F.A.Q.

Levkarest is an online,d20 based, Ravenloft role playing chat. It is set in the city of Levkarest, the capital of the domain of Borca. It lies towards the western side of the core.

That’s all well and good, but what can you tell me about the city of Levkarest itself?

The domain is set in chivalric times. A lot of trade comes through the city by way of the Crimson Highway.

This is the home city of the Ezran religion, therefore most of the city’s population worships the female deity. Those who openly do not worship her can expect to be hassled by the general population at one point or another.

All manner of dealings are handled by contracts, whether it be business related or not. Contracts can be worth more than gold. Anyone who is without one is seen as some kind of pariah amongst the citizenry.

The center of the city is a monument to fine craftsmanship of all kinds. The Crimson Highway is cobbled and the buildings speak of great opulence. However, the further out you get, towards the outskirts of the city, the poorer it becomes. Just past the city walls lie many lush forests that thrive on the warm summers and cold winters the city’s climate brings.

What are the laws of the city?

The Stapans are the ultimate deciders on what does or does not constitute an infraction of the law or how much a fine will cost, however here is a rough guideline of the laws of Levkarest:

Vandalism-Fine of the cost needed to repair what was vandalized.

Theft-Fine of twice of the cost of the item stolen.

Assault-Varies depending upon the severity of the crime.

Murder-Fine of two years salary of the person killed. 73gps is the usual fine for a commoner.

Anyone that does not have the money at the time of sentencing to pay for their fine will be sentenced to time in a Workhouse. Should the Stapan decide the perpetrator will never be able to pay off the fine during their lifetime, they will be executed.

What religions are followed in Levkarest?

Ezra is the only religion followed here. It is not illegal to worship other gods, however any character that does so needs to be willing to accept the fact they could be harassed for it.

What are the views on magic?

Magic is not illegal, however anything other than the divine castings of the Ezrans is met with extreme suspicion and distrust. It is not uncommon for ‘magic taxes’ to be imposed by unscrupulous militia members or lynch mobs of panicked peasantry to be formed.

All right, so casting magic is met with suspicion. What about magic items?

Magic items are incredibly hard to come by and most are cursed in some way. The majority of the magic items that will be available in the chat will be enchanted by PCs of the chat.

Enchanting items costs some serious coin. Please tell me money is easy to come by?

Sadly, money is also difficult to come by. The best way to get coin is to go on adventures, but there is no guarantee of loot being given out. Adventurers can hold down steady jobs in the city, however. The only rule is that anyone crafting anything cannot be on adventures or scenes that will have them away from the city overnight or otherwise detained for any great length of time.

What’s the Militia? What are the Templars?

The militia was formed by Ivan Dilisnya to protect the city. Unfortunately, there is little in place to protect the commoners from the horribly corrupt militia. It is not uncommon for unheard of ‘taxes’ to be imposed upon hapless passersby. Bribery is also common as family members try to avoid having their loved ones put into one of the notorious workhouses. The militia has no authority while on the grounds of the Great Cathedral.

The Templars exist to protect the Great Cathedral. They have no authority beyond the church grounds. They serve various functions within the church, the most notable being the personal protection of the Prasidius, the head of the Ezran faith.

I’m interested in joining the Militia/Templars. How do I sign up?

Contact the DM in charge of the group you want to join. They will be able to give you more information on what needs to be done so you can join.

I want to play a noble from a local house. Which houses are available for play?

Please refer to the players group for information on what houses are presently available for play.

The DM team does accept submissions for noble houses from the players. If you have an idea for a house you’d like to be a part of, please send a member of the DM team an e-mail.

It is possible for a PC to be granted noble status during play based upon their IC actions. Likewise, it is also possible for a PC to be stripped of all noble status because of IC actions.

Where can I find the room descriptions?

Room descriptions can be found by clicking on the ‘Setting’ link that is located on the left hand side of the screen.

Which rooms connect to which?

The Crimson Highway connects to the Sunset Gate, the Sunrise Gate, La Fierte de la Ville, Trader’s Hollow, and the Slums.

La Fierte de la Ville connects to the Great Cathedral, Academy of Style, Marsav Hall, Nightingale Theater and Opera House, Rosebud’s Thorn, and the various noble estates.

Trader’s Hollow connects with Caina’s Crossing and the Desfraya Manor.

The Slums connects with the Dark Maiden and Rue Petite Ville.

Caina connects with Sun’s Peak and the Old Svalich Road.

Where can I find out more about Levkarest?

Much more information on the city of Levkarest, and Borca in general, can be found in Gazetteer 4.

What is Ravenloft?

Ravenloft is a gothic horror campaign setting. It was originally published for 2^nd edition AD&D by TSR, which was later purchased by Wizards of the Coast. It is presently being licensed out to Sword and Sorcery, a division of White Wolf Publishing for the 3^rd and 3.5 editions of D&D.

Ravenloft is made up of different domains. The individual domains once belonged to other planes. In order for a domain to be moved to Ravenloft, the Dark Powers have to find someone evil enough to warrant getting trapped there.

What are the Dark Powers?

No one really knows. They are in control of Ravenloft, however. They pick who gets taken to the mist shrouded plane. They also help corrupt the poor souls who are trapped there.

What are Dark Power Checks?

Whenever a PC commits an evil act, there is the chance the Dark Powers might take notice. If the Dark Powers do take notice, you are given a Dark Power Failure.

What is a Dark Power Failure?

A Dark Power Failure is both a boon and a curse that is given for committing an evil act. It is used to be an enticement for drawing good aligned PCs down the path of darkness. Failure of too many Dark Powers checks will result in the loss of the PC.

A note on Dark Powers Check and Failures:

Any PC found to be acting out of alignment solely to make Dark Powers Checks in the hopes of failing one will be unsanctioned, period. Any player that is found to be continually making PCs simply to try and fail Dark Powers checks will have their account terminated.

I’ve failed a Dark Powers Check. Is there anyway to be rid of it?

It is possible to repent and have the Dark Powers Failure removed. It needs to be discussed with a DM and role played out accordingly, however.

Where can I find more information on Dark Powers Checks and Failures?

Complete information on what constitutes a Dark Powers Check and what could possibly be given as a Failure can be found in the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook. It also contains information on redeeming yourself after failing a check.

What are these Fear, Horror, and Madness Saves that I keep being asked to make?

These saves are unique to Ravenloft. They are used to aid the DMs in evoking the feeling of horror that exists in the setting. A Fear Save is called for when a character encounters a situation that should invoke terror. A Horror Save is used when a character comes upon an especially horrific scene or situation. Madness Saves are called for when something happens to a character that could cause any fracturing of the self, such as witnessing someone you love be horrifically killed. Horror Saves are the most common, with Madness Saves rarely being needed.

Great. I failed a Fear/Horror/Madness Save. Now what?

Depending upon the severity of the failure, you may be fine after a few minutes. However, if you have a moderate or major failure you will have to make another save at a later date to overcome the effects.

Where can I find more information on Fear, Horror, and Madness Saves and the types of failures for each?

The Ravenloft Player’s Handbook contains all of the information you will need on Fear, Horror, and Madness. It also includes definitions on minor, moderate, and major failures, along with the possible effects associated with each.

What are Darklords?

A Darklord is a ruler of a domain. Some domains have more than one Darklord. Not all Darklords are readily apparently to the general population of the domain.

Who’s the Darklord of Levkarest?

For that, you’ll simply have to refer to the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook or Gazetteer 4. Sorry.

What are all of the abbreviations I keep seeing?

As with any chat environment, there are many abbreviations that have been adopted for ease of typing. Here are the most common ones:

AC-Armor Class

Addy-Adventure

AD&D-Advanced Dungeons and Dragons

ADM-Assistant Dungeon Master

AFK-Away From Keyboard

AoO-Attack of Opportunity

Asst-Assistant

ATK or Attk-Attack

BAB-Base Attack Bonus

Barb-Barbarian

CHA-Charisma

CON-Constitution

CP-Copper Piece

D-Die or Dice

DC-Dice Class

D&D-Dungeons and Dragons

Dammies-Damage

DEX-Dexterity

DM-Dungeon Master

DMG-Dungeon Master’s Guide or Damage

DP-Dark Powers

DR-Dice Roller

Fort-Fortitude

Gaz-Gazetteer

GP-Gold Piece

GPV-Gold Piece Value

GTG-Got To Go

HS-Holy Symbol

IC-In Character

IM-Instant Message

Init-Initiative

INT-Intelligence

IRL-In Real Life

Know-Knowledge

LK-Levkarest

LOL-Laugh Out Loud

MM-Monster Manual or Magic Missile

M/S or MS-Move Silently

MW-Master Work

NL-Never Left

OOC-Out of Character

OR or OCR-Outcast Rating

PA-Power Attack

Pally-Paladin

PC-Player Character

PHB-Player’s Handbook

PK-Player Kill

PrC-Prestige Class

Prof-Profession

PM-Private Message

REF-Reflex

RL-Ravenloft

RLPHB-Ravenloft Player’s Handbook

RP-Role Play

RPG-Role Playing Game

SHS-Silver Holy Symbol

S/M or SM-Sense Motive

SP-Silver Piece

SRD-Systems Reference Document

ST-Story Teller

STR-Strength

Subbies-Subdual

TPK-Total Party Kill

TPO-The Player Of

TY-Thank You

WB-Welcome Back

WHS-Wooden Holy Symbol

WIS-Wisdom

XP-Experience Points

What is the difference between table top role playing and role playing on an online chat?

An online chat does not have an established time to play. A player can log on anytime with their character to play.

There is more than one DM that can run adventures and scenes, and at times, there are even multiple DMs running multiple scenes at the same time. Any character can join in any of the adventures run on the chat.

Unlike table top, the other characters are not necessarily your friends or adventuring party. PCs in an online chat may or may not like the other characters. Some of the enemies a player faces could very well be other characters.

How quickly do PCs level here?

Generally PCs will not level quickly. There is always the exception, like when a player is able to make a lot of adventures due to them having an open and/or flexible schedule. The setting of Ravenloft tends to break down with high level PCs. It simply was not made to handle epic level characters. That is one of the reasons why the maximum experience per day is set to encourage a slow leveling process.

What’s the weather like in Levkarest? What time zone is it set in?

We are using Roanoke, VA as the basis for our daily weather. It fits the best with the climate that has been described in Gazetteer 4 for Levkarest. The chat is set in the Eastern Standard Time zone.

What books are required to play at Levkarest?

The 3.5 edition Player’s Handbook is the only book required to be able to play.

What books are recommended?

It is recommended that you have the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Gazetteer 4.

What do the various icons mean?

For a complete chart on the icons and their meanings, please see the files section on the players e-group.

A group of PCs I know want to make a guild. Is that allowed?

Of course! PC created guilds are encouraged. It’s a way to get other people involved in the fun and adventure.

What is xp farming? Is it allowed?

XP farming is when a player logs on their account everyday for the login xp. XP farming is allowed on Levkarest, however if we find a player who has been xp farming simply to gain levels to kill other PCs, the player will be site banned.

What is Outcast Rating?

The population of Ravenloft is xenophobic by nature. They do not accept outsiders easily, especially outsiders that are of a minority race. Outcast Rating is used to portray this distrust and fear of outsiders. The higher the Outcast Rating, the more suspicious people are of that person.

Am I able to role play my PC while he/she is crafting an item?

Yes. The only restriction is you cannot get involved in an adventure or scene that will keep you out of the city overnight, or otherwise restrict your being able to work on the item you’re crafting. To ensure this, all PCs that are crafting an icon will be given a special icon to designate them as such.

I have a problem with another player. What do I do?

Try talking with the player. Often times, they are not aware you are upset with them or there is something wrong. If that doesn’t work, or for whatever reason you are uncomfortable approaching them yourself, talk with a member of the DM team. You can find them online or send them an e-mail. Take screenshots of the incident(s) you would like addressed so the DM team can make the best decision possible regarding the course of action to take.

What if the problem I have involves a member of the DM team?

Once again, try talking with the person first. It could very well be just a simple misunderstanding. Failing that, contact a member of the DM team you get along with or one of the Head DMs. Send them any screenshots you have so an appropriate course of action can be decided.

I have an idea for an adventure/scene that I would like to be a part of. What do I do?

Talk with a DM about it. You can either e-mail them or talk with them online. The DMs are more than happy to run scenes for the players, provided the player asking for the scene actually role plays on the chat when a DM isn’t running something for them. Also, the DMs prefer to run player suggested adventures that can get other PCs involved.

I have a suggestion/comment/complaint for the chat. Who do I send it to?

Any chat suggestions can be sent to one of the Head DMs. All comments and suggestions are encouraged. We want the players to help personalize the chat and make it feel like home.

The only thing we ask is that any complaints are done constructively. For example, an e-mail that says “This chat sucks.” will not be given much thought and will be promptly deleted. Whereas an e-mail that says “I would like to see more setting information listed on the site” will be considered and probably acted upon, provided it doesn’t violate the fan use rules.

I have a sheet change I need. What’s the best way to go about getting it done?

You can hang around online until you find a DM who can do it for you, or you can send an e-mail. You can e-mail your favorite DM or send an e-mail to the Levkarest Sheet Changes e-group.

How do I join the DM team?

Anyone who is interested in joining the team must fill out an ADM application. The ADM application can be found in the files section on the players e-group or you can ask a DM to e-mail you a copy.

All new members to the team will start as Assistants. Assistants cannot do sheet changes and must have all adventures approved before running them. There are no exceptions to these rules.

Where can I find a list of DMs and how to contact them?

Click on the ‘Contacts’ link on the left hand side of the site. It should bring up a page where you can choose which DM you would like to send an e-mail to from a drop down menu. Simply fill in your e-mail address, click on what you would like the subject to be, type in your message, and click ‘Send Mail’. The DM will receive the e-mail and will contact you as necessary from there.

What are some useful links to have in association with the chat?

The Players E-group- http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/LK-Players/

System Reference Document- http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35

Where can I find the Dice Roller?

On the page where you connect to the chat is a link to the Dice Roller. This is a direct link to the Dice Roller: Diceroller

How can I look at my character sheets? How can I look at someone else’s?

On the page where you connect to the chat is a link you can click on that will take you to a page where you can type in the name of the character and the view only password, if they have one. If the character exists and you inputed the information correctly, it will bring up their character sheet. Here is a direct link to the character search page: Character Search Page

How many characters can I have?

You can have as many PCs are you imagination can create. You are only allowed five PCs per account, however. If you want to have more than five PCs, you will have to create a new account.

How many accounts can I have?

You can have as many accounts as needed to hold all of your PCs. We do ask that you do not have empty accounts laying around, though. Only make a new account when you have filled up the one before it with PCs.

How do I create a character?

Instructions on how to create a PC are located in the Player’s Handbook. Levkarest is using a 32 point buy system. All new characters start with average starting gold to purchase equipment and their full, first level hit die.

To input a PC into your player account, click on the ‘Login’ link located to the left side of the chat. After you login to your account, click on ‘create’ that is located next to an empty character slot. Type in the required information, then click ‘Submit Character’. Once your character is submitted, you can be sanctioned for play.

How do I get sanctioned?

Login with the character that needs sanctioning, then wait in the Lobby of the chat. DMs are on at various times during the day, so hopefully you will not have to wait long.

If you are creating a PC that needs a submitted background history in order to be sanctioned, you need to submit the background history to the DM team first. Once the history has been looked at, and if it is approved, a DM will sanction your character.

Can my character start with an evil alignment?

Yes, however it requires an approved background history first.

Can my character gain an evil alignment during play?

Yes. This is actually the preferred method of getting an evil alignment. The move from good to evil must consist of character appropriate actions brought about by some kind of in character catalyst, however. If a player is simply doing evil acts just to get an alignment changed, they will lose the character.

What feats are available for my character to take?

To see a list of feats that are presently available to play, you can refer to the files section on the players e-group or click on the ‘Rulings’ link located to the left side of the site.

What Prestige Classes are available to take?

A list of available Prestige Classes can be found on the files section of the players e-group or by clicking on the ‘Rulings’ link located to the left side of the site.

What races can my character be?

Ravenloft has all of the standard player races listed in the Player’s Handbook, with the following exceptions: Half-Orcs are called Calibans. There is also a new race called Half-Vistani.

To find out more on the above races, please refer to the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook.

How do I create an account?

Click on the ‘Login’ link that is located on the left side of the screen. It will bring up a new screen that will have a ‘Create New Account’ link. Fill out the required information and then click ‘Submit’. You will need to input an activation code in order for your new account to be created. An activation code will be sent to the e-mail address you provided.

I didn’t receive my activation code. What do I do?

Make sure that the e-mail address you provided was a valid e-mail account. If it was and you still didn’t receive the activation code, please contact one of the Head DMs.

How does experience work?

Each day an account is logged in, all of the characters associated with that account are given 25 login xp. In addition to that, characters can earn xp from role playing, adventures, and scenes. There is a limit on the amount of xp a character can receive each day. The most any player can receive, in addition to their daily login xp, is 40 adventure xp per level per day and 40 role play xp per level per day, for a total of a max of 80xp per level per day.

Why the limits on experience? How did you come up with such a funny number for the max xp?

There is a daily limit on experience to keep characters from leveling too quickly. The maximum xp limit was derived from the recommended 75 xp per challenge rating that is listed in the Dungeon’s Master Guide. Each adventure is made up of both role playing and adventure xp, equally. Since 75 is not evenly divisible by two, 80 was used instead.

What do I do if I have a question or concern that the FAQ didn’t address?

Talk to a DM. DMs are available to answer questions when they are on the chat or by sending them an e-mail.