Arelith

I love how dynamic RP can be for every character, and how no build will be exactly the same as people experiment with what's possible. I also love how the DMs can create an event on a whim and guide it to an end, effectively shaping RP for some characters.

That in a game where I can literally turn into a dragon or throw fireballs, I find myself logging in just to craft or do a dungeon or some small thing and look up five hours later and realize I've been 'playing' a glorified typing simulator. CONSTANTLY.

Whoever put that little goose with a knife on the PVP tool.

You rock.

Crafting. Languages. Functional Underdark. Functional boat system. The -command system. A huge geography overall.

I would rate these as being truly miles ahead compared to most servers. Then yes, maps are usually neat. Generally speaking, exploration is great and fun, and one can even reasonably go solo (even if this is not the core purpose).

One big thank to the guys running the whole thing here, efforts appreciated.

Love this place, been great coming back after couple years walkabout to see what's changed and what's as it was.

Discoverable bard songs.

Sailing.

Rituals.

Sorry that's three things.

They replaced the old award system.

Good.

Honestly, it's persistency.

I started playing here over probably around 15 years ago (maybe more? I don't know anymore), it was already a pretty popular server and it just endured through everything, highs and lows, both within its community and NWN. It has, however, been in a constant upwards trajectory, I do believe these days the server is much better in almost every regard, in no small part due to all the contributors and admins over the years.

I was immature and a terrible roleplayer, a lot of people put up with me. Many names around these days, I recognize from even back then, and while we probably still disagree on as many things as we did in the past, in some strange sense we all grew up together.

I started playing with an English-English dictionary by my side and distinctively remember my first week having to look up the definition of Nods, because everyone kept typing it and I had no idea what it meant. Arelith almost single-handedly taught me English and how to communicate in English. My job is in English these days.

After all these years this server has an unimaginable amount of original lore. There have been so many characters, so many stories, that they could probably fill books, and many of them would be worth the read.

The people.

There are parts about the server that I dislike but there is so much that I do that I carve out time every year for a few months to play here despite a lot of things competing for my time between video games and real-life stuff. That to me is what makes Arelith such an excellent thing, I can do what I like, the people that like the things I don't are able to do their thing, and we are all still connected by the same sandbox. Sometimes it can get a little messy, a small price to pay for being the largest non-kink nwn community, but more often than not it leads to one person introducing another to a whole new way to play a really old game.

The truth is, Arelith is hands down the best run server I have ever seen on nwn, and I have been playing since a nwn server became a thing, even playing a role in running one for a while myself. Even the complaints that are often mistaken as negativity are just a sign that people really love this game and want it to be perfect even if that vision of perfection is heavily skewed by their own opinions.

From top to bottom the team, and even the community around them, should be proud of this place. It's gotten more out of this game than anyone could have imagined in 2003, or even 2010, and it's still going strong.

I think it’s pretty amazing that this server is still going strong and is mostly getting better in terms of both population, systems and storytelling avenues.

I have done very fond memories of my early days of Arelith in the summer of 2004 but having just returned from a couple of years of not playing there’s just so much to do and so many little nice touches everywhere

Ive not properly gone through Skal till recently and it's quite a beautiful like design. The mountains are amazing and the deep forest and foggy cold mist that radiate around them are just neat

More than that it's just compact and efficient. Every zone is packed with things to do and many zones have unique features that just offer a chance to RP around them. Like unique altars, arcane markings or tribal stones etc.

Skals module design was fun to watch experience. After so many years in the UD I am also looking forward to like seeing the surface too on the main island which has changed a lot too.

I'm thankful it's still around. Seen so many other communities die, yet Arelith goes strong. Thanks to the team for all that they do to make it possible.

All the friends and people I've played with, all the amazing stories from grand DM run epics, to small personal moments, sharing made up history. Just an great time all around