From now on the frontiers will be a little bit more populated. Let me introduce to you the Supply Caravans. They will be in with the next patch, probably in the next 24 hours.
[attachment=1]sshot664.jpg[/attachment]
What?
We rebuild the Keep-Upgrade-System. Keeps will still upgrade automaticly (no matter if a caravan reaches your keep) after getting claimed, but only to lvl 4. If you want to upgrade your keep any higher, you need to make sure that supply caravans will reach your keep. The higher the keep will be the more supply caravans it will take to reach the next level. Caravan Guards have the wearing the emblem of the claimed guild on cloak and shield and will have a guild tag.
Caravans start from the borderkeeps (Ligen, Cain, Vindsaul, Svasud, Sauvage, Snow) and from the porterkeeps. Caravans are only send to a keep that your realm has under control. Caravans only leave for claimed keeps. If a keep is released, it will be instant lvl 1 again. Caravans that are still on the way to that keep and reach it, will upgrade the keep.
Example: [attachment=0]Unbenannt.JPG[/attachment]
According to this example, there will be Hibernian supply caravans from Cain to Behnn, nGed and Crauchon, from Ligen to Bolg, Crim and Crauchon, alb caravans from Atk to Ailinne and mid caravans from Mtk to Scathaig. If Hibs reraid Ailinne, then there will be no more alb caravans from the Atk to Ailinne, but a hib caravan from Ligen to Ailinne.
Every caravan will be guarded by 2 lvl 60 guards. Caravans are send every 3 mins. Sticking to the above example, the first caravan from DL will travel to Bolg, 3 mins later the next one will go to Crim and the next to Crauchon. The 4th one will be a Bolg one again and so on.
How many caravans are needed to reach the next keeplevel ?
Lvl 2 --> 2 caravans
Lvl 3 --> 3 caravans
Lvl 4 --> 4 caravans
Lvl 5 --> 5 caravans
Lvl 6 --> 6 caravans
Lvl 7 --> 7 caravans
Lvl 8 --> 8 caravans
Lvl 9 --> 9 caravans
Lvl 10 --> 10 caravans
Rewards:
Caravans are worth XP and they count as realm guards (for the "kill realm guards" task). The other reward is that you can stop a keep from upgrading, so it will be easier to raid it.
Additional informations:
Enemy supply caravans are neutral to you. If you dont attack them, they wont attack you. But if you do so, they will try to kill you.
Downgrading a Keep
Caravans now have two functions. The first function is to deliver supplies to a claimed keep. Nothing has changed there. Keeps upgrade automaticlly from 1 to 4. To reach Keeplevl 5 to 10 they need a certain amount of Caravans to reach their gates. See list above.
The second and new function of Caravans is that a Keep downgrades if it is not constantly supplied with goods. A Level 10 Keep has a max of 20 Caravanpoints. Every Caravan is worth 3 Caravanpoints. If a Keep hits Level 10 and after that 7 more Caravans reach it, the max of 20 Caravanpoints (7 Caravans * 3 Caravanpoints per Caravan = 21) is reached. 20 is max, every Caravan that delivers supplies to the Keep after reaching 20 Caravanpoints doenst increase the Caravanpoints any further.
Sticking to this example, the 8th Caravan doesnt reach the Keep because it got killed by enemy forces. The Keep will lose 3 Caravanpoints and now only has 17 Caravanpoints left. If the next 6 Caravans also dont reach the Keep, it will downgrade to Keeplevel 9. From Keeplevel 9 to 4 the Keeplevel is the same as the Caravanpoints. So if the next 3 Caravans also dont reach that Keep, it will downgrade to Keeplevel 8 and so on. If a Caravan reaches the Keep, it will add 1 Caravanpoint to the Caravanpointpool again.
To sum it up, downgrading a Keep by killing Caravans is 3 times faster than upgrading a Keep. Killing or Defending Caravans is now another interesting option in the war between the three realms.
Update #3 :
Spawn: The timer will be changed from 3 mins to 5 mins. That means, every 5 mins will a caravan spawn at a borderkeep and/or a teleporterkeep.
Damaging a keep gate: Caravans, that get killed now damage the outer gate (the first gate) for 5k. The first gate can be damage down to max 25% via killing caravans. It will never have any impact on the second gate.
Repairing a keep gate: Caravans, that reach a keep now repair the gates for 10k. Self-Reparing over time got removed. Gates can only be repaired via the caravans or with the /repair-command (and wood in the players inventory).
Increased Value: Caravans are now worth 250bp that are divided among the players/groups that killed a caravan.
New Drops: Besides coins, caravans now always drop one tinderbox and a new token called Phoenix Claw. There only drops one Phoenix Claw per caravan which is distributed randomly among the attackers. Keeplords now also drop one Phoenix Claw. It is a new currency to buy very helpful potions and time-based buffs.
Claw Merchant: You will now find in Dun Crauchon, Caer Benowyc and Bledmeer Faste <Claw Merchants>. They are always there and dont spawn/despawn when a keep is taken. They are neutral to all realms and everyone is able to talk to them, even if the keep is not owned by your realm. The merchants sell the following items:
Potion of Wisdom: Group-Buff (1 charge) that gives every member of your group 10% more XP for 60 mins. Persists through death.
Potion of Boldness: Group-Buff (1 charge) that gives every member of your group 5% more RPs for 20 mins. Persists through death.
Potion of Mutation: Group-Buff (1 charge) that gives every member of your group 5% more BPs for 20 mins. Persists through death.
Potion of Savagery: Single-Buff (1 charge) that doubles the damage of a ram for 20 mins. You have to be the leader of the ram. Persists through death.
Potion of Lucidity: Single-Buff that gives you Stealth Lore for 1 mins, 5 charges.
[attachment=1]sshot664.jpg[/attachment]
What?
We rebuild the Keep-Upgrade-System. Keeps will still upgrade automaticly (no matter if a caravan reaches your keep) after getting claimed, but only to lvl 4. If you want to upgrade your keep any higher, you need to make sure that supply caravans will reach your keep. The higher the keep will be the more supply caravans it will take to reach the next level. Caravan Guards have the wearing the emblem of the claimed guild on cloak and shield and will have a guild tag.
Caravans start from the borderkeeps (Ligen, Cain, Vindsaul, Svasud, Sauvage, Snow) and from the porterkeeps. Caravans are only send to a keep that your realm has under control. Caravans only leave for claimed keeps. If a keep is released, it will be instant lvl 1 again. Caravans that are still on the way to that keep and reach it, will upgrade the keep.
Example: [attachment=0]Unbenannt.JPG[/attachment]
According to this example, there will be Hibernian supply caravans from Cain to Behnn, nGed and Crauchon, from Ligen to Bolg, Crim and Crauchon, alb caravans from Atk to Ailinne and mid caravans from Mtk to Scathaig. If Hibs reraid Ailinne, then there will be no more alb caravans from the Atk to Ailinne, but a hib caravan from Ligen to Ailinne.
Every caravan will be guarded by 2 lvl 60 guards. Caravans are send every 3 mins. Sticking to the above example, the first caravan from DL will travel to Bolg, 3 mins later the next one will go to Crim and the next to Crauchon. The 4th one will be a Bolg one again and so on.
How many caravans are needed to reach the next keeplevel ?
Lvl 2 --> 2 caravans
Lvl 3 --> 3 caravans
Lvl 4 --> 4 caravans
Lvl 5 --> 5 caravans
Lvl 6 --> 6 caravans
Lvl 7 --> 7 caravans
Lvl 8 --> 8 caravans
Lvl 9 --> 9 caravans
Lvl 10 --> 10 caravans
Rewards:
Caravans are worth XP and they count as realm guards (for the "kill realm guards" task). The other reward is that you can stop a keep from upgrading, so it will be easier to raid it.
Additional informations:
Enemy supply caravans are neutral to you. If you dont attack them, they wont attack you. But if you do so, they will try to kill you.
Downgrading a Keep
Caravans now have two functions. The first function is to deliver supplies to a claimed keep. Nothing has changed there. Keeps upgrade automaticlly from 1 to 4. To reach Keeplevl 5 to 10 they need a certain amount of Caravans to reach their gates. See list above.
The second and new function of Caravans is that a Keep downgrades if it is not constantly supplied with goods. A Level 10 Keep has a max of 20 Caravanpoints. Every Caravan is worth 3 Caravanpoints. If a Keep hits Level 10 and after that 7 more Caravans reach it, the max of 20 Caravanpoints (7 Caravans * 3 Caravanpoints per Caravan = 21) is reached. 20 is max, every Caravan that delivers supplies to the Keep after reaching 20 Caravanpoints doenst increase the Caravanpoints any further.
Sticking to this example, the 8th Caravan doesnt reach the Keep because it got killed by enemy forces. The Keep will lose 3 Caravanpoints and now only has 17 Caravanpoints left. If the next 6 Caravans also dont reach the Keep, it will downgrade to Keeplevel 9. From Keeplevel 9 to 4 the Keeplevel is the same as the Caravanpoints. So if the next 3 Caravans also dont reach that Keep, it will downgrade to Keeplevel 8 and so on. If a Caravan reaches the Keep, it will add 1 Caravanpoint to the Caravanpointpool again.
To sum it up, downgrading a Keep by killing Caravans is 3 times faster than upgrading a Keep. Killing or Defending Caravans is now another interesting option in the war between the three realms.
Update #3 :
Spawn: The timer will be changed from 3 mins to 5 mins. That means, every 5 mins will a caravan spawn at a borderkeep and/or a teleporterkeep.
Damaging a keep gate: Caravans, that get killed now damage the outer gate (the first gate) for 5k. The first gate can be damage down to max 25% via killing caravans. It will never have any impact on the second gate.
Repairing a keep gate: Caravans, that reach a keep now repair the gates for 10k. Self-Reparing over time got removed. Gates can only be repaired via the caravans or with the /repair-command (and wood in the players inventory).
Increased Value: Caravans are now worth 250bp that are divided among the players/groups that killed a caravan.
New Drops: Besides coins, caravans now always drop one tinderbox and a new token called Phoenix Claw. There only drops one Phoenix Claw per caravan which is distributed randomly among the attackers. Keeplords now also drop one Phoenix Claw. It is a new currency to buy very helpful potions and time-based buffs.
Claw Merchant: You will now find in Dun Crauchon, Caer Benowyc and Bledmeer Faste <Claw Merchants>. They are always there and dont spawn/despawn when a keep is taken. They are neutral to all realms and everyone is able to talk to them, even if the keep is not owned by your realm. The merchants sell the following items:
Potion of Wisdom: Group-Buff (1 charge) that gives every member of your group 10% more XP for 60 mins. Persists through death.
Potion of Boldness: Group-Buff (1 charge) that gives every member of your group 5% more RPs for 20 mins. Persists through death.
Potion of Mutation: Group-Buff (1 charge) that gives every member of your group 5% more BPs for 20 mins. Persists through death.
Potion of Savagery: Single-Buff (1 charge) that doubles the damage of a ram for 20 mins. You have to be the leader of the ram. Persists through death.
Potion of Lucidity: Single-Buff that gives you Stealth Lore for 1 mins, 5 charges.