We're announcing OPEN BETA starting today, right now, as of the BETA 0.1.3 Update. With the work done by the beta team over the last month, we think we're ready to open up to the public. We believe we have a full variety of opportunities for Elder Scrolls veterans and heavy roleplayers alike to play Skyrim like never before. In this post we'll go through what we have accomplished so far and what our vision is for the future.
This will be the first heavy roleplay text based Skyrim server but we also plan to be the most dynamically player oriented. With a public in-game faction system called Cohorts, a Territory Control system, and a democratic Moot system for affirming new Jarls or a High King, we're opening up Aurbis for people to fight for the chance to succeed. It may be a harsh environment, especially as we establish the level of roleplay and staff involvement, but we believe that this is the best way to find a balance of power and build a world together.
You can find the Access Code on the bottom of THIS PAGE or in the DISCORD to download the BETA LAUNCHER right now and join the game!
On Aurbis we've integrated the entire vanilla skill tree, attributes, and perks with a custom leveling system meant for balance. Our entry quest to learn about and seek your Standing Stone will assign you a Birthsign. Your Birthsign is your class on Aurbis and some professions and skills are restricted to certain Birthsigns. You may pick an "Affliction" when creating your character, including vampirism and lycanthropy.
The world of Skyrim is synced in ways you've never seen. We have fully synced every NPC and encounter from the vanilla game. Right now every enemy, creature and beast is available for you to fight and hunt. Combat will not be easy though, and should only be approached by combat veterans or groups of adventurers. Enemies and resources all respawn on their own clocks and can't be camped. You will lose your entire inventory on death unless revived, so plan your journeys accordingly and make sure to always stash your hard earned loot in a bank or chest!
The world clock is synced to UTC time with a full weather system and the vanilla survival system is enabled. You will have to manage your warmth, hunger and fatigue or face serious debuffs. Health regeneration is disabled but you can regenerate by relaxing near a fire. Careful planning and ample provisions will be essential for survival.
Every item, every ingredient, every resource, every activity, every profession can be utilized that and has skills you can advance. Available to everyone right now in our Public Job skill system level from 0-100 Adept to Master: Fishing, Mining, Lumberjack, Tailoring, Cooking and Bard. Our next update beta 0.1.4 will have a Public Depot system where you can buy tools and sell goods for Septims, so make sure to stash your hard earned resources.
For the roleplayers, we have tons of deeply immersive and unique features on Aurbis. Your identity belongs to your character, there is no automatic handshake. Everyone is a Stranger and others only know you by the name you tell them. Masks and certain helmets will shield your identity even further. Characters have an extensive character sheet and can set their own current descriptions which can be read and remembered by others.
The Speech skill has been overhauled to include a full Elder Scrolls language system and Scribe skill for writing physical vanilla letters/scrolls/books that persist in the world. We have an Postal Office system where you can send wax sealed letters, or send letters anonymously. We have a public Billboard system in every major holding that allows you to to post bills and upload posters/images, these posts are mirrored to our Discord/Website. Your character will have no map until you buy one from a scribe or have Speech 10 to draw one for yourself. Learn all the languages of Tamriel!
Law and Order is not guaranteed. Banditry and robbery is permitted and unrestrained. Vampirism and lycanthropy can be selected in character creation and is unrestrained. You can bind anyone with 2 leather strips if they surrender with their hands up, and once bound you can also blindfold them. With that being said, an extreme response to this lifestyle is also permitted. There will be extensive and realistic character kill (CK) rules across the board for all of these circumstances. There are Guard Factions in each hold with the ability to cuff, detain, jail and execute (CK). Jarls and Canonical Faction leaders may also summarily execute (CK).
Factions and Future vision
Jarls as well as the High King are selected by a Moot and there is room for everyone to advance. This is supported by Moot and Faction systems in the gamemode itself. Cohorts are a public faction/family system which can be started by any group of 3+ in game right now. Cohorts can then go through public Cohort Recognition process, which serves as our Unofficial to Official Faction pipeline. If you want to deeply establish your character, exhibit their goals or accomplishments, you can become a Lore Artifact in the Aurbis world: Establishing yourself permanently in our history and making yourselves available to the community as well as to Aurbis staff and faction leadership.
With a certain amount of building resources, property can be claimed by leaders of Factions/Jarldoms and then sold or assigned to the public under a deeded charter. This will accompany a Territory system with a full interactive map of Skyrim with the ability to claim existing properties with an official Casus Belli. This will then enable Territory Control battles with specific criteria for either peace or war. Factions and Jarldoms on Aurbis have hardcoded succession laws and every one has the potential to be a permanent fixture in our world.
We will be letting staff roleplayers fill some essential roles in-character while we sort out the factions and territory systems and continue to grow in population. We want to let people get their characters and groups settled before we establish anything long term. We will make daily events and slowly begin to populate factions and holdings. Open beta will continue until version 1.0.0 and currently no further character or economy wipes are planned.
If you want to learn more, head to the AURBIS ANNALS and sign up for our forums where we have been documenting the development process and posting guides, lore and information. Post a character background or Lore Artifact application to establish your character, or just simply introduce yourself to the community! Get involved today and start your story in the Aurbis.
