The History of Yssam

2009-04-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

**Note: This page is still in a revision process
*Last Revision was made on Aug. 12, 2009

For many of us out there, the continent of Yssam, aka Hawaii, has has a shadowed history that often goes unnoticed by many in the game. As the first continent to have full fledged sieges, both before and after clan stones were fixed, as well as having some of the largest battles in Darkfall's short history, I decided to do a comprehensive writeup of what has happened on the island since launch. In order to remove any biases from this piece, the following guilds were interviewed.

Virakar

Realm of Kirdain

Covenant of the Phoenix

Note to Readers
Before beginning with Yssam's collective history, it is worth noting that all the guilds involved were very professional with the interview process and aided me in all ways possible in collecting my materials, up to and including assigning me body guards so as to navigate through their city. For instance, while in Kirdain's city, a member another guild was driven off by one of Kirdain's members and I was promptly resurrected. I want to send a thanks to this individual who I will keep anonymous. Now as for the pictures that you see above, they are the city of operations of the aaforementioned guilds.

Yssam's History in Beta
The history of Yssam can be said to have begun before the game ever went live. Back during the times of beta, Yssam was populated with the guilds of Capsule, Varangian Guard, TSC, Orcs R Us, DDi, and Socety Dominica. During this time The Varangian Guard, seiged and captured the city of Talpec from DDi. After this event DDi allied with the Varangian Guard and planned an attack on another of Yssam's cities. However, instead of attacking another city, Talpec was attacked the following day by DDi and TSC forces. Prior to the attack on Talpec, TSC, had guild that was interested in Aputan (NE of Talpec), a city owned at the time by Society Dominica. After a second defeat against the Varangian Guard, both DDi and TSC allied up. Within the next week, forces from this alliance would attempt a siege against Aputan. This siege was a failure do to an invulnerable clan stone and would begin Yssam's notorious history of broken sieges.
While in beta, Virakar was added to VG's alliance. As for the other guilds on Yssam, Capsule ad Orcs R Us would ally up with possible plans to control the continent come release. However, these guilds would part ways with release when both guilds left for the mainland. Society Dominica also moved off Yssam with release and instead headed down towards Rubaiyat. With this, the only beta guilds left on Yssam were DDi, TSC, Varangian Guard, and Virakar.

Release Issues

As most as aware, the opening of Darkfall was plagued by latency errors and exploits. With the money requirement for clan stone having increased from 1k in the beta to 10k in release, it was expected that guilds with the most numbers would be the first to claim cities. Unfortunately, whilst some areas such as the human area were so bugged out that player and npc models were in separate location then where they actually were, other areas such as the Alfar had perfect sync issues and mobs that wouldn't fight back. Duping was also in the early part of release and several guilds are reported to have duped keys during this time frame.

Post Release

Because of these issues, the initial claiming of cities was chaos in Darkfall. Early on, it seemed that just as many 5 man guilds were claiming cities as 100 man guilds. With regards to Talpec, Talpec was claimed by Dtsom under suspicious conditions (VG's planned city of capture), and Yssam became a mad grab of anything that could be grabbed. In this rush, the Varangian Guard obtained Tequiya (Orks R Us's beta city), the Covenant of the Pheonix obtained Aputan (Society Dominica's beta city), the Bloodclan Orcs received Chuharacua Bay (Capsule's beta city), DDi received a hamlet west of Talpec, TSC claimed a hamlet on the mainland, The Sundered Guard claimed a hamlet west of Virakar, and the Drunken Begger Clan claimed Caxtla.

Here is a brief map of what Yssam looked like after release:

In any case, Yssam became a battle between Cotp and VG's prerelease alliance. Although constant raids were conducted between the alliances, no siege weapons had been obtained yet in the game. During the first few weeks, a heavy push was made by VG and allies to obtain seige hammers as they were beleived to be able to damage clanstone's. Remember, both TSC and DDi were cityless at this point.

Therefore, upon obtaining siege weapons, Darkfall's first siege is declared by TSC against Chuharacua Bay (Blood Clan Orcs' city). Within thirty minutes of the siege being declared, Addiction also started a siege against Talpec (Dtsom's city). However, both sieges failed as a result of invulnerable clan stones.

As a result, on resources on Yssam began to stray away from siege weapons and instead into the controlled cities. Worth noting though is that during this time, Blood Clan's, Virakars, Cotp's, and VG's cities were the only thing being built up on Yssam. As for the hamlets and the Drunken Begger's city, these areas were left completely unattended.

As city construction progressed, VG and Virakar's cities were built up enough to allow for cannon construction. VoE, a guild of about 40 people had just recently joined the alliance and over a two week period, it was agreed upon that the alliance would work on capturing Talpec under VoE's name. Unfortunately, although 11 or so cannons were created, discrepancies arose over the number of resources put into making the cannons. Apparently, despite VoE being the one sieging the city, VG had provided nearly all the rare resources for the cannons (VG had made a mine 2 weeks prior), and VoE had acquired no resources for the cannons during the two week period. According to VG membership, VoE only had a fourth of their numbers participate in the siege. Disgusted and angry about the constant need to protect their ally's hamlets (VG was the biggest member of the alliance with more members than all the other members combined), VG and Cotp ally up and form a stronger alliance.*

*Note: Prior to this point, VG's alliance had been strictly a human, dwarf, and mirdain alliance. For this reason, although Cotp and VG had not allied up earlier. However, do Adventurnine's failure/decision not to implement penalties to ARAC guilds as originally intended, this policy was deemed a hinderance to the alliance.

Upon allying up, VG and CotP called all of VG's allies into a vent channel and explained the situation that was unfolding. Due to what VG leadership felt was an inadequate effort made by its allies to pull their share in the alliance, the new VG + Cotp allaince noted that no guild under 100 members would be allowed into the alliance and that if the old alliance wanted to be apart of it, they would have to either drop clan or face the inevatable consequences. The quote "Join or Die" has often been used to summarize this event.

As can be expected, the old alliance, later nicknamed the Yssam Coalition, became in a frantic state of what to do next. Although a NAP was made between the two alliances, as with any alliance throughout history, expansions are inevitable. Not to mention, with Darkfall's game mechanics, only 92 people may be bound to a city with T3 keep and buildings. Rumors report that upon VG & Cotp's alliance's creation, plans were laid about a north and south division between VG and Cotp expansion on Yssam.

Within 24 hours, Virakar scouts were spotted by VG's farm location west of the city. Although it is unknown who attacked first, VG claims that their harvester was attacked first (my intelligence confirms the cry for help in VG's ventrillo), while Virakar claims to have been attacked first. In any case, VG and Cotp launch a retaliatory attack against Virakar who they perceive has committed an act of war.

For about an hour long period, Virakar's city is camped by both Cotp and VG. Although Blood Clan members were spotted at this engagement, both sides claim to be unaware as to their intentions at the siege.

About two hours after the attack on Virakar, Virakar launches its own attack against VG's city. For reasons unbeknownst to me, Virakar leaves the city after all of 1-2 minutes and claims the high ground west of the city.

A mana missile battle ensues between VG members and Virakar. No losses occur other than the death of a mount on both sides. Upon the closure of this skirmish (20-30 on each sides), Virakar leaves and launches an attack against Cotp. No property occurs although Cotp takes decent losses. After this occurs, TSC merges into VG.

Enter Hyperion
The following day, Hyperion receives word of the events on Yssam and begins communicating with the Yssam Coalition. Realm of Kirdain makes contact with the Yssam Coalition and decides to aid each other in an attack on Stasis. That night, this information reaches VG of the planned attack against their city at 11 est. However, they only know about the attack by Hyperion as opposed to the Yssam Coalition's involvement. Both Cotp and VG set up in the city and prepare for a large scale battle. To their suprise, a siege is declared on Cotp's city prior to the expected siege on VG's city. Honorably, Cotp decides to stay and defend against Hyperion even if it means losing their own city.

As opposed to noting every detail about the battle, I will say this. VG+CotP Alliance fails to cover all their entrances and upon seeing a large force entering from the harbor, all forces are sent to defend the harbor entrance (Anvil lead the attack against the harbor). To VG+CotP Alliance's suprise, Hyperion can amass much larger forces than expected and all of VG's entrances become completely flooded with enemies. Although an attempt is made to kill Hyperion's shardholder (which is successful), VG+CotP Alliance is butchered in the fight and Hyperion puts the city on lockdown.

Having realized that killing the shardholder will not end the seige, Vg (Cotp having already been killed and sent back to their city) naked rushes from the clanstone and begins trapping Hyperion players against the wall with their rez invulns. Using this tactic, Hyperion faces a good number of losses though not enough to hamper their substantial presence in the city.

Upon the city vulnerability being opened, VoE's cannons (the same ones that VG built) are used against VG's keep. Between the cannons and Hyperion siege hammers within the keep (protected by multiple levels of shield walls) the keep is destroyed. This results in the loss of VG bindspots and thus the loss of Stasis's presense in the city. Upon realizing that the clanstone is invulnerable(bug), Hyperion leaves the city and faces Cotp forces outside of the city. Despite being overwhlemed by their enemy, Cotp stand and fights honorably only to be massacred. With this, both sieges end and it is decided that sieges on Yssam are broken.

Why Hyperion attacked Yssam

The Usual Reasons

There are three reasons being given for Hyperion's attack on Yssam. Stasis claims it was because they were becoming too powerful and Hyperion was afraid of what they would become.
Hyperion claimed immediately after the fight that they attacked Stasis in defense of the Yssam Alliance. Although there were no official treaties between the alliances, claims were made by Hyperion that they didn't like the bullying of smaller guilds.

Kirdain's Reason (who initiated the seige)

Kirdain attacked the cityfor a variety of reasons. However, before moving to the reasons directly, a brief history must by given about Kirdain's city plans. As mentioned, the game faced many bugs and exploits at launch. Although Kirdain had initially planned on moving to Cairn, the island quickly filled up will toher guilds. Kirdain's original city of choice was also taken by CoCK (Lotd's "unofficial" presense in the game). For the reason of all of Cairn's cities being taken save one as well as the island being separated so much from Hyperion's planned holdings, Kirdain had to take a temporary city closer to Hyperion. The city that they chose was Bladethorp.

Unfortunately, it was determined that this city was completely indefensible and a new city was in order. Because Yssam was the closest sub-continent to Hyperion territory, it was decided that the city would have to come from this location.

Between Kirdain's need for a city, and what the Yssam Alliance felt was Stasis's agression/bullying, Kirdain decided to attack Stasis.

Also worth noting is that it had been a long desire of Kirdain to possess a shipyard. For those who are curious, no city in the Yssam Alliance possesses a city that can build this. Stasis's cities however, possessed this ability.

The Fall of Stasis

After this siege, the VG+CotP Alliance learns for the first time that Hyperion has decided to take their cities and that they will be forcing forces that haven't been sen in an mmo in years. The VG+CotP Alliance then contacts Stasis, an alliance composed of several guilds operating out of the npc city of Tolenque, and decides to merge the two alliances for mutual protection. The original founders of Stasis included The Roamers, Phoenix Legion, Rus Corp, and Mahatisoturit. The merged alliance decides to retain the name Stasis.

To decrease their opposition on Yssam, as it is well aware that they are against both Hyperion and the Yssam Coalition, Stasis tries two sieges on Virakars's city (both initiated by Rus Corp). The first siege fails due to some sly workings within Virakar. Upon the start of the siege, Virakar learns that they are unable to see Mad Fox's (the leader of Rus Corp and the shardholder for the siege) location (bug).

Hersh, the leader of Virakar, then pretends to be a general from Cotp and contacts Mad Fox asking for his location so as to stage a "defense". Not knowing who Hersh is, Mad Fox discloses his location (on a raft NE of Yssam), and Virakar (with the aid of Anvil) sails up on rafts and kills him. This thereby ends the siege.

That night, a fake guild is created by the Yssam Alliance to block sieges from hitting Virakar's city. The siege ends prematurely upon the arrival of two VG scouts at Virakar's city to check why Virakar is being attacked by a one man clan.

The next day, another attack is waged againdt Virakar's city, now with the full support of Stasis on attack and Hyperion forces on defense. The siege fails however as Virakar's city is bugged.

That night, Virakar and Hyperion seige Stasis's cities again. CoS, who joined Stasis not a few days before, also declares on Blood Clan's city. This night can be described as the end of Stasis's prime. Hyperion's first target that night was Aputan. Similar to Cotp's defense of their own city, VG decides to defend Cotp's city at all cost. After about a 45 minute lagfest, Hyperion forces are run out of the city. After rallying their troops, VG members then head to Blood Clan's city to defend CoS. At this time, Awful Company attacked Kirdain's hamlet which was expected to end the siege. However, do once again to broken siege mechanics, the siege can not be ended properly. Also, despite over an hour and a half being left before city vulnerability, the gm's refuse to stop the seige.

Knowing that the Gm's wont help, VG strategy is to ensure that tis allies keeps its cities. It is worth noting that while defending its allies, VG's keep was destroyed and thus its bindspots were reset. In otherwords, the city had become completely indefensible.

Between VG and CoS forces, CoS successfully captures Blood Clan's cities. From here VG forces head to Apatan where Cotp has already begun to fight a resurgent Hyperion presence. Although heavy fighting commenced and with reports ranging from 5 minutes to 60 seconds left on the clock, the combined forces of Hyperion and the Yssam Alliance successfully take the city. VoE then becomes the new owner of Aputan while Kirdain controls Tiquiya.

The Fight Continues

Not taking this lying down, Stasis aquires the gold and launches an offensive to reclaim Tequiya. However, do to an "emergency shutdown" of the server, VG loses its 75k wager in declaring on the city. Over the next two weeks, Stasis continues to face similar server crashes and enentually concedes that the server will not allow them to have a city.

The Breakup of Stasis

With CoS being the only member of Stasis with a city, the guild comes to take the lead of Stasis. Due to several diplomatic disagreements, the guilds in Stasis go their seperate ways and VG moves off Yssam to the mainland. VG then joins the Coalition of the Chillin and vows to fight Hyperion on its home front. Mahatisoturit also joins VG in coming to the mainland. With regards to the rest of Stasis, the alliance moved into the NPC city and continues to open pvp across Yssam. Stasis would remain here for approximately 3 weeks before acknoledging several failed seiges later that it could no longer hold a sufficient fight on the subcontinent. After two leader changes in the alliance (CoS to Cock, then back to CoS), the Stasis alliance left Yssam for Cairn, only to be pushed to Rubyatte where it would ultimately dissintigrate.

Rearranging Cities Prior to Hyperion Collapse

After becoming fully situated on Yssam, ownership of Tequiya transfered from Kirdain to Anvil and Caxtla (the Drunken Begger's old city) transferred to Kirdain. Tempest was also given cotrol over CB.

Hyperion's Collapse

After it became apparent that Hyperion was collapsing due to the taking of many of its cities by the CC and a successful propaganda campaign against Hyperion by the Goons, two major changes occured on Yssam. For starters, Anvil Society (aka Hyperion's initial guild on Yssam) quit the game. This left both a vacancy on Yssam and a weaken Hyperion presence on the subcontinent. This vacancy was then filled by BDW as Hyperion attempted to consolidate on Yssam, leaving its Agon based holdings to rot.

However, even with a more consolidated Yssam, Hyperion forces were not spared as shortly after this consolidation, Kirdain was seiged by the Death alliance and lost the city of Caxtla. With the city having been lost, Hyperion had lost its monopoly on Yssam and became exposed for attack.

Now that Death had a foothold onto Yssam and plans were being made by the CC to invade Yssam, K. Manus (the leader of Hyperion), decided that all that was left for him to do was to capitulate. It was decided though that instead of capitulation to the CC, the alliance that had been the main force in bringing down Hyperion and the alliance that acted as a refugee camp of sorts for many of Hyperion's early targets, that it would instead capitulate to Death.

After Hyperion's Collapse

As such a move was intended, the capitulation of Hyperion to Death caused major rifts in the community. For the CC, it meant that it could not aquire many of the Hyperion lands that is had originally sought (eg Sweetwater for VG) without risking a war wit Death. Many of the CC members also wanted to wipe Hyperion members off the server, not just stop with the end of their alliance.

With regards to Yssam, all the ex-Hyperion guilds (save BDW), sided with the Yssam Coalition. As fow BWD, they decided to remove themselves from anything Hyperion.

Post War Seiges

Unfortunately for the guilds of Yssam, the war did not end with Hyperion's collapse. As stated on the forums by Gluttony (the leader of the CC), the war would not end until Sweetwater( owned by Bloodfest), which had been promised to VG, was taken. This was accomplished fairly easily with no real defense effort made by Bloodfest. However, although VG now became owner of the city, such an aquisition would only lead the CC into another war. This city was claimed by Cairn to be the rightful city of Shadow Syndicate, the original owner of the city prior to Hyperion's invasion. Because of this, Cairn seiged Tequiya, VG's original city in hopes of trading one city for the other.

The problem with this trade was that the contents of the cities were vastly different. By the time of the Tiquiya seige, VG had already maxed ot Sweetwater with the exception of the Shipyard and a second zap tower. Tiquiya on the other hand was in complete ruins, with all its building in flames, and without so much as a t2 barracks. Perfectly content with their new location, VG leadership refused Cairn's demands of a city swap. THis led the massive server up raids by Cairn which led to heavy destruction within Sweetwater. Ultimately, 4-5 warhulks were brought into the city, leaving it in ashes. With the CC having engaged in another war with SB and Afgan, and with the alliance having been drained to to a series of wars that spanned sinse week one, the city was abandoned as the alliance did not possess the resources to defend the city.

DFOracle

The History of Yssam