MetaSolaray

Hahaha thanks western for the helpful advise, and I've considered going into writing, when I'm less lazy but let's talk about what's discussed... While I do agree, Master mage cannot be master swordsman, simply put it's not the fact that you lose your ability to wield a blade, but compared to someone who has 100% sword training to your 70% magic, 30 % sword you'd still be as good as ever, but you'd be /rusty/. FOr the magic of impowering a blade with elertical magic would use it as a form of a staff, a conductor that both focuses the energy to a central point of the user's choosing, (So instead of sending sparks that'd hit various foes around him, it would be channeled straight into the blade.) This gives the user the strength to use said blade as a creative form of breaking through metallic guards, [iE: THe shield example] but at the same time it's also very ineffective against range enemies, as you still have sword, and the lighting CANNOT LEAVE THE SWORD without DIRECT contact. As Flaming swords have been done (And the Lux blade...love that thing) I would like to see if it was possible, although I would figure there would have to be an adjustment made to the guard of the blade so the lighting doesn't jump backwards and hit you. The training if I was to gain an MA for this would focus purely on steel rods, of getting the energy to appear and substained. Meta has a very intent focus, and his martial art often shows this heighten experience. Though he may get the training quickly, he does not seek a "Higher plane of knowledge" in this regard and would after obtaining to do this on a regular basis, would seek to maintain it like a blade, but not seeking to go further. This would prevent him from truly being empowered with the magic by the tenacity of throwing bolts everywhere and empowering his blade. While a Swordsman learning magic intensely shouldn't be that supreme with the blade, I do not see why it should completely punish someone for learning another trade. You do not expect a man skilled at swordsman and archery who then picks up alchemy to lose alot of his strength in swordplay. Why should magic be so costly with a very small reward for the length of training, [Alchemist fire can make fire appear just as easily, and doens't wear you out in the slightest for example.] And swordplay isn't just, swinging your sword...try that against Meta, you wouldn't touch him a single time. ^_^ Just like magic isn't just...throwing bolts of energy.

Meta doesn't swing his swords, he dances with them through instincts and tactics :P Concentration is focused on an area of combat to insure effective use of all four stances, and while it may be hard I do not see why it would be impossible, when you do something so long and dedicated it becomes as natural as breathing. This woulnd't be a move he would do in mid-swordplay, if I was to get it and to a stage I could use it during a fight Meta would do something more like this... Panting heavily as he darted back on steady legs, grinning from the blood dripping from his forehead. The pain, the glorious pain that drove him in combat was the only burning lust in his head, the rest was dedicated to the task at hand as the man before him threw aside his large arms, and withdrew a tower shield, moving upon the eccentric swordsman. Shield again...hopefully the years of training mean something... whispers softly to himself as he checks his distance, closing his eyes, and his heart to enter both the flow in his heart, and the void within his mind...focusing intently on the blades in his weapon, he willed, and continued to will the eccentric energies of the sky and the void to surge through his blades, and with a sudden rush of energy could almost feel the sudden apperance of the magic. Knowing he had precious seconds to maintain the sudden increase in power, focusing his mind on maintaining the connection, and letting his heart and body focus on the combat. He rushed forward, bringing both his blades surging forward, as the energy itself almost leaped out with a hunger for the new source of nearby metal... While a very poor excuse for an RP fight and the actual methods of magic (IMO I could have done it more detail) it would show the kind of things he'd have to do to actually charge it, he couldn't do it while the man's directly on top of him, he needs a moment to recollect, reform, and then go back in. As sword art is his life, it is like breathing for him, so I can't see how it'd be impossible to do both.

One thing I'd like to know is what would the requirement be for an elertical mage to imbued a weapon (let's say only his own) and substain it mid-combat. What would the training be required (if it's even possible to maintain) if it was their only focus... I"m really interesting in having my character pick up magic, but his limitation would be unable to lash out with the magic (IE: Firing bolts, sending balls of energy.) His only conductors would be his lifework, his blades.

This is the kind of things I actually had happen while developing this lore and art. Not only did I grow close to a very great group of roleplayers, but they also helped me balance out, placing power where it was needed, and taking some away where it was getting overpowered. It also helped bring the characters themselves closer as I hope the art actually does, the main reason for it in my belief is to teach a balance and belief to characters, not how to "Powergame" their way through a fight. Teaching them to run better roleplay fights is a side effect that I hope can inspire, and pass onto the next generation of roleplayers. A "Pay it forward" style... Well you've brought up several good points, so let me dutifully attend to each one. 1: Yes I do agree I can go back and bring out more flavor in each stance, as water is my personal favorite and I guess I showed favoritism when I went into the detail. Each of the stances draws from nature, and in return it also draws on the "Nature" within each human being. The users who master fire first will find their heart's conviction their strongest point, both willing to burn away at those who get in their way and aggressively move forward with their ideals. On the flip side, they'll also be hotheaded, temperamental, easily annoyed....these are flaws that can be worked on by a warrior, through other stances (Earth..Water? :D?) and meditation, which I hope will lead to great internal and external roleplay with the characters. 2: Combining stances is ACTUAL a W.I.P. update I will make IF this version is accepeted, the following next three implements into the Flowing Sun Martial Arts is the Stance of the Hearts Bonds, Light Stance, and the Shadow of the lone heart, Dark Stance. But most importantly is the single aspect that I hope will draw in users to want to actually RP learning this stance to gain this point.. Master Stance: This will be a unique and up to date aspect following every Master level Student (Master level after Meta would be Expert of all four stances, and having learned and controlled Light and Dark). This stance will be a UNIQUE stance for EACH master, which can be up to and including NEW elemental stances (Lighting, Ice, Aurora Rays, stars, etc.) or it can be a comibnation of other stances (Plains basked in Shadow (Earth Shadow), Sun Drop (Light Water), Light plain (Light Earth) Blazing Steam (Fire Water). While you may have two different users both have a fire water stnace, maybe how they use it will be entirely unique and different, and both will be added into the lore of Flowing Sun :D Finally I do hope to make stances carry on more weight with which and what order they are mastered, as I think I might have forgotten to add...when a student begins learning the art, the master will study the student to see which of the four stances they will learn first, the one that rings true to their heart....so a student of calm and serenity will find meditation in water easier, while a headstrong and fiery student will learn fire the quickest. I will later go back and take your suggestion to make each stance stand out, so no one feels like they got the "less awesome" stance for their intial trianing. Hahaha, that I cannot verify myself and it's not my job to diss others :o but regarding the losing winning aspect. I never want to RP to powerwin, that's no fun, losing is actually more fun as it builds a resason to win the next time. "Once you're on the top of the world, you realize you no longer have a reason to climb."

Didn't personally know or see this so I can't possibly debate that with you, and how is it powergaming....The stance doesn't provide magic nor anything but a very precision method of combat that my character follows. Also if you didn't catch it in the lore the original founder calls her family the "Solaray's" Which...if you read Master Meta El SOlaray's name...means he is a direct relative (As the origin female did NOT have the ability to have her own children) of her, and thus probably have been getting taught (and has in his backstory) been taught this stance since he could walk. In his backstory, biography and much of the RP developed around him has had him bring up constantly the training he endured, how he dealt with it, and the effects of the training on him. He literally lives, eats, breaths, talks, walks, this fighting style every second of every day of it. And no he is not "a Master" at it, he is the highest user of the art with the most training and calls himself "MASTER" Meta El Solaray, notice in his art bar he only has ONE stance mastered to the highest level. Also I did not intend to "powergame" as many of the people who did it with me had no qualms about it, if anything it helped me learn more about my own art by having to use it instead of sitting around and doing nothing. It also reflects a large portion of my character's back story and life, him NOT doing it would have shattered his character and I'd have been spending the time since I joined dwindling my thumb, as what is the point of playing a character who cannot perform what he is needed to do. I will be making sure to add this to the Opening POst, but I'll answer it here as well. If your character or yourself are interested in learning the Martial Arts you'd have to seek out Master Meta El SOlaray (Meta), as of right now he's wearing his formal robes it'd be a bit of a stretch to find him, but a few people in the world, especially on the island of the free know about his fighting style. If you're willing to learn, he's willing to tutor.

I'm all for making arts detailed and "flowerly" to make it more then simple sweeps and strikes. It's more engaging roleplay in fights, and allows and forces the user to think. One thing you might notice is I dont' have a labled "WEAKNESS" for anything, my reasoning is simple, I want to FORCE people to think, "How would my character beat this guy's stance..." if you can't figure it out....tough. Villains don't role play their Achilles heel, why should I give a huge red flag saying "THIS IS HOW TO BEAT ME." ((OF course I have this info needed for any Lore Masteres who wanted it if ever came to be.)) Really, haven't had anyone bring up the issue to me, and honestly I feel it comes a strong piece of lore due to the bonds of people I've RP'd with learning more lore (Which got added) and who even helped me balance out some of the stances. Without their help I'd have had to stick my head in the sand while I hunted in the desert by myself.

Thank you, and honestly I'd love to teach more people and encourage depth in RP fights. Hell I had to be told to slow down (my first ever RP fight with jistuma we had to stop several times while I both explained my art and we had to verify what we were doing.) Yeah the fight ended up in a lost for Meta as he was over confident as a younger warrior, but it was a great bonding experience and this is what I want the server to have. For those who do not want it, I'd like to hear your thoughts on it and why, so I can see if I can either understand your viewpoint or persuade you to see it my way, discussion is good, discussion makes puppies happy. Everyone likes puppies.

Well, for one I'd like to take it further through the art forms, and maybe one day add more things (Magic would be interesting to add into the stances sword arts) and also I wanted to make it more and more developed lorewise and open for others to use...that and when it's Rp'd, some people may argue with the stances, I want solid definition and lore behind it. Just like with new races, new weapons, this is a "new" weapon...and a strong one.

Actually it doesn't use any magic, the sensing of vibrations is nothing more then figurtive language for sounds and being in touch with the world around you. Just like when you see a weapon you've never seen before, or are in the wilds and you hear a strange sound, your body can sense danger, you might not be aware of it but you get a 'sixth' sense of danger nearby. Water stance takes that to an extreme, and sensing emotions is also able to be done in real life, if someone storms past you, you can tell their angry, if your best friend is secretly in tears in their heart, you can just take a look at them and tell it is. The actual stance is a perception of telling and percieving threats, and handling them. Using both vibrations (Flow sense) and their own natural senses (Think blind swordsman style...a reason why you close your eyes to remove distractions.)