RandomArt

((I'm supposed to be Hobbs apprentice, but matching up our playing times has been difficult.))

((To start, I quite like this idea. Perhaps the two towns could be separated by no more than the fields themselves? Then, if roleplay does well with it, we could make full-sized burrows for the farmers in the large fields. I would also like to volunteer to have a full-sized burrow built on the other side of the fields, so we can have at least someone living over there full time. Getting two or three other people to do so would be ideal, I think.))

((The Tookwater is full. There are burrows lining both banks. Anything built beyond the edge of the river is very nearly not Branborough anymore. That's why I personally believe it might be time to get a second town under way.

((Segregating towns between "common folk" and "important folk" is a terrible idea... My thought was two towns, one that was more of a fishing town, which Branborough is, and it looks a lot like Bywater from Lord of the Rings, and a town more focused on agriculture, and looking more like Hobbiton. The actual infrastructure and government systems that would have to be made for this should all be done in character.))

((I got completely shut down when I suggested that, there's already a thread for it.))

((That's where the idea of the town centre comes in, it provides for a place where all these people will be able to find each other. I would hate to spread out the RP like that, too. But we do need more space than immediately on the Tookwater. This is not meant to all be implemented at once, because that would leave lots of empty space, but rather as a sort of plan for future growth, which Branborough doesn't have right now as far as I'm aware. I'm not saying go out right now and fill that entire space with Halflings, disregarding population density, I'm saying leave things the way they are now, but rather than struggling to cram the Tookwater with even more burrows, despite it already being crowded, allow us to move inland and begin building there in an orderly manner. A thought I had after making the map was moving the proposed town center East so it connects directly with the burrows on the Tookwater, then just subsitituting that space with agricultural space or burrow land. Also, I think you might like this, Petyr, because it will allow for much, much larger farm fields like the one you built by the Salty Salmon. Because all that space (and it could change if everyone wanted it somewhere else) is dedicated farmland, we could just make massive fields that cover everything with paths between them to storehouses and farmers' burrows and the like. Which would be very aesthetically pleasing, and a lot like the one you just built.))

((They don't, I completely understand that's horribly out of the question and far too much work.)) I'll outline some o' my proposals then if it's quite alright. Above I've posted the afore drawn map o' The Vale. As ye can see, Branborough itself takes up just a small fraction o' the space we 'ave available. The town was started 'ere, I'm assuming, because it is right on the Tookwater, a perfectly reasonable reason te begin building somewhere. 'Owever, we are now building Branborough all up an' down the Tookwater in an 'ope of keeping the town on the river, but we 'ave all this space te the West o' the current town proper o' Branborough, as ye can see in the map, that is completely unused. Now, I'm not saying this 'ere unused land is an 'orrible thing, the peaceful forests are quite nice, but with us 'Alflings being more an' more 'ard pressed fer land in which te dig burrows, why not move over 'ere? it would also allow us te start a proper, planned outline fer Branborough, leaving the Tookwater as a sort o' neighbor'ood in the overall scheme o' things. I 'ave taken the time te draw up a proper plan o' my ideas fer Branborough's future growth. It allows fer the conservation of the forests concealing Branborough from much of the outside world, but still gives us the room we need te expand comfortably. It accounts fer farmland an' the burrows of the farmers (indicated by the black hatching), future burrows (indicated by the red hatching), an' a rightly done Town Centre (indicated by the blue hatching) where we could 'ave public gatherings and a place te build public burrows, such as a burrow fer the elders te keep offices so as us normal folk can actually find them from time te time an' the meeting burrow, the pub, an' a larger Inn per'aps, as well as some various other burrows that might be fer the best o' The Vale. ((Please let me know if this is even a viable option, I've tried to present everything in character for roleplay's sake, but I'd be more than happy to explain it again properly.))

I'll try te keep my message short this time with some basic ideas and I'd really like some feedback from the other residents o' The Vale. More burrowers, so as te dig burrows fer all the new arrivals faster an' make it possible for more of us than jus' Hobbs to 'elp out with this. More public space, so as us 'Alflings can gather in a public place and just spend time together, talking, laughing, an' sharing a drink. A town centre would be a fine addition to the already fine town o' Branborough. More planning, so Branborough doesn't sprawl te the 'orizon. Dedicated places fer burrows, farmlands, and public spaces would be a soothing sight fer sore eyes. ((OOC, I am majoring in Public Administration and City Planning at college, and I can tell you all exactly what is being handled poorly and how to fix it if you'll let me. I do know what I'm talking about, I'm not just blowing smoke up your asses. I won't rant here in a public setting unless it's part of an IC response to something, but some communication would be greatly appreciated. There are just several little things that could be done to make Branborough much nicer, and it's not just my opinion, it's tried and tested City Planning theories and proven examples of Public Administration.)

I must agree, after spending more time 'ere in The Vale, that the 'ole system of getting into a burrow is very slow an' drawn out an' I know 'aste is not the 'Alfling way, but simply training another builder or two so we can all work 'round the clock te get the folk o' The Vale into nice, cozy 'omes would greatly improve our quality o' life in a place that ought te 'ave the best quality o' life in all o' Asulon! The suggestion o' a new town fer some o' us was a very drastic one. Simply some reworking o' Branborough would make many o' us very, very 'appy. I think I'll write up wot all we 'ad in mind on another note.

I like that idea. So a password protected door?

OOC I like the idea of needing to know someone who will tell you where The Vale is. It keeps it a very exclusive place. That being said, if it weren't for the Salty Salmon, I would have never, ever found The Vale, so there would have to be a viable alternative.

I 'ave been 'way fer a bit, but I would very much like te 'elp with the farm beasts o' The Vale. I'm sure we could set up some sort o' enclosure that is plenty large fer the animals to be able to wander 'bout as they please. And per'aps we could build a barn for the care o' their young'uns an' for when we, as unfortunate as it may be, 'ave to slaughter some so we can 'ave nice tasty steaks fer dinner. But most importantly, cakes would be much easier te make!

*The notice has been redacted, its text covered in dark ink, on top of it is a new note, recognizable by its familiar penmanship* "I now see that this is an unpopular idea. It was just a suggestion I made in response to the woes of others I 'ad 'eard in my very few days 'ere in Branborough. I will not press the matter an' I 'pologize fer any feathers I may 'ave ruffled. If this issue does become more widespread, I do ask that this idea be kept in mind an' considered when the time comes. An 'undred 'pologies. Reginald Took"

"While I do understand yer fear, and I would 'gree with it in an 'eartbeat, I 'ave also 'eard over an' over that no one can find a 'ome in Branborough, an' so I thought that per'aps I could be a part o' the solution"

*Reginald Took writes a short response at the bottom of the message left by Graeme Parker* The land te the west is already a part of The Vale, and is an untapped, beautiful area.

*A new note has appeared on the Notice Board. Written with fine penmanship, it reads* "'Ello chaps, my name is Reginald Took. I've met precious few o' the many 'Alflings 'ere in The Vale an' so my proposal may seem a bit forward to most o' you. Let me start by saying that I, like you, am a very tradition 'Alfling an' I know, just as well as most, better even than some, that changes an' new ideas are more frequently than not absurd. 'Owever, that being said, I 'ave a proposal for a change for some o' ye' here in The Vale. The Vale is quickly becoming an 'orrendously crowded place to live, wot with all us 'Alflings coming from every corner o' the globe to live in such a beautiful 'ome surrounded by such fine 'Alflings! Because o' this fierce competition for the few 'ouses left here 'round the main town proper o' Branborough, per'aps we 'ad best set up a second area where we 'Alflings can live in peace, but still 'ave some space to wiggle our toes in the morning! On my way over to Branborough, I came on foot an' walked a tad too far West into a desert. In that desert, I came 'cross a few travelers who told me to 'ead due East an' I'd 'it the land called The Vale. An' so I walked East until I 'it a big expanse o' water. An' so I built a boat and sailed 'cross it, wishing the 'ole time that these travelers were 'onest folk who wouldn't lie to a poor, lost 'Alfling. Fortunately for me, the traveler's were indeed 'onest folk and I came into the land called The Vale. 'Specting dozens of 'Alflings moving about the town, I was dis'pointed to come onto an empty plain. It looked like it should be a 'Alfling town, with small lakes and 'ills perfect for the building o' burrows, but no one was 'ere. An' so I kept traveling East, until I came across the proper Branborough, an' met Master Faldo, the Elder. 'E 'companied me over to the land I 'ad seen and, despite 'is reservations 'bout the idea as a 'ole, did agree that it was a gorgeous bit o' land. Below I 'ave included a 'and drawn map of the area. Branborough is on the far East side o' the map, and the plains between the snow and the forest is the land that I came 'cross on my way to Branborough. What I came to Branborough wondering was if any of ye fine 'Alflings would like to begin a second 'ome for 'Alflings on the other side of the big lake between Branborough and the plains. We could build 'er from the ground up, per'aps even introduce some new architecture for our beautiful burrows. Building a proper Town Centre is also something I would like to see. I do 'ave some plans for it that I 'ave been think 'bout since I first saw 'er, but I need yer 'elp to do it. I am staying at the Drunken Sheep Inn for now, but I do spend a fair bit o' time on Ol' Doc's Docks and in the Cake Pavilion, fishing me days away. I will also respond promptly to any notes ye may leave 'ere on the message board" *It is signed with a flourish* "Reginald Took"

Thank ye kindly.

Look in the implemented applications. Also, if you go to your profile, one of the tabs at the top is "Topics." You can find it there.

Well this is unfortunate. http://www.lordofthecraft.net/forum/index.php?/topic/34577-randomarts-application/ Much obliged.

Out-Of-Character: Minecraft Account Name: RandomArt Did you attend minecon and sign up at the LOTC booth?: Unfortunately not, Minecon would have been awesome to go to. How old are you?: Eighteen Time-Zone/Country of Residence: Eastern Standard Time (-4:00 GMT), United States Do you have a good grip on the English language/good grammar?: Yes. Small 2-3 Sentence Description of yourself: Hello, my name is Isaac. I'm eighteen and currently in my first year of college, where I am studying Political Science with a concentration in Public Administration. I drive a Jeep and have a soft spot for Skittles. How much time could you be on the server weekly?: I'd say anywhere between seven and thirty hours a week, it really depends on commitments with work and school. What do you know about Roleplaying? Give a definition of what it means to you.: Roleplaying is the adopting of the life, habits, mannerisms, and even thoughts of a character that you are portraying. It is entering deep into the consciousness of a fictional character of your own creation. In your own Words, describe what Metagaming and Powergaming are. Metagaming is using outside knowledge to your advantage in-game and is, essentially, breaking character. It's attacking the first rock-type Pokemon you see in the newest Pokemon game with a fighting-type move because you know from the previous Pokemon games that fighting is super effective, even though your character is blissfully unaware of this knowledge. Power gaming is to ignore the point of the game entirely for lucrative gain, in this case, ignoring the lore and roleplaying of Lord of the Craft in order to get as many Minas as possible. That being said, there is not necessarily a correlation to having a large amount of Minas and power gaming. What do you expect this server will be like?: Mind blowing, to say the least. I've gone and wandered about some, I've heard great things from friends and YouTubers. All in all, I expect the roleplay to be intense, the lore to be in-depth, and the characters to be flawless. What other server(s) have you played on and why did you leave them?: I generally play on smaller servers, often unnamed. I have played on CreationNation and Super-Earth, but left because of personal issues. Have you read, understood, and agreed to the rules?: I have. How did you hear about us?: PotatoOrgy Have you voted for the Lord of the Craft on Minestatus? Which vote number were you? My vote number was 3,627 What is your The Lord Of Craft forum account name?: RandomArt In-Character: Character Name: Reginald Took What is your Race?: Halfling Biography(This should include the history of your character and his life as well as age, appearance and personality, etc.): Reginald Took was born to a wheat farmer and his charming wife in a modest hill dwelling in Dunwood during The First Seed. Reginald took to his father's wheat fields like a fish to water and by the age of eight was already helping in the fields. Reaping wheat, however good he was at it, gave Reginald no sense of accomplishment. Reginald tried his hand in many different types of work: blacksmithing, scholarly work, lumberjacking, and as a farm hand raising pigs and cows to name a few. By the age of twenty-five, Reginald had held no fewer than a dozen jobs in every field of work available in Dunwood. Alas, none of these varied professions left Reginald with the feeling that he had actually done something worthwhile with his day, whether or not his toils did indeed yield fruit to himself or those around him. And so, on his twenty-sixth birthday, Reginald left Dunwood in search of suitable work elsewhere in the world. Traveling to Al'Khazar before it's fall, Reginald spent some time working as a shop clerk in a bookstore, whiling away his slow days reading the books and history of Aegis. Finding this employment unsuitable for a Halfling as learned as he, Reginald traveled to the Elven nation of Malinor, to their capitol Laurelin. Here, Reginald found employment under an Elven architect, working at first on simple gardens underneath the elves homes or building roads for the elves to travel through their communities. Eventually, Reginald was given his first house to build, and as soon as Reginald was hoisted into the tree in which he was supposed to be constructing a home for a young Wood Elf, he decided it was best he be on his way as Halflings have no taste for heights. Reginald began to wander Aegis, with no home and no taste for anything he seemed to set his mind to, he seemed lost among his thoughts, a wanderer whose audience was the grass and whose director was the sun. He traveled by day with no true destination or purpose for many months, until, eventually, he stumbled upon the Whisper Isles, where he lived a peaceful, quiet life until the Whispering Order's ordeal with Krugmar forced a change in management of the Whisper Isles, and so Reginald promptly packed his belongings and left. With very few places left to go in all of Aegis and his list of occupations becoming longer and longer, Reginald is finally returning to Dunwood. Now forty-six, Reginald stands at a moderate three feet and ten inches, making him rather tall for a halfling. He is returning to his hometown with twenty years of worldly experience and knowledge of the rest of Aegis. Your characters ambitions: Reginald hopes to bring the population, the activity, and the overall community feel he experienced in Al'Khazar back to his home of Dunwood. He hopes to bring the beauty he experienced in Laurelin and the lifestyle he loved in the Whispering Isles. His travels, while granting him no insight to any sort of employment that he may find fulfilling, have kindled a fire in Reginald's very core to revitalize and restore his home. How Reginald will accomplish this, he has yet to figure out, but by his reckoning, it all begins with a little bit of charm and a lot of hard work. Out in the Wilds, your character comes across a small cottage. Outside, there appears to be an elf struggling combat with two bandits. What does your character do? Despite all his experience in the world, Reginald is not equipped to take on a pair of bandits! After all, he is but three feet and ten inches tall! What good could such a small creature, unskilled in the ways of combat possibly be in the face of two armed bandits? And so, despite his thoughts of honor and glory, Reginald flees. Your character walks up to a shop in the middle of Al'Khazar. "Hello, my good sir!" says the shop owner. "What may I help you with today?" How does your character answer? "Well hello there (shop owner's name)! What wares might we have today? Remember, my friend, the shinier the better." A screenshot of your skin: Other Information: I, personally, would like to increase the Halflings' presence within the world of Lord of the Craft. I know that, as precedent, Halflings are often unheard of and unseen, and, while this should remain the case in terms of the larger world, the Halfling town of Dunwood is very dark and barren. I would like to work to change that, making the town lighter, more spread out, and more appealing to other players. I know there is a new map coming up and, when that happens, I would like to take that opportunity to build a new home for the Halflings in a much more welcoming and flat area.