stood and snapped his fingers, instantly travelling a vast distance. His collection would begin, and in thirteen days would begin the first day of an eternity of boredom.

An unmeasured time later… Klarington sat on the back counter with his feet up on the bar, slowly peeling the shell off of a nut. He honestly could not remember if twenty years had passed or two thousand. He had stopped counting at some point; what was the use? Thankfully he learned that sleeping still allowed him to perceive time passing, it gave his mind a rest to wander into the realm of dreams and interact with people at least in his thoughts. He slept as often as he could, staving off the hours when he had to wake and wander, to stare and think, to find creative ways to occupy his time. Eating, while no longer a necessity, was a luxury to occupy his mind and remind him of the past. The cellars were filled with wine and cheese and whatever else he could find. One artifact he found on the twelfth day of his collections was a stone that created golem-like servants. Was he ever thankful for this thing! They were not much for conversation, but they could fetch things for him, run small errands around the inn, and stand there to be talked at as if they were real. While he cracked his next nut ever so slowly, savoring the process, trying to remember what trees looked like, one of these golems entered the room. “People” it said in its signature monotone voice.

Klarington looked up… “People? What about people?”

The golem pointed at the window, and repeated the word. “People.”

Klarington narrowed his eyes to stare towards the window and through it in the distance he saw tiny specks moving around, back and forth. His left eyebrow tilted severely as he thought about what he was looking at… “That is not supposed to happen!”

Character Creation

Chrona Majora
Three major timelines are converging at the End of Time. PCs may choose from one of these three timelines, or create splintered timelines (chrona minora) based on the three. Any number of details can be changed to create a splinter other than the defining moment of divergence from the Alpha timeline.

Alternate versions of existing characters may only be played from the Dark Sun timeline, or from splinter timelines (the splinter timelines should be in the future, around the year 1200 NW, and are still subject to approval). Alternate version of existing characters may not be fringe races (explained below).

CHRONA LAMBDA 1691/OLD WORLD - Era of Peace
When Malykar the Sorcerer led his campaign against the Kingdom of Lumena, he was slain before he could ascend to Godhood. Having never killed Syrith, and never caused the Godstorm, the pantheon of Arawyn remained in a state of peace. Syrith, Gaia, Chronicler, Brazen, Glomm, and Galmachis watch over this world from the Divine realms, working together to guide mortalkind along their path.

Bonus rules: Characters from this timeline may only be clergy or smiths with approval. This will entail playtesting new rules.
Suggested Fringe races: Scion, Celestial, Golem, Homunculus

The Wild Mage and Mage professions are unavailable to characters from this timeline. Sylphs and Hobgoblins may not be played from this timeline.

CHRONA PHI 1232/NEW WORLD - The Dark Sun
The Kingdoms of Markovia, Evernight, Fallow, and Alok Malagan have banded together, creating an alliance of evil known as the Dark Sun. Travance and Kormyre have been completely destroyed and Fallow’s blight has overtaken them. Evil dominates here, and those who do not embrace the darkness or their dark lords are slaughtered as examples.

Bonus rules: Characters from this timeline may be Hexers or Shamans with approval. This will entail playtesting new rules. Additionally, Dark Sun characters may be alternate versions of existing Knight Realms characters; you may not play an alternate version of another player’s character or a Fringe race version of an existing character.
Suggested Fringe races: Death Champion, Scaremortal, Vampire

The Mage, Priest, Cleric, Wild Mage, and Smith professions are unavailable to this timeline. Good-aligned characters from this timeline are scarce, and we may put a cap on them if they outnumber the evil-aligned characters.


CHRONA THETA 117/OLD WORLD - The Age of Immortals
In the First Age, the forces of Good and Evil never appeared on Arawyn. As the Astral had no reason to leave, they remain on Arawyn’s Prime Material. In this time, mortals are just beginning to learn the art of magic from the Fey. This world has no concept of alignments - there is only raw power.

Bonus rules: Characters from this timeline may be Spellswords or Mages with approval. This will entail playtesting new rules.
Suggested Fringe races: Gnome, Halfastral, Ancestral Human, Rhyen

The Chaos Warrior, Wild Mage, Priest, Cleric, and Smith professions are unavailable to characters from this timeline. Humans from this timeline may only use the Ancestral Human race template. Faeriekin do not exist in this timeline.

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Fringe Races
In addition to the standard rulebook races, players may choose to create characters as “fringe races”. The Fringe races include any standard creature that exists in the Knight Realms universe, with a few exceptions (notably Gods, Astral races, etc. - any beings of extreme power may not be played as PCs). If you wish to play a Fringe race that is not one of the races suggested for each timeline, you may do so, pending approval.

To submit a Fringe race proposal with your character card, list your race as “Fringe - [creature type]”. You may design up to three racial packages for your character, which we may alter before the event. All Fringe characters of the same race will have the same racial packages. The suggested Fringe races will have predetermined racials posted before the character submission deadline.

Any character has at least one racial package. The cost to purchase a racial package is ten Build, and it may have up to twenty Build worth of skills in it. Resistances, Immunities, and unique skills (such as the current racial abilities or NPC skills) are valued at ten Build.

If the race requires heavy makeup, you may design an additional racial package.

If the race has a detriment (such as weakness versus a source), you may design an additional racial package.

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Additional Character Information
Above, each timeline lists certain races and professions that are not available. Other than those specific things, any race/profession combination is available - there are no penalized or prohibited professions, since different timelines have evolved differently.

In addition to the new rules specific to each timeline, a new version of the Healer profession will be made available to all characters, with approval. The current Healer class will not be available, in addition to the current Cleric, Priest, Mage, Smith, and Wild Mage classes.

We will be choosing a handful of players to playtest various potential new rules with their Alt Event characters. If you would like to volunteer to do so, please indicate as such in your character submission. Please note that not all volunteers will be chosen, and if you are, we may alter your card. If you playtest anything for us, we request you fill out a feedback form after the event. We may also ask you to take specific actions during the event to test the full extent of your card.

All new skills that are being playtested during the Alt Event will be made available for view one week before the event. For this event, all Casting Points have been consolidated into a single pool of Mana Points. Instead of the current casting rules, a different set of rules will be used - this will be posted at the same time as all other new/unique rules.

The Dodge skill will be available to all Rogue professions, Archer, Bounty Hunter, and Ranger for a cost of six Build. It will not be available to Warrior Monk. Dodge will defend any Metaphysical attack (casted effect or attack delivered via spell packet), including Area Effects, and will not defend physical attacks.

Finally, all characters are considered to know all melee and thrown weapon skills. The Bastard Weapon category will not be used. Because proficiencies will be handled slightly differently this event, if you are planning on using a specific type of weapon, please indicate in your character submission so that we may adjust your card if it is necessary to make your character work with the rules being tested.

History Guidelines
If you wish to submit a character history, please ensure it is less than five hundred words. We may request you change minor details about your history if it does not line up with the events of your chosen timeline, or have your character be from a splinter of that timeline.

If you wish for your character to be from a minor timeline, you must submit a history describing the timeline. Minor timelines are splinters of the major chrona, and must be similar in style.

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Character Submission
Please send the following form to with the subject line “Alt Event Character”

Characters may have up to 70 Build spent if submitted before Feb 25. Submissions after this date may have up to 50 Build spent.

Player Name and Card Number:
Willing to Playtest?:
Character Name:
Timeline:
Character Race:
Character Professions:
Build Spent in Body points:
Abilities:

History:

Example card below.
Player Name and Card Number: Tori Turqman #3
Willing to Playtest?: Yes
Character Name: Fyperia
Timeline: First Age
Character Race: Rhy
Character Professions: Ranger
Build Spent in Body points: 15
Abilities:
Lore: Druidics (1)
Mana Points (20)
Hunter’s Stealth (6)
Camouflage (4)
Starlight/Solar Ray (1)
.
.
(etc)
Total: 70 Build

History:
.
.
.

Here is a link to a document containing the pre-approved racial packets for this event! As we get more submissions, we will add other races to this document.

docs.google.com/document/d/1knCDCQi1CWEd...Ml0/edit?usp=sharing

If you are looking to make character connections for your alt event character, contact the following people:

Zach Theis (Dark Sun timeline and its splinters)

Abby Leib (Era of Peace timeline and its splinters)

May Leonard (Age of Immortals timeline and its splinters)

Part 2

Chrona LAMBDA 1691/Old World- “The Era of Peace”

The town of Alaspar did not hold a particularly strategic location. It had no prestigious military academies, no great temples to the gods. It wasn’t particularly large, only 500 people, and yet it’s name was known throughout the kingdom of Lumena. The Daarth Tower, a gleaming white spire filled with books on every subject, drew people from far and wide. What kept many of them, though, was the food. Alaspar was known far and wide for having the finest cuisine in Gostelhi’s entire empire, perhaps the entirety of Palmydia. And so, when the legions of Lumena were victorious in breaking Malykar’s army, it was only natural that the festival to honor them was held in none other than Alaspar.

Over the past several weeks, there has been non-stop activity. More people than the residents of the small town had ever seen flooded their streets and taverns, creating a tent city in the fields surrounding Alaspar. The sea of pristine white canvas and the banners of the golden eagle stretched into the horizon. The rationing that had been imposed during the war was lifted, food was brought in from all corners of Lumena. Every night there was a great feast prepared by Fiona’s, the finest inn in the kingdom, music, jugglers, bards, actors, and fireworks that lit the sky with gold and blue and crimson. Then, one week ago, everything changed.

A tearing noise was heard in Alaspar that awful day, just after sunset. A jagged line of blackness appeared out of nowhere, stretching maddeningly far into the distance, too far to comprehend. It spread, and Alaspar’s idyllic beauty was marred by horror. The scents of rot and bile and blood reeked from the weirdly glowing cornfield visible through the tear, the sky above it was black and angry, and shapes moved within it at the edges of vision. For a moment, there was quiet, then the walking dead began to rush through the tear into Alaspar. People screamed and ran and died, soldiers, still drunk on wine and victory rushed to defend but were torn apart. This could not be an attack by the remnants of Malykar’s forces; they preferred sorcery and lightning to necromancy. This was something else, something unnatural.

It has been one week since the tear opened. More have formed, slowly at first, then faster. It seems like a new one has formed every hour over the past day. Alaspar is nearly deserted; most of the civilians have moved to the military tent city for their own protection. No one knew what was happening, nor how to stop it, nor what would happen next.

A document containing all the rules being playtested for the Alt Event has been posted! Check it out here:

docs.google.com/document/d/1kTCGUou2uRp2...YHc/edit?usp=sharing

Please give it a read before asking any questions, and ask all questions in the "Playtest Questions" thread in the Rules Questions board.

As we ask people to test specific lists not outlined in this document, we will add skills from those lists so that you may familiarize yourself with their effect before the event.

Finally, please remember that this is only a playtest, and many ability names or effects may be replaced in the future before the final rules release.

Part 3

CHRONA PHI 1217/NEW WORLD - "The Dark Sun"

Travance Proper had been dark for over 5 years now.

That’s not to say it was abandoned or without life. There were still those who lived there, some nearly-2000 living souls. They went about their lives as normal, tending to their shops and plying their trades, dining and gambling and singing. Life in Travance had been strange these past few years, but not unbearable, if you kept your head down and went about your business. Most of the common folk had, after all, never had much mind towards who called themselves by what title, so who was really to say that Count Fallow was any worse than the others? Still there were some differences.

For example, there were the eerie cornfields in all directions, guarded by unliving scarecrows and likely to swallow up any who wandered too far into them. There were the sapient dead in their midst, far out-numbering the living. The Chapel of Light lay in disrepair, the worship of the gods within forbidden by death… or worse. And there was the sun. Even at its brightest, the pall of darkness around it never allowed it to shine brighter than a pale, sickly light bright enough for some crops, but not really enough to call daylight. It had been this way since the alliance of dark powers had stolen its power over the undead.

Still, life and unlife progressed onward beneath the anemic sky mostly as normal until one week ago.

A great roaring was heard, the sound of a gout of flame, a torrent of wind, a flood of water. A tattered hold tore open across one of the necromantic cornfields. The world viewed through this rift was strange, alien. It flickered with wisps of light, shimmered with power unseen. The very air on the other side hummed and rippled with energy. A timeless moment passed, then the power came rushing through the rift. Beings seemingly composed of nothing but energy and the elements manifested. At once, the nearby Fields were consumed in lightning and stone and fire. The nearby undead, after the initial shock, moved to defend their lord’s fields, but the beings seemed even more numerous than the legions of the dead.

In the week that has passed, more and more rifts have torn open, raw arcane power pouring through them. Many of the undead subjects of Travance have retreated deep into the Fields, while the living have found what refuge they could elsewhere. No one seems to know who has caused this or why. Worse, no one can figure out how to stop it.

At this point, all playtesting professions are capped except:

-Smith (Era of Peace timeline)
-Priest (Era of Peace timeline)
-Healer (Era of Peace or Dark Sun timeline)
-Mage (Age of Immortals timeline)

You may still volunteer to playtest; if so, we may ask you to test specific skills which we will give you the rules for.

Part 4

CHRONA THETA 117/OLD WORLD - "The Age of Immortals"

No matter where you went in Dalain, the smell of the sea followed you, whispering to you of mysteries hidden by the implacable depths. The shimmering air seemed never to rest on the small island, light breezes constantly playing in the treetops and sending the small motes of light that dwelt in the forest dancing and spinning. The sand and soil were soft and nurturing; none on the island wanted for food. But it wasn’t the water or the air or the earth that drew people to Dalain, but rather the tower of fire at the heart of Magentia, visible even here, though the greatest city in Doth Moria was several days travel. All those who wished to journey there passed through Dalain, and so it had become a popular waystation for travellers both mortal and immortal.

The people of Dalain had once practiced druidism, but as relations with King Merlantius improved, more and more residents of the island began to learn the arts of magic, some from passing mages, some from books, some even picked up a trick or two from the Fey. Soon Dalain had grown into a mystic hub in its own right with libraries, sanctums, and an academy. Immortals, majestic and aloof, soon took note and travelled to see the mortals playing at power. Some even stayed to watch. Life in Dalain was strange, and sometimes hard, but always interesting.

One week ago, life became much more interesting and much, much harder. From all around the town a great cracking noise could be heard, as if the shattering of glass. A jagged line formed across the sky, parting in sudden, rapid bursts of movement to form a sort of window. Through this rift, the people of Dalain saw a much different world. There was a sea of shining white tents where the ocean should be, the emblem of a golden eagle visible upon them. Buildings stood in the distance, their architecture unlike anything built in Doth Moria or Ejaral or anywhere else known. The sounds of music in an unfamiliar style drifted faintly through from the other side. Then the light began pouring through. Those it touched felt an indescribable brightness upon their soul, such as they had never experienced before. They became overwhelmed with empathy, paralyzed by strange thoughts of justice and compassion and purity. In the distance, there was the agonized roar of a dragon. Panic broke out among mortals and immortals alike, all of them fleeing for shelter from the dreadful light.

In the days that followed, more cracks have opened at an ever-increasing pace, the light pouring from them now occasionally being joined by an inky blackness that spawned cruel, spiteful thoughts in those it touched. Halfastrals have begun to feel sickened even when not standing near the rifts. Many residents have boarded ships or opened Gates and fled from the island, leaving only the strongest to contend with the problem. No one knows what is happening, only that they must either stop it or watch the doom of their world.

Character Cards
At check-in you will receive only your Alt character card. If you are playtesting, there will be a sheet stapled to it. Your alt card must be signed and turned in at the end of the event as if it were your regular card.

Since you will not have your main character card, there will be no player versus player activity allowed after the changeover on Saturday night. We're using the honor system here, so please don't cheat in PvE - anyone found to be cheating will have appropriate action taken against them.

Fates
At this Alt Event, Fates will function as normal. You may spend SP or your main characters' Gold to purchase Fates for your Alt character. Your SP total will be printed on your Alt card; you may check how much Gold you have in the card system before check-in or use coin. After the changeover happens on Saturday night, the Fates will apply to the character you play.

To make Alt PvP more fair, we are offering free fates to newer players! If you have attended Knight Realms for less than two years, you are eligible for free fates as follows:
0-6 months: 4000SP
7-12 months: 2000SP
13-18 months: 1000SP

If you are eligible for free fates, you may purchase up to two of each (as if you spent both SP and gold on it). Anyone who purchases fates using her own Service or Gold may not receive free fates.

Since check-in is not the quickest process, if you are planning to purchase more than one fate, please come with a list handy of what fates you are planning on purchasing and their costs.

If you are found to be overspending Gold on Fates, your characters' bank accounts will be reduced to negatives to compensate for what was spent and you will receive a Rules violation.

Alt Event PvP
PvP activity is allowed during the Alt portion of the event. A marshal is not required for PvP unless you are attempting to enter someone's cabin while it is unoccupied, or the occupants are asleep and you do not intend to wake them up. Standard cabin-raiding rules apply in this circumstance.

If your character steals items at the Alt event, they must be brought to Logistics as soon as possible, as per normal theft rules.

Treasure
Any treasure or items you earn as your alt character may be carried over to your main character unless stated otherwise on the item card.

Unique Mechanics
Due to the nature of this event, there are some unique mechanics. All mechanics will be explained again at opening ceremonies, but they are listed here for your convenience.

Glowsticks
During the event you may come across a line of colored glowsticks. You may cross the glowsticks, but must spend ten seconds doing so. Time slows down as you pass through an invisible wall. You do not perceive the slowing effect, but others watching do. More information on glowsticks will be discussed at opening ceremonies.

Master Luck
Every PC at this event gets two uses of the skill "Master Luck" per period. This allows you to utilize a periodic use of any Master list skill. You will only have access to Master Luck at certain locations on camp. You will be told the locations you may use Master Luck at opening ceremonies; you may always ask a Rules marshal or any of the people running the event if you can use Master Luck where you are.

Items from the Inn
You may find items in the inn that your character wishes to steal. The inn will be surrounded by orange glowsticks; no in-game item or prop from the inn may be taken past these glowsticks. If you attempt to cross the glowsticks with any of these items, they fall from your hands and remain within the area of the glowsticks.