"Stupid questions make more sense than stupid mistakes."
These frequently asked questions and answers will be expanded as new potential entries are revealed.
Q1: Is there any way to undo or cancel my claim once I've submitted?
A1: No, All Claims Are Final.
Q2: Why isn't my custom name showing up on the map?
A2: Custom names are subject to review and will only show up on your property after approval. After approval, your custom name is shown on the property, along with the generated name. This is so you can share the generated name to others and they will be able to find it on the map before or after a custom name is approved. At the end of the event, the generated names will be cleared so only your intended name is still shown.
Q3: What happens if someone else submits the same property as me at the same time?
A3: The person who submits first, based on the server receiving the request, will be awarded the property and you may have to pick a different property.
Q4: Do I have to submit a name when I submit my property, or can I think about it and submit a name later?
A4: Yes, the names are submitted along with the property. If you wish to change the name of a duchy, county, or settlement later on, you can purchase a rename token from the online store.
Q5: What is the minimum or maximum amount of characters for domain and settlement names?
A5: Names cannot be fewer than 2 letters. Names cannot exceed 32 characters, can have 3 words at most, and each word cannot exceed 16 characters. Additional restrictions apply.
Q6: Can I trade in a title for EP after Domain Selection has begun if I decide I don’t want it or can’t fit it on the map?
A6: Yes, as per the April 22nd update to the rules for Domain and Settlement Selection, you have the option to trade titles to other players or exchange them for EP after Domain and Settlement Selection begins.
Q7: Does sending titles (or trading them in for EP) affect my pick time?
A7: Your place in the queue is determined by your highest claimed title. If you get a higher title, give away your highest title, or trade in your highest title, your pick time will be recalculated based on your new highest title. This could move you forward or back in the pick weeks.
Q8: If there is a vassal reservation spot for me in a kingdom or duchy, do I have to claim my domain there?
A8: Nope.
Q9: Are there any placement restrictions when claiming a multi-domain?
A9: Yes, each property must share as many common borders with your previously-selected properties as possible. If claimed properties from other players or vassal reservations make it impossible to have a common border, any remaining titles will be skipped. You can send them to others or trade them in for EP.
Q10: What is Self-Sustainability and what can I do about it if it's low?!
A10: Self-Sustainability measures the ability of a settlement to support its population using only the resources and facilities it already has access to. Rather than being an indication of how viable a settlement is, it is an indication of how independent that settlement is. A settlement with low self-sustainability must rely on outside trade to support its population. In Exposition and beyond, the self-sustainability of a settlement can be improved by employing better strategies for growing or raising food, improving infrastructure to allow more of each parcel to be dedicated to food production, or employing new technologies to make better use of the food the settlement already produces. It's also possible to simply forge relationships with neighboring settlements and trade, creating a stockpile of foodstuffs. This can increase self-sustainability for as long as the stockpile lasts.
Q11: What happens if I don't address low self-sustainability?
A11: In the absence of an external source of sustenance, such as trade with a neighbor, a below average self-sustainability will mean that the citizens of your town will experience shortfalls in food or other life-sustaining goods. This will increase their desire to find new opportunities outside the settlement. As each citizen surpasses its comfort threshold, that citizen, and that citizen's family, will migrate to a new settlement where their needs can be met. This is not an instant process, as each citizen of Elyria has their own personality and their own comfort levels, but as each citizen leaves, their leaving could be taken as a sign by other citizens that it is time to move on, and a sort of "cascade failure" is possible, where a small trickle of emigrants leaving your settlement becomes an exodus over time.**
Q12: Why do coastal borders extend into the ocean and appear to have 2 types of water?
A12: If you see water extending beyond the shore that doesn't match the ocean background, you are looking at parcels of land that are below sea-level and covered in shallow water. While these shallows can be deep enough to allow for boat travel, they are in most cases very shallow and present both hazards for nautical navigation and opportunities for building, if you possess the technology to build piers and quays. The To'resk, in particular, are quite adept at building with these technologies and many coastal To'resk settlements are built "out over the shallow water" supported on wood pilings driven into the ground beneath the shallow water.
Q13: How can I tell if my settlement has a port?
A13: If a settlement's focus is "Port" the settlement in question contains a port. If the settlement also has access to the coastal water resource, that port has guaranteed access to the sea. However, the coastal water resource applies to settlements that are no more than 4 parcels away from the shore, so a settlement with access to the coastal water resource may not have the direct access needed to build a port.
Q14: This settlement has the coastal water resource, but the primary industry is not Port. Can I build a port there?
A14: Maybe. The coastal water resource indicates the settlement is close enough to the coast to utilize those waters as a resource, but may not be on the waterfront. You may need to acquire the parcels between your settlement and the coast, or work with your liege once the game launches, before you could build a ship landing site for your settlement. However, if a settlement is a "Seaside" settlement, at least one of the settlement's parcels is adjacent to the water. Building a ship landing site there may not be free of challenges: a seaside settlement may sit on a cliff that drops directly into the ocean, requiring a means to get down to sea level before a port can be built. This is most common in high elevation biomes such as the Alpine Tundra and Lower Montane Forest.
Q15: Does the character that is the title holder have to be of the majority tribe in their selected biome?
A15: See our explanation in detail here.
Q16: Can I use the same name for each tier of my property (i.e. identical duchy, county, and settlement names)?
A16: No, kingdom and duchy names are unique on the server, and county and settlement names must be unique within the kingdom.
Q17: Can I send titles during and after D&SS?
A17: Yes, but all titles must be used before a yet-to-be-announced land auction event, since all unclaimed properties will become freely purchasable for that event.
Note: This excludes any titles that state they are not able to be bundled or transferred.
Q18: How do I choose my domain's capitol?
A18: If you have a kingdom, duchy, or county, whichever settlement you claim for yourself will become the capitol of your highest title. In other words, the king or queen's settlement is the kingdom's capital. the settlement claimed by a duke or duchess is that duchy's capitol, etc.
Q19: Can I still send my title after claiming a property, in case I want to dictate where my successor goes?
A19: No, claiming property consumes your titles and they will no longer appear in inventory. We are planning on adding a way to will your individual titles to other characters in the future.
Q20: If a county is not claimed by the end of the event, is it possible that there will be no available settlements to serve as the county seat?
A20: All unclaimed counties will reserve 1 town+ sized settlement for the county owner.
Q21: Do Gentry participate in Domain and Settlement Selection?
A21: No. Only title holders will pick domains and settlements during the event.
Q22: How can I tell what boats I can use on this water?
A22: Here is a quick rule of thumb:
Q23: Why is there a bridge in this county that has no water under it?
A23: While each individual circumstance might be different, there is water there; the water feature it crosses is small enough that the icon of the bridge and the representation of the road obscure it from view.
Q24: "Why are some roads in the water?"
A24: This is very likely a series of bridges or a road in a tidal area. Water crossings are represented by a single bridge icon on the map, but may be comprised of additional bridges in the full 3D world.
Q25: How do I tell if a settlement is built into ironwood trees in the broadleaf forest?
A25: When you are viewing a settlement, it will include the word ironwood in its description, such as "The Ironwood City of Acornia." Additionally, the settlement itself will be surrounded by a grove of Ironwood trees on the map.
Q26: This settlement says it's an Ironwood settlement, but I don't see any Ironwood trees, what's up with that?
A26: This typically happens when a settlement is on the coast - the system that draws the map won't allow trees to draw over hills or water, so a settlement that is surrounded by either type of terrain may not be able to display the Ironwood trees that are there. Rest assured however: If a settlement says it is an Ironwood settlement, this is true and its grove of Ironwood trees will be visible, in game.
Q27: I can see several islands off the coast that don't seem to be a part of any county, are these free land?
A27: While these small sand bars and islands are not typically settled they are, in fact, considered to be part of the county they are closest to, rather than unincorporated and free-for-all land. In most cases these islands are too small or lack the fresh water needed for legitimate habitation, but they can be exploited for whatever resources exist there. If this interests you, contact your count about acquiring these parcels when the game launches.
Q28: If I set a proxy for my account, can I still go in and claim myself or will only one of us be enabled?
A28: Setting a proxy does not prohibit you from claiming, as both you and your proxy will be able to claim. Whoever submits the claim first decides the holdings for that account.
Q29: I am having an issue using the app on a mobile device?
A29: The D&SS app is not optimized for mobile. You need to make your selection via a desktop device.
Q30: My question isn't on this list. What should I do?
A30: Feel free to start a new topic if the question you have hasn't already been answered in any current post or FAQ entry.
"Stupid questions make more sense than stupid mistakes."