Mokley

Lantern

she lunged at the pirate with her sword aiming directly for the girl's heart. No one else around her mattered at this time, just stopping this threat. Ending this danger. Killing this monster that would dare get in her way.

Anise

Rhea's eyes flashed bright yellow, and the eye tattooed to her palm glowed the same color, bright against the dark of her skin and the billows of her robes. She did not move to dodge Anise's blow, but instead planted her feet, waiting for the blade to come down --

he kept out of the darkness and threw his spear to land between her and Rhea. "Stop this, NOW!", he roared at the princess and her allies. "Unless you want these rocks to pierce your skull you will let her speak!" With his free hand Talan took off his mask and grinned at Rhea before saying, "What happened to you? I lost you after we went over the falls"

Talan

The spear planted into the earth between them, and Rhea's glowing eyes narrowed, her fingers curling around the magic in her palm. It wasn't something she could simply will away; the spell had been cast, and it must be released.

The moment Talan removed the mask, everything seemed much darker; he could no longer see the shapes in the trees, and where he had been able to discern the depths of the forest all he could see now was black.

Rhea turned her yellow eyes toward Talan, glanced at the mask in his hand, the floating stones and the grin on his face, and she offered a thin bright smirk. She hid her shock: he shouldn't be able to wear the mask while wearing the iron pendant at all, let alone work both magicks at once -- but she had known from the start that there was something unique about Talan. If he could, indeed, wield the strengths of the forest and of the Runes together, he could be the most powerful weapon any of them had known.

"I'll tell you all about it later, pretty boy," she said while she marched forward, and she yanked the wooden spear out of the ground with her glowing hand. The spear itself began to emit the same faint yellow glow. "Right now there's a rabbit that needs skinning."

It hadn't escaped Rhea that the hideous little Kith was manipulating the princess in possession of the lantern. There was no need to spill more blood than was necessary.

the massive man fed his curiosity into his lantern to study the thing in better detail. It was an odd piece for sure. Looked old and by no means held any kind of fire he had even seen. He shook the object up and down, tapped its glass, and put it up to his ear in a series of tests. Although, with all the shouting and talking, it was almost impossible to prove or disprove the egg theory.

Fyair

The iron casing of the violet Lantern indeed appeared to be very old, but had resisted any trace of rust; it was etched all over with small ornate runes that were very similar to those tattooed into Rhea's skin. The egg inside glowed from deep within, with a living warmth that very gently brightened and softened as if breathing. The shell of the egg -- thick as stone -- was etched with a single rune that glowed brighter than the rest.

Shaking the Lantern did nothing, but tapping the glass caused the light of the egg to pulse gently with each tap. When he put the warm glass against his ear, he might hear a faint swishing sound -- like something moving slowly in thick liquid. There was something alive inside.

"Retreat with me towards the blue light while they're distracted. With a witch on their side we stand no chance to win."

Anise

He glared at the boy for a short moment, noting that of all the people in the area, the little rabbit had been the only real antagonist. “Lady, if magic brought you here and magic will allow you to leave… Isn’t a witch a better resource than a handful of colorful lamps?”

Fyair

At this moment, Rhea threw the glowing spear with the speed of an arrow. The wooden spear sped through the air, ripped Anise's skirt, and for a moment it appeared the spear should have pierced Tyaelaem through the heart -- but instead the spear struck the ground, and Tyaelaem had vanished. The grass around the spear withered and turned black, and the spear lost its glow.

Rhea was not surprised; the Kith had their own powers, after all. She turned her glowing eyes on Fyair. "The Lanterns must be separated," she urged him, and she extended her other hand to him, so he might give her the violet Lantern. She looked over at Talan. "Take that Lantern from her," she told him, indicating Anise. "Before she gets us all killed."

This was the moment that Simon gotten extremely distracted himself, for the first time in a long time he heard quite an angeletic voice singing softly hopefully just on the inside of his head.

Simon

Suddenly Tyaelaem was standing next to Simon, placidly watching the scene between the Pirate and the Princess.

"I know you don't like me, sirrah," he trilled easily without looking at Simon, "but I see you've found the Lady of the Pond. I see she likes you. I have long ears, I hear her singing to you, yes. A good friend of the Kith, the Lady."

The voice in Simon's head laughed quietly, and continued singing.

Tyaelaem went on: "You see, the monkeybat-boy," he pointed at Talan, "he can use Pirate magic and Kith magic all at the same time. Who's to say you can't too? The necklace there you've got, it's pirate-forged, like the Lantern, it's a prison but don't break it. Gentle, fragile! But what do you think might happen if you put on the Fox, yeah? What would happen if you gave the nice Lady a drink of the healing waters of the old grotto?"

Tyaelaem showed Simon his water cask -- the same one that he had filled down in the cave when he had first met Anise.

The voice in Simon's head whispered: "Water . . ."

Tyaelaem hooked a thumb under the edge of his mask, and he lifted it up just enough so he could peek under it, so Simon would see the bright blue of Tyaelaem's eye. He grinned, and held out the cask of healing water.

STONES

@SiliconColt That we are! Also, that forest is a looot bigger than it appears. Silly perspectives.

How close are we to moving on? I see @AiyvaGuard hasn't been back, and there's a collab post still in limbo. :(

Candlewick [CLOSED]

@21308 Sorry, but I have rejected nonhuman characters before for this RP, and I can't accept this one either - do you have a human character you'd want to play? :)

Call for Ideas: Modern(ish) Fantasy underground Elfpunk with misfit powers, graffiti tunnels and a carnival

This is me starting out the week in a state of insanity. :)

This is also a call for anyone who's interested in what the title suggests, and for any ideas you might have for such a thing, were it to ever actually come into being (it might and probably will, knowing me and my addiction to running as many RPs as possible).

I have a vague idea of something VAGUELY along the lines of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere as far as setting is concerned -- where there's a fantastic underground society of elves, trolls and misfits that live according to their own rules, whether it be by gang wars or kings of the sewers, but probably mostly anarchy. They're probably thieves, smugglers and carnies on the surface, but they're most at home in the underground.

I have no idea what the actual plot should be, or what connection the characters might have, though I do like the idea of a colorful cast of crazy characters.

It'd probably be titled "Cipher Underground" -- will figure out the reason later. :D

So, given this vague idea, what would you want to RP in such a setting?

Lantern

@Keplo Woohoo! There wasn't a huge rush, though -- just making sure you're still around!

I can't post til later tonight or tomorrow, but post will be forthcoming. If anyone wants to post again let us know you're writing something so I know to hold on. :)

Lantern

Is @Keplo around? Or are we ready to move on?

Also!

I was bored so I did a sketch of Tyaelaem! x3

Ty is kinda creepy

STONES

Perhaps I should just post ahead and skip the collab post D;

I feel bad for not waiting, and to make people wait D;

What do?!

@orangebox

You guys worked on the collab post, I wouldn't drop it altogether. :)

If I were you, I'd post up the unfinished collab post now to ensure continuity, then edit in @AiyvaGuard's part later.

Edit: I watercolored a (sort of) map! Those spiky things are natural rock formations. Totally not suspicious. Nope.

YOU ARE HERE

Stuff I've Learned About Being a Mod

Creating a new RP

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BUILD THE WORLD, NOT THE STORY

The characters will defy all expectations. They'll sabotage every single scene along the linear plot you've laid out for them, and they'll do stuff that destroys all your amazing story plans. The solution: let the PCs decide where the story goes. You as GM should be prepared to create a story around what the PCs are actually doing, rather than what you want them to do.

POST AN INTEREST CHECK THAT TURNS PLAYERS AWAY

There is no such thing as a RP that is fun for everyone, and yours is no exception. Immediately tell potential players exactly what they can expect from your RP: let them know how much combat they can expect to face and at what level; whether the focus will be on drama or war or comedy; whether the storyline will progress based on characters following orders, investigating mysteries, rescuing princesses, searching for treasure, battling evil, exploring strange environments, etc. Your goal is to turn away players who will not have fun in your RP, so that the only players who express interest are the ones who will stick around after the first few posts.

KEEP CHARACTER SHEETS SIMPLE

Character creation should be quick, fun, inspiring and meaningful to the setting or plot. There is a golden rule that applies here: Trust your players. The players are excited about your RP; if your interest check worked like it should, they are already eager to play characters that match the sort of RP you will be running. Invite them to write as much or as little as they want in the character sheet. Resist the urge to control the limits of characters' skill levels, possessions and backgrounds, and don't force players to come up with character details that will never be important to the game; instead, encourage players to develop unique and creative ways their characters are involved with the plot and with each other. The character sheet is a writing prompt, not a box.

Running the Game

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THE PCS ARE THE PLOT

Characters will defy your expectations, and they'll want to interact with the NPCs and environment in ways you weren't prepared for. Trust the players. Whatever they do, go with it. Create a plot out of it. Make things happen in response to their actions, for better or for worse. Take the story in a completely different direction based on what the PCs do or say. Your job as GM is to read everything and to make sure each and every player feels like they're making an impact on the story.

NPCS ARE SUPPORTING ROLES

The PCs are the heroes of the story, the instigators of the plot, and the cause of all plot progression. Every character the GM controls is, without exception, a NPC. Your NPCs should only exist as support, encouragement, and sources of information or drama for the PCs. Wherever possible, create NPCs that are in some way inferior or look up to the PCs' superior strength or wisdom. The PCs are always at the center of the plot and in charge of what happens next -- NPCs and GM-played characters should never, ever steal the spotlight.

KEEP THE PACE FAST AND FURIOUS

Forum roleplay is a unique and frustrating medium because it takes a very, very long time to get through one scene compared to in-person or chat RP. A mundane conversation might be perfectly fine and engaging when you're roleplaying in real-time, but a forum RP can get very boring very fast. As GM, you must keep the story consistently engaging and interesting. Every mod post should give the players something new and interesting to interact with or react to. Note the progression of time, glaze over uninteresting moments, and summarize events that aren't particularly engaging. If the players are taking days and days to respond, they're probably bored (or taking final exams). This is your cue to increase the stakes and demand the PCs' immediate attention.

Troubleshooting

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REASONS TO REJECT A PLAYER'S APPLICATION, AND HOW TO DO IT

Assuming you've followed the guidelines above, there should be very few reasons you might feel obligated to reject a player who's interested in your RP. Sometimes, however, a player will write a character sheet application that very obviously shows that the player has misunderstood the concept of your roleplay or has not read the interest check. Refrain from rejecting a player solely based on writing ability. If I may insert personal experience here, sometimes the mediocre writers have amazing ideas, and sometimes great writers have no imagination at all. Every roleplay can benefit from a mixture of writing ability.

When you do find yourself in the position of having to turn someone away, do so from the perspective that this roleplay will not be interesting or engaging for the player. This player obviously wants to play a sort of game that welcomes the character they have created -- the fact that your roleplay does not welcome their ideas just means that this is not the roleplay they are looking for. Be happy and helpful, let them know that their ideas are perfectly good, but gently let them know that this particular RP isn't the right fit for what they want to do. Encourage them to try applying to roleplays that are tagged appropriately, and assure them that there are lots of RPs that would be happy to have them. A lot of times these players are new or confused about the site, and are open to guidance.

This is fine to post in the OOC, but only once. If the player objects, asks more questions, or continues to be confused, take the issue to PM and give the player some personal guidance where it won't cause embarrassment or disrupt the other players.

PLAYERS THAT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS IN-CHARACTER

Almost every RP has at least one character that assumes success in whatever they attempt to do, whether it be killing an enemy or figuring out the solution to a complex problem. Overpowered characters may also fit into this category, as well as characters that try to be everywhere at once or mix up the timeline of what's happening.

When a character abuses their power, especially when they insta-kill all enemies, try using the "Yes, but" method (which is a bastardization of the "Yes, and" rule of improvisation). Allow the character to do what they say they do -- but add a negative consequence. For example, maybe that enemy they just instantly killed had valuable information, or maybe their eagerness to solve all problems by themselves has attracted the anger of a horde of armed NPCs. The PC will think twice next time before showing off their full strength unnecessarily. Only do this sparingly, as necessary. If a player's actions constantly result in negative events, they will only get frustrated.

Alternatively, in many cases it's appropriate to simply ignore some parts of a player's post. In your next in-character mod post, point out what actually happened in response to the character's actions, and dictate the order of events. The grand majority of players are simply interested in moving the story along, and will happily accept an arrangement in which their assumptions of what might happen are overruled by the GM.

DISRUPTIVE PLAYERS (AND CHARACTERS THAT DON'T PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS)

In both of the circumstances above, usually there is a player that is unhappy with how the story is going for their character. There are several scenarios that fall into this category: A player that assumes their character is the star of the show and superior to all other PCs (not to be confused with purposefully egotistical characters); a player that belittles or instigates fights with other players OOC; a player that tries to control the plot, the NPCs, or other players' characters; a player that objects in the OOC whenever something bad happens to their character IC.

A golden rule when handling any kind of problem with a player is this: Take it to PM. Never, ever, ever tell a player in public in the OOC that they are doing something wrong in the RP. They will be put on the spot, and they will be embarrassed or angry, which could escalate the problem. PM the player, with the purpose of helping them achieve their goals. Sometimes just nicely asking them to not control the NPCs, for example, is all you need to do. Otherwise, ask questions: what sort of things do they want to do with their character? What's not working for them? What would be an awesome plot to do with the character? Chances are that this player is just as frustrated as you are -- or never realized they were being disruptive at all! -- and there's probably an easy solution, like making their character more important to the plot or giving them something worthwhile to do in the game. Again, always approach a problem with the intention of helping the player solve whatever issues they are having.

If you feel the urge to write something in anger, walk away from the computer and clear your head until you can come at the problem from a place of helpfulness. Along the same vein, never punish a PC in-character because the player happens to be causing you frustration. Again, that's a surefire way to escalate the issue. PM the player and work things out in a friendly and helpful manner.

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Feedback, criticism and questions are very much encouraged. These are only my own personal experiences, mistakes I have made, and solutions that have worked for me in the past. Please take them with a grain of salt. They are by no means the way things should be done for everyone -- and each individual circumstance is different -- but I hope to at least offer some points to consider. :)

STONES

:D ill post tonight when i get home from work.

Just a thought, in character can we embellish this legend if like it was an oral tail passed down by generations but undergoes the "telephone game" effectvwhere things change by accident and exaggeration?

@SiliconColt

Absolutely, great idea! Each character might have heard a slightly different version of the myth. Feel free to embellish as you like. :)

Candlewick (a fantastical seafaring RP)

@21308 Hi! :D Yes, please post a character in the OOC for approval before posting IC. :)