A nucleus of a new world…..

This document is the preliminary outline of a new world tentatively called "The Depths". The goal is to garner feedback from players as to what elements to stress and how to achieve the appropriate balance of challenge and reward, skill and fun.

The Depths is set in the underground warrens where the remnants of civilization have huddled together in order to survive a cataclysmic destruction of their world. A long stand war between rival factions of mages has caused the world's surface to be uninhabitable. In the height of the final battles, great cities collapsed in onto themselves, forests were burned to cinder, and the great seas rose in protest.

Some enlightened souls, foreseeing the inevitable destruction of the world, began preparing underground sanctuary in hopes of holding out long enough for the surface world to become once again habitable. It has been a long wait; hundreds of years later and still few can survive the toxic air and mana storms that ravage the once pristine wilderlands.

However, the world underneath the surface has changed dramatically. The underground cities of the dwarves, gnomes, and halflings continue to expand to house the masses of refuges who have now become citizens after so many years. Tunnels twist here and there through the world's core, seeking resources or connecting to long forgotten places. Day to day life in the depths is a constant struggle to find food and to protect it from those dark forces that would seek to take it.

The dark creatures have flourished. Once kept under tight rein by the consolidated forces of the civilized races; trolls, orcs and far more dangerous creatures now roam the depths unchecked. The toxic environment has fostered mutations and genetic defects causing a whole new breed of deadly and hostile foes to abound.

Even with the whole world seep in the black haunts of the depths, the Black Bone Mages and their rivals, the Warlocks of Karsoth continue to wage war.

For the valiant hero that enters this world, it is not about victory, it is about survival.

What to expect in "The Depths"

• Custom Class System - You enter the world having choosen one of four different career paths (Conscript, Scout, Healer, Scholar).  As you gain levels, you will have the opportunity to refine your path by electing a specialization and mastery path.
• Unlimited Character Development - Even those class levels are limited to 20 experience levels, character development in The Depths is exhaustive.   With hundreds of custom feats, your character will continue to grow long after you have reached L20.
• Advanced Quest System - The innovative quest system first designed for use in Shroudworld has been expanded and now boasts a brand new custom GUI interface that makes tracking quests even easier.
• And much more...