Territories

The land of Aeternum in which New World is set has been divided into Territories. Territories can be further divided into Settlements by groups of players acting together.

Settlements


Settlements are groups of player housing and centers for crafting, item refinement, trading, and Faction Missions. Settlements are separate from the territory's fort.

Starting Settlements
Four territories serve as possible starting territories. When created, your character has an equal chance to wash up on one of the four beaches near its corresponding Watchtower.


 * Everfall (EF) - the settlement is a bustling hub of activity, decorated in festival colors - akin to its lands of autumn hues.
 * First Light (FL) - a coastal territory spotted with Ancient ruins and Drowned shipwrecks.
 * Monarch's Bluffs (MB) - a mountainous territory lined by the sea, dotted by abandoned settlements.
 * Windsward (WW) - previously a farmer's dream, now the residents shelter in the settlement, relying on adventurers to re-visit their farms filled with Withered.

Switching Settlements
There are 3 ways you can switch your settlement early without causing issues in your main storyline. Some players like to switch to play with friends, or gain Standing early in a territory they like.


 * 1) Delete and re-create your character and hope you spawn in the territory you want (Note: this will not be a good idea close to release with long login queues).
 * 2) Follow the Main Story until you reach New Alliances, the quest asking you to talk to the 3 faction leaders. Instead of doing it in the territory/settlement you're in, run to another settlement and do it there. This will swap your progress to that new settlement with no issues.
 * 3) Do not accept any stories/quests upon spawning, and run immediately to a different starter beach. (Note: this is untested by wiki staff, and also risky, due to being level 1 while running through higher level zones.

Another option is just to follow the main story until you are not offered any more in that settlement (besides the stories from The Hermit), and simply start picking up Side Stories in another territory.

Other Settlements

 * Brightwood (BW) - a dark, afflicted territory, bordering the corrupted northern lands.
 * Cutlass Keys (CK) - a varied land with swamp, jungle, and beachline.
 * Ebonscale Reach (ER) - a fertile territory named for the black fungus that grows in abundance there, home to the remnants of a long-forgotten Dynasty.
 * Mourningdale (MD) - an old land found in the northeastern region of Aeternum where rainstorms are common.
 * Reekwater (RW) - a vast, densely wooded, supernatural swamp.
 * Restless Shore (RS) - home to Stanley, containing chains of islands speckled with Drowned settlements, some of which quite large and daunting.
 * Weaver's Fen (WF) - a dank, watery land, tinged with grief and despair.

Upgrading Settlements
A settlement's Crafting Stations can be upgraded by Town Projects selected by the governing company.

Unclaimable Territories
The northern territories are territories without full settlements, and only a small outpost with a Trading Post, and a couple Tier 2 Crafting Stations. They cannot be claimed in War, and do not have a Fort.


 * Edengrove (EG) - known for its lush, colorful landscape, as well as the tower of Malevolence which dominates the center of the region itself.
 * Great Cleave (GC) - a snowy region filled with The Corrupted, north of Brightwood and south of Shattered Mountain.
 * Shattered Mountain (SM) - the northernmost zone: a vast splintered mountain range, awash with corruption.

Territorial Control
Each territory has a Fort, which is neutral by default. A fort can be claimed by a Company by paying a fee. Once a Territory Fort has been claimed by a company, that territory comes under control of that company and its parent Faction. In order to claim a Territory that has already come under control of a company, the Territory's Fort must be claimed through battle by declaring War. A Company cannot Declare War on a Territory unless the controlling Faction has been sufficiently Undermined or has neglected to Reinforce its Influence on the Territory.

Exception: on new servers, where no territories have been claimed, the available territories may be purchased for 100,000 coin.

Territory Upkeep
The territory is managed by the owning company through the Governor's Desk and Territory Planning Board.

Faction Influence
Influence within a Territory represents the control that a Faction has over that Territory. Influence can be increased through PvP activities within that Territory. Activities performed by the controlling Faction serve to Reinforce the Faction's influence; activities performed by opposing Factions serve to undermine the controlling Faction's influence. Once influence with one faction reaches 100%, that territory is thrown into Conflict, and War can be declared.

Fort
The Territory Fort serves as the defensible point for each Territory. Three event types take place in the fort:


 * 1) War - scheduled PvP event for control of the entire territory.
 * 2) Faction Control Points - "anytime" PvP event for control of the fort, resulting in buffs for that faction in that territory.
 * 3) Corrupted Invasion - scheduled PvE event where hordes of The Corrupted attack the fort.

Governor & Companies


The Governor of the Territory is the Governor of the Company that captured that Territory. They act as a proxy leader for the Faction of which they are a part. They set taxes to ensure that the Territory Upkeep fee can be paid to the Faction, and determine the active Town Projects in the settlement, which upgrade various features, to tailor that settlement to the needs of its inhabitants.

Standing
Standing in a territory is increased by performing tasks for and within that territory. With each level, you are rewarded with a permanent buff for that territory.

Settlement Upgrades
Each Refining and Upgrade station in a Settlement may be upgraded, allowing for higher level items to be crafted by those in the Settlement. Additionally, Settlements feature Lifestyle Buffs and Fort Upgrades that affect all those that own a house in the territory.

Town Projects
Town Projects are group activities set by the Governor or Consul. When Town Projects are active, certain activities performed by residents will increase the Town's overall progress. Completing Town Projects grants upgrades and buffs for the Settlement.