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DEVELOPER'S BLOG
[UPDATE] FAQ about Brief Plans for 2021 Update
Greetings, Saviors. This is the Tree of Savior Development Team. In this posting, we will be answering the most frequently asked questions about the Brief Plans for 2021 Update. Q1. Feedback about Res Sacrae Q1-1. Depending on the level of Res Sacrae, the DPS gap is so severe that it determines whether the top raids are cleared or not. Is there an appropriate way to solve this? Q1-2. Excessive probability factors are involved in acquiring and enhancing Res Sacrae. Why isn’t there a ceiling in these systems? Q1-3. The difference between activating Res Sacrae or not is so huge that it causes the difference in the number of hits in PvE and the situation is determined by the on/off of Res Sacrae in PvP. How will the development team respond to this? After the online presentation, many Saviors sent us inquiries about the Res Sacrae system. Thank you for your sincere interest in Tree of Savior, and the development team also considers the Res Sacrae system as a priority issue. Intentions and Settings of Res Sacrae Res Sacrae was originally planned to be the final item to upgrade after Seal, Ark, Vaivora, and Luciferie Accessory. Here's the performance of Res Sacrae that the development team intended. The effect of Goddess Magenta Gem is very strong with Attack +4000 per level, but in general PvE content, it can only be opened once in one session, so the maximum duration is 100 seconds. Assuming that the clear time of White Witch's Forest Hard mode is around 6 minutes and 30 seconds for a party with an average capability, Res Sacrae is activated during 20% of the total playtime. Based on Lv.6 Res Sacrae Gem, 24000 Attack increases, which is 53% of character with an average Attack of 45000, and 53%(ATK increased) x 0.2(Duration) = 10.6% Attack increases per content. The 10.6% increase in Attack has an effect of 12-14% increase in the actual final damage, reducing the clear time to about 5 minutes and 30 seconds, a minute shorter than the previous 6 minutes and 30 seconds. The calculation is based on the condition that all party members are equipped with Lv.12 Crown of Thorns and Lv.6 Goddess Magenta Res Sacrae Gem. In addition to the effect of Magenta Gem, Res Sacrae also has features such as its separate stat, Cyan Gem's activation factor, and Black Gem's constant effect, but it was not intended to make an overwhelming performance gap compared to other equipment (Lv. 10 Crafted Ark, Luciferie, Seal, Lv.4 Vaivora). However, it is true that it has a great effect in contents with shorter duration, contents such as PvP, where Team Fight at important moments contributes greatly to victory, and in Giltine Raid, where Res Sacrae buff lasts 10 times longer. As previously mentioned, Res Sacrae's overall performance is not overwhelmingly high in general situations compared to other higher-level equipment such as Crafted Ark, Luciferie Accessory, and Vaivora. However, considering that Res Sacrae's effect in certain contents or situations distorts the game's intentions and because the requirements of Res Sacrae is too high compared to other high-grade equipment/items at the current stage of supply and demand, we will proceed with the following measures. Increase the reward of normal Res Sacrae Dungeon We will increase the drop rate of Res Sacrae Gem Box and Res Sacrae Dungeon Entry Voucher in Auto Match Res Sacrae Dungeon. Level of Crown of Thorns will be shared by the team by the future updates and we are planning to widen the chance to obtain Prism Coal and additional Res Sacrae Gem, which is likely to become increasingly scarce when trying to equip different types of Res Sacrae Gems for multiple characters after the future reorganization. About enhancing Res Sacrae Gem Currently, Res Sacrae Gem enhancement works only by probability without a ceiling. Although this won’t be a big problem if the one-time trial cost is low, we understand that there is a big economic and psychological blow and no promise to reach the desired level when Gem level continues to fail at the moment. It's hard to implement a ceiling system or reduce the required ingredients immediately as we've been using these probability systems for months, but we believe that the upcoming decrease in Giltine Hard Raid's difficulty will make the supply of Res Sacrae Gem Catalyst smoother. We will take time to reflect on the supply and events of goods so that we can gradually reduce the fatigue of Res Sacrae Gem enhancement. Res Sacrae Efficiency Deviation due to Difference in Number of Hits In Res Sacrae Dungeon and Giltine Raid included during the Res Sacrae update, monsters had a very high Defense in preparation to the “to be increased ATK”, reducing the frequency of maximum damage as much as possible, but Attacks with a very high factor are still blocked to maximum damage. Also, we recognize that 'high factor in single-hit' characters will be relatively disadvantaged in the future because we still don't have that high defense other than the Res Sacrae content. We will increase the limit of maximum damage to 20,000,000 or 30,000,000 but also make sure at the same time that it is applied within 10 million without any reversal phenomenon through calculation correction. PvP Balance The balance of PvP is considered to bring distortion to the competition, so even if it turns out as a nerf, we will adjust it as we have done in the balance patch. We will carry out the patch by reviewing direct PvP value correction of Res Sacrae Gem (Factor of Cyan Gem, Increase value of Magenta Gem), Cooltime of charging RP during GTW, and the use of Res Sacrae Liberation in the Team Battle League. Q2. In order for a character-level system to be applied ideally, it must be advantageous to complete a small number of high-level content with a single character rather than completing low-level content with a handful of characters. That means there must be a definite return for the investment. I wonder how the development team plans to convert the current team-based reward system to the above. You are very correct. Currently, the acquisition of the main goods of TOS is mostly done in Challenge Mode, Division Singularity, and Legend Raid, which will lose its meaning if only the characters are increased and content goods are not distributed. There was an introduction about Hunting Grounds in the Brief Plans for 2021 Update, which will require high entry conditions, battle against strong monsters, but provides a reasonable reward in return. Also, the biggest change of the Goddess Season (Stated as season for convenience.) is that each character can participate in the Goddess raid, and since it is a Raid content, a certain level of investment and playtime (ex; conditions of entry, difficulty, etc.) is required to obtain goods proportionally. The Goddess material will now be used not only for the crafting of the equipment, but also for the enhancement, transcendence, stat, awaken, and enchantment of the equipment. Even if you grow multiple characters, we will allow strong characters to get more (effective) goods and those who do not get less goods. We will be careful not to repeat the time of challenge mode at Outer Wall District 14 with 40 Schwarzer Reiter in the past. And the number of clear time and rewards of the team content currently concentrated in Auto Match Challenge Mode and Division Singularity will be redistributed to fit the contents added and changed in the Goddess Season. There is additional information in Q4 below. Q3. Does a decrease in Silver dependency means making a new currency? If so, what is the plan for the users who have massive silver? Because silver is a standard currency that can be used at the market, you may know the side effects when inflation occurs. We can decrease the inflation by increasing the number of silver consumption points, but this becomes a burden on new users. This phenomenon is also amplified because silver is used directly for playing content and increasing capabilities of the character. Standard currency has to be produced and deleted at a low speed (on whole worlds) but in-game, silver is produced massively like the normal goods and demands using it as a necessity for growth. After the adjustment, silver needed for increasing the corresponding season’s capability will be changed to ‘Token of the Goddess‘ which is a concept of seasonal goods. With this adjustment, standard currency ‘Silver’ will be obtained less and season currency for content consumption/increasing capability will be obtained more in Challenge Mode, an essential content. Seasonal currency is not permanent. On the next episode or next equipment, a new ‘Token of the Goddess’ will be supplied and needed and the former token will be used only at the archive system (such as the content point). And if necessary, Token of the Goddess can be purchased with silver anytime. If you possess a lot of silver, you can have fast feedback in the game. Purchasing Silver by Token of the Goddess is unavailable. Q4. The biggest reason why I play online games is to communicate with people. But with the recent patch, field challenge has lost its meaning and there is no content that we can communicate with people while playing due to Auto Match. Will these parts return in future content? We have explained the necessity of Auto Match contents so far, but it is true that the frequency of communication has decreased as a side effect. We think this is a phenomenon that stands out even more because a large part of the current playtime in TOS is concentrated in Auto Match Challenge Mode and Division Singularity. For now, Legend raid entry count is shared as a team, so users have to spend their time on Auto Match contents, but after the adjustment, entry count will be provided per each character and adjustment will be done on the massive team count content (practically), Challenge mode. Even afterwards, we will make an effort to maintain Auto Match content as a content where users can obtain minimum goods needed for the game. This means it won’t be giving out too much so that you can earn enough goods by only clearing Auto Match, or put the user on too much challenge by forcing to party + requiring high investment. Q5. You’ve said that the Vaivora weapon is 2 times of certain skill, but it differs by which skill so in fact it doesn’t at all. Vaivora such as Double Marking has multiple times of difference when equipped, but Vaivora like Reinforced Bowstring has no difference. I am asking if the development team is aware of this, and if there is a plan to adjust the balance. Because each skill has different efficiency, there are differences in increasing the final damage dealing capability of the character depending on what skill stat Vaivora has. Because the same cost is needed when getting the Vaivora and leveling up, the increased rate of damage is set equally. (2 times for the normal skill with an adequate cooldown, lower than 2 times when the importance of the giving damage (such as normal attack) is much higher.) At the beginning of Vaivora, we haven’t directly modified the item’s performance, but from last year we are modifying when there is an issue about the combination with Vaivora to improve the point you've suggested. Please understand that we are processing it sequentially due to plans, and we will improve them quickly and continuously so that you can receive feedback that is appropriate for your investment in the game. Q6. Although the storyline of Orsha is removed, the story flow is still proceeded based on the assumption that the ‘Saviors are already aware of the Orsha storyline before’. New users cannot understand the dialogue of the Goddess in the EP13 area. Does the development team have a plan for this? If there are insufficient descriptions of the major characters or historical events of the Tree of Savior, we will constantly update them through quests or other devices to make up for it. We are planning to introduce the former Orsha story on Episode 13-2 and 14 which is about the historical events and descriptions of characters to make the game more interesting. Also, we’re preparing for a sub-quest to supplement this on episode 13-2. Q7. You’ve said that if there are 2 slots, you divide the ability average of each slot by 2. Then do we divide by 1 when you have only 1 equipment in the slot? Actually, it is (1 + 1) / 2. It means that all slots have to be equipped with equipment to have a similar Attack and Defense rate with the existing 1 set. (Goddess rank has higher Attack/Defense value than the Lv.440 Legend rank) To support this, we provide 2 sets of main weapon + sub weapon for free, and the cost to craft/upgrade weapons that will be 4 slots will be decreased similarly to armors with 4 slots. Q8. There used to be limitations on equipping parts for existing skill gems. Will there be changes on limitations when skill gem is only applied on armors? Limitations on armors such as top/bottom/gloves/shoes will be removed. But it is the same as before in that only 1 effect of the same skill gem will be applied. This concludes the FAQ about Brief Plans for 2021 Update. Thank you. ※ Contents, values, and attached materials described in this posting may be added, deleted, or changed when applying to the live server.
Achievement System Reorganization
Hello, this is Tree of Savior Dev. Team. This posting is about Achievement system adjustment. Achievement reorganization will be about changes in the current UI and introducing a new system. By changing the UI, we are trying to make the Achievement system convenient and easy to use. In addition, by adding a new Achievement system, we expect that saviors who use achievement content will enjoy a positive playing experience. UI Adjustment The achievement list, which could be checked via 'Character Info (F1)' before, will be joined with the 'Adventure Journal (F4)'. <Currently Adjusting Achievement Window> <Achievement / Adventure Journal tab> Achievement is divided into 'Main Achievement', 'Contents Achievement', 'Special Achievement', and 'Event Achievement'. Each category has sub-categories, and you can check the total progress and the reward status from the main window of the Achievement. <Image of Achievement progress in the Main screen> The achievements are classified again by the sub-category UI button at each main category. Achievements that savior can receive reward or Achievements with high progress will be exposed on the Achievement list. You can receive every reward of the completed Achievement in the list via 'Receive All at Once' button below. <Achievement in category tab> Details of Achievement you've selected appears on the right side of the main category tab. 'Achievement title', 'Level', 'Progress', Receive Reward', 'Achievement Goal' and 'Achievement reward' will appear. <Details of Achievement> There are currently more than 300 Achievements including the Hidden Achievements, but it hasn't been easy to check the reward or title each Achievement gives. With this adjustment, saviors will be able to search the Achievement they wish and check the details easily. You can search for achievements by main category, sub-category, through the presence or absence of rewards and titles, and whether it is timed or not. In addition, you can check and receive rewards and register achievements without any action on the screen. <Search Achievement Function> System Adjustment The Achievement Level system is added. You can receive a certain amount of EXP by clearing the Achievement, and the level is determined according to the system. Achievement Level affects various reward systems related to the Achievement contents. EXP is set for the existing Achievements, and the Achievement level will be calculated automatically according to the completed Achievement during the adjustment. <Achievement Level and EXP> You can receive Achievement Level Reward when reaching Achievement Level. <Achievement Level Reward> Achievement Item Exchange system will be added. You can check it on the left bottom side of the main tab. The list will be renewed periodically, and you can exchange it for an item with in-game consumables. Achievement Item Exchange list includes not only the consumable items but also items that once were provided at the events and Contents Point Shop. (Excludes the items in the TP shop) We expect that the saviors will be able to acquire the items they couldn't obtain anymore. <Achievement Item Exchange> Timed Achievement will be added. Timed Achievement will be exposed in a certain period via UI, and you can only achieve these Achievements during that period. (When completing the Achievement within the period, the reward can be received regardless of term.) <Timed Achievement> When the Timed Achievement is near the ending period, the clock icon turns red. <Timed Achievement near ending period> The remaining time of Timed Achievement can be checked via details. <Remaining time of Timed Achievement> Rewards for existing Achievement will be added. Previously, only the title was given as a reward for completing Achievements. But after this adjustment, Attribute Points and Goddess Token will be added as a reward. You can receive this additional reward even if the Achievement is already cleared by pressing the 'Receive Reward' UI. <Reward added to the existing Achievement> Achievement Tracking system is added. A maximum of 5 Achievements will be displayed on the main screen by selecting them from the Achievement window. By using this function, you can easily check the Achievement status without opening the UI. <Achievement Tracking - Register> <Achievement Tracking - Main Screen> Play newly added Achievement contents After the Achievement adjustment, you need to check the Level system. The Achievement level is a measure of the overall Achievement progress and is a standard for all reward systems related to the Achievement. In order to increase the Achievement level, you need to gain EXP by clearing the Achievement. <Gain EXP by clearing Achievement> You can proceed with the Achievements by selecting various ways such as tracking and clearing Achievements with high progress, clearing Achievement with high reward EXP, and clearing quests or contents altogether. <You can register Achievement Tracking according to your playing goal> While enjoying the Achievement Content, you'll be able to receive rewards in 3 ways. <Individual Achievement Reward> First, you can receive rewards for Individual Achievement. Additional reward besides the Title is added to not only the new Achievements but the already existing Achievements. <Achievement Level Reward> Secondly, you can receive rewards according to the Achievement Level. You can helpful items will be given out as rewards when reaching a certain level. (1 time per team) <Example of items from Achievement Item Exchange> You can purchase the items from Achievement Item Exchange according to the Achievement Level. Goal for the New Achievement and Achievement Contents New Achievement will be added. 'Achievement: Challenge Mode clear' will be expanded. 'Achievement: Challenge Mode: Division Singularity' will be expanded. 'Achievement: Clear Remnants of Bernice certain stage' will be added. 'Achievement: Clear Remnants of Bernice total certain stage' will be added. 'Achievement: Clear Demonic Sanctuary: Legend (Party) total certain stage' will be added. 'Achievement: Clear Res Sacrae Raid: Auto Match (Hard) total certain stage' will be expanded. 'Achievement: Clear Assister Dungeon certain stage' will be added. Some of the newly added Achievements will be applied retroactively according to the accumulated play data. We will continuously update the Achievements when new contents are updated so that it can help players enjoy playing the game and receive more rewards. Goddess Token (Gabija) will be given as an additional reward for the New Achievement. By adding Goddess Token (Gabija) as a reward for new Achievements, we expect that it varifies the supply of Goddess Token (Gabija) and it leads players to enjoy the game. Event Achievement will be added. Event Achievements are mostly timed. You can complete the event Achievement by activities related to the current event, and you can receive event coins or items that help the event, title, etc as a reward. <Image of Event Achievement> <Event Achievement Title> This concludes the announcement of Achievement Adjustments. There may be changes when it is applied to the live server. Thank you.
OUT NOW! The Popolion Post - April 2019 Issue
Greetings, Saviors! The April issue of The Popolion Post is out now! Click the link below or the one in our homepage to read all about the newest content and dev insight. This issue features: - Development Map for 2019 A look into what's in store for TOS this year! - Dev Q&A: Recent Content The devs answer your questions and feedback on the latest content additions! - Coming Up Next: Episode 11 The next big content update and what it brings to the table! - Interview with rjgtav from TOS.GURU TPP's exclusive interview with the creator of the famous fanmade TOS database! - And much more! Click [HERE] to start reading!
NPC Profile - Appraiser Master
Appraiser Master - Sandra The Self-taught Appraiser, Sandra The daughter of a wizard, Sandra was trained by her father to cultivate her hidden talents. After his passing, while organizing her father’s property and deciding what items would be worth selling, Sandra learned more about her father’s well-balanced classification system and the nature of the various items he had collected. This became her first guide into the world of appraising. With a discerning eye fit for a professional, Sandra organized her inheritance and made a sizeable profit. Thus realizing she had a special affinity for this type of work. Using the money gained from her inheritance, she collected and traded various materials to hone her skills. And in a matter of years, she began to receive the recognition she deserved for her skills. She has continued to gain the trust of merchants and traders due to her always friendly demeanor and proper pricing. Even items that others find difficult to judge, she can appraise them with ease. Sandra is well respected in the industry and though a few have tried, no one has been able to deceive her.
Weekly Question and Answer – August 19th, 2016
Q. It seems as if the level difference when entering the Siaulai Mission has greatly increased. Are there any plans to increase the penalty ratio according to the now widened level difference? A. We widened the level difference in order to allow for more convenient and faster match-making. This will of course mean that the penalties will have to be adjusted accordingly. We are currently testing different ratios and will apply them as soon as we figure out something that works well. They will be mentioned in the patch notes when they are applied, so please pay close attention to future patch notes. Q. A lot of time on the EXP Tomes seem to be wasted while we travel back and forth between maps or wait in queue for the instanced dungeons. Are there any plans to make them more user friendly? A. We have received a lot of feedback regarding the EXP Tomes and are currently considering many options. We wish to improve them as to allow players to be able to use them to their full potential. We are looking forward to announcing improved versions in the near future. Q. Protecting the "Torch" for 3 minutes during the Siaulai Mission seems to be a bit too long and tiresome. Will there be any chance of re-balancing that particular part of the mission? A. Thanks to player feedback, we have decided to take a close look into improving the game play experience of the Siaulai Mission. While unable to tell you the specifics, we are testing various variations in order to find a good balance. We will make an announcement with more details after the finishing touches are made. Please be on the lookout for any related announcements. Q. When will we able to enter Cut-scenes in Party Quests and not get stuck? A. The particular bug has been fixed in the August 16th Scheduled Maintenance. We offer our most sincere apologies in the inconvenience it had caused before getting fixed, and wish to thank all of you that have endured before it got fixed.
Let’s listen directly from our developer - Art Director MAGGI
Hello. We are "Tree of Savior" development team. There were so many questions regarding the art concept of TOS, so I asked our art director Maggi directly. Maggi has been with imcGAMES for a long time since “Granado Espada”. ▲The person who had drawn this poster from GE! Q) What was the reason that TOS selected quarter view? A) Back when our team was first formed to develop TOS, there were so many games out there which concentrated on new rendering technologies and detailed expressions. There were just so many of them. All of them focused on reality so it was very hard to distinguish each game by just looking at screenshots. Instead of just showing characters’ backs, we wanted 3rd person point of view so that players can be more immersed into the game and since timing is crucial in this game, we thought quarter view fits well. That’s why we removed angle rotations. It was also easier to take a view around the characters. ▲ Quarter view which emphasizes player's visibility Q) So quarter view was not just selected to reminisce about the old, classic games. A) No. Classical designs are just methods and not our objective. To enhance visibility, we even removed angle rotations which were available in the earlier version. We wanted players to really immerse into their characters so as we develop the game, characters’ representations became more and more simple. Eyes, eyebrows, and lips of the characters in the earlier version were very detailed, but we kept modifying the characters so now characters’ eyes are more emphasized. Q) Are there any differences in the art concept of TOS compared with the other games? A) We wanted to give players a feeling that TOS is like a moving fairy tale book or pop-up book so most of the textures are actually hand drawn by our designers. Instead of relying too much on new 3D rendering technologies, we are trying to emphasize the details so it takes little more time. The number of drawings that we have drawn since the start of TOS project is much more than the number of drawings that we had drawn in the past. Q) Was there some kind of objective that you had in your mind when you were designing the backgrounds of the game? A) I wanted to make TOS like a huge diorama. We wanted characters to touch on or climb on neatly designed architectures and decorations. To give fairy tale feeling, we emphasized on shapes as much as we had on the characters. As a result, I enjoy myself even when my characters just walk on the fields in the game. Q) There are some opinions that the game looks little dark. A) We have thought about it a lot. The world in TOS has some dystopian element so we couldn’t just make it too bright and too happy. Instead, we wanted players to really immerse into the world. The details and the expressions in the game should not be just cute and lovely. Depicting the world as it is, and depicting the reality as closely as possible is more important to us. If there is grass, then it should sway in the wind. ▲ We want to ride on that cable car !! If there is a lever, regardless of how small it is, players should be able to pull it. Q) How did you collect information? A) To collect information and documents for backgrounds, costume designs and etc, our staff traveled to various places including Lithuania, Turkey, Nepal, France, China and etc. We still have many more places to go. ▲Collecting info at Vilnius ▲'Fedimian' is designed based on the information we collected from Bhaktapur, Nepal. Q) There was a question whether this game is based on the Norse mythology. A) We got a motive from Lithuanian mythology. There are classes in the game which are related to the gods in Baltic mythology. The same goes for the “Tree” which is the major part of the story in the game. However, we used Lithuanian mythology only as a motive so the game is not wholly based on Lithuanian mythology. Q) Please give a word to our fans who are waiting for this game. A) We are working happily on TOS. I hope our fans keep their continuous interest on TOS. ▲The initial wizard design in TOS. It may appear as a NPC in the future. Okay so that’s it for our interview with Maggi. AD Maggi is responsible for character designs, costumes, illustrations, NPC images, background images and a lot more in TOS. She always has a drawing pen on her hand. Send her a support message!
Developer's Blog : 2024 July Planned Update
Greetings, Saviors! IMC Games here. Hope everyone's doing well despite the blazing heat of summer. We will be giving you a heads up on the update planned for July in this post. Starting from July update, you will be able to fight alongside Kupoles! We will be giving you a sneak peek of the Kupole system. You will see a new icon added on the bar below, as seen in the image. In the [Kupole Recruitment] tab, you can attempt to recruit Kupoles. The image below is an example of it. Goddess Saule have appeared! You can choose which Kupoles to accompany you in the [Kupole Management] tab. Accompanying Kupoles (by activating them on a slot in the right side of the UI) will participate in combat, and grant additional effects. Following image is the example of how Kupoles look like in the field. Five goddesses await the Saviors in the upcoming Kupole update. Although it is short, we hope this would help to alleviate some of the questions you all might have had about what's coming in the future. We are also planning to host an event to commemorate the Kupole update, so stay tuned! Please keep in mind all of the images are still in development and not the final representation of what will be coming into the game. Thank you.
NPC Origins – Bullet Marker Master
NPC Origins – Bullet Marker Master Who is Flint Winterwood? Flint Winterwood's hobby is keeping an eye out for exciting opponents. Unlike others who may simply hunt stronger foe, Flint searches for a deeper challenge: opponents who can match his skill in battle and offer an interesting fight. This follows that he relishes the trial presented when facing off and defeating wickedly skillful foes. And to continue to do so he has developed the areas of gun-tech, marksmanship, and bullet manufacturing. Although he did not break any of the Kingdom’s laws, he did have a poor reputation due to his life or death fighting ways. In truth, he lived by his own rules and presented a personality that was hardened and not the least bit sociable. But this changed when the day came that his opponents were no longer people, but monsters and demons. It was that day, Medzio Diena, that helped his reputation. Winter Flint A mansion, dating back centuries, had been overtaken by a melancholy mood that matched its aging years. Yet, it was not always like that. Just a few weeks ago, the mansion glowed with the prestige it had gathered over the years and the atmosphere was not so heavy. But, the actions of a certain someone led to a family meeting being held in a mood so somber that it affected not only the disposition of the mansion but the extended family as well. Walking down a corridor of this mansion, in the direction of the meeting, were two men and one woman. Of these three people, the one to the far right, Vaidotas Winterspoon, addressed the man walking to his left. “’I did wrong. I will not do so again in the future.’ That is what you will say. Understood? Don't speak of anything else.” The woman interjected, “But, why must our Flint apologize? And you, Vaidotas, are being quite annoying.” ”You are the annoying one, Lucienne. Do you then think it's alright for Flint to be punished?” “What did he do that this is the case?” “I also think he did nothing wrong. But if it's all so simple, why have the elders gone so far as to hold a family meeting?” “For the elders to feel the need to do so, shows how old fashioned they are. If Flint inherits the head of the household our family will have to change as well.” “It's important that he first endures today's meeting before considering his inheritance.” Although Flint was carefully listening to the words of his cousins, he did not speak. It was not that he refused to answer, but rather he had yet to decide what it was that he would do. Whether they were aware of this or not, Vaidotas and Lucienne continued their debate until the three of them arrived at the doors of the meeting. Just before opening the door, Vaidotas stressed his previous thoughts onto Flint one final time. The door, now opened, revealed dozens of men and women sitting inside the hall. A look around and one would note a single, remote chair that was prepared as though its future occupant was to face trial or interrogation. To the front and at an angle on either side of this chair, the men and women waited. Vaidotas and Lucienne took their seats in their respective places. And, without a word, Flint Winterspoon, the man who had followed them both, took his place at the center in the lone chair. However you viewed it, this event was for him. Although his seat seemed that of a criminal on trial, he was today's main protagonist. In other words, today these people would judge if he would be a hero or a villain. From that perspective, you could say he was less like a criminal waiting trial and more like an actor awaiting the reviews of the audience. Now there was but one place of honor that remained empty. If this place was also filled then the hall would seat 33. However, if one excludes the man sitting in the place of the defendant, there were only 31 people sitting around him, staring him down. An elderly man, sitting to the right of the empty place of honor, opened his mouth to speak. “With this, the current members of the Winterspoon family who have completed the rite of passage, for the exception of one, have all gathered here today. In place of our vacant Patriarch, I will take the role of eldest and announce the start of the 817th Family Meeting.” He paused slightly before continuing. “Kohath Winterspoon you have requested the right to speak and thus, you may go first.” To his right, a man sitting in the center of the group rose, bowed his head towards the rest of the family in greeting, and spoke. “This meeting was originally intended to be a joyful one to fill the vacancy of the Patriarch in the family. However, it is unfortunate that one of our members, who was a strong candidate for such a position, has been suspected of violating the family law and the rules of the alchemists. This meeting now serves as an investigation. Our family has been regarded for centuries as the most prestigious in the kingdom and the very founders of alchemy.” Kohath took a breath, then spoke on. ”One. An Alchemist's research and results will not interfere with the divine providence of the Goddesses. Two. An Alchemist's research and results will not bring harm to the Goddesses. Three. An Alchemist will never use the Goddesses or humans as raw material. All Alchemist will seek to follow the aforementioned provisions and will work to ensure others do as well. As you know, as a member of this family, these are the first sentences you learn and last that you keep until the day you die. Yet, it seems that Flint Winterspoon has allowed these rules to slip his mind. He hopes to use alchemy to craft more powerful weapons. If we begin to use the skills and capability of our family to create such things, what sort of issues will arise? What sort of horrible place will our world become if these weapons exist? I judge that we stop this type of research and experimentation. There is not one person in the history of the Winterspoon family who has directly used alchemy to develop weapons. No, even more, no one has spared the thought. And to come here and hear that the person who will be inheriting the family hopes to use alchemy as a foundation to create weapons cannot be ignored.” When he was done, a young man raised his hand and asked for permission to address the family. The elderly man gave such permission with his eyes, and the younger one began. It was Vaidotas Winterspoon. ”What was just said does not match the truth. Cheminis Sword, Vine Equipment, Riena Equipment and more were all created by our family or were provided for by our skill. With these weapons we have made great contributions to the kingdom by saving many lives. If we consider this example, and continue to think that making weapons with alchemy is a problem then this would lead to the absurd thinking that all blacksmiths and weapon makers in our world are killers who do not know the sanctity of life.” Although a select few nodded at Vaidotas words, Kohath did not stand down. ”Do you think I don't know that? My nephew knows of only one thing and speaks unknowingly of the second. Do you know how long ago gun powder was invented? During the time of Sosel the 2nd, our family created gun power, yet as time passed, as powerful as it may be, gun power based weapons did not become the norm. Even the majority of the Kingdom's soldiers use spears and swords. Have you considered why?” But before Vaidotas could retort, another person raised their hand. This time it was Lucienne Winterspoon. With permission, she began to speak. “Nonetheless, the Royal Army does use Sappers and Cannons. The reason why the Kingdom tends not to use gun power is because they are already using weapons founded in magic and divine energy that are just as good as gun powder. But this doesn't mean that gun power is weak. Guns and swords are all just weapons. Our family applied alchemy to swords and spears, so there is no reason for us not to do the same with gun powder based weapons. It is our family that has developed gun power and we should consider it time to develop it further, Father.” And with grace Lucienne Winterspoon ended her appeal. But Kohath words were harsh. ”I have failed as my daughter’s teacher. From the time of Sosel the 2nd for thousands of years, you think that various patriarchs have not thought of applying such research because of a lack of curiosity or ability? It was through wisdom and discretion that they began to realize the dangers.” Before either Lucienne or Vaidotas could recover permission to speak, the doors flew open and a single person walked in. Although not a usual attendant of such meeting, it was for this person that the highest chair of honor was left vacant. And though not many were used to seeing her, all members of the family knew her face. It was not a face easy to forget even if seen only once over several decades. Time had passed and yet her features had not changed at all, making her all the more recognizable. When she entered the room, the other members of the family rose from their seats and bowed their heads in reverence of the eldest member. And as she walked, she began to speak, “Although I have attended great meetings, it has been awhile since I've attended one where the moment it opens a debate has already started.” The elderly man who was acting representative addressed her. ”It has been awhile, Great Aunt.” The woman, Lucid Winterspoon casually nodded her head and disappeared. Reappearing in the vacant chair high above. ”As time went by I grew tired of being called Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Great-Great-Grandmother and asked to go by Great Aunt, but Kenaz, we are both old and to hear you call me that has put me off.” Lucid Winterspoon took her seat and the rest if the family followed suit. As Kenaz Winterspoon considered what to say, Lucid stopped him. “In the time it took to approach this chair I saw all that had occurred here. You do not need to explain it to me.” With that said, Lucid turned her attention to the man sitting in the defendant's chair, Flint Winterspoon. ”It is not clear if pausing a heated discussion is the best idea, but if the opinions differ so much as to start a fight and where opposing opinions could lead to further misunderstandings, the discussion must be put to rest. And I think that time has come.” After speaking, Lucid took a moment to examine the other members one by one. She saw in them the descendants of her brothers and sisters who had long passed away centuries ago. Then spoke again. “Although, I would like us to share our thoughts and wisdom to work towards an appropriate conclusion, I know that the truth is that we do not have the time. Lucid Winterspoon directed her next question towards Flint, “This whole time, we still have not asked you of your opinion. Hearing the opinion of the others is important, but first we must hear from you. What are your thoughts? Do you wish to use alchemy to develop these powerful bullets and sell them?” Flint Winterspoon, shocked by the appearance of a famous family member he had only heard stories about, was at a loss for words. As such, Lucid Winterspoon waited quietly for the answer and this was the result. ”I would prefer if it was not summarized in that way, but your summary is not wrong. Great Aunt.” Lucid Winterspoon turned back to the whole assembly, ”For the exception of a few, the majority of the family members here oppose this thought. I, for one, think that working on something again with alchemy that I have left untouched for the last 100 years would bring exciting developments...” Kohath Winterspoon's mouth fell open and a weak indignant voice escaped his lips. “Great Aunt!” But Lucid Winterspoon silenced him with a wave of her finger. ”This is not the time to get excited, my boy. I simply mean that I do not wish to deal with the family's work here and there. And I am past the age of being able to do such exciting experiments... She stopped and after a long paused continued again. ”I understand that this is not the opinion you would like to hear. But if anyone shares a different one then feel free to speak. But right now, I will ask Flint. The work you would like to do, can you complete it with the help of our family?” Flint's expression changed. It was because he had never let the thought cross his mind. Lucienne and Vaidotas, who were sitting amongst the family, shared a look over this exciting prospect and waited for Flint's response with anticipation. The other family members as well shared a similar anticipation as they stared at Flint. His concerns were many, but time was short and the answer he had for himself was ever more so. Thus his answer came easy. “Of course not. I would not need to focus on the Winterspoon's family power or influence. But, the problem remains that I will not be using my skills for the family.” “If that is the case, why do you feel the need to convince them? If you have no interest in the patriarch seat, can't you simply go and do the work you wish? If you feel frustrated and unable to use your talents within the family, then leave. The family will not collapse without you. I know this because I, too, have done nothing to contribute to the family for centuries.” Kohath and a few others wished to protest but, the family, for centuries, faced no problems with the absence of Lucid's alchemy and there was no evidence to support the opinion that removing Flint would suddenly cause problems. But Flint was still shocked by the idea of leaving the family, a thought that had never occurred to him. But as he thought about it the more the idea was to his liking. When Lucid Winterspoon saw this change she was prompted to speak. “If Flint leaves the family, then whatever work he does we have no reason to interfere. However, we cannot ignore the fact that the foundation of Flint's work is our own teachings. So, if you carry the Winterspoon name you cannot complete the work you would like to do. Whatever comes next will be difficult, and ending your connection with the family will also bring challenges, so in the future go by the name, Winterwood. I ask that you use this name as a guide to remember to walk the path between what you have learned from the family and what you hope to do in your own work.” Kohath spoke, ”Saying he will leave the family does not excuse him from the rules of alchemy. It is not just our family but all Alchemists in the Kingdom -- no the world who must adhere to these immutable principles.” Lucid Winterspoon replied. ”I know your worries. But Flint is not the type of person to use what he has learned with reckless abandonment. You too already know this, no? And I also believe that in the long-term this work will be good for the family and for the advancement of our world. Have you forgotten that I am a Chronomancer? And if you would like to discuss the rules of alchemy, it was I who was at the center of its creation. Forget the thought that you can tie me down using the fear of these principles.” Kenaz, not waiting to miss the opportunity to keep the rarely seen Lucid Winterspoon involved with the family, spoke. ”If it pleases you, how about also recommending the next head of the family? Just mention a promising person to be patriarch and you can go your way.” If the person Lucid picks does become the next patriarch, and Lucid is there to help them the success of the family would be even greater. If one considers the generations of patriarchs who had begged Lucid earnestly for a single shred of advice, this was an opportunity the family could not let slip by. “You should pick a person from the next generation. Vaidotas would do well. The family elders will help to guide the younger Patriarch...” Kohath who was ignoring Kenaz's gaze had a need to object this time too. “Vaidotas' alchemist abilities are fine. But he does not share the same strength as Flint. He is but a scholar. And, as you know, to be the patriarch you need to have a certain level of fighting skill as well.” On hearing this, Kenaz realized that Kohath was not opposed to Vaidotas as leader but rather wanted to restrain Lucid to the role of looking after a weaker patriarch. To ensure what this is what was said, Lucid Winterspoon spoke first. “Since he is still young we can prepare him carefully. To develop his other skills. If you feel anxious, we can send him to train. In fact, let us do this. Recently, the Swordsman Master gave up his public office and retired to Klaipeda. Let us send Vaidotas to Klaipeda to receive his guidance.” The elder, Kenaz, spoke. “Learning how to fight like a warrior isn't bad, but don't you think, if it is possible, learning how to fight as a Wizard from you, Great Aunt, would be simpler?” “The Wizard Society would be in an uproar if I trained him. It would be seen as favoritism and I will still need to be responsible for the work I am supposed to do. Send him south. Let him experience the Great Woodlands and other areas, and along the way I will teach him about the climate of each region and their special materials. It has been hundreds of years since I've trained someone in alchemy. But I will yield this amount. In this case you will arrive to Klaipeda a bit late, but warrior training needs not to be rushed.” At this, Lucid stopped and closed her eyes for a moment. ‘No…if our family’s members try to save this world, even just a small step it will prove difficult. We will have to match the time… We cannot be too strong, nor weak, we must match the moment perfectly… It doesn’t need to be Vaidotas, but there is also no reason not to. As long as it does not interfere with the providence and expectations of the Goddesses, it will be okay…’ And like that the thought disappeared. Of course, she could not share her thinking with the others. Instead, she turned to Flint and spoke. ”You have given up the burden of Patriarch, but there is other work you must bear. I will pray that the honor of the goddesses be revealed through you. You still retain half of the family name and for that you must carry our reputation with you.” This frustrated Flint.” If someone else has said that I would not have found it so strange, but from you Great Aunt, I do not know.” At that accusation, Lucid replied. ”Oh? But it is like that, no? Even if we go our separate ways, no matter how far we go, we cannot be fully apart.” When those words were spoken, Lucid Winterspoon, without a single goodbye began to disappear. The remaining family members, who were used to this behavior, sent her off by bowing their heads. Although they did not have the ability to see as far into the future as Lucid, they could feel that this was the start of a new era. However, not one of them remaining there knew how difficult this new era would be.
NPC Origins – Matador Master
NPC Origins – Matador Master Who is Matador Master Chridela Otero? Chridela Otero has both the impressive martial art talent and hard-working spirit needed to reach the level of Master. And what others might find interesting is that she holds weapon mastery and femininity in the same regard. On top of that, she finds that others misjudge her due to her appearance and, thus, she has mastered the art of letting her skills speak for themselves. After her family lost their noble status, she was forced to mature when faced with the difficult decision of either finding a trade or getting married. But, she met a sponsor who saw her potential. He trained her in fencing and swordsmanship but the opportunity for her to become a Master in such things did not come. Unable to find a vacant seat, Otero continued to look for ways to unleash her talent as a Master and discovered the Matadors. Due to her skills and determination, she overcame the gender basis against her and, today, her success can be seen from her status and her position as Master of the Matadors. Chridela Otero Diaries Pt. 1 In a small, tattered house, an old man reached out his hand from the crude bed where he lay. Chridela took her father's hand into her own. “I'm sorry, Chridela. It's my own fault that I wasted my noble blood only to die like this. I only regret never having done anything for you.” The girl shook her head. “Please don't say that. You have to get better.” “If only I had the fortune of your grandfather, your future would have been very different.” “I can take care of my future.” “I'm sorry.” Her father repeated the words one more time when, as if all energy had left him, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. Chridela, having skipped already two meals in a row, succumbed to hunger and fatigue as she, too, went to sleep. When she woke up, her father had already left the world. After the humble funeral, arranged with the help of the villagers, young Chridela could do nothing but cry in her empty house. Her tears had only just dried out when she heard someone knock on the door. Chridela didn't answer, but the door wasn't locked, and they came in through the open door. There were two of them; one was the village elder, the other was a man she didn't recognize. The man took one look at Chridela and sighed. He said to her, “I know your father met someone like me not long ago, and I know it won't be easy hearing what I have to say to you, but...” Before he could continue, Chridela wiped her tears to stare boldly at the man. “An Otero never avoids responsibility, for better or for worse. What is it that you came to tell me?” The man looked back with a hint of surprise on his face. “You are brave for such a young girl. People used to say no one in the family was half as good as Manel Otero.” The man observed Chridela's expression, but the fact that he had just insulted her family didn't seem to bother her. It wasn't that she didn't understand, she was only being cautious. The man was again surprised by her attitude. This time, he addressed her in a serious tone. “Manel Otero, the founder of your family, was granted noble status under His Majesty, King Termanel, the 38th ruler of our Kingdom. By the third generation, all of your family's property, assets and valuables had been either sold or impounded. Paintings by Sakkurrhe, the great artist of King Wardel's era, were let go at a price that doesn't nearly compare to their value. A most regretful decision, if I may say. Your father had nothing but the noble status of his name, and now he is no more.” “You don't have to tell me what I already know. You should start by telling me who you are.” “Oh! Where are my manners? I am Kdit, from the Kedora Merchant Alliance. I can't really say it's nice to meet you at a time like this. Alas, this is how we had to meet. I'm surprised you were already aware of all of that. But there's something you need to know.” Chridela waited for the man to continue. “Your father may have been born to a noble family, but under our law, that privileged status does not last forever. The Otero family has never made significant contributions to the Kingdom. What's more, they wasted their reputation and wealth throughout the generations. That is why your noble status has been revoked. Your family will no longer receive the benefits granted to the noble class, particularly in the fiscal sector. Perhaps, fortunately, your family has no more wealth to benefit from. This house and all it contains will also become property of the Kedora Alliance. It's a fortunate thing your father owes us and not another agency. We are not the type to strip a poor orphan girl of all her belongings to avoid losses. That said, we can't let you stay in this house anymore. What’s more, it's not just a matter of paying off your father's debt. You need to live with a legal guardian until you're an adult.” “A guardian?” “Or you can be sent to an orphanage run by the clerics, though I do think a guardian is your best option. You'll be sent to your ruling lord, where you'll receive work and education. Most take the chance to learn a profession they can follow as adults. If you're talented enough, there's nothing you can't learn. The lord is required by the law to pay for your upbringing, no matter how costly. Of course, if you're looking for more than basic education, you'll have to pay it all back to the lord once you become an adult.” “So I get to live in the lord's castle?” “Not quite...Normally that is what happens, but your case is different. Someone else has volunteered to be your guardian.” “Who?” “I cannot tell you; not yet. But don't worry. Becoming an orphan's legal guardian is not only a matter of wealth or will, and we at the Kedora Alliance would never disregard the safety of a child.” Kdit paused for a moment. “You don't have to call a neighbor, we will be taking you to your guardian ourselves. Forgive me for this remark but, financially, what we're doing here is a loss for the Kedora Alliance. This old house and everything in it is not enough to repay your father's loan. However, we will allow you to take anything you want with you. That includes objects you may have hidden outside the house, of course, as long as you're able to carry them. Make sure to take anything you think is necessary or important. We won't check even if you're hiding gold bars or other valuables, so I recommend you take as many as possible. Everything you leave behind will be appropriated and reutilized by the Alliance. We will you give you a few hours to prepare. When we return, I expect you to be ready to leave.” Chridela acquiesced and Kdit gave her a short nod before exiting through the front door. The village elder quietly expressed his condolences to the girl before leaving the house. Kdit was still nearby when the elder came out. They had promised Chridela time to prepare, so they began walking towards the village. A few steps on their way, the elder turned to Kdit. “I have to say, the Kedora Alliance is much more... generous than I had imagined.” Kdit smiled abashedly, “There's always something to be gained in everything the Alliance does. We give when we must give, and we take when we must take. It's only a question of maintaining balance. In a way, we can afford to be generous because of how effectively we make a profit.” The village elder didn't quite agree with Kdit, but he chose not to contradict him. Instead, he said, “I'm glad you found a guardian for Chridela. Our village doesn't have the means to look after the girl, and sending her to work for the lord would mean an entire life of menial jobs. She would probably end up in someone else's land, the poor girl...” “That doesn't sound like a bad life at all.” “But considering that she comes from a noble family, I would rather she followed another path, that's all.” Silently, Kdit nodded in agreement. In his mind, however, the Kedora Alliance official had other thoughts. 'If she fails to prove herself to her guardian, she might as well marry a farmer and live a quiet life in the countryside. She may not have a choice right now, but with her attitude, there's no telling what the future of this girl will be...'