Starting Your Adventures in Aenea: A Primer for New Players

Viva! Welcome to Aenea!

You've downloaded all the files, you've logged in, and made your way through the Character Creation part of the Astral Conjunction, and find yourself in a strange inn.

Now what?

Aenea is a deep and detailed world, and it's not uncommon for a new player to feel overwhelmed by all the customization we enjoy here. Hopefully the following information will help you get started on learning the ins and outs of the Aenea server.

First thing you will notice is that you start off with a different set of items from what you would in a default nwn campaign. You don't start off with any weapons or armor, but do start with a a set of plain clothing, a bedroll, several other widgets, a bit of food (unless you chose Vampire as your subrace), and four potions. All these are the barest of bare-essentials for survival in Aenea.

The "Aenea PC Crystal: Character Information" crystal (the green gem object).
This item has two main uses. When you activate it, it will start a dialogue with you. From there you can choose the "player guide", or "Ioun Stone Management". The Player guide explains many aspects of the basics of Aenea. Information on the VC (Voice Chat) system, basic info on game engine rules, there is a wealth of information in the guide to help you get settled in. The "Ioun Stone Management" option is for activating and deactivating Ioun stones (when you have them in your possession).

The information on the VC system (which is used extensively in Aenea), and the Ioun stone management will likely be the most valuable aspects of this crystal.

Any basic questions you may have, they're likely to be covered in the player-guide. If not, feel free to ask another player. We're a friendly lot here, even those of us who happen to play evil Drow who threaten to make your skeletons dance for their personal amusement (it is roleplay afterall).

The Sacrificial Flame.
This green flame object is a great tool. Using it on the remains of your enemies will 'sacrifice' the remains to your patron diety. Using the flame on yourself will sacrifice several remains within a small radius around you (around 10 feet/3 meters). Sacrificed remains will glow (the color depends on your patron diety), and the contents of those remains will disappear, as will the remains object shortly after.

For you, the benefit is a chance to gain piety or even experience (see the "XP Debt, Death and Piety" thread in the Hints and Tips section for more information). Using the flame on objects in your inventory window will also get rid of the object, and you may have a chance of gaining some gold, or a 'helpful elixir' (a random potion) in return. Another benefit of sacrificing remains is... instead of leaving all those ordinary short swords and daggers laying around, sacrificing removes them, which can help keep server lag down. And nobody likes lag, do they?

The Treasure Splitter
This little coin-looking widget is handing for when you're hunting in a group and want a quick way to divide up gold, and even treasure items. Using it correctly may take some getting used to, but after just a little practice, it will become second nature.

To use the splitter, use it on yourself, and it will initiate a dialogue. There are several options. First, select the option for setting your gold as "yours". This is essential for the splitter to know what gold to divide up, and which gold was already yours before the adventure started. Now that your own gold is set, whatever further gold you acquire can be split between you and your fellow PC Party members. After you've gained some gold, use the splitter on yourself again, and in the dialogue, chose the 'split gold' option. The splitter will divide the gold up evenly among you and your party. You and your party does not receive this gold straight away though. The amount is stored away in the splitter. To retrieve your gold, use the splitter on yourself, and choose the option to take your share. This will give you your share of the gold, and also set your new current GP amount as "yours" for further treasure splitting.

The treasure splitter can also be used on objects in your inventory window, much like the sacrificial flame. Unlike the sacrificial flame though, you are guaranteed to gain gold (which is stored in the splitter, just like GP). However, the major drawback of this is that the GP amount you receive for an item will be a good deal less than if you sold it to a merchant. This *is* a handy option for when you're absolutely loaded down with treasure, but don't want to just leave or sacrifice whatever you can't carry back to town, but if you can carry it and want the better GP gain, better to lug it back than to split it with the splitting tool.

As for how to go about splitting treasure with your party, it's usually good form to decide before adventuring begins. Some players prefer to have a designated treasure looter who will gather all the dropped gold and treasure items and handle the splitting process. All that the other members of the party would have to do then is collect their share of the take after they're finished adventuring. Some players all loot as they can, and split the finds as they go along, collecting their share after they're done hunting. Whatever way works best for you is fine. As for splitting treasure items, the best gold-gain can be gotten by having the character with the best appraisal score sell all the loot to a merchant and then split the proceeds with the treasure splitter, but again, everyone selling their own swag works just as well.

The bedroll
The "rest" button is effectively disabled in Aenea. To rest, you must use your bedroll. To use your bedroll however, you must also have some form of nurishment. Food for most characters, blood for vampires. There are also magical items to be found on your adventures which can be used in substitute for food. Although there are several types of food items around, you essentially need only 1 food item of any type to initiate resting. Different food items have a random chance of giving you small benefits after resting, so go ahead and try a wide diet of foods, see which you like best.

Food consumption is handled automatically when you use your bedroll (except for vampires, who must drink a vial of blood before using their bedrolls). Food can be found in many stores, and there are also places out in Aenea where you can find food for free. There's a few fields just north of the vale with corn readily available (don't feel bad about 'stealing' the food, the farmers gladly look the other way to keep adventurers fit and nourished enough to keep the goblins, orcs and other beasties away). You will also see "fishing spots" (small invisible objects that will highlight when you press the TAB key). "Using" these fishing spots will make you spend a few moments 'fishing', in which you have a chance of catching a fish. There is also a minor XP gain from catching a fish (2 or 3 XP or such).

Resting in armor isn't very comfortable, and can keep you from regaining as much HP as possible from sleeping (and, if your HP is low enough, say 1 or 2 HP, resting in armor could actually be deadly due to how the "sleeping in armor" effect is applied). Clothes (armor items of AC 0) don't impede your rest, only armors with a base AC of 1 or higher. Weapons, shields torches, or any other item held in your hands are automatically unequipped while you rest.

At first, you will be able to 'rest' unlimited times per day, but after reaching 4th level, your rest will be restricted to once every 8 game hours (16 minutes real time). If you try to initiate rest before that time has elapsed, you will receive a message informing you of how many game hours you must wait until you are able to rest again. No food will be consumed in a premature rest attempt (except for vampires who manually consume a vial of blood before resting/attempting to rest). Rest often, there's no harm in keeping all your spells/abilities other use-per-day items at their best.

Roll of Bandages
This little roll of bandages might seem pointless, but it can actually be quite a life-saver. It has 5 uses per day. The bandages have several functions. If you or a companion are "bleeding" (a condition often resulting in being knocked down blow 0 HP, but not down to -10 HP), using the bandages has a chance of stopping the bleeding. The check for this uses your heal skill. "Bleeding" reduces your HP by 1 point per round. PCs who are "dead" and laying there bleeding will lose 1 HP per round until they either stabilize on their own, they reach -10 HP (and are sent to the Great Hall of Zolaras), or a companion stops their bleeding with bandages (in which case, a stabilized PC will start to gain 1 HP per round until they reach 1 HP, at which point they can stand up and act again).

Using the bandages on yourself before resting can help increase the HP you heal from resting. This too uses a check of your heal skill to determine how much extra HP you gain back. Bandages can also be used on yourself or others when not bleeding to restore 1 HP per use. Nothing to write home about, but if you're out of all other healing items/abilities, something is better than nothing.

The PC crystal, bandages, treasure splitter, sacrificial flame, and bedroll can be stored in containers such as bags of holding, magic pouches, ect. If you somehow lose these items, they can be replaced at Smitty's shop in Valorian's Vale free of charge (they're in his merchant inventory, with a pricetag of 0GP).

The healing potions
You will also start with 4 healing potions (unless your subrace is vampire). Two of the well known "green" potions, and two "white" potions. Those milky white potions are "Asis potions", and come in the same varieties as the default NWN healing potions (minor, light, moderate, critical, there are no green "heal" potions however). The difference between the green and white potions is that the Asis potions heal a greater amount of HP than their mundane green counterparts, and the only full heal potions are Asis Potions of Full Healing. And as the Asis potions heal more HP, they also cost a bit more as well.

A side note, if you make use of henchmen, and keep them healthy by feeding them healing potions, you will find that the Asis potions don't work on them. This is due to the Asis potions having a unique power on use rather than the "heal X wounds" property on use. Green healing potions will work as normal on your NPC companions.

Further supplies of both varieties of potions can be bought from Antonis, the Asis priest outside the Sleeping Dragon Inn where you begin your adventures. He also carries other healing supplies, such as magic healing wands and "healing kits".

Healing Kits
Aenea doesn't use the default NWN healing kits. Aenean healing kits can be bought from Antonis, as well as several other merchants across the land. These kits have 20 uses per kit. Much like the default NWN healing kit, the Aenean healing kits can be used to heal wounds, and cure disease. However, unlike the default NWN healing kits, Aenean kits cannot be used "in combat". The amount of HP healed from their use depends on a check of your healing skill. You will heal one half of your heal check (1d20+heal skill) per use. To cure disease, it's a DC 15 check if I recall correctly.

If your subrace is vampire, do not use healing kits on yourself, or on other vampire PCs. The medicinal herbs in the kit will knock vampires to their knees and cause some HP damage. Vampires heal by drinking vials of blood (the same which they use for resting). Likewise, vampire PCs should not use healing potions (either green or asis), as those will harm them, as will the "cure X wounds" line of spells. The "inflict X wounds" spells will work as healing spells on vampire PCs though.

So you know what all your items do... now what?
Talk to the people in the inn, look around, grab a cloak from the donated cloaks closet (it gets cold during the winter months). Head out of the inn, explore Valorian's Vale.

There's several merchants, a few NPCs to talk to. Smitty's shop sells some general merchandise, Darla Blackrose sells a wide array of basic arms and armor. Antonis is the resident healer and healing supplies vendor. There's also a bakery for food, and Oksana Darkfoot can sell you a pack ox for carrying your extra swag. You will also find Kerril, the Mayor's assistant, in the Town Hall. Kerril can hook you up with some jobs to do (you may have already noticed one or two freelance jobs advertised in the Sleeping Dragon Inn, Kerril provides more regulated 'quest' jobs). Not all his jobs will be suitable for a brand new adventurer. Talk to Kerril, use your judgement, prepare for the unexpected.

And explore. There is a -lot- to do in Aenea. There's so much more than can possibly be covered in a single post or thread. You may find yourself in over your head and on an express ride to the Great Hall, or you may find wide open fields without so much as a badger or mouse to step on... you will never know until you go and see for yourself.

Happy Adventuring!

Nice. Very descriptive, but all entirely useful information. Thanks for posting this!

A tip for new players. I have never run across a griefer in Aenea. If a player with glowing swords and obvious wealth roleplays with you, or offers to sell you trinkets he has picked up, he is not trying to cheat you. If I am wrong, look me up in game and I will reimburse you whatever you lost.

Players will help you as much as is allowed, without ruining the game experience for you. Crideas and Jay helped Velvet a ton when I started a long time ago, and I try to pay it forward when I can. Specifically, if you need help or have questions, ask.

Teamwork is not to be underestimated.

Derik and I are quickly becoming known for tackling challenges far out of our CR range by working as a disciplined and coordinated team. While you can make it through Aenea mostly by being a solo killing machine, the ability to draw fire to allow a comrade to hit a primary target and end a threat early is invaluable.

Last night, we were clearing the beholder caves with Crideas Bane, and at one point he was getting overwhelmed by a combination of server lag, Antimagic, and eye beams. With little to no anti-spell measures of our own, Derik and I managed to rush the room and wipe out all opposition. Thanks to Crideas and I drawing fire, and the mess I made of their right flank, Derik was able to blitz past the left flank and drop the Beholder Mage that was focusing fire on Crideas. Threat ended.

In two other instances, a room that we thought was clear suddenly popped beholders as we passed through. We were instantly knocked silly by eye beams, and in one case I was petrified, and in the other, Derik was knocked down and killed. In each case, the survivor was able to overcome the odds and bring their partner back. Had either of us been soloing down there, the outcome would have been different. I'd have been petrified until the server kicked me to the afterlife, and Derik would have had to eat some major piety loss and hike all the way back from the Vale.

Parties work.

I remember Crideas and myself doing this. I might be coming back on Derfel. Don't worry. Bram will be back soon.

Another thing that should go without saying, but I'll say it here anyway, is that the entire DM staff are players, too. I won't speak for the others (though I think I safely can when I say this), but you can always ask me anything you want to, and I am always happy to do what I can to help. If you need DM assistance and I am not logged in as the DM, let me know and if I am not tied into something, I will login to the DM client to help. If I am busy, I'll tell you that and I will login to the DMC as soon as I get free.

It's funny... I didn't know you were a DM when I asked Oakwarder to join Beuttleria. I just knew you were a sensible player who didn't shine, glitter, or flutter, and we liked that.

Also if it is something "DM related" try using the vc command dmhelp (note no spaces)... I'm not sure it's 100% reliable, but it should send a private tell/message to any DM logged in... be they as a player or as a DM...

Alternatively, I'm not a DM, but am a "long-standing" player in Aenea. I can answer a wealth of questions, with near to 99% certainty that my answer will be truthful and correct. If I don't know the answer, I'll happily state my opinion, but I'll also let you know it's not something I'm familiar with. I'll admit I do get things wrong sometimes, but I always endeavour to answer any tell, even if it's simply just an "I don't know, sorry"... ...

Aenea is overall a "player-friendly" server.. ... the community here are great, you'll likely find someone that knows the answer to your question.. but if you never ask the question, we can never give you an answer....

Maeglin Dubh wrote:It's funny... I didn't know you were a DM when I asked Oakwarder to join Beuttleria. I just knew you were a sensible player who didn't shine, glitter, or flutter, and we liked that.

I'm glad you did. I try to keep my DM persona and my player person seperate from one another. And I also try to keep each of my characters seperate and distinct from one another. Despite being a DM, there are a lot of builds and whatnot that I haven't tried in relation to Aenea, so there's still a lot of things I don't know, and I act accordingly.

I'm glad to join Beuttleria, with that character. It makes sense for him and seems like fun. So thanks for the invite.

Tips from a newbie: it's good idea to be humble and take all the help you can get. I know I myself can't wait to single-handedly tackle the goblins, but after venturing into their cave, I got to admit that I have to build my character from the way of a clueless trainee.

Really, it only makes you look good to be part of a team!

Another tip: if you came from a simplified RPG like me such as WoW, EQ or UO, you'll want to be aware that the margin of error is very narrow in NWN. Whatever class you play, you will have to play it at its FULL potential to survive, instead of half-assing it and using "cookie cutter" rotations. You'll have to really pull every tricks that your class have got. Whatever spell that you have, the best armor and weapon that you can muster (for the situation you're facing), you are going to need all of it.