I'll try again tomorrow when I have time and file a bug report if the problem persists.

Filing a bug report about the NPC server being down is of no use to anybody. As it is software under development, it has bugs, and is bound to crash sometimes. When it does, nobody (not just you) cannot fight the mobs anymore, so this kind of symptom is quickly noticed by developers. FYI, there is a sticky topic in this forum http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=21503.0 which, among other common problems, answers your question. You should read it.