Bvie

"...What?" Lily would ask, entirely confused.

5 hours ago, Giga said:

What about an evil Druid antag? :D

 

You rang?

 

 

 

The North's frigid breath swept over the mountaintops as the sun sank below the horizon. The nooting of penguins and the cries of the yetis in the distance began to grow faint as slumber dragged them into their shelters for the night. The only sound that broke through the serene silence was that of a pair of boots trudging through the deep snow. With each crunching step, the white landscape was further marred with a trail leading from the verdant forest.  

 

Hot breath danced in the air, free from the small confines, only to be gripped by the arctic chill. A small leather satchel of belongings rubbed against the thick coat with each movement, causing strain and exhaustion. A moleskin bag pressed against a chest with the flap loosely closed, arms gripping it tightly. Sweat, even in the frigid temperatures, dripped down the peach skin, soaking through the clothing and pooling in the confines of the boots.

 

A large polar bear awakens from its slumber as the steps pass a cave. It rises up, moving in front of its youth and stands on its rear legs, attempting to intimidate the intruder. But the bear looked upon the intruder and the intruder looked upon the bear. A mutual understanding occurred, something that transcends speech and species. The bear lowered itself and, with a huff, returned to slumber with its child. The young bear made a playful noise in its sleep, possibly dreaming of catching its first fish, while the intruder continued its steps past the cave.

 

Exhaustion began to take its toll. The gait of each step became shorter and the movements slower. Was it the wind howling just now? Or was it the tundra wolves that preyed upon the oxen and reindeer? The arms that held the moleskin bag tightened around it as the bag began to shake and squirm. Pausing in its travels, an arm freed itself from its grip and lifted the flap of the moleskin bag for a moment before lowering it once more. Eyes scanned from left to right before the steps continued, now diverting from the straight path it once took Northward.

 

The rocky outcrop shielded against the bitter winds. The leather satchel was slipped off, sinking into the snow with a rustle as the contents shifted and stirred. The shaking moleskin bag was removed and place, with gentle movements, against the rocks. Small hands removed the thick fur coat, revealing the sweat drenched body to the icy air, sending a shiver throughout the body. But the hands laid the coat over the moleskin bag then fished around within the leather satchel. Swift movements with flint and steel would soon create a small fire, the heat beating the cold in its duel (for the moment).

 

The drenched clothes were soon stripped off and hung on the rocks to dry. The dancing light of the flame on the sweaty form gave such a luster that one might think it was a coating of aurum dust. With tired motions, the hands rubbed against one another and the fingers flexed, attempting to awaken the hibernating nerves and tendons beneath the peach skin. But a noise from behind demanded attention, and a shuffle within the moleskin bag would not take no for an answer.

 

It squirmed in the air as it's eyes blinked and squinted to the fire's light. The wisps of hair, as silver as moonlight, decorating the crown of its head poked in all directions. The soft pink lips parted as its tiny feet and hands balled up, and a cry echoed out. The infant squirmed in the careful hands as they freed it from the confines of the moleskin bag and moved it towards their owners breast. The careful hands became careful arms that cradled the child and moved the long brown hair out of the way. Soon the sharp cries of hunger were replaced with soft breaths through a small nose. She looked upon the infant, running a delicate finger over its soft head.

 

"Soon....we'll find him soon."

 

Her own stomach rumbled and she moved a hand to the leather satchel. Her search retrieved only a few bits of salted mutton and raw nuts. She began to divvy up the, already small, remaining rations for herself. Her stomach attempted to revolt against her mind as it thought of skipping another meal on this journey, growling and twisting inside of her. She looked upon the feasting infant and then to the hand that cradled him. The amber ring that sat upon her finger sparkled in the fire's light.

 

Trust.

 

With a deep sigh, she brought the food to her lips and began to eat the rations, a move that appeased her stomach but wounded her heart. She knew that this meant that her search had come to an end, for this trip at least. Without food, she'd need to head home and resupply before venturing out once more. She pulled the thick coat over the both of them as she looked down at the sleeping child's face. As she closed her eyes, the child's face shifted into his and a smile splayed across her chapped lips. She trusted him, and she rested for the journey home.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The warm wind blew across the city with a gentle touch, lifting her hair and dress slightly. She stood upon the balcony of the palace, looking over at her creation below her. But instead of eyeing the populace and the festivities, her eyes were fixated on the gate as men and women in ocean blues and lustrous golds and silvers returned home.

 

"Princess..."

 

The voice called out to her from the staircase of the royal quarters as the guard captain scaled the marble stairs to the balcony.

 

"I know......I see them."

 

His footsteps were heavy, the metal boots making a racket against the clean stone, as he began to pull off his gloves. His eyes looked over the bedroom, noticing that things that once brought her enjoyment now lay in corners, covered in a thick layer of dust. The tray of food that sat on the desk had barely been touched while a second serving sat next to hers, waiting for its intended diner to arrive eventually. The goose-down bedding was crumpled and creased on one side, marking the long sleepless nights. While the other side of the bed remained pristine, much like the second plate, waiting for its occupant to return. He looked from the desk of quills and parchment that she furiously wrote and had sent out, the notices of potential rewards, the cries for any information, and the pleas for help.

 

"The gulls we sent out......they haven't been returned either."

 

He sat his gloves next to a stack of letters addressed to various settlements across Axios, knowing that the same letter would be in each one, the same letter that she's sent out all this time.

 

"The winds must be delaying them." She replied as she remain focused on the gate. "Have the stewards train them better and these letters will reach him."

 

With a sigh he stepped behind her and laid his calloused hand on her shoulder silently.

 

"You're to ride the guard to the manor in the South-West."

 

His brow furrowed as he looked at her cheek.

 

"The guard has only just returned and we only just checked that place a fortnight ago."

 

"He might be there now." She stated, her voice tired and strained as if she tried to make herself believe her own words.

"I saw him there once with Oliver....perhaps he heard about the news and went there to-"

 

His hand squeezed her shoulder, silencing her. He looked at his hand. Had her shoulder always been so thin? Had her skin always been so rough and dry?

Had her clothing always sat on her so loosely?

 

"Lily...." His voice softening as he tried to approach the subject. "You know that you are like family to me. And you know that I want the best for you...."

 

He looked upon her vacant expression as her eyes still clung to the gate in the distance and braced himself for what was to come.

 

"But....it has been so long.....maybe it is time to move on....he wouldn't want you to be like this."

 

His words hung in the air as he stared at her. Was it regret that washed over him not for what he had said? Did he wish he was able to grab at the words and pull them away from her ears to spare her the pain? Or was this feeling of relief? To have finally said what he had wished to say many moons ago? Regardless of his feelings, she remained quiet. Her eyes blinked slowly as they watched the gate and lowered towards her hand. There, the amber ring sat upon her finger and shined in the afternoon sunshine.

 

Hope.

 

She lowered her hand to the balcony railing and slowly turned to the captain, acknowledging him finally. He looked past her cracked lips and circles under her eyes. Instead, he looked into her eyes and saw in that moment what others couldn't understand, what others may never come to understand.

 

"I believe...." She'd begin in her soft and tired voice. "....that your horse is waiting."

 

Without a sigh, without resignation, and without fault, he removed his hand from her shoulder. He nodded and picked up his gloves from the desk, along with the letters. He placed his helmet upon his head and rushed to rally his men. A thunderous wave of hooves beating on stone echoed from the city as men and women in ocean blues and lustrous silvers and golds rode to the South-West while gulls flew from the stewards quarters with letters and scrolls to places across the realm.

 

As the captain rode through the thick forest, he worried no longer about his Princess. For she was not lost in misery, but safely home with hope.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

He adjusted his glasses as he walked through the city streets. His ears twitched as whispers slipped from the mouths of those he stewarded.

 

“They say she’s a black widow.”

“Some say she’s cursed.”

“Other’s say they run from her and fake their death.”

“Think she’ll accept this one?”

“How long will this one last?”

 

A scowl formed on the elf’s face as he lifted his long robes from dragging upon the stone. The minds of the unenlightened, he thought with a disgusting taste in his mouth. Passing the tall buildings with each step, the smell of spices and sweets reached his nose. Following the aroma, he arrived at the source. Large carts and wagons of fresh fruits, sweetened breads, and spices sat outside the palace gates. Their banners were foreign and their drivers all wore a similar uniform.

 

The slender steward wormed his way through the crowd made of curious citizens, feisty merchants, and merry bards that circled the palace.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

His voice was disgruntled as he fixed his askewed glasses.

 

“Another one.”

 

The steward would sigh heavily as he made his way past the guard and headed into the palace.

 

His mood didn’t change much once within the confines of the palace he once was proud to say he had built. Now, it had begun to fall apart and become overgrown. Vines and cobwebs seemed to expand outwards, fighting each other in some territorial war of dominance. Who would own the left gargoyle? The spiders or the weeds? Numerous holes in the roof of the reception hall allowed a constant dripping to echo throughout the room, potentially causing one to go mad if held there long enough. But his attempts to fix the room were thwarted.

 

“It’s how he left it, he liked a bit of nature.”

 

She rarely left the palace those days unless to do her basic duties for the city or to go out on one of her trips to search for him.

 

“Yes, but Princess….” His arms would expand outward. “This is more than a BIT of nature!”

 

His complaints and claims fell on deaf ears as she stared at his picture. He felt her sorrow, unable to aid her through mundane or magical means. She was his princess, but also his teacher. She had taught him how to mend broken bones cure toxins, but never how to heal a broken heart.

 

His stroll down memory lane was interrupted as a deep voice boomed from the reception hall. A man of tan color and dark hair stood before the throne of diamonds and tidestone, bearing numerous caskets of jewels and precious metals.

 

“I have heard of your beauty. I have heard of your kindness. And I have heard of your love for wealth, something we share in common, my princess!”

 

The foreign man laughed as he rubbed his large stomach following his claims. With a strained neck, the steward looked around the man and saw the princess seated on the throne. Her look seemed blank, expressionless, and empty. Yet the man seemed to believe his attempt to win her heart infallible.

 

“That is kind of you, sir.” She’d reply in an exhausted tone.

 

The steward righted himself up and fixed his robes. He slicked back his hair and straightened his glasses. With a deep clearing of his throat, he marched his way into the room. He emanated confidence and prestige, when internally he was quite timid and fearful.

 

With a bowed head he approached the tidestone throne. “My Princess.”

 

She acknowledged his presence with a nod and the steward took his place next to her. “My Minister of the Interior.” She stated to the foreigner as she introduced the nervous steward.

 

“Aha! What a fine man to build such a fine city!”

 

The foreign man slapped his stomach as much as he laughed.

 

“Yes, fine indeed. Especially this hall, no?”

 

The foreigner’s laughter paused as he looked around at the weathered hall, his voice becoming strained.

 

“Yes….it is….lovely...but!” He smiled once more as he looked upon her. “With me at your side, I can have this mess fixed up quickly!”

 

Her movements were slow, yet sharp. Standing in front of the throne, the steward was able to look at her without feeling sheepish. Her presence was once magnificent, as if a glow exuded from her, a sense of timeless beauty and confidence. But now he could see that she wasn’t herself, and each passing day her form became worse. He wished he had forced more food upon her or been more adamant about tailoring her dresses more. Once the richest person across the realm, she now appeared as a beggar queen. He quickly looked to her eyes, blushing as he thought she was looking at him stare. But her eyes were transfixed upon her hand where a single amber ring sat. The torchlight of the room caused the ring to twinkle.

 

Loyalty.

 

“It is not a mess.” She replied to the foreigner as she stepped down from the dais. “And I do not need a man by my side other than he.”

 

The man laughed slightly as he tried to maintain his composure and smile.

 

“My Princess, it is known that he has gone. Fled, dead, or something of the sort! You hold onto memories and words as if they were flesh and blood!”

 

He moved to his knee and took from his person a box that held within it a ring with a beautiful diamond upon it.

 

“Allow me to heal your wounds, my princess. We can rule together and you will be wealthy and pleased!”

 

The steward blinked as he looked at the size of the diamond. Carefully he watched her eyes as she moved her hand towards the engagement ring, confused at what would come from this. But as the princess’ hand reached the box, she simply closed its lid and let her hand that held her small amber ring sit upon the top.

 

“Safe travels home, sir.”

 

His stomach rumbled slightly as he stood by the princess on her balcony, watching the carts full of sweets and savory food leave.

 

“Didn’t find his company appealing, my princess?”

 

Her eyes fixated on the gate as the last cart left the city. The sun began to set upon the city and its residents began to head home for the evening.

 

“He would wait for me.”

 

He couldn’t argue the point, the bond they had shared was known throughout the city and elsewhere. But it wasn’t until he stood there on that balcony with her that night, staring into the setting sun, did he realize how loyal an individual could be. Even when not teaching him, she somehow managed to do so. And in an attempt to prove his own loyalty, he left her side and gathered numerous torches, candles, and glowing stones of various sizes and colors.

 

Through the night he worked, but when he work was complete, he had lit a path home for him to follow.

 

All he could do now, was pray that the Light would guide him home to the most loyal of them all.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“You remind me of him.”

 

The dark elf blinked suddenly, looking from the tome that he read at the table and looked upon her.

 

“I’m….I’m sorry?”

 

Her hair began to lose its color, her silver roots peeking through the once dyed brown hair. Sores began to appear around her joints and she tired easily. He had wanted her to cleanse the sword he found that day, but after seeing the toll it took upon her already weak form, he wished he had looked for a different way.

 

“He is always so invested in what he does...he either goes fully into something, disregarding all caution, or doesn’t. There is no middle ground.”

 

Her words were soft and strained, her lips crimson. Many knew she was sick, few knew how severe. She refused to take medicine or allow herself to be healed. She knew what was causing it, and she knew what would come soon if she did not allow herself to recover.

 

“Princess….”

 

He sighed, knowing that if he tried to correct her tense usage it would only upset her more. She talked about him all the time, as if he was just running an errand and would be home soon. How many moons had it been since anyone had last seen him? After some point, many just stop counting and assumed the worst.

 

“Walk with me.”

 

He stood from the chair and closed his book before moving to her side and taking the sleeping infant that sat in his carrier from her. He passed her the staff that had now become more of a cane than anything as of late, and the two of them walked off.

 

“Here we are…”

 

They stopped at the top of the stairs between the library and palace. His eyes looked around, confused.

 

“What….?”

“This is where I first met him.”

“Oh…”

 

She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, relishing in the memory.

 

“He came rushing over to us from the grove, seeking aid for someone choking.

His mannerisms and exaggerated movements….even though a serious moment, they made me want to laugh.”

 

He smiled at the words, remembering such antics being a common place with him. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and began to walk once more until stopping in the city square.

 

“Here….is where I healed him after being assaulted by a crazed Kha.” She looked down at the stone with narrowed eyes, as if remembering the exact place he lay. “He was so bloody, the katar the Kha used had sliced his internal organs. People just stood there and offered no help.”

 

He scowled as he adjusted the infant upon his back. “A reason why I seek the Light, to be able to do when others do not.”

 

She nodded her approval and remained still for a moment before stepping forward. Only a handful of yards away upon a stairway she paused.

 

“Another spot?”

 

“Yes….his chest and side had been slashed up. By sword or claw, I never knew. But seeing him in pain, something within me knew that

I had to be the one to bring him comfort when no one else could.”

 

Their travels continued, and while he thought that the time could be better spent at solving the mystery surrounding the shadow blade, he followed along silently. The green of the forest wrapped around them as they looked up at the ruined elder tree.

 

“He spent much time here.”

 

“He always had a thing for Druids. He would always be around Nyn and the others.”

 

“It was here that I blessed his weapon, and here where he helped me ward their tree. It was here that….” She’d pause and look to the sleeping child on his back and allow the rare smile to lay across her cracked lips. “It was here that I realized how much he meant to me.”

 

He looked at her with a sense of understanding, yet her gaze was fixed on the amber ring that sat on her hand. The moonlight seemed to strike it in such a way that caused it to sparkle.

 

Love.

 

“We should be getting back, my princess, the hour grows late.”

 

She nodded and began to follow him home, but stopped to look behind her once more before heading off.

 

As they returned to the palace they climbed the tall stairs to the royal quarters. The bedroom had only fallen into further disarray in the recent days, yet no one tried to fix it. After laying the child in its crib she helped her into her bed, slowly moving the blankets and fixing her pillows. Her coughing began once more and the white cloth she used to cover her mouth became speckled with crimson. She sipped the water he offered her slowly and leaned back against the pillows to close her eyes.

 

“And this is where I thought I lost him forever. And also where he came back to me.”

 

Her words became soft as her breathing slowed, falling into a soft slumber. He stayed by her bedside, understanding why she refused to change anything, understanding why she refused to leave, and understanding why she refused to move on. He understood what love truly was in the dark hours that night by the bedside of his princess, witnessing it first hand.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The darkness of her bedroom washed over her belongings. Like a spectre of death, silent and deadly, it crept from the shadows that hid in the corners. It slipped over her books and journals, over her jewelry and dresses,  over her paintings and portraits. It slithered up the bed posts and onto the blue bed spread hoping to assault the unguarded princess.

 

But as the shadows of the dark room attempted to swallow her in this hour, the amber ring shined brightly.

 

No simple sparkle or twinkle, but a brilliant amber light shined against the darkness, forcing the shadows away as if he was there protecting her in her time of need.

 

For she was never truly without him, but now he was headed home.

 

Trust. Hope. Loyalty. Love.

Told ya we'd be back.

2 hours ago, Sir K Andruske said:

 

But are they actually disconnected for it? That clause would make sense if there was a karma tally for them. Hurt a grey-being and big man in the sky goes "Yo. Strike one." After three strikes you are out & have to make a pilgrimage or something. 

(Cuz everyone loves a good pilgrimage. #knightsofthenine) 

 

 

I've been on the receiving end of this, where someone lied to another Cleric that I used holy magic against an innocent person 6 IRL months prior.

 

They didn't even ask for my side of the story, didn't listen to anything I tried to say, and attempted to disconnect me when I hadn't even known the spell they were accusing me of using against the individual OR when I was being accused. 

 

But apparently thats OKAY to do. Yet, the accusing cleric killed my unborn child (The most innocent of all innocents) by trying to do this, by putting stress and anger on an expectant woman, and got away with it. 

 

Clericalism is a mess.

 

 

As for why I feel holy magic should affect mortals, besides being the tool to fight dark mages, is that mortals aren't totally pure. They're classified as Grey, having both light and dark within them, the ability to become something impure as they're not pure. 

 

Its why our magics physical and blunt aspects will work on them, but not the burning affect. Chains would hold them in place, but not burn. Orbs would be hitting them with blunt damage, but no holy light damage, etc.

1 hour ago, Farryn said:

 

“We aren’t the best healers”, I apologise Squirtgun, Seventh, and everyone who disagrees but you are wrong.

2

 

 

Sorry to say, but even LT says we're not the strongest. Not even the second. Flam can confirm.

1 hour ago, Lynx said:

 A Aengul that dispite what you may think is written as a selfish and irrational being whose OCD on everything being the way he wants it effects his judgement in every call. Not to mention the stealing of followers from a certain Deity at one point whether cannon or not, he is in no way a "good guy". He doesn't even want his followers to heal people because they are hurt but imperfected. 

 

Indeed. Just because they're an Aengul doesn't mean they're good. The title of Aengul is just public perception, they're viewed by the mortals as being the "good guy". He's quite cruel, in truth. Which makes it logical that his light/magic would affect any and all that didn't align themselves with purity and put it to the player's choice of how intense they wished to follow their patrons ideals. 

 

Tahariae is a mess, honestly. Lets just kill him off and start fresh. Right? @The Pink Lion :P

1 hour ago, Farryn said:

• How is War Clericalism butchered?

1

 

With the time limits you placed upon the combat spells (20 Minutes), it was indeed butchered.

 

You removed Weapons and Shields, things we use regularly, without even mentioning it in the change log.

 

The new additions are fine, but they don't adjust the core issue of Clericalism. We aren't the best healers. We were one of the better types at combating the dark creatures. And because of this, losing combative prowess and ability to manipulate our light into other weapons and defenses makes little sense. We're taking two steps back and one step forward by losing key aspects to our arsenal for limited utility spells when our patron wishes for us to eradicate the darkness. 

 

Clerics want more freedom with their light, we want to be able to take it further and have it evolve with us as we spend years along side it, we want the ability to think outside of the box.

 

If your argument is going to be "Its too much like Paladins", Tah and Xan are 'brothers'. Tah gave them the blueprints to Keepers. If you're going to say that Tah is allied and working with these Aenguls, then there's no reason why we couldn't share some abilities at a weaker skill level, similar to how paladins are able to heal at a lesser ability.

 

1 hour ago, Farryn said:

 

• Orbs no longer burn and are considered a defence? - Orbs of light are still offensive but I do understand where you got confused. "Spells such as Pulsing Light, Orb of Light and Sacred Aegis are more defence based or vanish a few seconds after contact, meaning that the burning effect will not occur for these spells as contact will never be held at a longer period upon contact with a dark being or mage." Orb of Light is not defensive but its categorised with Sacred Aegis in terms of that they do not cause a much of a burning effect due to the orb exploding and vanishing in a matter of seconds.1

 

 

Then reword it as such. The people that are going to be looking at this are either ones trying to learn how to use their magic in RP or those fighting Clerics and will simply shrug off an orb thrown at them because its categorized as a "defensive" spell. This is a current issue that we have as Holy Vs Dark, determining how powerful an attack is or how resilient something is to an attack. Muddying the waters unintentionally is only going to cause issues down the line.

 

1 hour ago, Farryn said:

• Tahariae - That is your view of how clericalism should work but this lore is going by how clericalism has always worked and operated, one that everyone - both clerics and non clerics- do prefer when it comes to this. I'm trying not to rely fully on Tahariae's lore to explain why something is affected, and I am going by many lores and I do not hold the right to suddenly go "Boom! Keepers and Ascended are negatively affected!". It's not fair on the other groups if I change their own lore. Honestly, Tahariae is not that hell bent on eradicating everything impure. He can be logical and understanding, know when to take advantage of something and when to focus on the major issues. If anything, if it helps to eradicate the greater impures (dark beings), then it can remain until the greater threat is gone then that lesser impurity is focused on. Furthermore, this is to keep in line with the keeper, ascended, and soul tree lores that cannot be affected negatively by clerical magic. And yes, the clerics can certainly decide such when it comes to homunculi, etc. However, the followers of other deities that Tahariae is allied with will and always will be unharmed by clerical magic.1

 

 

That is not my view of how Clericalism should work. That is how it has worked. Tahariae is depicted as Judge, Jury, and Executioner. There is no chance to plead a case or look for a happy medium. You're either pure and his light doesn't burn you or you're impure and the light burns you. This is how it has always worked and is confirmed by LT. Tah is the Hitler of the Aenguls.

 

There is no reason for Clerics to be using their magic on Ascended, Keepers, or Soul Trees unless they are being fought in the first place. All have their own ways of healing themselves. Truthfully, because of them being unnatural beings, being followers of an Aengul other than Tah, and having the ability to naturally remedy their own wounds, it makes little sense why Tah would want them to be healed in the first place as thats just a misuse of his Light which breaks a Tenent. Have them heal themselves unless unable. 

 

I get that we want to all hold hands and sing campfire songs and have holy orders be best buddies, but it makes little sense. Yes, they all work for the "Greater Good" of the Realm, but deep down, each Aengul has their own agenda they're trying to push. Even between Xan and Tah who are brothers, the differences run deep. And brothers fight ALL the time, some of the bloodiest battles in fiction and non-fiction have been between siblings that wanted the same goal but didn't see eye to eye about how to reach it. It'd be interesting to allow the magic to hurt them, but allowing the players to decide can create tension and dynamic RP within the holy orders. You'd have those that would be strictly following Tah's words, those that want to do whats best for the realm, and those with mixed emotions.

 

And god knows least two of the other holy orders magic works on us.

 

2 hours ago, Farryn said:

Honestly, Tahariae is not that hell bent on eradicating everything impure. He can be logical and understanding

 

Ok, you made me laugh out loud.

 

Having Clerics jump off cliffs because he wanted them to show loyalty, then disconnected them when they refused is logical and understanding.

Shaming Clerics that have sex outside of marriage or drink a bit is logical and understanding.

Severing the connection forever and refusing an individual to ever return to his service is logical and understanding.

Even you said, he never forgets.

Tah isn't logical or understanding. If he was, he wouldn't be depicted as the sole person in a court room within his realm, he wouldn't task his followers to purge and destroy every dark being, regardless of their nature or creation.

 

I remember when Zer0 once told me that if my child ever became a Dark Mage or Being and I couldn't bring myself to destroy it, that Tah would disconnect me.

 

2 hours ago, Farryn said:

 

• You have Divine Curism in place of Priest Healing throughout, needs to be changed. - I have checked and I do not see any signs of 'Divine Curative' anywhere on the Priest Healing. I am certain I rechanged it all back to Priest Healing.

 

Wouldn't post it if it wasn't there.

 

2 hours ago, Farryn said:

Shades - Alright. Do you know who is the Shade LM so I can talk with them on it?

 

The one at the time was Thomas, so you'll have to poke Flam about it. Speaking of this type, why are Frost Witches suddenly less effected/resistant to Holy Magic? They're cursed and the curse has seeped into their physical form, changing their bodys make up to look monsterous and drive them to feast on human flesh. Its both ideally and physically unnatural and impure.

 

2 hours ago, Farryn said:

•  Divine Wardens - I still see potential within Divine Wardens for the clerics and it is a truly interesting concept for the clerics to have. Although you are right we've been waiting to be grandfathered up to tier 5 Divine Wardens so we can teach it. Since Pandan has not been responding, I will talk to the MT and see about having our characters (along with the chosen teachers) grandfathered up to tier 5 Divine Wardens when the revamp event occurs so that we can actually begin teaching it. We never got to see Divine Wardens in actual roleplay  aside from the creation of sunwells because of the lack of teachers and who knows, maybe it'll be just as good as it sounds compared to just reading the lore. Let's at least give it a proper shot.

I'm all for this if they actually allow us to utilize the magic. Either allow us or scrap it entirely, letting it sit around does nothing for anyone, Flam.

 

2 hours ago, Farryn said:

• Blessing items to have spell effects - MArts. They are best to infusing a spell within an item. The war blessing is just the simplest attack blessing there is and I feel as though blessings that involve infusing a spell within an object will require a MArt. You can still bless many weapons and many other objects. The only blessing that allows for storing light is storage light - war blessing gives the aurum effectiveness to non-aurum weapons, healing blessing allows for bandages, cloth, etc to be able to heal wounds under tier 3.

Can you make it clear in the blessing section than that once a Cleric blesses a weapon with a war blessing that it will trigger when it comes into contact with taint, like our old blessings did? Reading it currently, it makes it seem like only Clerics can benefit from such a blessing and we can't proactively bless a normal persons weapon to help them fight.

 

Do the healing blessings allow non-Cleric people to benefit from them? I didn't believe so which is why I'm suggesting it be a possibility to Holy Enchant. Maybe even as an addition to Holy Alteration or a new sub-type itself if it needed to be. Healing is the only real use I can think of atm that could benefit from it, having bandages with a Minor Wound spell imbued in it that a medic can use to try and heal minor wounds that would need to be recharged after use or replaced entirely. 

 

2 hours ago, Farryn said:

Tier is misspelled in one of the headers, think it's in the explanation one - Thank you for pointing that out.

 

No problem, friendo.

 

2 hours ago, Farryn said:

Shields - You got Sacred Aegis. May not be the best shield but it's still a shield. It was either that or no shields at all, the paladins get a little mad when I try and make stronger wide shields for us. Angering lions is not the best thing for a stag to do.

 

 See first quote. Lets take back our Keepers and ability to heal then, ya?

 

2 hours ago, Farryn said:

Limiting or ceasing the amount of purity on an area - It's meant to be impurity and it serves the purpose to stop taint from spreading over land, therefore giving time for druids and shamans to gather up and remove it before the taint grows into a size that they cannot handle.

 

I knew what you were trying to say since I understand wards, but someone reading this would be confused.

4 hours ago, The Pink Lion said:

ew the suffocating woes and utterings are still there

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Agreed.

 

War Clericism is also butchered.

 

20 minutes of constantly being touched by holy light to be potentially lethal by a spell like Chains that can be destroyed by others in 3 hits?

 

Orbs no longer burn and are considered a defense?

 

The time limit on Flames is fine, but with all the negatives your putting on war clericalism, making it exhaust you as much and as quickly is just making the subtype extremely underpowered for an Aengul that encourages and desires the eradication of impurities. 

 

Tahariae doesn't care about other orders missions or goals, he cares about Purity. If something stands in its way, it's meant to be destroyed. If something is adding to the impurity of the world, it's meant to be destroyed. That is his goal and wish. Magic should affect any and all that fall into these categories, regardless of how they might bring some purity to the realm. It should be up to the Clerics icly to decide whether the pros outweigh the cons of allowing such a being to exist for a time longer. 

 

You have Divine Curism in place of Priest Healing throughout, needs to be changed. 

 

I I spoke to the Shade LM a few months ago that said Shades are affected by a holy magic like every other dark being, may want to check if that's still

a thing as then Healing and such needs to be reworked. 

 

Why hat is Divine Wardenism still in here as a different subtype when there hasn't been a teacher for it in over a year and we still haven't been grandfathered it since that skype group 6 months ago?

 

Id like to be able to bless items with specific spells, not just energy, in a sense of Holy Enchanting. We can then give out trinkets and things to normal people and have them recite a prayer of sorts to activate the enchantment. This would allow for us to proactively hand out items to help protect the people in terms of holy weapons and shields, but also in terms of holy infused items that can treat minor wounds. It'd cause less ambulance-style rp for clerics and people will come seek of us proactively. Obviously make it a one or two change thing depending on the use or size. This lore for blessing makes it sound like we can no longer bless others weapons, and are only storing war light for our selves. 

 

Tier is misspelled in one of the headers, think it's in the explanation one. 

 

Give me back my shields. 

 

Limiting or ceasing the amount of purity on an area, doesn't make sense in the warding explanation. 

 

 

 

On phone and just woke up, all I've seen so far. Will look back later. Until those issues are addressed though, I prefer what we have right now. 

 

Ditto Face

Lily stuff the parchment into the pouch next to a sleeping infant as she continues her search.

 

"I shared this information long ago with the Keepers, and they went and did nothing. Even told them the High Prince himself is married to a Dark Mage."

 

She shrugs her shoulders and continues to traverse the mountainside.

Got a call from K0llu today:

 

Due to his stint in the hospital, he's being medically discharged with the ability to return after getting clearance from a physician, which he intends to do. He will be leaving Boot Camp and return home to get clearance within a week-two weeks. He plans on getting his clearance while home, among other things, then returning.

 

Additional letters will not be sent, as they wont reach him before he leaves.

 

 

I sent you a photo of my salad and you didnt say it was nice :(

((Didn't you just quit?))

 

A woman shakes her head at the news. "I called this long ago." She'd mutter to herself. "Coward."

As of this time, anything anyone has sent me has been forwarded to K0llu.

 

If you'd like to send a second message, feel free to contact me.

 

I'll contact anyone that he mentions in his letter, when I receive it. The earliest foreseeable time for this would be next Friday.

 

 

Shame these numbers were done the first week of actual summer for many and they're now on vacation/actually doing summer things. (TFW 4 of your 6 stewards are on vacation at the same time rip)

 

Though people boast that summer is when we get our highest player numbers, it's during the school year where we actually get the most consistent numbers. 

 

This also doesn't count some of the outlying manors and homes that people bunk up in but aren't part of a main rp hub. So keep that in mind. 

Just an update for those that may have missed information.

 

K0llu has just left the hospital after being hospitalized for five days. He began to vomit blood from Rhabdomyolysis and Hypokalemia.

 

He's been treated for both and cleared by the civillian hospital to return to duty, but requires another examination by military medical personnel to decide if he can continue, be recycled, or be medically discharged and return later.

 

He misses friends and would love to hear from ya'll. So if you haven't sent a letter and still wish to, now's a great time.

 

 

Kary will be jealous.

 

This has my consent.

The way charters work currently isn't realistic. Having people "sign" a post on a forum saying they support something doesn't actually show how active they are in the settlement, or if they even participate in the settlement at all. Plenty of times I've seen people that have no affiliation to a group other than being an OOC friend to sign a charter that's meant to show actual player activity. 

 

Small charters shouldn't really be a thing. Have players be involved with the nations. Have them request land from nations so RP remains within nations. If you can't get a nation to give you land, try another one. If you still can't, maybe there's something wrong with your groups premise. 

 

If nations say they don't have space, have the group offer money to the nation to purchase more land. 

 

If a large enough people actively speak to staff and say they wanna branch off and try to make a settlement on their own, that should be handled separately and should work in a tier system where they start off small, like a village. Then, as they pass activity checks and have a visible need to grow and expand they can become Towns, Settlements, Citys, etc.

Player Retention Data for May 2017

 

Keep it civil guys, it's just an application.

 

On 7/2/2017 at 5:56 PM, Luv said:

Judging by your time on the Application Team, going to give this a hard no.

 

- Your poor way of handling your issues with other members of the team. Instead of speaking to your management and/or lead you would simply just be aggressive in the chats.

 

 

Was waiting for you, honestly.

 

You may think that I did not speak to my management or lead, but you're mistaken. I spoke to my manager, who gave me the wrong information. Following their directions and completing my first application with them, I was spoken to by numerous AT members about said application and how "I" did it wrong. You may forget the whole PessPess incident, but many don't.

 

I was then directed to no longer follow that manager and requested a different manager to oversee me, Holly.

 

Sadly, Holly was just as inactive as my first manager and left/was removed shortly after. Thus I referred all questions and comments to Ski personally.

 

The day before the one meeting we had during my tenure, Ski and I had a 3hr+ Skype call about what to discuss and try to improve upon while he ate chipotle. PS. He hates cheese.

 

To say I was aggressive in the chats is an exaggeration. I was in two chats, as I did not join the General Chat/Meme chat. I was there to do work. 

 

In the FM/AT Chat, all that was posted was me requesting IP checks as I found many banned alts. In the AT chat, I would be rather quiet until the end of my tenure as the frustration of watching people get free rides while others did their work angered me. It's my belief that if you're volunteering to work, and not forced to do a job to survive, you should be giving it 100%. If not, step aside and let someone whose at least willing to give more effort to the position to complete it. If not, you're simply utilizing a position and title for shiny pex and not actually achieving the goal of the team, which was to get new players onto the server and retain them. 

 

Sorry I wasn't interested in Friendship Friday. I was there to do work.

 

On 7/2/2017 at 5:56 PM, Luv said:

 

- The way you would publicly speak about how you single handily ran the team, and without you, the team would've been at a loss. One time we even spoke about this over the OOC chat because you were ranting about it there.

 

 

I don't recall this ever being said. I do recall our argument however in OOC because I remember seeing the cropped Screenshots you sent. A player asked why AT didn't have the ability to TP to new players to help them in OOC. I discussed how we had just had a meeting about it and why people didn't want it, although I was a proponent for it. 

 

I doubt I ever stated I single handily ran the team, simply because that wasn't true. @EdgyMagey and I worked our asses off to get the applications done. Because when we let applications sit, they'd sit for 12-16 hours while people joked and memed in the AT chat and had to be reminded to keep such in the General/Meme chat.

 

It got to the point that Ski would even tell me to let him know when applications were sitting for long hours and not getting done. 

 

On 7/2/2017 at 5:56 PM, Luv said:

- The way you spoke to your managers and how you spoke to your other members of the team, verbally, during the few team meetings we held. Even one time telling someone to shut up because you were talking.

 

 

 We had one meeting.

 

If telling Quav "Stop talking, it's my turn to speak." is telling him to shut up, then I'm guilty of that.

 

But when you're sitting in a meeting that should take 30mins, but you're listening to yourself and a manager sing songs while you're riding a scooter or tricycle(Can't recall what it was) down the street and calling people ugly *******, while Ski was trying to handle the meeting, was down right rude and frustrating.

 

To the point where Ski even messaged me afterwards about his displeasure towards how the meeting went. 

 

The only reason I was adamant about being able to speak when I did, was because the team lead asked me to recite five things of importance off and explain them to the team. In trying to explain the various points, I was spoken over by Quav as he tried to defend his sandstone tutorial. Could it have been handled nicer? Sure. I apologized at the end of the meeting to Quav, and if he had left before he heard it then Sorry Quav. I spoke in a frustrated and harsh tone because of the meeting, not because of you. 

 

The only other time I ever spoke during the meeting was actually after the meeting was concluded and we were discussing teleport and an AT modreq program. Other than that, I didn't speak during the meeting as I was messaging Ski various things to bring up that we had spoken the day prior about and reporting to Admins how an AT manager used their ET perms to teleport me and my pets into lava, killing them all, then laughing about it.

 

On 7/2/2017 at 5:56 PM, Luv said:

 

- (Added 7:05 PM 7/2/17) You were also removed from the team for all the behavior listed about and numerous reports of you leaking the Staff chat and important staff documents, however I will not hold the leaking as something that should bare any weight as it was simply a number of reports from numerous parties.

 

 

I did no such thing.

 

The only information I shared was information from a previous month applications quota after I received permission to do so. The same information that many other AT shared 

 

I know why I was removed. He knows why I was removed. And it was not for what you've described.

 

On 7/2/2017 at 5:56 PM, Luv said:

(Added 7:09 PM 7/2/17) As a nation leader I find it hard to believe you plan to promote any activity for a city that isn't you own, and opinion is based on how well I know you and the kind of person I know you to be. 

 

 

You don't know me as I made it a point to not to befriend you after seeing your behavior in Celein chat and lackluster work ethic/performance. Regardless, what you quote as an experience with me, however minimal, is also a year old. There are people that have been banned multiple times on staff, on all teams. People change.

 

On 7/2/2017 at 9:21 PM, Dtrik said:

Events are 1 part story and 4 parts being implementable. Not seeing that in the events listed. Also the events you posted are all themed to the characteristics for your nation not in a broad nature. 

To the notion event team does not send events toward Sutica and its clerics is because the clerics have a notoriety of being power gamers and wanting events (mostly wanting undead) to come to them. The event team works off of coordination of nation/guild leaders and Event Staff. From looking over your history, being staff would not be well suited for you Squirtgun. If your wish is to provide events for your nation, come in contact with ET members and we can create events together. 

0

 

 

This is the reason why I discussed with He before making an application and was told to do so, to bring events to Sutica. 

 

Events should have some story to them, but the story should also develop from the RP that follows the beginning of the event. Giving possible outcomes proves that different possibilities exist and an event does not have a single goal involved, which makes it more enjoyable and unique to the players involved.

 

Labeling a group of players as having a 'notoriety of being power gamers' isn't fair when there are different groups of clerics. He can verify that I've been asking for non-spook events. And there are many spooks that can be labeled as 'power gamers' as well. 

 

But more importantly, Sutica isn't just clerics. It has its own playerbase as well that hasn't been receiving events. While your idea of messaging ET to create events is nice on paper, I've sent requests, documents, builds, event proposals, and more to ET members/directors since Freema was in charge. 

 

Since March of 2016 Sutica has had:

 

Murlocs doing a riddle contest in Vailor (One time event)

A Jade Statue fished up that spoke to people in Vailor (One time event)

 

Hedgehug doing a Sea Spirit Storyline (Event happened 1 time, storyline dropped)

Atles doing a Cultist Storyline (Made the builds, event never happened, storyline dropped)

Fish People Village was built (Events never happened)

Baeht did a Gryphon event (One time event)

Baeht did a 'Scheck' event(One-Two time event, storyline dropped)

Aesopian was meant to do a merchant event (Never happened)

 

These are, obviously, the only event I know of however I don't leave Sutica and am generally aware of what events, if any, are transpiring.

 

But at the end of the day, this is just an application to bring a player base a chance at events in the place where they predominantly RP at. If I don't get it, it's no skin off my back. I just implore him to bring this player base some events as we've discussed in PMs.

Minecraft Name: SquirtGun

 

Discord: Private, will be given if interviewed

 

Time-zone: EST

 

Do you, or have you held, any other staff positions? Please mention if you are intending on applying for GM as an ET: I was part of the Application Team a year ago for a couple months. I am not interested in applying for GM as an ET.

 

Where do you grab inspiration from?: I’ve played the Final Fantasy series and find it to be one of my favorite. I’m also a world first mythic raider on WoW for the last four expansions. I’ve played the Diablos games, though I’m not a huge fan of them and just tend to play them when I’m unable to occupy my mind elsewhere.

 

However, most of my inspiration comes from books that I read, and I do read a lot of them. You have the normal answers of the current Young Adult books, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Hunger Games, Divergent, Twilight(I got paid $50 to read the series, wasn’t worth it), Game of Thrones, etc. Yet I find enjoyment in the books that are less heard about, such as the Ash Fall series, which is about the super-volcano in Wyoming exploding and the after effects it has on America and how a teenager attempts to survive the fallout.

 

I enjoy stories that aren’t simply about the Man vs Man conflict, but moreso Man vs Self and Man vs Environment. I enjoy such tales and experiences because each individual changes differently. Some rise to the occasion and surpass the challenges, while others fall.

 

What are your current list of characters, and are you willing to sacrifice any?: My only real character I have is Lily which I am not interested in sacrificing at this time. However, I have two available persona slots.

 

What race, or group, do your events best cater to?: It’s no secret that my events would cater to that of Sutica and Clerics (two groups that have not seen love from the ET for a long time). However, even then the events I’d like to create would cater to those that actively seek out roleplay and create it themselves. We should be rewarding players that are actively online rather than merely scheduling events oocly and letting players log in then log off at the beginning and end of the event.

 

What do you believe are the key factors for a successful event?: Interaction, Enjoyment, Accountability, Goal-Oriented.

 

Interaction: Players should be able to interact with an event if they are present. I’ve seen, and had it happen to myself, where a certain group are given an event in front of other players and those not within the group are shunned from the event. That only places a bad taste in players mouths. If you wish to have an event for a specific group of players, schedule that somewhere else than a city-square. Don’t make an event that a single player with magic can simply trump every other player’s chance of participating in it. That will only ruin the moment which leads into….

 

Enjoyment: Players look for enjoyment on the server, that’s why they’re here. From role play, adventuring, chatting in OOC, and in events, they want to be able to enjoy the server so they have a reason to log in the next day. This doesn’t mean players can’t be challenged or fail, but they should be given the opportunity to succeed. Working with the players to discover what they’d like to have as an event can bring about some fun, yet at the same time a challenging event that they weren’t prepared for can also be fun. It’s important to remember that players are people, and work with them to ensure everyone has a chance to enjoy the event.

 

Accountability: One of the easiest ways to help make sure a player is enjoying the event is to allow for accountability on their part. Ensure every person has a chance to affect the event in some way instead of letting one or two people spearhead the operation. The more people you have involved means more work for the ET, which is entirely understandable, but planning out a system of how to deal with emotes and turns with players beforehand can ensure everyone is having an opportunity to feel important or impactful in the event. We want players to feel like this is a Dynamic RP server, and it should feel that way in events. If players feel like what they do actually has an impact on the event or world around them, they feel more connected and important, which will have them logging back in.

 

Goal-Oriented: While not every event can have a truly remarkable goal, they all should have some meaning or purpose behind it. From escort quests to shady merchants, from wild animals to dark dungeons, there should be a reason why ET are providing the players these events. And while the ET pushes the players towards these goals, they need to allow players to make the choice if these goals are ever reached. Give them the map, but not a GPS. Give them the opportunity to seek out the meaning or have the chance of acquiring the goal, but if Dynamis RP prevents such from happening, don’t try to force it upon them. Players will find greater enjoyment and satisfaction in knowing they achieved something on their own without being spoonfed information oocly or guided by a magic hand.

 

 

What strengths would you bring to the team?: I believe my viewpoint on rewarding actively roleplaying players is something that the team could benefit from. Similar to how my viewpoint on how AT need to ensure newer players are able to find roleplay and enjoyment within the server quickly to retain them, I believe the ET can work with the AT to ensure new players have these experiences while benefiting older players. We all know during the end of map time players simply stop logging in, thus those that remain should be sought out and rewarded for their commitment.

 

I’m extremely dedicated to a cause, almost painfully, and will spend my time bringing about the values of the team and ensuring players have the experience we wish for them to have. I’ve worked closely with one of your ET builders for nearly two years, making for a strong work relationship to produce quality work.

 

 

Why do you want to be part of the team?: Aside from what I spoke earlier about, ensuring players attention and activity are retained and their enjoyment maintained, and what I spoke in pms, I’m part of two groups (Sutica and Clerics) that have received little attention from the ET. I’d like to be able to incorporate some of the group's culture and ideologies into events directed towards them. Obviously Clerical events would be more specific and isolated, but Sutica culture and history is rich with potential ideas for events that have yet been touched upon and I’d like to bring those to the surface.

 

Create three distinct event scenarios based on the servers lore that you would organize: I’m going to recount three events I’ve personally done over the years on the server to show my previous non-ET work.

 

Sunken Treasure (Takes place during one day):

 

 

 

 

The Anglerfish(Takes place over several days, possibly recurring):

 

 

 

 

From Darkness Comes Light (A clerical event):

 

 

 

 

 

How long do you plan to be able to work on the team?: I plan on working as long as I remain active on LotC. If something should come up, such as moving or relocating, I may need to take a hiatus.

 

Tell me a joke: Erm, I nearly crashed Nation leader skype chat with my essay long messages.

Just now, James2k said:

I suppose the additions of a couple Us here and there would make it completely incomprehensible to him

0

 

Its a requirement by the military, not I. Everything needs to be in English(American) so they can see what he's being sent at any and all times. Just copy pasting the relevant rules I was sent.

Gonna keep this short and sweet as best as I can. 

 

 

K0llu has many friends here on LotC, some I can't get in contact with easily and some I do not know about, thus the post.

 

For those that don't know, our fellow player K0llu has recently entered the military. While you may not support the military, there's no argument that it's a difficult and stressful experience, especially the first few weeks.

 

I have obtained his mailing address from his family and will be sending him letters. If you'd like to write some words of encouragement to a fellow player, feel free to write it on a GDoc and share the link with me here. If you want to send something private, send me a PM with the link.

 

Rules:

 

- These are meant to encourage K0llu and show him support in a time of need. If your letter doesn't show this it will not be going.

- Photos and Drawings are welcomed, but they will most likely be black and white

- Letters must be in English (American)

- Nothing lewd/dirty

- Nothing too profane 

- Nothing racist/homophobic/etc.

- Letters can be of any length, but understand he may not be able to read it all, so try to keep them to one page.

- You will most likely not be getting a response back other than, thanks. It isn't that he doesn't appreciate your work or words, its simply a time restraint he gets.

- I will be sending out the letters slowly, most likely one a day, to keep a steady stream going to him instead of one big lump, as he won't have time to read them all. I will attempt to give you a date of when your letter is being sent out. It takes roughly 7-10 Business days for it to reach him.

- I will not be giving out his personal information.

 

- Lastly, pretend a military official is reading your letter. Act appropriately. If your addition to this project is viewed as being harmful or detrimental to its purpose or K0llu, it will not be going.

 

 

You may be reading this and realize that you have no affiliation towards K0llu, but I ask that you still share this with your friends. They may be friends with him and support, no matter how big or small, is still support. Thanks.

 

 

 

 

As for the GM team, thank you.

 

We were able to give our fellow player a proper send off on LotC with a surprise party on his last day. But thanks to @Xarkly and @Rammer we were able to give him, and all those in military service, a supportive broadcast. It not only showed your support, but got people in OOC to show support to him as well, which really made his last few minutes on LotC great ones. You may not always make the right calls in people's eyes, but you remembered that every player is a person, and every person needs some support at times. Thank you.

 

 

Should show off new Sutica. Those isles are beautiful

3 minutes ago, ImperialRoyalist said:

mothers day 2.0

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Indeed. Can only hope rules are followed this time on staff side.