Hi everyone,

We’ve waited a while to announce this, as it was a topic of intense discussion among the staff team. In the end, we have decided that for the good of the server we will be ending the Legion expansion preemptively, and moving to a BFA core starting May 31st. This may sound drastic, or as if it’s coming out of left field, but we’ve dealt with so many issues with Legion as an expansion. The reasons for this are manifold, but one of the prime reasons is that there is too much content left in Legion, and we do not feel we are making appropriate progress due to the sheer amount of player progression that occurs while storyline progress is minimal. When we realized that development on the BFA core was almost finished, we decided it was time to make the jump.


Because of this, not only are we skipping to BFA, we are wiping the server of all characters, and past history. Any previous lore will be no longer admissible, but we will accept CTSes for lore that players wish to transfer. Doing this will allow the server to have a fresh start, because Freedom’s history is too bloated, and our existing characters are too powerful to bring into BFA. We will likely not be accepting any applications to transfer existing characters in effort to encourage new character concepts, but we are allowing people to apply for transfers anyway as it may be possible to adjust them to fit the new server post-wipe.


Seeing as BFA is a totally different landscape, making new characters will allow people to participate in the war effort when many of the current characters (Wrenard excluded - blue made me add this) wouldn’t, which allows us to run the BFA expansion without making any changes to the story. This is great for the server because it allows us to experience some of Blizzard’s best writing in recent years without tainting it with custom content that would make it hard for new players to join in. 


One issue with BFA we needed to figure out before we could announce this is the Heart of Azeroth. Because BFA is structured around the Heart of Azeroth, we thought it would be unfair to give it to one player, and we couldn’t find a way to make it possible for multiple players to wield it. Because of this, Zackaroth has agreed to return from his RP hiatus to play Zackaroth, now the Hero of Azeroth, who will lead the other heroes as wielder of the Heart of Azeroth. This decision was made to ensure that no one fights over the Heart of Azeroth or feels upset. In certain events, Zackaroth may allow another player to hold onto the Heart of Azeroth, returning it at the end of each event.


While we will be moving to the BFA core on May 31st, we won’t start the storyline right away. People will have time to set up new characters, as we’ll be starting right at the end of Legion. During this time, we’re trying something else. We will be attempting a FreedomClassic server, which will run as an experiment during this Summer break (Likely until September.) This server will start at the beginning of vanilla WoW and go up until TBC - we’re still ironing out the timeline on the events, so keep an eye out for that, as we’ll be asking storytellers to help run those events. 


Over the next few weeks, similar to our Legion Update threads, we’ll be announcing updates on Freedom: BFA as we have them ready for you. 
But we understand this is short notice, so in posting this we are also including below the template for a lore transfer request. Post these in the CTS forum when you have them ready, and we will go over them in each meeting. These will be open for the rest of the Summer. Prepare to wrap up any storylines currently on-going before May 31st, and we will start reviewing lore transfer requests immediately. 


Thanks for reading - we’re excited to bring this new chapter of Freedom to you all. Thanks to Crow and Kretol for their amazing work on the BfA core - we can’t wait to share it with you.



LORE TRANSFER TEMPLATE:

Hey Everyone it’s been a bit and we felt that we should elaborate and get some more concrete decisions out on Sanctioning for Warlocks,  Forlarren, Anti-Legion Aligned Demons, and Summoning/Binding Eredar.

To explain our system by Faction:

Horde
The Horde primarily does not require warlocks to be sanctioned; rather, only the Forlarren require it and most of them have aligned themselves with Silvermoon so they are overseen by the Fel/Warlock representative of the Convocation (which at present is Salinos/Kukamang) and the other Warlock High Magisters.

Warlocks themselves don't require sanctioning so they are allowed essentially without Check ins, but in many societies they are not regarded well unless they have proven themselves extremely trustworthy, and not a threat, and even still that is somewhat a cautious rapport.

Necromancy is also technically allowed although Silvermoon might not like it. It is definitely existent in the Horde (e.g. Forsaken) but this is tolerated extremely poorly and perhaps seen worse to the Horde than Warlocks or even Forlarren (since they do not have a choice in being born such). Of course everyone and every society is different on the whole, Forlarren and Necromancers by the many (the npcs) are likely begrudgingly tolerated (Unless you're with the Forsaken).

Alliance:
With the Alliance there are requirements for Warlock characters to be sanctioned, though it’s more ICly-assumed that Warlock characters are sanctioned unless they state otherwise. This is because we do not want to require people to have to do special applications, or require staff to appoint or give sanctioning to every Warlock and Forlarren.

Sanctioning is not akin to Templars and Mages like in DA:O. Rather, Warlocks just have a badge or something to prove they are allowed to practice, study and perform warlockery. For most people they would still like to be aware of who is doing it since it can be a corruptive and dangerous magic.

The purpose of sanctioning Warlocks is to protect them and give them agency to practice without having to be secretive or in underground groups that fear for their lives if being found out. They shouldn’t be obviously casting rituals or summoning demons in public, but they can defend the city. Warlocks’ sanctioning now would be a license rather than a sanction in the traditional sense where they have many restrictions or threat of harm. 

Forlarren also require sanctioning but it is distinctly different to the Warlock's sanctioning purpose. A Warlock's sanction is allowing them to practice their magic without legal impedance and being trusted to be of sound mind and intent. A Forlarren's sanctioning allows them to be citizens of the Kingdom/Faction and makes them legal within. They likely would be reporting to the Warlocks occasionally to ensure they are doing well and not falling to the much harder struggle of their nature. Most Forlarren are Warlocks and while they won't be made to apply for a second sanctioning, instead they would be given the same rules and conditions Warlocks themselves are given, like not having demons out in the City, or practicing or creature rituals in the public city, etc.

As a note: They do not sanction or allow Necromancy in any regard. Death Knights are allowed as they do not have a choice; however, they would not be permitted to practice any of their magics or raise any Stormwind people on Alliance lands.


Both Factions:
Because of the Illidari and their Allowances in the Capital Cities, as well as their ability to deal with all things Demonic, the Horde and Alliance will relax on the Forlarren’s sanctioning  and instead it will be treated as citizenship, and not something that needs to be implied it so heavily requires being watched or handled by Warlocks or other entities as if they were a ward but if problems occur they can go to the Warlocks.

Regarding Warlock Summoning and Binding Eredar:
Lesser Eredar (which are greater demons for consideration of Warlock characters) can now be allowed to be summoned/bound, but they can ONLY be NPC Eredar minions we are not allowing Warlocks to bind and summon PC Legion-aligned Eredar, and Eredar Lords will not be allowed to be bound, period. While the factions will restrict Eredar being out in the public eye undisguised they will no longer require Warlocks to dismiss or kill their bound minion at the end of Legion.

We still require the binding and summoning of them to be achieved through the Warlock Order Hall.

Regarding Anti-Legion Aligned Demons
Demons of the Illidari or contracted by Warlocks can be in factional cities, but must have disguises (although demons bound by a Warlock may not need it if their Warlock is present, if they do have a disguise it may get outed by the DHs though they should give you a PST) understand this does NOT make them sanctioned by the factions or a citizen.

Note on Forlarren with Demon Souls
Traditionally, we do not allow demon soul forlarren to be sanctioned, but we did decide that a Forlarren who is sanctioned by a faction that joins the Illidari and gains a demon soul could actually be one case where its allowed, but if they have that intention we would ask they make a CTS so we understand their intent.

Hey Everyone!

The staff will be imposing a soft cap of 2-3 custom NPCs per person that can be spawned in orderhalls. While this seems small, its important to note that per person can swell to 10-15 npcs if 5 people spawn NPCs for an orderhall. To that end, we may also lighten NPCs in the orderhalls if it becomes several npcs bloating an orderhall and taking up RP space from people.

This doesnt mean NPCs can’t be in an orderhall ICly, or have cameos in RPs when necessary, but on the OOC we want to be cognizant and aware of the limited space in orderhalls, and the bloat custom NPCs can have on people’s computers.

Thanks everyone!

Hey Everyone!

The staff wanted to give a quick reminder when it comes to spawning, we understand when it comes to spawning personal houses, estates, or guild bases that it can be very exciting and we understand some people try to spawn things exactly how their mind's vision shows it, even down to individual blades of grass, or individual stones to replicate a road, across a large space it can not only be a time consuming effort that can eat away at temporary powers, but it can be incredibly draining on computers. We've encountered in the past people spawning grass objects for example in the hundreds close to thousands and the effects its had on performance makes the area unRPable unless you force your rig to be low on everyone making the point of a detailed spawn... useless.

(Ising myself as an example) I have a high-end gaming computer and graphics card and liquid cooling system, I normally get high-ultra graphics on retail but appearing to a location with grass objects nearing or over 1000 tanked my FPS to 30 for other computers not has high end as mine, it was 10-20s. This is way too much and we want to give a friendly reminder to please do not do this because this makes an area completely unusable. Its unnecessary and not the intended use for powers St or Building Privileges.

If you are unsure if what you're spawning might be too much please poke a staff member or make a CTS because otherwise if we encounter this we may and will ask it to be scaled back

Hey Everyone!

The staff wanted to alert people to a new change to Dragons, and allowances. In the continued efforts to expand and open up more RP options we discussed expanding Dragons to allow more kindas beyond the normal 4 flights.

Black Drakes Corrupted and Uncorrupted and Twilight Drakes can now apply to age-up or progress by magical means to become a Dragon. This is a requirement to become a dragon that a PC starts as a Drake, and then can at a later time re-apply for Dragon as the character could age up or magically aged up via ritual.

It is important to note that Corrupted Black Dragons will most definitely become public enemy to Wrathion. Twilight Dragons must be progressed in the same way as mentioned above but we are asking people to wait until the completion of the Shaman Orderhall question (Slated sometime between July to the latest August 2nd) as this is when the Twilight Dragons become much more active and present again.

Skeletal and Netherwing Dragons will also be allowed and they DO NOT have to start as a drake and then progressed or aged up. Players can simply apply starting as a Dragon for these two dragon characters.

Finally We are adding Infinite Drakes to be playable, however they are only allowed to be played as Antagonist Characters, and only as Tier 4. We will not be allowing Infinite Dragons at this time as we are still waiting to get more information about the Infinite Flight and their status.

Warlock Demons that do not require a CTS/Lesser Demons

Imps/Fel Imps

Voidwalker

Bilescourge (Available once we reach Argus)

Aranasi (Males only)

Felbat

Fel Hound

Felstalker

Gan'arg

Succubus

Terrorguard

Felguard

Mo'arg

Vilefiend (Available once we reach Argus)
Wyrmtongue

Wrathguard



Greater demons (Ones that need a CTS are noted)



Shivarra

Weaker Void Hounds

Doom Guard

Greater Succubus

Greater Void Walker

Observers

Infernals

Lesser Abyssals (Requires a CTS)

Fel Lord (Requires a CTS)

Eredar Brute (Not until 7.1, Requires a CTS)

Man'ari Eredar (Requires a CTS)

Overfiend (Requires a CTS)

Jailers (Requires a CTS and needs multiple warlocks to summons one)

Greater Abyssals (Require CTS and multiple warlocks to summon one and only lasts 1 round)





Demons Unavailable as Warlock Pets

Antean

Greater Void Hounds

Eredar Lords/Doommaidens

Aranasi (Females)

Imp Mother

Inquisitor

Ur'zhul (except for the owner of the mount in Legion)



Demons in Events

As it pertains to main events since many will be heavily NPC-centered we want to make sure we are being conscientious of the amount of NPCs are in events. You don’t need to spawn all minions (or temporary ones) like imps, felstalkers and anything that is implied to be temporary or multiple. Warlock characters should have nor more than 2 named/large demon NPCs in the field, and custom NPCs will have a soft cap of 10 npc minions people can have, anything further will be met with scrutiny and needs good reason to be created as custom npcs. 

That being said you can still use the various warlock abilities that summon the multiple demons but it has to be contained in the raid emotes themselves.

PC demon minions DO NOT count against the NPC demon cap in events. 

Hey guys, I'm creating this thread to catalogue and inform the players of the Lore Weapons that drop in with Hellfire Citadel. There is ALOT. I'll be updating this list every week after we defeat the bosses that drop them. Like with all Lore Weapons, you free to CTS about getting them and can even include whether or not you would like to turn it into an artifact for Legion. For the other WoD Lore Items from earlier raids, please check out this thread here: https://wowfreedom-rp.com/f/Thread-Minor...re-Weapons

Hey guys, just wanted to take a moment to tell you that for HFC we will be using special loot rules. Almost every item in the instance has a Fel coloration and that will be considered the base appearance for those item. Keep in mind, this is not all items but most do. Since we know some people will not want fel corrupted weapons, instead we are giving the players options to choose what color they get. The color of the weapon changes the effect. Now this can range to just a regular fire version of an effect to a caster heavy item becoming a healer heavy item. Here is an example, the first piece of loot from HFC and how to put your name down if you want the cleansed version.

Felfire Munitions Launcher: A massive gun once used by the Iron Horde, now corrupted by Fel, and ripped directly from the Iron Reaver; the corruption permeates the weapon - allowing for a deadly assault. Once per encounter, you can hold the trigger, super-heating the shell inside and the gun is treated like a grenade launcher - the shell explodes in a massive range, stunning enemies in a small radius.

Once per event, you may launch a barrage of Felfire shells upon 5 enemies adjacent to each other, shelling out massive amounts of Chaos damage upon them. If you use ability you will be unable to super heat the shells inside for one encounter.

Fire: The gun has been cleansed by elemental fire, getting rid of the corrupting fel within it. The effect most remains the same but now just does pure fire damage instead.


Arcane: Cleansed by Arcane energies, the gun’s effect changes entirely.. Once per day, the massive plating on the barrel of the gun becomes an Arcane Shield, allowing you to bunker down and pellet the enemy with Arcane infused shells.

Zack(Fire), Aphe(Arcane)

If you want the fel version of the weapon, either put Fel or nothing after your name. Cleansing these items require no special storyline or CTS(unless noted). Players are free to do their own little small cleansing of the weapon and can request the corrupted version to represent it. These do not require a CTS unless you plan to involve major lore characters.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Hey guys, this announcement is going up a little later then I intended but it is here regardless. We are changing the raid loot rules just a bit. This will not alter the way we hand out loot but instead help people who may have to leave at mid or at the end of the event. If you have the leave the raid in the middle or towards the end you may ask a staff member to look at the loot list and get loot for that day on the character you where on, if their is any loot left. Keep in mind you will have to been actually part of the event and been there for a good chunk of it.

Next is about the WoD Lore Weapons. WoD drops ALOT of lore weapons. Normally the way we would go about these is look at players who have been active and seem deserving and want the item. However..because WoD raids are very close to Legion artifacts storylines it sort creates a strange scenario where if we give someone a Lore Weapon, they may only use it for a few months until its time for us to start handing out artifacts.

So instead what we are going do is list the current WoD Lore Weapons available and if players are interested, may make CTS if they believe their character is a fit for them. Keep in mind, again, artifacts are coming sooner then you think and if you want either a canon or custom artifact then the staff recommends you not get a WoD Lore item. But it also bears reminding that these WoD Lore weapons can be turned into artifacts once we hit Legion. I will update this list as they become available. Also keep mind CTSing for a WoD lore weapon does not mean you are guaranteed to get it. You will also have to create your own effects for the weapon and get it approved by the staff but the staff is willing to help you.

The Staff has decided to retire the Patch Notes section of the forums. Our reasons for this are: 

1. We have been more consistently using the announcement threads to announce changes to rules, storyteller, mainstoryline, etc. The intended purpose if the Patch notes was to do this, without making announcements.
   
2. The patch notes system is not user-friendly, and becomes unclear what each patch note entails
   
3. The patch notes system is overshadowed by changes made through announcements and becomes out-dated