requently Asked Questions

Setting information

What is 'Tales Of The Moonsea'?

Tales of Moonsea is a a roleplaying server project for Neverwinter Nights 2. It utilizes the Forgotten Realms setting background, and is loosely based on the setting of the city of Phlan, and the Moonsea at large. Much likes its predecessor in Neverwinter Nights 1, the City of Arabel, and developed by many of the same team members, the server focuses heavily on roleplay and character interaction, rather than hack and slash high magic action.

Where is the Moonsea?

The Moonsea is a region in the North of the continent of Faerun in the fictional fantasy setting of the Forgotten Realms. The region is dominated by the large lake called the Moonsea, which gives its name to all the lands that surround it. The shoreline of the Moonsea is a wild frontier area that is home to several city states that are generally dominated by despots, and the region doesn't have a capital.

What are the Forgotten Realms?

The Forgotten Realms (or simply the Realms) is the name of a fictional world based on the planet of Abeir-Toril, an Earth-like planet with several continents, although the focus is set on the continent of Faerun.

Where is Phlan?

Phlan is a small city located in the northern section of the Moonsea region at the mouth of the Stojanow River. Founded more than 1,000 years ago, a series of destruction and rebuilding has led to the city being walled off into a destroyed, ruined Phlan and a rebuilt, shining and civilized Phlan.

Server rules questions

What is a roleplaying server?

A Roleplaying (or RP for short) server is one dedicated to Role Playing over other sorts of gameplay, such as 'Hack and Slash'. In such a server, players are expected not to play themselves, but rather get into the role of their characters, and act and react to the environment and other characters as their characters would do.

What is a DM?

A DM is otherwise known as a 'Dungeon Master', He or she is a game director who is in control of the environment where characters interact, and is the ultimate interpreter of the rules. In a large server such as Tales of Moonsea several DMs are usually in charge of running the game from behind the scenes, create plots, events and adventures for the players on the server.

What is griefing?

Griefing is intentionally trying to cause out of character grief to another player. Merely insulting, attacking, killing or stealing from another character cannot be considered griefing, since those are perfectly valid IC actions. However, when those actions are done without any IC motivations, just for the sake of it, repeatedly on the same character or indiscriminately on just about any character, the DMs will look at it very closely. Banal IC excuses such as "My character is crazy" or "I am chaotic evil" will not do. Players found to be griefing other players will be punished and very likely banned from the server.

What is NPC griefing?

NPC griefing is a term we use to refer to unmotivated attacks on non-hostile NPCs. ToM is a roleplaying server, and most NPCs are not there as walking bags of XP for players to kill. They are supposed to give ambience and conversations, and when someone attacks or kill them for no particular reason they detract from the immersion in the world.

What is metagaming?

Metagaming is using knowledge that you know but your character doesn't to your advantage: such as knowing secrets about your arch enemy, knowing the location of an area your character has never seen, passing information or items between different characters in your account, and so on. Coordinating actions through private tells or party chat is also considered metagaming. Some degree of involuntary metagaming is tolerated, but the most blatant cases will be dealt with harshly. Acts of metagaming that affect other players' characters, or those that involve cheating or exploiting the technical limitations of the game engine or the module may lead to being banned from the server.

What is powergaming?

There isn't a single definition for powergaming, but it basically implies playing to gain levels, gold or loot for their own sake, without any regards to character development or interaction. For instance, doing nothing but questing over and over with little or no conversation, building characters whose mechanic advantages are maximized but whose IC flaws are downplayed or directly ignored, avoiding player conflict until some level is reached and only then bullying other characters... This does not mean that gaining levels, gold or loot is wrong, but rather that they should not be the ultimate goal, but rather a side effect of roleplaying one's character in the server. While powergaming is not necessarily a punishable offense (unless it involves cheating, exploiting or otherwise metagaming) it is highly frowned upon, and may result in powergaming players being left out of DM quests and plots.

Are PvP (Player vs Player) and PKing (Player Killing) allowed on ToM?

In short, yes. But they must be the result of IC interactions, and it is expected that when they do happen they provide some degree of enjoyment to everyone involved. Please read the rules on the subject here: http://www.talesofmoonsea.net/forum/index.php?topic=1282.0 

What does In Character or IC mean?

In character means things you do, say or experience while you roleplay your character. Being in character implies speaking, acting and reacting as your character would do. While you are in game you should strive to be in character at all times. Put yourself in your character shoes and when presented with a choice or a challenge, ask yourself not what you would do in that situation, but what your character would do.

What does Out Of Character or OOC mean?

Out of character means things you experience as a player beyond what your character can experience. For instance, server messages, die rolls or private tells are out of character because your character is not listening to voices in his or her head or watching dice roll and waiting for the result to hit or not hit a monster. Out of character involves of course everything that happens outside the game. Acting out of character in game, e.g. speaking as the player, not the character, using 21st century terminology or leetspeak, or simply issuing out of character warnings or messages and disrupting the immersion in the game is highly frowned upon.

Can I transfer items between characters?

No. Any form of passing items between your own characters is considered the worst kind of metagaming and cheating and will be severely punished, up to being banned from the servers. There are no exceptions to this rule, not even when third party characters are used as intermediaries, or when one of your characters dies and another "happens by" the corpse and its belongings. The value of the items passed is irrelevant, it is the act that matters.

I died or lost XP/gold/equipment due to bugs, crashes or some other uncontrolled mechanical event, can a DM give it back?

As harsh as it may sound, no. While we may take some action if we are in game at the time of the loss, in general we will not reimburse any lost XP, gold or equipment. Even if we could do it in all cases (which is not often the case) we would be forced to check and double check the merits of the request, and if we did it for one player we would have to do it for everyone. That would quickly lead to us only doing reimbursements. Short of that, the only policy that is fair to everyone is a blanket refusal.

What are the server rules about cyber-sex?

Romance between characters is allowed, but any kind of depictions of graphic or simulated sex are strictly forbidden. There are servers out there where this is tolerated, Tales of Moonsea is not one of them. If you are caught cybering, bad things will happen to your character and to you. This is extensible to vivid depictions of other bodily functions, pregnancy or birth. Players roleplaying rape or sexual violence will be banned immediately.

What are the rules about in character insults?

In character insults are allowed, but you should try to keep them within the spirit of the setting. Modern day expletives such as 'F' words are very much out of place in the Forgotten Realms. Be creative with your insults. Out of character insults are very much forbidden and may get you banned.

What are the rules about looting corpses?

Looting is allowed, including full looting. However the rules about PvP and PKing are extensible to looting as well. Players consistently full looting any corpse they find are not very different from griefers, and may be confronted by a DM about the matter. Abandoned corpses whose players are not logged into the server, or who are playing with a different character already, are usually fair game. Looting corpses in front of the deceased's friends is allowed but akin to theft, and it may have IC consequences. Looting someone and logging out to avoid the IC consequences of such looting is considered cheating and griefing and may get you banned.

What are the rules about stealing or picking pockets?

Similar to those applicable to looting. Spamming sleight of hand attempts on a single character or logging off to avoid IC consequences of theft are also considered griefing and severely punished.

Gameplay questions

Are there any rules about how to make a character?

Characters names and descriptions must fit the setting and not be disrupting. Offensive names, blatant jokes, names of famous real or fictional characters, description 'forcing' effects on the observers or not matching the character actual build or powers or, in general, any character whose name or description the DMs find inappropriate will be asked to remake with a proper name (there is a random name generator as a last resort) or deleted. All characters start at level 1, and therefore their backgrounds should fit the level. No retired generals, famed dragon slayers or powerful archwizards. Any special background should be approved by the DMs through the usual application process. Choose body models and skin/hair combinations that fit the character as well, no blue skinned humans or black non-drow elves.

Am I allowed to remake my character?

It is not forbidden to remake a character, but we prefer you don't. Remaking to resolve some mechanical problem such as a corrupted character or a cleric with wrong domains is ok, and often a DM will help you remake in such cases. However, remaking to change character names, descriptions or build is frowned upon. You have the possibility of experimenting with build outside the server, so making a wrong choice when leveling is not an excuse to remake. Remaking to completely change a character keeping only his name and history (say, turning a cleric into a wizard or a weakling into a juggernaut, or completely changing appearance) is very much discouraged. In any case, remaking implies losing all your equipment and gold and starting again at level 1.

What deities are supported?

Most of the deities of the Forgotten Realms are supported. A full list is can be found here: http://www.talesofmoonsea.info/Deities.php

Religion in the Forgotten Realms is polytheistic, this means everybody knows there are multiple deities whose power and influence you may not like, but cannot ignore either. All characters should have a patron deity but, in general, that doesn't mean they wont pray to other deities or that they are fanatics who would not stray a bit from their patron's dogma. Only clerics, paladins and to some extent monks would pray only to one deity, and even in those cases only the most strict zealots would never slip a prayer to another god every now and then when embarking in an activity where said god has an important influence (say, praying to Shaundakul before a long trip, or to Umbelee if the trip is by sea). Changing deities is possible, but it is often a long process especially for divine classes.

Be sure to select correct alignment and domains when creating a cleric. Otherwise you will not be able to cast spells. It is important that you read and understand your deity's dogma, because clerics are supposed to be living examples of that dogma. Take into account that even within one religion there are many interpretations of the dogma as some prefer to stress some aspect of it against another (that's how Helm, for instance, has both LG and LE clerics), but if your cleric is consistently seen violating his deity's dogma or simply not living by it, he or she may soon lose the favor of the deity and be unable to cast spells.

Are languages supported?

Right now they are not supported, but that may change in the future. As long as there is no in game support for languages, you may embellish your roleplay by pretending to speak in some tongue other than common, but anyone can choose to understand what you say regardless of how obscure the language is. Emoting the use of a language to say things in front of other characters that couldn't otherwise be said without repercussions (say, insulting or making death threats and expecting no reaction on the basis of the other characters not understanding your language) is highly frowned upon, and if a DM is around you can be sure NPCs will pick up what you say and take issue with it.

What happens when you die in ToM?

When a character dies, he is transported to the Fugue Plane. His mortal remains and all of his belongings remain on the spot where he died. It is possible to return from the dead. Powerful clerics may bring dead people back to life, often with the loss of a significant amount of XP and levels, as well as some expense to pay for the ritual and magical components involved in it. A limited number of true resurrections is available to all characters, so given you or your friends have access to the few priests with such power and enough gold to pay for this ritual, it will be possible to be restored to life with no loss of XP. Additional true resurrection chances may be granted by DMs as very exceptional rewards for characters who have earned them in game. Due to the nature of a multiplayer online game, we recognize death may occur as the result of accidents so we allow characters the option to respawn without the need of any rituals or expense. However, the XP loss when choosing that route will be set so that it will not compensate vs. a raise except for the lowest level characters.

While in the Fugue Plane your character cannot communicate with living characters. However, in these cases we relax the rules about OOC communication through tells so that your gear can be recovered by IC friends before the server crashes or to coordinate a raising from the dead. Try to keep this to a minimum, since it is disrupting and detracts from the immersion in the game. There is no memory loss associated with death and resurrection, but death is a traumatic experience no matter what. You should strive to represent this and be appropriately scared of death and traumatized after being dead and brought back. Players shrugging off death as a temporary inconvenience that you can simply buy yourself out from may find they are no longer able to return to life. The DMs reserve the right to enforce permanent death on any character, under any circumstances, left only to the DMs' judgment. You may at all times choose not to return from death and delete a dead character from your vault.

What's the magic level like in ToM?

ToM is a low magic setting. Magical items will be rare and not all magical items will be insanely powerful. Some may find it a steep departure from the almost endless flow of free magical loot in the original campaign. We prefer that each magical item is significant and appreciated, rather than simply a relatively powerful piece of junk which would be dumped as soon as something more powerful came by.

What is the level range in ToM?

Initially up to level 20 (epic levels are not supported by NWN2 yet), but most likely the majority of players will hover around and below level 10. There will be no hard or soft level cap, however we believe level advancement should be slow, and it will be progressively harder to gain XP and levels as you become higher level. Being level 20 is not special if everyone else is.

How does the economy work in ToM?

Gold will be relatively hard to come by. It will be mostly obtained through questing and selling items you find. It will not be possible to obtain unlimited gold by selling stuff at a higher price than it can be bought, and if you find cases where that is possible, it should be reported as an exploit. People trying to exploit the game to pile up gold will be severely punished and probably banned.

When crafting is implemented, we will expect that the economy takes a shift to be more player controlled. However it will not be possible to sell player crafted goods to NPCs (or at least not at a profit) since that would again be a source of unlimited gold.

How does crafting work in ToM?

Crafting is currently disabled. Eventually we intend to support it but it will probably not work exactly as in the original campaign since that system was designed to produce items much more powerful than what is expected to be found in ToM. It is unclear yet if we will base our crafting system on the in game crafting support or if we will implement some other mechanism.

How fast does time pass in ToM?

It is impossible to have a fixed time passage ratio between in game events and real life, for several reasons. First, time passes at different rates in the game depending on what you do: travel takes mere seconds when it might take days, conversations take hours because you can't type at the speed you can talk, and even then since the in game time passage is faster than real life, simple exchange of words would take inordinate amounts of time. Second, time doesn't pass at the same speed for different characters. Some characters may be having a couple of drinks and a pleasant conversation while others have gone and returned from killing some horrible beast at the far end of the world. So some suspension of disbelief is asked from the players.

However there are a few rules to follow regarding time passage. The in game clock will run at a faster speed than in real life for mechanical reasons, for instance, so you don't have to wait 24 hours to rest and regain spells, or so you can't plow through a quest buffed with spells that never fade. However, for out of game recording and planning of events, there will be a fixed 1:1 time ratio. That means the ToM calendar will advance one day at a time, and you will be able to plan events "for next week" in character without having to make complicated OOC time translations.

What are factions and do I have to join one to play?

Factions are in game organizations built around some common goals or interests. There are a number of canon organizations in Faerun such as the Harpers, the Zhentarim and the various religious orders and churches, as well as a number of factions specific to Phlan that are described here: http://www.talesofmoonsea.info/Factions.php  These are controlled by the DMs and admission in them is through the application process. Additionally, any group of players is free to organize their own player controlled faction. All we ask from them is that they are built around sensible, in character goals or concepts and that those goals remain coherent even if the current leaders or members are replaced by others. We don't like factions based simply on being of a particular race or class with no other qualifications. For instance, making an "all elves" faction is as silly as an "all humans faction" - even if they are more similar among themselves than humans, elves may have just as opposing views on life as humans do.

It is by no means mandatory to join a faction to play, in fact most character concepts would not fit the sometimes rather strict in character constraints and requirements in most factions. However, it is sometimes easier to get involved in larger plots when you are involved with factions (as a member, or simply working with or against them). In any event, you cannot ignore the existence of factions. It is almost guaranteed that your in game actions will make you a friend or a foe of some faction or another and you will have to deal with that fact.

Are the Watchmen DMs?

No, they are just players like everyone else. Their in game powers are just those of the faction they belong to, and they are simply playing the part of law enforcement agents in the city of Phlan. Whatever they do is in character, and that includes any abuse of power or blatant injustice. Some Watchmen are corrupt, and you should deal with them in character just as you would do with the many other characters that try to work against your interests. By no means try to get some out of character issue solved by a Watchman. Always direct those requests to a DM. We take OOC abuse very seriously, and Watchmen are instructed to report every instance of it, so never blow a gasket at a Watchman's player because of what his character did. Of course rage against the character is perfectly acceptable.

At some point in time there will be player characters in the City Council, with powers far beyond those of a simple Watchman. The same applies in those cases, player Councilors are just playing their characters, and if you don't like them you have in character mechanisms to have them deposed or eliminated.

Applications and special characters

What subraces can I play?

All information on Subraces, PrCs and Factions can be found here: http://www.talesofmoonsea.net/forum/index.php?topic=393.0 

What factions can I join in ToM?

A list of playable factions can be found here: http://www.talesofmoonsea.info/Factions.php 

In addition to that, all canon organizations of Faerun not explicitly listed there (Harpers, Zhentarim, other churches...) are still subject to application, and you may not claim to belong to one without having been approved by the DMs. Or rather, your character may falsely claim to belong to one, but he or she would be subject to IC consequences stemming from that claim. In these cases, the player should still make the DMs aware of the fact that they are falsely claiming to be part of an organization.

More information on Subraces, PrCs and Factions can be found here: http://www.talesofmoonsea.net/forum/index.php?topic=393.0

How do I join one of the city factions?

You can join one of the many city factions by sending in an application to the DM Team to talesofmoonsea@gmail.com  Find the application template and further detail here: http://www.talesofmoonsea.info/iHowApply.php

It is possible to apply for factions not included in the faction list, but the likelihood of approval will be much smaller since it would imply additional DM support for a new faction, and unless the concept you present awes us, it is all but guaranteed it will be rejected. For existing characters applying to join a faction we will take into account any IC interactions with the faction and its members, as well as IC merits or demerits your character has accumulated during his or her life. In some cases, approval will be in fact dependent on the character's success of failure to impress the faction leaders. Befriending faction members may have a positive influence in your IC chances to join the faction, but by no means will it guarantee approval.

Can I play a Prestige Class in ToM?

Prestige classes (or PrCs) will not be granted to just anyone. They are called prestige for a reason, and that means you need to earn the right to take one through your in game actions, far beyond the mechanical requirements to take the first level in a PrC. For instance, a blackguard isn't just some evil guy with paladin powers. A blackguard should be the character who people talk about as the most evil creature in the world. A Divine Champion should have been behaving as a living example of his or her deity's dogma since the character's creation. Therefore, it is best to apply for PrC as soon as possible (preferably before creating the character) in order for the DMs to watch the character and assess the merits or demerits towards achieving the PrC.

Find the application template and further detail here: http://www.talesofmoonsea.info/iHowApply.php 

More information on Subraces, PrCs and Factions can be found here: http://www.talesofmoonsea.net/forum/index.php?topic=393.0 

Technical information

Tales of Moonsea has not yet gone live, so the information in this section is bound to change on short notice.

How do I log in to ToM?

ToM has no fixed location yet, and therefore it does not show in the list of public servers on Gamespy. We are now in an alpha testing phase, in which we will set up a passworded server for testing purposes. Every now and then guided walkthroughs will be announced so that players can join the DMs for a visit to the server. Soon after we expect to go into beta phase, in which the password will be removed and everyone will be allowed to join.

How do I get the PWC file?

All NWN2 servers require a PWC to be downloaded for players to log in. In addition, ToM has a small number of HAK files we have added for increased quality. Short of an autodownloader embedded in the game, we will use WorldGate, a very easy to use application that accomplishes the same task. You may go to http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=NWN2Tools.Detail&id=29  and download and install the latest version of the WorldGate client (not the Admin version). Details on how to set up WorldGate to retrieve the ToM files will be added soon.

What's the server's IP address for a direct connection?

There is no fixed IP address yet. One will be announced as soon as we have a final location for the server.

What do I do when I start?

Your character will appear in a starting area with a limited amount of gold and the possibility of purchasing some basic gear. After that, you will jump directly into the city, and what you should do is to just go around and interact with other characters.

What are the system Requirements to Play?

The System Requirements are those needed to play NWN2, and of course an internet connection. You may check for specific information here: http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=533511&forum=116 

Why can't I see the server on Gamespy?

That would be because it is not up yet.

Why can't I connect to the server?

Most likely because it is not connected to the Internet

Contact information

How do I get hold of admin / a DM?

If it's a quick fix you need, such as getting unstuck from an unreachable area, bringing a DM's attention to a developing situation or possessing an NPC, send a message to the DM channel detailing what problem you have and wait for an answer. If you don't get one in a reasonable time (say, five minutes), try once again. If that doesn't work, there may not be a DM free to assist you. You can always log in to IRC (#ToM channel in the DarkMyst network) and see if there's a DM there.

If you need some help with an ongoing plot, or something more far reaching than a single session that requires deep DM involvement, or you want to ask for a special favor, send an email to talesofmoonsea@gmail.com  This is also the way to apply for faction slots, special races and prestige classes.

If you find a bug use the "Bug Reports". If you have issues to get into the server or the forums, or want some other technical problem with them, use the "Server and Forum Issues" forum.

If you have a question about policy or want the DMs' opinion about an aspect of the game, use the "Ask a DM" forum.

If you want to discuss aspects of a character, such as background, likelihood to be accepted, etc. we recommend IRC.

If you want general information about the game setting, mechanics, etc. use the "General Issues" forum or IRC.

Always bear in mind that we DMs get way more requests for help than we can possibly acknowledge (even less deal with), so if you don't get an answer, especially in response to an email, it's your responsibility to check with us to see if we're still looking at it. By default, no answer means no luck.

What's the ToM email address?

It is talesofmoonsea@gmail.com  Please avoid cluttering it with questions that could be answered through the forums or in IRC.

How can I make a donation to support ToM?

We will set up a PayPal account to allow players to donate for the support of ToM. All donations are appreciated greatly, and we will try to thank every donor individually and publicly unless told otherwise. No in game perks can be obtained from donating to the server.

How do I report cheating / abuse?

First, try to get hold of a DM in game or in IRC. If you can't, take screenshots and logs and send them to talesofmoonsea@gmail.com  along with a detailed account of what happened. Try to calm down before sending a report and stick to the facts. Angry mails and otherwise unreadable rants have very little chance of being taken seriously.

Who do I speak to about being un-banned?

Write to talesofmoonsea@gmail.com  with a well reasoned appeal. The DM that banned you will have the ultimate call, though, and we do not ban people lightly. If you have been banned, most likely your past actions were so serious that it is very unlikely you will be allowed to play again.

Where do I report a bug I have found?

Make a post in the "Bug Reports" forum in http://www.talesofmoonsea.net/forum/index.php  Try to provide as much information as possible about the circumstances in which the bug was experienced, and choose a title that clearly describes the issue. We suggest you search the forum for previous reports of the same bug and if they exist, post only if you have additional information about the bug, such as it happening in different circumstances or expanding on the original report.

Where do I report an exploit I have found?

NEVER post an exploit on the forums! Always send an email to talesofmoonsea@gmail.com  so we can deal with it. Needless to say, do not "experiment" with the exploit. If we find you have been profiting from an exploit despite having reported it, you will be harshly dealt with.

I have an idea for a plot / event. Who do I speak to?

We suggest to first check with a DM in IRC, or to send a PM to some DM you trust, in order to get preliminary feedback on your idea. If it doesn't make sense or it is doomed to fall on its face on day one it's better if you don't go to great lengths writing a complex plot essay. If you get positive feedback, write an application following the usual process (and with the same length limitations) and a separate writeup detailing the plot further, and send them both to talesofmoonse@gmail.com Bear in mind initial positive feedback is no guarantee of approval.

General D&D / FRCS questions

What is D&D?

Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy roleplaying game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Gygax's company Tactical Studies Rules (TSR). The game is currently published by Wizards of the Coast (www.wizards.com). NWN2 is based upon D&D 3.5 edition, the latest version of the ruleset, and its original campain takes place in the Forgotten Realms. It is important to note that NWN2 supports only a small set of the larger game rules.

What is PnP?

PnP (also P&P) refers to "Pen and Paper", to indicate classic tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons & Dragons, as opposed to computer roleplaying games (CRPGs) and massive multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMPORGSs).

What does "3.5 edition" mean?

Dungeon & Dragons has produced a number of editions in the past with several major changes to the core rules. The latest one, and the one NWN2 is based on, is called 3.5 edition.

What is the FRCS?

The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (FRCS for short) is a game world for Dungeons & Dragons based on the fantasy setting of the Forgotten Realms.

Where can I get more tips, setting information, etc?

We have a Player Resource Section at our Forums that will be updated as we are able to add new information to help facilitate each player's time in the server. Visit it at: http://www.talesofmoonsea.net/forum/index.php?board=28.0