Terafir

Try this, if I remember correctly it still works. Input: !He smiles. (Output: [!]He smiles.) (I absolutely know there's a way to do this, I just can't remember 100% if this is it.) The second and third examples you detail do happen, dunno if that's what you were asking. I presume you were just stating it to show contrast to what you wanted.

Responses are in bold. Otherwise, I've been quietly advocating for these sorts of things for a while, and I'm glad to see someone thinking the same way I do. ^-^

Aret hears of this through his many informants, and he carefully opens his eyes after so long of a meditation. "This will be interesting... I would be curious as to who would win..."

Exalted Speaker Aret carefully reads over the application before sending a bird. "Accepted. Your application is impeccably written, and your ideals and thoughts are sound. Send a bird for directions to the Keep."

I enjoyed the plague immensely for a few reasons. 1)It brought us away from the war and all its fighting and raids. Perhaps if the plague was slightly harder to spread, it could have been used to supplement raids, as to give a clean city the infection. But either way, far more rp was created from the plague than from the war. 2)It gave a sense of paranoia walking around. It was truly scary to watch someone walking down the road towards you and wondering whether they are going to hit you with the plague or not. 3)I have a feeling it gave us a sense of what we can expect plugins to look like for 4.0. Interesting, different, and not always so direct and simple. Perhaps as Templar said, we could have mutations in the plague, and with each mutation, a new and different potion and filter mask must be constructed. I am pretty sure you can do that within a plugin. 4)I'd love to see more plugin events like this. Why? Because they span the entire area of the Fringe. It was purely mechanics based, and you didn't need a GM or and ET to watch over and direct it. I'll state it again: If there is anything that staff do that can be replaced by a plugin, do it. Less work for staff, and less of a wait for players. All in all, I liked the plague, even if I was unfortunately absent for most of it.

((-Snippity snip, too late-))

Aret stares at the short being in jet black armour standing before him, and he pauses for a second. "Well, this is certainly interesting." The air hangs with the silence of that understatement. "What of the new Lord that the former Grand King put into place? Will he be a problem?" The black armoured being shook its head. Aret carefully nods. "Good. I assume the elections are happening soon?" "Aye, o-course. Alreadeh underway in fact." "Good. And who are the candidates?" "Fimlin Grandaxe, Vorstag Grandaxe, Ognar Grandaxe, Lat'ros Ironbeard, and Kjell Ire'eart II." "Any ones that we should be aware of that may disrupt the balance?" "Vorstag was tu king just removed. Un lord regretted tu decision an be tryin tu put 'im back on t'a t'rone. Ot'er wise tu ot'ers be mostleh alroight." Aret narrows his eyes slightly. "Will you permit to tell me which lord?" "It beh nae secret, tu nominations be public after all. Balek Irongut." Aret calmly thinks it over, drumming his fingers on his leg. "See what you can do. I trust you know what is best for the balance. Is there any further information I should be made aware of?" "Ah believe t'at Kjell, Ognar, er Lat'ros be tu best choices. It will beh a toight race. Fimlin seems a bit... frail fer tu position." ""Noted. Is there any further information you discern to be useful that you wish to tell me?" The helmet twists as the wearer shakes it's head. "Nae, as it stands tu war is progressin as it was an everyt'in is tu same." Aret sighs. "Indeed. Perhaps one day it truly will end. Good luck." "Aye." The figure in armour clanks off, and Aret takes a moment to adjust his plans. "I suppose it may work out after all..." He turns and stares out across the land, wondering where the other two Trinity members are out there... Perhaps they may come soon... Perhaps they may not...

I must say this survey is much better than the last ones. It seems we're also getting to the root problem of the PVP/RP default issue as well as the conquest issue.

Aret calmly sits down, thinking the recent news over. "The Luciens have been disbanded, put back into the Imperial army..." "The Orcs, Dwarves, and a portion of the Elves remain under Zionist control..." "The High Elves under the power of the Empire of Oren..." Aret narrows his eyes slightly. "If a true war begins... another world war it will be."

Aret stands there reading the flyers for a good ten seconds before wondering whether he should take it seriously or not... Prolly not...

I'm going to disagree with number one and partially disagree with number two. I'm disagreeing with number one, simply because the ban appeals show the amount of time and effort put in for a want to play on the server again. I'll use an example. If I was tempbanned for a few days, lets say 3 days, I would go, "Oh, well then I'll just wait and I'll get back on when I'm unbanned." If I was banned and needed an appeal, it would force me to: 1)Take the time to write an appeal. This weeds out the really easy people who do not care for the server at all. If I decide that even attempting an appeal isn't worth it, then I probably would not be a good player to get back onto the server without an appeal if I was tempbanned. 2)The nature of my appeal shows my state of mind. I've seen plenty of ban appeals which try to make the person banned look like a victim. If you were banned and you are trying to make yourself victimized, then you again are probably not the type of person we want on the server 3)It forces me to think about my ban and, whether I actually feel remorse or not, to consider what I did and how I could avoid being banned again. I will partially agree with the second point. I don't think ban reports should be hidden due to the fact of someone else at the situation perhaps having screenshots of what happened, or maybe a withholding of information that would have come out via public ban reports. I do favour the "No posting on other people's ban reports" rule however. On the other hand, I do believe that appeals should be reserved only for the GM and the banned player. This could reduce a bit of the drama as well as the player that is getting unbanned would likely only tell their friends on the server, and not those who got them banned.

A ray of light passed through the stained glass in the shrine, illuminating a silent and motionless figure in a myriad of vibrant colors. The room would be silent, if it were not for the crackling flame of two braziers that stood equidistant and on opposite sides of the room. The light shone with its gentle warmth, gracing the face of a somewhat pale, robed young man. His eyes were closed and his breath deep and thoughtful, yet if one were to witness him sitting there they’d believe he was waiting for something. The room was not without its own unique additions, the wall in front of him was laced with unlit cryptic runes and illustrations. The wall was not large however, the well-sized room was not cramped, but not quite expansive either, it was not meant to be graced by larger groups of people. There was nothing unexpected or spectacular about this session of meditation either. In fact, the air was beginning to get stale and it was far time to exit the room for some fresh air and head to command the guild. Aret opened his eyes, and if not immediately then very quickly reeled back in surprise. The rune patched wall flared in a brilliant white light, and the braziers extinguished in their own amazement. He strained to open his eyes, but as his eyes widened, he realized the initial flash of light was gone, what remained was a feeble glow from the runes. After a moments thought he realized only specific runes were glowing, in fact, just three. Aret moved forward his hand where perhaps his touch could help explain the inexplicable, yet he stopped midway. At that closer glance he realized that the three illustrations in fact portrayed three images, one of the Keepers, one of the Vanguards, and the Watchers. The three emblems that represented the Sentinels of Equilibrium, the eminent castes of the Order. Aret crossed his legs, looking ever so intently at the runes as he coolly strains to decipher their meaning. His mouth opened to pronounce their castes, “Keepers, Vanguards, Watchers,” seemingly reassuring himself with the sound of his own voice. But not quite, he suddenly felt a strong heat emanating from a source in front of him… but it was not from the wall. His eyes darted downwards, his gaze was now fixed upon black-scorched stone brick, a single word stood out among the hardly legible smoldered ground. Trinity. He rose to his feet at once, almost on impulse, for what he had witnessed… The Vision has spoken! His mind was blank for a moment in what one would commonly associate with pure awe, for he, as the Exalted Speaker, must now pass this message on to the rest of the world. In a sudden motion his face contorted in a racking cough, fatigued from his long stay. He pulled up his hood instinctively before making his leave, and forced the door open. Aret stood still for a moment to breathe in a large gulp of cool nightly air, he realized that he had been in there for far longer than he had first anticipated. He travelled down the hill, and the instant he was within hearing range of the Sentinel Keep he called for a meeting, which the posted guards reacted to immediately. It was time for the Third Reform, and something even greater. Standing in the meeting hall Aret’s gaze slowly passed each of the assembled Sentinels, his calculating and careful watch grazing over each and every one of them. Aret begins to speak slowly, “It is late at night, and many of you are fatigued to be up at this ungodly time,” his hands clasp together in front of his waist as he chooses his next words carefully. “The Vision has spoken, a prophecy has surfaced.” The crowd is almost immediately restless, a few gasps are heard and an evident feeling of surprise expressed on the faces of some of the newer recruits. The anticipation grows in the room as he remains silent for a few moments. “Three Sentinels, three who are to be chosen by The Vision. The exceptional who, in time, are to become the flawless image of a True Sentinel. The three are to be represented as the Trinity; it is these three that will lead the Sentinels of Equilibrium to unquestionable balance.” One of the Sentinels in the crowd looks directly at Aret, he seems to be awaiting something. Aret nods, and continues, “With us today we have the first chosen of the Trinity, come, step forth!” The one who calls himself Solitude begins to wade his way through the crowd, and somewhat awkwardly stations himself near Aret, and awaits for the rest of the speech. “The Trinity is not yet formed, and not yet perfected. Those who are chosen will be molded, and made to be the perfect image of The Vision. It will be an arduous process, and time-consuming, but The Vision believes that it is necessary, and that these select few will change the course of the realm.” With this Aret turns to face the rising sun, his face illuminating under the weak rays, “There are yet two left, two to be chosen. Whether they are in this Order already or out there, anywhere in the realm, is not up to us to decide. But we are to await these people, and it is our duty to assist them.” “Those who will compose the rest of the Trinity are yet to even know who they are, therefore we must be vigorous in our processes. Recruits must be brought in and trained, we must constantly seek out and find those who could possibly fill our ranks and become one of the three.” He turns and begins to leave, but halts to leave one message which the Officers seem to instantly recognize, “The Third Reform is effective as of today, we have got work to do,” and with the message, he leaves the Sentinels to prepare for their duties.