PtahWithin

What many have tried and failed to do. I bid thee good luck. Here, have a skin I made a while ago:

Viceroy Ptah Remneal of the Kingdom of Alras envisions many glad discussions over good wine with this new Imperial Viceroy of Oren.

High King Syrio whilst out fishing hears word from his squire of Hanseti's return.

The Viceroy looks to his king

Viceroy Ptah Remneal smiles and nods.- ...- . - . ..- - --- -. .. -.-. .-

~{PROUD CITIZENS, NAME YOURSELVES!}~

On the order of High King Syrio Forel of Alras, a census is to be had! If you identify yourself as an Alrasian or take residence within the expeditionary camp, you are bidden to take part and be recognized fully as an Alrasian Citizen! Included also is a brief questionnare that you may fill out to your desire.

~Proliferated on the dictation and authority of Viceroy Ptah Remneal~

((Mcname)):

Name:

Race/culture:

Age:

Occupation:

Were there any circumstances or personal desires that lead you to Alras?:

What talents or merits do you possess? Do you plan on learning additional skills within Alras?:

What would you recommend the Royal Council do in order for the nation to fully experience the benefits of your talents?:

Of all things in the world - virtue, money, happiness and so on - what do you value the most?:

Why is the emblem of Alras the Ram?

Hear this tale, wayward traveler:

The world, long ago, was seamless nature. No mortals walked upon its ground; only beasts, spanning from the most common to the most legendary. On one day, the night sky suffered torrents of clouds as a storm greater than has ever been seen before or shall ever been seen again, descended upon the world. Lightning struck the earth, scattering rock and tree and soil. The firmament shook as a great bolt of light pierced the heart of the world, compelling it to crack apart and rise to touch the sky. And so beastkind witnessed the raising of a mountain taller than ever had existed. A great voice, the orchestrator of the storm, spoke:

“The greatest one amongst those who shall reach this peak, shall taste both the blood of mountains and the air of stars, and be proclaimed as the One Power in the World”

Beastkind, propelled by this promise, fought itself in the quest to ascend the mountain. The lesser of those who tried quickly perished - thrown aside as the titans of the age made battle along the stone slopes. The mythical creatures fought for dominance while pressing towards the peak, until only a few remained. Upon the cusp of the peak, the last two made battle - until they were burned to ash as the Dragon breathed flame, having flown effortlessly up the mountain to claim the peak. The Dragon coiled around the point, flaunting his power and dominance, expecting the quest to be done and won. But no reward came from the heavens. The Dragon grew impatient from waiting and smote all those who came afterwards who did not come in the first wave. He reasoned that until all who could reach the peak had done so, only then would the greatest of them be selected to be blessed. So this came to be as it was: many would try for the peak and the Dragon would with only a small use of his force destroy them. Eventually the contenders were of such a lesser state that none would reach him at all, instead dying upon the slopes from falling or thirst.

Distant from this mountain, however, lived the Ram. The Ram had heard of the quest, but bothered not to make for the peak. He was content upon his hilly grasslands to live as he choose to live. This changed, however, when another beast approached him: the Crane. The Crane implored the Ram to seek the peak of the great mountain, despite his feelings of content. For as long as the Dragon coiled around the mountain, so many of beastkind had gone mad with dreams of power and thrown themselves upwards, perishing from the journey and never even facing the dragon.The quest remained unaccomplished: so long as that was the case, many would try and fail and die. The Ram thought on this, and decided to make the attempt.

He followed the Crane through the lands, his bird guide seeing from above the path to the great mountain. As soon as they reached it’s edge, the Ram pressed upwards, ascending to the sky. For hours he climbed, until the Dragon could see a small pale dot upon his mountain. Grinning, he wondered if this was the last one he would have to slay before he could claim his prize. The Ram drew closer and closer, until the Dragon could clearly see that it was yet another lesser beast that approached. The Dragon shouted down laughter and mockery at the Ram, who was now close enough to hear it. The Dragon spread his wings and brandished his teeth, asking the Ram what hope he could have against one so naturally powerful as the Dragon. The Ram felt doubt, and soon fear - losing his motion for a crucial second and falling from a ledge. The Dragon, though before amused, now returned to annoyance as he would have to wait further for another contender.
 

But that was not to be so. The Ram appeared again in the Dragon’s vision, limping and wheezing yet charging up the slope. He had overcome the pains of his mind and body, and through force of will alone raged at his broken body to climb. The Dragon paused, and looked at itself. Mighty beyond imagining, there was no physical feat that the Dragon could not perform with more ease than the Ram could. Yet that in itself became the point: it was the body of the Dragon that took him to the peak, not the Dragon itself. To be born with power is to be cursed to never know fear, doubt, pain: the devices through which the soul may harden and show it’s true strength.

As the Ram charged faster and faster up the slope, the Dragon for the first time felt all those things at once. Like a small blot of ink dropped into pure water, those vices consumed the unsteeled heart of the Dragon and he could do nothing else but die: such was what occurred.
 

The bloodied Ram slowed as the limp body of the Dragon fell from the mountain and the peak became clear. Scaling the last steps, the Ram ascended to the peak of the mountain...

-Written by Viceroy Ptah Remneal of the Kingdom of Alras, disseminated with the authority of High King Syrio Forel and his Royal Council-

((I want you to use my character's painting.))

((http://www.lordofthecraft.net/topic/103042-yemekar-worldforger-and-allsmith/))

 

Is this a troll?

If only.

((The RP is concluded.))

Asthil Haumel grimaces at what is taking place before him.

"I will depart now. Do as you see fit, and I shall do as I see fit."

((Copied from Lago, creator of Thanhic Ore lore:

[12:33:59 PM] Lago: A thanhic sword would suck the heat out of the air in the same way a fridge does, too slowly for combat use. The handler's hands would start to cool until they started to get frostbitten with prolonged use though.

They'd also slowly go insane.

[1:20:27 PM] Lago: That being said, frost would form on the sword, and I suppose if you stuck it in cold water the water would begin to freeze around it.
[1:20:35 PM] Lago: So you could make an unmelting popsicle sword...
[1:20:56 PM] Lago: Coldsteel basically stays subzero and water freezes on it.

You seem to be aware of its other properties, just to inform you.))

Viceroy Ptah Remneal of Alras, if he had known, would ask Christopher Volaire why a vassal state was speaking to the Orenian Emperor on the Royal Council's behalf.

"Not once have I made mention of living amongst Elmali'aheral: that has been the suggestion of others.

"Even still, do not discount it before one has heard what they have to say. I shall leave this debate as it is: in one elven day I shall make to speak with Elmali'aheral. You are all welcome to join me."

"...Huh?"

((Thrive, I assume.))

Asthil gestures to Glee.

"He understands. And Kalenz I have found to be very rational, as it was with him I brokered the Silver-Emerald Covenant, the treaty between Haelun'or and Malinor, when all said peace between the two was impossible."

"Then I am surrounded by potential compatriots." ((@ bird))

"No. I am saying that there are too many perils for the undying to be unrestrained. I wish to speak with him about a question he once asked me that I could not answer. Perhaps I will be able to answer now."

"That is not a kind of freedom I meant to exclude. I meant the freedom of embracing all emotions, all madnesses, without thinking of their consequences that one shall face for centuries to come. Restraint must be learned to avert disaster."

"And once again. My aim is not to destroy the old ways. My aim is to allow us unified survival, which the old ways in their own application have barred us from. We must expand ourselves to be more than the fringe of the Druiian order. Hence, why I mentioned that I shall bring those that are willing to meet with Kalenz Uradir of the Mali'aheral."

"Elaborate on what you mean by 'Freedom of the Mind'."

Asthil Haumel turns to Elorna.

"I am suggesting that all of our ills come from a lack of control over our emotions and actions. It was not many years ago that the people of Malinor screamed for freedom and change, under a tide of madness that they were so vulnerable to. I am suggesting we prevent such madness."

"You are making it too simple. Every family should have practices that promote prosperity, not disparity."

Asthil addresses Artimec.

"What ruin is this you speak of? It is our own lack of Restraint and embracing of Turmoil that has lead us to ruin. My intent is not to disregard, but to educate.

"First, you speak of how we do have a culture, which is Druii-centric. Then, you tell me to not ignore the contributions the Druii have made to that culture. Finally, you implore me to develop our culture to be more Wood Elven.

"I cannot make sense of that. Do you mean to say that our dismal scrappings of Druiian practice should be expanded upon? Who are we to do this, when that tattered cloth belongs to the Druii and not to us? For that is the true tragedy: whatever true Wood Elven culture existed was long ago supplanted and replaced with the Druiian principles.

"I shall speak more clearly. Any culture that prevents its people from survival is a culture that should not be followed. I do not mean to say for you, each, to abandon Druiian principles. I merely wish for you to acknowledge that they are insufficient. They will not protect you from your own unrestrained selves."

Asthil speaks again.
 

"Some speak the truth. Some speak the lies. Some speak the ignorance.

"There is no culture of the Mali'ame. Only the shadowy echoes of the influence of the Druii. And their motives are not in any way tied to the preservation of elvenkind, but rather the preservation of animalkind, plantkind. Look no further than their tumultuous relationship with the Mali'aheral and you shall see this.

"Our race is not obligated to serve the preservation of others. Our race is obligated to serve the preservation of our race. Too few realize this, and believe that freedom of thought and action shall lead to prosperity. This is a dangerous lie, for that path leads to uncontrolled emotions that shall wreak havoc upon our condition. Anxiety, greed, fear of conflict, fear of failure - all of these things hold you back, and all of these things you embrace when you desire an open and lawless society.

"Anarchy shall not lead to prosperity. Freedom kills all elves that touch it.

"There is, however, a way to prosperity, to serenity. You must learn yourselves internal discipline, you must practice Restraint as terrible and chaotic emotions rise through your body to cause it to move - cancel it. You must be the weathered stone coastal cliff that faces centuries of waves and brine yet does not move.

"Bronze shall suffice. Bronze shall show you its dents and scars and rust, yet shall remain whole and resistant.

"It will not be easy. It should not be easy. This is and should be the daily struggle of immortal beings such as ourselves. We face a dire curse in having to bear the consequences of our actions for centuries, while the human may die long before the ill of his deeds is revealed. So we saw as incompetence lead to the withering and burning of Malinor.

"Do not live as bronze under the rule of what is weaker than yourself. I ask you all to join me as I make to speak with a close yet also distant friend of mine, Kalenz Uradir..."

A day has passed. The disparate readers of the posters make their way through the forest under the cover of night, torches flickering in their grasp. Some encounter each other, nodding in acknowledgement of their shared purpose.
 
Spotting a light ahead, they break from the forst and are now within the clearing. At its center is a small campfire, and a figure seated on a log beside it. Unusually, his armor seems not to be the muted grey of iron, but reflects the brown and orange shades of bronze. His skin and ears clearly allow him to be identified as a Wood Elf.
 
Standing, Asthil Haumel speaks as the others come closer.

"We have, all of us, failed.
 
"And we deserved to fail. Malinor has fallen. It deserved to fall. Yet, Haelun'or, that which so many of you hate so fervently and causelessly, has not fallen.
 
"I shall begin in asking: why is this the case? How can great Malinor have burned once, and it shall not grow again, yet Haelun'or has been sacked and ravaged and pillaged time and time again - it always stands true. Why is this, do you think?"

I'd like to jump onto the very defendable bandwagon of providing greater regulation on war so that we all can have more fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSYTBMXZlFk

You come upon a poster as you walk through the forests of the Fringe:

Mali'ame,

Those who wander, scattered yet pure, answer this call.

The worst of tragedies is to be born great yet never aspire.

Was it freedom?

Is it that which you clamored for in Malinor?

It has been given: we languish in anarchy.

I bid my kin to aspire,

I bid them to hear what I shall speak of in one elven day,

Within these same forests, in the clearing.

I seek not roots,

I shall not carry my voice with wood,

For only Bronze can arouse the beat of our hearts.

-Asthil Haumel

((Another post shall be made in one day, respond as you please and establish that you shall attend for an RP session tomorrow, to be conducted on this thread))