Going On 9 Years, AMA

[Zarsies 6024]

Seems I’m back? Idk. Ask me anything, pick my brain. Give it to me spicy.

[Archipelego 2093]

thoughts on me

[MeteorDragon 2806]

Yes?

[Nozgoth 2897]

How did you get into writing and do you have any tips for an aspiring lore writer/writer in general?

[IsaaKc 1225]

What would you define as “good” magic roleplay? This goes for all branches; Deity, Dark, Voidal, Misc, etc.

[DISCOLIQUID 1956]

What’s some fashion you’re into these days?

[Zarsies 6024]

23 minutes ago, Lackless_ said:

nine years 

 

n i n e     y e a r s

 

16 minutes ago, Archipelego said:

thoughts on me

 

You very much so remind me of a long gone LotCer called Dannic since you have a similar chaotic, quirky energy, play a druid, and write on an eclectic list of topics. Because of that I am inclined to think fondly of you but because of our interactions it’s been cemented that you’re a swell fellow and I savor your banter. I hope you aspire for greater things as I think you have the material to get somewhere outside this place.

 

14 minutes ago, MeteorDragon said:

Yes?

 

Mayhaps.

 

6 minutes ago, Nozoa said:

How did you get into writing and do you have any tips for an aspiring lore writer/writer in general?

 

Ironically it started here. I joined when I was 12 and had otherwise only read and been exposed to fantasy media (huge fan of LotR) and it was here that I discovered my fixation with language and storytelling.

 

For aspiring lore writers in the LotC context I highly recommend roleplaying a whole, whole lot to get a sense of what LotC roleplay is like since that is what you’ll be writing for; after enough roleplay you’ll get the best and the worst for reference so you’ll understand why a nearly invincible wraith with only 2 (very specific) weaknesses is detrimental and why nursing an injury for IRL weeks instead of instantly waving it off post-combat is positive. This will help you get a sense of roleplay quality but the heart of the problem then is that we develop taste before we develop skill so while you may recognize good writing or good lore you will have a harder time creating it which then is just a matter of trial and error so you can learn from your mistakes. I had plenty of shitty lore before I got a good grasp on things around here.

 

For aspiring writers in general I suggest something you’ll see everywhere else on the internet (e.g. Reddit, writer blogs) and that is to read. Read a lot. By reading genuinely good, tried-and-true authors you’ll pick up on their skills and hopefully understand that there is no such thing as perfect writing and similarly to playing an instrument there will ALWAYS be room for improvement. Another thing that is equally widespread advice but also really good advice is to write daily. Make it a habit, regardless of what it’s related to, and get comfortable writing so you’re less stressed when you want to write but struggle to motivate yourself. That then comes on the third piece of advice that I think is absolutely critical because it’s been my biggest issue; pace yourself and do not lose motivation. Everyone dreams up their own expansive, rich, convoluted universe to best Tolkien with all sorts of quirky trope subversion and novel concepts. If you’re serious about wanting to dig into such a thing you have to reckon with its size and what that realistically demands. Don’t spread yourself too thin, spin too many plates, or hyper-focus on irrelevant writing because they lead to burnout and then you’re exhausted, unmotivated, agitated, and punishing yourself for not writing when it’s unrealistic to be pushing yourself any longer. Toil only so much on your ‘worldbuilding’ and spend most of your time actually writing the prose itself and always seek out inspiration and maintain motivation lest you languish in stagnation. That said, edit edit edit. You’ll probably rewrite something 3+ times before you have reliable content and then an editor will probably go over it again. Be as absolutely concise and punctual as possible, ditch the flimsy side plots. Only give your reader the best, punchiest, crunchy prose and dialogue with the least fluff. Writing in a flowery way may be impressive to some but it’s very, very easy and readers (and publishers) want the structure and crunch underneath.

 

24 minutes ago, HotArcanismBeam said:

What would you define as “good” magic roleplay? This goes for all branches; Deity, Dark, Voidal, Misc, etc.

 

The issue that first comes to mind is that magic often attracts a crowd too deep in the fantasy to grasp realism so “good” magic roleplay is really just “good” roleplay and said group often lack in their grasp and/or expression of realism. First the magic has to be understood inside and out for mechanical reasons but after that presentation only matters so much in that emotes don’t need to be super flowery, as absolutely long as possible, and beaten to death with a thesaurus.

 

A deity magic user ought to reckon with what their magic entails; they are in service to a higher entity, do they genuinely believe in them? Do they in turn worship them and if so in what ways and how does that impact their day to day life? Is it all for the sake of the magic and in that case how do they feel about their ‘theft’? Are they guilty that they don’t do their part, spread worship, act in whatever ways their tenets imply, etc? If they are devout then how does their religious/moral standing impact their interpersonal relationships? Have or will they have to make choices between their deity/religion/magic and something personal like a relationship (e.g. a friend) or have they taken a life in the name of their deity? How does all this make them feel about it, the world, and/or themselves? Are they bitter? Are they devout to a fault? Are they judgmental, strict, and/or quick to act? Good roleplay in this sense accounts for the implications of what their magic/deity means to them and how it paints the rest of their life in a way most other magics don’t.

 

A dark magic user has a similar reckoning but it greatly depends on the magic since they also tend to come with mental effects and different implications. A necromancer has a lot to face in ways a naztherak prince/princess wouldn’t who in turn has their own personal struggles. A necromancer has to reckon with their cultural upbringing around the dead firstly; are the dead to be respected? If not, who if at all? Do criminals deserve less than children? Then there’s the grit; how well can they stomach the sight of a mangled face and a gaping mouth full of dirt and insects? What about the stench of a truly rotten corpse, the feeling of their hands working lifeforce through soggy and bloated flesh, the taste of dust in a tomb, the sound of splintering and fusing bone, etc. Are they embarrassed by what they do? Do they even live a normal life and if not what does that life consist of? Is it at all enjoyable for them? WHY do they do what they do? What motivates them and how strongly do they adhere to that drive? Do they also question their faith? What dark magic users have that other magic users usually don’t is the insanity angle. Not only is the very act of what they do disturbing – a necromancer twisting corpses, a naztherak prince/princess looking into the flaming maws of grotesque demons, a mystic calling out to hideous and highly emotional ghosts, etc – but their magic usually comes with built-in mental effects. Just how disillusioned and depressed does a necromancer get as their power grows? Perhaps they lose their identity with their now haggard and withered body and they give it up to become a lich, how much of themself have they now lost? How badly does the sight of their own bones bother them? Do they mourn their mortality? Long for a hard drink, a taste of fresh bread, the touch of wool, etc. Do they become so spiteful and irritated with living that they take their own life?

 

Personally, that’s the biggest question for dark magic users: does the character eventually kill themself. There’s often so many terrible, heinous things they see and do that the mental damage compounds after multiple IRL years of play to the point where they are likely broken inside and suffer immense trauma and distress from their practice. Two of my longest running characters, Sprat and Uldrivt, died by suicide because of the ramifications of their exceptionally long lives and all the terrible things that happened in them. However, usually LotCers and even more so among magic users are players reluctant to PK or make lasting changes to their characters that don’t fit their power fantasy so death isn’t the most common, let alone the consequences of dark magic so it’s more likely (and sometimes more fitting) that they die through murder. As well, depicting suicide in media (including roleplay) is an incredibly touchy and nuanced subject so I suggest people research the topic in case they accidentally roleplay something offensive or, worst yet, trigger someone they’re roleplaying with (which is the absolute opposite of why we even play this game). You get my point though, dark mages get it rough and have to account for the physical and mental beatings.

 

A Void magic user has the least to account for amongst the types given their magic is just study and practice. There’s a million different angles you could take them but my preference is that as the character progresses, should they learn more or dive deeper into Void magic, they progressively lose their minds and usually to zany, quirky, and wild manners of expression. They might seem senile, schizophrenic, or in a perpetual acid trip, but the deeper they go the wilder they ought to be where their wisdom and library of knowledge fails them in the end. These sorts of characters are also the sweetest imo since there’s nothing like a goofy, grizzled grandma who can turn your tea into ice as you go to drink it or burn the tavern down. As with the previous types they just have to reckon with what their magic does and how it affects them. Case in point Kalehart once roleplayed a character with Voidal translocation and at nearly all times he would conjure seeds and nuts to snack on all day. The best part of the magic for him was maintaining a very deep, invisible, weightless bag of snacks. Isn’t that brilliant?

 

13 minutes ago, DISCOLIQUID said:

What’s some fashion you’re into these days?

 

I recently ordered a bunch of goth **** so I can return to my grimdark days but atm my new glasses are pretty cool. I’ll PM you the picture because it’s not a good one ;-;

[Archipelego 2093]

1 minute ago, Zarsies said:

You very much so remind me of a long gone LotCer called Dannic since you have a similar chaotic, quirky energy, play a druid, and write on an eclectic list of topics. Because of that I am inclined to think fondly of you but because of our interactions it’s been cemented that you’re a swell fellow and I savor your banter. I hope you aspire for greater things as I think you have the material to get somewhere outside this place.

❤️

[Malaise 1569]

why don’t we rp 

? 

??

[Nozgoth 2897]

12 minutes ago, Zarsies said:

Ironically it started here. I joined when I was 12 and had otherwise only read and been exposed to fantasy media (huge fan of LotR) and it was here that I discovered my fixation with language and storytelling.

 

For aspiring lore writers in the LotC context I highly recommend roleplaying a whole, whole lot to get a sense of what LotC roleplay is like since that is what you’ll be writing for; after enough roleplay you’ll get the best and the worst for reference so you’ll understand why a nearly invincible wraith with only 2 (very specific) weaknesses is detrimental and why nursing an injury for IRL weeks instead of instantly waving it off post-combat is positive. This will help you get a sense of roleplay quality but the heart of the problem then is that we develop taste before we develop skill so while you may recognize good writing or good lore you will have a harder time creating it which then is just a matter of trial and error so you can learn from your mistakes. I had plenty of shitty lore before I got a good grasp on things around here.

 

For aspiring writers in general I suggest something you’ll see everywhere else on the internet (e.g. Reddit, writer blogs) and that is to read. Read a lot. By reading genuinely good, tried-and-true authors you’ll pick up on their skills and hopefully understand that there is no such thing as perfect writing and similarly to playing an instrument there will ALWAYS be room for improvement. Another thing that is equally widespread advice but also really good advice is to write daily. Make it a habit, regardless of what it’s related to, and get comfortable writing so you’re less stressed when you want to write but struggle to motivate yourself. That then comes on the third piece of advice that I think is absolutely critical because it’s been my biggest issue; pace yourself and do not lose motivation. Everyone dreams up their own expansive, rich, convoluted universe to best Tolkien with all sorts of quirky trope subversion and novel concepts. If you’re serious about wanting to dig into such a thing you have to reckon with its size and what that realistically demands. Don’t spread yourself too thin, spin too many plates, or hyper-focus on irrelevant writing because they lead to burnout and then you’re exhausted, unmotivated, agitated, and punishing yourself for not writing when it’s unrealistic to be pushing yourself any longer. Toil only so much on your ‘worldbuilding’ and spend most of your time actually writing the prose itself and always seek out inspiration and maintain motivation lest you languish in stagnation. That said, edit edit edit. You’ll probably rewrite something 3+ times before you have reliable content and then an editor will probably go over it again. Be as absolutely concise and punctual as possible, ditch the flimsy side plots. Only give your reader the best, punchiest, crunchy prose and dialogue with the least fluff. Writing in a flowery way may be impressive to some but it’s very, very easy and readers (and publishers) want the structure and crunch underneath.

 

Thanks bro, that’s some good advice and a lot to consider!

[Callistus 963]

What went thee back into this wilderness to find?

 

You’ve never apprised me of the Arcane Displacement rendition I put up in tribute to your (and other’s) fine work. Tell me, truly I exhort!

[Nug 1885]

hi legend

 

❤️

[Angmarzku 1247]

Miss me? I miss the old gang.

Why did you come back, Zars?

[squakhawk 7302]

im gonna steal archi’s very DUMB question and ask if you have any thoughts of me or my writing

have you read the discworld/kingkiller series? if so whatd u think? if not i highly reccommend

do you have any books or author’s you’d reccommend? When I was told to get into writing and fantasy when I first roleplayed back in like 2013/14 I was told to read the entire “Discworld” series; so I did. It really stuck and impacted how i wrote up until I read Kingkiller, where I take a lot of aspects from that in my current writing. 

is there anything you regret doing? not doing? on lotc or irl, dont feel terrible about overexplaining

have a g one bro 

[excited 10833]

hi