Stanifly

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

oh damn it's only been a day and everyone's rocketing forth LOL

Very good posts all, only ones who haven't introduced their characters yet are , , and @Stanifly

@Vec

my bad, will try to get my post up by tonight!

Dragonbone Liar

What a generous offer!

Lia watched him drop and adjust to his new foothold, mulling over his words. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t tempted. Less work was good work – or so the saying went. Probably. She wasn’t a philosopher. Point was, she wouldn’t mind leaving it to somebody else. If it weren’t for the itty bitty fact that somebody else was a complete unknown and would screw her over if he screwed the pooch, she might’ve taken the deal.

Instead, she dipped, moving around him to settle against the jagged surface of the cliff. The wind pounded against them, relentless even this close to the bottom. Her hand, having shifted into thick, scaly claws along the way, sank into the rock like butter, earning her a firm grip to hang onto. She’d placed herself at a reasonable conversational distance – perhaps closer than was wise to be with a stranger, but she maintained her smile. What was he going to do, attack and risk losing his grip on his precious rope? That would be hilarious.

‘That’s mighty kind of you!’ she said. ‘Can’t do that, though. You know how it is.’

These old gods were fair game, usually. The Queen wouldn’t lop off heads for failing a royal assignment, but man, getting points docked was not a good look for any Royal Hunter. Emil would never let her hear the end of it. Jackass.

Still, competitive as these hunts were, Lia was nothing if not economical with the way she spent her time. And if there was a way to shunt the brunt of the work onto someone else, while making sure the job was done and getting credit for it, Lia was all for it!

‘You seem like you know what you’re doing,’ Lia went on. She flicked a doubtful glance up and down the rope in his hand. ‘Mostly. Whaddya say we team up?’

◈ 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐒 | Κάθαρσις ◈

@Tlazolteotl well I'm sure there might be a linguistic theory or two out there that could probably translate to writing capabilities but I haven't a clue unfortunately.

hmmm yes and no. the stuff we've been doing covers a broad range of stuff, so it's not rlly one thing. I like morphosyntax, all the dissecting of language is pretty darn cool. computational linguistics though... I can't with the coding 🤧

the dictionary sounds VERY cool. perchance could you namedrop it for my perusal?

I've been seriously considering trying out "sentence diagrams" on authors whose writing style I really like to try and understand what I like about it...

oh hey that's a p nifty idea! they're normally used to discern the grammar rules of a languages, so you could def use 'em to pick apart the patterns behind the writing styles you like. it's better than my method of brute-forcing it anw (writing garbage until I come back later and make it look passable 😋)

@BaronOBeefDip no worries! happy visiting :)

◈ 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐒 | Κάθαρσις ◈

Lost in Translation

@Tlazolteotl@Auragreedia@silver21

This was going nowhere.

The space seemed to move with her, no matter where she went. Everywhere she looked was the same – walls, perpetually distant exit doors, incoherent chatter, more walls, and an endless ocean of dancing people. Teresa stopped where she was, quelling her brewing exasperation to focus on more productive things, like casting her gaze over the speakers dotting the club. The music was the only thing consistent here. That, and the jumble of nonsense that spilled out of the mouths of everyone present.

White noise, all of it. It made sense on some level; she supposed catharsis wouldn’t be catharsis if one could just reach out and get it. Teresa turned around and walked back the way she came.

Assuming the space allowed her to return to the table with the man and Sirpa, she would be greeted with the sight of the man holding the cyber-cowboy’s hand to his face.

‘...Am I interrupting something?’ she said.

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

Sirna

Sirna

God Concept:
The Gifter, Maiden of Tragedy, Benevolent Lord – the god who rules over the domains of dreams and oblivion goes by many names, but the one they’ve found great appeal in is Sirna, for what else do their followers do but lose? These mortals flock to Sirna for guidance on a path they have lost sight of, for inspiration when they crave something new, and almost none of them remember that the line between dream and delusion is a thin one to tread. One may lose her loved ones in the hopes of saving them; another may lose himself pursuing goals that will never fulfil. In the haze of dreaming greater things, people are liable to trip into oblivion along the way – and Sirna will be there, holding their hands regardless of which way they go.

Appearance:
Sirna prefers forms in the abstract. Their most common form holds the silhouette of a waterfall and the skin of a gently flowing void. Their head is a lunar eclipse, shrouded in light that colours and intensifies in accordance to their moods. They possess hands of bladed fingers, because hope is a gift that cuts gently, but cuts nonetheless.

Motivation:
Sirna craves the neediness of mortals. They enjoy watching what the little ones come up with in their desperate need to fulfil all their ever-changing, ever-growing desires. Once a mortal enters their domain – that is, turning to Sirna beyond mere nightly dreams – Sirna would be hard-pressed to let them go, intent on witnessing the journey of their potential, whether it blooms or withers away. However, if a mortal does manage to turn away from Sirna in healthy recognition of reality, Sirna will do nothing to stop them, awaiting their inevitable return. It’s all a game to Sirna, but they respect those who find a way to walk the line that Sirna weaves between hope and delusion.

Roleplay Example:
An unknown presence had entered this realm. Not a fellow fresh-faced entity. Someone smaller. Newer. Sirna angled their focus, away from the forest they were shaping, toward the rolling purple meadows they had left in their wake. A small figure wandered the land, wrapped in scraps of cloth that fluttered in the breeze. The grass rippled around her ankles as she passed by, trees and bushes sprouting in the direction she was heading for.

Potential. Sirna could smell it on the mortal. Potent, and untapped, and oh so wondrous. Anything was possible in the realm of the dreaming, anything at all. Would a mortal be able to shape it to her whimsy as effortlessly as Sirna did or would she be consumed by the realm’s nature?

Availability:
Once or twice a week.

Experience:
Yep, grew up on forums. I already liked writing as a pastime, so throw that together with the surprise of what other people may write and having to roll with it, and that’s pretty much why I like doing it. Combat-based RP was something I steered away from for a long time, though, largely because I wasn’t sure how to do it. I’m not any less sure now, but I’m open to trying new things (and accepting that the possibility of failing spectacularly is rather high lol).

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

@Vec dopee thank you

I just hope your god does not fall into a its own trap of seeking mortals for the sake of watching them ruin themselves like how Yzechr does. That could quickly spiral her favor with mortals down the drain.

duly noted! Sirna shld be all good on that front since they enjoy seeing mortals succeed as much as they do watching them fumble (though I can't account for RP shenanigans ofc)

@TimelessParagon aw, atb for your finals!!

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

no worries at all! 👍🏼

◈ 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐒 | Κάθαρσις ◈

That’s really cool!! What are the things you’re interested in doing with it?

@silver21

honestly, I'm kind of just here for the vibes LOL. linguistic career paths typically point to social work, fieldwork (like actually going to places to study/revive/maintain indigenous languages), or research. so far I'm not super interested in those options, but it's def a v cool thing to study before I fall back into the 9-6 grind 😃

@Stanifly Linguistics!? If you have any advice on improving writing skills/styles, I'm all ears... My stuff starts to sound all the same 😭

@Tlazolteotl

oh no, linguistics isn't the same thing as literature. it's the study of languages and it's a pretty broad field - goes into how we produce and understand meaning in the sounds we make, how languages change when they make contact (like Tagalog + English = Taglish in the Philippines), social hierarchies built around language, etc. it's essentially breaking down how we humans communicate at a scientific level.

that said, the writing problem you mention is SO REAL. I feel like I can't escape the clutches of the writing style I've settled into and it's so advsjdbsb 😭 the only thing that's really worked for me so far is digging into the psyche of characters who have worldviews as far from mine as possible. it might not always turn out great, but it's a neat exercise to look back on and then see which parts could've been done better 😌

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

You've titled them "Benevolent Lord," but the described behavior (craving mortal neediness, being "hard-pressed to let them go," and viewing their struggles as "all a game") reads quite differently. Is Sirna genuinely benevolent, or is that title meant to reflect how mortals mistakenly perceive them?

@Vec

yep, benevolent lord’s just one of the titles the mortals give them, usually from those who associate Sirna with positive things. their whole thing with dreams means that quite a lot of mortals perceive them as a god who grants vision and inspiration, driving ideas and innovation. it's a faulty perception – more on that in the next bit.

When you say Sirna "craves the neediness of mortals," what exactly does that mean? Are they compassionately drawn to help those in need, or do they feed on desperation in a more predatory sense? Similarly, if mortals who turn away from Sirna will "inevitably return," does that mean they never truly have agency to escape, or are you suggesting that most (but not all) struggle with the pull of fantasy over reality?

@Vec

to put it succinctly, Sirna likes being wanted. they are intrigued and entertained by the possibilities that mortals shape through the mere act of wanting. they can be compassionate if that is what the mortal desires, they can play along with more malevolent wishes, so long as the mortal is there. I see the relationship between Sirna and mortals that are sentient enough to dream as a two-way street, for as much as the mortals think that Sirna gifts them with ideas and inspiration, Sirna does nothing more than provide the means for the mortals to draw out their own innate potential.

“inevitably return” refers to the fact that regardless of the mortal’s capacity to balance delusion and reality, all living things will always search for reprieve in the end. In rest, in sleep, in death, in dreams. Sirna just makes a game out of convincing mortals to lose themselves in relying on them, but should the mortals succeed in drawing a line, Sirna’s a good sport about it and lets them be on their way. after all, they’ll never be short of mortals wanting everything that’s out of their reach (or will they?). they’re of the arrogant belief that there will always be a creature out there falling to dreams or oblivion – and thus, a never-ending surplus of toys to play with.

I'm also unclear on what Oblivion represents for you as a domain—is it death, forgetting, madness, ruin through delusion, or something else entirely? The way other gods, as well as the world itself, will interact with her depends on the answer to this question.

@Vec

I wasn’t sure if death was something Sirna could mess with, so Oblivion here is mostly just ruin through delusion, forgetting your sense of self, or the oblivion that await people in the throes of sleep or unconsciousness. death of the self, that sort of thing.

All in all, is Sirna meant to be a helper who guides mortals through the dangers of dreams and desire, or a beautiful trap they fall into?

@Vec

bit of both! sirna's a beautiful trap who guides all who turns to them to keep the mortals reliant on them. initially, I was thinking they’d be a neutral type of god (happy to guide dictators and change-makers alike), but now that I’m considering how invested they are in mortals, Sirna would probably play favourites lol. most likely they’d start out absolutely fascinated by anything anyone does but their morals will probably shift depending on who they grow close to (god or mortal alike).

hope these explanations work! should I write up another roleplay example where sirna’s more active?

Forgotten Sands: A Divine Journey into the Unknown

You guys can put your chars in the char sheet tab, along with too. so 9/12, waiting for , @Stanifly, and and we are set for Monday.

@Vec

Hider

Sirna

God Concept:
The Gifter, Maiden of Tragedy, Benevolent Lord – the god who rules over the domains of dreams and oblivion goes by many names, but the one they’ve found great appeal in is Sirna, for what else do their followers do but lose? These mortals flock to Sirna for guidance on a path they have lost sight of, for inspiration when they crave something new, and almost none of them remember that the line between dream and delusion is a thin one to tread. One may lose her loved ones in the hopes of saving them; another may lose himself pursuing goals that will never fulfil. In the haze of dreaming greater things, people are liable to trip into oblivion along the way – and Sirna will be there, holding their hands regardless of which way they go.

Appearance:
Sirna prefers forms in the abstract. Their most common form holds the silhouette of a waterfall and the skin of a gently flowing void. Their head is a lunar eclipse, shrouded in light that colours and intensifies in accordance to their moods. They possess hands of bladed fingers, because hope is a gift that cuts gently, but cuts nonetheless.

Motivation:
Sirna craves the neediness of mortals. They enjoy watching what the little ones come up with in their desperate need to fulfil all their ever-changing, ever-growing desires. Once a mortal enters their domain – that is, turning to Sirna beyond mere nightly dreams – Sirna would be hard-pressed to let them go, intent on witnessing the journey of their potential, whether it blooms or withers away. However, if a mortal does manage to turn away from Sirna in healthy recognition of reality, Sirna will do nothing to stop them, awaiting their inevitable return. It’s all a game to Sirna, but they respect those who find a way to walk the line that Sirna weaves between hope and delusion.

Roleplay Example:
An unknown presence had entered this realm. Not a fellow fresh-faced entity. Someone smaller. Newer. Sirna angled their focus, away from the forest they were shaping, toward the rolling purple meadows they had left in their wake. A small figure wandered the land, wrapped in scraps of cloth that fluttered in the breeze. The grass rippled around her ankles as she passed by, trees and bushes sprouting in the direction she was heading for.

Potential. Sirna could smell it on the mortal. Potent, and untapped, and oh so wondrous. Anything was possible in the realm of the dreaming, anything at all. Would a mortal be able to shape it to her whimsy as effortlessly as Sirna did or would she be consumed by the realm’s nature?

Availability:
Once or twice a week.

Experience:
Yep, grew up on forums. I already liked writing as a pastime, so throw that together with the surprise of what other people may write and having to roll with it, and that’s pretty much why I like doing it. Combat-based RP was something I steered away from for a long time, though, largely because I wasn’t sure how to do it. I’m not any less sure now, but I’m open to trying new things (and accepting that the possibility of failing spectacularly is rather high lol).

hi! sorry about the lateness, I got pretty stuck on the roleplay example section. I'll just throw the cs here first, let me know what needs changing/adding/clarifying. I'm thinking of having Sirna introduce a realm of dreams to the world, an incorporeal plane of existence that mortals visit in their sleep. most mortals don't remember their time in the realm, and those who do don't often take advantage of it. but the few who do use it typically use it as a means of freedom, steering either towards creative expression or a brief reprieve from reality. the domain mentioned in the motivation section refers to this realm. mortals attempting connection/communication with sirna will find doing so easiest in here.

sirna essentially is a god whose area has two focuses: the subconscious, and the hopes that people carry within them (and whether they will lead them to fulfilment or ruin). lmk if this comes across well in the cs haha