Kassarock

What Are You Reading Right Now?

So I've just started The Mirror and the Light by Hillary Mantell, the final book in her trilogy about the life of Thomas Cromwell, possibly the finest historical fiction series of the century thus far. I'm only a hundred or so pages in and its already living up to its predecessors. Its a shame the book did not make it onto the Booker Shortlist, the prize its two predecessors won, as so far it seems every bit as captivating and beautiful as the last two.

You see, Mantell has such a grasp of language that sometimes her work reads more like prose poetry than anything else, something I think you rarely see in historical fiction. There's also the driving immediacy of it all as well, created through her skilful use of the third person present, it really makes it feel like events from 500 years ago are happening right now in front of you. And then there's Cromwell, intelligent, cunning, funny, sympathetic, ruthless, compassionate Cromwell. I know how it all must end for him. And yet I do not want it to.

But nothing lasts forever, and the more dizzying the rise to the most glorious of heights, the greater the fall to those deep and terrible depths.

If you haven't read this series yet, go and do it. You're missing out.

what's up, my fellow roleplayers

*Unscrews pommel from hilt of sword and throws it at @Snickersnacker*

How The Leaves Fall

I guess Eli will probably hang around town too, he's in no hurry to go home.

Game: Gnome Town

>[X] Research Herbal Medicine

What Are You Listening To?

Pretend we are all co-workers from the same office building

Derek from accounting sighed as he looked over the numbers on his computer screen. His fingers typed away at the the keyboard, adding rows upon rows of additional figures into the spreadsheet he had been working on for several hours now. Normally his wrist would be hurting by now, but the ergonomic support he had purchased over the weekend was doing wonders. But he didn't have time to savour the comfort his well supported wrist gave him. He had more pressing concerns.

In fact Derek found himself in the most stressful and nerve wracking of situations.

For hours now he had been analysing the company's accounts, and something wasn't adding up. At first glance the accounts looked normal, but the deeper he dug, the more unsettled he became. Obscured in the daily activity of transactions made from the common fund were a number of mysterious payments, all of the same amount, every single month - but billed to numerous different external contractors and consultants.

Initially the receipts and invoices seemed in order, but other than the billing documents, Derek could find no evidence that these services were ever fulfilled. And yet, every month, like clockwork, hundreds of thousands of dollars in company money disappeared. He knew then what was happening, what his predecessors must have either overlooked or been complicit in.

Someone was embezzling money from the company.

A colleague walked past and Derek froze up until they had past. Who knew? Who could he trust? Quickly, he transferred the spreadsheet onto a flash drive before turning off his monitor. He had to talk to Garry about this. It was Gary who had given him the data he needed to work this puzzle out.

But wait no... they had fired Garry after the Christmas party. They said he had 'poured coffee on the boss' and then he had just been gone. Dear god. How deep did this conspiracy go within their organisation? He had to find someone, someone he could trust. But who? Garry had been closest associate in the accounting department. He would have to find new allies.

Derek approached the water cooler, trying to act as natural as possible.

"Hey guys... anyone catch the errr... sports... last night?"

How The Leaves Fall

So does anyone have any afterschool plans?

Game: Gnome Town

>[X] Assign Worker: Gathering Mud

The Arrangement [Suki & Kassarock]

Yeah I think we can incorporate a bunch of them.

Elise's Talent show + Ozragad's hunting trial in Morganyth, then the Bride Hunt and maybe something else in Eorzia, gift exchange right before the wedding itself?

Game: Gnome Town

>[X] Assign Worker: Foraging