Line #17 VideoGame/Lusternia


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lusternia.png]]
2	One of several {{MUD}}s developed by Iron Realms Entertainment (of ''VideoGame/{{Achaea}}'' fame), Lusternia was released in 2004 and combines elements of [[GenreBusting fantasy, sci-fi, planar travel, steampunk, and cosmic horror stories.]]
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4	Long ago, there was nothing but a presence called [[{{God}} Yudhe]]. Lonely and bored, he conjured two daughters for company: Magnora and Dynara, who became, respectively, [[AnthropomorphicPersonification manifestations of Destruction and Creation]]. For many eons, Dynara would create planets, stars and galaxies for her own amusement; Magnora would follow behind and eat the result. The only thing Dynara could not truly create was life. Though she did manage to beget intelligent beings, they were [[EldritchAbomination soulless and hideous]], existing only to eat. Magnora either devoured these monsters, or kept them as playthings, feeding them scraps and making them ever-more monstrous. All this changed when Yudhe begat a son. This nameless, formless son taught Dynara the secret of true creation -- [[PiecesOfGod splitting off pieces]] of themselves, the two siblings could create lesser forms of life.
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6	Dynara loved these intelligent, many-varied creatures very much, and refused to let Magnora devour them, disrupting the natural order and enraging her sister. Consumed by anger, Magnora ate the Nameless Son of Yudhe, and he vanished from existence. Both Dynara and Magnora were overcome with sorrow, for they were both part of Yudhe, and he was much affected by the loss of his son. Together, they [[EnemyMine struck out]] to find him, departing the universe in their quest, never to return. Only their children were left behind. While the older, Soulless Gods sought only to consume, pervert and destroy, the younger gods (dubbed 'Elders' by the half-formed Gods who, without Dynara, would never grow to full potential) sought to populate the world with plants, animals, nature spirits and life. The Elder Gods were drawn to the First World, ''Lusternia'', to make it whole with their efforts: the Soulless Gods, further out in the cold Void, were drawn to the First World to eat their siblings and destroy the universe.
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8	And so a great war fought between the Soulless Gods and the Elder Gods decimated the land. Many Soulless and Elders died in the skirmish, until only the five mightiest Soulless Gods remained: [[TheBerserker Illith the Leviathan]], [[BlobMonster Crazen the Greedy]], [[PlagueMaster Great Muud]], [[IntangibleMan Zenos the Silent Death]], and [[BigBad Kethuru the Almighty]]. The remaining Elder Gods either fled into the void or "sharded" -- the Gods that 'sharded' died, but also created the mortal races, which retained qualities of their 'parent' God. [[HumansAreSpecial The mortals fought]], and ultimately [[SealedEvilInACan imprisoned]] the remaining Soulless after many years of conflict. They built a [[TheFederation mighty empire]] in the intervening years, and all was prosperous...
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10	... but the civilization grew stagnant and [[AndManGrewProud proud]]. Their quest for ever greater power inadvertently released the mightiest of the Soulless, [[Creator/HPLovecraft Kethuru]], from his prison, and his [[TheCorruption tainted effluence]] transformed many mortals into undead monstrosities before he could be re-sealed. The Empire fell apart, numerous new animosities (and old ones long forgotten) were sparked, and war began. Even the return of the Elder Gods didn't change things: the [[JerkassGods flawed deities]], remembering ''their'' old animosities, became [[PathOfInspiration patrons]] to favoured mortals and began to fight amongst themselves. There has been conflict ever since between the chief organizations of Lusternia:
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12	* [[VestigialEmpire New Celest]], former seat of the [[TheFederation Holy Celestine Empire]], containing both [[KnightInShiningArmor noble knights]] and [[KnightTemplar nutty zealots]];
13	* [[TheUndead Magnagora]], seat of the [[TheCorruption Tainted]], with shades of [[TheSocialDarwinist social Darwinism]], [[AristocratsAreEvil a thriving aristocracy]] and {{Steampunk}} technology;
14	* [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas Hallifax]], a futuristic society with [[YouWillBeAssimilated communist]] and [[ForScience scientific]] leanings;
15	* [[BuildLikeAnEgyptian Gaudiguch]], a [[TheHedonist hedonistic]] society with shades of eastern philosophy and an emphasis on [[VoluntaryShapeshifting transformation]];
16	* [[{{Arcadia}} Serenwilde Commune]], the LastFertileRegion, populated by [[NobleSavage people]] who shun civilization as responsible for the Taint; and
17	* [[TheLostWoods Glomdoring Commune]], an insular, [[AbsoluteXenophobe xenophobic]] society who shun civilization, but also have a plan to [[GaiasVengeance get rid of it]].
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19	And that's not even the [[FromBadToWorse worst of it]]. Remember the five [[SealedEvilInACan sealed]] Soulless? They cannot be destroyed even with the return of the Elder Gods; they've devoured too much of reality, and are now an [[LoadBearingBoss integral part of the universe]]. Kill them and you kill ''everyone'' and ''everything'' else. That wouldn't be so bad if their prisons were foolproof, but, [[CardboardPrison well]], they have a habit of breaking free. Once a generation, at least one of the horrors will slip through the cracks and the [[PlayerCharacter boldest adventurer]] of the time must [[PhysicalGod ascend to divinity]] to reseal them once more.
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21	Notable for a rich, intricate [[BackStory history]] and dynamic player-run politics, it can be played via browser at [[http://www.lusternia.com Lusternia.com]].
22
23	!!''Lusternia'' provides examples of:
24	* ActionSurvivor: Lolly Pringle in the [[BackStory histories]], who was present at the outbreak of the [[TheCorruption Taint]]. [[spoiler: He survived into old age, and even managed to beat up ''[[MasterOfIllusion Emperor Ladantine]]''!]]
25	* TheAlcoholic: Kalikai. Extra points for being a DrunkenMaster of strategic warfare.
26	* AlwaysChaoticEvil: The Soulless Gods, naturally.
27	* AlienGeometries:
28	** Bound to happen when Creator/HPLovecraft is a main inspiration. Notably, the cosmic plane of Continuum exists in multiple dimensions on one axis. It makes mapping it without 3D-imaging a pain in the ''ass''.
29	** Also, the Gaudiguch nexus world. In some locations, you can squint forwards a few rooms to see ''yourself''.
30	* AnAdventurerIsYou: Players and [=NPCs=] are distinguished by the terminology "adventurer" and "denizen", respectively.
31	* AngelsDevilsAndSquid: The resident angels range from [[ActualPacifist pacifistic hippies]] to [[KnightTemplar avenging crusaders]]. The resident demons range from [[TheHedonist hedonistic, semi-human revellers]] to [[BigRedDevil powerful, hulking monsters]]. However, both camps can [[DealWithTheDevil be bargained with]] and worshipped; the ''real'' demons of the setting are the Lovecraft-inspired [[OmnicidalManiac Soulless Gods]].
32	* AnimalEyeSpy: Trackers can see and hear things through their bonded canines. Illuminati can do likewise, courtesy of a visceral little creature called a ribbachi.
33	* ApatheticCitizens: The longer you play, and the more ApocalypseHow scenarios you see, the more jaded you will become.
34	* ApocalypseHow: Class X-4 will happen if the Soulless break free of their [[SealedEvilInACan prisons]].
35	* ApocalypticLog: The updates on [[GoneHorriblyWrong Project Cosmic Hope]] devolve into this.
36	--> The prophets who were standing around the Stone have fallen! A black smoke is pouring out of the Stone now [...] The prophets are slowly getting back up [[TheUndead but they're]] [...] (garbled) [...] Sweet Light, [[TheCorruption it's moving fast]]! We've got to get out of here! Run! RUN! [...] (garbled)
37	--> '''TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY ENDS'''
38	* AristocratsAreEvil: Omnipresent in Magnagora, where aristocrats happen to be TheUndead and [[ImAHumanitarian cannibals]].
39	* ASCIIArt: Try smoking weed or drinking absynth. Smiley faces ahoy!
40	* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership:
41	** In game, it's very common for players which are skilled at the incredibly complex combat system to be prime candidates for political positions. This is more marked in the more recent IRE games.
42	** Also [[InvokedTrope invoked]] with the elected [[CombatByChampion Champion]] of each guild. It's their duty to train up the rest of the guild, and take the front in any combat situation.
43	* BeastMan: Loboshigaru (pack-based dogmen); Furrikin (little furballs that can look like anything from raccoons to bears); Tae'dae (big-ass bears, natch); Aslaran (solitary, noble catmen)... even Taurians (racist, [[TheBerserker berserking]] bull-men). The game is basically a '''paradise''' for furries!
44	* BeneathTheEarth: The Undervault, a subterranean continent featuring two warring races: the insectile, matriarchal Kephera and the soulless, ego-vampiric Illithoid.
45	* BewareMyStingerTail: A special ability of [[ChurchOfEvil Nihilists]].
46	* {{BFG}}: The members of [[MadScientist The]] [[ForScience Institute]] get one of these in the [[PowerOfTheVoid void blaster,]] and they wield it one-handed.
47	* BigBad: Kethuru the Almighty, [[Creator/HPLovecraft dead but dreaming]]. The other Soulless (Illith the Leviathan, Crazen the Greedy, Great Muud and [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg Zenos the Insubstantial]]) count, too.
48	* BloodKnight: The Second Circle of Elder Gods is a whole pantheon of these. [[HunterOfMonsters Shikari]] is regarded as a BloodKnight even by their standards, though, prolonging fights and playing with his prey for the pleasure of it.
49	* BoltOfDivineRetribution: Elder Gods can do this to impudent mortals, in two varieties. First up is a warning shot intended to [[ScareEmStraight terrify the target]] into compliance; if that doesn't work, [[OneHitKill well]]...
50	* BoozeBasedBuff: Drinking can dull damage. Certain races (particularly dwarves -- natch) can handle their beer way better than others. And Brewmeisters can handle it better still, in addition to brewing their own magical draughts. Consequently, a drunken dwarf Brewmeister is a force to be feared.
51	* BribingYourWayToVictory: Par for the course in all IRE games.
52	* CallToAdventure: An interesting take: adventurers must venture through the Portal of Fate to be marked by destiny. It's implied that people who ''don't'' do this squander their potential and remain as [[{{Muggles}} NPCs]].
53	* CameBackWrong: Orlachmar's the poster boy for this trope. A case could be made that ''every'' undead created by [[TheCorruption The Taint]] CameBackWrong, considering how megalomaniacal and cruel the scientists of Project Cosmic Hope became following their exposure to it.
54	* CameBackStrong: The initial influx of Taint started in Magnagora, killing everyone in the city. They came back stronger and almost immortal.
55	* ChainPain: The Ninjakari guild: stealthy, potentially psionic assassins... whose weapon of choice is ''enormous bladed chains''.
56	* CharacterLevel: With the reward of Titanhood at level 99, and Demigodhood at 100. Endgame content for Demigods is sparkly indeed.
57	* ChessMotifs: Fain's aesthetic is a mixture of this and a MasqueradeBall.
58	* ChronicBackStabbingDisorder: Every player-run organisation has had these moments.
59	* ChurchOfEvil: The Nihilists are the priesthood of Magnagora, and they are about as sunny as you'd expect. Their task includes the worship of five demon lords, and a hefty chunk of the members are liches.
60	* CombatSadomasochist: Nifilhema, the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Queen of Insufferable Cruelty]], a demon of [[InterplayOfSexAndViolence pain and lust]]. Her followers are also encouraged to become this -- in fact, to even reach her dwelling requires [[ViolationOfCommonSense jumping down a deep pit]] and entering an iron maiden, both of which can and will kill unprepared players.
61	* CombatTentacles: Kethuru has these. They're detachable and ''independently sentient''.
62	* {{Combos}}: Monks specifically, though the entire [[PlayerVersusPlayer PvP]] system is based on chaining synergistic attacks together.
63	* ContinuingIsPainful: Dying saddles you with a hefty XP loss. Fortunately, many skills can mitigate or outright avoid death. Once you reach level 100, you become a Demigod, and XP is replaced with essence. You need to buy your neat endgame Demigod abilities with essence, and it takes an awful lot to get all the ones you want: however, you lose essence when you die, so you always need to keep a reasonable buffer up. Because if you die and lose all your essence? Booted back to level 99. Level 99 and ''50%'', which is a huge amount at that level. Oh, and all those neat abilities you may have bought -- they won't be retained if you reach level 100 again. You have to re-buy them ''all''.
64	* ConvectionSchmonvection: You can walk right up to a pool of lava without taking damage. In fact, a newbie quest ''requires'' you to do so, in order to drop a stone in said lava. And then you pick it up, only wearing gloves. Gaudiuch also deserves special mention, being the city of fire, although it is justified by being founded by dracnari, who have an innate resistance to fire and heat.
65	* TheCorruption: The Taint, a thick black smoke that rises from the Megalith of Doom and corrupts anything it touches. For living beings, they either turn undead or mutate and go insane--even gods aren't exempt.
66	* CostumePorn: Trademasters can periodically submit a number of cartel designs. The result is extreme customization of everything from robes to platemail to furniture. Your character can be as richly (or as drably) attired as you desire.
67	* CouncilOfAngels: Five extradimensional angelic beings (Supernals) are worshipped by the Celestine Guild: [[BarrierWarrior Shakiniel the Defender]], [[ThePollyanna Raziela the Pure]], [[KnightInShiningArmor Methrenton the Crusader]], [[EccentricMentor Japhiel the Wise]], and [[TheParagon Elohora the Noble]].
68	* CrapsackWorld: It's not wholly without hope, but between the world-devouring monsters, the JerkassGods and the many mortal villains, things aren't exactly optimistic.
69	* CriticalHit: These can range from the standard 2x damage, to a [[NoKillLikeOverkill whopping 32x damage.]]
70	* CrystalSpiresAndTogas: Hallifax all the way. Extra points for many of the denizens being made of crystal themselves.
71	* DarkIsNotEvil:
72	** The [[PhysicalGod Vernal deity]] [[OurLichesAreDifferent Urlach]], who used TheUndead as shock troopers against The Soulless. This brought him into conflict with other, more idealistic Vernals.
73	** Gaudiuch is the city of chaos and fire, and [[NoOshaCompliance it shows]], but talking to its NPC inhabitants reveals that it does, in fact, have a few laws to protect the basic rights of its citizens (such as freedom of speech). Rather than being a free-for-all, Gaudiuch has the rule that you may do whatever you want as long as you don't impede someone ''else's'' freedom.
74	** Of course, there is also nothing stopping players from being decent people regardless of race, so it's entirely possible to play as a kind and humble [[OurDemonsAreDifferent viscanti]] or [[EmotionEater illithoid]].
75	* DeathIsCheap: You only die permanently by killing off your own character. You can't even do that if you've purchased [[BribingYourWayToVictory credits]].
76	* DecadentCourt: Magnagora. A city full of power-hungry, vain aristocrats -- what could possibly go wrong?
77	* DeathWorld: The Astral Plane, the outermost layer of existence (that mortals can reach), and the one closest to Kethuru and [[SpaceIsCold The Void]]. It's populated by grotesquely mutated animals and much of the plant-life is sentient and malevolent. Just spending time there gradually erodes the players SanityMeter and low-level players are killed within ''seconds'' by the inhospitable environment.
78	* DeityOfHumanOrigin: With enough grinding, eventually you will ascend to the role of Demigod. There are also some other paths to take.
79	* DemonLordsAndArchdevils: Five extradimensional Demon Lords are worshipped by the Nihilists Guild: [[SuccubiAndIncubi Nifilhema]], patron of pain, {{Lust}} and [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]]; [[ExtremeOmnivore Gorgulu]], BodyHorror-riffic patron of greed and madness; [[BigRedDevil Ashtorath]], patron of [[TheBerserker wrath]] and vengeance; [[GiantSpider Baalphegar]], patron of [[PrimalFear fear]] and [[KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge knowledge]]; and [[LouisCypher Luciphage]], patron of ambition, [[TheChessmaster patience]] and dominance.
80	* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Every so often, an admin-controlled event will cause one of the Soulless Gods to be released, forcing the (normally warring) player organizations to work together and defeat them.
81	* DreamWeaver: Dreamweaving is a skillset available to mages. In the [[{{Backstory}} histories]], [[TheEmperor Emperor Ladantine]] was an accomplished DreamWeaver, and used the skill for purposes of espionage and reconnaissance following his FaceHeelTurn.
82	* DualWielding: The specialty of two Warrior subsets, as well as two Monk guilds.
83	* DumbIsGood: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]]. [[ActualPacifist Raziela]], the Supernal of Love and Peace, is not outright stupid, but she has the mind of a twelve year old, making her incredibly naive and trusting. She's also one of the most powerful mobs in the game (even stronger than her fellow [[PhysicalGod Supernals]]), and her counterpart in the Demon Lords is a [[BodyHorror horribly mutated blob]] with little reasoning left.
84	* EmotionEater: The Illithoid, [[OurVampiresAreDifferent kind of]]. Their target has to be dead to be fed from, and the corpse is destroyed by their feeding, but it ''does'' boost their psychic potential exponentially as a result. Also played straight with a number of player abilities that allow you to drain mana/ego from other players.
85	* EmotionsVsStoicism: Gaudiguch versus Hallifax, respectively.
86	-->'''[[{{Paparazzi}} The Gaudiguch Gossip]]:''' With her scales glowing with the absolutely fabulous new range of emerald powder (recently imported from Newton), [[FieryRedhead Scuchi]] caused quite the stir when she set the robes of [[TheSpock Professor Lars]], the Hallifax Ambassador, on fire (accidentally, I'm sure!) after the stone-faced lucidian was overheard to say, "Gaudiguch is a cesspool of illogical extremism." Go Scuchi!
87	* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: The consequence of losing against the [[OmnicidalManiac Soulless]].
88	* EvilFeelsGood: The Taint, all the way.
89	* EvilIsDeathlyCold: The Tainted. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] by the fact that many Tainted are also TheUndead; liches in particular can cloak themselves in a cold aura, which passively freezes their enemies.
90	* EvilIsVisceral: [[RuleOfThree The Taint]] once more. Many viscanti are malformed mutants, and Gorgulu (one of the demi-deities they worship) is an amorphous mass of mouths and tentacles, which lives in a cave covered in fleshy outgrowths.
91	* EvilSorcerer: [[NietzscheWannabe The Nihilist Priesthood]] is a whole ''church'' of them. They worship extradimensional [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Demon Lords]], practice [[{{Necromancer}} Necromancy]] and wage a [[RageAgainstTheHeavens veritable war]] against the [[TheHecateSisters Three Fates]] (since the Nihilists regard predestination as slavery, and undead immortality as the path to freedom from it). Ironically enough, the Nihilists once worshipped the Fates, but forsake them when they didn't lift a finger to save them from becoming... well, what they became.
92	* TheFairFolk: Glomdoring's take on Fae include redcaps, barghests and slaugh. Their native race, Shadow Faelings, are a cross between TheFairFolk and Dark Elves.
93	* FantasticRacism: Several races are discriminated against in all the major organisations. Merian and Viscanti (the native races of Celest and Magnagora, respectively) deserve special mention for looking down on ''everyone'' -- especially [[{{Archenemy}} each other]].
94	* FantasyCounterpartCulture: The chief organizations have a lot of basis in real life countries. Magnagora is much like [=WW2=]-era Germany, with their emphasis on [[MasterRace racial purity]] and extreme nationalism; Hallifax, meanwhile, is a clear take-off of [[GloriousMotherRussia Communist Russia]], right down to their aims being laid down in "The Collectivist Manifesto". Celest represents a declining British Empire, with their emphasis on nobility coupled with their [[VestigialEmpire increasingly vestigial nature]]. You could also make a case for [[EthicalHedonist Gaudiguch]] being America: freedom-loving party animals engaged in a ForeverWar with the communist Hallifax.
95	* FishPeople: The Merian race. They are decidedly non-human in appearance, being scaled, hairless, blue and finned, but are a highly [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe attractive]], intelligent and noble race with a proud history of scientific accomplishment. Interbreeding with humans has resulted in a few crossbreeds, some even having hair -- but however diluted the Merian genealogy, all "real" Merians can breathe underwater.
96	* {{Foil}}: All of the major organizations have a foil: [[GoodRepublicEvilEmpire Celest V Magnagora]], [[EmotionsVSStoicism Gaudiguch V Hallifax]], and [[GaiasLament Serenwilde]] V [[GaiasVengeance Glomdoring]].
97	* ForcedTransformation: Wiccans can transform players into toads, and Gods can turn players into giant maggots if sufficiently pissed off.
98	* ForScience: A common attitude in Hallifax, and the sole reason for being of the Institute. Also apparently the governing philosophy of [[TheFederation the Holy Celestine Empire's]] science department, thus the sheer number of screwed up failed projects littering the world.
99	* FridgeBrilliance: Why are the lucidian and trill races so close to each other? Because Xyl and Trillilial were lovers. Why are the tae'dae and furrikin so close? Because Tae and Bollikin were best friends. Why were Urlach and Klangratch so effective at working together, comparative to the other Vernals? Because Orlachmar and Clangorum were good friends. PiecesOfGod explain an awful lot in this game.
100	* FuelMeterOfPower: The most powerful abilities available to players are cast using this. You can only carry a limited amount, and running out necessitates a return to your hometown to recharge. Even if you're ''inundated'' with the stuff, it takes time for your powerful abilities to [[CoolDown recharge]], adding a strategic element to combat.
101	* FusionDance: Performed by the the Council of the Nine, the last Vernal Gods, during the [[HopelessWar Vernal War]] versus the Soulless. The result was [[PhysicalGod Avechna the Avenger]], the only entity in existence consistently able to [[SealedEvilInACan re-seal the Soulless]].
102	* GenderBender: Players can do this with the help of an [[BribingYourWayToVictory artifact]].
103	* GentleGiant: The [[BearsAreBadNews Tae'Dae]] and [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Igasho]] races.
104	* GlobalCurrency: [[JustifiedTrope Justified:]] it's probably a holdover from the [[VestigialEmpire Holy Celestine Empire]] days.
105	* TheGodsMustBeLazy: When the current [[TimeyWimeyBall reality]] is threatened via the [[ArtifactOfDoom Wheel of the Goloths]], Avechna doesn't do anything since his domain is the Soulless, and [[GameBreaker Estarra]] does shit all because only that reality is threatened, not creation, so [[BystanderSyndrome it's not her problem]]. Some of the Divine of Glomdoring, [[BloodKnight Shikari]] and [[TheSpeechless Nocht]] do take the fight to [[PhysicalGod Xynthin]] when he tries to destroy the Basin and overrun it with the Wyrd (Glomdoring's forest) but they end up being catapulted to the near future halfway through the battle allowing Xynthin to continue his plans. It flip-flops on whether Divine step in to help mortals or not. See also HeroicSacrifice for a tragic subversion.
106	* GodzillaThreshold: When a Soulless appears (Usually Kethuru).
107	* GoldfishPoopGang: The Dread Lord of Contagion, a RecurringBoss that swiftly moved into the realms of [[MemeticMutation parody]] in the minds of the players. Even Magnagora considers him a bit much and joins in to defeat him when he appears.
108	* GoMadFromTheRevelation:
109	** Spending time on planes that imprison Soulless Gods, such as Astral and [[WombLevel Muud]], will slowly drive players insane, causing them to see, hear, and do bizarre things.
110	** If a Supernal leaves their room on Celestia, they will start to go insane, and one of them actually did when she got stuck in Muud.
111	* GoodWingsEvilWings: Celestines have the former; Nihilists have the latter, [[EvilCounterpart appropriately.]]
112	* GrayAndGrayMorality: All the player-run organizations, despite their underlying themes, are only as good or evil as the individual characters that dwell there.
113	* GuideDangIt: Most quests can be figured out with a little common sense, but some of the longer, more involved quests may take repeated trial and error. Fortunately, these quests typically provide players with [[CosmeticAward honor lines]] in their profile.
114	* HaveYouSeenMyGod: Many characters search for their missing Patron God; they tend to be [[SealedGoodInACan trapped somewhere]], sometimes as part of an event.
115	* HealingFactor: Many, courtesy of magical abilities, but the [[WolfMan Loboshigaru]] deserve a special mention for their innate HealingFactor.
116	* HealingHands: Healers get these, allowing them to heal others by drawing their wounds and afflictions into them, or purge themselves of wounds at the cost of ego.
117	* TheHecateSisters:
118	** Directly referencing the ''Moirae'' of Greek mythology, no less: Clotho, the maid (who spins the threads of life), Lachesis, the mother (who measures the threads) and Atropos, the crone (who cuts the thread upon death). They govern the destinies of all mortals who are marked by the Portal of Fate -- namely, every PlayerCharacter.
119	** Lisaera also takes on the form of the maiden, mother and crone as she wishes (though she is referencing the fae of the [[UsefulNotes/{{Wicca}} Moondancers]] rather than the Fates).
120	* HermeticMagic: Highmagic, which specifically references the Kabbalah: each spell corresponds to a ''Sefirah'' sphere.
121	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: When Kethuru uses Hallifax's time and energy generators to try and break through via a rift, Elostian turns himself into energy to increase Hallifax's strength and close it, leaving his Order devastated.]]
122	* HorrorHunger: [[spoiler: Fain and his followers devoured Soulless essence to gain their powers during the Elder Wars. TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget, though, and they began devouring other Elders too...]]
123	* HumansAreCthulhu: We're apparently from a different dimension, and are implied variously to be descended from a powerful divinity. (Or just refugees from ''VideoGame/{{Achaea}}''.) Either way, we're regarded as one of the ''[[BizarreAlienBiology strangest]]'' of the mortal races.
124	* HumansAreSpecial: Humans start out as one of the weaker races, with no strengths and no weaknesses to speak of. However, they earn experience significantly faster than everyone else, and at level 50 they begin [[EvolutionaryLevels evolving]], their eventual statistics dependant on their class. A high-level human, therefore, is good for ''anything''. Also, they are the only race that can [[ExtremeOmnisexual mate with every other race]].
125	* HumanoidAbomination: The Illithoid, the only known race to have descended from a Soulless.
126	* IDidWhatIHadToDo: All of the factions claim this about the morally questionable things they do, from using the [[TheCorruption Taint]], to having [[WitchHunt inquisitions]], to [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]], to releasing one Soulless God from its prison so that it would [[SortingAlgorithmOfEvil devour another, smaller Soulless]]. This ended about as you'd expect.
127	* IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace:
128	** Magnagora and Gaudiuch are known as the City of Evil and the City of Chaos, respectively. Gaudiuch subverts it though, as it isn't actually such a bad place to live. That is, if you [[ConvectionSchmonvection don't mind the fire.]]
129	** The cosmic plane of Nil, which is directly tied to Magnagora, houses five demon lords whose lairs have appropriately ominous names as well.
130	* ImAHumanitarian: A special ability of Necromancers permits this. A particularly Squick-laden version is found in Glomdoring, where druids of [[NatureSpirit Crow]] devour flesh then [[{{Squick}} regurgitate it]] to construct their nests.
131	* ImprobableWeapon: The Ninjakari wield ''giant bladed chains''. To maximize their potential, they have to build up momentum by keeping them ''constantly in motion''. [[WebComic/EightBitTheater Chainblades, yo]].
132	* InhumanlyBeautifulRace: Faeling tend towards this. Even -- ''especially'' -- the Drow-esque shadow faeling, despite their ashy complexion and crimson eyes.
133	* IntangibleMan: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Zenos the Insubstantial]]. Also the Vernal [[AmbiguousGender God/dess]] Vestera, who became [[BlessedWithSuck particularly vulnerable]] to Zenos as a consequence.
134	* InUniverseGameClock: An hour in the real world is a day in Lusternia. Each Lusternian month is twenty five days long, and there are twelve of them, so a year is around twelve and a half days real time.
135	* ItemCrafting: Each player can choose from one of eight main trades, from standard MMO fare like Enchantment and Forging, to the more obscure, such as Brewmeistery and [[MundaneMadeAwesome furniture making]]. Trademasters can submit a certain number of new designs each in-game month, meaning there's a [[CostumePorn lot of clothes and armour floating around]].
136	* JerkassGods: Virtually all of the Gods have an agenda of some sort. Some of them, like [[ForScience Elostian]], are relatively benign; others, like [[KnightTemplar Eventru]], are more aggressive; still others, like [[ManipulativeBastard Fain]], veer into GodOfEvil territory.
137	* KillItWithFire: Pyromancers can throw fireballs, make it rain fire and can surround themselves by a ring of fire. And then Astrologers manage to top it all by summoning huge, burning [[NoKillLikeOverkill meteors]] on their enemies.
138	* LevelGrinding: ''Good lord.'' When you reach level 99, it takes the same amount it took you to reach that level to reach 100.
139	* LizardFolk: The Dracnari, native race of Gaudiguch. Unusually for the trope, they're an intelligent and proud race, instead of the traditional [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent evil mooks]].
140	* {{Magitek}}: Aetherwave communication is basically radio crossed with psychic powers crossed with the internet. Magic is used for all ''sorts'' of mundane utility.
141	* MasqueradeBall: Fain has an aesthetic that mixes MasqueradeBall and ChessMotifs. Appropriately, his appearance is an extended ShoutOut to "Literature/TheMasqueOfTheRedDeath", right down to his title ("The Crimson Masque") and [[spoiler: [[NotAMask his lack of a costume]]]].
142	* MassiveRaceSelection: Twenty playable races, running the gamut from tiny [[TheFairFolk fair folk]] to hulking [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti sasquatch-men]]. There are even more unplayable sentient races, primary among them the gnomes and the centaur.
143	* MeleeATrois: Six player-run organizations that all have their own reasons for wanting to beat on the other five.
144	* MindScrew: The formation of [[BigGood Estarra]], which is never fully explained. Basically, Dynara and Magnora (the [[AnthropomorphicPersonification personifications of creation and destruction]], respectively) had a tiff when Magnora devoured the son of [[{{God}} Yudhe]]. Since they were both children of Yudhe too, they were filled with sorrow and [[EnemyMine teamed up]] to rediscover him, leaving their children (The Elder and Soulless Gods) behind to do so. [[FromBadToWorse This is the simple part.]] [[spoiler:It's implied -- [[ShrugOfGod though never confirmed]] -- that Yudhe's son somehow ended up in ''VideoGame/{{Achaea}}'', where he became the [[EldritchAbomination Unnameable Horror]] of lore and raped the creator Goddess Maya, creating humans. The fact that when Estarra returns, she does so with a bunch of humans in tow, supports this theory.]] Whatever happened, Estarra re-emerged in Lusternia as the blending of Dynara and Magnora, with all the [[GameBreaker power that implies]].
145	* {{Minigame}}: Plenty to go around. Figurine battles, battlechess, arena combat (in duel, free-for-all and wargame varieties), aethership combat...
146	* MoneySpider: Pretty much every NPC has the ability to drop gold, directly based on how powerful they are. [[FridgeLogic So generally]] you get less gold for killing humanoid foes than [[EldritchAbomination Astral critters]].
147	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: All of the Soulless Gods have titles such as "Illith the Leviathan" and "Crazen the Greedy". In-universe there's the Glomdoring forest, which in the tongue of the [[TheFairFolk fae]] means "the forest without mercy".
148	* NatureSpirit: Every nature commune has two: a patron animal and an aspect of the earth. Serenwilde has Mother Moon and White Hart, Glomdoring has Mother Night and Mighty Crow, and Ackleberry had/has Sister Lake and Brother Bear.
149	* ANaziByAnyOtherName: The Empire of Magnagora. While nominally democratic, their [[AristocratsAreEvil aristocracy]] consists of a DecadentCourt, with backroom politics, assassinations and smear campaigns regarded as valid methods of advancement. They are [[FantasticRacism highly racist]] towards [[OurElvesAreDifferent elfen]] and [[FishPeople merian]], and are ideologically devoted to [[TheCorruption The Taint]]. Their ultimate goal is to conquer and Taint the known world and murder all merian and elfen -- fantasy Nazism, through and through.
150	* NighInvulnerability: All of the Soulless are [[NighInvulnerability functionally indestructible]] thanks to eating so much of reality that they're now an integral part of the universal infrastructure. ([[BigGood Estarra]] ''could'' kill them, but doing so would necessitate [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt recreating the entire multiverse from scratch]].) Notably, they're all a slightly different flavour of NighInvulnerability: Kethuru and Zenos are [[IntangibleMan intangible]], Illith is TheJuggernaut, Crazen's a BlobMonster and Muud has a HealingFactor.
151	* NoFourthWall: The last edition of the [[{{Backstory}} Elder Wars]] acknowledges the existence of PlayerCharacters, referring to them as "Others".
152	* NoobCave: Newton Caverns, home to the eminently disposable Gnomes and Finks. Players of level 21 or over are not allowed.
153	* NotAMask: [[spoiler:Fain]], a result of the [[PsychoSerum Soulless elixir]]. [[IDidWhatIHadToDo He thinks it was worthwhile.]]
154	* ObstructiveBureaucrat: Hallifax is a city of this, to almost parody levels.
155	* OmnicidalManiac: The Soulless, of course.
156	* OneSizeFitsAll: If your nine-feet tall sasquatch buddy is done with that plate armour, you -- a four-feet stocky dwarf -- can take it off his paws and wear it, no problem.
157	* OneWordTitle: ''Lusternia'', natch.
158	* OrderVersusChaos: Hallifax's [[ObstructiveBureaucrat bureaucracy]] versus Gaudiguch's [[TheHedonist hedonism]]
159	* OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]]. The Dwarves were originally called Clangoru (descended from the Elder God Clangorum), but when the humans arrived from a different dimension, they immediately started calling the native Clangoru Dwarves, and it eventually stuck. That's because the Clangoru were ''indistinguishable'' from the dwarves of the other dimension.
160	* OurLichesAreDifferent: Lichdom is the ultimate skill in [[{{Necromancer}} Necromancy]]. The Necromancer dies, but rises again as an archlich -- with increased strength and intelligence, [[EvilIsDeathlyCold a freezing aura]], and the ability to bestow a lesser version of lichdom upon non-Necromantic allies. Nihilist priests fit the EvilSorcerer mould and like the idea of immortality: [[ArmiesAreEvil elite ur'Guard troopers]] are mainly in it for the increase in power, becoming Death Knights in the process.
161	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: The Illithoid race: purple HumanoidAbomination EmotionEater's.
162	* PerpetuallyStatic: Invoked in most quests, which eventually reset, but some of the bigger quests (such as Mount Dio) do not automatically reset, and require a counterquest to return things to normal. Also averted in alliances and warfare between the six player-run organizations. The politics [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder constantly]] switch around, based on what the leaders consider to be more advantageous at the time.
163	* PiecesOfGod: How most of the mortal races were created, courtesy of (some of) the Elder Gods fragmenting their consciousness in a desperate attempt to [[ZergRush overpower]] the Soulless. ([[ForegoneConclusion It worked]].)
164	* PlayerVersusPlayer: Not just combat, but swaying [=NPCs=] to the side of one's faction involves a separate [[PlayerVersusPlayer PvP]] system just for debating other players.
165	* PowerCrystal: The Researchers love these and their unique skill, Harmonics, is built around utilizing them. In twelve different flavours of gemstone.
166	* PrecursorHeroes: The Council of the Nine, the [[PhysicalGod Vernal Gods]] who originally sealed away the five great Soulless. They stand sentinel today as [[FusionDance Avechna the Avenger]], and are periodically reawoken if a Soulless manages to [[SealedEvilInACan seep out]] of its prison.
167	* PromotedFanboy: Every administrator is an ex-player, save the two head developers.
168	* PsychicPowers: Psionics, which mages and monks can take. Kephera and Illithoid deserve a special mention for their innate psionic abilities, though.
169	* PsychoSerum: [[spoiler: The Soulless Elixir pioneered by Fain and company during the Elder Wars. It made them exponentially more powerful, but more aggressive and megalomaniacal. Ultimately, they began devouring other Elder Gods and were banished to the Void.]] A certain quest within the game also drastically increases your power reserves, at the cost of driving the player temporarily insane due to parasitic infestation.
170	* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: Furrikin. Bipedal little fuzzballs, they can look like anything from a panda bear to a raccoon to a sheep, but don't let their appearance fool you -- they're smarter than humans and very fast. [[KillerRabbit And not all of them are peaceful, either.]] Not to mention their links to [[BearsAreBadNews the Tae'dae]]...
171	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: During the Taint Wars, Ackleberry Forest, the former third Commune of Lusternia and homeland of the Furrikin, responded to the various nightmarish circumstances, including seeing one of the other Communes distorted by the Taint and having one of their leaders kidnapped and offered up to the Taint, by deciding to ''vanish from existence.'' It's known that it still exists and the Nexus that was located there is still intact, but that's about it. Where it went, how they managed it, and if there's any way it might return are still very much open questions.
172	* SecretPolice: Part and parcel of the communist motif in Hallifax, especially the [[StateSec Sentinels]].
173	* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness:
174	** How things are named in Hallifax. The Institute's real name is the Institutional Society of Hallifax for the Improvement of Temporal Knowledge.
175	** Also an instance of FunWithAcronyms, "I. S.H.I.T., K.".
176	* ShoutOut: ''Lots''.
177	** The Soulless are an obvious Lovecraft homage;
178	** There are [[TheIlluminati Illuminati]] and [[UsefulNotes/TheKnightsTemplar Templars]] in Gaudiguch;
179	** The Demon Lords names are derivative of high-ranking [[Literature/TheBible biblical devils]] and reference the SevenDeadlySins;
180	** Some {{NPC}}S shout [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail "help, help, I'm being repressed!"]] when attacked;
181	** Fain's title and appearance are a reference to Poe's "Literature/TheMasqueOfTheRedDeath";
182	** [[UberMensch Roark's]] name, teachings and aesthetic directly reference Creator/AynRand...
183	** On top of the multitudinous references to other media, there are many ideological similarities between the in-game organizations and real life philosophies. That's not even getting into the ''many'' tie-ins to other Creator/IronRealmsEntertainment games.
184	** Even "Stay awhile and listen" gets a ShoutOut, in a Serenwilde novice quest.
185	* ShownTheirWork: ''Also'' lots. Amongst other things, the Highmagic skill is an extended reference to the ''Sephirot'' in Kabbalah, with each skill corresponding to a sphere thereof (e.g. Keter, Yesod, Binah).
186	* SpaceSailing: Aetherships allow players to fly through [[VoidBetweenTheWorlds aetherspace]]. Since aetherships are customized entirely by the player who owns them, they run the gamut from hi-tech spaceships, to [[CoolAirship airships]], to pirate ships, and even floating stately homes!
187	* StateSec: The Sentinels of [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas Hallifax]] are a fantasy variant of StateSec. Amongst other things, the Sentinel Company are elite soldiers, SecretPolice and ''TimePolice'' designed to rein in the many paradox-causing experiments of sister organization [[ForScience The Institute]]. Hallifax in general encourages this trope as part and parcel of its dual futuristic-[[GloriousMotherRussia Communist]] motif.
188	* TheStoic: The Lucidians are basically a race of stoics. [[NotSoStoic More or less]].
189	%%* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: Influencing.
190	%%* TarotMotifs
191	* TimePolice: The Sentinels (also the SecretPolice, see below) as a necessary result of Hallifax's and the Institute's ForScience attitude.
192	* TrainingFromHell: The [[EvilArmy ur'Guard]] have refined this to an artform.
193	* TheUndead: Magnagora exalts undeath. Many of the [[AristocratsAreEvil aristocrats]] therein are [[OurLichesAreDifferent lich-lords]].
194	* VoiceOfTheLegion: Appropriately enough, Morgfyre, the Legion, who speaks with either multiple voices at once or with one voice that changes all the time.
195	* VoidBetweenTheWorlds: Though there is a place called the Void, it's at the outer limits of existence, and no mortal can survive there; exiled Gods (and more than a few omnicidal monsters) roam through it. The actual role of the VoidBetweenTheWorlds is served by aetherspace, a vast and monster-infested gap between the known planes. Players can navigate it with the help of [[CoolAirship aetherships]].
196	* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Prevalent in Gaudiguch thanks to the Illuminati and Transmology.
197	* WarpWhistle: A number of skillsets allow for quick travel across the world, and the most expensive artifact in the game provides access to a literal [[HubLevel Warp Zone]], with exits to locations ranging across the entire multiverse. Newbies also get such a zone for a limited period, with exits much more [[NoobCave relevant to them]].
198	* WelcomeToCorneria: Though occasionally subverted if a game administrator takes control of an NPC to have conversations with players.
199	* WellIntentionedExtremist: New Celest. Sure, they have some [[KnightTemplar extreme]] [[WitchHunt attitudes]], but Old Celest was ''blown up'' following the [[TheCorruption Taint]], and its empty husk is now populated by the wailing, hollow-eyed ghosts of their ancestors. You can't really blame them for wanting to do likewise to Magnagora.
200	* WhateverMancy: [[DishingOutDirt Geomancers]], [[MakingASplash Aquamancers]], [[BlowYouAway Aeromancers]] and [[PlayingWithFire Pyromancers]]. Unusually for the trope, the diametrically-opposed organizations are ''not'' based on elemental ties. Aquamancers (of Celest) are against Geomancers (of Magnagora), while Aeromancers (of Hallifax) are against Pyromancers (of Gaudiguch).
201	* WizardNeedsFoodBadly: You can starve to death... at least until you transcend such things by reaching level 80, at which point you have no need for food or sleep. Even then, classes such as [[DishingOutDirt Geomancers]] can cause starvation through poisonous gases, which often catches the "I no longer need food!" crowd off-guard.
202	* WombLevel: Muud. Intended as a hunting ground for high-levelled players, it's correspondingly [[HarderThanHard pretty tough]].
203	* WorldHalfFull: During the conflict between mortalkind and the Soulless, there were ''many'' more mortal races. On top of that, the Basin Of Life (setting for the game) is only around a third of the surface of Lusternia: the rest is a barren, decimated wasteland.
204	%%* TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed: A recurring theme.

Context VideoGame / Lusternia