Written by Neo Of Lothlore
Here's that map of Tokuno they showed us initially. Well, I've taken the time to add to it the 'important details' like moongates, names of the isles and some of the nicer places that I saw for a new settlement or establishment.


As for a new settlement: I pretty much spent all my time adventuring, and I think I covered almost ever inch of land there was to explore. Tokuno is a smaller facet, sized about, oh, say maybe 2/3s the size of Malas, if not smaller. The seas are fun to explore too, and they were telling the truth when they said there were about 40 islands -- they're all over the place!

Kitsune Forest Settlement
I think I found a great spot with character, charm and no overland spawn (what other qualities could anyone want?!). It's a grassy meadow/bank near the water and a nice garden that resembles the hedge maze back in old Britannia; in an area that's called the "Kitsune Forest". I managed to place a house there on the test shard and create an english style design. We could get about 3 18x18s, 2 15x15s and a bunch of smalls in the area, not counting the space on the other side of the road too. It has a great forest near by, which I could see used for quests, etc, and prime access to the water (that hedge maze garden is a great area of character too). Judge for yourselves, and enjoy those cherry trees. Here are a few **screenshots: N/A**

Northern Island Settlement
I'm not really sure if this is a great location for anything spectacular, but it's a great example of the "personal islands" that OSI was talking about. This particular island will house an 18x18 and I think two 8x8s -- not too great for a large settlement, but it does have the uniqueness of being a personal island. Here are some **screenshots: N/A**

Northern Island Settlement
If worse comes to worst, we could always place in the "Luna" of Tokuno, which is the only city, Zento. Zento has room within the city boundaries for housing, but also has a good deal of land North and West, outside the city. I expect that Zento will suffer the same fate as Luna though in becoming another giant vendor mall, so it's probably best to try to keep away from there (if that's even possible, though Sunsword did say house placement would be delayed until everyone had upgraded their accounts, i.e. a few weeks after the release of the box).

These three locations I listed are pretty much the best spots for housing, since a lot of the other areas have heavy spawns like fan dancers and other creatures that can tear you apart with a spell or two. Personally I like the Kitsune Forest spot (actually called the Gaman Plains, but it's so close to the Kitsune Forest that, meh!). The only thing to really worry about is the odd stray Bake-Kitsune, which are three tailed foxes with glowing eyes. There's a Ninjitsu spell actually called "Animal Form" that lets you transform into a Bake-Kitsune, Ki-irn or one of many other animals, permanantly (or until you die at least). This will be great for roleplaying, and I can even picture a band of RPed Kitsunes roaming around, kinda like the kobolds. Wurg fur mayur!

Here are a few other screenshots that I got, including that "island under the UO Logo", which turns out to be just a simple island with a nice beach, unless someone else can point out what's so special about it. I'm not sure what else I'm forgetting, besides that there are some new amazing craftables, but if you guys have any questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to fill you in.

# Zento at night (it gets REALLY dark, even with Dark Nights off!)
# Here's that "Island Under the Logo" (nothing special that I can see except the piratesque beach)
# An Example of an Inn that someone made using the new tiles (note the sushi, Mmmm)
# Example of some of the new additions to the tilesets, stained glass windows for the old Cold Stone!
# The Bank in Zento (oddly scarse, this place is usually packed)
# A Nice Sitting Fountain in Zento

P.S. : Do I think it's time to move PaxLair? This is a tough question. Tokuno has all the makings of a great place to start a new village. It's beautiful, vast, intriguing, and since it's "new", people would come from all over to visit a new player-establishment. I'm not saying the days of Felucca should be ended, but maybe it's in our best interest to invest our time in a new project, one that could be some day as great as old PaxLair, free of the stupid PvP limitations of Felucca. For a long time I've been the one saying "NO" to moving Pax, but it just seems that these are the final days of Felucca. Winmere even refuses to participate in PaxLair/Felucca anymore!

Late last week I was reminded of my time first spent in UO, in PaxLair, and in that immersive world we called Chesapeake, five years ago. It all really began for me in October of 1999 when I first met Marilla, and roamed around PaxLair nightly, LITERALLY walking from the Saloon to the Ladies of the Lair and finding a crowd of 10+ at EACH tavern. The patrons were talking about this, and that. The knights were talking about great finds of vanq swords, and Enoch had the wizards conducting a meditation session at the PxW house. Over at the Order tower I distinctly remember Mayor Winfield answering questions to passing citizens of the realm, clad in golden chainmail with the trusty staff of Seer Daemeon lying firmly in his palm, before putting on more liberal clothes and joining the crowd at the Saloon. A few fighters were sparring in the arena, the orcs were planning a "tribute attack" on the Ladies of the Lair with their peanut sized brains, and Kyleria Dawn was enlisting new citizens as Cobalt and Hyrit told silly Cheers jokes.

And this went on EVERY night (and day)! Remember? It's always fun to know that you can take a trip back down nostalgia lane,... but these days I'm seeking something more. I really believe that Tokuno might be a solution to some of our problems. The orc fort might also be a solution.

The success of the Red Wolf Cafe in Trammel has really shown that RP Player Culture can flourish if executed in a proper environment with taverns, regular event nights, something to 'belong to' and above all, SECURITY and PIECE OF MIND that you won't be ganked by CHAMPS or AT while trying to read some poetry to an audience, or sitting on a bench outside your house.

Perhaps "establish an outpost" is a better phrase than "move the city". I can see that we've all been pretty edgy about our time in Felucca in 2004 (see the talks about moving to the Malas Orc Fort), and a new "place of focus" would be a great and fresh start for us to play out our talents with no restrictions anymore.

Of course I'm not saying that we should re-deed Olde PaxLair, but keep it for the memories and continue to hold events there off and on, but focus all the major stuff on KitsuneLair, or whatever we'd like to call it.

Anyways, I've been longing to re-establish my "Silver Dragon Winery & Tavern" that was a fun success back when Trammel opened up. I'd like to put a new spin on it, with all the customization functions available, and perhaps even get a new "hangout bar" type atmosphere going, kinda like the old Saloon was, and the Siren's Call in Silvervale struggles to be these days. All in all, I'll be out there on placement day in Tokuno ready to build a new piece of fun, hopefully it can be the start of something new.

Written by Winfield
1. PaxLair Felucca will remain of course. There are still PvP oriented and some non-PvP oriented things to go on there. But we can not expect the type of visitation, events, and RPing we had in the old days when Felucca was the only Facet. We must move on for those purposes.

2. We have two options....

a. We create PaxLair outpost in Tokuno (and we should not rule out the Malas Orc Fort as a secondary option [or primary option for some citizens if they want] if we can not get placed properly in Tokuno).

b. We create a new town in Tokuno and call it whatever. Two options for this:

Option A is an extension of PaxLair with PaxLair Govt, etc. and literally placed with willing PaxLair people. This option may "compete" for land against other RPers working to try to get to Tokuno for similar purposes as ours. However, this option can mean PaxLair stays focused as PaxLair and "revives" a bit with an outpost or central govt moved to Tokuno. Maybe others would join our placement effort and become part of PaxLair. Certainly a possibility, but trust and security of the idea is important to not be "sold out" to people just wanting to defeat PaxLair's plans.

or ...

Option B is a new town created by many RPers perhaps across the Shard where we could "sister" it with PaxLair and other existing RPing towns. This option also allows for some "teaming" with more non-PaxLair people thus increasing the numbers of buildings/players combining efforts in one place. In other words, how about all the RP towns get together (PaxLair, Gyldenfeld, Nidaros, Silvervale, Concordia, Mythndale) and any RPing guilds who don't really have towns ... and we group up in "droves" of RPers to settle in one place, like Kitsune Forest Settlement. Once established, we can negotiate who owns what building, resize them as needed during quiet times, etc. Then, establish a new government perhaps or a "focus area for all RPing towns with a Council representation from the originating towns or guilds" and such. Option B will take trust with other folks and leadership to pull together.

An option 'E' to consider is the RPers of PaxLair could become intimately involved in an existing RPing town on Trammel or Malas. I was thinking tonight what RPing towns of any significance (more than 3-5 players) exists. There seems to be one large one ... Concordia. It has "citizen guilds" of sorts and a large number of houses.

Oh, Option 'F' is to stay in PaxLair and focus on RPing in PaxLair Felucca. This is basically a "default" option if all else fails.

Point 1 - Do WE need to own our own houses to be a part of RPing, get involved in RPing govt, quests, and hanging out as RPers in places on a daily basis like we used to do in old PaxLair days?

Point 2 - We can't really do that in PaxLair unless we actually have a working government IN PaxLair Felucca. That means, people showing up there to RP, not just PvP. And I mean more than weekly meetings and gathering for adventures. But we know that is hard because PvPers will still come to grief PaxLair... oh... but they have always done that since Day 1 in PaxLair. The difference is that in the old days we had a larger number of RPers in Pax DRAWN by the RPing in Pax. Now, the numbers are reversed. RPing drew the good people to Pax in the past. We just don't have the RPing going on in Pax anymore to make it worthwhile for RPers to risk their lives in Felucca. Even I very seldom go to PaxLair to just sit around and talk to people. So I am not helping the medicine I may be suggesting for PaxLair Felucca. I tried RPing in Pax the other night with some success though, even with V*C people without getting killed and also with Ed McManus without getting killed. Maybe we need more of that again in PaxLair.

Point 3 - Also, my sense is existing RP towns in Trammel don't need space on Tokuno. They have their towns already. They may hope for spaces to open up in their existing towns from people moving to Tokuno. Then they place more houses in their existing towns. Why would Gyldenfeld, Mythndale, Silvervale, or Concordia citizens want to buy up land in Tokuno for community reasons? If I were them, I'd hope land opens up in my existing Trammel town as a result, not to create a community on Tokuno.

So, here's what I see....

1. PaxLair Citizens need a place to Role-play the govt and their characters. To have quests, guild wars, negotiations, meetings, events, etc.

Options:

A - Tokuno (new town area)

B - Malas Orc Fort (buy up adjacent houses)

C - Tokuno (or even Trammel/Malas) for a Shore Town of a few buildings

D - Dungeon Town (Tokuno/Trammel/Malas)

E - Join existing Trammel Town (e.g., Concordia) as citizen guild

F - Just have PaxLair, Felucca (default option)


2. PaxLair Citizens already have a place to PvP anytime they want (PaxLair Felucca), for those interested in PvP and there are some in PaxLair. With the existing PaxLair, Felucca location, which is not going away, we need a PaxLair Chancellor interested in Felucca diplomacy and guilds and PvP to even attempt a go at PaxLair, Felucca revitalization. I don't think Mayor Minsk is interested in the PvP, working with PvP guilds in Felucca, etc. aspect. So, I suggest Minsk appoint a PaxLair, Felucca Chancellor with such interests.


3. Placement of PaxLair Outposts, etc. in places of large numbers of random player travel... that is a good point that Zog makes. However, PaxLair before it was Felucca, was off the main roads yet people came. Yet, being on a main road IS a huge plus to building a town/outpost. More people find it at random and see the RPers in action.


4. Differing interests in PaxLair Citizenship. There are some who:

-- want to do PvP.

-- want to stay in Pax and Dragon's Watch no matter what. Some who want to get out of Felucca completely.

-- can go to both Trammel and Felucca rule-set environments without problem.

-- are interested in the RPing government aspects, wherever those may exist.

-- want to just do quests, and those can be done actually in a mix of areas depending upon the audience.

-- want a new place and house ownership in a new place.

All these types of Citizens are part of PaxLair I believe. And every one of them bring the diverse culture we have in PaxLair today. Now... how do we work together, or even apart to a degree, to help satisfy all these PaxLair Citizens' interests? I may have missed some of the interests, so others can state what they are.

Written by ZOG
The Kitsuni Forest does strike me as best for a settlement (how do you say 'Place of Peace' in Japanese?). I fear, however, that it will be dog eat dog on placing structures in such an appealing place. I would suggest a roundtable of discussion regarding cooperation in placing structures among a very targeted group.

For example: Winmere, Neo, Winfield, Gak, Zog, Luthien - if we all placed in the area, would we need more to aid? Or would our structures fill the area?

Or broaden the group: Winmere, Neo, Winfield, Gak, Zog, Luthien, Cross, Hinotori, Starre, Setzer, Xocte (just examples) and we all place very small structures, to fill the area and plan the town and larger structures later, to be placed during a quiet time? (christmas morning 6am).

Right now, for example, I can imagine the ebay UO marketers all planning such an attack, only to sell the potential town plots on ebay for profit. It is going to be dog eat dog. Should we have hidden characters all over so folks cannot place, for example?

Coordination and cooperation are going to have to be perfect to have any hope at all of getting a town plot set up during the land rush. Folks would have to be committed to taking the time off from work or school to be ready the split second things were available. And who knows with resets? =(

Malas Orc Fort: Boring! But could work on it... its a maze of housing, little coherence, maybe we could offer gold buyouts and aquire properties and restructure with coherence/theme. I would prefer Kitsune, but I suppose we should wait on our placement in Tokuno to see how we tackle the Forts potential. If we could get good in Kitsune, what would Gak/Winmere do with the Orc Fort?

I really want all of us to focus on one area where we can participate/build activity vs. being spread out everywhere. Make sure you have your houses prepped for equipment transfer if you are going to need to collapse them.

Is there a good site for a shore town? against an ocean or lake? perhaps a fishing village overseen by a feudal warlords fortress? With boating, forests, mountains nearby? An obscure place it would be more likely to have placement? A plan 'C' perhaps?

For a plan 'D' - placing a town near a dungeon could draw alot of folks - perhaps south along the roadway leading to the one on the eastern island.
For now, dunno. I need to get a feel for the sites by looking at them and pondering. But to sum: need a plan and coordination and committed scrappers for actual placement.

Zog

Written by Winmere
"Those were the days, my friend,
We thought they'd never end,
We thought they'd laaast...
Forever and a day."

Unfortunately, life is never like a song, no matter how hard we try to make it so. I was hoping to live out my days in Felucca, until many unkindly souls, pointed out that Felucca is the PvP Facet! Aaargh! Who made this change? Did they not consult those of us who live there? Is it official? It seems to be, although I have not heard through any official channel that this is so.

At one time, Felucca was all things, to all people. PaxLair was the Trammel of Felucca, before Trammel ever existed, but PaxLair was accepting of even murderers. As long as they obeyed the Laws of PaxLair, while in PaxLair, anyone was accepted. Whether they be good, evil, neutral, murderer, or thief, as long as they came in neutrality, they were accepted and protected in PaxLair. When Trammel was created, it put quite a few nails in the coffin of PaxLair. PaxLair was no longer needed for Sanctuary, by these many different groups. In fact, PaxLair became the prey for many of these groups. I just grew weary of being the main course in their feasts. I am here to serve, but not to serve as fodder for the insane masses, who's only purpose seems to be death and destruction to those not like them. I am not like them.

Winmere

Written by Neo Of Lothlore
Post moved to the Public PaxOku Forum on October 26, 2006 by Neo Of Lothlore. Post was originally located in a private Government forum called "PaxSE Town Builders".

Written by Lord Gareth
Post copied from old PaxLair forums to Uoforums for PaxOku City history.