Hail and well met, one and all!

I've already hinted at this at the Bard Meeting and announced it at the monthly Platinum meeting, so now it's time to let everyone in on it. Beginning in October, I'll be feeding some rumors into the Rumor System around the start of each month. Not necessarily on the first, but definitely within 5 days either side of the first. Some of these will be pure rumor, plain and simple, and some will be rumors to support current or upcoming events, although moreso in Platinum than in Prime or TF, since that's where I run most of my own events. However, there's a reason I'm announcing it here for everyone....

Included in mix at the start of each month will be at least one rumor that is a clue for a "treasure" hidden somewhere in the realms. It may be something as simple as a lost family heirloom with little real value outside being unique to a buried pirate treasure to something very rare and valuable indeed! There may be more than one rumor involving said "treasure", providing clues to both location and nature. There may be deliberate red herrings put in by both myself and possibly fellow treasure hunters looking to steer you off the track. But there will be at least one rumor in there that points to something waiting to be found...somewhere.

A few quick notes:

If something remains unfound for a given month, I'll add more rumors to support its existance in addition to adding the new monthly treasure.

I will say straight up front that most will be hidden in little used areas, specifically to encourage people to get out and explore more, as well as to lower the chances of accidentally stumbling over things - I want the rumors to be the best way to find them.

In general, expect that if the area is dangerous (or if you have to pass through a dangerous area) that the reward will be at least worth the risk...but understand that this isn't a guarantee, merely a general guideline.

The more valuable the "treasure", the more vague the initial rumor will be, and the more likely it will be that people will need to wait for future supporting rumors. Again, a general guideline, not a hard and fast rule.

I will be doing this in all three instances of the game. However, I will not be putting the exact same "treasures" in the exact same places at the exact same time in each instance, for what I hope are obvious reasons - it prevents people from using spoiler information from where something was found in a different instance. This doesn't mean there won't be some overlap, merely that you can't count on it.

Why am I doing this? For one thing, I know a few people out there who would have a lot of fun with treasure hunts, and this is a simple, straightfoward way to provide them to everyone in all instances with minimal work on my end. Second, because the Rumor System is woefully underused, by both GMs and players alike. If more players use it, I'll have better luck badgering more GMs into using it. If more GMs use it, I'll have more luck prodding more players into using it. I'm sneaky that way. Third, because encouraging people to use the system opens the door to slipping other little things out as well.

Before anyone asks, no, this doesn't mean I'll be only adding rumors near the start of each month - merely that I'll only be adding this particular type of rumor then. If things get found too fast, I may change the pacing (or rumor vagueness) a bit, but for now expect something new hidden once a month, around the first.


- GM Dartenian
Platinum Events Team
Gnome & Kaldar Champion

"You ain't seen nothin' yet!" - Al Jolson

LiveJournal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/dartenian/

<<Seems odd to me that thieves has not ability to listen to rumors, atleast above other guilds (But beneath bards). >>

And traders really, because theyre always looking for a piece of information. However, I do agree that with all the city dwelling and contacting we should have some idea whats going on in the world.

If all else fails, I can always just ask my friends. Getting information is something that isnt hard to do when you have the right connections.

Sanya


I was taking a walk in the park when this post said I stole its purse. I tried to get away, but it just kept on coming. So I had to beat it to death with this purse I found.
-MOD-ILEDEMUS

<<There are some that will talk freely to anyone>>

I thought it was just Traders and Bards. Learn something new every day :)

Sanya


I was taking a walk in the park when this post said I stole its purse. I tried to get away, but it just kept on coming. So I had to beat it to death with this purse I found.
-MOD-ILEDEMUS

This whole concept is brilliant, Dartenian! Bravo!


~Zolurenites are normal. It's the troublesome tourist population you have to watch out for.

<<Just thoughts. Not attempting to be greedy!>>

Pfftt. I'm trying to be greedy.

Sanya


I was taking a walk in the park when this post said I stole its purse. I tried to get away, but it just kept on coming. So I had to beat it to death with this purse I found.
-MOD-ILEDEMUS

thanks much!

by the way, i haven't seen any player-added rumors in TF at all, at least lately. one would think those would be more frequent, being as things aren't censored over there.

i've found at least one fellow that won't even talk to my trader, he'll only talk to my bards. :-(


-walks off innocently after spreading a rumor about darius and vorclaf-



---
A scavenger troll arrives, scouring the area.

The scavenger troll exclaims, "I dinks I like da' Moongate!"

The scavenger troll bends over and picks up the Moongate. After appraising it, the troll places the Moongate in its frayed knapsack

Trebber, try the stableboy in the traders stable in Riverhaven

Rehlyn


The strongbox just bounced out of the room near a low tunnel!
You waggle a finger at a marine creature.

Dartenian, I'm glad to see you're actually going to be putting the rumor system to good use. Any chance of implementing any of the changes I suggested a little while ago? Specifically making rumor sources able to be "bribed" by non-bards/traders?

And it would be nice if the barkeep in the Telgar Inn in Lang talked to Rangers. We make up the majority of his business, after all.


~Thilan

ask <NPC> for or about rumor. or rumour.

whisper rumor <npc> <text> to add rumor to system.


---
A scavenger troll arrives, scouring the area.

The scavenger troll exclaims, "I dinks I like da' Moongate!"

The scavenger troll bends over and picks up the Moongate. After appraising it, the troll places the Moongate in its frayed knapsack

Thanks Mr D. For all the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years of effort to make our, lil hobby more fun.


Teamarie- Gossip? who? me?

Greetings,

I agree. I've checked the rumors from stableboy in Haven literally 200-300 times most days since Jan 1 and have yet to hear a rumor bout a treasure. I'm havin withdrawls! heeeelppp! Must.... find.... treasure....

Kapi