.

Advancement: Lost Isles has a rank (level) system, which includes four ways to gain advancement points. Only one of these requires battling monsters.

Economy: Lost Isles maintains a fluid economy system, with several different currencies. Exchange rates and values are subject to change depending on world events and shortages.

Professions: We plan for an ever-evolving, open-ended professional system, fully definable by the player. A player molds their profession by the skills the character chooses to study, not vice versa. Skills play a vital role in the development of the character.

Healing: Healing is a multi-tiered system, which can be partaken of as an end-consumer, or as a master of herbal lore. Herbal lore and potions will be explored and experienced in great detail and depth. Healing is a tough profession, and not for the weak of heart.

Death: Death is not fun. Death is time consuming. Death can be physically traumatic, and the death experience may be directly determined by a character's alignment. Corpses in Lost Isles do not speak.

Magic: There are no set spell lists. Magic is learned by experimentation and courage. There are hundreds of possible spells a player may learn to wield, all based on natural magical forces which run through the earth. The trick is learning how to discover, tap, and channel them.

Travel: The journey is as important as the goal. Running from one town to another in sixty seconds is not possible. Sea travel is especially vital, and dangerous, in the Lost Isles. Better learn to swim!

Combat: Combat in Lost Isles is designed with tactical engagements and cooperative strategy in mind. Combat includes player positioning, limits to the number of foes that can attack players and attacked at once, automatic hidden foe perception based on skill, ranged combat, unarmed combat, and a full array of weapons and armor.

Creatures: The entire gamut of creatures will be available, from mindless vermin, to devious, intelligent beasts, and evolved creature civilizations.

Housing: The opportunity to lease housing will be available to all players. No player may ever own a house. Housing will not require an immediate financial fortune, but will require a monthly rental payment.

Religion: Religion will have more than just a role-played significance. However, players will not be handicapped if they choose not to align themselves with a religion.

Justice: Most infractions will be dealt with within the game's justice system and character framework. Refer to policies (when available) for those infractions which will be handled outside of the game context.

CvC: There are a variety of ways to experience CvC for those who relish that element in their gaming experience. There are also zones which prohibit CvC for those wishing a less antagonistic gaming environment.

GM Involvement: GMs will never walk the lands in forms a player may recognize. GMs will never "pop" into the game and engage a player in conversation. Scheduled and unscheduled events, and story lines of various complexity, will be a constant. Players needing assistance will receive help in real time outside the game environment.