The Duke of Adria was in his keep when he heard news of the new signatory. He froze, genuinely shocked at what had developed. "Must I bear arms against my every friend, tutor and ally? And not a letter of warning or inquiry from them. Shall anyone I love remain, when it is done?" he cried out, recalling his fond tutelage within Barrowton. Markus damned the war, and sung out a complaint to Godanistan that he must bear arms against those he loved.

The Duke of Adria had arrived at the fight far too late to be of any use- for the Veletzians had quickly routed the Haense led coalition. From his spot along the rocks, he had observed the brilliance of the architect Gerhardt. For what first appeared as a worrying vulnerability where soldiers could with a horse leap into the fortifications, quickly was revealed as a trap! For the great coalition host was choked amidst the ways of the walls, and slaughtered in the trenches of Winburgh.

Markus witnessed the blood taint the blood of the moats, and cried out, "Shall this be our war?"

Markus Sarkozic recognizes on the propaganda a mask that he and only he had used during the rebellion, and begins to sweat.

An old dwarf approaches the gates of Urguan with a weary smile. It was finally time to come home. A younger Starbreaker ran out from the gatehouse and greeted the elder prophet to ask him about the shaving of a Grand King. The 31st Grand King Emeritus Norli Norvarsson Starbreaker has a manic episode, denying knowing anything about it and returning to his exile.

"It didn't happen, I swear!" he cries over his shoulder as he fled.

Markus frowned as he wondered if the alliance of pagans with the dwarves, the Norlanders, the elves, or any such non-Canonist entity would incur condemnation from this Pontiff. "Since when are Mercenaries and their wars a religious matter?" He shakes his head with worry. "Shall Canondom be so eagerly split over such trivial matters? Shall we excommunicate Balian for their elvish allies, or Haense for their dwarvish? Such would be absurd! What's cousin thinking..." He lets out a long sigh and seeks to consult his wife, who was wiser in these matters than the increasingly stubborn veteran duke.

I think we should ask what the benefits of the Auction House were and seek to replace them without also replacing the negative.

The Duke of Adria angrily scolds his messengers, demanding to know why they have not supplied him with the most recent missives from Aaun. They sheepishly answer him that there was no threat of War from Aaun, only their withdrawal from the Canonist League and a citizen who wrote about the execution of a jester in Haense. The aged duke furrowed his brow as he contemplated what the King of Haense was referring to. "Does he so brazenly consider any complaint against the church a threat at his reign, and validate the conspiracies of the Midlanders? It is true after all, the difference between a conspiracy about Haensers and known fact is a few years time. I think this one seeks to look tough- perhaps why he was so emmasculated by the tease in the first place!" the duke remarked with a hearty laugh. Having witnessed so many controversies, the veteran had found himself less worried about the latest dramatic cries of the Haenser king.

"This bozny shall be rejected by all peoples; for he speaks wise counsel of redemption during an age of Reckoning." The aged Duke shakes his head. "Yam curious what he would say of w prophets, who many were warrior-kings?" Markus Sarkozic gestures for someone to contact the bishop for him.

Thanks bro. Here's a link for the new YOUR VIEW that admins released with meeting.

The sickly Duke of Adria rolled in his bed, restrained by another bout of mental plague. Some comfort interrupted his sickly torment, however, as his wife grew closer to piety and held him in prayer.

A retired Rhunlord stirs from his slumber far in the north as he hears word of the Ireheart's achievements. "Eh? Avar avenged? Harhar- I'd like to see gray and orange on the dark walls of Norland- but this'll do Sigrun," he remarks as he stuffs the missive into his pocket and pulls himself to stand. "This'll do."

Markus has a fever dream where the royal house of Balian adopted the name Sarkozy as a way of escaping consequence of the Ferrymen. He wakes up in a cold sweat.

Ye i's a lil' smokey mr tel-tel

I think the question I'm most interested in is priorities of Moderation- not necessarily rebuking any specific moderators but just that I think the server culture has become very welcoming and open to things that actively make the server worse such as Toxicity and Major OOC Grudges, etc. I think it's a bit bizarre and I think a disservice to both the people who report and the people who get reported that rules on player conduct guidelines are very messily and vaguely enforced, and are a lower priority than people who talk lip to moderation getting banned.

I don't really mean "what-aboutism" as a defense against any of the instances I am going to mention, but people instantly copped bans/action against for putting barrels beneath rugs, for karen'ing a mod verdict- all the while you see reports of flagrant consistent rule abuse go ignored. I can sympathize with the desire to not want to eagerly ban players- but I think we need to just hold people to some level of accountability for everyone's sake to keep the community fun. This repeated method of just trying to get players to sort it out on their own has repeatedly made the server more toxic, a higher temperature and yeah; smokey. 

What would I suggest we do about it? Take player conduct guidelines more seriously and enforce it- that doesn't mean ban waving people but it means just telling them no and giving a warning as opposed to trying to sort it out like you're a mutual friend. 

3 minutes ago, Adstrom said:

 

First google result:

 

Yes I googled that too but I have a standard for scholarship that extends beyond a dozen words on a dictionary website. What's it's origin? What is it's prevalence? 

As a proud Roleplay and Real life racist,

I think it's just important when we have discussions like this not to deprive ourselves of context. When talking about OOC conduct and intent of interfacing with server, it's not a light matter to assign thoughts to people they don't express themselves.

I don't particularly find myself to be friends with people who are reported for using slurs in Roleplay, but I do find myself sympathetic to them because it is a roleplay server- it is actually a GOOD quality to be willing to roleplay a character with brazen flaws. I think the a good way to combat people using it as an outlet to field genuine IRL malice is to just create the social expectation that characters with these brazen flaws are not celebrated OOCly for those flaws.

I'll offer my own experience as an example; Norli Starbreaker is a racist. Not just in the @sshole way of using strong words against people in a lack of sympathy to their emotions, but in the genuine believes in racial hierarchy way- and in a very cruel subtle way as well where he will speak kindly to groups he thinks lesser of. As I became a more veteran roleplayer, I found the best way to deal with that was to call attention to it in the description/action segment of any emote I did. When describing how he says something, describe it as arrogant and flawed.

I won't pretend that this is alone is an antidote to dealing with this subject, but I do think it's a good way to deal with playing a character with the flaws- make the fact that they're flaws part of the character.

---

As for the specific word "Darkeh", I do just want to say that's definately something used a lot within the dwarves both for dwarves and outsiders. I saw someone comment "but dwarves are black too" and I will reply to them that yes and they call eachother that as well. I think it's worth being cognizant of how/why people use slurs, or at least not over simplifying it. Don't deprive yourself of context- if your position requires you ignore context then it's a bad position.

I will genuinely say I've never heard it used at all in real life, and I've definitely heard my share of demeaning words in real life, so I really can't speak to the impact of it IRL. I will observe however that if it is about the same level of prevalence or less than the term "spook" then we should probably permit its use. However I do genuinely feel that I have no awareness of its prevalance, and even in trying to find out more from researching I couldn't find anything.

The Duke of Adria signs the Lorraine as he prays for Johanes' recovery. "Many will damn this man, claim that he eagerly made war e was reluctant to make peace. Perhaps I should know to scorn him so more than any other, as his head diplomat. But Johanes was an honorable man, whose spirit was marred by the cruelty of war that he only fought an existential threat with his every ounce. The midlands would be weaker without him, and Adria would perhaps have faltered once more without his support. GODANI bless him," he ends, saying these words to those around him.

3 minutes ago, TheFirstShroom said:

Iskandar Vladovic sits in his hut, sipping his Carrion Black

 

"Finally, a hard measure against those no good, copper-licking, dirt-digging, gut-dragging, ore-mongering, stone-humping, beard-munching, hammer midgit, half-men tunnel rats."

Markus Sarkozic contemplates how it was through the identity of Aldersberg that House Sarkozic was able to reclaim the authority over Adria. He offers a prayer of gratitude to Godanistan to his mother, whose legacy was instrumental in the glory of a new Adria.

The Duke of Adria prepares for the glory of the Midlands, a few documents before him on the table as he discussed with a friend a matter of philosophy. "E now, w true work begins," he remarks to his retinue, before returning to a discussion with the King of Numendil.

The Count Sarkozic guffaws. "Took 'em long enough- I warned her, didn't I?" He asks a fellow veteran of the East Failor Pit War.

Count Sarkozic reads another pamphlet on the late Alessandra whilst spending some time with his young son Tobiasz. He snorts, looking to the toddler as if to consult him, "Would've sparked a war if she had stuck around Adria- how ironic that she scolded and denounced us for our supposed sins, hm?" The baby didn't reply, but in Markus' mind the slight drool coming from the mouth indicated he agreed. 

13 hours ago, Serf said:

How old are you?
Where do you live?
Single?

20

931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Yes, hmu

13 hours ago, Tabby64 said:

Yo why are you on my steam friend list. How the **** did you get there

That's a good question, idk what game we played. I'm gonna remove you so you can't tell when I'm ignoring you and playing Total War: Attila instead.

12 hours ago, zuziee said:

I suggest u shut up and stop putting bad ideas into his mind

 

who was your fav character and why was it Markus?

Korgi Jewelbeard Goldhand is my favorite character by far, though maybe my least played. A merchant conman character is one of my favorite dynamics, and as my 3rd Goldhand persona I feel like he's the most well honed towards interesting RP, whilst the others had actual accomplishments. 

I mean

Look at this motherf*cker he's awesome

12 hours ago, creamynoteblock said:

when will u teach me runesmithing

When either Tabby64, BuffBadger, Cpt_Noobman, DiscoLiquid or some other person finishes their write.

5 hours ago, Juvens said:

Follow up from above:
Runesmithing rewrite when? 

My main view on that now is I want to help people start working on their owns and be confident in writing based off lessons I learned. I don't expect someone to write the write I would want to do for me, so I don't want to just tell them what to do because they'll either do it a way I don't intend or they'll just constantly ask me to do it for them, and I just don't have the motivation for that right now. However, I am still trying to iron out the World Lore with staff and I think that much will at least go well as there's not much really to think over other than just find out what Loremasters want fundamentally then I can easily write in details.

4 hours ago, SoulReapingWolf said:

Who is your best friend and give me 3 reasons to why it's me?

When did you realize you had to take a step back from dwarves for real?

After your time on ST what are your thoughts on the server's direction ST wise?

Do you want to marry me?

1 you stick by me and hear me out even when we disagree on smtn major 2 you stuck up for me when I didn't feel like sticking up for myself 3 you're spanish so +20 diplomatic relations automatically

Well, I kinda made the decision multiple times and kept trying to, but would fall back into things. Playing another character with good RP makes it less a thing of ignoring people who are asking me to do things and now I can just say look I have other obligations now, which is true.

I'm open with ST and people what I feel like main improvements that can be made are, and I have reason to think there'll be implemented, or at the least heavily considered. I've enjoyed most things I've heard in last meetings I was in, which I obviously can't just leak, but really my main gripe is I feel fundamentally LOTC's lore system isn't conducive to an RP server. To note, I am on an extended hiatus, vaguely still on the team in some loose sense and hoping to return to do some events at some point.

I think I've answered this one very well.

2 hours ago, searose143 said:

favorite dwarf niece ????

Nara beats Hana purely because of the letter N.

2 hours ago, Borin said:

how honking badonking are your booblius's?

what has dw*rf brain done to you thus far, what do u think the affects are?

how is h*man brain improving ur life, have u enjoyed a-moving over to the h*man side?

 

That's sexual harassment.

An innate intense loathing for the ST. Jokes aside, I think the dwarven lore is some of the best lore on server, despite its canon and magical sides being severely battered down the last few years. I have noticed that there are things considered standard in dwarven community are severely lacking in humans, such as an obligation and pressure IRPly and semi-OOCly to really understand the identities you're using, and have some passion in them. The dwarven community gets a lot less handed its way, and makes a lot of mileage with what it can find. When I was Grand King and we had a week of very good activity, I think the first thing I said was "don't get arrogant, every week is thrive or die for us" or smtn like that. I think that was a negative mindset, and nowadays I prefer rather than fighting tooth and nail to be bigger than you are it's better to be bigger than you set out to be, lower standards and enjoying them.

Although Markus is my first main human persona, I considered my first Goldhand and first major persona to have been moreso a member of Adria within the Empire of Man than he was dwarf nations, because Kaz'Ulrah had fallen p early in that character's run, and OOCly I had been taught to schizo about Agnarum. It wasn't until late 2019 that I joined dwarves properly. Looking at Atlas, I only have nostalgic love for Belvitz and roads around Renatus, not for Agnarum, Holm or what's left of Kal'Tarak.

1 minute ago, AfroJoeTheOlogBro said:

When will you help me become the king Urguan needs?

How small is your nose

Why are you so stinky stanky old

When you make an actual dwarf, idiot robot.

We met IRL so you know of course that my schnoz is a good size, though not as robust as my older brother's.

I would have stuck around in Vailor if my older sister didn't tell me to avoid online communities, wisely. 

3 minutes ago, sneakybandit said:

What did you did to seadaedra? Now that I think about it since you showed up he has disappeared

Both of us were ambitious cave dwarves who were pushing the niche of religious craftsdwed. he had to go. I sold him into slavery to the Drumm Clan.

3 minutes ago, WestCarolina said:

When welf?

When will Markus come collect the apples and pears?

Most memorable experience?

When I'm retired on Markus I might return to Veren/Verde/Veroo/Vern, esp as I think I've settled on name Vern. Veroo is a close second. I don't really see myself wanting to main another human or dwarf after I'm done with Markus for some time, it'd be too hard to not immediately gravitate to a major position. It's why I'm away from dwarves rn- need to fade into obscurity to have an authentic experience again. Though orcs might tempt me.

Markus has scammed Miven and, honestly, it's embarassing for you to bring it up. The only round red exchanged between Markus and Miven will be a bloodied mace when he caves in the dirty pagan elfski's skull.

Probably when I realized that Norli was going to become king of the dwarves, because it was a bit of a watershed moment that was genuinely unplanned before that. However, my favorite story that I'll never forget is when Morag Goldhand was Crucified. 

4 minutes ago, Optimus420 said:

When will Markus dye his hair black?

It's prophesized that he will go bald and then regrow his hair black.