The Mad God's Masque and Bellicose Ball (OCC) (Taking New Submissions)

[Azlan]

Hey, I just thought of something. Would Kiet notice the huge hole in the ground under the wall by the courtyard, and large footprints of...something...around it?

Yes, but he already has seen your mode of transportation and is aware of the presence of insectis. 

However, Paollo and Kiet have done unspeakable things to the creatures... whole hives left soulless, a queen or two rendered to a husk and used to breed insectis containing no souls... so they can be filled with artificial ones and made into soldiers, little things like that which have created whole legends of fear and hate among the hive Queens. 

So... he probably won't be talking to Karazkt if he can avoid it.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, Kiet doesn't hate insectis, he doesn't hate anything at all.  He avoids them because in some small way, he regrets what he has done in the past.  We are talking way in the past, 3000 to 4000 years ago for Kiet and Paollo's actions were 10,000 years ago and farther back.  Like grandfather, like grandson.

   

[Cogidubnus]

Note! Thar be a post!

As well - I have an announcement to make.

Due to issues of timing, I'm having something of a problem - I have people ready to move forward with the story, and people who have not yet reached the castle. In order to preserve the element of surprise on certain things, I'm going to do the following-

Everyone in the Castle is on Haitus, until the people outside of the castle get there. I'd like everyone to get there at least by the end of the week. You can still post while you're inside the Castle, but I won't be trying to move the plot forward. Not that I've been doing much there anyway, yet.

Also, Spots, I don't know what you wanted to learn from the Badger, but there are larger reasons for him wanting to kill himself.

Also, Azlan, if that's so, I hope you don't mind me borrowing that particular bit of plot for my own ends...

[Azlan]

Also, Azlan, if that's so, I hope you don't mind me borrowing that particular bit of plot for my own ends...

Indeed, it is yours for the using.

[e_voyager]

cog can i sneak into the hotel or not? it's and interesting thing to know as i need to get ready for for the party as we speak. even if i'm just gong to get caught is it possible to try?

[Cogidubnus]

cog can i sneak into the hotel or not? it's and interesting thing to know as i need to get ready for for the party as we speak. even if i'm just gong to get caught is it possible to try?

E...

Why would you need to sneak into a hotel?

They're not going to kick you out. Go take a shower and get to the Castle.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

My apologies, I've been busy. I'll get T&R (I so should have chosen a name that began with A, shouldn't I?) on the move, RSN.

[Shadrok]

Note! Thar be a post!

As well - I have an announcement to make.

Due to issues of timing, I'm having something of a problem - I have people ready to move forward with the story, and people who have not yet reached the castle. In order to preserve the element of surprise on certain things, I'm going to do the following-

Everyone in the Castle is on Haitus, until the people outside of the castle get there. I'd like everyone to get there at least by the end of the week. You can still post while you're inside the Castle, but I won't be trying to move the plot forward. Not that I've been doing much there anyway, yet.

Sorry about the lack of posts, kind of been busy. *runs off to catchup with everyone else.*

[Cogidubnus]

Note! Thar be a post!

As well - I have an announcement to make.

Due to issues of timing, I'm having something of a problem - I have people ready to move forward with the story, and people who have not yet reached the castle. In order to preserve the element of surprise on certain things, I'm going to do the following-

Everyone in the Castle is on Haitus, until the people outside of the castle get there. I'd like everyone to get there at least by the end of the week. You can still post while you're inside the Castle, but I won't be trying to move the plot forward. Not that I've been doing much there anyway, yet.

Sorry about the lack of posts, kind of been busy. *runs off to catchup with everyone else.*

I honestly wasn't sure if you were still here, but that's good to know, Shad.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Hope you don't mind, Cog. I was going to check it with you, but I had an attack of Muse...

If you need any of that editing, I'll be happy to rethink it.

[Cogidubnus]

Hope you don't mind, Cog. I was going to check it with you, but I had an attack of Muse...

If you need any of that editing, I'll be happy to rethink it.

Not at all, good sir! Exactly as was intended, in fact.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Oh, good.

[Stygian]

Post is coming, coming...! Just let me zzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

[collapse]

[Cogidubnus]

It kinda makes you look like an asshole, Az, when you post how you can totally destroy everyone else's character. Almost every time someone interacts with you. I can tell you, it turns people off from interacting with you. Don't think that llearch bugged me about it either - these are my own observations, even prior to your most recent post.

Saying how you're so invincible is a great way to make me think of ways to make you not so invincible, too. It's just how GM'ing works.

I'm not trying to knock you down, or make you feel like I'm out to get you, either. There is a great deal of the plot dealing with your character right now, which does mean that there are a lot of people trying to kill you right now, true - it doesn't mean I don't like you, but rather the opposite. Don't be fooled, however - you don't have plot armor. Being a jerk to everybody else and bragging on yourself will still have repercussions.

[Azlan]

Well, I am not generally that way, but he is, and I don't pull punches.  I generally react badly when someone goes out of their way to make me look like a fool without asking me.  If you don't like it, address the whole problem.

[Cogidubnus]

Except, that, you've sort of done this with Techmaster and saying you've soul-sucked out entire insectis hives, and with Spots, by saying there was no foreseeable way in which Andrace could win against Kiet. What's more, you sort of do this thing in the past tense - by dropping these things into your backstory - which makes you seem even more arrogant, because it's like a watered-down form of auto-ing. "I killed ten thousand insectis years ago", in effect, isn't so very far removed from "I kill this insignificant speck now".

Now, to a certain degree, I can understand that some of it is justified - I'm not trying to say that you should make your character weaker to facilitate the self-imposed or intrinsic limits of other player's characters. But, what I am saying, is that the way you're acting now makes you look like a dick. And people don't like playing with people who act like a dick.

As for making you look silly, I agree - Nobody likes their character to be make to look stupid, or weak (ahem) without their consent -  but I'd hardly call Rover licking you as such. It makes the giant Dog look more silly than you, in my opinion. If he was pissing on you, that'd be another thing, and I think I'd sympathize with your objection a bit more.

I think there is a balance to be struck - asking you every time we want to have a character interact with you if it'd be offensive would stall the RP, but on the other hand, autoing is bad. I, at least, will try and keep this more in line with your wishes in the future.

[Azlan]

And now you know why I argued so vehemently on why tri-wing cubi should not ever be considered, imagine if I was playing one... there would be so much more nasty involved, the nicest of them act like arrogant snobs, the worst... well, let's not get into it.  As Fa'Lina once said, "Cubi are diverse! Why... there are even a few whole clans of cubi that revolve around peaceful behavior!!  Well... not -my- clan in particular... but there are whole clans out there..."  Well, not -his- clan either.  You do not reach power by being a kindergarden teacher unless you devour the souls of the children and fill them with peppermint evil.

I'm not sure what type of cubi you have understood, and I can understand that the comic is largely a comedy, but the species is not a G or PG type of creature.  Thousands of years of gathering power... souls, brutality, murder, atrocities, prejudice, lust, ambition and war.  No where did I say he ever did all of this alone.  If you consider the comic, Merlitz stood no chance against Aaryanna or Abel during their encounters, only luck, plot and comedic license saved his tail.  Merl is one of the most powerful adventuring beings I know, and his Furcadian character was no slouch.  If anyone thinks they can take Destania or Ink, let alone someone like Crya, I will gladly watch it.  Cubi are quite nasty, and the times of the past were dark and deadly.  Beyond that I can say very little.     

Yes, maybe I overreacted to Llearch... but as there doesn't seem to be any rules of interaction, I guess I've been operating under a false assumption of a necessity to attempt an action.  My reply corrected that false assumption and I shall no longer operate under such false pretenses.

[Cogidubnus]

Yes, maybe I overreacted to Llearch... but as there doesn't seem to be any rules of interaction, I guess I've been operating under a false assumption of a necessity to attempt an action.  My reply corrected that false assumption and I shall no longer operate under such false pretenses.

That's sorta the opposite of what I was trying to say.

There shall be no autoing. That's a golden rule of RP'ing, certainly, and it keeps everyone on a fair playing field. There is a necessity to attempt an action.

However, I will say there are very limited exceptions. Shaking hands, for example - saying "Cog attempted to shake his hand" seems a bit odd, and I personally would not object, so long as it wasn't secretly for planting a tracking device, or otherwise adversely affecting the character. As far as licking, I suppose I personally didn't think it was that big of a deal - as it was both funny and not really adversely affecting - however, I can be mistaken, and in the future I'm sure this will be taken into account.

[Azlan]

I would have loved it and would have run with it... but it just irked me that Llearch seems to be able to get away with more then the others... perhaps I am reading too much into it, long days at work and all.

[e_voyager]

so what changes to i need to make? i've got on my dress suit and cloak i haven't put on my mask yet but i'm sure there's more to the ball then that and i haven't started to look for anyone yet. i'll Look for LL soon but know hove i've played aten i'll approach her thong mel though i'm not  as familiar with mel as i'll make it seem.

[Gareeku]

Forgive the somewhat basic post, but playing catch-up has never been one of my fortés.

[Sunblink]

And now you know why I argued so vehemently on why tri-wing cubi should not ever be considered, imagine if I was playing one...

Considering Kiet's level of ability and the fact he can, apparently, defeat everyone in the RP with his hands tied behind his back and he was responsible for stealing the souls of a bunch of Insectis and he is impossibly skilled in many domains of combat and he contains the soul of a tri-wing threatening to take over his body, is there really any difference between him and some tri-wing? Please.

[Azlan]

Considering Kiet's level of ability and the fact he can, apparently, defeat everyone in the RP with his hands tied behind his back and he was responsible for stealing the souls of a bunch of Insectis and he is impossibly skilled in many domains of combat and he contains the soul of a tri-wing threatening to take over his body, is there really any difference between him and some tri-wing? Please.

Considerably... there is a massive gap of power between his level and that of the existing canon tri-wings that I know of.  I have no idea about fan created stuff, as I haven't considered them as I don't really know of any.  But from what I have discovered about the existence of powerful beings in Furrae, I image there can only be so many of a certain level before those things more powerful take notice and eat them.  There generally can only be so many things that can occupy certain power brackets.  When considering... uh, well... 'cosmic' power scales, I think the tri-wing cubi comes in around the lowest level.  Sort of like the D&D demigod status.

There are certain major things that tri-wings can do that he can not even fathom.  There is also his age category, which is considerably higher than most PCs (at least what I can tell from character profiles, that is all I have to base it off of), and though he has not spent every hour of every day for that period of time fighting, training, and gathering power... a considerable amount of it was used for such.  Kiet and Malyka (Ink) are peers, hold the same rank and distinction among the clans, and hold the same tenure level at SAIA.

However, if you mean in the potential to just throw raw power around then I do consider Kiet to be the highest of the player characters to be able to do that (the only one I excluded from this list is Mel, as I have a large apprehension about dragons anyways).  Martial skills... well, my example has been D&D, so I'll use it again.  A 40th level wizard with skill in a sword can trounce a 15th level fighter skilled in the sword.  It's not a good analogy, but from a game mechanics standpoint it is true.

Now, he never really did all of that on his own... like the hives, he had armies backing him up, but he did get the souls of the hive queens himself.  Only his grandfather ever razed a whole hive by himself.

I really planned on avoiding all conflicts between other players and working out conflicts as best as possible.  I really never expected it to be an issue, because no really ever reads what I post anyways.

I want to re-iterate... raw magical power, mana, magical might, spell power and magical skill (likely stronger mental abilities, natural cubi abilities, and such then the other younger cubi... though if they are a specialist in something, then they are likely better)  He cannot arm wrestle with Class C Gryphons, burrow through stone without the use of magic, Alter large areas of reality at whim, etc.

[Yugo]

And nobody's going to want to interact with Kiet when he's arrogant and prone to starting fights, but nigh-invincible anyways. An endless litany of reasons for how much better he is than everybody else's PC doesn't excuse how obnoxious it is when nobody can possibly stand up to him. His pompousness and better-than-you attitude IS going to set off some other characters, and when you insist on the impossibility of any kind of challenge, it's essentially god modding.

You can proclaim your dubiousness about a dragon, and Mel could have all of the powers in the world, but it's irrelevant if Mel never uses them, never claims invulnerability, and doesn't run around boasting and starting conflicts because the character doesn't cause any serious problems. Players will want nothing to do with Kiet when he does something ridiculous like have a "substitution puppet" for something so benign as a gryphon licking.

My 2 cents.

[Azlan]

*hands back 2 cents*

Here is your change back.  Most of the high end players, if this was any concern to them, would already have at least a couple of strategies to defeat Kiet planned out.  However, the minute I joined, they had already tuned me out of existence anyways.  I spent a good few pages of posts testing that hypothesis.  However, there really shouldn't be a need to fight player verse player.  Even if there is, learn to fight smarter rather than harder.  I actually abhor player verse player, so Kiet is stacked to discourage that.

At least something finally fell into place properly and Spots can finally have Andrace start to piece her target together.


Edit: Just ignore me like everyone else does.  Just go with the "he's a pathetic, loser and twink".  I've grown used to it.

[Stygian]

The moment you start pre-planning the metagame, if that is what you've actually done here, you're doing it wrong. This is an RP, and that means it's about the characters and hopefully personal development through experience, not about satisfying some egotistical needs. That's pretty much the end of the fucking discussion right there.

Everyone who plays cleverly gets their own sweet spots. Everyone who writes well develops and demonstrates their talent. Everyone who goes in for proper characterization learns something. You know what people who ignore the plot and just go in for stroking their own ego get? Nothing. They only get an overinflated ego.

Wash the ceiling, and good day, sir.

[Cogidubnus]

Right. Well, I think I have to post now. Tempers have gotten a little hot, and I think there are some grievances that deserve to be addressed on both ends here.

However, I don't have time to address them right now. I'd like to request everyone not post here until such time as I am able to respond.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Just to clarify, do you mean here in the OOC, or here in the RP as well?

[Cogidubnus]

Just here, in the OOC.

Edit:

In some ways, I'm not very happy about having to post this. The time that it takes me to post here is time that I could be using to be creative with the story, and to be giving people things to do, plot points to navigate, and villians to slay. But, instead, I am here, dealing with this drama - perhaps I am wrong for trying to address this, and am making it worse by doing so. It could be that leaving it alone means it would just fade out of mind, and that the drama that I'm perceiving here, I only make worse by addressing it.

But, on the other hand, it's apparent to me that people here do have real problems, and that there are sore feelings on all sides. As the GM of the RP, it's better for me if my players get along - as players, as far as the game is concerned, it's better for you if you get along as well. This is, after all, something we do for fun.
I do find it interesting that conflicts seem to crop up in these sorts of things so very often. I suppose getting writers and creative types to get along and meld their own personal image of things with everyone else's is bound to get some sore feelings going. The only other thing I can think of is that people are dicks - and to be honest, I like you all, and I shall choose to believe the former.

*hands back 2 cents*

Here is your change back.  Most of the high end players, if this was any concern to them, would already have at least a couple of strategies to defeat Kiet planned out.  However, the minute I joined, they had already tuned me out of existence anyways.  I spent a good few pages of posts testing that hypothesis.  However, there really shouldn't be a need to fight player verse player.  Even if there is, learn to fight smarter rather than harder.  I actually abhor player verse player, so Kiet is stacked to discourage that.

At least something finally fell into place properly and Spots can finally have Andrace start to piece her target together.


Edit: Just ignore me like everyone else does.  Just go with the "he's a pathetic, loser and twink".  I've grown used to it.

I'll start at the end.

Firstly - nobody here is trying to say you're pathetic, Az, or a loser - although they might be trying to tell you that you're acting like a twink. Curling into a defensive ball doesn't help anyone out, however - not you, and not the rest of us, and while it may be easier to just think we all just don't like you, and are saying mean things to make you feel bad, this isn't so. Speaking for myself, and what I have said in the past, this is most certainly not so. Please - don't dismiss what they say, simply because some feel frustrated and are showing it. The intent here is not to act out some old grudge, or because we like to say hurtful things. It's not fair to us, or to you.

As far as Kiet - I approved your character, so I cannot really complain about his being as powerful as he is. Moreso, I seem to recall encouraging powerful PC's at some point, because you are going to be set against very powerful foes, and I plan on taxing everyone as much as I can. So, it's not necessarily the power of your character that people are objecting to here. As you yourself said, Mel is a very powerful character, and she gets no flak for this.
I will say, correlating the power levels of Ink and your character did not ever happen in my mind. And, as an addendum, although I cannot complain that he is as powerful as he is, if it gets onerous, this can be changed throughout the course of the RP, be it through making him weak or the others strong.

What is objectionable is when you start posting stuff like:

Yes, but he already has seen your mode of transportation and is aware of the presence of insectis.

However, Paollo and Kiet have done unspeakable things to the creatures... whole hives left soulless, a queen or two rendered to a husk and used to breed insectis containing no souls... so they can be filled with artificial ones and made into soldiers, little things like that which have created whole legends of fear and hate among the hive Queens.

So... he probably won't be talking to Karazkt if he can avoid it.

Now, is Kiet is a ancient general of immense power - alright, fair enough. But was there any reason to post that he's destroyed entire civilizations of Tech's PC? There wasn't, for any reason that I could see, except to reinforce that Kiet is stronger than Tech's insectis. This is what people are objecting to, and it comes across as dick-waving more than anything else. I apologize for using a vulgar phrase, but I cannot think of another effective way to put it.
It is possible to be a powerful character without trying to rub everyone else's noses in how weak they are. Admittedly, if it's part of Kiet's character to be an arrogant prick, than he has done so well, and I don't really think I could then fault you. But, this isn't something I'd necessarily recommend as a wise character traits either.

I would have loved it and would have run with it... but it just irked me that Llearch seems to be able to get away with more then the others... perhaps I am reading too much into it, long days at work and all.

If I want to let someone do something, I'll fucking let them do it.

It's not unfair. It's not playing favorites. It's me, coming to a judgment about that player's ability to be trusted, and deciding on whether or not I want to let them do what they're asking. I get to decide this, because I'm GM-ing this particular game. llearch has a nice imagination. I've told him no on several occasions to certain requests. He in no way gets special treatment because I like him better than you.

This isn't Tammany Hall, and I'm not wearing Tweed. Don't accuse me of playing favorites, please. It is entirely accurate to say that I let some people get away with things I wouldn't let others, simply because I trust them more. If someone proves they're not an idiot, I'm generally pretty open-minded as far as it goes. If you don't like that, tough. Find another place to play.
I'll also point out you've never asked me if you could do anything, as far as I recall. I find it odd, then, that you think llearch gets away with things that you (or someone else?) doesn't.

However, the minute I joined, they had already tuned me out of existence anyways.  I spent a good few pages of posts testing that hypothesis.

Where and when was this? I don't recall reading any of that.

What's more, I find it far more likely that I wasn't able to provide adequate reason for your and other characters to interact. GMing and writing this thing is hard, and I ask your apologies.

In conclusion...

The criticisms that have been thrown around have lacked a certain amount of politeness. I understand that tempers can sometimes get a little high. We're all big boys and girls here, though, and I'm sure we can talk to each other as such.

All this being said, hopefully a IC post will be forthcoming either today or tomorrow. I shall now go listen to something calming, drink some coffee, and think about what the TF2 announcer would have done to you all, if only to assuage my guilt-ridden conscience (read, evil-grin inducing contemplations).

Thank you all for participating, you're all wonderful, beautiful people, etc etc, The Management.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

By the by, Az, I have, several times, held back on posting here because I haven't seen that I could post anything useful; all I could say would pour oil on troubled waters, and then, in someone else's pithy phrase, set it alight.

Having said that, if you do have objections to my characters actions, feel free to tell me, and I'll be happy to, at the very least, discuss an edit to my post to adjust their approach, if not edit it outright. Often times, I'm posting what seems to me to be a reasonable action or attempt - I try to ask before doing anything objectionable, but I'm only human, and make mistakes, just like the rest of us.


And I'd like to apologise for overstepping the boundaries. Obviously, with Kiet, they're not where I thought they were, and I'll try to adjust to that, as we go along. Please bear with me - I tend to get carried away with Rover, because I find him a lot of fun to play.

[Azlan]

By the by, Az, I have, several times, held back on posting here because I haven't seen that I could post anything useful; all I could say would pour oil on troubled waters, and then, in someone else's pithy phrase, set it alight.

Yes, I thank you for that.  For myself, I grow angry and start throwing barrels at plumbers.  It seems when attacked, I will defend my position at the sacrifice of everything... beyond good reason.  My only solace is that I am at least true to myself, I do not hide behind a mask of deception.

Having said that, if you do have objections to my characters actions, feel free to tell me, and I'll be happy to, at the very least, discuss an edit to my post to adjust their approach, if not edit it outright. Often times, I'm posting what seems to me to be a reasonable action or attempt - I try to ask before doing anything objectionable, but I'm only human, and make mistakes, just like the rest of us.


And I'd like to apologise for overstepping the boundaries. Obviously, with Kiet, they're not where I thought they were, and I'll try to adjust to that, as we go along. Please bear with me - I tend to get carried away with Rover, because I find him a lot of fun to play.

No, no... do as you will... Once I thought it would be keen to force others to acquiesce to the way I wanted things.  However, it is a hollow and pitiful thing.

What is objectionable is when you start posting stuff like:

Yes, but he already has seen your mode of transportation and is aware of the presence of insectis.

However, Paollo and Kiet have done unspeakable things to the creatures... whole hives left soulless, a queen or two rendered to a husk and used to breed insectis containing no souls... so they can be filled with artificial ones and made into soldiers, little things like that which have created whole legends of fear and hate among the hive Queens.

So... he probably won't be talking to Karazkt if he can avoid it.

Now, is Kiet is a ancient general of immense power - alright, fair enough. But was there any reason to post that he's destroyed entire civilizations of Tech's PC? There wasn't, for any reason that I could see, except to reinforce that Kiet is stronger than Tech's insectis. This is what people are objecting to, and it comes across as dick-waving more than anything else. I apologize for using a vulgar phrase, but I cannot think of another effective way to put it.
It is possible to be a powerful character without trying to rub everyone else's noses in how weak they are. Admittedly, if it's part of Kiet's character to be an arrogant prick, than he has done so well, and I don't really think I could then fault you. But, this isn't something I'd necessarily recommend as a wise character traits either.

Well, for this there was a reason... part of it is from what I know of the species, but being out of the loop for awhile it has likely been superseded.  This part I cannot go into, but the other I will.  I typed what I typed, and since I know what I wanted to convey I have trouble seeing the issue, but combined with other things it is quite harsh.  The simple fact is that Kiet has done horrible things in his life, and he has come to regret them deeply.  He avoids most of it rather than confronting it, in this he prefers to run than face the pain. 

If you wish to know more about why I choose to to address this in that manner rather than in game, I ask that you PM me Cog, I do not wish to air it here.