The Inquisition: Legacy, comes from venerable stock -- drawing setting and inspiration from the original Inquisition, and therefore is a continuation of time tested and established lore. The Inquisition, true to its namesake, establishes itself in a late Medevial period, in the nation of Lithmore, during which religious zeal inspires great devotion -- as well as suspicion in those whose faith seems lacking. The lynchpin, however, that separates the Inquisition of fantasy from the inquisition of reality is that magic, in this game, is very real. In the setting of Legacy, magic is not a superstition -- its existence is a documented fact. This sets the scene for the main draw of Inquisition -- a cloak and dagger shadow war between the pious and the heretics, where the former can legally throw the latter on the pyre, and the latter have power far beyond that of mere mortals.
It's an interesting concept and one that plays out well for a Dark Fantasy MUD. The war between various factions almost always spools out indirectly -- assassinations, rumor gathering, spying are central and common occurences in this theme. Both mages and thief characters have a heavy emphasis on subterfuge and secrecy. As both can only exist as long as their identities remain anonymous, they must balance honing their skills against the persistant threat of being 'found out' -- particularly dangerous for mages, which are summararily executed. Likewise, achieving goals is a delicate dance for a mage or thief, who must find unorthodox ways to coerce, kill, or subtly influence to prevent the situation flipping on them, resulting in their deaths. Often times, a single careless gesture or mistake can produce this grim end, producing an unending tension that heightens the draw of Legacy.
On the other side of the coin, the Order and the Reeves (orginizations centered on fighting mages and thieves respectively), rarely have evidence to convict on, unless the thief or mage are caught red handed. Only by a careful attention to detail, flipping of informants, and shrewd dectetive work can lawful players close in on apostates and thieves, before they themselves are picked off. And even the most well presented evidence always leaves the nagging suspicion that maybe, just maybe, the one dancing on the pyre was a victim of mistaken identity.
This never ending game of cat and mouse is made more compelling by a well drawn out setting. Multiple cultures (each with their own religious and lifestyle dogmas) lend facets to the roleplay, while groups such as the silver-tongued Troubadors who control public opinion, to the Nobles -- who control vast reserves of wealth -- influence and manipulate how the ongoing struggle for the souls of Lithmore play out. An advanced rumor system, as well as intricate crafting, performing, and utility skills meld fluidly into the mix, deepening the experience exponentially.
However, with a focus on subterfuge and 'shadow war' mindsets, the obvious problem that emerges is the OOC exchange of information. However, an extremely active and alert staffing force is in place to combat and keep an eye on suspicious behaviors. In my month or more of playing, I can count on one hand the times I have logged in and there have been no visible staffers. Generally, (perhaps ninety five out of one hundred times) there is a staffer on, providing thematic assistance and policy oversight. However, a greater barrier to OOC manipulation exists, in the fact that TI: Legacy's player base is among the most mature and friendly I've encountered. Any in character backstabbery is left just as that -- in character.
If there is a criticism to be made, it is that the game's meta plot tends to plod on quite a bit. Because of the secret, running battle that is centric to the game, it's hard to notice when things are going on. While there is thematically over warfare going on, the front if thousands of miles away from the IG playable area, restricting most conflict either cloak and dagger feinting, or social jockeying through rumors and 'tavern' scenes. This is alleviated greatly by the storytelling system, which allows staff to approve plots presented by players. These players are then given reduced staff powers for a temporary period, allowing them to briefly 'DM' scenarios for other players to enjoy. It's a tidy system that allows for open conflict and set-pieces to brighten the day-to-day gameplay, but they are far and few between. I have only experienced one in my time in TI: Legacy.
That being said, the strength of the game's community, theme, constant staff input on code and policy, as well as unique game mechanics more than merit this to be examined by anyone looking to roleplay in a less visceral, more cerebral environment.
TI: Legacy can be found at ti-legacy.com:5050
Use the following form to submit your comment. Please keep in mind these guidelines: