Asherons Call: Asheron’s Call as a Narrative Space and Authoring Environment

[i]Many players further involve themselves in the game narrative by documenting their game play in a variety of visual and written formats. Through screenshots, histories, stories and character bios, tales are told of in-game action and friendships formed. Just as the nature of online gaming makes an alliance between the virtual and the real, so these stories often fuse the purely imaginary with actual in-game events. This paper will take a look at the documentation of these narratives in the game Asheron's Call, and specifically the narratives published on the allegiance websites that are listed in The Allegiance Hall on the official game site (http://zone.msn.com/asheronscall/hall.asp). A mixture of individual stories and collective histories are seen on these sites. How important is the in-game story versus game play to individual players? How much does it affect the formation of group identities? What role does storytelling play in the creation of a collective consciousness within these groups? Does storytelling have an impact on the ability of an allegiance to hold together or grow larger? Are the players of well-storied sites different from the players on others? Do they have different values or different reasons for playing?

The official story
Turbine Entertainment Software's Asheron's Call was released in 1999. It is unique in the Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming world for its emphasis on story. Unlike static story games, or games in which the story only advances with the release of new expansion packs (Everquest), the narrative evolves each month in Asheron's Call through the release of additional story and game elements delivered in the form of a game patch. The patch might include new dungeons, monsters, quests, lands and puzzles, but also contains an installment in the current story arc. The story arcs last anywhere from six to fourteen months. The story and the game elements are always changing and the in-game world evolves as a result. Timothy Holman, a producer of the game at Turbine, describes the delivery of story as similar to an episodic television show.

It is generally understood that the monthly game patch extends the life of Asheron's Call. But whether the continuing lure is the addition of new game elements or the evolving story is up for debate. All of the players I interviewed felt that the new game play each month keeps them involved more than the changing story. At the same time, most described their interest in AC over other MMPORPG's as partially based on the evolving and sometimes compelling narrative of the game.

Certainly the creators at Turbine and MSN, the distributor, are invested heavily in the idea that the dynamic storyline is a driving force in AC's success. Even if the story is primarily a device for delivering new game content, there are enough players who care about the story and enough others who like game play and story intertwined, that it behooves both companies to foster an interest in the game lore. The game's official site, the Zone, contains a lengthy and well-documented history of the world of Auberean and the island of Dereth, where all of the action takes place. The section, "A Brief History for Travelers", describes the events before the time period of the game and has summaries of each of the monthly story installments. Fan sites like Warcry's Crossroads of Dereth (http://ac.warcry.com/), AC Vault (http://acvault.ign.com/) and Maggie the Jackcat (http://www.thejackcat.com/AC/) include some official histories, as well as information on quests, spells, armor, beasts and maps of the world.

But players do not have to go to these out of game sources to learn game and quest lore. Within the game there are libraries with history books. Quest information can be learned from various NPC's, town criers who make announcements, overheard from vendors, or purchased from scribes and bartenders. Narrative is often passed through objects, in materials left in dungeons, found on slain monsters, in notes and letters. But, as Doug Field from CoD points out, learning the lore through scattered objects is generally only for the most enthusiastic lore fans. Most players would not take the time to find all of the clues, let alone bring an unintelligible note to one of the libraries and pay the right translator to decode it, especially when the information contained is only one piece of the puzzle. Hardened explorers delight in seeking out the answers in-game, and within a couple of days of the patch release, their findings, quest lore and game spoilers, are available the on the fansites.

The official and fan sites alike encourage players to become involved in the narrative. All of them have message boards with various threads relating to game lore. CoD has a separate section with questions on lore and another where topics in the backstory are debated. Beyond promoting in-game lore, these sites also encourage players to tell their own stories. The fan sites publish a variety of fan fiction: chronicles of in-game quests, poems, stories based on game characters, artwork, and screenshots with captions. The Zone, in turn, publishes the best of the player submitted fiction from the fan sites in its Player Chronicles section (http://zone.msn.com/asheronscall/PlayerChron.asp). These sites also push the creation of personal stories within the game. Creating a backstory in character bios is suggested on several of the sites. CoD is seeking player submitted bios for its College of Heraldry section (http://ac.warcry.com/showcase/biographies/index.php3). The emphasis is on using role play to enhance game play. Character creation, after all, is not just the first thing you do to play the game, it is how you start your story.

The creators of AC care so much about involving players in the story that they have come up with several in-game designs to allow exceptional players to become part of the official lore. Characters that complete quests first sometimes have their names flashed on in game signs, making their achievements publicly known. During the reign of the first AC live team, players were asked to submit stories about their quest experiences. The best of these were made into a book that you could purchase in-game from a scribe or bar keep. This method puts player achievement into the local economy and brings their participation in the narrative to a new level.

With all of this emphasis on involving players in the story, a fair question would be how much the players can actually affect the official storyline. According to both Tim Holman and Chris L'Etoile of Turbine, with the demands of delivering story and game changes each month, there is little room for the players to impact the story arc. In an interview on WCoD (http://ac.warcry.com/index.php3?library=logs/letoile1), Chris L'Etoile, who led the first live team, also sites the lack of server divergence and live GM's as two issues that affect Turbine's ability to handle player input. Turbine wants the story to move along at the same pace on each of its eight worlds. Within the game framework, there is room for the creation of a personal narrative, but not much room for that experience to affect the overall story direction or outcome.

When asked to identify which story arc has been the most successful so far, every person I interviewed had the same response. It is the only instance anyone can remember,since the game went live, in which players took control of the story, albeit for a short period of time. During The Shard of the Herald, the evil Bael'Zharon was imprisoned. It was necessary for the crystal that bound him to be destroyed in order for him to be released to begin a reign of terror. The action needed to take place within the month of the game patch in each world in order for the storyline to continue at the same pace on all of the servers. On one of the worlds, Thistledown, the players defended his prison in shifts twenty-four hours a day, and were so successful that the admins had to bring in powerful in-game characters of their own, in order to defeat the players and keep the story on Thistledown up with the rest of the servers. The defense on Thistledown is legendary among players, and it is generally agreed that all players were involved in the story during that month. It is clear that when the players were able to affect the storyline it made a huge impact on their enjoyment of the narrative. While a monument was erected in honor of the defense, one person felt that " interest in the storyline plummeted after [the event, when] when it became clear the players had no actual effect on the storyline." (Doug Field, WCoD) Occasionally, players will influence the story from outside of the game. According to Ophelia of WcoD, there was such demand from the players on the message boards for housing, that the developers acquiesced. It took over a year, because Turbine added it as a component in one of the story arcs.

Story vs. game
With all of the focus on story, both on the Zone and the other fan sites, how important really is game narrative to the players? An analysis of the allegiance websites on the Zone, suggests that it is extremely important to a minority of players, and not very important to most. There are those that love lore and those that don't. Story and game play are separate elements in the experience of AC. Some people fuse them together, but many think of the story as a backdrop to game play, a convenient way of introducing new elements. The designers of the game acknowledge this in the way they design the quests. While quest lore is readily available in game and adds depth to the experience, knowledge of that lore is not necessary for completing the quests. They have made sure there are story elements for those who like it and that that they don't get in the way of game play for those that don't care.

This dual nature is readily apparent on the allegiance websites. There are well-storied sites, and by that I mean sites with extensive written or visual histories, or several member submissions of chronicles or fiction. And there are sites with nothing more than a Code of Conduct and a list of members. Of the 335 allegiances listed in The Allegiance Hall on the Zone (http://zone.msn.com/asheronscall/hall.asp), only 161 are still up as of this writing. Of those, over half (94) have some element of story, a brief history or several screenshots, and only 31 of those are what I would consider well-storied sites, about twenty percent. Furthermore, there seems to be no correlation between the content of the sites and their success in terms of duration or number of members. Of the 21 top monarchs listed in The Allegience Hall by rank and number of followers, only 6 have storied sites and 3 have well-storied, slightly under 20%. Still, for those that care, story makes Asheron's Call both a serial novel and an authoring environment, and their allegiance websites are both a testament to the compelling nature of the storyline and serve as the collective memory of their members' time in-game together.

Story formats
Narrative is delivered in a number of different ways on the allegiance sites. Some sites offer several formats , some only one. Some types of writing relate directly to the official story, while others simply chronicle the formation of the allegiance and the values of its members. Some formats contain elements of fantasy, while others are rooted firmly in game events. The forms of narrative most frequently found on the guild sites are lore, screenshots, guild histories, character bios and member submitted stories, which can also include songs and/or poems.

Sections on lore are sometimes direct copies of information listed on the Zone or fan sites, or an attempt to reconstruct the official story through the experience of allegiance members. Sometimes this is just a step up from descriptions of beasts, spells, or mappings of the world. In any event, these sections are based directly on the official story, and do not veer from in-game events. While compiling this information is impressive, it is more the work of a librarian than a storyteller. It shows the importance an allegiance places on knowledge of the game but does not demonstrate an involvement in narrative creation. Exceptions are sites where story points are debated and theories are created to explain plot discrepancies.

Screenshots are the most popular method of introducing a personal story element on the sites. They are easy to post and offer a quick look at the allegiance. Shots of individual members or group portraits identify the participants, while pictures of battles, monsters, and far-away lands document some of their activities. More socially minded groups post pictures of their meetings, weddings and festivals. Less storied sites post only a picture or two, while others use screenshots to maximum benefit, with elaborate galleries documenting in-game events in words and pictures. The Photo Album of Heirs to Dereth includes pictures of a wedding, a leveling up, and individual portraits (http://www.zoopsie.com/eilenda/Heirs_to_Dereth/photo_album/photo_album.htm). Like lore, screenshots document in-game events exclusively.

Another popular method for establishing group identity and chronicling the activities of the allegiance is through written histories. These range in length from a short paragraph to over twenty pages. Whek-Tar Holt, Monarch of the Knights of Winchester has written seven chapters of history. (http://www.knights-of-winchester.com/) These writings are often a mixture of fantasy and in-game events. They often begin with a short character bio of the writer, which is based both on in-game facts and the imagination of the author. Often the writer includes a fictional account of his/her life before the arrival in Dereth which marks the beginning of game play. Generally within the first few paragraphs, new characters are introduced. These are often the critical friends who make up the core of the group. After some descriptions of mishaps and tales of knowledge gained, there comes a point of critical mass and a call for leadership, which signals the beginning of the formation of the allegiance. Many of the accounts include tales of loyalty and betrayal or disillusionment. Often the character becomes unhappy with his or her first patron before deciding to become a monarch. Sometimes these tales, while told in a role-playing style, cross over into RL. References to monarchs who no longer communicate in the familiar manner, describe characters who have been sold and are being played, rather unsuccessfully, by another player.

After the monarchy has been established, the lengthier histories go on to recount tales of adventures. Here, the histories blend the official storyline with the story of the allegiance members. Both personal and group narratives move forward because of the release of additional story and game elements each month; as events change within the game, new narrative possibilities are created. The histories are sometimes divided into chapters, which correspond to changes in the story arcs. The quest chronicles frequently take off from where the allegiance history ends, continuing to tell the story of the in-game adventures of the group.

The remaining story telling forms, character bios and fan fiction, move narrative more firmly into the realm of fantasy. Character bios, like the histories, often begin with an elaborate backstory before moving into real in-game events. Shorter bios are generally only the backstory of the character. Longer bios have themes relating to finding one's way in the game: arrival in a strange land, feelings of fear and inadequacy, finding the first friend, gaining competence, finding happiness through acceptance in a group.

Fan fiction comes in a variety of forms: tales and stories, poems, songs. Like the histories and character bios, they often blend fantasy and in-game reality. Themes include unrequited love or love fulfilled, the loss or death of friends, the search for knowledge, and quest or hunting adventures. One poem, "The Tale of Anun'in", describes the history of a favorite weapon (http://councildoom.hypermart.net/anunin.html). Sometimes the writings incorporate elements of game lore and history, while remaining strictly fantasy based; the events described did not occur within the game, but the game world is used as a backdrop.

The relationship between game play and role play is complex. Most storytelling incorporates both elements. While the recounting of lore is strictly in-game reality based, debating its finer points involves a more creative approach. Allegiance histories, character bios and fan submitted stories all combine elements of each to weave their tales. Generally, though, you can place the forms on a continuum between in-game reality and fantasy, with lore on the one side, fan fiction on the other and character bios and allegiance histories somewhere in the middle.

The authors
Story submissions are almost always individual and often written by the founder of the guild or high ranking members. Narrative contributions on smaller sites are generally exclusive to the monarch, and may include a guild history, a few screenshots, and a character bio. As content expands, so do the number of contributors, but even the most extensive websites are usually created by only a few members. One of the most extensive sites, the Emerald Order has contributions by twelve members in the story section (http://www.emerald-order.com/eo_public/index.htm). Large sites will often have a loremaster, who maintains the Lore or Library section of the site, and different members accepting submissions for and maintaining the Photo Gallery or Member Stories sections. But in almost all cases, while stories, screenshots, and quest chronicles are often submitted by other members, the history of the allegiance is the domain of the monarch. Quest chronicles, which supply additional information on the history, are usually written by other high-ranking members, who take over the chronicling of events when the allegiance becomes larger and the monarch has less time for writing.

Clearly the players who contribute to well-storied sites are interested in role play, they love fantasy as much as gaming. They are as least as interested in exploring and immersing themselves in the world, collecting lore and information on beasts and spells, as they are in leveling up. Ishido Kai is one of several role playing allegiances that publishes a guide for members on how to role play (http://www.bar-sinister.com/kai/brole.htm). The prolific writers, while very involved in the game, tend not to seek the high levels of other players. It doesn't mean they don't play, it's just a difference in how they play. Most of them are mid to upper-mid range, choosing to reach a level at which they can actively participate in most of the game play. You can't write a history if you haven't experienced it, nor can you describe a quest unless you've gone on it. Some of them also play on several servers, again, choosing to explore more of the AC universe. Using Richard Bartle's system for classifying players, these players are explorers more than they are achievers, socializers or killers (http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm ). Clan leaders, on the other hand, tend to be quite high level and can be thought of as a mixture of achiever and explorer oriented.

The purpose
Writing accomplishes a number of things and the different forms of narrative serve different purposes. Just as immersion in game lore adds depth to the experience of the game world, writing a back story for your character makes for richer interactions with others in the game. Fan fiction is generally a more developed form of role play that continues from where the bios leave off. Narrative that is based on fantasy, whether it is in the form of a character bio or a story, is often more for the expression of the individual than it is for the formation of group identity. This is why the variations on fan fiction are often written by a variety of members within an allegiance, and not restricted to those that are high-ranking. Yet, sites that publish a lot of it, create a web of narrative that extends the game space outside of actual game play.

The well-developed bio is key for the creation of guild histories. The standard form, which starts with the imaginary biography and moves into in-game reality reporting, gives voice to the individual and to the collective experience. The archetypal nature of the form, with its themes of birth, alienation, friendship, mastery, and loss, chronicles an experience that most players can identify with. Everyone feels isolation and confusion as they enter the world and fear of the unknown. Everyone feels relief at the meeting of a first friend, and pleasure at gaining competence in the unfamiliar environment. The monarch, documenting his/her own history, writes a story that everyone can share.

The histories also help create a sense of group identity and to form a gathering of like-minded players. While the monarch's biography section relates more to the individual roleplaying experience, the reality reporting of in-game events, beginning with the meeting of the first friends and the formation of the allegiance, applies more to the experience of the group. The leaders begin by charting their own history, but as new characters enter the narrative, that history starts to chronicle the collective experience of the guild. The members' personal history is thus tied up with their monarch's and the monarch's history becomes more mythic with each additional person who reads that history as his/her own. History matters more if it becomes your own. "Our history continues...it is being written every day and you are a part of it." (Ghede, Monarch of the Empyrean Guard of Leafcull)

Because guild histories document shared experience, they are powerful mechanisms for creating group identity. The stories may seem trite and simplistic to outsiders, but they are meaningful to the people who they are about. Everyone entered the world alone and felt relief and gratitude when friendship and help were offered. And most were happy to become a part of something that is bigger than themselves.
Screen shots and quest chronicles serve a similar purpose; they document group activity and shared memories.

Interestingly, now that AC2 has been released, and allegiances are losing members to the new game, several sites have increased efforts to document their histories. There is a sense of urgency to mark where they have been and to memorialize the time spent playing together. Sensing the end of an era, Mist of Mourn, the monarch of the Empyrean Souls of Solclaim, has posted her story in several installments, and asked others in the guild to post theirs. A number of players have responded and their stories often overlap, offering different versions of the same in-game events and dramas (http://www.empyreansouls.net/morriganstories.html). These overlapping narratives create a rich tapestry and give voice to a larger collective experience. Several other monarchs, whose allegiances have long since disbanded, leave sites left up as a testimonial to the time spent together. Though these sites are no longer maintained, they remain as documents of collective memory (http://councildoom.hypermart.net/).

The formation of a collective story space is directly the result of game play. It is through in-game events that friendships and loyalties are formed. D'Sanai, Monarch of The Emerald Order, which began officially in October 2000, puts it this way. "We care about those who have become our Brothers -- not just in name, but in the sweat, tears, and blood of battle. We have fought beside each other, shared a common goal. We have also just sat around in large fields away from the heat of battle just to chat. :-)" (http://www.emerald-order.com/eo_public/index.htm).

Allegiances which organize hunting trips and social events create tightly knit communities and develop in-game reputations. And though most people interviewed felt that a guild's reputation and style of play were more likely to help recruit new members than its history or stories, they did acknowledge that sharing their experiences in out-of-game writings helps to broadcast their exploits to the greater gaming community and communicate their values to those looking to join. Site writings help to determine what type of player will be attracted. And for members, while deeds and friendships bind the community, recounting successful quests, comic moments and social activities keeps alive memories of shared experience, and reiterates the group's values. "History tells us where we have been. It teaches us lessons and shows us our roots. It tells us who we are. As I think of the Empyrean Guard, what comes to mind is not the accumulation of power, but of knowledge. Not of material wealth and loot, but of friendship" (Ghede, from "History of the EG" http://eg.dereth.ac/history/)
Allegiances are social organizations and using communication as a tool for building and solidifying community is a theme that occurs frequently in guild histories. Time and again, writers break out of character to describe their delight in the recent launch or improvement of their allegiance website. The need for a website becomes critical as the allegiance scales up. "My happiest moment in my post-monarch state was when Sir Dumas unveiled the new HSK website, with the message board. Finally, our house was going to communicate and evolve into a kingdom, not a confederacy of solo hunters bearing the monarch's name. For with this communication, we could now function in the capacity that the earlier kingdoms had done with so much success. Of course people were willing to leave an inert household for a dynamic one which was always going on quests. Creating an autonomous kingdom that could attract newcomers and keep them was an enormous task which was finally overcome, and I thank everyone in the House for doing their part to achieve this goal." ("Diary of a Past Monarch" from House Shinri Kyo http://www.hsk-ac.com/)

Another reason people find documenting their game play compelling is that they want to be famous. This helps explain why monarchs and higher ranking allegiance members are so often the primary writers. Part of the appeal of playing a MMPORPG's is to be the hero in the game's mythology, only most players, as the games are currently constructed, never get that chance. Competition to be the first player to complete a quest or solve a puzzle is fierce, and there are plenty of power levelers out there with all of the tools and cheats necessary. But through community building and documentation of those efforts, some of these players reach their goal. They create a reputation for themselves that is widespread within the gaming community. Writing about their achievements offers an opportunity to leave a more permanent mark on the world. Because there is so little opportunity for this within the game, storytelling becomes an out of game venue to achieve recognition by other players. Other venues are the Zone and some of the fan sites, which occasionally run interviews with some of the monarchs and storytellers.

It's a small circle at the top and the histories of the elite players are often intertwined. Many of the monarchs have histories that expand beyond the confines of their own allegiances. There are stories that cross allegiances, cross worlds and cross games. Monarchs mention each other in their texts, documenting friendship and rivalries, monarchies formed and destroyed. Taken together these stories create the sense of a rich and lengthy in-game history. Hexxa, Monarch of the Guardians of Honor, had a falling out with his Queen, Mist of Mourn. She left him and his allegiance to become monarch of her own, The Empyrean Souls. (http://www.empyreansouls.net/) Her extensive history, which is published on The Empyrean Souls site, includes her entry into the world, her marriage to Hexxa, her disillusionment with and departure from Hexxa, and the new beginning. Warszawa, who was once a vassal under Hexxa, and is now Monarch of the Heirs to Dereth (http://zoopsie.com/Heirs_to_Dereth/), has posted three screenshots documenting the last moments of Hexxa's life on his allegiance website.

Another example of a cross allegiance story can be found on the site of the Council of Doom on Leafcull. The monarch, the Prophet Doom, moved on to what was at the time the newly opened server Solclaim to begin life anew as Doom Lightblade. Before he left, he bestowed his trusty sword (mentioned earlier in this text) on his follower Ghede. In "The Death of Prophet Doom" he recounts his tale (http://councildoom.hypermart.net/prophetdeath.html). Ghede, who , after Prophet Doom's departure, became a monarch and started the Empyrean Guard of Leafcull, documents his version of those events in the history of his own allegiance (http://eg.dereth.ac/history/).

The move by the Prophet Doom from Leafcull to Solclaim is also an example of a cross world story. Unfortunately, his time on Solclaim was short lived and the site there is still up, but no longer active.
Cross game storytelling is documented on the Keepers of Chaos/ The Blood Monarchy website (http://www.keepersofchaos.com/). Their lengthy history documents the friendship of the members through several different games. Whether a search for previous members of their group on other game sites would lead to variations of the same story, I am not sure.

Storied Allegiances
Do the clans with extensive histories or stories on their sites differ in any way from other clans? Do they have specific characteristics or values? As mentioned earlier, what really characterizes the players in these groups is their interest in role play and exploration. Certainly, their game play is enhanced by their interest in fantasy, and they both seek out like-minded players and encourage others to participate in the creation of story.

As a group members, they appear fiercely loyal, but it is difficult to know whether players in storied clans are any more loyal than those in other groups. They, after all, document themselves, so we know more about their values and interests than groups that merely put up a CoC or Directory of Members on their sites, no matter how closely-knit they may be in-game.

Well-storied allegiances do not tend to be among those with the largest number of members. New players tend to be attracted to allegiances which include xp chains, trade mules and buff bots as part of their game play. With these new in-game methods, newbies can level up quickly and gain power and wealth, and the allegiances that include them attract many new players. The well-storied clans almost never include these methods of expediting character development, nor do they tend to buy loyalty with gifts, so they are less likely to attract large numbers of new players, who have a lot of game play to catch up on. Partly this is because they do not value leveling up as a measure of achievement as greatly as other types of players, and partly it is because they tend to be older groups. Many of them were started shortly after beta, or at least their monarchs have been playing that long. (Knights of Winchester etc.) (include dates) One person interviewed suggested that the release of Asheron's Call Dark Majesty brought with it new tactics in game play, and that participants who entered the game earlier, never changed their style of play. The Legends of Dereth makes the distinction in style of play clear on their website: "First of all, an experience chain is definitely not for everyone...It simply has to do with your goals and play style within the game. If you enjoy hunting for experience points, leveling often, and are self-sufficient then experience chains are definitely for you. If you spend a lot of time on quests, playing several characters, standing around town, or helping vassals all day then you will have a very hard time meeting the requirements." (http://www.legendsofdereth.com/)

It is harder to judge if there are other differences in values between storied and non-storied groups. Most Codes of Conduct include much of the same jargon, emphasizing honor and loyalty, with little concrete information on what that actually means. Almost all allegiances are against stealing, spamming, begging or swearing. The only real distinction one can make between clans is whether or not they allow player killing, and there are many shades of gray on that subject. But even that doesn't seem to make much difference. Narrative sites are not the exclusive domain of anti-PK players. The Darktide server, which is the only PK server in the game, has several storied sites, and one of the most extensive histories (23 pages) in the Allegiance Hall comes from a site on that server. "Darktide Past and Present" was written Schattenkind, previous Monarch of the Shadow Warriors and member of the Black Rose Allegiance. (http://www.theblackrose.org/webs/Schatt_history/history.html) Everyone has his/her own definition of what it means to be honorable in game play, and Shattenkind is no exception. "I care about my character´s role and my character´s reputation. AC is not only a 'game', it is also a community of a lot of players that interact with each other. It is important for me that I'm surrounded by players that I can rely on. I hate it when people lie in real-life to me, and I hate it not less in AC." Shattenkind is enthusiastic about player killing, yet talks against using cheats. He cares deeply about maintaining his reputation, and rails against portal logging as a cheap way of escaping death. While PK allegiances may write more about victories and defeats, than the quest and hunting trips the stories of anti-PK clans, their interest in documenting their histories and espousing their values is no different.

Conclusion
Online multiplayer games, while perhaps more primitive in the content of their stories, are a more complex form of narrative than more traditional forms, with universes that allow for creative input from any and all of their inhabitants. This is the kind of world the developers of Asheron's Call are striving for, complex and with infinite possibility. The story line advances, not only to introduce new game play, but to give in-game friends new reasons to get together and new stories to discuss and write about. Storytelling and documenting game play experience enhances the gaming experience through role-play and communication. Individuals and groups alike, use narrative forms based on role-play to shape the game world to their own realities and to extend the reach of the game, pushing its mythology into other arenas. As a communication tool, narrative helps create a cohesive vision for both role-play and game play, and assists in the building and maintaining of communities. As game technology advances, players will find new ways to play with narrative, inventing new forms and new uses for the old ones.

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Bibliography

Official Game Sites:
Turbine Entertainment Software (ACDM Haikus)
http://forums.turbinegames.com/list.php?f=31&postcnt=89

Turbine Entertainment Software (AC2 Lore Forum)
http://forums.turbinegames.com/list.php?f=43&postcnt=100

The Zone (A Brief History for Travelers)
http://zone.msn.com/asheronscall/ASHEhistory.asp

The Zone (The Allegiance Hall)
http://zone.msn.com/asheronscall/hall.asp

Fan Sites:
Warcry's Crossroads of Dereth
http://ac.warcry.com/

AC Vault
http://acvault.ign.com/

Maggie the Jackcat
http://www.thejackcat.com/AC/

Allegiance Sites:
The Black Rose ("Darktide Past and Present" by Schattenkind )
http://www.theblackrose.org/webs/Schatt_history/history.html

The Chosen of Solclaim (Stories)
http://www.chosenofsolclaim.com/

The Circle of Seekers (Tales)
http://www.solvari.com/seekers/

Clan Direwolf (Screenshots)
http://members.cox.net/cdwolf06/Index.htm

Council of Doom (History)
http://councildoom.hypermart.net/

Crimson Knights (Hall of Lore section on Message Board)
http://www.crimsonknights-sc.com/

deathstone ("The Misadventures of Rod Rescueman" - comic book style screenshots)
http://www.lonemantis.com/deathstone/

The Dereth Guard (History, In Game Tales, AC Related Fiction)
http://www.derethguard.com/

The Emerald Order
http://www.emerald-order.com/eo_public/index.htm

The Empyrean Guard (History)
http://eg.dereth.ac/history/

Fight with Honor (cross-game History)
http://www.fightwithhonor.org/

Golden Dragons (History, Stories)
http://www.gdadragons.com/

The Gray Dragons (Bios, Writing Contest)
http://www.wappsolutions.com/gdragon/

House of the Dragons Equinox (Bio/History)
http://www.geocities.com/duskangel_2000/AsheronsCall/

House of Strathelar (House Bios, Stories/Lore)
http://www.strathelar.com/new/

The Ishido Kai (Notes on Roleplaying, Book of Fang)
http://www.bar-sinister.com/kai.htm

Keepers of Chaos and the Blood Monarchy (Cross-game history with Ultima and Warcraft)
http://www.keepersofchaos.com/

Knights of Winchester (History, Member Stories)
http://www.knights-of-winchester.com/

The Last Dynasty (Screenshots including Nekkid Run)
http://lastdynasty.org/archive/nekkidaerfalle.html

Legends of Dereth (Experience Chain Information)
http://www.legendsofdereth.com/

Legion of Light (Library)
http://www.laurianna.com/laurianna/

Nomads of Knowledge (Screenshots)
http://www.wiredsp.com/nok/

The Orion Hunters Guild (Scrolls, Screenshots)
http://orionhunters.netfirms.com/

Orphans of Ispar (extensive Lore section)
http://www.orphansofispar.com/

Shinri Kyo ("Diary of a Past Monarch")
http://www.hsk-ac.com/

The Silver Citadel (Members Submitted Stories, History, Screenshots)
http://www.silvercitadel.com/

Sunset Knights (Tales of the Sunset Knights)
http://www.legendsofdereth.com/

William the Bat's Page of Bat Madness (Screenshots)
http://www.asherons.net/~williamthebat/index.html

Interviews:

Allegiances:
Ilea, General of the Knights of Wincester
Jonathan Steinhauer (aka Aesa of the Emerald Order)
Paul Mahoney (aka Adric the Red, Monarch of the Crimson Knights of Solclaim)

Crossroads of Dereth:
Bruce (aka Dar'van al-Zanuff of Thistledown)
Cunegonde
Dotcher, Quest Team
Doug Field (aka dugfromhearth)
Jim (Krell of Leafcull)
Ophelea of WCoD
Roewin of WCoD

Turbine Entertainment Software:
Timothy Holman, Producer

Thanks to Ophelea of WCoD for encouraging so many of the players there to answer questions. Thanks also to Tsingtao II and Ilea of the Knights of Wincester for allowing me to post on their private forum and all the members of the KOW who posted responses.