TFF Royalty

[Merlin]

I have my post about halfway done. Its taking me a bit longer than expected. People keep bugging me at college. xD

I'll just post it up, since its not PM size, I think. If there's any problems, just let me know Jay. ^_^

I'll edit this once its done, unless someone else posts... then I'll just post instead. O.o

[Andromeda]

Well I made my post. It is only half of what I am going to be doing. I'll finish up the ordeal in the next post. But I'm going to be returning a few more things into the next post as well to start increasing the scale. I don't know the full extent that I'm going to be using them yet, but I will know when I make it happen.

Once you read my post you might have some questions or some confusion so read the following to answer some of it.

SPOILER!!:

Alright, there are a couple things to address. One of the first ones is the comment that I have Remi make about the necessity of nature as a critical component. What this simply means is that until that point Eris had been summoning lightning from the clouds. It is the way most magic users start out, they require nature as a catalyst, like having a fire to make a fireball. No longer requiring nature just means that she was using magic like the usual fantasy magic is, cast from the person, body, hands whatever. Its not really anything new, just fancily worded.

The other thing is that if you end up in your next posts or whatever running across Eris like after everything is over Remi would not be present. If I end up making my post before that happens, he is just going to disappear. Obviously Eris will be clueless as to what happened. But I want Remi's alter ego to remain hidden from the characters for the time being. That is all I think. If you have other questions I'll answer them.

I did create some magic mythos in the post to make things a little more interesting. Since I'm feeling in the creative spirit I will probably doing a lot of touches to magic as I feel the urge.

[Merlin]

I posted mine, but didn't look at yours beforehand. It shouldn't be an issue, methinks.

Anyways, I had fun with that one. It has a lot of twists and reveals in it. If you see any problems with your chars, just let me know Jay. I really didn't make them do to much other than reactions, etc as I mentioned before. It seemed to fit the scene to me.

[Andromeda]

Its probably not an issue, just depends if you had wanted to react to the post or not given what occurs in my post. Though it seemed to me that Falaris probably does not care enough once the primary goal was dealt with. I imagine that Shadow will have business with my post though since it will be a lead in finding Eris for his characters.

[Andromeda]

Why would they have a Pilner ran hospital in their town to begin with? That seems a little strange to me given that it is a foreign nation. For as much as people are currently entering Lothua it is an isolated kingdom. They would not be allowing anyone from Pilner in unless under special circumstances.

And well for me inner its pretty much anything that is not on the outer edge of the town. So its pretty open. And just because I said inner, doesn't mean that it would be the exact center. You could be on the very edge of inner. You were just somewhere inside the town.

Anyway, its a minor point right now since there was not really a clear definition of where we were in the town. We were thinking in two different places. But either way, its not much of a matter to dwell on anymore since we are no longer needing to know where in the town you are right now. So I'm working on my post last night and more tonight. I was visiting a friend so I did not get much time tonight, but I'm going to be adding some more things to it. I don't know how much I'll be adding, but it should be done sometime during the weekend I think.

[Merlin]

The name Pilner in this case refers to the religion, not the country. Its not my fault you named them the same. As you yourself described:

The new religion was instituted by the Kingdom of Pilner roughly fifty years ago and has since spread as the primary religion in the kingdom. It has also spread into the neighboring kingdoms that still believe in the old pagan gods, which are numerous and vary from region to region. The new religion was seen as a sort of standardization of the too varied religions that had created internal conflicts in the past.

While the main sect that is in Pilner would indeed be against magic users, that isn't to say that those who travel outside of the country would support those ideas. For example, Gwinnyn is a high-ranking member of the Pilner religion but has never supported the killing of magic users. As for why she hasn't been excommunicated or killed is something I haven't revealed yet. As I said, not everyone supports the beliefs as a whole. In what religion does every single person support the entire sum of the doctrine? None that I know of.

To me, it would only make sense that those who support the religion without the hate of magic users would wish to leave and travel to other areas where they wouldn't be persecuted or the like. Also, magic users themselves could easily believe in the altered form of the religion. I would assume that not all magic users are atheists. That would be a bit odd, especially since a lot of them use elements which could be seen as being "lent from the gods". Yes, a good number would protest the religion and condemn it for its beliefs, but not everyone is so hard-headed enough to fall into the endless cycle of prejudice.

Think about it: Its been 50 years since the religion first started. That's more than enough time for religious magic users to have made their way into Lothua and even enough time to set up a hospital in a building. They aren't there to convert the nation, but to help others out... They aren't Pilner citizens. They aren't evil priests trying to slaughter the people of Haven. They are ordinary(well as ordinary as a magic user can be) people who simply want to help out. I doubt the government would have a stick so far up their ass as to not allow that.

But, thats just my thoughts on the matter.

EDIT: For some reason this whole thing about the hospital, etc is starting to come off a bit smarmy. I'm not saying its you or me but the topic in general. Maybe I'm just getting weird vibes or something, I don't know. It smells funny. O.o

Anywho, I don't know what your original idea was for Lothua was other than the description. I just figured that since they were unofficially accepting magic users, it only made sense that they could easily be religious magic users since not everyone was "born" one. I'm also not really a fan of the religion sharing the name of the country. I suppose I could make up another term for the break-off people? ^_^

EDIT2: As to why I might seem defiant on the hospital idea: It ties directly into quite a few things. The hospital being run by religious magic users perhaps from many countries(besides just Pilner) explains quite a few loose ends in itself.

• What could possibly drive Gwinnyn to leave willingly to Lothua?
• How did Alastora know exactly where Gwinnyn was when she herself had never been there?
• How did Doctor Silverhand appear exactly where Alastora was when he had no knowledge of where she was going? (she was assigned to go to Pilner and come back, not wander off that far). Coincidence? No.
• etc...

[Andromeda]

Well Lothua is an isolated kingdom for the last hundred years. They have a wall that runs around their border keeping people out. Now officially they do not allow anyone into their borders, magic users included. But they do ignore Farore and the underground's work in bringing in magic users. It would not really matter if they were from Pilner or Cormenyr it would be difficult to get in unless you forced your way in.

Given that I can see some people accepting of the Pilner religion while being magic users. But just because there is an organized religion does not discount the other religions that exist in the world. The rest of the kingdoms do not have a set religion, but are seen as pagan in the eyes of the Pilner because they follow the old ways. I see most of the magic users believing in that most since it does not persecute them.

And I never actually assigned a name to the religion, I just call it the Pilner religion, because the people of Pilner are the ones that believe in the new religion. So we can name it whatever we want.

I don't have anymore time, so I'll have to finish this incomplete post later. But I don't mind having a discussion. Its giving us something to post about.

[Victoria]

After the battle, you mean? Because right now it's a good idea to have Eris out of the way, as she'll only be a burden. Heh.

In my post I didn't do anything with her because you had already posted she left. So I just acknowledged that she was gone. And went into the battle.

[Merlin]

Oh since I didn't add it to the PM, I doubt Falaris is in any condition to be impressed. Even if she was, she still wouldn't be impressed. She's a stuck-up bitch who thinks she's better than everyone. Hence why she refused to acknowledge that your characters could do squat against him and her, in her weakened state would be able to fend him off. She might have worded it nicely, but in the end, she simply wanted your chars out of the damn way so she could fight alone. xD

Sad but true.

[Victoria]

Aww. That's pretty sad. Oh well. She didn't get what she wanted and ended up having to have her butt saved.

Oh well. xD

[Merlin]

Yes, the ultimate insult to someone who is uppity: save their ass from a situation they can't handle. It seriously rubs them the wrong way. But thats what makes it so damn funny. ^_^

[LocoColt04]

Anyone have any suggestions on how to go about FINDING the time to do things? My problem with writing (or even being on the internet these days) is that what little time I have is funneled so strongly into the thought process that no actual work ever gets done.

I've tried the whole "stream of consciousness" thing before, be it jotting down ideas or just writing freeform, but nothing good ever comes of it.

What tactics do you guys use to write when you're short on time? I'm afraid that if I don't find a way to force it, nothing will ever happen.

[Victoria]

The blunt answer would be to have less friends and stay home more often.

The serious answer would be: Whatever time you do have, combine the thought process AND writing. Or even carry a notebook with you everywhere with a quick writing utensil. (Pencils, ballpoint pens.. those are slow.)

I suggest reading Writing The Bones.. it's helped Psiko get back into writing. And she has a lot of good things to say to help you get into it again. There may be some things in there that you've tried before, but overall it's very good. I suggest that notebook thing, so that way when you get ideas, just jot them down. Or even an audio recorder and record your ideas that way.

[Merlin]

I wouldn't be much help in that department because my problem is different. I always have a shitload of ideas, I just never write them down. Whenever I'm driving, working, whatever... I can run entire RP posts through my head in great detail. Its just impossible to actually write it at that time for obvious reasons. So by the time I actually have two seconds to sit down and write it, I've came up with 5X different ideas and can't decide which one to use, so I write nothing at all. O.o

Actually I guess that could be help in itself. Whenever your brain has free time, use it. I feel like my brain is constantly running at full steam. It never shuts up, even when I need sleep. ^_^

[Andromeda]

When I don't have the time I schedule it. Sundays in general are my writing day. I don't do anything else on that day if I can help it. I just put myself in front of my laptop and say that I'm going to write. I'm forcing it, but if I don't have the time I have to make sure to make time for it. The other thing is realizing priorities and seeing what is important to you.

For me, RPing and writing is more important than being social, playing video games or even doing what I probably should be doing. Is that the best approach? Probably not completely, but a certain level of mind set is necessary. You have to place it equal or greater than other things that you "think" are important, but really can wait just as much as anything else. That video game you want to beat that TV show you want to watch. Games will always be around and DVR and VCR were invented for a reason. If you make it a priority and place an importance of need not want, it will get done.

After that it is scheduling and maintaining that schedule. Being in a routine is the best way to keep yourself going. The problem with RPs is that they are infrequent when you need to be posting. So keep something on the side on those times in your schedule you don't have a RP to write for.

For me I also put a lot of personal pressure on myself to finish something. And I torture myself when I miss the goal that I was shooting for. Though as I said that is just me and I'm insane. So I don't how seriously you should take all of my advice.

Though in all seriousness scheduling and placing yourself in the mental frame of mind that this is important will help out a lot. Having the spare time helps too, but in reality everyone has spare time. Even those that claim that they don't have spare time. It is just that they are using it for some recreational purpose and delude themselves into thinking that they don't have spare time. The only time that is not spare time is the time required for eating, sleeping and school/work(or homework). Everything else, and I do mean everything else is recreational or spare time.

So if you seriously want to write take some of that spare time and allot it just forcing yourself to sit down and sit at the keyboard. Even if you don't do anything you are at least putting the effort into it. And eventually you find that you will be writing.

[LocoColt04]

Heh, well, we all know how good I am at missing goals as of late.

I really could cut back on the social business a bit, but that's really the only thing. If I'm not sleeping, I'm working. That was the definition of my life from October through mid-February, right up until I took vacation. And here's part of the problem: It's 12:25 in the morning and I have to be at work at 7:30. Rather than sleep, what do I do? NOW I'm taking the time to get online.

My whole schedule is whacked. I miss the times when I wasn't so heavily scheduled (re: pre-promotion) and could do as I pleased.

I'm not really sure how to make time. With the exception of last week's vacation, I usually don't get out of the house more than once or twice a week. Somehow I find myself without the time to do anything, and I'm not really sure WHY this happens.

I always have a notebook at work, but I'm too busy... you know, working.

Whenever I get a good idea, I can't keep it in my head long enough to write it down. I feel like I'm stuck in a giant, mundane rut.



All the same, I appreciate the ideas.
I'll see if I can force some time and go from there.

[Andromeda]

Even most hard worker person has a day off. When I was working 70-80 hour weeks for six months I still had Sunday off. I do know how it is working, eating and sleeping and nothing else. I lived that life for six months. But as I said I still had a day off. You can make use of whatever day you have off. There is always time you just have to be able to see it.

[LocoColt04]

I usually find myself sleeping, or on some work-related project on my days off.

At the very least, that last sentence should be in the past-tense. Now that we're all caught up and the store's no longer in post-holiday shambles, I actually should have some time to myself.



...my gosh, now that I look at the last few months, half of my days off were spent getting stitched up and the other half were spent... well, sleeping. I could have slept less!

[Andromeda]

Yeah, you did have extenuating circumstances didn't you. But another note that I forgot to add in the last post as I was talking to Shadow. Music, its a great motivator and way to smooth things over. It really works wonders. A lot of it depends on my moods, but the obvious thing is never play a song that you are visually able to recall. Like LOTR music or something, I hear LOTR music and I know the scene in the movie its from. That's distracting. You have to play something that you've listened to endlessly and can ignore. Its a mood setter.

And now depending on the mood of the song can help increase your excitement or enthusiasm to write more. The example I have right now is that I'm listening to Rhythm Emotion, it is pumping me up and getting my excited. It gets me in the zone and mood for what I'm writing right now. It puts me in to that sort of heighten state where you just feel everything that you write. Its invigorating.

On random moments I go to the Caramel song which Shadow should be familiar with. It just gets you happy and giddy, at least it does for me. It puts me in that mood to put my nose to the grindstone and finish up what I'm writing. Don't ask me to explain it, it just seems to work.

EDIT: I more or less have finished my post, but its a little late I need go back over it and make some alterations. But it'll be up tomorrow I can be certain of that since it is only about 30 minutes more of work. I just need to get to sleep or else I'll be useless at work.

[Victoria]

Speaking of sleep. That's where I have to go. Yay for working at B&N. I really need to find someplace else. I wouldn't want to quit because I love my discount.. but yeah, the hours... need moar.

[Victoria]

Well, I just finished reading your post, Merlin. I really liked the twist. I thought Falaris was going to be manipulated and duke it out with them, haha. Wow was I wrong.

I liked the big bolt of lightning as well. Took her a while to concentrate enough energy to be that accurate. Matsuri was pretty well done as well. And those reactions were pretty generic. =P But they worked.

Although I DID want to ask maybe if Matsuri could have applied/tried out for the MCTU before but got denied because they already had alastora and they didn't need anymore fire users. But then I thought that'd be a bit much. XD

Regardless, my characters have to find Eris now. ...I think it will be easy with the huge lightning bolt that they'll be able to see. =P

[Victoria]

I didn't know you were waiting on me, Merlin. I mostly thought we were done for the most part, because my characters were going to do stuff with Eris now, heh. I've been swamped with my blog and my new job, heh. Haven't had as much time as I used to to just sit down and write.

[Andromeda]

Sorry I haven't got back to you about your profile Rya. I woke up late-ish in the morning so I only had the time to read it over quickly. But the one thing that was going to say is pretty much what Merlin said already. There really is not established zoos present in the world. The circus like he said would be the closest thing to something. Though it might just be a band of small traveling performers than something grand.

Otherwise, I did not really see a problem. I did say that if you could explain it with magic you can have telekinesis. So I would like you to just give a brief explanation of how it works through magic, since this is typically a mental power and not a magical one. Merlin's has asked me to explain my things and he has his to me. So its only fair to have others do the same. Keeps things open and clear.

[Ryayukou]

I understand that an actual "zoo" was not something established back in these times. Of course it was 2 in the morning when I was building my profile so I picked whatever word it was that would be appealing to my character as a young child. I've changed my post for that ^^

As for the ability to move things, it's a form of telekinesis but not entirely; I used that word because I didn't know how else to describe it. She has no control over living things. Her magic is based on her ability to move and manipulate non-living objects such as rocks and weapons. She can't control people and animals, move them, or read their minds. She possesses an ability to seek out the soulless and "talk" to it and make it do whatever she wants. She cannot take control over anything with a living soul.

One can be born with magic, or one can learn to use it. Calantha was born with it just like some are born with the ability to talk to animals, heal, manipulate fire, and so on.

I hope this works for you. If it doesn't, I will be happy to change my ability to something else ^_^

[Climhazzard]

Just give me about a day or so to catch up and see where everyone is at.

[Xeim]

I'm posting to say I'm still alive. I haven't been posting because the discussion....well, gave me no reason to post. MA still doesn't really interest me. ^^;

The inner Rp also only got attention from me...so I've kind of given up on reviving it, unless someone else wants to as well. o_O I don't want to be the only one posting for it.

And...I'd still love to revive DC. Out of my current nine Rp characters, Seth's still my favorite. And...he never went anywhere. I know Toph's probably still willing, we were just discussing this via MSN. But, it takes more than just us.

So yeah...Still alive! But, there's not a lot for me to say at this point so...


--Xeim--

[Andromeda]

Well if that is the case I'll work on a post for Divided Connections. I had not heard anything from you about it in a while. The last time that Shadow and I talked about it I think it was uncertain about if they were still wanting to post in it. I don't remember completely. But I'll work on something and get it up. It'll be up to you and Shadow and then to post something at the point.

[Climhazzard]

Sorry I know it's been a couple of years, but RL has taken its toll on me. But I'm back and would like to know if I may rejoin my fellows here in the Royalty.

[Victoria]

Woohoo! The man Clim has once again showed himself in the world of Royalty! Dude, what happened? I used to see you on AIM all the time. D:

[Climhazzard]

Real life got hideously busy for me. I was changing jobs going through alot with my ex. I moved a couple of times. Work got outta hand and I changed jobs. So yeah it's been pretty crazy for me.