[Spotlight Concept #3] Melandru's Realm

Hello all. Yes, it has been a while since the last one, [Spotlight Concept #2] Lyssa's Realm, but I've finally got it together to begin a new Spotlight Concept.

If you're not sure what these things are about, see this thread.

This Spotlight Concept is on Melandru's Realm - the goddess Melandru's equivalent to the Fissure of Woe and the Underworld.

Some things to bear in mind right from the beginning:

• Page 48 in the Guild Wars Manuscripts Book 1.
• Page 21 in the Guild Wars Factions Manuscripts.
• 
  (this is what you'll get when you click on any 'Statue of Melandru')
• The layout, design and feel of the two already existing gods' realms.

As stated in the thread linked to earlier in this post, we are starting on a blank canvas here, and it does not matter how many threads have gone before on any Spotlight Concept topics. We as a community will create and expand these concepts together with everybody's ideas. Feel free to contribute as many ideas as you like, and discuss others'. Above all, stay on topic and don't let arguments take over - I sincerely doubt there will be any arguments anyway.

So, contribute what you like.

Ideas could include:

• Landscapes and layout
• Puzzles?
• Enemies
• Allies/NPCs
• Quests
• Tamable creatures
• Tie-ins with the main Guild Wars/Guild Wars Factions storyline
• Drops
• Special Armourers/Weaponsmiths?
• The name for this place!

I'm looking forward to seeing the community's contributions on this one!

(my ideas/thoughts will be posted in a week's time as I'm going on vacation tomorrow)

The land could be very similar to pre searing, very beautfiul and very Lush and green! There could be some special pet you can cap from beating a class (like the spider except different) You can have streams and stuff, just get the graphic artists to work and make it awsome like pre-searing. My mind is blank right now but thats all i can think of.

This would also be a good place to install anything more modern (not Extremly modern, butt anysort of contraption)as the primary foe of melendrus realm

I kind of think it would more look like the Kurzick's forests. With many plant-like beasts living amongst it. I guess from that picture in the OP, I would go with a place where people are condemned for harming nature and such. I think we would see twisted beings much like the Afflicted, but instead of looking like pimples, they would be more human/plant or human/animal. Kind of to show what it was the person did to deserve such a punishment.

Thats also why I think it would look like the Kurzick forests. They are still very green and full of life, but its also very dark and gloomy.

I'd think there would be larger monsters that are just huge living plants that keep the other things in-line. Sort of like Melandru's personal thugs. You're in her hell, but you also must obey her rules. Things like the skeletons and shadows in FoW, that you can aggro together and they'll fight, this is how I'd view the plant thugs versus the tormented nature people.

Any quests would most likely be given by the larger plant thug guys. But there may be quests like we have for the Dredge, kind of like help me rebel against these big guys type thing.

I kind of think it would be a very unoriginal Spotlight..... could you mix it up a bit? or did you have to feature all 3 Goddess realms in a row?

At least we have the comfort of knowing another "realm" spotlight woln't be next, they would have been alot better if they were spaced out with other topics, like ideas to improve player transactions, or new types of exploration, or ideas for a working Z axis.........

P.S. unless of course you have to do a spotlight on the "Outcast God" Realm from the upcoming Nightfall expansion.

outcast god realm would be intesting ^

for landscape... I am seeing....

Large Giant Trees...
Land of 4 Season...
Field of Slash/Burn, with only tree stamp left....


Deer or Stag would be a nice pet in such area.

A Moose with MASSIVE HORNS!

'Forest Of Tormented Souls'

I think maybe a quest where you have to help the tormented beings free themselves from Melandru's living hell by doing some heroic act in the name of Mother Nature.

Mad King Thorn - ever wonder why he is mad?
Maybe he was the leader of these tormented beings - and he can visit the surface world once a year for 24 hours.

For enemies probably lots of animals and plants.

Well I have an idea for a quest or two that have interesting twists.

There would be an NPC that gives a quest (not sure of the name). He could be an armorer. On your way to him you pass some sort of animal in large groups (could be stalkers, a new monster) that are near a spring. Though they are all level 20 and in a big mob, they dont attack you (I'm still not sure if they should be light green on the map that can not be targeted, or be a non responsive red mob).

You take the quest and the armorer/weaponsmith says before he can craft you anything he needs you to kill these beasts at the spring because the water they drink from the spring makes their coats extra thick, and are needed to make his weapons/armor.

So you decide to do it and you attempt to kill them. When you do, they all become aggresive monsters and will attack you and your party members. You collect the hides and take it back, but heres the twist to it.

Because you harmed Melandru's (insert name of creature), and therefore harming nature and things that ahve done no harm to you, Melandru becomes angry. Now, traps (barbed, snare, dust, flame, vipers nest) have been placed randomly around her realm, as well as all the creatures in her realm you havent killed become aggresive towards you (for they are intelligent and have heard of your misdoings. The traps would be random each visit so it would still remain a challenge.

The quest is the first of the 2 or 3 quests to be able to craft armor. People who are just there for drops or quests have the choice to not do the quest, and therefore no traps are set and the specific creatures are not aggresive towards you.

Comments?

bunnies!
I would mix presearing, un-snowed parts of the factions starter island and the jungle[maybe a little kurzick in there, but not much]
possably a desert area where your typical oposing forces are duking it out
Maybe that floating fort in kryta could take on a possable role in here, verata got in and is screwing around, turning parts of the forests/fields dark, with undead.. and turns into a desert since the life leaves the plants.. meaning the plants are fighting back, but they're agressive to us too...

We have no shortage of ideas, but we felt that we had to get these out of the way first. Don't worry.

And no, we're not rolling out another realm thread after some god.

I just thought of something..
How about a quest where you go to say the underworld and fight your way to Grenth(He is an npc not a creature unless the target of a quest maybe)
And he has some quests you can do to become his servant.
Let's say for example, he tells you that Balthazaar's army of shadows is marching to the underworld, and he needs you to stop the approaching army.
And you go on a series of quests that when you finish, will give you the servant of Grenth title.
You can only be allied to one God at a time.
Say you can't be Dwayna's Saviour and Balthazaar's Champion at the same time.
End of Idea
----------------
New idea (kinda extreme would change the entire way the game works..

Let's say you're Grenth's Servant..you would say have the option of having one of these things applied to you http://216.86.149.248/wiki/Blessing but you would have a negative effect on you (Ie.:hexes last 10% longer, -1 health regeneration,elemental dmg increased by 5 etc..)
These things are not permanent of course, but could be added if they decide to add a core story line. Where you would have these boosts inside the missions.

In the story line there would be a mission where a hero npc(like master togo or those freaky spirits) tells you that this is too hard to be done by mortals(whatever the major plot is) so you need to seek the help of the gods.You then choose which god to ally with, then try to become his servant,champion etc.. and do his missions, Then go back to the person who advised you to ally with the gods(The master togo type guy) and continue the story line as usual.

Now I don't think A-net would waste their time doing such a major update as core is not a pack. It's available in all packs. Unless of course they apply it to other chapters!!

Sorry for any bad punctuation or grammar. English is my second language

It's weird how the scriptures of Melandru closely depict EoE^^"

The effect of Melandru is to force players into very limited situations, and cause them to use resources that would otherwise be neglected. It would put a strong emphasis of Cause and Effect, and... something along the lines of the Butterfly Effect. If you keep those things in mind when making her realm, I will die a Happier man^^.

Wylds of the Hunter or Hunting Wylds can be a good name for melandru's realm.

As for ideas, there could be a new kind of pet like a "familiar" that have a special appareance and require specific atributes. And be designed for the secundary professions of the ranger, or for the secondary ranger on other primaries.


Water elemental , requires Water 8
Skeletal Tiger, requires death 8
Vengeful ghost , requires comunion 8
Doppleganger, requires illusion 8
Shadow Killer, requires shadow arts 8
Lesser Daeva, requires attack prayers 8
Dancing Swords, requires sword mastery 8


This kind fo familiars could be as the normal pets, or perhaps be less combat active and give key benefits to it's master.

It could have the same effects 'Aspects' have on 'The deep' and, judging by the skills 'Melandrus arrows' she obviously HATES enchants, so you could have an AoE effect that also hates enchants. It would obviosuly be a very nature based landscape, full of monsters with the skins of island gaurdians and the like. It could also be themed on negative conditions aswell.

Nature rituals. We all use them. But where do these spirits COME from? Maybe from Melandrus Realm.

I figure, a fair portion of the enemies we fight can be the very spirits we bind to our uses in the 'real' world. They would have their own Auras (a monster skill) that would give the exact same effects that they do when bound, though maybe over a smaller area. Killing the spirits would remove the effect from us.

No mesmers or monks here. Rangers and warriors mostly. But don't go thinking it'll be easy. Interrupts abound and spirit auras make hexes and enchantments take much longer to cast, and last even less time. Energy will be at a premium. Spirits of Renewal, Tranquility, Quickening, and countless other spirits and forms of weather will all be ready to destroy you at a moments notice.

Be prepared for the unexpected though. Elementalists and Assassins will sometimes pop up, ready to smash through your weakened party after a fight. Trappers will travel the map. Making dangerous paths you've already cleared. And every small beast has the potential to become a dire threat to a member who lags behind.

The weather and terrain will change rapidly. From warm beaches to icy mountaintops. Thundering, tornado-launching stormclouds that blow arrows off path and can carry party members far away to to roasting, abrasive sandstorms that blind and tear through any unprepared creature and provide perfect cover for hunting beasts.

Here, in Melandru's Realm, it's a challenge to survive. Stick together, stay organized, be prepared for anything. But never depend on your team members. You never know when they'll fall in battle, or some storm or spirit will catch you unawares and carry you miles away.

Hmm... The Nature Rituals sound good. I have an idea for a quest.

Ah, there you are. I wasn't expecting you to get this far into my forest, it sometimes amazes me how you mortals can get out of sticky situations. Nonetheless, I don't believe you can clear the entire forest of its corruption on your own. I sent out a plea to Grenth, god of Death and Ice, he has sent his voice here to assist you in your efforts.

The Voice of Grenth is a powerful spirit, but even he is no match for the hordes of beasts alone. Do not let him fall into any traps, or gather many groups at once to fight. If this Voice dies, you will feel the agony that Melandru can bestow upon the failures of the forest. Good luck, mortals. You shall need it.

XP: 15,000

For rangers: Strongroot Bow. Max Dmage (req. 8 Marksmanship) 15% More Damage While Health is above 50%. (graphic of an Urgoz's Longbow, though it has the same firing capabilities as a Recurve Bow)
For warriors: Strongroot Axe, Sword, or Hammer. Max Damage. (req. 8 of the mastery attribute) 15% More Damage While Health is above 50%. (wooden swords, axes, and hammers. As strong as regular weapons).
For anything else: (get to choose the stats of your reward while taking the quest) Strongroot Wand and Focus, or Staff. Max Damage. (req. 8 of the attribute in question). Wands are 20/20 for the particular attribute, focuses are attribute +1 chance 20%. Staves are 20/20 for the attribute, but already have a +5 energy mod IN ADDITION to anything you put on it.

Acception Message: Thank you, Melandru. We could really use the help.
Declination Message: We don't need help from some other god. We are strong enough as is.

If you accept, a large spirit that has the same graphic as the Voice of Grenth in front of his statue in Temple of the Ages will appear, any character can talk to it and have it follow him/her. It is a very powerful Water Elementalist, with 20 points in Water Magic and 16 points in Energy Storage. It is a E/N. Skill setup:

Mind Freeze
Ice Spear
Deep Freeze
Frozen Burst
Ice Spikes
Ice Prison
Water Attunement
Elemental Attunement
Grenth's Balance
Vengeance of Grenth (Monster Skill) Description: In the next 30 seconds, if target ally dies, all foes take damage equil to double the damage the ally took in the last 5 seconds of its life. The damage is then transferred to this spirit as health gain.

The mission itsself is simple, fight through the creatures of Melandru's Realm towards a portal into the living world, which is the end of the Forest. The end quest reward is from the Voice of Grenth. NOTE: The bow is customized as soon as you get it, and even if a decustomizer comes out, it cannot be decustomized. Mods can be added onto it, and it can be dyed.

I'd like to see something really different that totally messes around with gameplay. Something like when entering the realm there is a quest automatically put into your bar from Melandru. There's some ridiculous zone wide nature ritual exerting itself from a huge druid like spirit. What it does is flip around some skill requirements. Attacks and shouts costing adreniline now cost that much energy and have a recharge time equal to their energy cost and Spells and shouts costing energy cost that much adreniline divided by two, max 10 or something. Other things, skills, stances, and signets, stay the same. Once the quest is complete by killing the spirit skills are returned to normal. Then there'd be more quests with the normal gameplay. Since the spirit would only be in this zone and not pvp or other pve zones it wouldn't mess up the metagame, might just make some normally nonuseful skills useful.

Not to mention I'd like to see some use for Otugah's Cry. Some nice high level wild animals.