Castle Marrach

[shannon_appel]

Questions or comments on our upcoming Castle Marrach game? This is the place to ask them!

Shannon Appel
Skotos

[Retribution]

First off I would like to say that I loved your booth at Gencon, great design, and eye catching. I am looking forward to playing Castle Marrach, and after reading the player's guide am even more interested. I really hope to be involved in your closed beta, and I will continue to visit this site and a regular basis. I would love to help in any way, so feel free to send me an e-mail, or whatever http://www.skotos.net/ubb/smile.gif

[Jeff]

This is the first time that I have been to this site, and it looks great. I want to play this game!

What have you done to alleviate what I consider the biggest hurdle of online storytelling- the deadly slow pace?

[Rachiel]

Thank you for the kind words regarding our booth at GenCon! We all had a wonderful time and were very pleased with our booth and especially with our interaction with potential StoryPlayers and StoryBuilders.

With respect to lulls in plot movement on Castle Marrach, Skotos has assembled a very good group of StoryBuilders and Customer Experience Hosts to provide plot devices that cultivate role-play. We are very excited about dropping various and sundry plots into the laps of our StoryPlayers! In the future we will invite very talented players to become StoryTellers for Castle Marrach as well. Marrach is a large castle with room after room filled with mystery.

I am very confident that StoryPlayers will be motivated to explore and create on their own!

Rachiel
Customer Experience Host

[Buggy]

Hi folks,

I've read through the Castle Marrach rules and have a few questions.

The first is sort of answered in the FAQ. You mention that a player-character can kill another PC through duels. What happens to the dead PC? In some games, death is a minor inconvenience; in others it's the end of the character.

On that line, the rule book mentions brawling and the ability to cause accidents to kill people. Will this be allowed? How will these things be done? Could I, for example, push a piece of masonry on a persons' head, or poison them?

Will there be random encounters that involve combat? Could those also lead to death?

But enough gruesomeness, let's go on...

Can players create their own items or build items out of other items? Can these items have game effects?

You mention magic in the rulebook. How do players cast spells? Can players create locations or decorate locations that already exist?

How will the law be upheld?

What happens when a player disconnects? Can he/she reconnect to the game right away? Do you "wake up" where you left off or back in your room? What happens if that is in the middle of an important action like a duel, and it isn't the players' fault (my ISP goes down, for example)?

Thanks. Your answers will help me tremendously.

Mike

[Sariel]

Hi Buggy!

Thanks for the great questions! Let me see if I can answer these for you...

The first is sort of answered in the FAQ. You mention that a player-character can kill another PC through duels. What happens to the dead PC? In some games, death is a minor inconvenience; in others it's the end of the character.

Death is one of the mysteries in Castle Marrach. What happens once you die is something we look forward to players discovering for themselves at some point. Logically, any type of dangerous or conflict situation (a duel, jumping off a bridge, running with scissors) that you might assume would cause death, will. But to provide a quick hint – Death is not always an end, sometimes it is a just a beginning.


On that line, the rule book mentions brawling and the ability to cause accidents to kill people. Will this be allowed? How will these things be done? Could I, for example, push a piece of masonry on a persons' head, or poison them?

Fatal “accidents” can definitely occur by those skilled enough to arrange them and who have the resources, skills and favor/repute not to be caught before, during or after the act. Someone without these things except perhaps favor may wish to commission such a thing to occur from one who does. Death through these kinds of actions is a possibility. Unskilled accidents may also cause death – but due to the Castle Marrach consent system it is more unlikely to occur.

Will there be random encounters that involve combat? Could those also lead to death?

Yes, we will have some encounters (even in Castle Marrach there are places where the guards visit infrequently and one wouldn’t want to linger unescorted) that may lead to dueling and possibly death.

In terms of dueling, Castle Marrach allows the option of formal and informal dueling. An example of formal dueling would be when I challenge you to a duel and we follow all the tenets and traditions of dueling. This requires an Officer of the Court’s approval, agreement on weapon choices, establishment of dueling conditions, and declaration of third parties to act as seconds and witnesses.

Informal dueling would be in an instance when I catch you leaving my significant other’s room and I don’t feel like waiting to kill you. http://www.skotos.net/ubb/smile.gif

In either case death is once again a possibility.

Can players create their own items or build items out of other items? Can these items have game effects?

Initially no, players can’t create their own items - though as the game evolves this option may become available.

You mention magic in the rulebook. How do players cast spells? Can players create locations or decorate locations that already exist?

Wielding magic will be one of the most difficult aims for any player to achieve in Castle Marrach. That said, it is not impossible for a few players to learn a school of magic, but their numbers will be very few.

Most common for many of the castle inhabitants will be to acquire or commission items imbued with magic or abilities for their use.


How will the law be upheld?

By the Royal Guard (and to a lesser extent the Winter Guard), the Nobles, and we hope a popular sense of Chivalry.


What happens when a player disconnects? Can he/she reconnect to the game right away? Do you "wake up" where you left off or back in your room? What happens if that is in the middle of an important action like a duel, and it isn't the players' fault (my ISP goes down, for example)?

During the beta, if you are suddenly disconnected, more than likely your character will abruptly excuse herself and leave the room. When you return you would find yourself back in your private room. Same action would occur if this happened in the midst of a duel. You can always log back in immediately.

Thanks. Your answers will help me tremendously.

My pleasure! Have a great weekend!

Sariel

[Sariel]

Castle Marrach Update:

First Round of Invitation Emails for Closed Castle Marrach Beta Have Been Sent!

All GenCon attendees who signed-up to be part of the closed Castle Marrach beta test should have received a confirmation email this weekend.

If you attended GenCon, signed-up at the Skotos Booth but did not receive an email from us, there may be one of two reasons.


You registered with us at GenCon but are under the age of 18. (Please see our FAQ for more information about this)

Our message to your email address has bounced.


If you feel that your address may have bounced (and you are over 18), please send an email to ce@skotos.net from your correct email address with the phrase "GENCON ATTENDEE" in the subject line, and your full name, city, and state in the body. Once we verify your sign-up, we will send you your confirmation email so that you may join us during the closed beta.

If you did not attend GenCon or if we are unable to verify your GenCon sign-up you can take part in the open Castle Marrach beta, provided that you have registered on our website. Those of you who join us in this way may expect to see an invitation arrive in early October. http://www.skotos.net/ubb/smile.gif

We are so excited to have all of you come join us at Castle Marrach and we look forward to meeting you there!

Sariel
Customer Experience Host