I've played a couple other muds and two guys said to try this place so I did. I can and read alot of helpfiles and rolled up a dwarf because I've always loved dwarfs from when I read the hobbit in high school. When I rolled him up I decided to be a shaman because it said there were new changes and it looked pretty cool to get to pick different shaman spells. So when I rolled up I looked at the imms to choose for empowerment and didn't see really any choices for good aligned shamans. I asked on the newbie channel and an imm told me to try baerinika. I said she was dormant but he said no she's away until december 15 or something and had just not remembered to change her status. I said ok and chose her. I was really excited. I had time to play several hours over the weekend and every single day during the week and even a full day once. I do contract work so I have days where I work 18 hours but other days when I have nothing so I can play all day, once my daughter is at day care or after she goes to bed at night. Anyway the place seemed crazy cool, all this stuff to see, really different from what I'd played before, and it was hard, but then I started reading more here and at qhcf and that wiki and I got the hang of moving around quicker and finding places on the maps (a bunch are out of date by the way) and stuff. I had some great fun with an imm who played a monk in the graveyard and when I had questions people were pretty cool about it. And I made sure to pray every day and try to talk to Baerinika. But I never heard anything, or got any kind of contact or anything. Eventually I asked an imm about it who said to send her a note or an email. So I sent her a note. I figured maybe she really was dormant because she wasn't around so I asked her to just let me know and I'd stop bothering with prayers and annoying people because I'm sure prayers to someone who isn't there isn't fun. Anyway I log on the next day and there's no response to the note. Which fine, if she isn't around that makes total sense. But then I learn that not only has she not been dormant, she'd been on that very day as well as other days during the week. She just decided not to rspond to my note, to just ignore it.

All the other cool stuff is great but means nothing if you have to interact with someone but they don't and they are just totally rude. How do you not just be a normal person and show some courtesy by responding? Something like every fifth post over at qhcf and maybe one of every tenth thread here is about low playerbase and stuff like that and this makes me feel like I know why. It's just basic courtesy to respond to someone's note. You could have taken however long you wanted to make me do wahtever you wanted to get empowerment, I don't mind earning stuff, but that means interacting. Not responding to a note, or prayers, with anything at all, when you are totally there and talking and responding to other people just makes me feel like ####. My time is just as precious as yours and you totally wasted mine when all you had to do was write a note back responding to mine saying sorry, won't be around, or sorry, don't want you, or whatever else you want. I would have waited to hear from you because I thought you weren't around. But you were. You just didn't respond to me.

Anyway that was my experience.

n/t

Often times, your idea of the "religion" doesn't fit with what the "God" wants, and because we're all players, some times the IMMs can't just be like 'Yo, dawg, you got this #### all wrong. Take some time and try again'.

Sucks that your experience was bad, but know (at least) that it isn't entirely uncommon.

I play generally warriors and shifters (and a ton of other crap that I never level past 30). IMHO they are the two classes that play differently literally everytime you roll one, and neither need empowerment/IMM approval/etc.

First of all, despite the insane learning curve, this game is one of, if not the, most immersive game you'll ever play.

It is, however, fraught with frustrations and the empowerment blues are definitely one of them.

Because of the way empowerment works, if you pick a god who's not around because they're busy with work, on vacation, burned out on CF, or otherwise not around, sometimes you get the short end of the stick.

Five years ago when I was having trouble getting in touch with my patron I had a fellow PC tell me in-game that it's "easy to catch a god's ear, but very hard to catch their mouth."

I've seen you around for a few days and I'd say that if you want to keep rolling with this one, go for it. There are several other Baer priests in the game, and if you question them about finding her, they'll help out, but it may still take a while.

If not, there are umpteen much easier ways to learn this game that will leave you feeling less put-out.

Thank you and the rest for responding, but I kinda think you've missed the point. It wasn't that she wasn't around or on vacation or anyhting like that at all. She was there. She just decided not to reply to my note. Any of the other things you are all saying, about having a hard time connecting and stuff like that would have been fine, I don't mind earning stuff. But I was there. In her shrine every day, praying. And then sending the note like the other imm said I should do. And she got it and was there but didn't respond. That's what really gets me angry.

Anyway, I'm not leaving yet, I'll give it another try, mostly because the other couple imms I talked to were great, especially the two who one played a priest and we had fun in the graveyard, that goes a long way for me, and the other who patiently answered a bunch of questions. And the game of course, it was fun when I was playing with other people like selionar and domond and some others.

She's dormant, so she may not have even bothered to check her notes. Because, really, nobody should be hitting her up for religion stuff. Because she's dormant.

Not trying to be snippy here, but I feel like you got fed some bad info on the newbie channel. Trying to follow a dormant religion is a recipe for disappointment.

(edited to add - Ray = Baer for the newbish)

I am here and there, and I was trying to find you but things have been pretty hectic lately. As for the note, I generally don't respond to in game notes. I feel like they should mostly be an IC thing and while I don't mind an OOC "FYI" note I don't really go back and forth OOC note interactions. I updated my dormant message. Give it another try if you wish, I think Baer's religion can be very interesting, though I admittedly am spotty for availability right now. Brand new job, kicky five year old, etc etc.

Good luck and don't give up on things!

I almost mentioned in this thread that you might have limited availability, because you had "a newborn."

Where the hell is the time going?

Which she is VERY adamant on telling people...

And yes, where did that time go?

Kids eat time up super fast. My first just burnt through 16 months faster than I could have ever imagined. Happy family and all that.

Empowerment can be hit/miss - especially from the duo.... not sure which Immortal suggested she'd be a good choice while being dormant.

Maybe give a new character a try that doesn't need empowerment? That way you can just keep on going and not have to worry about an Immortal's schedule.

Best of luck though - check out the wiki, the intro video I made, or feel free to ask questions.

Hey there. Glad to have you aboard! That said, Baerinika really is kinda dormant. Always go by what you see in "wizlist".

In terms of non-dormant religions open to good-aligned characters, I'd say these qualify:

Akresius Beauty Combat Victory Evenings and weekends EST.
Strienat Vivimancy, Creation, Chaos Around very often between 8AM-5PM CST. Pray and/or e-mail.
Verathi Victory, Concealment, Knowledge Weekday mornings and a few afternoons. Notes to line up meetings if necessary.
Avderlain Mercy Judgment Peace Here there and everywhere for the time. Pray or note please
Deormdel Honesty, Balance, Air Around often nearly all day.
Raltevio Revelation, Poetry, Music Weekend mornings. Occasional weekday afternoons (game time).

Here's hoping you don't let this one experience sour you on CF.