Locklathlan

As long as the theories remain theories, looks pretty neat - trying to make the ideas written here canon would make magic unnecessarily hard to RP, seeing as now, alteration would require some rather serious knowledge. I think much of this is already possible with alteration, but perhaps this could simply serve as the documenting of that phenomenon?

And I only was away for what, a few hours? Nicely done, look forward to seeing this around.

Bravo, the aesthetic and feel of the art is quite unique and something I think would be enjoyable to interact with. The only thing I can think of to add would be emote examples to give people a more 'visceral/first hand' perspective on EXACTLY how it is the art plays out.

As one travels through the lands of Vailor, one would find several small and generally insubstantial papers carefully stowed in the many nooks and crannies of the docks. Many floral designs are carefully printed about the edges, forming a pleasingly aesthetic display of intertwined roots and petals, all in a single, monotone shade of obsidian. Reaching down from the topmost border of this display of patterning is a great oak, filling that same top half. Below, is scrawled in elegantly articulated hand writing, the following; Brothers and sisters of Oak, it is now that I call upon you to come together and form the first of our families to reside in these lands of Remnant Man for many a year. Now that our brethren have their Heralds sat upon their thrones, it is time that we of Oak come forth to aid our brother Ways. For Oak to remain silent and not provide the unyielding shade for Man to truly flourish is a failing of ours, and one I would not see continue. I hold hopes that land exists for us to flourish upon, and build our first home together as a family of Oaks would. All whom wish to meet with me, whether an old member of our Way or a young one looking to partake in our great duty, do seek me out upon the site of old Sutica. I bid thee well, and that you might walk forever in the shade of the great Oaks that sway above our heads. Remember, brothers and sisters, our adage; Fear the Old Dark. OOC; Greetings! Now that Xionism is beginning to pick up speed, I’m looking to gather people interested in learning about the ‘religion’ (well, anti-religion really) and begin an Oaken Way ‘family’.The Oaken Way is one of the four Xionistic systems of belief, and as such I shall link below two useful documents; The original document on all of the ideology; https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/139531-xionism-the-way-of-primeval-man/ And a document begun by myself that I would like to work on collaboratively with all those who have an interest in the joining; https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R3Y5CXno1mtzz0qOBmPa9kItZcGA6Jw0It2WzFnv2pc/comment Everything you should need to know can be found in one of the two documents above, although they can be a little poetic and confusing at times. All who have an interest in making a character, please do throw a message in my direction. If either of the above documents need some explaining, I’d be happy to oblige for anyone interested. Any questions at all, throw them my way. I am also able to claim that the Isles of Sutica have very kindly gifted land for the construction of a ‘base of operations’ (reading the second document will explain) for this new Oaken Way family. Hope to hear from people soon!

Hard, callused fingers take the forms carefully from their resting place, tucking them under one arm before wandering away to work upon the sheaf's of paper.

It appears that you and I (and quite possibly much of the server) have a very different apprehension of what exactly mana is; mana, (to me), is the force produced by the souls of living beings to accquisition interaction with forces beyond those that can be interacted with using standard organs and tissues, to promote and prolong life. Not once have I ever read, that mana is the energy the Creator used to create the world(that is, the clay so to speak, not the fuel in the kiln). In fact, I am fairly certain that it is said the Creator shaped all things from the /Void/, which would actually mean the universe was made of voidal energies brought under laws of a less chaotic nature. Additionally, not once did I note that it is solely the energy needed to perform magic - in truth, it is simply a force used to interact with life force, if we observe the intended use of it (the intended use being, why the Creator gave it unto his creatures, to allow them to interact with lifeforce). However, in the way you reword what it is you are proposing, I can see what you mean - the way you had phrased it originally did not (in my understanding) culminate in the creation solely of living things, but simply of change. Reading your rewording, I can actually support this as it does appear to make sense - I will stress however, that aside from in one piece of lore that I have read, truly, it has never been directly stated that all matter is made of a form of mana. Only in one particularly old document explaining the basics of voidal translocation has this been mentioned, and even then, whenever it was explained to me recently, there was no break down of mana, simply of the object into 'information' that could be reconstructed. If I have managed to miss the document this was highlighted in, you have my most sincere apologies - otherwise, up to this point, the world has been constructed of 'normal matter', that was brought into existence from the energies of the Void (which are most certainly not mana) by the Creator. My last point still stands - you even point out how unlike mana 'dormant mana' is, in that it cannot be tapped for power. If this is the case, what exactly connects these two energies to give them the same subtype? You have yet to point out at all how they are the same - making up matter, and sustaining life, are entirely different roles. If it isn't 'literal mana' as you put it, it isn't mana at all.

By the above, calling this substance 'mana' is a reuse of a term that would promote confusion; if this substance was related to mana, the effects of lifeforce upon it would cause some of it to produce aura. Which would mean that over time, all dormant mana is slowly evaporating into aura (which it isn't, or we're in for a fun end of the world) and that there would be a layer of aura existent in/around objects (which there isn't, or we'd have shades pulling aura out of walls). Summarizing this chunk, if this embodies absolute order, the one thing it isn't is mana. This is a roundabout way of saying; what's this sudden fascination with trying to use the word 'mana' to describe all forms of energy? Reusing the word is confusing for newer players (in my opinion), and it would serve our lore much better if we simply used the word 'energy' to describe these forms of substance in the world. Moreover as demonstrated by the above, there is little to no correlation between these two substances; one is produced by the soul of a living being to interact with lifeforce to sustain the body, the other uses lifeforce to. . . promote life by causing change? This is an elaboration that I personally don't see the need for, unless necromancers will gain the ability to halt all alchemical laws in a small area by sapping it dry of lifeforce. Really, just keep everything how it was before - matter is matter, it's made of atoms and stuff. There wasn't any reason it didn't have to be made of atoms, seeing as alchemical laws were vague anyway, but still worked. In all honesty, I feel like this simply bloats lore somewhat - not necessary. EDIT; there's nothing really wrong with the lore on a base level, everything makes sense-ish. Just, don't call it dormant mana, for the sake of my sanity if nothing else. I'm sure there's another word in that humongous vocabulary of yours that would fit the bill better.

The only issue I have is with the fact that it uses aura as a power source. I was reasonably certain that aura was simply a by-product of mana usage, and therefore, is inert? It would make little sense for it to up and start doing things when passed through a special shape made of special stuff.

Really pleased to see how this ended up looking; very prim and proper! Hopefully this continues to clear up issues (as it already seems to have for some).

Seems interesting, probably even fun if it gets handled well. Again, echoing the above posts, detail on the aengul themself is always a plus; the concept seems like a nice jaunt though.

*A small note would be found just inside the doorway of the Spring Circle. The hand writing would fluctuate in legibility, some times being tidy and neat, other times becoming a veritable scrawl, puncturing the thin parchment at various points.* I hope this note finds you in good health; recently, your way of life has come to my attention. I have witnessed the beauty of your craft, and the delicacy with which nature functions. May I say that from what I saw, those that represented you at the healing of your previous Grove have done you a proud service. I, wish to be a part of this, if you will have me. I shan't sign my name here, as it is unimportant, and I would prefer to give it in person. If, perchance, I could meet with one of you to discuss my suitability, I would be most grateful. Character Name: -- Gwendolyn Powell Minecraft Username: -- Charcoal1 Timezone: --- GMT Usual Playing Times: -- I'm on all through the week, after school my time, as well as weekends and holidays.

-((Please ignore this for the time being.))-

Having seen some of the RP prototypes in action, and having actually abjured said magics, I can confirm all of the above to be accurate. Good work in my opinion, and nothing stupidly OP. It's good to see some real machines being built using enchantment and the like. +1 from me.

*A bird would arrive, a tattered letter tied around its left talon.* Dear Mariane'a Fouriner, leader of the Enchanter's Guild, I, Gwendolyn Powell, seek private tutoring, be it within the my homeland (Thesserion), or some location that you deem suitable. I ask for tutelage on the subject of; the Void Connection, and the school of magic referred to as "Alteration", specifically the practice of "Transmutation". I am 18 years of age, though (as can be implied) will be starting with very little knowledge of the Arcane Arts. A messenger/ reply is awaited, yours sincerely, Gwendolyn Powell

The Crimson Falcon A family of battle worshipping duellists’; trained to perfection, these warriors don brilliant red garbs, with a distinct feather cloak, dyed a sickening red. Formation After the turbulent events of both the Fringe and Thales, knights from many kingdoms had returned to their homelands. In Athera, this war seemed as though it would continue forever; many soldiers of the great kingdoms rid themselves of their ties to the various companies’ that controlled them, and set out as sell swords. As a matter of course, these new mercenaries found themselves in conversation with each other, across all of the taverns and bars in the land, sharing quiet conversations, on delicate subjects. One particular group, spoke of how each battle that they had ever fought in, was preceded by a letter, carried by a messenger falcon. Each time, the same claw tattered sheet, bearing the same news of anger and hatred; that soon, a great force would be mustered to attack their respective homes. They spoke of how they felt the need to defend their lands, even though they had never held any interest in the army before. They spoke, of how they had trained rigorously for combat, and how they had said their goodbyes to their families before trudging off to terrible war. Finally, they spoke of the blood soaked fields, of the nightmares that gripped them still, of the horrible, horrible screams that haunted their every waking moment. A strange folk tale sprang from these conversations; that, these falcons carried with them not only their letters, but a battle-fuelling courage; that nudged the men and women of every land to rally to the side of their lords, and take up arms to defend their homelands. These falcons not only preceded the blood that was to be shed, but also instigated much of the blood shedding. As a result of these myths, many men began to dream anew; of a lone falcon, flying above a red field, the sun just setting on the horizon. And for each, this field was that of the final battle that they had fought. The most terrible battle they had fought, that had destroyed their courage, and shattered their loyalty to their sovereignties. When these men did meet again, they spoke of these dreams, of the crimson, and of the lone falcon, strangely resolute in its course. Many of the men forgot of their dreams, disregarding them as silly thoughts brought on by their thinking on past events. However, not all of them disregarded these dreams. A small few, felt a new found power well within them; a… desire, a desire to be as that falcon. Resolute in its course, its eyes scanning the field of crimson below, talons at the ready to swoop down onto the plains to rend some small creature from the ground, and feast upon it. To have the power to fall whenever they did please, fall on their prey and take their flesh for themselves. To live as a stark reminder of what it was to be a true warrior; a warrior who lived for battle, and would take it wherever it was found. And, to be as a great family; to share the great victory of battle with those who can truly appreciate the art that is combat. Thusly, was The Crimson Falcon born; born of the dreams of shattered men, who bound their shattered pieces together, to form an unbreakable force. Culture The Crimson Falcon live an almost entirely isolated life; within the high walls of their Keep, each member will spend much of their time training solemnly. Small groups are rarely sent outside, normally for aid in situations that cannot be handled from within. The little time they do spend gathered, is generally spent discussing battle tactics, and past victories; or, in the case of the young children born within the walls, practicing with the older warriors. On the subject of training, once a member has reached the age of 15, it is unusual to continue receiving basic weapons training. Most members will begin to develop their own style, either by themselves, or in groups of two or three. Even within these groups, there is no real tutelage, more of a quiet observation of the technique of your peers. Due to this style of learning, to outsiders these men and women seem mysteriously silent giving only quick glances to their associates. The little they do say, is stern and sensible, with a trained efficiency at “getting to the point”. Having spent much time observing falcons, and learning of their behaviour and overall presence, the Crimson Falcon is influenced by a strange psychological phenomenon. It is very normal for members to be visited by dreams, pertaining to decisions, and even romance (more on that later). It is common to find members discussing the falcons “ideas”, as if they were capable of sentient thought. (No, the falcons are not sentient, magical or godly in any way. This is, as stated, psychological. The player can use this come up with whatever role play they choose to. If their character is struggling to make a decision, they can choose to have the falcon come to them, as long as the decision does not in any way give them a meta gaming advantage i.e.” I shouldn’t go in that room cause the falcon has told me there’s a bad guy in the closet”.) The Roceoustüng (pronounce roh – shush – stoong) The main form of communication between members; the Roceoustüng is a collection of subtle movements that allow members to confer battle strategy, signals and ideas in an almost completely undetectable fashion. The movements and signals can be anything from a shift of the eyes, a twitch of a finger or a change in breathing; these movements and changes are normally so small, that outsiders disregard them as nothing more than nervousness. This “language” has many different dialects, some developed entirely by the small training groups mentioned above, secret even to the bulk of the Crimson Falcon. Combat Combat is (of course) treated very seriously. Once a child has reached the age of five, they immediately begin training with a wooden weapon; this weapon is determined by the parents of the child. Having been the two who have spent most time with them, they are the best to gauge what type of weapon would best suit the child (at least, at this early stage). A master of that weapon is then found to teach the child; this training then continues for another five years. Upon the completion of this five years, the child is then allowed to choose another weapon to learn, and they are handed to another master. Once another five years has passed, the armoury is opened to them, and they are allowed to learn of whatever weapon they wish. The types of weapons used are as follows – - The Long sword - The Rapier - The Spear - The Halberd - The Axe - The Claymore (I hope to add more weapons here, as the group expands, and RP takes place.) Once another five years of self-training has passed, the member may choose to leave the walls for a time. This pilgrimage, is to see the world outside the walls, and learn of the conflicts and political stances of the time. This, in turn, illuminates to the member, the possible wars to befall the world. This pilgrimage will last another five years; upon its ending, the member will return to the walls, and fall into the daily routine of survival, and learning of battle. One important custom exists within the Crimson Falcon; That, if blood be spilled willingly, a Falcon may choose to fall, fall upon the spiller of blood, and take their blood for themselves. This proverb is held in a somewhat sacred status amongst Falcons, and many a fight has ensued, in many a bar or tavern across the land. However, as a side effect, a Falcon will not act if blood is not spilled; meaning, that a Falcon cannot, and will not fight unless combat escalates to a serious level. Falconry A task held sacred amongst Falcons; the caring for, and nurturing of the falcons kept within the Keep. These falcons are kept symbolically, as a sign of respect to the bird that first granted them their courage. Young people (normally, between the ages of five and ten) are selected, based upon their past interactions with falcons, to look after and maintain the birds. They abstain from combat, and instead learn hunting techniques. As a result, they spend most time outside the walls, and most groups sent outside the walls are generally selected from hunters, so that they may also send word back to the Keep, if anything were to go wrong, or if assistance was needed. (Falcons (capital “F”) refer to members of the Crimson Falcon, whereas falcons (lower case “f”) refer to the actual bird, a falcon.) Cloaks Those that wear cloaks, belong to the guard of the Keep; due to the fact that no real “army” exists, this group protect the Keep from threats within, and without, being sent to faraway places to do battle. These battles are normally to aid other factions that have been deemed worthy by the Vigil, or who have promised aid in return for support in battle. The cloaks themselves, are made from the feathers of deceased falcons, dyed crimson; the taking of the feathers may appear to be a disrespect, when in fact it is a way of honouring them. To allow their brilliant feathers to simply rot away, would be both wasteful and blind. These brilliant feathers must be cherished, displayed for all the world to see, for we are the Crimson Falcons. Romance Marriage is based upon waiting; spending time with the possible bride/husband, and learning of their many flaws, and perfections. When the marriage is truly ready, the two will be visited by a dream; a dream of a falcon falling, not upon fresh meat, but upon another falcon. Not to attack, but to comfort and nurture. The two then have the option to tell each other, and appear before the Vigil. From this point onwards, they are considered engaged. A simple ceremony will take place in around another years’ time (from the visitation of the dream), to confirm the joining of the couple. Divorce is not something that is done; once the two are joined, it is not allowed for them to part. A parting is both troublesome, and sorrowful and not something that is needed within the walls of the Keep. The Vigil The body that makes decisions upon the sending of parties into the outside world, and the handling of political issues. They sit upon the thirteen thrones that sit atop the Great Roost, a huge tower built at the centre of the Keep. These thrones are symbolically left open to the sky, so that the thirteen may see all within the Keep. The Vigil are highly respected, and are normally elderly, as they are considered to have the worldliest knowledge. The Vigil communicate nearly entirely, through their use of the Roceoustüng; their particular variant is unknown to all but themselves, and is imperceptible to even the most perceptive onlooker. (I’m hoping to use the Vigil as the “sender of dreams” to the various members, so the dreams can seem truly random.) ((First things first; hi! Many of you here on the forums probably don’t know me, seeing as I’m a boring, simple, sometimes annoying and relatively new role player. So, again to everyone who reads, what’s up! This guild was created by one of my numerous “pictures”; an image of a man standing in a red field, the sun setting painting the sky a violent red as the dark of night began to set in. This man is swathed in a cloak of crimson feather, and a lone falcons sits on his shoulder eyeing the horizon, and the many fallen warriors that litter the battlefield. This image blossomed into what you see above, and I hope that it will continue to blossom into something fun, and maybe lasting. An important point to note; I hope for the guild to be a /serious/ role play environment. Sure, some of the OOC jokes I see around in the cities are great, but I envision this guild to be a haven for some deeper role play than what I have seen in the cities. I’m not saying that there is /no/ serious RP out there, cause my god the mali’aheral aciding people is some real serious ****; I just want to add another haven to the list. Somewhere for people to join up when they’re really in the zone for some in-depth discussion, role play fights and (just maybe) IC (and OOC!) friendships. Well, if you just read all this, then you may be interested in joining up. Instead of the normal applications system, I’m going to be handling everything over Skype. Message me here on the forums, and we can set up a time for a call. The call won’t so much be an interview or application, as much as a chat about the character that you will be playing as, what you hope to develop them into etc. There won’t be any set questions, and it’ll basically devolve into whether or not I like you (god, that sounds so condescending). Well, happy LoTC-ing, everyone! Please, do contact me if you decide this looks like the right thing for you!))