Greetings Elyrians!

As we begin the domain selection process, it’s time for us to start sharing with you what comes next. Shortly after the selection window closes for all classes of title holder, from monarch down to mayor, we will begin the Settlers of Elyria event, a dutch auction of the domains and settlements that have not yet been claimed.

How will this work?

just before the Settlers of Elyria auction is to begin, we’ll start by posting an announcement to let you know when the event will start. Once Settlers of Elyria begins, you will be able to browse the domains and settlements for each server and see their current prices. If you are locked to the server in question, you will be able to purchase any domain or settlement with a “buy now” button on its info panel, like so:

Clicking this button will function the same as the claim button does in the current Domain & Settlement selection process, with one exception: after you have made your selections, you will be brought to the check out section of our store to purchase your domain, and any necessary upgrades. Only after the purchase is complete will your claim be finalized and submitted for name approval.

Note: If you see an asterisk next to the price on the buy now button, this is an indication that an upgrade is required to make this purchase (I’ll explain more in a moment). Your final price at checkout will include the upgrade cost, if there is one. The asterisk is a reminder that this is the case.

What Will It Cost?

Each individual domain or settlement will be priced based on a number of factors. This includes the “base price” of that type of holding, the value of the specific holding in comparison to others of its type when factoring in location, wealth, and sustainability, and the result of the ongoing Progressive Discount that is applied throughout the Settlers of Elyria event. Broadly, however, prices will fall within the following ranges based on the type of holding being claimed:

• Settlements: $65.00 to $135.00
• Counties: $350.00 to $650.00
• Duchies: $650.00 to $1,350.00
• Nirath: $3,500.00

What is the Progressive Discount?

At the end of every day, the price of every available holding will be reduced by 1%, up to a maximum progressive discount of 45%.

For example, let us say the county of Exemplar has a price of $500 at the start of the auction. Over the next 10 days, no one purchases such an obviously great county. At the end of day 10 of the auction, the progressive discount would be 10%, 1 percent for each day of the auction that has passed, giving the county of Exemplar a current purchase price of $450. (10% off of $500, or a $50 discount)

Can Anything Else Affect the Price of a Domain or Settlement?

The perceived value of a domain or settlement will definitely play a part in the pricing of settlements, and nothing affects the perceived value of something more than supply and demand! If an area is filled with folks trying to purchase, for example, counties that are neighbors of each other, the price of the remaining neighbors will rise slightly to reflect the increase in perceived value of the real-estate.

But, honestly, most of the things that can change the price of a holding will bring that price down. The biggest price changer, overall, is the progressive discount, but every day we’ll also be selecting a domain or settlement from each server to put on sale for 2 to 3 hours. That discount will apply on top of any other changes to the price, meaning you could get a domain or a settlement at a %55 discount if you catch it at the end of its progressive discount and while it’s a featured sale.

Domains that are on sale in this way will be noted in their info panel and on the map with a special “Sale” icon, and all currently active discounts for a settlement will be displayed on the “buy now” button so you can see how much of a discount you’re presently getting if you decide to make a purchase.

However, there is one thing to be aware of: During Settlers of Elyria, some domains and settlements may be claimed by NPCs active in each server, as we reserve domains and settlements to use in future events and promotions, or to ensure that at least some domains remain NPC controlled at launch. These reservations won't affect pricing of any other domains or settlements, but they will impact which domains and settlements are available to you, so please be aware that this can and will occur.

Are There Special Restrictions or Rules for What We Can Buy?

What options are available to you during Settlers of Elyria does depend on what you have already. The following rules apply:

• You cannot purchase a “lateral” upgrade: A duke or duchess cannot purchase another duchy, a count or countess cannot purchase another county, and a mayor cannot purchase another settlement. This effectively means that if you already have a domain or settlement, you can only upgrade what you have.
• You cannot “leap frog” past your current package level without upgrading to the level above yours first. For example, if you as a Bloodline package holder want to purchase a county, the cost of upgrading to a mayor – which makes the purchase of the county possible for you -- will be included in the price that you pay. The exact cost will vary depending on which settlements and domains you pick as you make your purchase, so any discounts attached to those choices will still apply in the final price you see at checkout.

Are Domains and Settlements the Only Things We Can Buy?

During Settlers of Elyria, certain points of interest, such as some of the thirteen legendary taverns of Elyria, may come up for sale. We will announce their additions to the auction when/if they do and their locations will be called out on the maps and in the announcement.

If you have any other questions about Settlers of Elyria, please ask them in the comments here, so that we can address them for you!

Settlers of Elyria will begin some time after the window for picking a domain in D&SS closes for mayors.

Good luck!