So why should I fight Ophidians or Bane?

[hawkeye_pike]

I read the fiction.
I went to the places.
I saw the Bane and the Ophidians.

Why should I join any Faction and fight? For what reason? What would be my motivation?

I am asking this, because I imagine a new player who tries to get involved. To my understanding, there is no reason whatsoever for him to fight especially those creatures.

Of course I know why the rest of the players are joining such a Faction fight: New items and new tameables. I cannot help but wonder if there should be more to UO but hunting for new items...

I like the idea that players get involved into UO fiction. But to my opinion this should have consequences for both players and UO history, other than a couple of new items.

 

[Kiminality]

Well, in character, the choice would be:
1.) Snake-people who've attacked our cities and killed a really large number of people.
2.) Creepy guys who wear evil-looking armour and ride uber-dragons.
So, in-character, I'd have to say leave them to it and let them kill each other off.

As a player... The Bane guys accomplish an impossible feat - wearing dragonscale armour, and being powerful at the same time.
Dragonscale armour's heavy, unmeddable, and has terrible resists... Therefore, they're probably cheating/exploiting, and deserve to be killed off.

 

[Farsight]

In the grand scheme of the fiction, there's no practical reason to choose one side or the other.

In fact, according to the recent published fiction, if you are a loyalist (loyal to human or gargoyle governments), then you shouldn't be fighting either side.

As a pirate, my characters have chosen according to "What's in it for me?" On that note, it's six in one, half dozen in the other. Either you get potions which may or may not be craftable in the future or stew which will, over time, be worth a lot of gold simply because people want their super-dragon-mounts.

Personally, I chose the path-of-most resistance and am killing Bane with a couple of guildmates (Kel and Scarst, specifically). The three of us (and one other person) even advanced the spawn a couple of times against a boat load of ophidian-slayers, which was impressive to say the least.

 

[Myna]

or stew which will, over time, be worth a lot of gold simply because people want their super-dragon-mounts.

dev said in another thread after the event there will be a way to feed the bane dragons, so i guess the stew will be only a deco in the future

 

[Dryzzid of Atlantic]

I have spent my time killing the Bane Chosen on Atlantic.

The reason that my character, who is a true neutralish ranger, has sided with the Ophidians is that he does not blame them for the past invasions. They invaded because an artifact was stolen from them. They're the natural inhabitants of that area in the Lost Lands and the Bane Chosen's mission of wiping them out is unnatural. So in a sense my character feels he is preserving the natural order.

If anyone is familiar with the druid's role in AD&D, then they will recognize this as something akin that that.

 

[Taylor]

As a player... The Bane guys accomplish an impossible feat - wearing dragonscale armour, and being powerful at the same time.
Dragonscale armour's heavy, unmeddable, and has terrible resists... Therefore, they're probably cheating/exploiting, and deserve to be killed off.

lol

 

[sablestorm]

In the past, adventurers who trespassed on ophidian lands, slaughtered their people, and stole their goods led them to band together and wage war on Britannia. A peace accord has since been reached, but it is happening again, this time in a more organized fashion called the Bane. My motivation for helping the ophidians is I have heard their arguments for the war they waged and honesty compels me to admit that we humans have indeed inflicted atrocities upon them in their own lands. Now I seek to redress those wrongs and I seek to try to salvage the peace accord that was struck with Britannia. I have sympathy for those Bane members who lost loved ones in the war, but perpetuating a cycle of hate sounds like a campaign the Shadowlords would be proud of.

 

[Hildebrand]

I have the same concerns as Hawkeye.

Loyalty is being thrown around lately. Once we have loyalty to one side, what is to happen next? What are the long term consequences of picking one side?
Loyalty to the Gargoyle Queen.... what for? A queen's soulforge and a house in their lands? Then what? Feels unfinished.

How can we start a "loyalty system" when the Virtue system hasn't been finished ever?

 

[Alvinho]

I read the fiction.
I went to the places.
I saw the Bane and the Ophidians.

Why should I join any Faction and fight? For what reason? What would be my motivation?

I am asking this, because I imagine a new player who tries to get involved. To my understanding, there is no reason whatsoever for him to fight especially those creatures.

Of course I know why the rest of the players are joining such a Faction fight: New items and new tameables. I cannot help but wonder if there should be more to UO but hunting for new items...

I like the idea that players get involved into UO fiction. But to my opinion this should have consequences for both players and UO history, other than a couple of new items.

I cant help but wonder on the magencia being rebuilt if the outcome of the war will have any influence on the designs of the rebuilt building and the inhabitants of the city

 

[Lord Urza]

I cant help but wonder on the magencia being rebuilt if the outcome of the war will have any influence on the designs of the rebuilt building and the inhabitants of the city

Interesting, but the ophidians have invaded our citys in the past, and killed our countrymen...surely lady down would never allow them to live in mag.
I for one will not.

 

[Hildebrand]

I cant help but wonder on the magencia being rebuilt if the outcome of the war will have any influence on the designs of the rebuilt building and the inhabitants of the city

Queen Dawn will give the Ophidians the town of Magincia as reparation for the horrible massacre that the humans are doing?

I don't see the tie-in.

 

[northwoodschopper]

it makes sense that the bane chosen will usher in the new order/chaos era.

i have some predictions, where supporting the bane chosen will side you with chaos should the bane chosen reach their goals in this arc (maybe the bane will take over the orphidian fortress?). supporting the orphidians could probably make you safe from them should they invade the cities again as a result perhaps.

 

[Yen Sid]

Queen Dawn will give the Ophidians the town of Magincia as reparation for the horrible massacre that the humans are doing?

I don't see the tie-in.

That's because there isn't one.

 

[[JD]]

the bonus of killing the bane is down the line, they'll put in some ophidian loyalty love, where you get something uber, and then everyone who killed the ophidians will complain its too hard to gain loyalty

just use 2 diff characters, kill the bane on one, kill the ophidian on the other

 

[Mark_Mythic]

There is an recruiter in each camp if you want more information about the fight. You can talk to them and they will tell you stuff like an oracle.

 

[Beleg Megil]

There is an recruiter in each camp if you want more information about the fight. You can talk to them and they will tell you stuff like an oracle.

If Hawkeye takes the time to do that, will these recruiters answer his questions in the OP? I wouldn't blame him if he had you keelhauled if the pirate trudges through the desert and finds no answers when you could do it here.

Just sayin'

Even if you can't give out details and spoilers, a yes or no would be good.

"Yes, this arc will have long term effects on your own shard history with reguards to future storylines, arcs, how your character is treated in certain lands or by certain monsters/npc's, etc..."

or

"No, when we turn it off, you will have had something to kill time and you'll have a trunk or two of item specific loot to remember it by. Then everything goes back to the way it was."

It would suck if all it really lead to was...well, like now, every once in a while I will hear a newer player ask "Hey, why is there a pale green statue of a lizardman on a pedestal on the way to the Brit Bank? That's kinda weird...".

 

[northwoodschopper]

the reasons:

bane chosen - join us in erradicating the beast races of sosaria, starting with the orphidians because we're still bitter about their last invasion. people have been killing orphidians since the lost lands were discovered, so now you can do it with purpose! join us and control our powerful dragons and hell hounds! just hand over the orphidians' blackrock that you loot!

orphidians - we made peace with the humans after what was ours was returned. now the humans attack us unprovoked, again, and are taking our blackrock. help us make peace and return our blackrock, and we offer experimental potions for use in your own wars with your kind.

 

[Mark_Mythic]

If Hawkeye takes the time to do that, will these recruiters answer his questions in the OP? I wouldn't blame him if he had you keelhauled if the pirate trudges through the desert and finds no answers when you could do it here.

Just sayin'

Even if you can't give out details and spoilers, a yes or no would be good.

"Yes, this arc will have long term effects on your own shard history with reguards to future storylines, arcs, how your character is treated in certain lands or by certain monsters/npc's, etc..."

or

"No, when we turn it off, you will have had something to kill time and you'll have a trunk or two of item specific loot to remember it by. Then everything goes back to the way it was."

It would suck if all it really lead to was...well, like now, every once in a while I will hear a newer player ask "Hey, why is there a pale green statue of a lizardman on a pedestal on the way to the Brit Bank? That's kinda weird...".

The event will not cause your shard to go spinning off in a particular direction that other shards aren't going. You think it takes a long time to make content now? Imagine if each shard was different.

The long term goal for loyalty is to make "killin stuff" more interesting. Loyalty basically unlocks and locks content. It's also a way of defining your character. It doesn't mean a lot if you go around saying you are a defender of virtue or evil but never make the tough choices. At one level, it's just a new way to be killin' stuff. At another level some races hate you and some love you. To that extent you shape your shard because "I can't go into that area without being heavily armed because those dudes hate me." Or, "Most people can't go there without being heavily armed but I sleep there because I'm their friend."

 

[Storm]

Good answer!

 

[Beleg Megil]

I suppose, but it sure would be nice if each shard could affect the outcome of these type of things and the ending wasn't pre-determined. I'd be willing to wait twice as long for new content if there were 2 possible endings. Maybe someday

 

[Trebr Drab]

If Hawkeye takes the time to do that, will these recruiters answer his questions in the OP? I wouldn't blame him if he had you keelhauled if the pirate trudges through the desert and finds no answers when you could do it here.

Just sayin'

Even if you can't give out details and spoilers, a yes or no would be good.

"Yes, this arc will have long term effects on your own shard history with reguards to future storylines, arcs, how your character is treated in certain lands or by certain monsters/npc's, etc..."

or

"No, when we turn it off, you will have had something to kill time and you'll have a trunk or two of item specific loot to remember it by. Then everything goes back to the way it was."

It would suck if all it really lead to was...well, like now, every once in a while I will hear a newer player ask "Hey, why is there a pale green statue of a lizardman on a pedestal on the way to the Brit Bank? That's kinda weird...".

They should never answer questions here about what's going on in the plot lines. If people aren't figuring things out, they should add a little more inside the game.

 

[Beleg Megil]

Agreed. I hate spoilers. I wish there weren't so many floating around for this event. Knowing the outcome sorta takes some of the enthusiasm out of participating, for me.

But the questions weren't about the plotline, and Mark answered mine fairly enough. I *think* he covered what Hawkeye was getting at as well, but you can never fathom the mind of a pirate.

Get it? Fathom?

 

[Trebr Drab]

the reasons:

bane chosen - join us in erradicating the beast races of sosaria, starting with the orphidians because we're still bitter about their last invasion. people have been killing orphidians since the lost lands were discovered, so now you can do it with purpose! join us and control our powerful dragons and hell hounds! just hand over the orphidians' blackrock that you loot!

orphidians - we made peace with the humans after what was ours was returned. now the humans attack us unprovoked, again, and are taking our blackrock. help us make peace and return our blackrock, and we offer experimental potions for use in your own wars with your kind.

This seems to be the extent of it. I was concerned about either side hoarding Cristalline Blackrock, until I figured out what the story of that is.