The Harbinger of Ferocity

Souls of [insert world name here]

Alright, this is what I have so far.

Names for Realm:
Aatmik
Achlys
Amaro
Blackspring
Brangwen
Catori
Daeva
Dusana
Shadingbarrow
Shiri
Xrynn

Names for the Government Employed Person:
Âme Voix (Soul See in French)
Aura-Oric
Soul Mage
Soul Oracle
Soul-Seer

@ScarlettWaters16

I am in favor of utilizing oracle, seer or manifester as to describe someone who can actually manipulate, augment, alter or outright manifest their soul's properties into the flesh or through reality changing means. While quite generic, it leaves a sense of mysticism and question to the world at hand; the properties of a soul and its actual usage might be understood as a concept (likely only by those explicitly "in the know"), but it depends on if it is something that's universally understood by most everyone. In short, while everyone has a soul, not everyone knows about it or can even use it.

Mind you it is more or less Mazoy's call.

Souls of [insert world name here]

I am willing to assist in this realm, as it is roughly familiar in a few concepts and ideas to a campaign setting or two I've written. That said, I believe there is great potential for building on what is here as a framework, as there's both ample room and time to avoid... I suppose the best term is stereotyping or committing to repetition.

I tend to be better with concepts as a whole than names, locations, persons and the like, if that is of any assistance.

As an example of sorts, I can already imagine a few roles between the souls at hand and the rising chaos of the world itself; explanations and rationale, in a way.

What kind of characters have you been making lately?

Given that the current topic is about the creation of (or continuation of) female characters, I feel I might as well throw my admission in that I, for whatever reason, find the writing of a female character to be easier or more in depth; as if I suddenly have more to say or do with little logical explanation as to why. As @PlatinumSkink said, for some inexplicable reason I find that my female characters are more compelling and or interesting, even parsed against an identical copy of themselves with the only variation being gender.

All of my really refined characters play against type - even my avatar is an admission of that of sorts, as her character is certainly well off the beaten path, as can be defined in the piece alone. Moreover, I feel as if they're more organic, as the only two male characters I've held on to and cultivated evolved naturally, most others were in response to trying to meet certain conditions - like as if they were constructed to fit some role, rather than feeling like they're the result of that niche being open. The two females I've stuck to? They just sort of happened into being characters - just ideas that got set free and kept rapidly evolving on their own and didn't (and don't) feel like they have a definitive end. In fact, there's still a lot more for them to do and become in concept.

Transitioning slightly, I tend to write anti-heroes or characters who are morally ambiguous - three of the four I've kept around for an extended period certainly aren't good persons and are a far cry from anyone you would want to be a heroic person or moral authority. Perhaps they do have truly noble intentions, but frequent horrible, oft violent means (even making great errors in judgment on their personal bias alone) which makes them downright zealots or, in the case of one, fairly monstrous. I find myself making their lives so terrible, not because I enjoy it, but because it feels like it gives an explanation as to who they are and why they do what they do; not justifying their actions, but separating them from the "they're just crazy" and more to, "they really are convinced they're doing the right thing". It gives a sense of credibility, or so I am lead to believe. Also helps that I'm not fond of "this character does bad and or terrible things because crazy".

As an ending note but slightly-relevant-yet-semi-off-topic, I guess my favored archetype is of the "woman-warrior"; both my favorite character who inspired my username here and I've written for is entirely that, as is the close runner up I've worked on.

Mahz's Dev Journal

I am of the agreement that added upvote and or downvote, as well as other rating systems aren't really all that needed. The "Like", "Laugh" and "Thank" are sufficient as it stands, as there's no real reason not to post, short of just agreeing that someone either said it best, got one to laugh, or deserved a modest thanks and acknowledgment.

Carrying on, adding or removing individuals from Private Messages would be a welcome addition for "behind the scenes" on-site sort of planning.

Mahz's Dev Journal

@Shienvien: I attempted to dampen it. If that bothers you, does the white text of posts bother you too?

Should it be more of a white-grey?
Should it be more of a white-grey?
Should it be more of a white-grey?

I still have plans to introduce a button that toggles to a dark-text-on-white-background theme. Apparently the vast majority of people prefer it and find it more readable. It wouldn't be too hard.

Latest Push:

- When you click the Subscribe/Unsubscribe buttons on a topic, you are no longer redirected back to the first page of the topic.

Man, what are some other gross user-experience destroyers I need to fix?

@Mahz

I personally enjoy the nice dark theme of the site as is, but to each's own. Though from a reading stand point, I do believe the second shade of "Should it be more of a white-grey?" is the most comfortable.

However, I do need give you kudos on the updated "Fresh" box. Not only is it easier to see and more distinct, but the tool tip is simple as well.

At'aine, the Well of the World

Consider my interest invested and that I have further great interest in, given that magic sounds all but destroyed from the initial post alone, as to who and what the characters would be capable of (or expected to be).

There Are No Heroes [Revamp]

I'll have a post up tomorrow/later today.

@Zashes

Fair enough. The next coming weeks I should have some increased access to time around the Guild, but I am thus far fine with the rate of posting; it gives enough time, seemingly so, for each of our schedules to function.

Mahz's Dev Journal

@Genkai I added a dinky "← Fresh" indicator to roleplays/checks newer than 24 hours.



Maybe it helps you skim for new threads until I build a sort-by-newly-created toggle.

@Mahz

A fine addition, given that many will skim for newer topics than older ones.

My only suggestion @Mahz, is to make it contained within a light cyan box, more similar to the category types and have a tool tip component of something along the lines of;

"A "Fresh" topic is a new topic that has been posted for less than 24 hours."

Sum up your week in roleplaying in just 3 words

Checks never change.

It seems like the same genres continue to persist and flourish.

There Are No Heroes [Revamp]

"I haven't heard of them either." To which provoked a series of short nods from Mercer, broken only by the fact that he choose to turn about on the stool; hand grasping the bottle before facing the band once more. “I kinda doubt they’re locals, unless it’s a brand new group. I’m just as curious to figure out what this is gonna be as you are. It looks like they’re starting the sound check now.”

Drawing the bottle to his lips, his mind wandered for the moment between conversation; why did tonight already feel like a strange, strange night? It didn't bode well, given that he had to at some point let the cat out for a walk about the areas surrounding his workplace. It was just that inkling, unusual feeling. Mercer first chalked it up to the company he was keeping at the bar... which inadvertently convinced him that it was, beyond a doubt the strange feeling. Having just taking the first down of the beer since he picked it back up, the man beside the first - the one with the red and blue check shirt and dangling aviators - proved to lean about and stare at him as he drank.

There existed this awkward, sort of slowing to his drinking welling within him as Mercer's attention shifted in Henry's direction. By the time he had paused, taking the bottle and setting it down, the silent man had drifted behind the other again - breaking his line of sight. Mercer, by all rights, proved a bit bewildered.

What? What in the fuck was that about? His thoughts drifted, attributing the strangeness to the bar's more unusual patrons as a whole. What the hell is going on here tonight? Did I miss some sort of convention? Who are these people?

Marginally threatened but more deterred by the sheer oddity of that event, Mercer took up the beer again, downing what little the bottle had left; what he would have finished originally. The beverage, as initially intended, had the desired effect of proving distracting, as little by little Mercer's psyche had drifted toward the more hostile - he didn't like being watched, for many reasons, a certain giant feline being the most obvious. But there was a method to his madness; why he worked at night, oft wore sunglasses and stuck only to places he felt most comfortable - safe - in.

Except tonight didn't seem to be one of those, as the bars' usual uneventful and more... normal? No, that wasn't right. More... standardized patrons weren't the only "company" here.

Setting he emptied bottle down, Mercer's attention turned to, surprisingly, the lean smoking man from earlier who was just as wrapped in the white uniform as he was the last time he'd been seen. Jarring, certainly but at least this guy had an actual reason to be here - he worked down the street and went on a break. Aviators and Mrs. Anti-Social here? Let alone anyone called "Amish Tech Support?" Not so much. Shrugging lightly, accepting the man as he sat at an angle across the bar, Mercer prepared to order another beverage to "enjoy".

It wasn't the vibrant green color of the drink that the waitress had proved to just delivered that caught his attention as he awaited her return - it was who it was for. Honestly, Mercer didn't exactly know what to expect from the black clad chick - the two cowboys, sure, the smoker, alright, but it amused him that she had made such a hard cut from barely alcohol to the sort of exotic drinks ornamented with an umbrella. It still didn't settle the fact she had, by and large, taken his place... which to this moment didn't sit right with him.

Receiving another drink, having already paid for it with the initial cash from earlier, Mercer could only sit back and watch the show.

Or so he had hoped.

By the time he was about to set the second Coors down, his phone rang with a received message. How he overheard it as the theremin got more out of control - as if that statement had ever crossed anyone's mind before was questionable - was beyond him; not really, he knew this particular tone more so than he should. It wasn't entirely a bad thing to have happen, but it meant he'd have more company... and that the caller was perfectly aware of where he was at this moment. That last part was the bad news that need emphasis, as this wasn't the first time he was met here unannounced.

Fishing around his pocket, he produced the device and scanned the message.

Need more than last. Weren't happy with copy.

It was one thing to have dabbled in transporting illicit goods in the past, well now and then to this day too, but it was another to be accepting of and engaging in information gathering for a competing organization. It wasn't hard at all to actually acquire the material, it just took some minor finagling to get right. The easiest was just to stop any one of the vehicles he knew would be transporting secured goods prior to allowing them to leave Harper and Leo's research site; they could protest "random" inspections, but the templated ones? The ones he wrote? Those were valid provided they just so happened to align with a truck's departure.

Muttering a curse under his breath, Mercer downed the beer in a hurry - not that it would help his irritation.

Really? Because it was a copy? Everything we use is a god damned copy of a copy! His mind recoiled at the thought of essentially being subtly berated by a contact, face visibly contorted in a disgruntled manner. All of this for not getting the near impossible to acquire evidence that Harper and Leo were actively duplicating NorGen's synthetic medication. The fact he had any proof at all, that NorGen was right about some of these shipments and the research facility, should've been more than enough - in fact they owed him or as far as Mercer was concerned.

He had to keep calm, just put up with NorGen's agent for a few minutes, then go back to drinking.

Oh, right... and then take the cat out.