Quest for the Holy Grail

[trollson]

While Entropy's post on guild donations for bonus had problems, it does highlight the need for more Guild-based activities; what follows is one suggestion:

Guild Quests for Artifacts (eg the Holy Grail)

 

Introduce a few unique items into the game, "Quest Artifacts", which when carried or worn bestow some bonus to that character's Guild, but in turn make the wearer freely attackable.

 

These artifacts begin hidden through out the world. Rumours may exist about them, clues to their location ("near water", "orcs guard it", etc). Their powers are also vaguely defined, a thing of legend. Sufficient to motivate Guilds to send out their members searching for them, seeking out clues and leads, and delving the depths and outofreach places.

 

Overview:

1. There exist a finite set of unique items; for each, only one instance exists in the game at any time; these are the Quest Artifacts (eg, the "Holy Grail" of the title).
   
2. If a Quest Artifact is lost or destroyed, it randomly re-enters the game (in a hidden hbag, as a monster drop, held by invasion big-bad, or ...?). The quest restarts...
   
3. Quest Artifacts cannot be placed in storage, cannot be given to Merchant NPCs, and, if possible, not be given to Bots. They can be traded between other characters, dropped, and placed in hbags.
   
4. When a character holds an Artifact (has it in their inventory, or in some cases worn), they bestow some bonus to their whole Guild.
   
5. However, carrying an Artifact (inventory or worn) makes the character vunerable (PK'able).
   
6. A character must be logged in and carrying/wearing the artifact to grant the bonus.
   
7. To keep the Artifacts in the game, there should be a sweep which removes an artifact from the inventory of a character who is inactive for too long (does not log-in for a month).
   

Exploits?

1. Private or Guild only maps would be an issue. We don't want a Guild to hold an artifact without risk. Solved by adding a flag to maps or areas to enable or disable the positive effects of artifacts (the PK penalty must remain though!). It may also be necessary not to permit them to be stored in hbags in these locations.
   
   
2. Relying on PK'able is not the best approach, since it could end up with the uber-fighters holding them, but currently there is no other means to take and item from another character without their cooperation. Support for thief skills would be useful. Alternatively, if the artifacts must be worn, then they could include a large combat penalty.
   
3. Really need to avoid Bots having these items, particulary uber-PC trading bots!
   

Notes:

1. Unique Quest Artifacts are not the same as a general requirement for unique items. While the artifacts are unique objects, they are finite in number and predefined, whereas support for unique items implies unlimited numbers, which cannot be accomodated in the current game.
   
2. Tracking Quest Artifacts is important, since there really can only be one. If the item is duplicated due to some error, then only one should act as the real artifact (the other is a fake).
   
3. There should be artifacts to cover a variety of Guild ethos, and not necessarily just skill bonuses.
   
4. Option to limit the effects of an Artifact to Guild Members on the same map.
   
5. Yes, randomly dropping items in hbags may lose them for ever. I am sure that some magic could be introducted to 'divine' for hidden treasure ("there is treasure somewhere within 12 paces of here...").
   
6. A good rumor mill system would be useful for distributing clues as to the whereabouts of lost artifacts. Should include plenty of indirection, and some dead ends. Talking to NPCs, or even monsters, finding clues in monster drops -- just some words that the player should take note of, not actual in-game items.
   
   
7. I would also suggest that they cannot be taken to the underworld. If not dropped into the death bag, they are once again lost (restart the quest).
   
8. If an artifact leaves the game, it does not have to come back immediately. Nor does it have to come back at all. New artifacts could be thought up and swapped in and out (keeping the total number in game at some manageable level). Existing artifacts could be rewritten, changed slightly (without becoming something completely new).
   
   

Back to work then...

Some Example Artifacts:

• Holy Grail -- ?
  
• Horn of Plenty (Cornucopia) -- All Guild members recover 3 food per minute,
  
• ? -- The wearer serves as a storage point to other Guild members (on trade with).
  
• Crown of the King -- ?
  

These items should be powerful. Remember that only one of each will exist, and that the wearer will be the subject of a rugby scrum of enemies trying to take it away...

 

Three days later... Hohum... guess this isn't raising any interest then

A bit of elaboration and I'll leave it (for now).

Edited April 29, 2006 by trollson

[Brian N.]

I could almost say for certain I did a members quest on runescape, they don't want to be like other games

[JohnTheWarder]

This is an awesome suggestion Trollson. Real human emotions could be a result of this greed, power, teamwork, lust, and hatred. Sounds like it would make this game a whole lot more fun instead of items that are just make alot of money and buy.

[Pyewacket]

Crowleys cloak - 10% magic exp bonus and/or +5 levels but increases chance of auto invasion by 20% whilst wearer is present in VOTD.

Gnometech barrel of crafting - 200 emu barrel that increases craft level by 20%

Aislynns Magic Hammer - +20% Manu levels but automatically mutes all player chat on all channels/local/GM

Sippycup - All potions inguild start leaving vials when consumed.

The Radu Barada Necktie - Adds 20% A/D levels but disables all Ros Stone effects, making them useless.

Pipers Magic Pocket - Increases Emu by 20% but sets Inorganic Nexus to zero.

 

 

These are silly suggestions I know, but the point was to add something that balances the positive with the negative and create a little difficulty in doing so. The negatives (as well as teh positives, obviously) in the above instance (including the 200 emu being taken up) would be across the guild whilst the Quest Item remained in a members inventory. Since some of these are quite powerful I'd suggest that they instantly vanish and the quest resets should any member drop the item in any way...

[chosenflea]

Crowleys cloak - 10% magic exp bonus and/or +5 levels but increases chance of auto invasion by 20% whilst wearer is present in VOTD.

Gnometech barrel of crafting - 200 emu barrel that increases craft level by 20%

Aislynns Magic Hammer - +20% Manu levels but automatically mutes all player chat on all channels/local/GM

Sippycup - All potions inguild start leaving vials when consumed.

The Radu Barada Necktie - Adds 20% A/D levels but disables all Ros Stone effects, making them useless.

Pipers Magic Pocket - Increases Emu by 20% but sets Inorganic Nexus to zero.

 

 

 

I mean really, if you cant even yell at someone to drop tah item because you cant talk, why, they'll get immediatly expelled! Not a "guild promoting" event, is it?

[The_Knight]

I still think it would be awesome to have something like this in the game...

[anthropologist]

I have thought for a long time that unique items of great power and consequence should be added, but never found the time to put together a good coherent recommendation. This is an awesome idea, and good job

[trollson]

Please note that this topic was recently revived in more detail under the thread titled "The Cornucopia".