@enmuni Only if you're interested, of course!

𝕾o at last he'd cast his die. No more uprooting back to Valtrecht if the situation soured. For better or for ill, he would hang with the rest of them. Ofttimes when Vicquerno had envisioned this moment it had taken shape in his mind as an action in battle: one soldier's decisiveness among many, courage pressed from need like the last drop of wine from the pomace. Ignoring orders from on high, perhaps, to act as the situation on the ground required. Elsewise it was, constructed in his thoughts, not so very different from how it had happened here in the material: a room full of men, the standing, the orating; clarion-voice rising sharp and clear above the mists of reluctant whispers. Either way, sooner than late this war would test not just the mettle but the principles of every man it enlisted. Vicquerno, not fool enough for a moment to think even he would be exempt thereof, could not help feeling that he had just taken his first stand. Which direction wherein to march, what actions to take—merely logistics—but should he have chosen poorly, should his judgment have erred, it befell him now to stand by his mistakes. To atone for every resource squandered, every opportunity missed—every life pissed away in battle. Else in the end he was little better than the hypocrites of the empire. There was a measure of pride in being chosen, no doubt—in the triumph of his proposal, and a certain measure of esteem earned in the eyes of their sovereign—their sovereign who Vicquerno peered at thoughtfully from halfway down the table. She had not yet tasted defeat in this most righteous venture. When she did, who would she blame? To what culpabilities, if any, would she lay claim? And he looked also round the room wherein they stood: did the same fate await those lieutenants who failed her as those decadent churls who'd stood for what she opposed in this pilgrimage? The cross and the stake, the rack and the lash? Did Ariana's rage, once stoked, know none the bounds of foe and friend? |
"Colonel Szaalm, would you care to ride with me on the road? I would be grateful if you would take the time to explain the intricacies of your strategy to me."
• [ "God-modding" ] and [ "One-liners" ] are useful, necessary tools. Let me explain:God-modding is an excellent way to ensure the continuation of a scene without having to stop for every shrug, nod, or grunt from a character you don't necessarily control. It also helps prevent completely side-lining a character's presence in the post. This is best implemented under two circumstances: only once we are comfortable with the personality of each other's character and only in small ways, such as a shrug, nod, or simple reply. For more complex or detailed replies, we can simply ask what the character would do or how they will respond and insert that into the post. If something is ever wrong, or just not quite right, it can be edited easily enough.
One-liners happen in reality, and so they shouldn't be avoided just for the sake of avoidance. That being said, I'll never make you wait a week to get a one-line reply. In fact, one-liners are best used with minor god-modding or during collaborative dialogue which, ideally, would include a lot of rapid back-and-forth replies. I always strive to achieve as natural feeling dialogues as I can.

Soft Post-Apocalyptic
- The Quiet Zone — He smuggled her out of a government compound. She thinks it was for her. It wasn’t.
- Dead Frequencies — She hears a voice over the radio. He answers. Neither of them believes in fate, but something’s pulling them closer.