Gallic

Okay so I wasn't going to say anything 'cause hey whatever I don't know this dude personally, but...

People are saying he doesn't meme that often, that he's great at RP... I dunno where you guys have been, if you were part of that whole Orcish niche or what. I don't exactly get to see that side for obvious reasons.

But I've never seen any of this-- And whatever, maybe he's not usually like that or something, so just keep in mind that what I give you is what I've seen.

"King of Memes" is a well-earned title. Usually his shenanigans are fairly innocent, and I don't mind it when I'm just witnessing it... Not a part of it. And it's not just a 'sometimes' or 'just OOC' thing, it's every time I see him. Something ridiculous and disruptive. Sure, it's good RP-- Until you get other people involved who don't want to be involved. Like I said: If someone wants to be involved in that, it's fun. For someone like me, who's grumpy and very serious about my RP, it's really not-fun.

It feels trolly and disruptive, to me and a bunch of other salty sallies who will remain unnamed because I'm lazy.

But, I don't know who he is as a person beyond that.

He's also biased toward PvP resolution, probably. And that's something I don't like. But that's just a personal problem, nothing to do with how fit he is for this position.

So, a big, lukewarm,

-1

I mean I don't have any reason to actually dislike the dude or anything. Just sayin' my opinion.

23 hours ago, TheCritsyBear said:

So, I accidentally voted for the raiding cap to be increased to eight. I meant to vote for it to stay at four. Don't ask how it happened.

 

I want a voting refund.

I'm sorry for posting this but I am of a strong negative opinion about doubling the numbers of raiders allowed and my vote still counts for it. :x

I don't know what else to do beyond pesonally bothering a FM about it or something.

So, I accidentally voted for the raiding cap to be increased to eight. I meant to vote for it to stay at four. Don't ask how it happened.

I want a voting refund.

Oliver walked by the poster. Then took a double take. Then a triple take. Then, he let out a "Whaaaaat?"

Then he stared at it for a long time, conflicted, slightly irritated, guilty.

"I wanted this for years and they do it now?"

Slightly disgruntled, he leaves a response regardless. As well as a note on the back.

Name: Oliver, Druid of Solace

Race: Human

Age: (I lost track. Like 60?)

Nationality: N/A: Druid

((MC name: Gallic))

((Skype name: pcpaste))

"P.S. I spent much of my life trying to learn of the spirits and shamans and now you decide to make a public decree that everyone should be able to?

Do you know how many orcs I fought to even speak to a shaman?

Still, I will humbly learn, if you would take a Druid. I know that relations between our two peoples are... Strained. Hopefully that has nothing to do with this. If you even speak to me, we can discuss it further in private. I don't seek power over elements, I don't seek any kind of advantage with this... I fully expect the spirits would not take kindly to me at all. I only wish to know our world more intimately, and better serve nature. Not just speaking to the trees and animals, but the rivers, rain, wind and stones as well.

Not that I don't expect to get an ass kicking.

Boy, my fellow Druids are going to have a field day about this.

-Solace"

((EDIT: I forgot fancy colors and formatting and now it's too late because I can't do so in post-editing. ;~;))

Hi yes this is Gallic.

Yes.

Prepare for an 80's montage.

1 hour ago, Krugalicious said:

It needs to be lowered.

Lowering the threshhold would mean four attackers and two defenders.

That's crazy, dude. How would that lower our sodium intake?

I really, really dig the Defender default as it is now- But that's probably because I don't go out and try to start fights. I imagine I'd be saltier if I was trying to be an antagonist or something and people PvP default'd me. The only actual complaint I have is what was already mentioned.

When it comes to raids, some silly things can happen.

Honestly, I like the idea of making the raiders not count toward the cap.

But, some people (and I'm not saying this was the only complaint) in the last post were saying that forcing RP wasn't fair because some factions are OP in their eyes.

If you're attacking factions which are OP in RP, then maybe you shouldn't be attacking them in such a manner. Find some other way that isn't throwing down axes. I'd love to see some kind of alternative happen here.

Of course Druids are OP in a densely populated forest. It's like attacking necromancers in a crypt or dreadknights in a lake. You just wouldn't do it, because that's crazy.

I'd like to note, I'm still active on this- I just don't like bumping my own posts. This isn't dead or anything, I've just been politely waiting for questions or a response from lore land.

Oliver's anti-authoritarian complex toward Artemic begins easing up a little.

"Maybe we can at least get along," he thinks as he probably lies in the grass somewhere, now feeling a tinge of guilt over his vitriolic statements at the last moot.

"...But even if he tries to make a change, he still acted like a power-hungry sociopath before."

And with that, he makes up his mind. He'll stop being as aggressive toward Artemic, but not forget his discrepancies. He may be some kind of fantasy-universe social justice warrior, but he's not entirely unreasonable. Besides, there are other threats to say mean things about.

But alas; If only there was some way for him to even hear about this news in the first place.

11 minutes ago, Teaspoon said:

I Realy like this idea!  definitely needs to have some sort of qualifications and restrictions.  You have my support, what that's worth you can decide. ;)  

Sorry for the double post again. Like I said, I can't edit. :c

I'm all for them having qualifications and restrictions. This is something that I feel shouldn't necessarily have a cap, like sprites and ents, but rather some other restriction to keep the population in check. Something to prevent those who are just "Eh, that'd be pretty fun I guess." from detracting from the value of those who take it seriously, and of course something to prevent those who don't know how phantoms and druidic magic works from stumbling into something they weren't prepared for.

1 hour ago, Gladuos said:

-snpisnap-

Gladuos had a rather lengthy debate about ghosts and ghostly things, and came to a few conclusions that I won't write up for now-- But, if anyone else has any concerns about what kind of spectral being they would be, ask away! I'm fairly confident now in that regard, thanks to Gladuous.

As far as their ability to split and allow someone else to hold reign of their abilities temporarily... To put it simply; That is something I personally enjoy the thought of,  and as thus I am going to protect it as I am biased toward it. By no means will the lore be ruined if it isn't included, but it's something I want to see, and so I'd like to defend it. ;~;

In my eyes, it isn't really something that they shouldn't be able to do, because of the way they work and what they are. It's much like hacking off part of your arms and handing them to somebody else, so they can reach farther... Only more magical. Sure, they wouldn't be able to use it like you could, but they can still sort of use them, if they concentrate hard enough and do enough flopping around. It's like how a wight can enter another's body to experience mortal sensation again, only rather than the spirit benefiting from the exchange, it is the host. I suppose the big "why" point I have is why they need to split themselves to do so.

I suppose if they allow their entire being into a person, it would be treated like a haunting, and the host would fight back? That's another thing I'd need some help with, right there. They wouldn't be able to hijack people or anything like that.

Oh! Maybe it would require concentration for them to do so, and if too much of themselves is given to the recipient, it would negate it entirely, because the part left behind would need to be conscious enough to enact the gift, therefore causing them to simply return to a whole.

...This is really the biggest iffy part of the lore, I think, but it's also one of the parts I personally like the most. To me, it gives cultures more of a reason to respect and ritualize their local forest spirits and so on, and opens up for a unique relationship between the sidhe and a whole variety of people.

...But like I said, it's not integral to anything. The whole thing won't fall apart if it isn't included.

59 minutes ago, Gladuos said:

-snipsnap-

Okay, sorry for the double post, but I can't edit things for some reason.

I was just thinking about what you said about ectoplasm and spooky spectres and what not, and I realized...

If Nature Spirits had something to do with ectoplasm...

Couldn't a mystic create and control them?

...Couldn't a mystic then use them to become druid-like? That sounds like an edgy alternative to druidism, maybe for draoi. Or taint them... Or combine them together to make bigger ones. I don't know-- Anyway! I don't know much about how mysticism works, but if mysticism is indeed the ability to control ectoplasm, that both sounds interesting and kind of off-putting!

24 minutes ago, Gladuos said:

These are my own suggestions and thoughts. -snip- ghosts. -snip- apparition. -snip- emphasizing they're much like ghosts -snip- Not souls, ectoplasm.

 

Also I'm a bit iffy about allowing temporary druidic abilities through this forced or gifted ritual. Some players might have no idea how druidism actually works in such cases whether IC or OOC. -snip-

In regards to the first suggestion... I honestly know very little about the spooky parts, but the intent was for them to, yes, be kind of like ghosts, but not quite properly so. The reason I used the word soul is because they do have a sort-of body, as they are beings of druidic energy, so I wasn't sure if ghost was appropriate. Or, something to that effect. By all means, if you know more about spooks than me, I welcome you to help out. <3

And secondly, I get what you're saying. This is something I thought about too... As far as OOC is concerned, I was considering suggesting having the person have an accepted Druidism app, but that felt a little too harsh... Then I considered suggesting a new app, but that seems a little too much.

But, in the end, I decided I that the people who would roleplay this sort of relationship would (or at least should) know very well what they were doing, at least from the spirit's side. This isn't a common thing, as it's painful and debilitating for the sidhe to perform. And under the same faith, I feel as though if handled responsibly, there wouldn't be any issue with people who have never spoken to animals in their life suddenly being Doctor Dolittle up in here.

Oh! Maybe a sidhe requires a Druidism TA to be able to do it? ...But then again, that also sounds pretty harsh.

But I digress. Your concern is warranted, and it's one I have too. I'd prefer to work to make it more acceptable, though, rather than push it away. So, if you'd like to work with me to do so... I'd appreciate it. c:

Things I forgot to make note of:

• Their weakness to magic. As many know, both beings high in druidic energy (sprites, ents, cervitaur) and those of a spooky ilk (ghosts, gravens, ect.) are weak to magic... And being both, simultaniously, a spell would probably make them explode or something. As you can see, I'm writing in a much more casual way now.
• I felt like they could be an alternative to becoming a Graven, for Druid players. A lot of Druids are deeply dedicated to their service of nature, and are already familiar with the energies that go into creating a Nature Spirit, so perhaps in a situation where one would become a Graven (something that doesn't happen as far as I know, because their life would be a paradox,) they are instead drawn to the energy, as it would embody the task they failed to complete. They wouldn't really remember who they were, but it could extend the roleplay of a character someone's not ready to let go of yet. <3
• There was a third one, but I forgot what it was.

Just now, aerialkebab said:

I'd rather see them outside of the hands of the everyday player, it's good lore, but it simply won't work well as a kind of character for the average person. 

I understand what you're saying. I'm suggesting that they be regulated, like other creatures. The powerful ones wouldn't be open to the average guy--

But that's just my intention. It's out of my hands now. I'll just say to those who review this, this is something I'd really like to play myself, and I really think it'd provide a lot of interesting roleplay for those who would want this sort of thing.

Just consider it, whoever decides these things. <3

Just now, aerialkebab said:

Confirmation. These are not player creatures correct? Just event ones? 

This is something I forgot to clarify, thank you.

The intent is, with my post, that they be playable by the everyday player. There are, pretty much, three levels here...

• Exceedingly weak and unimportant sidhe that have no real individuality or desire to make a presence, just nameless wisps that float about for those who are able to see them. These would be NPCs, roleplayable by normal people as flavor things I suppose, with permission. Such as when wild animals are brought into RP, just it would need permission from a LM or something.
• Spirits ranging from weak, but past the crux of blossoming, to strong, but not overpowered. These would be open to players that... I don't know, have experience with Druid magic OOC? Or at least a decent understanding? People who were truly dedicated to the idea of playing one. They would be the standard wisps that could interact and have goals and desires, and claim places under their care. I'll be honest, I'd RP it.
• And... Exceptionally powerful spirits, like those that have predated their own kind, or that managed to be born big enough that animal souls are attracted to it, or something... Or just a very powerful sidhe for the sake of storytelling. These would only be playable for events and whatnot.

There's no way for them to really increase their power bar slaying their own kind, something that a lot of them, I imagine, wouldn't even consider.

Draft 1! And my first ever submission! Please give some feedback. <3

Credit to the Song Druid for the original, denied lore. I obtained permission to run with it, and take some creative liberties... Attempting to pay regard to a few of the criticisms that were raised against it the last time, and giving it a few kicks that I may have went a little overboard with. All in all, though, I've worked really hard on this for a while, and I would appreciate if it was at least given some thought, and maybe some suggestions. c:

(okay I'm going to go have an anxiety attack for submitting this now bye)

The spirits of nature... Many cultures have professed loyalty to them in the past, worshiping or respecting them in their pagan ways. Creating idols, and making offerings... Though many would see them simply as a work of folklore, Druidic texts have long written of such creatures, and to those who see them as more than fiction... They are quite real.

It is written in the Drui'ithirn of beings of nature, who's birth was, at once, brought about by objectively unnatural means, but who were blessed and beautiful, and granted favor as the Aspects' own children, placed among other beings of the wilds. Souls of nature's people; Trees and birds, fish and bears... And even the occasional greater soul, mixed in with the bunch- Somehow trapped on our plane, confused, and afraid, and guided to what felt familiar. What comforted them. Nature's ebb and flow, now rushing through them unchecked by flesh and perception, as a vibrant stream of life. Druidic energy flowing on its way to fairy rings, or sacred springs, or other destinations held in great esteem, by both nature's court and the Druids who watch over them.  Transformed by the wild flow of nature's grace, fused together to form a new being entirely. A wandering soul, attuned to nature. Something that feels and lives among all things of the forest, or dunes, or mountains... Given life anew, sharing with the land. No longer a lost soul, but druidic energy given form. Given sentience and personification by gifting it with a soul. An apparition of animals and plants. No longer do they pay heed to what they once were; Indeed, none still remember.

Now they sway with the wind, flow with the streams, and tread upon the earth... What was once unnatural is now given a place in nature, and held in sacred way by many.

Spirits of Nature;

Sidhe, Wisps, other cultural nomenclatures...

(For simplicity's sake, we'll be calling them spirits in this lore submission. In character, they're whatever they get called on a cultural basis. Unrelated to the shaman community, don't worry.)

The Spirits of Nature are mostly incorporeal beings, of great diversity in personality, affinities, and appearance. Being born to the family of trees and creatures, nothing restrains them from vastly wild variety, leaving no two the same. Though, that isn't to say that there isn't any consensus in innate quirks of these beings. Most come in one of four overall flavors, but there is one trait shared by all of them. As beings one with the wind and wilds, they tend to be freedom-loving, in some cases to a fault. They resent any act forced upon them, or being anchored in one place, unless they stay there because they want to be, or have some obligation that they themselves accepted, willingly.

(Appearance:)

Nature spirits, as stated, take a wild variety of shapes and colors. Some prefer humanoid, some feel attached to a specific animal, and some prefer to take no shape at all. The simpler ones tend to be shapeless, as simple wisps on the wind. When in some spectral form, they are limited in their color choices, as the druidic power they are suffused with, in cases when it is visible, tends to only come in the shades of the land that it flows through. Muddy greens for marshes, pale browns for deserts, and so on, giving them a range of browns, greens, and greys... But it isn't something that they have any choice in. In this regard, you could tell from where a wisp hails by the color of their essence. However, when taking upon the form of a creature, the illusion of their form can be the natural colors of the creature.

When taking the appearance of the creature, there is usually something unearthly about it, that creates some distinction between it and its natural kin. A pale raven. An owl of unusual size. A stag with leaves upon its horns. A bear with glowing eyes. Creativity is boundless, but they have difficult taking forms that would not be natural, or colors that would be entirely outlandish, such as a wolf that is otherwise normal, only with hot pink fur.

(Abilities, and a few weaknesses:)

Being children of wilds, and in some ways among the descendants of the Aspects, the Nature Spirits are beings of Druidic power. Therefore, by virtue of their very nature, they call upon some of the same abilities that a Druid possesses, and some that are beyond their scope. Though they utilize the same means, the Nature Spirit's abilities are unique to them. The forest bends willingly to their desires, to extents that rely on the power of the spirit in question. A weak spirit may rustle the leaves, and whisper through the boughs and roots of trees, while a very old and powerful one could perform such feats as calling droves animals to its command, or moving entire trees to its will. Though they are incorporeal, they can only pass through surfaces that Druidic energy could pass. They are no longer simply wandering souls, but the flow of Druidic energy personified. Moving through dirt and live wood would be simple as passing through water, while crafted wood and rough-hewn stone would hamper their pursuit, but ultimately only serve to slow them down... And masonry and artificial materials (baked clay, stucco, metal, concrete) would require great effort and time to squeeze through, to the point that powerful sidhe would be completely unable to. Of course, this rule doesn't apply to materials such as aurum or cold iron, nor magical or blessed barriers. They are still disembodied souls, changed or not, and so would bear weakness to such materials. Unable to pass them by any means, even if their Druidic essence could do so.

Taking this into consideration, mortal weapons tend not to cause any harm to a Spirit, though blessed, enchanted, or otherwise special brands may disrupt their essence, and cause the rare sensation of pain upon them - Something most are not accustomed to, and will evade if possible. If 'slain' in this way, they will be scattered to the wind, and take some time to assemble once more... Though, they are not inactive for the entire period, for as an amalgamation of multiple spirits, they are able to operate on a simpler level when not whole. Similar to regrowing from the state of a baby, just faster. For this reason, more powerful spirits will take much longer to reform, whereas exceptionally weak spirits will reassemble not long after disruption.

Despite being incorporeal, a gentle hand, and one with the expectation of being able to touch the being as a physical entity, will find the spirit to have some substance... Enough to feel. Though, if too rough, the illusion will be shattered. It can be confusing to touch one, as it takes a steady, gentle mannerism. Just as those who are too rough find themselves passing through, those with violent intent in their motion will find the spirit to be faint as air. Some are deeply upset by this sort of action, and many will vanish immediatley- This can lead to some believing they have destroyed it, or at least banished it. In truth, it likely just vanished and ran away, either insulted, saddened, or believing it funny.

Nature Spirits also hold some more mischevous abilities, the strength of which depends entirely upon the malign intent of the spirit in question. Causing rot and decay in food, wood and so on, plagues of vermin, encouraging minor illnesses, and even causing some items to vanish from homes as they depart. In the opposite light, a pleased or benign spirit may pool some of its energy into the fertility of animals and agriculture, may offer gifts in exchange for whatever pleased them, or pass a blessing on to those who gained their favor to be treated more kindly by the creatures in their domain, and sidhe they may encounter in the future.

(Just weaknesses:)

There are certain fetishes, sounds and tokens that can frighten Nature Spirits away- Some which hold such sway over them that they lose control of their abilities momentarily, and are forced to appear to the person responsible for the disturbance. Traditional is the use of chimes of baked bone by the Druids of old, who's dissonant sound was faint to the naked ear, but had an array of effects on the spirits and their powers. They could chase them away, force them to reveal themselves, and in some exceptionally crafted cases, be used for torture, similar to the effect a dog whistle has on canines. The simple sight of these creations is enough to dissuade most weaker spirits, and cause hesitation in more powerful ones, as though they are incorporeal, their presence still disturbs the chimes enough to produce a chime if passed near.

Other items of such power could exist, but would need to be discussed!

Spirits of Nature can easily be 'killed', as well, by luring them back to the source that bore them, and returning their essence to nature, like a knot being unwound... Or, more easily accessible, but more time consuming, they can be slowly unraveled by tricking them into a fairy ring-- Something they will not enjoy at all, and may attempt to leave, but their power is rapidly drained away from them as if the flow of nature was washing them away. In either case, when they are fully unraveled, the essence that once made them scatters in an eruption, returning once again to nature, and scampering the souls to either linger, or finally pass on. They are visible, momentarily, but quickly fade as the little power that remained in them vanishes.

(v Addition 1 v)

Being creatures of both druidic energy and the supernatural, they bear twicefold the burden their kin face when faced with forces of magic. Even small spells could greatly pain and disrupt them, but do not scatter them, while offensive arts could potentially lead to a rather impressive scattering of their essence, and can leave it frayed for quite a while. Rejoining the whole wouldn't be any more difficult, but the process of doing so would be crude, and disruptive to their appearance and powers. The spirit will appear distorted and frazzled while it 'heals'. This is by no means permanent, but is one of the few forces that can create long-term 'injury' for the sidh, barring those that can outright slay them.

(And something totally different:)

Companionship:

When one of the races somehow manages to prove themselves worthy, prove sufficiently persuasive, or simply crafty enough to capture one of the sidhe against their will, there are some who would (made by force or willingly) impart a blessing upon the worthy (or unworthy, but crafty) man or woman. For them to do this willingly would mean a great gesture of kinship from the spirit, or mean a very difficult ritual from the man or woman. To these lucky few, they impart the eyes to see their kind, even when hidden from view. They impart the ears to hear the whispering of oak and grass, and the authority to command nature as a friend may bid a favor. In many ways, the ability to emulate a simplified Druidism, similar to when one steps past the crux of a fairy ring, but gentler, and a more direct interface with the wilds. A seed, or wisp that is not sufficiently powerful, could not form this connection. (So, only spirits played by actual players!)

This act is quite an ordeal for the spirit to perform, so they do not do so lightly. Embracing the being to whom they would impart their gift, the spirit splits their essence, torn apart as if struck with aurum, and is obviously greatly weakened... But rather than the essence scattering, to rejoin the whole later, it merges with the being as a vessel. Their souls do not become one beyond an empathic connection, but the essence split from the spirit clings to the one that they have chosen, forming a commensal connection to it. This connection carries the Druidic energy and connection to nature that once pervaded the sidhe... And placing it under the command of the being to which they are bound.

This act comes with a host of disadvantages for the charitable (or unfortunate) sidhe, and thus leaves them highly vulnerable, and most likely uncomfortable if they do not fully trust who they have placed faith in. No longer able to vanish, use their powers fully for themselves, and rendered to nothing more than a tool at the whim of who holds their essence. Much of their power is indeed gone as this process goes on, and will not return to them until set free. Instead, it is in the hands of someone else... Though, it is not hopeless to endeavor to escape, for though they cannot control the essence that they lost, it will return to them if they grow too distant, as it too will likely yearn to return to its whole.

For this reason, such a great favor would by no means be permanent, and in fact would most likely be brief, for the spirits of nature are fickle, and bear a great distaste for being held down. They may have more patience for one who they enjoy the company of, undoubtedly, they will get stir crazy. For the duration, however, their relationship could range from somewhat like a happy, but short-lived courting, to one of abuse and tyrany. In the case of the spirit being forced into this state, the recipient would find the gifts that they sought to be not quite up to expectation. Still they operate, out of fear or however else they were convinced, but the experience is unpleasant for the one who forced such an act. Anxiety, and fear, driven way by the empathy one shares with the sidhe they took in. It creates hostile reactions in nature, such as unpleasant journeys, bad 'luck', and agressive animals... Only tamed by a commanding fear.

(v Addition 1 v)

To a lesser extent, this ability of companionship can be harnessed without the spirit devoting themselves so completely to their chosen one. A simple touch, with the intention to impart their energy onto a lucky recipient, can lead to a brief lapse into a state of hearing and feeling nature as incomprehensible sensations. This wave of druidic energy is more akin to a subdued fairy ring proper, than an actual connection to nature. They may use this to play tricks, such as a hunter being made to feel the pain and fear he has inflicted on his prey, or for benign uses, such as in return for an offering, or a kindness.

Varieties of Nature Spirits:

Seelie:

The fair folk, soul of the joyous wilds...

The Seelie. The merry souls, those with an eye for art and music, those who are kind... Or simply those that would see outsiders as any more than a curiosity. Being a Seelie by no means limits the personality of a spirit to a few traits, but rather encompasses those sorts who would make merry, and seek out companionship. From prank-lovers to singers, most Seelies can be seen as benign, beautiful, or even helpful in some tales. However, not all are good-spirited revelers. Many are vindictive, and hold grudges unless appeased. They do not take transgressions on their home lightly, and will repay injustice with injustice. They can be irrational, and whymsical, but can easily be appeased with kind manner and humility... In most cases.

Examples of Seelie would be... A wild maiden who sat upon a pond, singing out as travelers pass to coax them into a playful ruse, but becomes jealous as they intend to leave her. A childish imp that followed those who walked in his woods, curious of their mannerisms and their intent. A stoic patron of a breathtaking canyon, who sees transgressions in the smallest of acts, and demands a toll for those he feels are unworthy to see his valley's beauty, lest their travels be unpleasant.

Unseelie:

Dark fey, guardians of the sacred woods...

Darker in nature are the Unseelie souls. Those that easily fall prey to resentment, fear, and anger. Those that attack travelers without provocation, see them as less than the animals they guard, or find malignant acts entertaining. A strange light on the path that leads only to a den of wolves, or the thorns that snag your cloak and bite your skin. The Unseelie tend see their woods and friends as sacred, and defend them vehemetly, even against those who intended to do no wrong. Though indeed the malignant spirits fall here, not many are truly malign. They can be intelligent, and thoughtful, and their passion easily extends to create deeper understanding for those who gain their favor, hard as it may be.

Examples of Unseelie would be... A spirit who's home is tread upon too often, and threatened, to the point of anger. It lashes out violently at any who enter, tripping and harrassing them, sometimes to the point of serious harm. A solemn, darkened soul, that sees wanderers in her woods as an infestation of pests, and suffers no moral inhibition from tormenting them for daring to step into her territory. Spoiling their rations, spooking their horses, sewing mistrust and paranoia in their group. A proud hunter, leading predatory creatures as a leader, seeing travelers as nothing more than roving prey.

Seeds:

Unknown spectres, faces in the trees...

Lacking a proper name among those who are not familiar with the spirits of nature, a "seed" is one who was just born, though this state can be carried for centuries, or in some cases, even indefinitely. Before blooming into something that could be called a 'person,' a nature spirit is a simple creature. The groundwork is present, but they are born simple as the animals that led into their creation. Present are their quirks, and simple preferences and personality, but it's difficult for them to develop further. Not for fear of change, as they disdain stagnation so, but because they seldom meet any reason to do so. Most are left in peace, to live simple lives among the trees... And few things disrupt this life enough to spark a change within them. Simple spectres, floating along the currents of nature's flow, living within wood and stones... Nearly all of the seeds that remain in this state indefinitely are too simple to have any desire to be more, such as if they were formed with a meager two rabbit souls, or were constructed only of trees.

Examples of how a seed could blossom into a proper spirit would be... If something had upset them enough that they learned to resent, or fear, and felt they needed to protect their home. If wanderers came through enough that they began to wonder what they were, or what they were doing. If they were simply made great enough that their mind buzzes with thoughts, and desires. If something of beauty caught their eye, enough that they wished to stay there, rather than wander, and began to appreciate beauty in more and more places.

Boggarts:

Corrupted forces of nature, truly malign purveyors of misery...

 There are times when the Spirits of Nature are not simply enraged, but enthralled by something corrupting, darkening past the reaches of the Unseelie court... Creatures twisted and tormented, to the point of insanity. Some are changed so completely that they no longer recall what force they once were, or how they became this way, while some do not realize what has happened to them. No drive to seek beauty, or entertainment, or even just to defend their home. Spirits that were touched by some darkened magic, and forced to truly become a bane. Be it a thirst for blood, or a desire for fire and ashes, or a mournful desire to see children meet their end. They are not out for revenge, or entertainment, they are seeking a truly dark end.

As well as those who are truly corrupted, a Nature Spirit that seeks to predate its own kind to grow in power is marked as a Boggart by its kin, similar to how they mark trustworthy humans. It's questionable if such a being would truly be, in spirit, a Boggart, or if they simply have the desire to be stronger. Regardless, they are treated the same as one, both among Seelie and Unseelie alike.

Examples of Boggarts, and how they could be given form, would be... Large swathes of land corrupted by otherworldly influences, that the spirit could not escape. Now, it too is touched, but few things can truly kill a soul. So, rather than becoming simply part of void-scar, or necrotic taint, they become corrupted, a shade of what they once were. One that was somehow captured, and treated as a pet or slave, broken to the point that it no longer wished for freedom, but for its captors to be destroyed... A cruel wish that would not be sated simply by their loss.

(Addition 1: Added a new paragraph in the weaknesses, and the companionship sections!)

I suppose since a new Druid LM is needed, I'll actually comment this time, even if it makes no difference in the end...

Song may have some negative traits (proud, apparently childish, etc.) but I would imagine with so many being brought up here, he'd try his best to rectify that... Or at the very least, we would know to be on the lookout for such behavior if he became a LM.

(I'd really like a system where the players tied to a lore are given a say on if it is accepted or not, even by a LM, but that's unrelated.)

Even with those negative traits, I've seen a lot of good come out of him. Good RP, good lore, and when it came down to official things, he was, well... Good. The extent of the bad things I think or have heard about him are limited to... His personality being a little unsuited. When I was being interviewed for my teacher app, he was a little cheeky, sure, but that's not a crime.

TL;DR

+1

MC name: Gallic

Name and age: Oliver, 40-50 (Autoage is weird and I have no idea any more. I gave up.)

Race: Human (Highlander)

What magic will you be learning?: (Druid) Blight Healing!

Who will be teaching you?: Barry (Bazza546)

MC name: Gallic

Character's name and age: Oliver

Character’s Race: Human (Highlander)

Link to your accepted magic application:

What magics do you desire to teach?: Druidism (Communion, Control)

Summarize the Lore of this Magic:

Druidism is, in its base essence, a preternatural connection a person has to nature, created by acting as a conduit for the power of a few charitable Aenguls known as the Aspects. As the Druid becomes more 'powerful', more of this ability can be accessed without forcing a connection the Aspects themselves, as they become closer tied with the powers the Aspects offered directly. Among these gifts are many different subtypes, and from there different ways of applying them. But two that every Druid hold within them are the powers of Communion, and Control.

Communion is not so much a proper 'discipline' as it is a representation of how closely connected the Druid is to the Nature, the Aspects, and their powers. It isn't necessarily something that is 'trained' more than an athlete is 'trained' simply to gain more out of his body. It is something that is nurtured, not learned. It is the ability to speak and listen to the world around you, at its base... Though, whether this is some psychic empathy powers, telepathy, or simply speaking and being understood, is debated amongst a few Druids OOC. For my app, I will quote the guide, just a little bit, to explain the uncertainty of this note.

However, in character and out of character, many Druids seem to treat it as a sixth sense. Like a Druid's animal empathy in D&D. So, due to discrepancies in how it is taught IC and how the Guide says it works, I've taken a more "however it works for you" approach and use both methods. Talking and simply being understood through empathy. An ability to detect the health and well-being of the world. Hearing and feeling the calls of nature. Like instinct.

Controlling nature is an ability that is closely tied to a Druid's powers of Communion. All subtypes rely on the Druid's strength of Communion to function, but Control is one that is nearly synonymous with it. The only difference being is that it is something that must be taught, rather than nurtured. The ability to extend one's communion outward to try to coax an action out of a plant or animal. Either through a demand, a request, a call-- The Control skill represents how persuasive the Druid is, or how respectable their demands are. As well as their ability to make them in the first place. At first, it requires great concentration and exhaustion to make this connection and coax a desired action, sometimes failing completely. It takes time, meditation, and dauntless persistence to make it through to them. A novice Druid may be able to accomplish such miracles as persuading a domestic animal to perform some action outside of their normal repertoire of acts, or make a plant grow a new leaf in its own time. But, given time and patience, there is no limit to the feats that can be accomplished with these powers. Blessing fields, moving trees, summoning herds...

Write up a lesson that your character would give to a student:

Bear with me, I'm exceptionally bad at providing examples of RP.

In a tranquil glen sat a meditating Oliver upon a stumpy perch. With him, a novice Druid. Young and still practically wet from his trippy baptism, the poor lad is clearly suffering from the ill effects of his newfound gifts. From his seat in the forest's grassy carpet, he calls out to rouse his mentor, tired of waiting for him to wake on his own. A groggy voice, one ripe with a passive desperation.

"Oliver!" He hailed, hoping the noise is enough to shake him from one of his signature trances. Without opening his eyes, the mentor draws a very long inhale, and regards the curious student with a gentle tone, stark to his attempt to wake him.

"Speak easy, friend. What's the matter?"

The novice opened his mouth to speak, but first sought to mellow his anxiety. "...I can hardly sleep. I can hardly focus. Please, I can do nothing to make sense of these new feelings."

With a kindly smile, the eldest of the two Druids flutters his eyes open, the attention required enough to fully rouse him from his trance. "Calm yourself. What you are feeling is normal. Something seldom discussed, but something most of us must go through."

The student simmers down, fully ready to listen rather than speak. Unfolding his legs to start scooting off of his perch and into the grass with his novice brother, Oliver continues. "New feelings, new sounds, new sensations. It's entirely normal to be overwhelmed when you don't know what to make of them. What drives most novices to near-insanity is an urge to try to drown these things out. They attempt to subdue the heart and voice of the forest, and doing so only causes them to grow stronger. To let a sound fade into the background, you must first accept it as it is. You must first listen."

With the last leg of his lecture, Oliver reaches behind the novice's back to direct his weary eyes toward the grass below them. He dips his hand into the weeds, shutting his eyes. After a brief delay and some evident foraging, he withdraws a balled fist with a mischievous grin. He grasps the student's hand with the other, and forces his palm to become outstretched. Placing his fist into the open hand, Oliver drops a small palmfull of acorns into the confused student's hand.

"What... What is this?" The student asked, attempting to split his confusion between the nuts and his mentor.

With a pat on the back, Oliver scoots back a short distance to leave him with the seeds. "They are acorns," he teasingly implies "As you see."

As the teasing mentor realizes his jokes aren't falling on a very receptive audience, he clears his throat and regains his serious, lecturing tone. "In your hand, however unassuming they may seem, are five infant trees... Only one of them will not live to see such a day- One of them is dead, and in its place, lies the life of a weevil grub. Already it has begun to mature, and in a season it will be ready to fly its nest and build more for future generations."

The poor novice's expression of confusion begins to morph into one of curiosity as he looks down at the identical seeds, none seeming any more decayed than their siblings.

"You can feel all of them. Each is alive, and each calls out to you as every blade of grass and crawling bug does. Can you hear them? Listen. Focus your attention. Find the voices in your hand. Shut your eyes and concentrate on the intrusive feelings, don't try to bury them- Embrace it. Forget all else."

As Oliver speaks, guiding him to meditation, the student follows his directions as asked. He closes his eyes, and begins tentatively focusing his attention on the calls he so desperately sought to seek refuge from. His mind falls silent, his only thoughts directed toward the four acorns and lone weevil... And after what felt like an eternity of strangely exhausting concentration, the student opened his eyes- A strange green hue grasped at the edges of his vision, and somehow he felt the living world around him with greater clarity than before. With a prideful grin, the teacher quietly speaks down to him.

"Good... Now, my friend... Tell me, which is the weevil? Don't think, just follow your instinct. You can sense them all, and one is very different."

With great caution, as if afraid to upset his mentor or disturb his own concentration, he lifts his other hand to brush along the seeds. Within a few instants, he grasps one and holds it up to the light.

"Alright. Rest." Said his teacher, allowing him to collapse backwards into the lush glen's embrace, groaning in exhaustion, but holding a hint of pride as he successfully broke through some kind of barrier today. Everything was back to normal-- And then it hit him, that without much thought, he considered the sensation he had sought to drown out to be 'normal'. His guide snags the acorn and looks it over for a moment, then grins.

"You did well." He gleams, calmly placing the acorn back into the grass. "You deserve to rest. The first step is always the hardest. I don't expect you to be cured of your overwhelming senses, but you may find yourself more accustomed to them as you practice. Come here tomorrow. I'll think up some new riddle to try your patience."

I love this idea! I would definitely pick this up on my "some day" magic man character. Perhaps take it to a sort of pseudo-obsession with his observer, if the mage even knows for sure that they're present. Who knows.

But, I do have two questions...

Are the anomalies listed here the comprehensive end-all be-all of what this magic can do, or could it depend on the nature of the being the mage is connected to? This could give the potential for some really diverse, really interesting RP... But also open up a gateway for some really edgy or really power game-y stuff.

Would the mage have any sort of relationship with their spectator, (E.G. "Orgalorg enjoys mortal literature, therefore I must please him by reading aloud to him every night at bed time with a warm glass of milk.") or is it entirely one-sided, and any illusion of a relationship would need to be a figment of the mage's insanity? I'd like either one.

What’s your Minecraft Account Name?:

Gallic

How old are you?:

I am 19 years old, to be twenty in a little more than a month.

Are you aware the server is PG-13 (You won’t be denied for being under 13):

Yes I am.

Have you applied to this server before?:

I have not.

Have you read and agreed to the rules?:

I did. I promise.

What’s the rule you agree with the most?:

 

A villain’s duty is to provide fun roleplay for other people through conflict.

Are there any rule(s) that confuse you or don’t make sense?:

Perhaps not confusion, but you repeated two rules in the Roleplaying Rules.

How did you find out about Lord of the Craft?

I was curious about roleplaying on Minecraft, and considering you're highly acclaimed and popular, you seemed like a perfectly fine candidate. On further research, I made my choice to try here first.

Definitions

What is roleplaying?:

It's like playing pretend for fully grown adults It's the chance to forge a story, to indulge in a tale you won't get anywhere else. To take part in a world far from your own.

What is metagaming?:

Being a spoilsport The heinous act of taking information, actions or advantages that your character has no worldly business partaking in.

What is powergaming?:

Being more concerned with your own fun than that of others Taking actions for or against a character without providing any way for them to respond or react, resulting in things going the way you want. Alternatively, it is also to make your character far more powerful than they reasonably should be. Another way to powergame is playing to win at something, not just to roleplay.

In-Character Information

Character’s name:

Oliver Gallic

Character’s gender:

Male

Character’s race:

Human (Highlander)

Character’s age:

18 years, just young enough to still have hope of learning a trade.

Biography:

Oliver is a poor man, young and teetering on the unhealthy side of slim. His eyes betray a sullen determination. He keeps a quiet, respectful demeanour, always gentle in tone. He sounds like if he were to raise his voice, it wouldn't be very impressive. Just not that kind of voice.

Oliver lacks any kind of home, or lord. He is a serf without a master- A new urchin feeding off of Pertus' hard-earned streets. Uneducated. Illiterate. The colloquialism of a yokel. But, his parents raised him right, at least. He never fusses, never steals, never begs. He has a natural intelligence about him, the kind that doesn't need study or books... But would still greatly benefit from them.

How he managed to find himself here is a long story, but the jist is easily coaxed from him.

Oliver was born into the backwoods of Oren, quite a walk away from any major settlements. His father was a hunter by trade, and his mother bore children. Or, perhaps she would, but she had only managed the one. As Oliver passed from her, he had ruptured some mystical female organ inside of her, resulting in tremendous blood loss. As it had happened, their midwife was revealed to be an errant fraud, incapable of handling this sort of occurance. His mother died not half way to a settlement where one may be able to help. He was left an only child, with a single parent.

Taking care of a child had left his father incapable of regularly hunting, resulting in a long, difficult period of poverty that they were never really able to escape. The meager income of a hunter's life is only confounded by hunger and childcare. Oliver grew in a loving, strict household, but hungry and uneducated. As he began reaching maturity, he displayed hints of some kind of magical aptitude, which only served to put more stress on his father. Though things had gotten better as he was old enough to take care of himself at home, they were in no financial situation to provide that sort of education, or even an apprenticeship.

Motherless, poor, uneducated, starving, and posessing some kind of magical potential that could never be touched on.

Though it would seem misery was rife in Oliver's life, keep in mind that his life had never been any different. He didn't suffer from the loss of his mother. He never even saw her. He has never known luxury to know what it is to be denied it. He has grown to know hunger quite well as a fact of life. It only served to bring a different kind of excitement when food is on the table.

But, he did have two things. His father, and their dog.

Things were tense in the kingdom of Oren. Oliver was near the age of fourteen, just beginning to learn to hunt with his father. With two pairs of eyes on the hunt, things were looking up. Or so they thought. The man and his child often went quite far on their hunting trips, sometimes even meeting the border of their kingdom. There, where parties of elves often fought against the occupation of humans by taking the fight to their homeland. One evening, their timing had a grim precision to it- As Oliver and his father wandered looking for scarce game, they had come upon an elven party instead.

His father never made it out of those woods, but Oliver did. He came home, took their dog, and fled home. After what he had witnessed, he remains traumatized by most weapons to this day- Though, not as irrationally so as it was when the wound was still fresh.

For several years, he wandered with his hound learning harsh lessons about life without his father's guidance. There was nobody left to teach him, and he was left to seek his own way to put bread on the table. Things were hard for Oliver. They never got any better. But, after the hardships he had experienced already, he remained emotionally healthy for the most part. After his father's death had faded out of recent memory, of course.

His dog died an unnatural death by his hands. He was too sick to travel, and Oliver didn't want to simply abandon him. It was very difficult, but not traumatizing.

Personality Traits:

- Light Pacifist. Has an aversion toward weaponry and blood, so tends to avoid them. But, he could be persuaded to use them... After a long argument.

- Humbled. Life rife with poverty and tragedy tends to shape both the worst and best souls from humans.

- Quiet. He hates to intrude upon other people's conversations.

- Intelligent, but uneducated. The potential is there, but it's oh so buried in ignorance.

Ambitions:

- Not being poverse any more.

- Finding a dog as good as his old one.

- Taking a walk in the woods without fearing armed war parties.

- Making something of his potential.

- Finding a friend.

- No longer being transient.

Strengths/Talents:

- Useless magic potential. He'd probably make a great wizard, or cleric, or some other kind of magister. But alas, who would take in a dirty, ignorant urchin?

- Partial hunting training. Can move pretty quietly on some crunchy leaves, but good luck getting him to shoot a buck.

Weaknesses/Inabilities:

- Has the strength you would expect from a hungry kid such as himself.

- Is ignorant about a lot of things, and probably where it counts.

- Very sensitive to blood. Brings up all kinds of bad memories.

- Probably very easy to manipulate. He's a really trusting guy.

Appearance:

Oliver is short as far as human stature goes, and as mentioned above seems very malnourished. His big boy facial hair has yet to come in, leaving him with a disgraceful fuzzy face. Not even a manly chin shadow. He keeps himself dressed in linen, wrapped in a short cloak, and wearing some pretty shoddy gloves. They were most likely intended for farming.