[AMA] the magic number...

[Toffee 2843]

7 years, 10+ communities, ask me anything :)

[LuxyLucy 691]

Are you affiliated with any confectionery aligned organizations?
That may, form their basis of existence around the combination of sugar and butter?

[Songwitch 1832]

7 years, 7 skies…. Ho is u HOren

 

What’s the main piece of advice you’d give to someone, esp. newer players, to enjoy the server and stay for as long as you have? 

[MadOne 4945]

If you could put anything on a barbie what would it be

 

How many decks do you operate out of on a monthly basis

 

Under the context of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a living constitutional document, how should the courts reconcile the apparent tension between customary Māori proprietary rights to natural resources (e.g., freshwater and geothermal energy) and the Crown’s asserted radical title under the common law doctrine of imperium, especially in light of the Resource Management Act’s 2020 reforms and ongoing co-governance arrangements? Further, to what extent can tikanga Māori be treated as a standalone source of law post-Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd v Taranaki-Whanganui Conservation Board [2021] NZSC 127, and how does this interact with the principle of parliamentary sovereignty in Aotearoa’s unwritten constitution?

 

 

[jqsmlne 460]

As you’ve written so many posts, from various personas about different topics, which post/project have you enjoyed writing about the most? (Elven jewellery, the divinations posts etc)

[Ramon 5186]

I'm currently in the process of writing up what'll probably turn into some kind of Waldenian specific religious rite. I don't think you're much of a religious roleplayer but even so, as someone who has been Vandalore in the past and should be quite familiar with the culture now, is there anything you think something like that should focus on?

my condolences btw. 7 yrs is a long time.

[Toffee 2843]

1 hour ago, LuxyLucy said:

Are you affiliated with any confectionery aligned organizations?

 

(This is me IRL) 

 

1 hour ago, Songwitch said:

What’s the main piece of advice you’d give to someone, esp. newer players, to enjoy the server and stay for as long as you have? 

 

Try as much as possible to keep things to RP and not take things too personally, and assume that everyone else is doing the same. Give people some grace and assume the best of them until they prove you wrong, and at that point just disengage and find your people that you have fun with

 

8 minutes ago, MadOne said:

If you could put anything on a barbie what would it be

 

... shrimp on de barbie m8

 

9 minutes ago, MadOne said:

How many decks do you operate out of on a monthly basis

 

 

10 minutes ago, MadOne said:

Under the context of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a living constitutional document, how should the courts reconcile the apparent tension between customary Māori proprietary rights to natural resources (e.g., freshwater and geothermal energy) and the Crown’s asserted radical title under the common law doctrine of imperium, especially in light of the Resource Management Act’s 2020 reforms and ongoing co-governance arrangements? Further, to what extent can tikanga Māori be treated as a standalone source of law post-Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd v Taranaki-Whanganui Conservation Board [2021] NZSC 127, and how does this interact with the principle of parliamentary sovereignty in Aotearoa’s unwritten constitution?

 

Spoiler

Under New Zealand’s evolving constitutional framework, reconciling Māori customary rights to natural resources with the Crown’s radical title involves balancing Treaty of Waitangi principles, statutory reforms, and common law doctrines. The Treaty of Waitangi (as a constitutional touchstone) establishes a partnership between the Crown and Māori, requiring the Crown to actively protect Māori interests while governing in the public interest. However, tensions arise when the Crown’s asserted radical title (imperium) conflicts with Māori proprietary rights (dominium) grounded in tikanga and affirmed by common law native title.

Key Considerations for Reconciliation

1. Treaty Principles and Statutory Recognition:

   • The Resource Management Act (RMA) 2020 reforms explicitly integrate Māori perspectives, such as Te Mana o te Wai (the authority of water), which prioritizes the health of water bodies and Māori stewardship. These provisions reflect a legislative shift toward co-governance, where Māori and Crown share decision-making over natural resources like freshwater and geothermal energy.

   • Courts increasingly interpret statutes through a Treaty-compliant lens, as seen in cases like Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd v Taranaki-Whanganui Conservation Board [2021] NZSC 127. Here, the Supreme Court emphasized that tikanga Māori must be treated as “applicable law” in resource consent processes, requiring decision-makers to engage directly with Māori perspectives.

2. Tikanga as a Source of Law:

   • Post-Trans-Tasman, tikanga is now recognized as a legally relevant custom that informs statutory interpretation and common law development. While not yet a standalone source of law overriding parliamentary statutes, it operates within the interstices of New Zealand’s legal system. For example:

     • In resource management, tikanga principles like kaitiakitanga (guardianship) are enforceable when statutes (e.g., RMA) explicitly require their consideration.

     • The courts have affirmed that tikanga must be understood on its own terms, not merely through a Western legal lens.

3. Parliamentary Sovereignty vs. Tikanga:

   • Parliamentary sovereignty remains paramount, but recent jurisprudence suggests a qualified approach. Courts may:

     • Interpret statutes consistently with Treaty principles (e.g., the “principle of partnership” and “active protection”).

     • Develop common law to incorporate tikanga where statutes are silent, as seen in native title cases.

   • However, tikanga cannot invalidate clear statutory provisions. For example, the Crown’s radical title persists unless expressly modified by legislation (e.g., Treaty settlement Acts or co-governance agreements).

4. Co-Governance as a Practical Mechanism:

   • Co-governance arrangements (e.g., Waikato River Authority) exemplify the Treaty partnership in action, blending Crown authority with Māori stewardship. These models:

     • Are rooted in statutory agreements (e.g., Treaty settlements) that codify shared decision-making.

     • Reflect a pragmatic reconciliation of imperium and dominium by delegating management rights to Māori while retaining Crown oversight.

Challenges and Future Directions

• Legal Orthodoxy vs. Tikanga: While Trans-Tasman elevated tikanga’s status, its integration remains constrained by statutory frameworks and the Crown’s historical assertion of radical title.

• Unresolved Tensions: Māori rights to resources like freshwater remain contentious, as the Crown has resisted recognizing full proprietary rights, opting instead for co-management.

• Constitutional Evolution: New Zealand’s unwritten constitution allows incremental recognition of tikanga, but parliamentary supremacy limits transformative change without legislative endorsement.

In summary, courts should reconcile Māori customary rights and Crown radical title by:

• Prioritizing Treaty partnership principles in statutory interpretation.

• Treating tikanga as integral to applicable law where statutes or common law permit.

• Upholding co-governance as a practical middle ground for shared resource stewardship.
  Parliamentary sovereignty remains the ultimate constraint, but the legal system’s flexibility allows tikanga to increasingly shape New Zealand’s constitutional landscape.

 

7 minutes ago, jqsmlne said:

As you’ve written so many posts, from various personas about different topics, which post/project have you enjoyed writing about the most? (Elven jewellery, the divinations posts etc)

 

Ooo this is a tough one. I love writing posts that people engage with and can use in their roleplay (like the divination post!) but I think the ones I find the most rewarding are the historyposts written by my human, Erika Kortrevich. They're really challenging to pull together, but it's nice being able to pay homage to people's characters and for them to see their character having impact and meaning to the server narrative, even in a small way.

 

8 minutes ago, Ramon said:

I'm currently in the process of writing up what'll probably turn into some kind of Waldenian specific religious rite. I don't think you're much of a religious roleplayer but even so, as someone who has been Vandalore in the past and should be quite familiar with the culture now, is there anything you think something like that should focus on?

 

I looooove this idea. Imo, any sort of Waldenian-specific religious rite should heavily revolve around the existing Waldenic prayerbook and have heavy influence from the Vander code. Most Waldenian cultures also tend to have a strong emphasis on honouring their ancestors (not just Reinmaren!) so maybe some sort of system where adherents follow in the footsteps of certain saints or religious figures, and by embodying their traits and virtues they will live a good life. Happy to brainstorm more in DMs!

 

17 minutes ago, Ramon said:

my condolences btw. 7 yrs is a long time.

 

also... bless.

[HugoAntero 1962]

oooiiii ya drongo

 

what was your favorite character oooiii rippah

[prophetisms 982]

what's your favorite character arc any of your personas have gone through, or your most memorable rp interaction over the last 7 years?

[Telmster 130]

I have a couple!

1. If you could change one thing about the server, what would you change?

2. Are there any (IRP) decisions that you regret or that you would do differently if you got to do it again?

3. If you got to create a (new and original) biome, landmark, culture or creature on LOTC, what would you do? Basically, are there any niches that you feel are underexplored?

 

4. Do you have any ideas for characters that you never actually ended up playing (but might in the future)?

 

[Nectorist 12869]

if you had to fight one of your characters for the chance to win a million dollars, who would you pick to go against

[Toffee 2843]

7 hours ago, HugoAntero said:

what was your favorite character oooiii rippah

 

Adalfriede, obvi :*

 

I've never played a character like her, and she was so distinctly Adalfriede I don't think I'll be able to play one like her again without being derivative. She was very very fun to play and write emotes for.

 

6 hours ago, pomegrad said:

what's your favorite character arc any of your personas have gone through, or your most memorable rp interaction over the last 7 years?

 

Fave character arc would again have to go to Adalfriede, who went from a destitute, low noble character to princess/Lady Vandalore/Lawspeaker of Reinmar through deceit, manipulation, and iron will. Yet when she got to the pinnacle of all her goals, she went through a second arc of actually learning to love her family and becoming a less deceitful, more honourable person. One of my favourite interactions on her was teaching her daughters Frederica and Josefina how to murder people with knives :) @crazedpudding@alien_mc And also that one spar with Isolde @juliaINC AND that dramatic RP with Leon and Caius I... @BuilderBagel @MadOne

 

For most memorable, I do have to give a special shoutout to @UnBaedand @MunaZaldrizotifor our RP on Moliana, Josephine, and Charlotte. Josephine was a minor side character in the context of the wider narrative, but every interaction with her mother and sister and all the drama and intrigue she got to experience from the sidelines of the Orenian court was genuinely so enjoyable. Playing Josephine is what got me back into roleplaying after a hiatus, and I still think back fondly on that RP. Also honourable mention to @kujo_and @NightOfTheWindfor Konstantin/Elimar and Qard respectively

 

5 hours ago, Telmster said:

1. If you could change one thing about the server, what would you change?

2. Are there any (IRP) decisions that you regret or that you would do differently if you got to do it again?

3. If you got to create a (new and original) biome, landmark, culture or creature on LOTC, what would you do? Basically, are there any niches that you feel are underexplored?

 

4. Do you have any ideas for characters that you never actually ended up playing (but might in the future)?

 

1. This is putting the genie back in the bottle so could never happen, but I will give the boomer answer of rolling back the discordification of everything. Even back in 2018 when discord was a thing it wasn't used the way it is now. Back then it was still possible to get involved with RP without being in the discord, and I had some very memorable roleplay with characters who I saw repeatedly despite never having met them OOC.

 

Something that comes to mind with this is my character Illynora in the clinic in the Dominion. She was able to be a healer there and eventually inherit it over almost entirely through RP. There wasn't a clinic discord or a clinician role in the Dominion discord. I think these days, it's not so much about the character you play, but who you know and your OOC reputation that gives you opportunities.

 

 

2. Ironically I just told this story IRP the other day, but I have a lot of regrets about my decisionmaking around the early days of Aegrothond (which later became Elvenesse). My character could have been a lot more sensitive in her interactions with Kairn @rigorouswhich I think would have prevented a lot of OOC strife... And in general I was young and took things too seriously/personally when in hindsight it really wasn't that deep.

 

At the same time, the conflict really helped to shape Aegrothond into what it was, which in my mind is like the 'golden days' of my time on lotc. I met many people who are dear friends to me and even now I'm proud of the community we built back then

 

 

3. I would LOVE to make a CA for water nymphs or some sort of other water-based creature, with the hard redline of you can only ever be in water. No soulstones, no road travel, just swimming around in the ocean. It would have the perks of permanent water breathing, and I think it would add a lot of flavour in interactions with coastal/riverside cities. It's something I've seen people try to do, but it gets repeatedly rejected

 

I've also love for there to be a braided river on a map at some point, because that's a very special to me!

 

4. I've had an idea floating around for a dark elf shaman for years now but never got around to making it, and I'm not sure I ever will

 

5 hours ago, Nectorist said:

if you had to fight one of your characters for the chance to win a million dollars, who would you pick to go against

 

I would say Illynora because she's a pacifist and wouldn't fight back, but I also absolutely know that Nenar @DragonofTaterswould be one step behind her ready to kill me so...

 

Probably Erika, the weak nerdy scholar (not a self insert)

[NightOfTheWind 3226]

1. Three snacks you can't live without?
2. Did you have any characters from any books or movies or something that inspired one of your characters?

3. Favorite type of LOTC biome, or if you were to design a custom one yourself, what would it be like?
4. If you were in the LOTC universe where would you live? (any time period)
5. Each of your character's favorite foods.
 

[Rig 17579]

5 hours ago, Toffee said:

 

Adalfriede, obvi :*

 

I've never played a character like her, and she was so distinctly Adalfriede I don't think I'll be able to play one like her again without being derivative. She was very very fun to play and write emotes for.

 

 

Fave character arc would again have to go to Adalfriede, who went from a destitute, low noble character to princess/Lady Vandalore/Lawspeaker of Reinmar through deceit, manipulation, and iron will. Yet when she got to the pinnacle of all her goals, she went through a second arc of actually learning to love her family and becoming a less deceitful, more honourable person. One of my favourite interactions on her was teaching her daughters Frederica and Josefina how to murder people with knives :) @crazedpudding@alien_mc And also that one spar with Isolde @juliaINC AND that dramatic RP with Leon and Caius I... @BuilderBagel @MadOne

 

For most memorable, I do have to give a special shoutout to @UnBaedand @MunaZaldrizotifor our RP on Moliana, Josephine, and Charlotte. Josephine was a minor side character in the context of the wider narrative, but every interaction with her mother and sister and all the drama and intrigue she got to experience from the sidelines of the Orenian court was genuinely so enjoyable. Playing Josephine is what got me back into roleplaying after a hiatus, and I still think back fondly on that RP. Also honourable mention to @kujo_and @NightOfTheWindfor Konstantin/Elimar and Qard respectively

 

 

1. This is putting the genie back in the bottle so could never happen, but I will give the boomer answer of rolling back the discordification of everything. Even back in 2018 when discord was a thing it wasn't used the way it is now. Back then it was still possible to get involved with RP without being in the discord, and I had some very memorable roleplay with characters who I saw repeatedly despite never having met them OOC.

 

Something that comes to mind with this is my character Illynora in the clinic in the Dominion. She was able to be a healer there and eventually inherit it over almost entirely through RP. There wasn't a clinic discord or a clinician role in the Dominion discord. I think these days, it's not so much about the character you play, but who you know and your OOC reputation that gives you opportunities.

 

 

2. Ironically I just told this story IRP the other day, but I have a lot of regrets about my decisionmaking around the early days of Aegrothond (which later became Elvenesse). My character could have been a lot more sensitive in her interactions with Kairn @rigorouswhich I think would have prevented a lot of OOC strife... And in general I was young and took things too seriously/personally when in hindsight it really wasn't that deep.

 

At the same time, the conflict really helped to shape Aegrothond into what it was, which in my mind is like the 'golden days' of my time on lotc. I met many people who are dear friends to me and even now I'm proud of the community we built back then

 

 

3. I would LOVE to make a CA for water nymphs or some sort of other water-based creature, with the hard redline of you can only ever be in water. No soulstones, no road travel, just swimming around in the ocean. It would have the perks of permanent water breathing, and I think it would add a lot of flavour in interactions with coastal/riverside cities. It's something I've seen people try to do, but it gets repeatedly rejected

 

I've also love for there to be a braided river on a map at some point, because that's a very special to me!

 

4. I've had an idea floating around for a dark elf shaman for years now but never got around to making it, and I'm not sure I ever will

 

 

I would say Illynora because she's a pacifist and wouldn't fight back, but I also absolutely know that Nenar @DragonofTaterswould be one step behind her ready to kill me so...

 

Probably Erika, the weak nerdy scholar (not a self insert)

 

Quote

2. Ironically I just told this story IRP the other day, but I have a lot of regrets about my decisionmaking around the early days of Aegrothond (which later became Elvenesse). My character could have been a lot more sensitive in her interactions with Kairn @rigorouswhich I think would have prevented a lot of OOC strife... And in general I was young and took things too seriously/personally when in hindsight it really wasn't that deep.

 

At the same time, the conflict really helped to shape Aegrothond into what it was, which in my mind is like the 'golden days' of my time on lotc. I met many people who are dear friends to me and even now I'm proud of the community we built back then

 

I accept your apology and I'm likewise very sorry for ways I have acted in the past as well. It's been so long that it's kind of hard to remember, but I remember we were very close friends at the time to the point that we were video calling and interacting outside of the server a fair bit. Additionally, a lot of the OOC strife had more to do with other figures present in that community at the time, and being the age that we both were at the time (18-19), I imagine that we were very vulnerable. I made an effort to remain courteous despite things, but I have no doubt that I erred many times, and I was certainly a very troubled person at the time. It was actually a very pleasant surprise to see myself pinged with this because few people in my time playing have actually offered me an apology for anything.

 

In some twisted way, if we didn't have that drama, the Wood Elven community would never have evolved. Such as with the Acaelanite, Irrinite and Aegrothond projects and their distinctive cultures. Ideally, our responsibility now as the Uncs on this server is to try and help make it so that other people don't make the mistakes that we all made. I certainly tolerated a lot of terrible people in that community back then and had I just had a stronger moral compass, I am sure that I would have rather killed the community by removing and extraditing some of the people who inhabited it, so that they could not continue to break server rules and cause problems.

 

The server is a far better and safer place now than it used to be. I could have chosen in the past to have the sympathy and empathy I do now and been less impulsive.

 

Thanks so much, Toffee.

 

 

[Cheese 8875]

what's your favorite kind of soup