UnBaed

A depiction of the golden wastes leading toward the heart of the Sissuri'thul Empire

Art by Artur Saldos

The following is intended as private RP

The streets of Thess'ikith were filled as they usually were, the pale pathways were bathed in the heat of the sun and hardly a single cloud marred the sapphire sea of the sky.  All sorts of folk of the Empire busied themselves: skittering out from their cliff-side homes to pay visit to the markets; pilgrims sought the Temple of Three that their wayward journeys have delivered them to; both faces native to the reigned sands and foreigners of the tropic coast found there way to the city nestled in the heart of the canyon.  It was, after all, the only stop to make before the heart of the Empire could be reached in the center of these golden dunes--This city was a great oasis hidden within an array of winding ravines, bountiful in beauty and luxury, and not to mention opportunity.

Night had fallen over the city, and an aged, humanoid reptilian that resembled an iguana bumbled about the interior of his shop.  He was a cartographer, well-known for his skills in charting and documenting the arid sand fields that served as a merciless shield for the Empire's Heart.  That day for his business had been a slow one, though that was not unusual given fellow lizards did not seek to brave the threats of the desert often.  Many faces which sought his maps were familiar; the Guides of the Dunes, who called the sands their home and possessed the proper strength and intuition in managing the beasts that also found home in the desert.

Two faces which had entered his shop that day were unfamiliar to him, however.  He never even caught a glimpse of who they were, for they had donned cloaks and scarves over their heads. Perhaps they were of the marshes, given their lack of tails.  They didn't even greet him in return--saved for a wave, nor offered any form of conversation.  It was an uncharacteristic behavior within the city of Thess'ikith; It was the culture to share a warm greeting between customer and seller, and for the two to share in an exchange of three compliments to be in the good graces of the Trio, and to maintain such flattery until a deal was agreed upon.  Such healthy business is what brought such vigor within the Empire, at least that's what old Felessik the Cartographer believed.  As did many business owners.

He couldn't quite get those two odd guests out of his head, however.  Although they seemed like they were from The Marshes. . their stature was in contradiction to such.  Their legs were too thin and straight, and their feet too small as well as their heads.  What were these rude guests of his?  Beyond his greeting, they wouldn't even answer his questions--though at least some vague gestures.  Perhaps they didn't speak the tongue?  Yet, if that was the case, it would be massively impressive for them to have come so far into the Empire without knowing a single word of the native tongue.  As quickly as they had appeared, they had left--and disappeared into the dusk.  Perhaps there were more corners of this land that he was yet to chart.

Two strangers, who found themselves in an even stranger city.  Hidden amongst the crowds were these shadows, driven by curiosity to view a land far unlike their own.  Gradually did one come to further understand the similarities found between this realm and their own; yet was it to be a comfort, or a source of concern?

In the earlier hours of the following day, at the bank of the river which flowed through the various branches of that City-Canyon. . . there would be a flash of white light, as those two guests departed.

Toxic OOC environment lingers and is fostered with how nations are handled, PvP continues to be considered too important and close to RP that it ruins a lot of narratives.  There's people who genuinely have insane egos just because they can beat people who type all day in pvp, after they get stomped to shit on an actual faction server - would wish more of an effort was made to show how much those people aren't welcomed on this server

We make steps into making RP easier to reach, but also take steps back.  It's like not everyone is on the same page.  Techs (not bashing them) make elaborate pluggins for PvP encounters rather than pluggins that could be more beneficial to generating RP or adding more flavor to the narrative atmosphere

It's also a pain in the ass to deal with toxic and questionable individuals, especially those in staff.  If they have value to a team or decent work etiquette - there is nothing that could get them efficiently punished unless they are directly caught doing something where there's no excuses to get around it.  Racist stereotype RP, promoting harassment, targeting, ect Big reason why I decided to step away from ST

The server isn't wholly trash though, the community is a lot more fierce in ensuring degenerates aren't welcomed around here.  But I'd perhaps argue too many of them are virtue signaling and just scream to look good (i.e. wanting to crusade against people who do hand-holding rp?)

Would wish that there's better systems in place for building to be easier for players, or for players to have a better chance in finding RP because no way in hell am I motivated to walk 10 minutes to a city to see if I can find someone not AFK running in the street or RPing in their homes

lol

anyone who tries to argue that fantasy minecrafy pixel fantasies is a stronger case against irl terms and context are insane

"erm......... its my character :nerd: try to not bring everything into ooc haha! xD! gg snowflake, go cry in ur erp since u care so much about my character using mean words IN RP!!!!" (It is in RP, nothing about this being a slur IRL should be seen - why do u know so much about these slurs huh??)

people need to get creative for once, also one of those people in the report was literally banned a few weeks ago for RPing a racist stereotype of Jewish people and thought it was a funny joke

stop using slurs, accept it when someone tells you a word is questionable and agree to move on than try to argue and debate it because *pushes up glasses* well its not used in MY region, so ur making it up!  **** off

A fatigued elf sat at the edge of her bed, contemplating her prosthetic in the silent morning.

Seems to already have a temper, not sure if I'd trust a guy like this on the team if he'll react to conflict RP like that

everyone wanna be evil irl

i do druidism or bardmancy

Ilaria Des'Nox sat in the shade of the palm near her beach shack, tuning her guitar as the ocean breeze swept through her hair and caused for her wind chimes to ring out.

What is your name? Aindulmedii I. W.

What is your age? 15

How many friends do you have? Be specific. I don't really have friends beyond my elder sister, not many are around my age, and not many folk are keen on conversing with a child.

What is your experience assisting brilliant scholars? None.

What is your level of education? I was educated by the best tutors my family could acquire.

What is the most impressive thing you have ever seen? Be specific. When a storm passes over the sea, I enjoy watching it from the cliffs of my home. I am surrounded by many fantastical and wondrous things of the voidal arcane, yet this formed naturally and rages distantly and beautifully. It leads me to wonder how one could go to replicate or mimic such a thing in nature. Is it even possible?

slip me a twenty and i know a guy who can put this in accepted (you)

A Shorewalker reflects on a comment said in passing to her, during a visit to Valdev; of an official-looking fellow boasting of his desire to spill blood for payment, that war meant gold in his pockets.  Such had troubled her deeply, and news of such a murder as this troubled her more.  "How to convince peace in the minds of such souls. ." Ilaria mumbled; there was much for her to contemplate for her work.

i got one (1) lightstone but thats as a momento mori for the greatest dark elf there ever was (foeg @HurferDurfer1)

Ilaria's fingers brushed over the scallop shells that made up her necklace, they gleamed a pale and ethereal light in the dim atmosphere of her shack.  The sun had dipped beneath the horizon of the nearby sea, bringing on a quiet and gentle night.  The waves sounded soft upon the beach, and the ringing of her wind chimes was subtle in the sighing breezes.

The concept of death was a strange thing for that Des'Nox, given her path.  Given the nature of her soul ever since her birth.   Few were truly gone from her; always far, yet. . . never quite out of reach.  Yet even that distance formed could be enough to bring an ache to her chest, to know the shifting of one's fate would lead them so far from her own.  And for how long?

Qudlia was gone, but not lost.  "May you be safe from the poison of Hatred under Kor's guard," whispered that elf to those shells within her hand.  Despite the struggles endured from the Jusmia, Ilaria's heart could never bear any grudges toward her.  She could never hold ire to one who could not see as she could.  "Walk with The Shore, Qudlia; go in peace."  Perhaps their fates would cross again, in the distant future.

i miss coltaine

Ilaria rose her hand to touch her necklace of seashells and smiled to hear the news of The Shore's welcoming back into Nor'Asath.  "Change is slow, but it comes," she affirmed.  "Love is the way."

amethyst, sponge, mushroom blocks, bamboo, moss

1 hour ago, Cloakedsphere said:

I've never quite interacted with you so I cant speak on personal experiences aside from the 1 time I believe you and I were both misunderstood when I declared war against a certain player group you might've been a part of. It had come to my attention just a couple weeks ago that what I had done, even though nothing of significance had occurred, caused a major rift in the mystic community with infighting between the players and eventually the degradation of the community to now be split into multiple sects (some would say this is a good thing, others may think it is bad). I'd like to apologize if there was ever any misunderstanding in my intent and never wanted these things to happen to the mystic community. I am glad on some aspects that it helped others drift away and create their own story lines and narratives with new groups and in other ways I am saddened to know that I potentially was a catalyst for people killing off their character, friendships being broken, and/or leaving the server. None of that was ever the intent and I understand what is done cannot be undone but hopefully in the future you'll understand that I never meant for any of that to ever happen. 

Good luck in what ever it is you decide to pursue in the future. I have enjoyed a majority of your writings that I have come across.

To assure you for your comment:

You didn't cause any infighting in the Mystic community for declaring war on our lair [unless I've just been living under a massive rock].  The community was growing and people had their own ideas they wanted to pursue and it was just agreed that it was better done separately because it didn't make sense to stick together as a group with conflicting ideas

As for Mordu:

Enjoy your time way from the server

20 hours ago, MeteorDragon said:

Personally, I think it's fine having it so an Eidola can create their own vessels. Personally, I struggle to get in contact with one Mystic at a time, much less two at once. Plus, with the week long timer of having a vessel be made, it would be a bit annoying to be killed and then have to wait maybe a week to get two mystics together to make a new vessel, then wait another week to be able to inhabit it. I feel the main interaction is being made and getting Augments from the Mystics to make things easier. This would especially be the case since the augments would wipe upon getting a new vessel, you'd have to find someone to re-give them to you

 

The gathering of soul fragments is rather annoying, I agree, which is why I think it's also easier to work with mystics in order to get those fragments rather than gathering all 30 on your own. Not to mention that you also need Mystic interactions if you want to become a Pale Lord. I am against the killing aspect of it all and wish it was easier to do it without killing than with killing

I edited it so that Eidola can make their spares!  And just to clarify, to make a spare vessel takes only one week to do!  I appreciate the feedback from you <3

15 hours ago, MeteorDragon said:

Im quite a fan of the Mental Effects and the Reversion Rite as an Eidola player. They both would be welcomed additions - Im still a little on the fence with the Vessel parts however

11 hours ago, z3m0s said:

I like most of these changes, especially the mental ones, though I will admit I really really dislike the idea of requiring someone else to have their body remade. Although it might seem to make sense, it's absolutely going to suck to have to deal with waiting on someone else, and such for the mystic to have to commit continually to recreating bodies. I'd propose the Eidola themselves have to commit to making future bodies before their demise, akin to the Animii CA, and maybe a Soul fragment cost for this would be suitable to finalize the body as suitable to be housed in in future. I feel like there's not enough good uses for Soul frags at the moment and I'd love to see some more use for it.

 

On the topic of Palelords, I think they're rare enough, have suitable enough risks, and are hard enough to create that they're fine for now, though maybe down the line if there's too many active or they're being blatantly abused, I can definitely see something being required to adjust this.

 

Overall thank you for your efforts!

I could potentially make it so that an Eidola could make their own Vessel, though part of why I wrote it so that a Mystic is required is to encourage more interaction between Eidola and Mystics.  Eidola should have more of a reason to want to stick around to their creators/community instead of just disappearing off on their own entirely.

The limit in having spare bodies is also intended as a means of discouraging wreckless CRP behavior.  In the past, Eidola have really only existed as a means of being a weapon and tool for soul-collecting, or standing in as powerful weapons for conflict.  Get killed?  No biggie, I can just respawn at my menhir hidden behind 5 locked doors and a hidden redstone one and try again.

Not pointing any fingers with that scenario, of course, but there definitely should be some more punishment for dying.  If an Eidola could make their bodies then... what RP interaction comes from it, if they can just RP making one by themselves?  I'd prefer to not have soul fragments be required, since that also encourages more murder-hobo antics (I know that new augment is made, but I severely despise lore requiring players to harm another for any mechanical gain--it's like a homework assignment, gets tedious and RP is just motivated to get the shiny lore thing and dip without developing much of a narrative)

Depending on whether or not this piece is accepted and implemented, I was considering coming up with more augments for paleknights to give them room to develop their own aesthetics or have unique flavor added to their RP--soul fragments could be considered more for these.  But this would be at the bottom of my list for things to do right now

Intent with Amendment:

The purpose behind writing this is to fix what I believe has been a glaring issue with the Eidola CA; it is too easy and inconsequential to make, and the room for character development as one seems incredibly limited–and currently encourages for too much “murder hobo” RP, and the only real progress or development one can really achieve is only getting more powerful mechanically.

This amendment will seek to alter the creation process of an Eidola, while also offering changes for the mindsets and purpose of an Eidola’s existence for a story’s narrative.  This isn’t intended to disrupt any currently existing character niches, but to only open up more opportunities for Eidola characters to explore with if they wished.

Creation Process:

In order for a soul to become imbued with stone and be made into an Eidola, a Vessel is required for the ritual to commence; which shall serve as a container for the soul.  The Vessel, otherwise known as the stone body, is carefully carved out by the hands of two mystics and treated with their ectoplasm; it is considered a sacred and delicate process–requiring years of dedication in order to form a suit for one soul.  [2 OOC Weeks]  The art of sculpting and stone carving becomes a valued practice among Mystics.

Once a stone body has been created, it must be submerged within water with a menhir made by the same two mystics nearby.  The two mystics must work together then; one imbues their ectoplasm into the Vessel while the other transfers a soul into it.  A soul is only suitable to be transferred into a Vessel should it be a long-standing Anchored Ghost–with its phylactery on hand.

The spirit may be guided into the Vessel, where it will undergo a stasis period of slumber [until its CA application is accepted].   Its phylactery is merged with the menhir by imbuing it with ectoplasm and binding it to the ethereal stone; once such a rite is finished, the item that once served as the phylactery looks as if its been fossilized into the menhir.

• Requires OOC and IRP consent of the Anchored Ghost.
• A Mystic may make one Eidola at a time, two Mystics are required for the creation of one Eidola.
• Anchored Ghosts must exist for 6 OOC weeks before they can be made into an Eidola
• While a Vessel is being created, it must be represented in game with a build and ST Approved sign.
• Once the ST Approved sign is placed, an Eidola CA may be posted on the forums exactly 2 OOC weeks later.
• The Eidola CA must include a screenshot of the approved build and sign.
• The two Mystics involved in the creation must comment with proof of at least five emotes showing their characters actively worked on the Vessel; both carving the stone and imbuing it with their ectoplasm.
• Should a Vessel be destroyed in the creation process, the two Mystics would need to start over.
• A Vessel in progress has the same durability as any stone statue, requiring approximately three emotes of heavy blunt force to crack it.
• Cannot create an Eidola while in combat.

Should an Eidola perish following its creation–it may reform after one OOC day [given its phylactery is unharmed], though only as a spirit.  Vessels are not infinite, and must be remade when destroyed, in order to house the soul again.  Spares may be created by the hand of the Eidola, through the carving of stone and submerging of waters.  It is a one year process (1 OOC Week) and is concluded when an Eidola imbues the spare Vessel with 3 liturgies of their ectoplasm.  An ethereal link is formed between the spare Vessel and the phylactery-menhir through the imbuing of essence.  Unused Vessels must remain within five meters of their bound menhir, lest the link be disrupted and 3 more liturgies would be required to establish it again.  A phylactery-menhir can only withstand so many Vessels being bound to it, limiting it to just two.

• Spare Vessels must be represented with a ST sign and an in-game build.
  • Spare Vessels must be either damp with trickling water, or submerged entirely, while stored near the menhir [5 blocks].
• An active Vessel counts as a link to a menhir, meaning only one spare can exist at a time.
• If an Eidola dies and is without a spare Vessel, they are returned to the state of an Anchored Ghost with their menhir still serving as their phylactery. 1 OOC day to reform upon death.
• If an Eidola dies and has a spare Vessel available, the soul may return to it.  1 OOC day to reform upon death.
• If the Eidola stands before their Menhir while inhabiting a Vessel, it may be able to alter its shape and appearance in three emotes–while following guidelines and redlines of Eidola limitations and aesthetics.
• Augments are lost on an Eidola, should its Vessel be destroyed–and must be applied again.

New Mental Effects:

While as an Eidola, the soul has weathered through a burdensome journey of trauma and alteration; they are greatly changed and bear many scars upon their mind.  They may suffer through bouts of extreme depression, struggle to maintain optimism, be gripped with anxiety, paranoia.  Generally, they shall have a dreary and gloomy disposition but are not prone to complete despair.  The strongest and most prevalent emotion an Eidola shall be gripped with, more than anything else, is fear.

The fear an Eidola has is the fear of stagnancy, of lacking any purpose and having their transformative and grueling journeys be all for nothing.  It is a desperate feeling and a concept that grips their reality, and shall affect their paths moving forward.

Comfort can be found anywhere an Eidola may find themselves of use in; be it through an ideology or religion, or other forms of servitude.  They may first look to their creators for guidance, but will branch out and roam if they are given no direction; no matter where they go, however, an Eidola shall always be impressionable by those who formed them and feel inclined to be around other undead.

The inclination to be around undead, primarily spectral undead, is quite strong for an Eidola.  While they may feel alienated from the living, there is still an echo of themselves seen within the lingering spirits of undeath.  The second most strongest urge an Eidola shall feel is the desire to guard and shield fellow spirits, utilizing their imposing and durable bodies of stone for such things.

Should an Eidola be destroyed and go without a Vessel, they may suffer from increased paranoia and feel as if they are vulnerable and spiraling without the container of stone to keep them grounded.  Mental ailments are to increase in this period, until a new Vessel may be provided.

• Current redlines in lore still apply.

Reversion Rite:

As anything that is created, it can be undone.  Whether an Eidola has served its purpose, has made the wrong enemies, or simply requests such an act. . . Their former phylacteries may be extracted from their menhirs and their binds to their Vessels of stone can be undone.

Two Mystics are required for the feat, and are not required to be the ones to initially form that specific Eidola.  The Rite of Scrubbing is to be conducted for four consecutive emotes to weaken the phylactery-menhir, and permit for the Mystics to chip the old phylactery item of the Anchored Ghost out from the stone.

Once this is concluded, the Eidola will be reverted to an Anchored Ghost and no longer be able to bind themselves to a Vessel.  The soul of the Eidola has endured much at this rate, and has grown to be more fragile–capable of transforming into an Eidola one last time before this process of uncreation would permanently kill them.

• Two Mystics are required in reverting an Eidola back to an Anchored Ghost.
• Should an Eidola be reverted, their CA is to be denied and they must have an accepted Ghost CA in place for the character.
• Does not require OOC consent.
• If reverted, an Anchored Ghost may transform into an Eidola only one more time before the reversion process would shatter their phylactery and permanently kill them.

Comment of Palelords:

They are to be left as is, save for the mental changes being applied.  The concept of Vessels and reversion are beyond Palelords for the extreme efforts and sacrifices paid to get them where they are now.  Personally, I'd prefer to see them shelved given how massive they are.

Edit Log:

Edit 6/28/23 - I've changed it so that Eidola can make their own spare Vessels, without the need to get a Mystic to aid them.  A point was made that an Eidola would already need to get into contact with a Mystic in order to get new augments for their new body, so RP is already encouraged there.  This is just to make it less tedious.

It's been a dark year for me, on a mental field

Easy for many people to forget the little things surrounding them, that make life beautiful--which makes reminders as these good.

4 minutes ago, JustMeMorgan said:

snip

 

 

 

Personally, I feel like even if lore provides a lot of context as to why it does what it does - there is still room for character interpretation and theorizing.  It can even be clarified in the lore that how it works isn't known in RP.

If you're concerned that providing background context will discourage players from wanting to form their own headcanons, then I'd personally have a lot of doubt of them forming headcanons on their own.  Lore and narratives on the server are what we make of it, I personally feel like we ought to just encourage players to form more creative perspectives of things on the server--even for some small thing as a drug--and not always rely on lore backstories to always make the narrative for us.  Some people do it already with theories about the void, alchemy, and some other magics.  From my experience as ST, I doubt this would be passed without clarifications being requested

Having read through your lore more thoroughly too, I'd personally suggest heightening the effects of the Ruibrium to be something different than cactus green for orcs or a minor hallucinogen [also might want to add a redline that you can't sneak this drug to other characters without them noticing, as well as explaining more how strong/durable weapons and tools of the raw form actually are, and if there's any chance of an overdose]. 

If it's meant to be an ST material [with how you mention the nodes], there should be something more special with its properties.

32 minutes ago, JustMeMorgan said:

Rephrasing what I said a sec ago*

 

 

I fully encourage the idea that players will develop their own headcanon on why it works the way it does, maybe making RP posts on the matter too. I find LotC has way too many pieces of lore that have a set structure on why things are the way they are, of which the normal player would have no reasonable method of gathering that information, such as knowledge that should by now be completely dead because of time, or knowledge out of our hands that could have only been bestowed to us through literal gods and demons. I appreciate and like the idea that we form our own head canons on things, and well if the general population all accepts it as a good canon maybe it does become officialised over time.

While this is a fair point to make, clarity in lore is far better than obscurity.  It can be written in a manner where characters would need to conduct extensive research to understand it--where they can form their own opinions [or just not be able to research it and form their own myths], but it should still have some mentions as to why it works the way it works.

It just helps further establishes its place in the server lore and could potentially open up opportunities for how other pieces of lore on the server could interact with it based on why it does xyz, while also ensuring no one has a crazy take about the lore that goes beyond what's been accepted in the past because of a grey area

Across the land, booklets might be found–sharing a simple tale.

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Shining so bright and tender, she is golden in the broad of azure; The Sun.  Her rays of light brush over the land, fingers of gold sift through grassy meadows as if they were the hair of a lover.  The water of ponds and lakes dance to capture her image and draw her eye, and grieve with the rains as each droplet falls away from her position in the sky.

A day passed and The Sun was forming her cushion of clouds.  Yet she would not recline, and instead delicately summoned a single droplet to pass on one wish.

“I wish to see a mountain divided,” spoke The Sun.  

The Droplet’s bliss and awe melted into puzzlement and doubt, though he would never dream to sadden nor disappoint The Sun.  Yet, he still couldn’t understand how he could make her wish real; and so, he asked how a mere droplet as himself could ever pull off such a grand and impossible feat.

“You do not yet know of your strength,” her words were sweet and golden.  “All you need to do is run, as water does best.”

Uncertainty still filled The Droplet, though he heeded the directions provided to him.  He promised The Sun he would do all he could to make her happy, even if he still felt so lost.  He believed that if his love for her was true, it would guide him to the right path.  So she released him, and let the rains wash over the lands.

The Droplet could not shake away his uncertainty, yet he was driven.  For a while, he only drifted along and few others really heeded his message.  

Divide a mountain?  

................................We are but mere drops of water!

..............................................................................Why even bother to try, if we shall fail?

..................................................................................................................We are not meant for such grand things.

You are naive.....................................

It is impossible.......

From lake to lake, pond to pond, none would listen.  Cycles passed on, before The Droplet realized a horrible flaw in his journey.  If he could not even have faith, true faith, in his efforts–why should anyone else?  His words were weak as was his spirit; he shall do nothing but falter and fall into stagnancy as the cold depths should he continue to be so aimless.

As he fell with the next rains,the flashes of lightning and roars of thunder awoke his own spark and he chose a lake.  The Droplet, as all the others, would always mourn the time of rains–for they would fall so far away from The Sun’s light.  He believed they were always casted away, shunned–but how could that be, if she always drew them back into her sky?

Perhaps, The Droplet thought, she never intended to shun.

He contemplated the rush of air felt during each fall, and sought to chase the feeling even as he fell into the lake.  He raced about, ran and ran on–for it was what water did best.  The Droplet rushed about for hours, for he never wished to stop now, and found that others had taken to following him.  Before long, a current had formed.

Together, the waters began to carve the land.  It began with soft sands and soil, though they cut deeper and deeper through the passing cycles and found that even stones could be smoothed within their growing currents.  Rapids gradually sliced through rocks, and the water roared like the thunder that signaled for their rain.

When another cycle was set to pass, The Droplet was summoned to The Sun once again.  She was luminous and glimmering, an enchanting light.

“It has been many years, but you have found your way,” she said, her voice was melodious.

The Sun brushed aside the clouds, and revealed a split mountain to The Droplet.  A canyon had come to form, with a rapid river snaking and coursing through it.  It branched off from the lake The Droplet had chosen, in that cycle of rain ages ago.  His runlet had turned into a brook, and the brook into a stream, and that stream into a river.

“A small droplet, you may be,” uttered The Sun in a warm voice.  “But such means nothing of your potential.  Unified, you now see that you could do much more.”

✲· ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ❋ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ ·✲

..../\

...{.-}

;_.-'\

{    _.}_

\.-' /  `,

\  |    /

..\ |  ,/

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