lifeaftr_mods | Search Requests

Search Requests

And no one knows how far it goes

As a central element to the game, Search Requests may seem very daunting at first. Never fear! Below is a table of contents for this page that may help answer your questions, giving you the confidence to venture forth into the great unknown.

[ ♆ ] What Are Search Requests?
[ ♆ ] What Impacts a Search Request?
[ ♆ ] How Many Search Requests Can I Make?
[ ♆ ] Why are Searches Limited?
[ ♆ ] Islands Available
[ ♆ ] Search Request Form

What Are Search Requests?

The contents of many islands that make up the archipelago of LifeAftr require player exploration and participation to uncover and chart, as everything from the potential dangers, obstructions, and resources are randomized. Alongside adding weight to the potential dangers characters may face, it also gives you the potential to influence the game as much as possible.

Upon arrival to a new island, a blank map of the island's general shape will be provided with a grid, parsing the island into square sections for the purposes of exploration. Each of these squares are a base size of one mile by one mile in terms of width and breadth, unless otherwise noted. Each square is also labeled for player convenience. Characters who have access to boats or another means of traversing the ocean waters can perform search requests on surrounding waters.

Search Requests are intended to be used as a prompt for IC interactions. While not all search results will hold something of particular interest, such as finding new seeds or fruit, but in circumstances where enemies or information has been located, we encourage ICly threading out these results, or using them to foster new CR.

What Impacts a Search Request?
As of July 2018, there are new factors to take into account when submitting a Search Request:

[ ♆ ] GROUP SIZE limits the timeframe in which a search request can be completed. While a single mile may not seem so far to walk, thoroughly investigating a square mile is a different matter altogether. Depending on the size of a group, characters may choose to push on into an additional square at the cost of spending the night in the wilderness, potentially exposing themselves to other dangers - or in groups of four or more, split the group to cover the additional ground. Search Requests are currently limited to two squares maximum at a time, regardless of group size.

[ ♆ ] DIFFICULT TERRAIN such as mountainous regions, thickly wooded areas, or those under the sway of severe weather conditions may severely hamper a group in covering new ground. Due to this, search requests may be limited on occasion to one square per search, regardless of the group size. This restriction will be announced when relevant.

[ ♆ ] POTENTIAL RISKS can and will hinder characters set on searching more than one square. If searching an area thoroughly, it is assumed that your character is both taking their time, and covering as much of the ground in that square as possible. Obstructions, predators and catastrophes should be predominantly unavoidable due to this.

How Many Search Requests Can I Make?
Each character is limited to submitting one search per week, of up to two squares. When searching in a group of three people or fewer, a second square may only be searched if characters intend to spend the night camping out, which puts them at risk for additional dangers.

Beyond submitting a search, characters may also band together with others for an additional two search requests, but these requests must be submitted by another character.

Additionally, Search Requests may only be forward-dated up to two days ahead of the current date. As LifeAftr may sometimes see events suddenly beginning, forward-dating is limited to avoid the need to retcon.

Why are Searches Limited?
The introduction of limitations to the number of search requests characters can conduct is to ensure moderation of the game's pacing, in addition to ensuring all players have a chance to affect the plot, regardless of their tagging speed or RL obligations. Previously, search requests have been unlimited due to an agreeably slow pacing as LifeAftr established itself. The beginning of July saw the game expanding and going through a new teething stage that required a few new aspects to our search requests system, in addition to discarding mechanics that simply weren't being used.

In some circumstances, such as when an island is due to disappear - potentially for good! - we may lift these restrictions to allow those who'd like to further explore islands to go wild.

Maps Available:
The current islands, their descriptions, and how much area has already been unveiled can be found on the Locations Page. A key describing the area, resources, and dangers can also be found.

The following island(s) are currently available for exploration:

ENSŌ
NASTRANDIR
The following island(s) are not currently available, but have individual locations pages for player perusal:

AI'TUOH
CAHYPDO
CHOL
IO
MAATI
MONSUN
NUIDAN
UMUI
ZIZIPHUS

Search Request Form
To submit a search request, please post the below form in a new comment. Before submitting your request, keep in mind that map updates may lag depending on mod work schedules. Checking the last few posted searches may avoid doubling up accidentally.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The Search Begins...
South of Anbaki's temple (and the only spot of vegetation one is liable to find growing naturally here), Maati is a vast expanse of rock, rock, and more rock! E6 is mostly canyon, which makes for some terribly uneven terrain. Thankfully, the hazards in traversing it are more liable to border on the irritant than the genuinely dangerous. For experienced adventurers such as you, you're probably old hats at troubles like stubbed toes or pebbles in boots.

E6 does feature a very tall spire smack in the middle of it; there really isn't much to be gained from climbing it, unless you're that interested in, ah, flexing for present company. The west part of the region is intercut with a lump of cliff that extends well into E7. Both are going to prove exceptionally difficult to climb, even with help, due to the general lack of handholds present on the sheer cliff face.

♆ E6 and E7 have been unlocked on the map of the area! ♆

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho!
Aside from the lumpy steeple of cliff jutting out from the uneven canyon ground, there's not much to see here...at first. You'd be forgiven if your eyes started glazing over at the sight of this much solid rock all in one place, as it certainly isn't very easy on the eyes.

But the real win of the region of E6 isn't up, anyhow - it's down. The potential for a quarry is present in this region due to the abundance of sandstone and shale present in a great deal of the rock formations set into the ground underfoot. With the proper tools (or someone gifted in transmutation and the like), you could quite a few building materials from this part of the island.

It's Time to be Boulder
The good luck present in E6's find runs out by the time the group hits E7. Whether they choose to spend the night as a group or split the party to cover more ground, whoever heads further south will be in for a rather rude awakening. A good two-thirds of E7 is almost entirely unchartable due to the abundance of cliff that cuts diagonally through the region, extending from the west inward.

What ground can be covered here hosts a section of cliff wall that seems a bit...lumpier than its surroundings. Hang on, is it...detaching from the cliff? Oh, so it is. No need to panic. It's just that an earth golem happens to have taken up residence in the area, and it's none too pleased that you're here.

Formed entirely from an amalgamation of earth, rocks, ore, and valuable gems, the earth golem is surprisingly territorial for a glorified lump of mud. Approximately fifteen feet tall and half as wide, this lumbering creature has only one concern: the eradication of anything that steps into its square. It is sensitive to vibrations in the ground, and is thus very difficult to hide from for those moving on foot; however, it is nearly blind and very stupid, preferring to wallop anything within reach using its massive, boulder-sized fists rather than employ any sort of strategy.

While ores and gems can technically be mined from the creature, we wouldn't necessarily recommend it. You'll probably have to kill it first.

okay two things:

1. Does the spire in E6 really not have anything on it or are they just not able to climb it? Because if it's possible to be climbed, even if there's no other gain than 'got on tall thing', Beau is getting the fuck up there.

2. The M9 is absolutely going to make an attempt at murdering that earth golem because they're too dumb to run away from a fight, even without any goddamn magic users or clerics. Is there anything we need to go through to make that attempt? I think just about every character is level 5 or 6 at this point but I have no idea how tough this thing is.

1. The spire on E6 absolutely has nothing on it- but it would provide a swell view for the person ~~stupid~~ brave enough to climb it! Keep in mind that we'd want you to roll a d20 in chat to determine the success of such an action; unless Beau has professional climbing equipment, this sheer climb is going to have a hard success of 16 or above.

2. Generally speaking, catastrophes are creatures that are difficult, if not near impossible to kill. Translating that into DnD, it's essentially the equivalent of these 5/6 level characters deciding that they're going to attempt to fuck up an Iron Golem.

1. i'm very sorry for all parties involved but I rolled a natural 18. it's in the dice channel if you don't believe me but. yeah. she's horrible. thanks

2. WONDERFUL AND GOOD they're going to get their asses kicked and drag themselves off then, THANK YOU BIRD FOR COMIN W THE DND SAVE sorry zero i honestly don't read icons and am a moron

Search Requests

MAATI - E6 | § QUARRY -- E7 | ⊗ CATASTROPHE

no subject

using DnD speak on Zero Alex I taught you better than this

i will never change i will never improve