This will not work.
But it should.
Petition to IUPAC: Name new element 117 Octarine, in honour of Terry Pratchett's Discworld
This petition is to name element 117, recently confirmed by the International Union of Applied Chemistry, as 'Octarine', with the proposed symbol Oc (pronounced 'ook'), in honour of the late Terry Pratchett and his Discworld series of books.
The Discworld series has sold more than 70 million books worldwide, in 37 different languages. Terry Pratchett died in 2015 and his final book, The Shepherd's Crown, was published in the same year. He was well-known as a lover of science and, with two well-known science writers, co-wrote a series of four books called The Science of the Discworld, which took a sideways look at 'roundworld' (Earth) science.
Octarine, in the Discworld books, is known as 'the colour of magic', which forms the title of Pratchett's first ever Discworld book. According to Disc mythology, octarine is visible only to wizards and cats, and is generally described as a sort of greenish-yellow purple colour, which seems perfect for what will probably be the final halogen in the periodic table. Octarine is also a particularly pleasing choice because, not only would it honour a world-famous and much-loved author, but it also has an 'ine' ending, consistent with the other elements in group 17.
Octarine is being counted as 'a mythological concept' under IUPAC rules, which state that elements must be named after "a mythological concept or character; a mineral, or similar substance; a place or geographical region; a property of the element; or a scientist". The Discworld stories are certainly stories about gods and heroes, and 70 million books surely count for something.
This will super never happen. Ununseptium was discovered by Russians, who are probably not particular fans of Pterry. It's also in row seven, group 7 of the periodic table, making the name 'octarine' hilariously wrong.
But it should happen.
hS
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Petition to name an element for Terry Pratchett. by
on 2016-02-11 10:38:00 UTC
Link to this
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In my opinon, by
on 2016-02-12 06:11:00 UTC
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The more hilariously wrong it is, the more we should do it.
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Why not? (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 19:06:00 UTC
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Couple of reasons. by
on 2016-02-11 21:17:00 UTC
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The main one is that name proposals have to come from the institute that discovered the element. In this case it's a cooperative effort between Russia's JINR in Dubna and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. So petitioning IUPAC is pointless - they'll only accept ideas from the contributing labs. (Luckily, the petition also specifies those two.)
Secondly, most of the work seems to have been done by the Russians - who one assumes aren't big Pratchett fans.
Thirdly, IUPAC's rules say that elements must be named for " a mythological concept or character (including an astronomical object), a mineral, or similar substance, a place or geographical region, a property of the element, or a scientist," and must end in -ium. The petition tries to swing octarine as mythology, which is actually the same thing being tried for naming regions of Pluto. Not a very strong case, and the ending is definitely wrong.
hS -
One other thing... by
on 2016-02-12 10:25:00 UTC
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Surely the better candidate would be octiron, considering that it's the actual element. Or at least the solid form, which might be elemental and probably only is if you don't look hard enough. =]
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There's also octogen, by
on 2016-02-12 10:42:00 UTC
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which is apparently a gas that radiates raw magic. And octarines are magical glowing gemstones (presumably containing octiron in their structure?).
I'd imagine they picked Octarine for the name recognition.
hS -
Oooohhh!! Signed! (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 18:29:00 UTC
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Yes, please. Signed. (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 14:28:00 UTC
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Wouldn't ununoctium be more appropriate? (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 13:08:00 UTC
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But Uuo is a noble gas. by
on 2016-02-11 13:56:00 UTC
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That means it would traditionally end with -on, whereas the halogens - fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, astatine - have the -ine ending.
Though IUPAC seem to want every new element to end in -ium these days, which is boring and will break both those patterns. Owell.
hS -
And signed. by
on 2016-02-11 12:10:00 UTC
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I haven't been able to get my hands on many of his books but the ones that I have read were phenomenal. (And my birthday's in a few months, so who knows? Might be getting some more for myself...)
I'm gonna be keeping an ear out to see what happens. -
Signed. by
on 2016-02-11 11:11:00 UTC
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Considering that Pterry fans also made a statue occur (well, it's been confirmed as going to occur) that was not particularly wanted, I can agree with this, certainly.
Besides, it isn't the first ridiculously named element we have.
-July
Completely randomly, how do you feel about camels? -
The most ridiculously named elements... by
on 2016-02-11 11:24:00 UTC
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... are probably Yttrium (39), Terbium (65), Erbium (68), and Ytterbium (70), because they're all named after the same place.
Camels, of course, are expert mathematicians/biplanes/cigarettes.
hS -
Precisely! by
on 2016-02-11 11:26:00 UTC
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And I will take that as a general positive opinion regarding camels.
-July, plotting -
July. Please don't send me a camel. by
on 2016-02-11 11:30:00 UTC
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They
spithave too many moving partscause canceroh wait I know what works for all three: they smell. ^_^
hS -
It'd be a mite difficult to ship a camel from the ship. by
on 2016-02-11 11:34:00 UTC
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I will take due consideration and not send you a single camel.
I'll find one for each of you, so you don't have to share.
-July, looping -
... by
on 2016-02-11 11:45:00 UTC
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Some said the ship was HMS Ark Royal. Some said she was the nuclear-powered carrier Charles de Gaulle. Some said she was the original USS Constitution (under very heavy disguise). Her name didn't matter.
What mattered was that she was currently playing host to a herd of camels.
July stood on the walkway, watching the flock with a malevolent grin on her face. "So that's two - no, four for hS," she mused. "Then two for Neshomeh, one for Miss Cam - that'll throw her - and then... hmm."
She drummed her fingers on the railing, and then brightened up. "And then it's the end of the month," she said aloud, "which means it's time for another four to hS..."
~
What?
hS -
And that is how England became colonized by camels. by
on 2016-02-11 11:50:00 UTC
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That said, they're actually quite expensive, which is boggling.
I suppose I could send you goats instead, but those are already endemic.
-July, who price checked -
Protectors of the Parade of Camels? =] (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 16:16:00 UTC
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How you guys ever noticed... by
on 2016-02-11 17:07:00 UTC
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That every single camel looks like it's totally baked?
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Caramel-tone camels? (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 23:06:00 UTC
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New interlude! by
on 2016-02-11 12:15:00 UTC
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It’s seventeen years in the future and life in HQ is tough, especially if you’re a teenage Time Lord.
And I'm just gonna go ahead and preemptively say 'canonicity is questionable' and head off that question now. :P
I wanted to post this as a Valentine’s gift to the Board (because I love you guys :P) but I’m going in for surgery tomorrow, which means I’ll be recovering for the next few days and don’t know how much I’ll be on during that time. Don’t worry, it’s nothing major and everything’s fine. Just wanted to give a heads-up. (Though it can’t hurt to say ‘wish me luck’, can it?)
Hope you enjoy the story! -
Update: Surgery went well. by
on 2016-02-12 18:29:00 UTC
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They wheeled me into the operating room, put me to sleep, and then I woke up screaming about sleeping through my alarm. All in a day's work. :)
And I'm under strict orders to not drive for the weekend, so bonus! -
Given that the weekend has passed... by
on 2016-02-16 01:22:00 UTC
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I hope that you had a smooth recovery! How are things going for you now?
(And if you don't mind me asking: what did you have surgery for?) -
Things are going well. by
on 2016-02-16 02:13:00 UTC
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Though the bandages are starting to itch like crazy, ha ha...
(possible squick ahead?)
I had to get some tumors removed from my breasts. One was the size of a golf ball, the other a ping-pong ball. We're still waiting on the biopsy results but the doctors think they're benign. -
I hope that the tests come out benign. Good luck. (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 02:15:00 UTC
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Thank you. :) (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 02:17:00 UTC
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Results finally came back benign. :D (nm) by
on 2016-02-17 21:16:00 UTC
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Very glad for you. (nm) by
on 2016-02-17 23:06:00 UTC
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Glad to hear that :) (nm) by
on 2016-02-14 14:28:00 UTC
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That's good to hear. by
on 2016-02-13 17:27:00 UTC
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And... While I didn't wake up screaming the only time I was under general one (though it wasn't an actual operation, they "just" had to use shock pads to stop a tachicardy attack. Yes, my heart somehow thought that 200 bpm were good), I kept speaking in English when I woke up.
The catch? I'm Italian. Living in Italy. The doctors were rather puzzled.
Especially since it took a while before I actually managed to finish a phrase in Italian without subconsciously switching to English halfway through. -
I have also woken up from surgery screaming. by
on 2016-02-13 05:22:00 UTC
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As well as woken up before they were quite ready for me. Thankfully, they were done with the surgery proper, but it... surprised them. The screaming is because... well, I forget who told me that you can't feel the IV once it's in, but they lied. Waking up, feeling the painful squick = screaming "GET IT OUT GET IT OUT GET IT OUT!"
Yes, these were the same surgery, and they managed to re-under me before I could actually get my voice working the first time. I guess I made up for it the second time. >
It is good that your surger-ing went well! And... cheers or condolences about the cars, depending on whether that was sarcastic or not. ^^ -
That sounds scary. by
on 2016-02-13 06:17:00 UTC
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At least when I woke up, it was in the recovery room. Scared the jeebus out of the nurse checking on me, though!
And huh, I've never felt the IV while it was in. Maybe yours wasn't in properly? *shrug* The car thing was genuine; I hate driving with a passion, so it was nice to have a reason to get out of doing it. :P -
If you don't mind me asking... by
on 2016-02-16 01:20:00 UTC
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Why do you hate driving?
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It's boring. by
on 2016-02-16 02:14:00 UTC
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I've got ADHD and the fact that you have to focus on driving and only driving while you're doing it drives me absolutely nuts.
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I may be stepping on some toes, but I'm curious... by
on 2016-02-16 02:17:00 UTC
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Do you literally have ADHD, or do you just not like having to focus on only one thing at a time?
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Literally. by
on 2016-02-16 02:19:00 UTC
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Got tested and everything. Fun times. /s
Used to be on medications, but the doctors weren't able to find one that didn't kill my appetite so they kinda gave up. At least college is interesting, so I haven't needed the meds very much anyway. -
*curiosity intensifies* by
on 2016-02-16 02:24:00 UTC
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Another question, then: If you literally have ADHD, does that make it difficult for you to write missions? Or does ADHD not affect, e.g., one's ability to pay attention to detail?
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It doesn't, weirdly enough. by
on 2016-02-16 02:36:00 UTC
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There's a thing some people with ADHD have called hyperfocus. So yeah, while I'm pretty easily distracted in class—I'm that jack*** who keeps rapidly clicking pens and endlessly bouncing my knee up and down or jittering my foot or tapping my fingers (or all of the above at once)—if you sit me down in front of something I love, I'll become so engrossed in doing it that I completely lose track of time.
That's actually why I've been able to write so many missions in two years; I just sit down and write and write and write until my parents remind me I'm supposed to eat. -
Thanks for the answers. by
on 2016-02-16 02:47:00 UTC
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One of the benefits of being in the PPC: you learn quite a bit about the world around you.
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Hehe, yeah. by
on 2016-02-16 02:53:00 UTC
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It's been nice because the PPC's actually helped me learn the time zones of different countries and cities, so it makes figuring out when to call dad while he's on a trip easier. No more Googling what time it is in Anchorage!
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Talk about a non sequitur. by
on 2016-02-16 02:56:00 UTC
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but how has the PPC been helpful in that regard? Does it have something to do with the cowrite that you did with World-Jumper?
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Yeah. by
on 2016-02-16 02:58:00 UTC
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And everyone else.
Sorry, train of thought was jumping tracks there. ^^; -
? by
on 2016-02-16 03:02:00 UTC
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What do you mean "and everyone else"?
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Everyone else I've done cowrites with. (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 03:07:00 UTC
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It was mouth stuff... by
on 2016-02-13 06:36:00 UTC
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...so it was the room I was supposed to be in. I dunno about the IV, though, since I've often felt things I shouldn't. The whole reason I was being put under for tooth removal?
Yeah, so that thing where they put a bazillion shots in your mouth to keep you from feeling it? Apparently doesn't work on me. Last time that got done, I felt every single shot, and still (painfully) felt the removal itself. Anesthetic and I do not have the best working relationship, and it often works less, or not at all. Then there's the fact that melatonin takes me out of commission with depression for a week if I take any at all, and that painkillers are pretty slow on me... well. I am apparently unusually full of idiosyncratic drug reactions.
Hooray, then, that the cars are forbidden from bothering you! -
I have also woken up from surgery screaming. by
on 2016-02-13 05:22:00 UTC
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As well as woken up before they were quite ready for me. Thankfully, they were done with the surgery proper, but it... surprised them. The screaming is because... well, I forget who told me that you can't feel the IV once it's in, but they lied. Waking up, feeling the painful squick = screaming "GET IT OUT GET IT OUT GET IT OUT!"
Yes, these were the same surgery, and they managed to re-under me before I could actually get my voice working the first time. I guess I made up for it the second time. ><
It is good that your surger-ing went well! And... cheers or condolences about the cars, depending on whether that was sarcastic or not. ^^ -
You've chose the general, or was it suggested? by
on 2016-02-12 19:55:00 UTC
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I remember pulling out my wisdom teeth with local anesthesia. All I heard was the sound of the tooth getting ripped straight outta my gum... weird noise, but I felt nothing.
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I decided for general personally by
on 2016-02-12 20:46:00 UTC
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It was a toss up between being afraid from the anesthesy or the operation. I chose the former eventually. Being conscious during the operation felt really scary.
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I got the general twice in my life. by
on 2016-02-12 21:57:00 UTC
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Once when I was 13 and had a liver biopsy done. It was kinda weird, I remember being there, on the table, and I had to be conscious because during the procedure I was instructed to hold my breath... but I don't remember it. At the very beginning, I was given this drug that caused a retrograde amnesia -- I was conscious during the biopsy, but if you ask me to recall what I was doing at that time, I got nothing; I don't remember anything.
And my second general was quite recently, when my heart started to panic. This one was a proper anesthesia, so I was sleeping the whole time. -
General was pretty much the only way to go. by
on 2016-02-12 20:23:00 UTC
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Though I got the local for my wisdom teeth too and I still have nightmares about the giant needles they shoved into the roof of my mouth.
Anyway, I'm actually feeling pretty great and recovery's expected to take 2-3 days. Yay modern medicine. :D -
That's always good to hear :) (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 21:51:00 UTC
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That was nice. by
on 2016-02-11 22:23:00 UTC
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But... well... it's gender-confusing. So... Aviator's male in this interlude, but Elanor still calls... him? her? mum and vice-versa about Librarian. Right?
Good luck with the surgery! -
Hehe. by
on 2016-02-11 22:29:00 UTC
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The confusion was deliberate. :P But yeah, you had it right.
And thank you! -
You're welcome. by
on 2016-02-11 22:35:00 UTC
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But, the bad thing is, you're making me write about my Agents' offspring too...
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*want to write by
on 2016-02-11 22:58:00 UTC
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... why my computer ate part of my post?
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That's pretty neat. (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 19:51:00 UTC
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Good luck. (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 17:14:00 UTC
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That was kinda fun. by
on 2016-02-11 15:46:00 UTC
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I can't decide if the fact that it feels like the PPC setting was almost extraneous to the story is a good thing (because it shows that even people in fantastical settings do the same sorts of thing) or a neutral one (because... something about not using the setting, except you did, actually). I'unno. But more Ten(ish) Years Hence is always fun. ^_^
(We're only two years away from the original Ten Years Hence setting. The future is weird. :-/)
And good luck getting your toes expanded, or whatever it is you kids do in surgery these days. ;)
hS -
:D by
on 2016-02-11 16:52:00 UTC
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Don't really have much to comment on about the setting since this was a character piece. ^^; Glad to hear you enjoyed it, though.
Toes? Bah. I'm totes getting plastic surgery to taper my ears so I look like a hawt elf. :P -
Luck! o/ (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 14:27:00 UTC
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Pretty cute indeed. by
on 2016-02-11 13:00:00 UTC
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I like the stories set in the future for this reason. It lets you hope for something better than madness for the agents they feature. And now Elanor is really a teenager. You're not really one until you pulled a stunt like this.
Good luck with the surgery. Only time I was in a hospital for an operation was for removing my wisdom teeth, and even that scared me a little. Really hope you won't have any problem. -
Thankee. by
on 2016-02-11 13:19:00 UTC
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I stayed awake for getting my wisdom teeth pulled because I've got a bit of a fear of general anesthesia, so this'll be my first time. ^^;
And heh, teenage!Elanor was fun to write for.no I didn't pull similar stunts when I was younger what are you sayingI might just have to do another story featuring her again next year. -
It was rather cute, oh mysterious one. (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 12:16:00 UTC
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Oh yeah, that was me. >.> (nm) by
on 2016-02-11 12:15:00 UTC
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And a happy 22nd birthday to me! by
on 2016-02-11 15:01:00 UTC
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First person to make a Taylor Swift reference... well, I guess that would be me.
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*delurks* Belated happy completed sun-orbit day! (nm) by
on 2016-02-13 05:14:00 UTC
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Belatedly: Happy Birthday, Voyd! by
on 2016-02-12 16:32:00 UTC
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Many happy returns!
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Okay, so I can resist plugging Taylor Swift... by
on 2016-02-12 16:13:00 UTC
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...but not the Beatles. Even if I am doing it a day late.
The BEATLES "Birthday" song: http://youtu.be/MjF1bG5LUcs
When I first heard this song, it sounded like the weirdest birthday song around--pretty aggressive. It's starting to grow on me, though. The following version, with more than one Beatle involved, is much closer to the first way I heard it--just live, this time. (And perhaps a bit less aggressive in feel than the version on... I think it might be the White Album?) http://youtu.be/pbPj2V42eBU
And your secret name is totally 'Saturday Club', right? :) http://youtu.be/glNjsOHiBYs -
Happy birthday! by
on 2016-02-12 15:59:00 UTC
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/mightily resists the urge to plug that particular song/
/only succeeds because mobile makes it more annoying to link things, especially from YouTube/
Here's to a fantastic year ahead!
~DF -
Happy late birthday! (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 15:38:00 UTC
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Well, my mother implied that I get presents today. by
on 2016-02-12 14:26:00 UTC
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And if not, well, Golden Corral for dinner.
...I like food. A lot. -
Happy birthday! by
on 2016-02-12 13:56:00 UTC
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CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU
ON THIS DEAR DATE
MUCH HAPPINESS
MANY YEARS OF LIFE! -
IT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY by
on 2016-02-12 06:15:00 UTC
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HNNNNNNNG.
Good job.
HNNNNNNNNNNNNG. -
For my birthday, my dad got me... by
on 2016-02-12 02:24:00 UTC
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... tickets to see the Deadpool movie.
Hilarious, gory, and a lot raunchier than I was expecting. -
Congrads (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 01:33:00 UTC
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HAPPY BIIIRTHDAAAY! *throws balloons in the air* by
on 2016-02-12 01:22:00 UTC
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Way to go, Big Sib!
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Happy birthday! by
on 2016-02-12 01:16:00 UTC
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I present to you... a book! A really good book, called Mistborn: The Final Empire. Seriously, you should read it. It's awesome.
-Alleb -
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! =D /throws nm&nms (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 00:37:00 UTC
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Happy Birthday! *tosses Spikes* by
on 2016-02-11 22:24:00 UTC
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Unfortunately, I couldn't make a birthday gift art for you because of
procrastinationReal Life shenanigans, but I'll be happy to draw something for you regardless as soon as I get the time. In the meantime, I hope your 22nd year on this planet is an awesome one! :) -
Happy birthday! by
on 2016-02-11 19:49:00 UTC
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Being 22 seems a bit overrated in my opinion, but that's still something to celebrate.
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Many happy returns! by
on 2016-02-11 18:35:00 UTC
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Have a ... *ruminates in closet* bowl and some coloured chalk.
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Happy Birthday by
on 2016-02-11 18:09:00 UTC
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Have a wooden toy stamped "Dale."
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I already did the birthday song, so... by
on 2016-02-11 16:11:00 UTC
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*throws cakefetti and hands over a +1 magic shovel*
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GRAB THE CHAIR, BOYS! WE'VE GOT ANOTHER BUCKET-KICKER! by
on 2016-02-11 15:09:00 UTC
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Wow, I haven't done that in a long time... anyway, [HIT IT!]
Happy Birthday my olde friend.
It seems this horror show will never end.
Any moment's your last breath,
Here is to another day closer to death!
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OT: My cat can open doors. I live in fear. by
on 2016-02-12 01:21:00 UTC
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She really can, so long as they have a handle and not a knob. It's terrifying. I have to lock the door behind me whenever I come or go. I should not have named her after one of the Valier...
So, in the spirit of off-topicness, I'm curious: what weird things do your pets do?
-Alleb -
Re: OT: My cat can open doors. I live in fear. by
on 2016-02-15 13:08:00 UTC
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Currently I just have fish, and they don't do a whole lot, but when I was younger I had a three-legged hamster named Tripod who might have actually been a demon because she bit everybody, except my mum because that's who fed her (possibly wearing gardening gloves).
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Purrcival bites citrus fruits. by
on 2016-02-13 06:37:00 UTC
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Along with everything else in reach, aside from 1) bitter apple anti-bite stuff and 2) sock toes.
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My dog barks at his water dish by
on 2016-02-13 06:17:00 UTC
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And the big dog barks at one of the trees in the back yard. They're old dogs, though, so I think I can attribute it to age rather than quirkiness.
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My cats don't open doors. by
on 2016-02-12 21:51:00 UTC
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They seem to think that meowing at us in the middle of the night until we get up and let them through is satisfactory. To be fair, they're right.
One of my family's cats, Nimby, likes to sleep on clean laundry. Nimby also has thick fur and sheds a lot. She also loves sitting on one's lap when one is using a computer.
The other cat, Raven, when she's in a cuddling mood, will jump up on peoples' chests, put her front paws on their shoulders, and then thrust her nose under their chin. -
My cat steals socks. by
on 2016-02-12 19:58:00 UTC
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Or he did until this year, when he learned how to get into Phobos' sock drawer. After that, I finally gave in and just let him have one to keep (until it gets too nasty and I give him a new one, and by "new" I mean old and full of holes anyway). He stashes them by his food dish and chews on them in between bites. I guess it's kind of like having a toothbrush? I dunno.
He also might be the only cat in the world who will ask to be picked up by reaching up your leg, like a little kid. Sock fetish aside, Merlin is the best cat. ^_^
I did a little photoshoot with him just now. Here are the results, plus a few other images from various times. I was just using my cellphone, so the image quality is not the best, but I needed some pictures of him with his eyes open. Enjoy!
~Neshomeh -
He's so pretty! by
on 2016-02-14 21:29:00 UTC
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I love his coloring. Nessa's got a tortoiseshell pattern, I think, mostly browns and orange.
-Alleb -
Aaaawww! He's adorable! (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 20:25:00 UTC
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Awww, he's a cutie! (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 20:07:00 UTC
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My rabbits were able to jump up several feet onto my bed. by
on 2016-02-12 15:55:00 UTC
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They also chew everything; my first rabbit, when I was pretty little, chewed up my favorite book at the time, and my wooden bookshelf here has also been marked by them--as have a few book spines, though not by too much--I put a barrier in front of the books on the lowest shelf before it got too bad. They also liked to go under my bed--and I keep boxes of things there, so it was pretty hard to get them out again--which is why there's a board there blocking the access.
.......come to think of it... I suppose I no longer need that board :/ Or the block on the lowest bookshelf. My rabbits are gone, and I'm not currently getting a new one--and the fish I have now don't exactly leave their tank. I...should probably move the board and stuff.
Amazing, isn't it, the things that change? And the things that you don't think to change when the conditions that created them are gone? It's probably the time factor--it's only about one year, out of more than ten, that I've lived in Canada and haven't had one to two rabbits in my room.
I do like my fish, though. They're very pretty, have some character, and I may have named them in Yiddish. Pretty creatively, too--there's a sunset platy named Shki'e (meaning Sunset), I just lost the rainbow show guppy who was tentatively named Regen-boigen (meaning Rainbow--a bit of an odd-sounding word, which literally means something like 'rain bend', but it grows on you), and, the pièce de résistance--a...red cobra show guppy, I think he is, named Glantsik. Which, of course...means Shiny. He's a very shiny fish :D
I've also had guinea pigs, goldfish, and a pet mouse, though those were all a while ago, and my friend's sister's giant fluffy orange cat once woke me up when it was still dark because he wanted to be cuddled. It was awesome :D
Also, which Valie did you name your cat after?
~DF
PS: I didn't get any type of tuxedo guppy, but if I ever do, I will probably be obliged to name it after James Bond, because seriously, what better name can there be for a *tuxedo* fish? :D -
I named her Nessa. ^_^ by
on 2016-02-14 21:28:00 UTC
Link to this
I wanted something from Tolkien, but also something short and relatively easy to spell (Yes, I'm her to pick up Thuringwethil? Yes, that's her name). It's been a double-edged sword, though, because it appears her mother name had an effect on her-- she runs everywhere. I wonder what would have happened if I'd named her Nienna...
Ha, I know the feeling of blocking off everything from pets. Until a few months ago, Nessa lived in my bedroom (she's fond of tearing stuff up, particularly curtains, so I thought I should limit the disaster zone) and only just this past week have I removed all of the fail safes I put in place, like the blankets wrapped around my sconces to keep her from tearing the lampshades. My room feels like it's my own again.
I like your fishes' names! They sound lovely.
-Alleb -
Re: OT: My cat can open doors. I live in fear. by
on 2016-02-12 13:54:00 UTC
Link to this
The youngest, Edward Nygma (yes, that is his actual name, although I just call him Eddiebaby) have recently taken to paw my face in the middle of the night when he wants cuddles. The problem is that he doesn't always retract his claws all the way in. :(
He also have a habit of picking up small objects, especially kitchen sponges, and moving them around. Sometimes I'll see him walking down the hall with a sponge in his mouth and a focused expression, that makes you think he really has a plan for what he's going to do with it. Then he'll abandon it on the floor.
I also do foster work for a local shelter, where I take in orphaned kittens until they are old enough to be adopted. A lot of them like to sleep in the potted plants. -
I can relate with that. by
on 2016-02-12 17:50:00 UTC
Link to this
Our cat, Mafalda, also likes to play during te night, and since I use the mezzanine, I'm the only one without a door between her and me.
Otherwise, she's a fairly normal cat. And she also kies to use people as cat trees when she really want to play. -
The kittens do the climbing thing as well ... by
on 2016-02-12 20:38:00 UTC
Link to this
... but I try to teach them not to. It's cute and funny when they're tiny, but not so much when they get bigger.
One of my own cats, Kate, seemed to have watched the kittens and picked up on the bad habit, because suddenly one day, she tried to climb me and suddenly I had 5 kilos of cat hanging from my thigh. Not fun. :/ -
Try having a Norvegian Forest Cat with that bad habit. by
on 2016-02-13 17:22:00 UTC
Link to this
These things are big, and have an innate need of climbing on stuff. My sister's cat is... probably around 7-8 kilos by now?
You really don't want them on top of a cupboard with fragile stuff around. -
Re: OT: My cat can open doors. I live in fear. by
on 2016-02-12 09:58:00 UTC
Link to this
I'm afraid that my cats only do normal things like wanting to guard me from bathroom ninjas. I miss one of them.
-
My guinea pigs do weird things. by
on 2016-02-12 02:33:00 UTC
Link to this
Like this:
And this:
And while not mine, our neighbors have a swan who's a regular visitor:
-
Guinea pig on left by
on 2016-02-12 13:25:00 UTC
Link to this
Looks eerily like Weegee.
(But with the eyes going the other way.) -
That's Nutmeg. by
on 2016-02-12 14:12:00 UTC
Link to this
And Nutmeg is as derpy as she looks. :P She likes to try to stand up on her back legs for treats only to fall over and roll around.
(Pepper is the other one, and she's skittish.) -
We have eight guinea pigs in one exhibit. by
on 2016-02-12 14:51:00 UTC
Link to this
Unfortunately, they're ALL skittish, which was rather disappointing when we first got them. Realistically, though, I don't remotely have time to spend on any one animal, so it's probably for the best I'm not tempted to hang out with them.
—doctorlit
-
New Mission! by
on 2016-02-12 01:28:00 UTC
Link to this
In which Natalie and Za'kiir must deal with an alien Sue that is more like a black star than a "Starheart."
-
Well done. by
on 2016-02-14 19:05:00 UTC
Link to this
Death by canon is always a good thing. And choosing the right time, when the ‘Sue can’t fight back, is a smart move.
Unfortunately, I must be nitpicky again:
They stepped out of the portal to find themselves instantly needing to hide behind Convent Trees.
You probably meant "Convenient Trees".
Elliot still has to neuralyzed.
Natalie skipped a word ("be") there.
HG -
You're not being nitpicky; you're being helpful. Thanks. (nm) by
on 2016-02-14 19:55:00 UTC
Link to this
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I liked the mission. by
on 2016-02-12 15:12:00 UTC
Link to this
It's an easy read and Za'kiir grew on me as a character. You've also shown great improvement compared to the first version of your first mission, so kudos.
-
Cool by
on 2016-02-12 10:47:00 UTC
Link to this
Convent Trees is intentional?
I don't know too much about guns, but I thought that modern weapons tend not to go off when the safety is on. My dad did have a black-powder pistol where accidental discharge was a danger.
I love how Natalie needed to be reminded to neuralyse someone. Nice use of the Sue being incapacitated for a while.
It's great that you managed to use the canon to destroy her.
-
Something New out of Konti-Nyuum by
on 2016-02-12 10:09:00 UTC
Link to this
If you're anything like me, you may have wondered what, exactly, the folk of the Protectorate of Plort, Konti-Nyuum use for money.
What, no? Come on, I bet at least some of you have.
That question has now been answered. (That's a link. Click it.)
You're welcome. ^_^
hS
PS: Yes, this is why I asked for Lady Iximaz's signature a while back.
PPS: Yes, that note is hand-drawn, and yes, it was a pain in the neck to do. -
'Imbued with magic' by
on 2016-02-12 23:54:00 UTC
Link to this
In the hands of a suitably immoral wizard, this seems like a counterfeit scandal just waiting to happen.
...
It's a good thing for the economy of Plort that I don't have any idea how to RP. -
Wow, hS! by
on 2016-02-12 17:10:00 UTC
Link to this
That is an impressive amount of work and attention to detail. Very cool, all of it!
And... is that a Pernese mark I spy hiding at the bottom of the pile of coins? Can't help but notice our wooden Revu (Revus?) resemble them, too. {= )
~Neshomeh -
It's funny you should mention that. by
on 2016-02-13 07:44:00 UTC
Link to this
I added a representation of the Fort Hold colours to the background, because just the number was really boring. ;) I don't think the dragon-harp worked out too well, but it was worth a try.
(And of course the wooden Revu(s) look like them - they're made in Barony Neshomeh! What did you expect?)
hS -
Excuse me while I squee like a fanboy. (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 15:16:00 UTC
Link to this
-
Ohmigosh ohmigosh ohmigosh by
on 2016-02-12 13:31:00 UTC
Link to this
Okay, the Wiki page is awesome and the coins are awesome and the paper notes are awesome but is it bad I like the image of Keep De'endee the most because it looks just like I imagined it and aaaaaaaaaa—
*ahem* Ehe, sorry about that. Awesome work, all of it. :D And yes, as a matter of fact, I was wondering this very thing. :P
(I'm trying to read what's on the scroll in Lady Iximaz's heraldry and all I can make out is the third line.) -
:D by
on 2016-02-12 13:37:00 UTC
Link to this
I actually knew De'endee would look pretty much like you imagined it - it's based off the picture you shared when I released the Minecraft map. ^_^
(The scroll says... hang on...
"Vert a chevron Or above a scroll argent a quill argent between. Lady Iximaz of Plort"
And over the other side, the book on the flag of the Union is apparently the Cyclopaedia itself: "Being a repository of all information relating to the Protectorate of..."
Easter eggs are fun!)
hS -
Oooh, cool! (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 13:49:00 UTC
Link to this
-
A personal headcanon, which I leave open for debate: by
on 2016-02-12 18:33:00 UTC
Link to this
Dark Civilian Aakmal was, er, prodded into thinking about his paper money scheme by Ye Scape-Grace. Y'see, rather than flax or spices or whatever, I think the true currency Ye Scape-Grace (who is at this point basically Baroness Iximaz's vizier, troubleshooter, and occasional purveyor of stabby) values is information: troop movements, reports from the Marizu League, title deeds, land grants, laws, codes, books of magic, all that sort of thing. And since a currency can't be just word of mouth, it is paper, and encoded in pictures. Printers are clever sorts, and old presses are titanic, and the written word is king in Plort because writing makes it real. It seems... apt.
-
... Owlswick, is that you? =] by
on 2016-02-12 10:23:00 UTC
Link to this
Seriously though, those are awesome. =]
-
Who or what is an Owlswick? (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 10:32:00 UTC
Link to this
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Owlswick Jenkins. by
on 2016-02-12 10:38:00 UTC
Link to this
AKA the stamp forger/banknote designer from Making Money.
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Ohhh yes. Ta. And thanks. ^_^ (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 10:40:00 UTC
Link to this
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Beta Request by
on 2016-02-12 18:27:00 UTC
Link to this
I need max. two people to look over a short interlude. Good SPaG required. Any volunteers?
-
Okay, the job's cancelled. (nm) by
on 2016-02-12 20:09:00 UTC
Link to this
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Re: Beta Request by
on 2016-02-12 19:13:00 UTC
Link to this
I think that I can handle the SPaG part.
-
Awesome! by
on 2016-02-12 19:14:00 UTC
Link to this
message me at mattcipher94 with a gmail tag.
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New Interlude: TYH! by
on 2016-02-12 22:54:00 UTC
Link to this
Actually... No! Let's move the pendulum a bit further than just ten years.
-
Yeah, I like it. by
on 2016-02-14 19:14:00 UTC
Link to this
Bittersweet is the word I was looking for.
Alas, I have to report another typo:
And the fact that is was not very populated, at least not by humans, was an additional benefit.
Should be "it".
HG -
See, Matt? I told you they would like it! by
on 2016-02-14 17:56:00 UTC
Link to this
It's sad, but good - bittersweet. And that's not a bad thing at all.
-
I haven't particularly followed these two, but, uh... by
on 2016-02-13 19:05:00 UTC
Link to this
OW.
That hurt to read. I could see the inspiration from Iroh's Tale. -
You seemed so cheerful when you introduced this. by
on 2016-02-13 01:05:00 UTC
Link to this
Talk about a mood whiplash.
And, er, on a less poignant note: 'sharing all that has happened since last year,'
I feel like the 'has' should be a 'had.'
Not that it takes away too much, but, y'know.
Being useful, and such. -
I'm so sorry Matt Cipher! by
on 2016-02-13 01:44:00 UTC
Link to this
I have failed you by not seeing that one!
-
Well then... by
on 2016-02-13 21:22:00 UTC
Link to this
And in all seriousness, mate, don't worry about it :D -
That one letter! (nm) by
on 2016-02-13 06:39:00 UTC
Link to this
-
Games Wizards Play by
on 2016-02-13 23:02:00 UTC
Link to this
(I hope this thread isn't too early)
So, I finished Games Wizards Play last night, and I figured here's as good a place as any to dump thoughts.
It was good. I wouldn't class GWP as the best YW book ever, but I definitely had fun reading it. It has a slightly smaller scope than some of the previous books, which is, I think, a good thing. (You can't save the universe or an entire planet every book, after all.) My only complaint is that having That One directly involved in building up some of the dramatic tension made me expect more conflict in the climax. But that's a minor quibble.
I'd also really like to read some S'reee/Hw'iish fic right now.
Spoilers below and rot13.
Fb, Avgn naq Xvg ner bssvpvnyyl n pbhcyr. Vg gbbx gra obbxf naq frireny fubeg fgbevrf jbegu bs "jvyy gurl, jba'g gurl" gb trg gurer, ohg V guvax vg'f tbbq guvf svanyyl unccrarq (fvapr V'ir orra fuvccvat gurz sbe n juvyr abj). Nyfb, 'Zryn, cbfggvat gung ivqrb jnf n onq vqrn. Lbh arrq gb eha sbe vg.
Ebfunha vf onpx! Vf gurer zhpu zber gb fnl? (vao4 Qvnevar/Ebfunha eryngvbafuvc qenzn va obbx 11).
Uneel naq Arynvq ner fpnel jura gurl grnz hc gb ent ba Qvne, jub cebonoyl qrfreirf vg whfg n yvggyr.
V nterr jvgu Xvg. Craa gbgnyyl unq vg pbzvat. Ba gur bgure unaq, gurl obgu qrfreirq gurve ernzvatf sebz Vevan.
V guvax rirelbar fbeg bs rkcrpgrq gung crbcyr jbhyq or nfxvat Avgn naq pb sbe nhgbtencuf. Gurl unir qbar n ybg bs vzcerffvir fghss, nsgre nyy. Naq Qnvevar unq gur orfg erfcbafr gb Zrueanm'f nhag gelvat gb chyy n "qba'g lbh xabj jub V nz?" ba ure. Zbgure gb gur Zbovyrf, vaqrrq.
So, cousins, what'd y'all think? -
Oh! It's out! I'd forgotten! *grabbyhands* by
on 2016-02-14 05:47:00 UTC
Link to this
I was waiting for it for years—and then I forget. >_
-
Oh! It's out! I'd forgotten! *grabbyhands* by
on 2016-02-14 05:47:00 UTC
Link to this
I was waiting for it for years—and then I forget. >_<
-
Not decoding the spoilers, since I haven't gotten it yet. :V by
on 2016-02-14 01:21:00 UTC
Link to this
I am looking forward to reading it, though!
And that is one of the more clever guards against spoilers that I've seen. ^^ Nice work on that. -
It's not mine by
on 2016-02-14 04:26:00 UTC
Link to this
ret13 was one of the oldest spoiler guards on the Internet. It was one of the two main spoiler guards on Usenet back in the 70s (the other was inserting a bunch of page break characters so the news reader wouldn't immediately show the spoiler). It has the nice property that encoding and decoding are the same operation (shift the alphabet halfway around) and that most Unix systems (including modern Linux, but I don't know about Mac OS X) had a "rot13" program to do it for you. (If they didn't, it was a one-line shell command).
- Tomash, nerding about about computer history -
Ahh. ^^ by
on 2016-02-14 14:05:00 UTC
Link to this
Probably just revealing my age, then - or lack thereof. |D
Still, thanks for sharing the nerdery!
-
To my fellow East Coast Boarders: Keeping warm? by
on 2016-02-14 14:57:00 UTC
Link to this
As most of us in the US (may) already know, there is a severe cold snap in the northeastern US. Temps are currently in the single digits Fahrenheit (so negative double digits Celsius), and almost everyone who's not a tourist is hunkered down in their homes. My family decided to stay home instead of going to church (a rarity when it's not snowing).
How's everyone else braving this cold snap? -
It's a quiet day... by
on 2016-02-15 02:10:00 UTC
Link to this
... and I'm freezing in this poorly-heated rental home. Can't WAIT to move into a proper house, but that's next month.
-
Staying inside, like, all the time. by
on 2016-02-14 22:53:00 UTC
Link to this
The only time I went out yesterday was to grab food at a local Panera and boy, was it cold - my eyes actually teared up from the freezing wind blowing in my face! XD
I'm kinda thankful we got an apartment with good air conditioning, though. It's a decent 60 degrees in here. -
NC is surviving...for now. by
on 2016-02-14 18:38:00 UTC
Link to this
We're scheduled to get snow and rain (freezing rain?) in our area come Monday. Hopefully the weather won't disable all the important stuff; university, my karate studio, public libraries...
-
There's been the occasional on and off flurry. by
on 2016-02-14 16:03:00 UTC
Link to this
It's a bit sunny today, but thankfully the chill is keeping the ground loaded with a couple of inches of snow. Forecast says a big snowstorm is inbound, though, so fingers crossed I can stay home tomorrow bundled up in a blanket cocoon.
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Not East Coast, but... by
on 2016-02-14 15:34:00 UTC
Link to this
...we had a sudden snowfall dump about half an inch last night, and we're supposed to get another six tonight.
*crosses fingers and hopes for a snow day* -
Cold? What cold? by
on 2016-02-14 15:25:00 UTC
Link to this
Spring came to visit early here in Israel. We're seeing 20 degrees Celsius (~70 Fahrenheit) — it's t-shirt weather, here.
-
(NSFW) RWBY Vol. 3, episode 12 by
on 2016-02-14 16:59:00 UTC
Link to this
.
.
.
.
Ekhm... excuse me for a moment, I need too— Ah, right, the Spoiler Wall. Here it is. Oh, and also... umm... expect some heavy language.
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F*CK YOU, CINDER FALL! F*CK YOU, F*CK YOU, F*CK YOU, F*CK YOU! DASJFSADKLJCVASDBNVCSVLJNK... *heavy breathing, vision goes red, screams of people running away in terror*
Hmm, yes. I think that's an adequate reaction. -
'Tis a terrible day for rain (nm) by
on 2016-02-15 14:34:00 UTC
Link to this
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Gods above. by
on 2016-02-15 12:08:00 UTC
Link to this
The HSQ is straight up through the roof.
...
...
...
Dayum, man. -
Haven't seen it yet, but... by
on 2016-02-14 19:54:00 UTC
Link to this
If it's anything like the last episode, the Holy S*** Quotient will be through the roof.
Come faster Monday! I want to watch the next episode! -
*grabs popcorn and waits for Ix's reaction (nm) by
on 2016-02-15 03:53:00 UTC
Link to this
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Oh boy, you want my reaction? (SPOILERS) (NSFW for swearing) by
on 2016-02-15 04:52:00 UTC
Link to this
Alright, let's take a looksee. I sense lots of capslock in the future.
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
*makes popcorn and settles in*
OZPIN AND CINDER FIGHTING F*CK YES
PYRRA AND JAUNE
ASDFGHJKL; KISSING THEY'RE KISSING THEY'RE KISSING THEY'RE KIIISSSIIIIIING *flings popcorn into the air in fangirlish excitement*
wait
wait no
pyrrha no
PYRRHA WHAT ARE YOU DOING
PYRRHA NO
F*CKING F*CK
WHAT THE SH*T ARE YOU DOING YOU'RE GONNA DIE
F*CKING DRAGON
WHY DOES THIS THING EXIST
F*CKING CINDER
OH F*CK
PYRRHA I DIDN'T MEAN IT
COME BACK
also i feel bad for laughing that the character based on achilles got shot in the ankle
BUT WHY
F*CK YOU CINDER, F*CK YOU F*CK YOU F*CK YOU
*hurls popcorn at the screen*
F*UUUUUUUUUUUCK
RUBY WHAT ARE YOU DOING
YOU'RE NOT THE DOCTOR STOP REGENERATING
*incoherent flailing* WHAT IS HAPPENIIIIING
wait is that
IT'S THEIR DAD
Silver eyes? The Chekov's Gun has finally fired!
"You're special, Ruby." Pfffffffffff
"You're special the same way your mom was." BACKSTORY TIME GIMME
"It was said that those born with silver eyes were destined to lead the life of a warrior." Down, CAD, she ain't a Sue yet.
"It was said that even a single look from one of these fighters could strike a Grimm down." No, bad CAD, go sit in the corner.
Ozpin is missing oh god everything's gonna go even more to sh*t now D:
Yaaaaang D: I wanna hug her D: You just had to burn off the arm of the girl who fights by punching didn't you DDDDD: but they have cool prosthetics in Remnant, they can get her set up with something surely...?*shovels more popcorn into mouth*
AND NOW TEAM RWBY IS BROKEN UP AND EVERYTHING HAS OFFICIALLY GONE TO SH*T
...is this a timeskip? I think it's a timeskip, there's now snow and stuff
JAUNE
AND REN AND NORA
THINGS ARE GETTING A LITTLE BETTER
*spits out popcorn*
I SPOKE TOO SOON RUBY RAN AWAY AND EVERYTHING IS AWFUL
BEACON IS IN RUINS AND INFESTED BY GRIMM
wait who the sh*t is this
WHO THE SH*T IS THIS
IS THAT CINDER
VOLDECINDER???
Or someone else?
WHOEVER THEY ARE THEY'RE CREEPY AS F*CK
Ooh, the Stinger
Qrow has Ozpin's cane oh no this can't be good
QROW IS A CROW IS THAT HIS SEMBLANCE I DON'T CARE THAT IS AWESOME
WHAT IS GOING ON I CAN'T EVEN
*flips her desk and leaves*
THIS MAKES PUELLA MAGI MADOKA MAGICA LOOK LIKE A F*CKING SHOW FOR KIDS -
Hmm... by
on 2016-02-15 08:55:00 UTC
Link to this
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
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I seriously hope Drunkle Qrow's Semblance is not animal transformation. Mostly because it would be too unique, and not fitting with other we've seen. Most Semblances focus on helping in battle - Pyrrha's control over the battlefield, Ruby's speed, Yang's durability, or even Flynt's Killer Quartet (reinforcements. Also, I love this name - "Killer Quartet"! :D). Turning into a bird would be... well... too environmental, not really useful in battle, but more outside of it. -
Is your soul back? by
on 2016-02-15 08:27:00 UTC
Link to this
Watching this episode destroy it for 99.9% of the viewers. The other are Cinder and them fans.
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Way too soon for that, but someone will create this meme anyway: "Pyrra used to be a Huntress before, until she took an arrow in the ankle."
To be perfectly honest, her death wasn't also devastating as the other events from precedents episodes because I think we could see it coming from the moment she began kissing Jaune. Still a bad moment though.
When/If an OFU from RWBY will open, Cinder, Mercury and Adam will need protection from all the students.
Puella Magi was more frank about its darkness. Only two 'bait' episodes. Here, it was two and half volumes. Nobody was ready.
It beats the Red Wedding, October 4, any events from the apocalyptics MegaTen worlds, and duck are they dark. But this isn't over. Even these worlds held some hopes. Salem won't have an easy victory.
Now I have questions/bets for you:
- Do you think will see more of Pyrrha? Many people just hope the way she died hides something. Duck, I wish it for it, please Monty. :,(
- Do you think the talk about silver eyes Crow had with Ruby could hide 'Summer Maiden'?
- Do you think Salem (Voldecinder) could be the Winter from World of Remnant? -
Hm. by
on 2016-02-15 14:38:00 UTC
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- We might see one last appearance from Pyrrha, but I think she's gone for good. RWBY doesn't seem like the type of show to pull its punches.
- No. Ruby's power is something else entirely, and it's bugging me that so many people are screaming "SHE'S TOTES THE SUMMER MAIDEN" when Qrow made it pretty clear that the silver-eyed people, while rare, have a different set of completely unrelated powers.
- Also no. I think Salem is something else entirely, but I don't know what yet. I'm not going to really theorize on what she could be until next season because there are just too many unknowns to make an educated guess. -
Eh by
on 2016-02-15 15:04:00 UTC
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I personally would like to disagree with on the Pyrrha thing, due to the whole Cinder turning her to ashes thing, and place my bets on a Winter Soldier scenario.The angst is needed to give Arkos their Happily Ever After. -
Gonna agree with Ix, here... by
on 2016-02-15 16:57:00 UTC
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Specifically, about Pyrrha. Bringing dead characters back is, generally speaking, shoddy writing, unless it's a D&Desque setting where Resurrection spells are common-ish. -
*Points to Optimus Prime* (nm) by
on 2016-02-15 17:39:00 UTC
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You'll have to be more specific. by
on 2016-02-15 18:29:00 UTC
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Especially considering that there at least six Optimus Primes.
- Pretty much all of them by on 2016-02-15 18:49:00 UTC Link to this
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Well... by
on 2016-02-15 19:06:00 UTC
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That looks like shoddy writing, for the most part. Or Executive Meddling, which is far worse.
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Executive meddling by
on 2016-02-15 19:45:00 UTC
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They have to sell toys to make money
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Yeah. by
on 2016-02-15 21:26:00 UTC
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TFWiki has an article. It still doesn't excuse the bad writing.
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Hahahaha by
on 2016-02-14 20:15:00 UTC
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The Holy F*** quotient would be a more appropriate one
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Not enough... by
on 2016-02-14 22:16:00 UTC
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I'd say I'm more impartial to HOLY F***ING S**T! SWEET BUTTERY VANILLA JESUS ON A BICYCLE ON HIS WAY TO A SUNDAY MASS!
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(NSFW) MONTY WHY by
on 2016-02-14 18:19:00 UTC
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All right, who's idea was it to throw around the "Half your OTP dying" in the RWBY fandom?
All I'm hoping now is that Pyrrha gets a super happy bullshit Optimus Prime revival. -
Whatcha blaming Monty Oum for? He dead. (nm) by
on 2016-02-15 04:21:00 UTC
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He left enough notes to last several more seasons. (nm) by
on 2016-02-15 04:25:00 UTC
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In hindsight I have a lot of hype for V4 now by
on 2016-02-14 18:27:00 UTC
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I'm just hoping that it happens as an early birthday present, which if you dig way back I confirmed it as one of Gabriel's diary dates.
Mattman's Translator: He hopes for an RTX 2016 release -
You're not the only one. by
on 2016-02-14 18:21:00 UTC
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Half the fandom hopes for such outcome. Heck, some people are still waiting for Roman, even after the staff confirmed he's dead. Wait, see and most above all, hope. -
Hold on... by
on 2016-02-14 18:24:00 UTC
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They confirmed Roman's done for?! Oh, f*ck no! I was hoping that this griffin Grimm was something that Neo whipped out to cover for her and Torchwick's escape! Come on! -
Sorry. by
on 2016-02-14 18:26:00 UTC
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They said it during their marathon stream before the episode. It already made it way to TV Tropes too. -
Beat me to the finish. by
on 2016-02-14 17:11:00 UTC
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I intended to post about it once peole had time to watch and piece their souls together. Reaction time then. (Not for someone who didn't watch RWBY Volume 3, last warning.)
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Pyrrha wass pretty much dead the moment she kissed Jaune, though I hope the... way she disappeared lets me hope (as half the fans) that there will be something more to it.
As expected, this finale continued to punch us in the feels, but also gave us a blessed moment with Cinder's breakdown. Very costly, but so wonderful. Give me something to wait for Mercury and Adam's death. Karma will catch you up too, ducktards.
Yang, seeing you like this hurt me. Stop playing emo, find you a cyber prothesis, and go help your friends. Do you really want to let your sister going away like this?
This episode was the bittersweet duckfest I imagined, and a conclusion to a wonderful, but so dark volume. I want the next volume and the soundtrack
Final point. You want to crush hope, Salem, or should I say, Fallen Winter? Bring. It. On. Game Never Over. -
Another thing... by
on 2016-02-14 17:21:00 UTC
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Ruby's sudden power-up, I'd say we have the Summer Maiden theory solidified. Except Qrow, who mentioned her speshul eyes... I'm sorry, but silver eyes are always speshul.
So, the Wizard of Oz(pin) is missing, the Scare(Q)row takes over, the Wicked Witch ofSalemthe West is ready to attack, and we have Zwei as resident Toto... the parallels just keep on coming.
Ya know what... Salem really does look like a corrupted version of Winter Schnee... -
Hmm... by
on 2016-02-14 17:27:00 UTC
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Crow can say anythng he wants about silver eyes, Ruby is a Maiden, I'm sure of it. But we'll have to wait for Volume 4 for an answer.
When I said Fallen Winter, I was talking about the Winter in World of Remnant. Same basic hairstyle, same shape of the face, ... And it would go nicely with 'Ozpin is the wizard theory'. And explain why no Maiden was around during thiese events. (Winter hostile, Fall incapacited, Summer as Ruby... Spring would be overworked.) -
I can see that... by
on 2016-02-14 17:37:00 UTC
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And truth be told, I thought of it first, but then something was off. Yes, Salem has a very similar hairstyle to the Winter Maiden, but the only thing that's off are the eyebrows. The Maiden in the Remnant story has those short hikimayu-type brows, whilst Salem has regular ones... say what you will, I doubt corruption would change the shape of your eyebrows. Winter Maiden's eyes are also bit more cat-shaped and Salem's are more slanted, more similar to Winter Schnee's. -
In the end, only time will tell. (nm) by
on 2016-02-14 17:52:00 UTC
Link to this
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I found a Legendary that fits the requirements! by
on 2016-02-14 17:43:00 UTC
Link to this
Meet the most infamous Portal fanfic ever: "It's my Life!"
Yes, it's more than five years old - it was published in 2012. At least the repost is. And if you search for it on the past year by Google-ing "fanfiction portal it's my life" (without quotation marks, of course), it has plenty of hits from last year. Heck, it was on YOUTUBE last year! I call dibs on it.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8265417/1/ITS-MY-LIFE-repost -
Aw man by
on 2016-02-17 01:50:00 UTC
Link to this
Maybe I'll find my own Legendary some day.
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I think we need a few more opinions, yes? (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 03:40:00 UTC
Link to this
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Don't you forget! Caught in the crowd, it never ends... by
on 2016-02-15 23:36:00 UTC
Link to this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubvV498pyIM
(Talk Talk's version is better) - I don't need you to worry for me 'cause I'm allll-right. by on 2016-02-15 04:32:00 UTC Link to this
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Okay, actually, I don't call dibs. (nm) by
on 2016-02-14 22:14:00 UTC
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Looks like a "My Immortal" snowclone to me. by
on 2016-02-14 19:33:00 UTC
Link to this
It's bad, might be Bleepfic, but it's no Legendary.
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Judgment Time by
on 2016-02-14 18:37:00 UTC
Link to this
BRING OUT THE CRITERIA!
1. Be at least five years old: CHECK (originally posted it 2011, preserved as a copy since 2012)
2. Decent amount of Google hits from last year: CHECK (five hits on the first page for "it's my life portal" no quotation marks on Polish Google)
3. Being famous on its own account: Before deletion from FanFiction.Net, ITS MY LIFE! had accumulated ca. 300 reviews. It has its own TV Tropes page. Plus, there is at least 9 confirmed MSTs and 7 dramatic readings. I'd say CHECK
Now it's time for the general opinion of the Board... I'd say it's pretty bad.
Cipher's Vote: YES -
Shall I add it to the Legendary Page then? (nm) by
on 2016-02-14 19:29:00 UTC
Link to this
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Hold your centaurs. Since when am I the one that decides? (nm) by
on 2016-02-14 19:34:00 UTC
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Sorry. I misunderstood you: by
on 2016-02-14 19:37:00 UTC
Link to this
When you said "The general opinion of the Board," I thought you meant that everyone had agreed it should be a Legendary. Sorry, everyone, for my hastiness.
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Could it be a troll/parody? by
on 2016-02-14 18:17:00 UTC
Link to this
I mean, this person also 'wrote' a version of My Immortal where she fixed the spelling mistakes. Can someone not understand what badfic is after doing this?
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I would guess yes to one of the two. by
on 2016-02-14 18:47:00 UTC
Link to this
Mostly because the OC's name is Marrissa - which is the same bizarre spelling as Marrissa Picard, who was also legendary back in the day.
The similarity of the title to 'My Inner Life' may just be a coincidence, but I'm guessing it's a parotroll.
hS -
It's a repost. This is not the original author. (nm) by
on 2016-02-14 18:20:00 UTC
Link to this
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Didn't see it, sorry. (nm) by
on 2016-02-14 18:27:00 UTC
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Almost there, Sil. by
on 2016-02-14 18:16:00 UTC
Link to this
But 2016 - 2012 gives you only 4 years of life on the Internet...
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Hold on... I just realized my own hypocrysy... by
on 2016-02-14 18:26:00 UTC
Link to this
It's a repost. The original came out in 2011, which make us pass the 5 year requirement...
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Welp, Valentine's to you! by
on 2016-02-15 02:09:00 UTC
Link to this
On this day, people send displays of affection. Anyhow, if you didn't receive one, It doesn't matter. You matter to me, whoever you are. Besides, I don't think you really don't do anything on do nothing day. Happy Valentine's day, PPC. And to many more.
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Oh yeah, that was a thing a few days ago... (nm) by
on 2016-02-17 01:48:00 UTC
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We call it single's awareness day by
on 2016-02-16 00:34:00 UTC
Link to this
Not with my sweetie, but soon. He had to stand outside in the cold for the second-to-last time.
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Dad gave us kids and mom presents, so that was fun! by
on 2016-02-15 17:27:00 UTC
Link to this
Other than that, nothing much.
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Nothing much, nothing much. by
on 2016-02-15 08:21:00 UTC
Link to this
Ate lunch with mum of all people and got the books we've ordered from abroad from the post office. Lunch was good, though, and now I have reading material for the next month, so yay!
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You matter to me, too. (nm) by
on 2016-02-15 04:28:00 UTC
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Today was kind of amazing. by
on 2016-02-15 04:20:00 UTC
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My girlfriend and I did a ton of stuff we've both been wanting to do for a while, and we had a lovely romantic dinner and snarked about fandom stuff.
I think she thinks I'm a keeper. Or some other variety of smoked fish. =] -
I didn't do anything today. :D by
on 2016-02-15 03:27:00 UTC
Link to this
Other than relax, make brownies with my brother, and play World of Warcraft, at least. Though I did dress my gnome warrior for the occasion:
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It's not a good V-Day by
on 2016-02-15 02:39:00 UTC
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In fact the only thing worse than your whole OTP is half of you OTP dying, after in was canonized earlier that same episode.
The RWBY fandom has been having a S*** day
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Introductory Post by
on 2016-02-15 08:14:00 UTC
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Hi!
I found the PPC through its TV Tropes article, and read through the Original Series in about three nights. I've also been reading a few of the spin-offs, mostly in the Harry Potter continuum.
My interests include listening to music, reading, writing, and watching TV, and my fandoms include Harry Potter, Welcome to Night Vale, Virals and Supernatural. I will also, given an opportunity, attempt to persuade you to read Marvel's Loki: Agent of Asgard. I apologise in advance for everything.
I've read a lot of articles on the Wiki, as well as the constitution, so hopefully I know what I'm doing! This whole community seems like a lot of fun (and, as someone who abhors poor spelling and badly-written fanfic whilst being a lover of snark, somewhere that's right up my alley!), and hopefully I can become a small part of it. -
Welcome aBoard! by
on 2016-02-17 04:39:00 UTC
Link to this
Glad to see tha you did pretty much all the required reading. It's good to know this stuff before joining. I should know, because it took a long time between funishing the TOS pretty much as fast as you and actually introducing myself around these parts. Spent a LOOOONG time lurking around the Wiki ...
Anyway, for your welcoming gifts, please take this Bag of Holding so that you can store the truckload of gifts you got, your very own Muggle-use wand and a Rorschach Book, which can change into virtually written text in existence in the multiverse. It works somewhat like the Room of Requirement: To use it, close your eyes holding it, think about what you wanna read and then blink three times!
And you're right, people around are indeed wonderful. This is pretty much the friendliest and most welcoming community I have ever had the pleasure of joining! :D
Also, which spin-offs with missions into HP have you read? -
Re: Welcome aBoard! by
on 2016-02-17 07:26:00 UTC
Link to this
I can't actually remember the specific agents (with the exception of Laburnum and Foxglove), however I can remember the badfics...
And thank you! -
Welcome to Creation, here's your shovel. by
on 2016-02-16 16:13:00 UTC
Link to this
This magical shovel digs up...
...uh. Perfect one-meter-by-one-meter cubes of dirt?I've been listening to Minecraft fan music don't judge me -
Welcome! Enjoy your stay! by
on 2016-02-16 00:45:00 UTC
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*Hands you a plate of scones*
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Hello fellow troper. (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 00:34:00 UTC
Link to this
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Welcome! by
on 2016-02-15 23:27:00 UTC
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Don't apologize for your fandoms. Here's a Chocolate Frog, an iron ring (to punch Sue-wraiths in the face), and a City Council-approved bloodstone! You'll have to find the rest by yourself if you want to make a bloodstone circle, sadly.
-
Re: Welcome! by
on 2016-02-16 06:54:00 UTC
Link to this
Do you listen to WTNV too?
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When I have time, yes. by
on 2016-02-16 14:57:00 UTC
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Sadly, I'm both busy with college work and a distractable person by nature, so I don't have as much time as I'd like to sit and fully listen to Night Vale. :(
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Re: When I have time, yes. by
on 2016-02-21 08:04:00 UTC
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I haven't listened to the last few episodes...why must reality get in the way?
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Welcome aBoard! by
on 2016-02-15 23:09:00 UTC
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Aside from one of my own shed feathers, have a wilver Fwooper and a Golden Snitch with a Poke Ball engraving!
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Welcome aBoard! Have some of your favorite candy! by
on 2016-02-15 17:29:00 UTC
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We're glad to have you join us.
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Hi! by
on 2016-02-15 16:27:00 UTC
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Welcome aBoard! Have this bottle of tears, courtesy of my latest Undertale playthrough.
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Newbie! *glomp* *poke* by
on 2016-02-15 14:26:00 UTC
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Hello, and welcome aBoard! For your newbie gift, take this plate of freshly-made SPaGhetti! Since you've already read everything I point the newbies to, I'll just say I hope you like it here. :)
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Re: Newbie! *glomp* *poke* by
on 2016-02-15 21:38:00 UTC
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Thank you!
That actually goes for everyone here so far. You all seem like wonderful people! -
Welcome to the PPC! by
on 2016-02-15 13:42:00 UTC
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Please accept this starter Pokémon:-
Iiiiiit's Tranquill!
And your starting item is:-
Sacrificial Dagger from The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth!
So... Tranquill's not great. It's another NFE mon with pretty ropey stats and a not-so-great movepool that barely features any physical Flying-type moves. Additionally, while Sac Dagger is a great defensive item and an occasionally useful offensive item - 50% chance that your opponent will take 1/8 damage to its health whenever they or you use a contact move - it's not great on Pokémon with Tranquill's nonexistent bulk. The mon's one saving grace is its ability, Super Luck, which makes everything more likely to crit. Therefore, I suggest running an offensive set with Return, Night Slash, U-Turn, and Tailwind. Or just wait for it to evolve and use it like that. Just remember to have fun. =] -
Replial Post by
on 2016-02-15 09:43:00 UTC
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Welcome to our glorious board, sloth of the feminine gender.
I have never heard of Virals in my entire life, but it's a Young Adult novel, and, as such, I'm already biased against it.
Nothing wrong with liking them. I just... am spooked by them.
My gift upon you on this (post) Valentines Day is: Chocolate sales. You know how all the chocolates get cheap the day after Valentines Day? That's me.
You're welcome. -
Hello newbie. by
on 2016-02-15 09:42:00 UTC
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Have some black-hole chocolates.
I'll only remind you to read the Constitution, gven the fact that you read everything else. Hope you'll like this madhouse and stick around. -
Hullo, newbie! by
on 2016-02-15 09:37:00 UTC
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Welcome, welcome, and let's hope you beat the statistics!
Here, have a cup of — no, I have no idea why there is a gerbil in your teacup, but you can have it, too. -
'Let's hope you beat the statistics' by
on 2016-02-15 09:45:00 UTC
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I hope they didn't welcome you into the army that way.
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The IDF might have its faults... by
on 2016-02-15 11:19:00 UTC
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But a) they're not that stupid and b) I was a non-com, so I had more chances of having a car accident than dying in battle.
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Dumb jokes. by
on 2016-02-16 04:52:00 UTC
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I'm the type of person who throws away about 90% of facts in order to make a dumb joke about the remaining 10%
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You see, by
on 2016-02-16 04:39:00 UTC
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I'm the type of person who throws away about 90% of a fact in order to make a dumb joke about the remaining 10%
Been doing it my whole life. -
Whoops. by
on 2016-02-16 04:53:00 UTC
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Er. That happened.
Sorry. -
I know the French foreign legion does this sometimes, though (nm by
on 2016-02-15 16:24:00 UTC
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Fee-fi-fo-fum! I smell... a newbie! :D by
on 2016-02-15 08:39:00 UTC
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Welcome, welcome! Make yourself comfortable. Here, have a slice of Infinite Pizza:
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A hypothetical game-thing by
on 2016-02-15 18:43:00 UTC
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I was talking with some friends and we posed a question: If some extraterrestrial beings were to essentially put Earth/Humanity on trial (not dissimilar from The Encounter at Farpoint, Start Trek TNG Episodes 1 and 2) and you could select any person, either real or otherwise to defend humanity in this incident who would you chose?
Rules: Can be any person from Earth's History or Fiction, but no religious figures (that could just devolve quickly). Further the person you chose does not necessarily need to be human. All you need to do is just post the name, and if you want you can add some reasons why, that would make the most interesting discussion after all.
I am curious to see what results will show up. -
Current Counts by
on 2016-02-19 07:24:00 UTC
Link to this
The Doctor (3)
Acacia (2)
King Arthur (2)
Batman (2)
Terry Prachett (2)
Mr. Rodgers (2)
Gene Roddenberry (2)
Anne Frank (1)
Newborn Baby (1)
Council of Gandhi, Lincoln, Churchill, etc. (1)
Death (of the Endless) (1)
Neil Gaiman (1)
Your Mother (1)
Captain Jean-Luc Picard (1)
Superman (1)
And I think that's everything. Based on what I know about the community, I am not surprised that the Doctor is in the lead. I find some of the ones tied for second a bit surprising. Will the Doctor be our chosen champion? Will someone else supplant him? Or will our champion be a yet unknown answer? Stay tuned for our next episode. -
I'd choose an author. by
on 2016-02-18 17:59:00 UTC
Link to this
Gene Roddenberry and Terry Pratchett spring to mind, but you could take your pick of any of the great SF/fantasy authors. My reasoning is that you have to know people pretty well to write about them convincingly. You have to know their flaws, their pettiness, even their evil... and yet, through all that clear-eyed cynicism, you also have to believe in your heart of hearts that people have it in them to be more. Otherwise you'd have nothing to write about.
~Neshomeh -
Can I second both of those choices? by
on 2016-02-19 06:14:00 UTC
Link to this
And also suggest Neil Gaiman as an option, for much the same reasons.
After all, between Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman we got Good Omens, which honestly is everything Nesh said in a single novel.
For fictional, going with that theme, but treading the line, I'd like to nominate Adam Young.
-July -
Ooh, ooh, what about Nienna or Manwe? by
on 2016-02-18 03:16:00 UTC
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Nienna is a good candidate, I think, because she can bring good out of bad in the form of wisdom from sorrow. She weeps for the horrible things in the world, but the fact that she's willing to weep means she thinks it's worth weeping for, if that makes any sense.
Manwe because (a) no way he'll be intimidated and (b) he doesn't truly understand evil, and I think that's good, in a way, because he'll always bring it back to the positive. I think. I haven't made a great study of his characterization.
-Alleb, who is getting tired and loopy, and you should disregard her if she makes no sense. -
After thinking about it for a while, I'll accept them by
on 2016-02-19 07:10:00 UTC
Link to this
I wanted to stay away from essentially gods/goddesses, because I thought it would be too easy. Also wanted to avoid any hard feelings.
After some thought I figure that fully fictional gods/goddesses/supreme beings can work, though I still kind of think it is a little bit cheating, but that's okay. I was willing to allow someone to say The Mighty Thor (but only the Marvel Superhero, I would not have accepted Thor, Norse God of Thunder). -
*fistpump* Yus. by
on 2016-02-19 13:05:00 UTC
Link to this
Apparently, tired!me has better ideas than I thought. ^_^
-Alleb -
Though I will say I liked your Anne Frank Answer better (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 14:54:00 UTC
Link to this
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My thoughts: by
on 2016-02-18 00:10:00 UTC
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Batman. Point A: He would've expected this to happen at one point. Point B: He's human. A fictional human, but completely human nonetheless. If we were going to try to dominate the judges, I'd go for the Batman of the 853rd century. If we're going for convincing that humanity can change, The one from the JLAU. Also, wouldn't Harbinger just indoctrinate whatever we sent to defend ourselves? Just saying. Another choice would be a newborn child. Just let them see the innocence of certain humans.
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Interesting Fact by
on 2016-02-18 05:41:00 UTC
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Batman was actually one of the ones I came up with. As for Harbinger, indoctrination usually takes an extended period time, longer than what I have in mind for this.
Here's the way I was thinking Batman would work:
He does his stick and basically causes the Joker to attempt to take over the entire group. This causes the organic members to try to gain control through their own methods. Aizen's Zanpakuto's total hypnosis gives him a distinct advantage, Batman, being Batman already knew about this ability and was using artificial sight, he is unaffected by it, while Aizen is gaining control, Batman gets on the line with Oracle who hacks in and disables Skynet which had already taken control of Agent Smith taking both of them out of the fight.
Batman then gets in his Bat-rocket (or whatever) and sneaks aboard Harbinger, (since Reapers can be breached). He sneaks to the Mass Drive, disables it which either disables or destroys Harbinger, Batman gets back to the main council where now Aizen has taken full control. Batman exploits Aizen's over-confidence and proposes a one on one fight to determine the fate of the world. Aizen agrees, thinking he has the advantage because of his zanpakuto, Batman using artificial sight is unaffected by it. He gains the upper hand, but when Aizen attempts Kido Batman uses one of his freeze grenades (from the Arkham Series) fully incapacitates Aizen. Q comes to and sees that Batman has saved the council even though they were trying to destroy Earth, realizes he doesn't want to have to deal with Batman, decides it isn't worth it effectively surrenders just as the rest of the Justice League arrive to save Earth leading to this exchange:
Batman: Took you long enough
Superman: What happened?
Batman: It's over, we won.
Superman: You defeated them? Alone?
Batman: Yes.
Superman: How?
Batman: Simple...It's because...
Batman: I'm Batman!
Thus revealing to the world that Batman really does have superpowers. Being Batman. -
Clarification or "How to Win" by
on 2016-02-16 13:25:00 UTC
Link to this
There are basically three ways for someone to win this scenario (such as it is)
1. Convince a majority (5) of the panel that humans are worth saving/sparing. This is what most of you have been going for which is what I was hoping for.
2. Convince one of a select few individuals on the panel that could force the others to follow along. I would say those are Q, Aizen, or Father. If you think another could force all the others to go along feel free to suggest it, just be prepared to answer how. For example Q has near omnipotence. Aizen has his zanpakuto which lets him hypnotize and manipulate others. Father has a philosopher's stone and stupid powerful alchemy.
3. There could also be a more violent solution, but if just one of the panel is still able to function without changing his/her/its mind then the Earth is doomed.
So far this has been pretty interesting, I think Mr. Rogers is my favorite answer so far. I have another possible solution I'll share later. But as an update the following have been proposed.
1. The Doctor
2. Mr. Rogers
3. Anne Frank
4. Acacia
5. Saitama
6. Death of the Endless
7. King Arthur (just for simplicity hS, I'm calling your second option this)
8. Superman
9. Your Mother (again for simplicity just using Your Mother overall)
10. Council of Gandhi, Lincoln, and Churchill
11. Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Currently the leading champions of Earth are (vote numbers are included, any time the individual is suggested regardless of 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice etc.):
1. The Doctor (3)
2. Acacia (2)
3. Mr. Rogers (2)
4. King Arthur (2) -
Two proposals. by
on 2016-02-16 10:00:00 UTC
Link to this
1: Death of the Endless
AKA this lady:
Okay, so she's (a) Death, but hear me out. This is the woman who meets everyone in the universe twice. She has a conversation with you after you die, of course - but she also has one just before you're born. She has sat down with every member of the human species and heard their hopes and dreams for the life ahead of them - and for the vast majority (ie, the ones who aren't still living), she has then sat back down at the other end of their life and found out how things have gone for them.
She knows us all. She loves us all, for what we actually are and for what we hoped we would be. And since she's also met (if we assume 'all canons are real') most or all of your panel of judges at least once, she knows them, too.
But some Scapegraces want a human defendant. Very well, I have one of those too:
#2: Name Unknown
Arthur is gone . . . Tristram in Careol
Sleeps, with a broken sword - and Yseult sleeps
Beside him, where the Westering waters roll
Over drowned Lyonesse to the outer deeps.
Lancelot is fallen . . . The ardent helms that shone
So knightly and the splintered lances rust
In the anonymous mould of Avalon:
Gawain and Gareth and Galahad - all are dust.
Where do the vanes and towers of Camelot
And tall Tintagel crumble? Where do those tragic
Lovers and their bright eyed ladies rot?
We cannot tell, for lost is Merlin's magic.
And Guinevere - Call her not back again
Lest she betray the loveliness time lent
A name that blends the rapture and the pain
Linked in the lonely nightingale's lament.
Nor pry too deeply, lest you should discover
The bower of Astolat a smokey hut
Of mud and wattle - find the knightliest lover
A braggart, and his lilymaid a slut.
And all that coloured tale a tapestry
Woven by poets. As the spider's skeins
Are spun of its own substance, so have they
Embroidered empty legend - What remains?
This: That when Rome fell, like a writhen oak
That age had sapped and cankered at the root,
Resistant, from her topmost bough there broke
The miracle of one unwithering shoot.
Which was the spirit of Britain - that certain men
Uncouth, untutored, of our island brood
Loved freedom better than their lives; and when
The tempest crashed around them, rose and stood
And charged into the storm's black heart, with sword
Lifted, or lance in rest, and rode there, helmed
With a strange majesty that the heathen horde
Remembered when all were overwhelmed;
And made of them a legend, to their chief,
Arthur, Ambrosius - no man knows his name -
Granting a gallantry beyond belief,
And to his knights imperishable fame.
They were so few . . . We know not in what manner
Or where they fell - whether they went
Riding into the dark under Christ's banner
Or died beneath the blood-red dragon of Gwent.
But this we know; that when the Saxon rout
Swept over them, the sun no longer shone
On Britain, and the last lights flickered out;
And men in darkness muttered: Arthur is gone . . .
('Hic Jacet Arthurus Rex Quondam Rexque Futurus', from The Island, by Francis Brett Young)
The King Arthur of legend and myth didn't exist. But in that time, when Britain's soil still remembered the boots of the departed Roman legions, and the people of this isle fought for life and land against the Saxon invaders, there was - there must have been - at least one chief or war-leader who fought, not for power, or possessions, or any other selfish motives, but to preserve the last glimmers of Roman Britain against the barbarians. He was someone who saw humanity at (what he thought) its best and its worst - and who stood up for the things he thought deserved preserving.
I don't know his name. It wasn't Arthur. But whoever he was, I want him on the defence team.
hS
(PS: I have never read The Island, and didn't actually know it existed until today. 'Hic Jacet...' appears as the prologue to Rosemary Sutcliff's excellent historical-realist Arthurian novel Sword at Sunset, which I highly recommend.) -
I'll second the historical basis for Arthur (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 13:26:00 UTC
Link to this
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My mother. by
on 2016-02-16 04:51:00 UTC
Link to this
If she can't handle it, then bollocks to it.
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Fred Rogers. That is all. (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 02:14:00 UTC
Link to this
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I like this answer so I'm seconding it (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 13:25:00 UTC
Link to this
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The hero we need and deserve. (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 03:37:00 UTC
Link to this
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This Looks Like a Job for Superman! by
on 2016-02-15 22:23:00 UTC
Link to this
But seriously, hasn't the big blue actually done this a couple of times already? Not necessarily in a court setting, but still giving justification for the continuation of the human race.
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Which one? by
on 2016-02-18 00:07:00 UTC
Link to this
Silver-Age? Post-Crisis? New 52? Stan Lee's? Kal Kent, one from the 853rd century? The "Original" from the 853rd Century? You're going to need to be a tad bit more specific.
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Not human. Doesn't count. by
on 2016-02-16 00:43:00 UTC
Link to this
Same problem I have with the Doctor. If humans have to rely on other species to defend ourselves... what's the point?
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I did say non-humans could work by
on 2016-02-16 01:43:00 UTC
Link to this
But I do agree. Hence why my first choice is Captain Jean-Luc Picard. He did it to Q before so why not another time or two?
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Adjusting the scenario a bit by
on 2016-02-15 20:59:00 UTC
Link to this
So the purpose of the trial is to determine if humanity should survive. Are they worth anything. If the trial should fail Humanity will be wiped from existence, if humanity wins they will be left alone in peace from this body forever. The charges laid out are that humans are a vicious plague that will contribute nothing to greater to the universe than destruction and war. That even if given time to develop they will never rise beyond their baser instincts. That if they are allowed on the universal stage they will become vicious conquerors, and never go beyond that.
There are possibly photo spoilers below, you have been warned.
The panel that has laid these charges against the human race consist of the following:
Name: Q; Home: Q-Continuum
Name: Missy, AKA The Mistress, AKA The Master; Home: Neathersphere
Name Sosuke Aizen; Home: Hueco Mundo
Name: Father, AKA Homunculous; Home: Amestris
Name: Skynet, AKA Alex; Home: Skynet
Name>: Agent Smith; Home: The Matrix
Name: Kl'rt, AKA Super-Skrull; Home: Skrull Empire.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120709193016%20alt=)
Name: The Joker, Home: Gotham City
And Presiding:
Name: Harbinger, Home: Dark Space -
In a strange twist, I'd pick Anne Frank. by
on 2016-02-15 22:33:00 UTC
Link to this
Consider this quote: "Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart." If she can say that after all she went through, she can certainly convince them of it.
Alternatively, I'd cut the Gordian Knot and send in Acacia to neuralyze them all.
-Alleb -
Voting +1 to Acacia. ^_^ (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 10:01:00 UTC
Link to this
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I dunno. by
on 2016-02-15 19:04:00 UTC
Link to this
Can you provide more info about the setting? Y'know, what are the aliens like, what part of humanity (and humanity's history) are the judging, etc.
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Let me try by
on 2016-02-15 19:48:00 UTC
Link to this
So the way I see it is, something along the lines of "Are Humans truly civilized? Or are they just barbarians who know nothing more than violence, or even if they do know more are they really just base villains regardless."
Its more of they are judging the whole of human civilization from the rise from the primordial ooze through today. The aliens are really anything, to me it does not really matter. Just some further advanced lifeform.
Does that provide enough clarification? -
The voice came suddenly, all over the world. by
on 2016-02-15 20:23:00 UTC
Link to this
It was soft, and yet loud enough to be heard over screaming children, rock bands, and aircraft taking off. Those who heard it said it had no discernable accent, and spoke in their own language - and every human on Earth heard it.
"Humanity," it said, and the world trembled to hear it. "Your planet has been watched for countless centuries. Today, your judgement will be delivered. Are you a race of truly intelligent creatures who should be allowed the freedom to roam this galaxy of yours - or are you a menace which must be put down immediately?
"Prepare your defence, Homo sapiens. In one week, we will hear your plea."
The voice died into silence. All across the Earth, the people stared at each other in wonder and horror, before bursting into babbling speech.
Then, abruptly, the voice cut back in. "Oh, right: and we'll be allowing the use of our tempero-fictional scoop for you to choose your best defender. Be seeing you!"
^_~
hS -
Well, there would be a council... by
on 2016-02-16 00:46:00 UTC
Link to this
The council would have Ghandi, Abraham Lincoln, and Winston Churchill... There would be input from mothers, and children, and Big Bird. There would also be input from the shamans of remote villages that didn't change much since before the industrial revolution, and leaders from remote villages that did suffer change. We'd also hear from the sleaziest politicians that didn't make it to office, and Nixon.
After all of that... the spokesperson for Earth would be the guy who edits the presentation together.
Or we just get the best lawyer who ever lived. -
*tidies up Ghandi the mini-Giant Death Robot* by
on 2016-02-16 12:51:00 UTC
Link to this
((Look, there's a dearth of Civ 5 fics out there but as soon as I find one it's getting missioned, k?))
Here's what I'd do, since I've been mostly very negative in this thread. I'm coming down with something green and slimy, is the thing, so do bear that in mind if I'm grouchy or incoherent. Well, more so than normal, anyways. =]
Anyway, my pick takes the form of a ficlet, so here we go.
---
The thing in the sky - some of those were still calling it God and arguing which one it was, which is why they hadn't been given an invitation - had given them a week. A group of people now stood at the allotted place and time, of every race, colour and creed. Young and old, rich and poor, in sickness and in health, the group stood together. And when the voice rang in their heads, they parted as one, and small footsteps edged cautiously forward, spurred on by larger ones.
"This is my great-grandson," said a man with a stoop and a stick and the wispy remnants of a long beard flicked about by the breeze. He was speaking in Amharic, but everyone understood. "He is three years old. We live together, his mother, her parents, and myself, and we live simple and honest lives.
"There will be people around the world expecting greatness. Kings and emperors, scientists and engineers, artists and poets. Those who have already accomplished greatness. But look at my great-grandson. My Tewodros, who has learned to walk and who can read a little of our language. He might do great things, or things which are terrible, or he might just live his life without doing much of anything at all.
"Wipe us out this day, Sky-Being, and you will not know."
The old man gripped his stick in knuckles so white some were worried the skin would split. He swayed slightly. His knees hurt a little. "My child, every child, is this planet and this people's future! If we do not give you cause to let us survive now, let our children give it! Because how will we ever improve, how can we improve, if we are exterminated now like rats in a pantry? Whatever crimes you think the human race has committed, and there have been many and they have been abominable, our children are innocent! So let them go! And let us be! Let us--"
And the old man sank to the floor, coughing and in pain, and the child ran to him. The old man was slowly lifted by a small, chubby hand, and the child turned around, and said, haltingly...
"I don't want to die."
And the world believed. -
*applauds* (nm) by
on 2016-02-17 08:36:00 UTC
Link to this
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I like that ficlet (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 16:54:00 UTC
Link to this
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The Doctor. Case closed. (nm) by
on 2016-02-15 18:53:00 UTC
Link to this
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What Matt said. (nm) by
on 2016-02-15 19:42:00 UTC
Link to this
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A follow up (to continue the discussion) by
on 2016-02-15 19:50:00 UTC
Link to this
Which iteration of the Doctor? For example the War Doctor may be regarded very differently than say the 11th Doctor.
And if you are all so adamant that it should be the Doctor, why? -
Tenth... by
on 2016-02-15 20:34:00 UTC
Link to this
Because it's my favourite, I'm probably gonna be slightly biased, but I'll try to contain it:
Tenth seemed to be a perfect balance between the Straight-Outta-Gallifrey Ninth, and the Crazed Genius Eleventh. Like Fourth, he's very protective over humanity (something I didn't really get from Ninth), and he can actually be scary and execute punishment (something I didn't really get from Eleventh). Now, the reason I didn't choose the War Doctor, is because he was molded a warrior, not a diplomat, and Twelfth is too serious. Knowing Tenth, he would not only convince the invaders to drop all the charges, but would also negotiate some sort of beneficial deal for the planet. If I remember (Ix help), Tenth was the one who mentioned the Shadow Proclamation the most often, therefore struck me as the kind of guy who know the Law and how to bend it to his will. -
I'm not convinced by the Doctor. by
on 2016-02-16 09:41:00 UTC
Link to this
Yes, he loves Earth and all that, and is devoted to defending it... but he's not actually very good at finding peaceful solutions. He drove off the Sycorax... by killing their leader. He defeated a werewolf... by getting Queen Victoria to kill it. The Krillitanes? K9 blew 'em up. Cybermen? Artificially-induced suicidal depression. The Wire? Imprisoned her. The Abzorbaloff he killed, and he sent both the Daleks and Cybermen into the void.
In fact, the only time he defended Earth in a peaceful manner in the entirety of Series 2 was when he sent a psychic alien baby on its way with the Olympic torch - and that didn't exactly involve negotiation.
If we want someone to verbally defend us, the Doctor has shown time and again that he is incapable of doing so.
hS -
The Sycorax leader lost the duel... by
on 2016-02-16 22:16:00 UTC
Link to this
And was given a chance to leave the planet in peace. Instead, he decided to backstab the Doctor after losing to him. And even before that duel, the Doctor tried to talk them into leaving.
Now, I don't remember Tooth and Claw that well, but wasn't the werewolf brainwashed by the monks and turned into basically a wild animal residing in a host body? There isn't much room for conversation with a beast.
He actually gave Krillitanes a chance to back off. He met with Brother Lassar and warned him that if they continue doing so, it won't end well. They didn't listen.
Perhaps those aren't the examples of a flawless verbal defense, but it definitely proves that the Doctor doesn't leap straight into action and punishment. -
Yes, he gave them a chance. by
on 2016-02-17 07:55:00 UTC
Link to this
But they never took it. I mean, anyone can give someone a chance:
"Hey, sucky all-powerful entities who nevertheless keep losing! Earth is cool, so how's about you leave us alone?"
Look, I gave them a chance to leave. ^_~
My understanding is we're looking for someone who can actually convince them, not someone - like the Doctor - who makes a decent effort but fails (virtually) every time.
(Hey, remember when he convinced Dalek Sek to be nice, only to have the other Daleks imprison and exterminate him? This is the situation we're in.)
hS -
He was what came second to mind for me... by
on 2016-02-15 21:04:00 UTC
Link to this
The first was Captain Jean-Luc Picard largely for the fact that he has been called upon to basically defend that exact same point on more than one occasion. He has some experience with it.
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Or, depending on the situation, Saitama. (nm) by
on 2016-02-15 19:25:00 UTC
Link to this
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I'm afraid Saitama isn't my first choice of a diplomat. (nm) by
on 2016-02-15 20:26:00 UTC
Link to this
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But if we lost... (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 03:03:00 UTC
Link to this
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Beta Request. by
on 2016-02-15 21:29:00 UTC
Link to this
I would need people for beta-reading my newest mission. the setting involved is Persona 4, although canon knowledge isn't an obligation. As usual, I'll address any issue raised during the beta, be it SpaG, flow, characterization, PPC knowledge failures...
Just email me by clicking my name, or post your candidature (and if needed, your address) here.
P.S.: I have an additional question. Does miscapitalization like this, 'HardRic', spawn a mini? -
Count me in! by
on 2016-02-16 04:06:00 UTC
Link to this
I have complete canon knowledge, so I will be mostly helping in that regard, though I will try to help with SPAG and such whenever I can. You already have my e-mail, so please shoot the GDoc my way.
-
Invitation sent. (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 07:41:00 UTC
Link to this
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I'll take a whack at it. by
on 2016-02-16 03:29:00 UTC
Link to this
I decided to track down a playthrough of Persona 4. I'm up to Kanji's dungeon (in SuperJeenius' Let's Play), so I might be able to help with canon stuff as well as SPaG, flow, and whatever else you want. You still have my email, right? :)
-
Link sent. by
on 2016-02-16 07:41:00 UTC
Link to this
Don't worry, it will be more than enough canon knowledge.
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Capitalisation minis are frowned upon. by
on 2016-02-15 21:54:00 UTC
Link to this
You can probably go digging in the Board archives and find the relevant discussion.
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Alright. by
on 2016-02-15 22:02:00 UTC
Link to this
I didn't write the scene about it, because I wanted to be sure about it. Thanks for your answer.
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The situation is a bit more complex. by
on 2016-02-16 11:03:00 UTC
Link to this
The "relevant discussion" was about minis like "hardric", where "Hardric" would be a canon character’s name. While some Boarders like to catch as much minis as possible, others frown upon this habit, because minis are spawned by misspelling a canon character’s name, but "not capitalizing where it is required, as in the first letter of a name" is just bad grammar, not a misspelling of the name.
Are you sure that the mistake in "HardRic" is "randomly capitalizing a letter in the middle of a word", where the word is meant to be canon character Hardric’s name? Whether this spawns a mini may be debatable.
Just as well, the mistake could be "omitting the necessary space between first and last name", where "Hard Ric" was never meant to be the canon character Hardric. This certainly wouldn’t spawn a mini; it would spawn an additional OC who may just sit around moping because the narration doesn’t mention him ever again.
Actually, "Hard Ric" sounds more like a nickname, and a person nicknamed Hard Ric (or Hard Rick?) would probably not be contented just sitting around moping. What would he do left to his own devices? What should the agents do with him? Use your imagination and have more fun than with just another mini. (Okay, the last part doesn’t help you, because the miscapitalization you’re actually dealing with certainly isn’t "HardRic".)
HG -
Here's the actual name I'm talking about. by
on 2016-02-16 11:12:00 UTC
Link to this
"YasoInaba", which is supposed to be only one word. The letter which is capitalized is the first one of the town's usual name.
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Not a mini. by
on 2016-02-16 12:41:00 UTC
Link to this
Looks like a random capitalisation charge to me.
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Gravity Falls Finale (SPOILERS!) by
on 2016-02-16 01:03:00 UTC
Link to this
So! That was a finale to a great show. We laughed, we cried, our hearts were warmed and our nightmares given new material. What did you think?
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I'm just gonna leave something here... by
on 2016-02-16 23:08:00 UTC
Link to this
That we may both enjoy, fire... Ah, right, mini-Spoiler Wall
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
http://cosmicpines.tumblr.com/post/139395132245/a-x-o-l-o-t-l-my-time-has-come-to-burn-i-invoke -
I'll put that show on my "to watch" list. (nm) by
on 2016-02-16 22:32:00 UTC
Link to this
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Hey, what's up? by
on 2016-02-16 01:48:00 UTC
Link to this
Just like to check in here once every five years or so. Make sure the plot continuum is still being protected and all that. As you were.
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Quick, someone hide the Constitution! by
on 2016-02-16 19:49:00 UTC
Link to this
Nah, kidding, I'm pretty sure you already knew about that. Good to know you're still kicking! Welcome back, take yer coat off and stay awhile!
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I've heard of you, definitely. by
on 2016-02-16 10:42:00 UTC
Link to this
Hullo, welcome back!
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[Jumps in, per Dann] Hi! by
on 2016-02-16 08:58:00 UTC
Link to this
It always makes me unaccountably happy to see the old names popping back up again. ^_^
And then it makes me unaccountably sad that all the old names aren't still here. :(
And then, when it's you, it makes me entirely accountably guilty that I don't talk to you more often...
Anyway, hi! We've kept it nice and tidy for you - ignore the pile of junk shoved under a blanket over there...
hS -
Re: [Jumps in, per Dann] Hi! by
on 2016-02-16 22:40:00 UTC
Link to this
Well, I mean, you kind of have a few excuses for not talking to me more often. Like, you know, a job. And a family. And such. :P But we should definitely talk more often!
*Wanders off to peer under the blanket* -
Those are kind of valid. :-/ by
on 2016-02-17 10:46:00 UTC
Link to this
My main reasons for not really talking to people are:
1/ I don't really log in to Facebook ever.
2/ I'm pretty bad about replying to emails. I can manage a few in a row, but I tend to trail off after a while.
That said, I'm getting better at emails of late, so that's certainly an option...
hSwait I said don't look under the--! -
Which reminds me, you owe me a reply. by
on 2016-02-17 15:46:00 UTC
Link to this
Or four.
-July, who can't count -
I don't think it's quite four. by
on 2016-02-17 15:48:00 UTC
Link to this
Some of those I'd definitely classed as 'conversation concluded, retire to allow others to dominate'.
Point taken, though. ^_~
hS -
True. by
on 2016-02-17 15:50:00 UTC
Link to this
More three and a half? Ish?
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Hello returnbie. by
on 2016-02-16 08:46:00 UTC
Link to this
I don't know you, but it's still good to see people returning here. ave this pot of black-hole coffee.
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It's still being protected. by
on 2016-02-16 04:42:00 UTC
Link to this
Don't panic.
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Truly, a pleasurable surprise! by
on 2016-02-16 04:19:00 UTC
Link to this
(As much for the older lot being happy to see you again and the newbies going 'whozat?')
But yes, much protection going on.
Feel free to stick around a bit longer.
Here, have a camel.
-July, currently with too many, apparently -
Re: Truly, a pleasurable surprise! by
on 2016-02-16 22:39:00 UTC
Link to this
Thank you for the camel, I've always wanted one. XD
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Perfect! by
on 2016-02-17 14:54:00 UTC
Link to this
I bet hS will be glad you always wanted one, since that deducts from the total number of camels he will be recieving.
-July, not entirely joking. -
hZamburak? =] (nm) by
on 2016-02-17 15:26:00 UTC
Link to this
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Ahoy! by
on 2016-02-16 03:36:00 UTC
Link to this
I'm still lurking about - good to see you!
Huinesoron is... somewhere. He'll probably be jumping in in the near future. (You did see that he married Kaitlyn, right?) -
Re: Ahoy! by
on 2016-02-16 22:38:00 UTC
Link to this
Ahhhhhh Techno-Dann! Good to know some of the old crowd is still lurking!
WHAT?! hS married Kaitlyn?! Haha, just kidding, they're the PPC power couple. ;) -
I think I know you... by
on 2016-02-16 03:30:00 UTC
Link to this
Welcome back! *high-fives* *tosses confetti*
-
Oh, hi! by
on 2016-02-16 02:59:00 UTC
Link to this
I, er, I've heard of you (mostly through reading things you were involved with). Don't think we've met, but wow, hi! How are you? What's it like to be checking back in after a while? Is this time any different from the last time you did it?
Questions aside, though--welcome back! I hope you enjoy your stay :) I don't give out SPaGhetti like Ix does, but I do give people Swiss Bleepolate and Gummyblees, the latter of which will take the shape of something from the last book, show, or movie you read or watched--so, here! And welcome :)
~DF -
Re: Oh, hi! by
on 2016-02-16 22:36:00 UTC
Link to this
Why thank you! And I'm pretty good, how are you? :) Honestly, things around here seem pretty much the same, which warms my heart. It's good to see this place still so active after so many years.
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It does rather have a habit of continuing, doesn't it? by
on 2016-02-16 22:41:00 UTC
Link to this
I wasn't a Boarder when I first started reading PPC stories, but I started that around 2006 or so. Then, in 2013, I decided to go looking, and found about a hundred Boarders instead of the 2-5 I'd rather expected. It was amazing (and, obviously, I stayed). It's a pretty lovely thing to see.
Me, I'm doing well. I'm on reading week, which means I get to stay home, see a friend or two, and think about all the schoolwork I need to get done this week lest I regret it! Very fun so far. :)
When was the last time you checked in? I get the feeling it was before I joined, but you never know--I have missed some months, by virtue of being too busy to look at the Board.
~DF -
Re: It does rather have a habit of continuing, doesn't it? by
on 2016-02-17 01:04:00 UTC
Link to this
Hmm, not sure when the last time I checked it was. Could've been a year ago... or two years... I have no sense of time, unfortunately. I check in sporadically but usually don't say much.
I first found the PPC in the fall of 2002. I think I read the stories on fanfiction.net and then found my way to this board. I'd estimate at that time there were maybe 12-15 active posters here. So... yeah. I was all of 14 when I started posting here, and now I'm almost 28. I've been friends with some of the people I met here for well over a decade now, which is somewhat terrifying to think about (because I'm old, not because they're terrifying, aha).
By the way, the board looks exactly the same now as it did back then. I remember we had some pretty intense debates about whether to move it to a different platform. Not sure if such debates are ongoing, but the consensus then was that change is evil. :P -
Looks like things don't change much then. by
on 2016-02-17 01:50:00 UTC
Link to this
We've had several discussions about moving to Tomash's Board, though mostly because YourWebApps' servers keep crashing and we can't get on to post. >.> So far though, the T-Board is just the current Other Board. Dunno if it'll ever become the main Board, though.
Also, hi. :) I was a bit too surprised to give you a proper welcome back. ^^; Nice to finally meet you! -
I don't know who you are,but it seems Ix is surprised by
on 2016-02-16 02:22:00 UTC
Link to this
Welcome back! Have some Tears of the RWBY Fandom, they appear to be in season at the moment.
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O_O by
on 2016-02-16 01:59:00 UTC
Link to this
OO
OO
O_O
*offers a plate of returnbie SPaGhetti and salutes*
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I was thinking we should make a quiz for new agents. by
on 2016-02-16 03:43:00 UTC
Link to this
And it would be called "Which Department Are You Really Suited For?" You know, for the times when you're making a new agent but don't know where to put them. Like a problem I'm having right now... *ahem* I think it would be fun!
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Sounds good to me (nm) by
on 2016-02-17 01:47:00 UTC
Link to this
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Good idea. by
on 2016-02-16 21:45:00 UTC
Link to this
So what kind of quiz? For the agent, or for their writer?
Because, of course, your goals as a writer are different from "your" goals as an agent.
As a writer:
--If you're going to Bad Slash, of course you have to have read and enjoyed at least some *good* slash. If you're not into reading romantic fiction, DBS is probably not your thing.
--Writing assassinations means writing about your assassins killing something that's... well, not quite sapient, but that at least looks like it ought to be. So you'll be writing death scenes.
--Floaters don't specialize; on the other hand, Floaters can't specialize. That means you can do literally anything in terms of missions, but it also means you aren't going to get much guidance on what you should be doing.
--High-power departments like ESAS, Special Sue Unit, etc., are pretty tempting because of the sheer variety of powers available; but they're also more challenging, because either your target fic, your agents, or both, are going to be high-power level characters. Those are always hard to write while still avoiding glitter. On the other hand, it's about the only way you're going to fit your dragon, Q, or 10th-level D&D wizard into the PPC.
--DIC. Implausible crossovers. Must be a crossover fan; must be able to write stories that involve untangling crossovers rather than Sue-killing or exorcisms. Maybe a bit trickier because Untangling doesn't have quite the natural endpoint that a DMS or DBS mission does.
--Grammar nut? Try the DTE. But only if you can write about bad grammar, horrible spelling, and clunky composition, and still make it funny.
--DOGA and Temporal Offenses are for writers who are good at keeping maps and timelines in their heads, no doubt about it. Remembering where things should be and how big they should be is important when you're exposing your poor agents to the twisted geometry of these badfics. On the other hand, you might get to give your agents flamethrowers, so there's always that.
--DoWTF. Like weird fics, weird settings, badly written crackfic? This is for you. Be prepared to deal with the weirdness. Maybe it's best if your agents are pretty weird themselves. (Think Doktor Trollenfisch. That is all.)
Rare fandoms: For fans of the classics, indie or less-popular works, or things that just don't get a lot of fanfic. Shakespeare scholar? Lover of indie computer games? This is your department.
Troll Division; Bad Parody: PPC fluff hasn't been quite fluffed out here, but if you want to deal with trollfic, here's your chance. If you wanna kill the troll, you gotta find it first...
Department of Angst: Want to expose your agents to badly-written, over-the-top depressing fics? Here's your chance. Hope you have a good grasp of psychology to counter all the Bad Psychology.
Department of Improbable AUs: For want of a nail, the fic became horrible... Are you good at answering "what ifs"? Have your agents crack down on the writers who use AU as an excuse for bad writing.
DAVD: Badly-written torture!fics, mass-murders, and gorn. You'll probably need some knowledge of medicine and psychology, as well as a strong stomach. Or at least a bucket to upchuck into.
Intel: A cross between action and non-action; your agents might be monitoring fics from PPC HQ, or entering fics physically. Intel is interesting because you don't actually get to fix the fic yourself--your agent would experience it, but (if things go right) not get involved. Intel is the department most likely to be sent into a goodfic.
Infrastructure: These people don't go into fics at all, but they do work at PPC HQ, and that's an interesting setting to write about. If you keep thinking of interludes, but aren't really all that interested in writing missions, consider an Infrastructure department. -
Hmmm. by
on 2016-02-16 22:06:00 UTC
Link to this
I think that a planning sheet for the writer and a character chart for the agents might be okay... I hate filling out forms, and I never know what I'm doing until I start doing it, so as long as it's highly suggested instead of mandatory it shouldn't be a problem for pantsers.
http://www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html
I usually don't worry about their "significant past jobs" unless the detail is relevant to the story. -
I love those questionnaires. by
on 2016-02-16 22:18:00 UTC
Link to this
I use them for role-playing characters. I just can't RP a character if I haven't got a good idea of who they are.
- possible better character questionare by on 2016-02-16 22:12:00 UTC Link to this
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Quiz-related things. by
on 2016-02-16 09:36:00 UTC
Link to this
I read this, and had vague memories of making something similar way back. So I went on a trawl through my Livejournal.
Protip: never look through your old journals.
Anyway, this is what I dredged up:
You know you're from PPC HQ when... (and Valinor, and Earth).
Somewhere, saved on a computer, I also have a copy of one of those 'If [...]... you might be a PPC Agent'. The one line I remember is:
If you know the origin of the phrase 'there's never been a Star Trek episode about THAT'... you might be a PPC agent!
hS, keeper of old stuff -
I was thinking about doing something along those lines... by
on 2016-02-16 04:22:00 UTC
Link to this
...but for fun.
Where an agent goes, department wise, should honestly depend on what you the writer want to do with missions.
July, thinking back to ye old days of Quizilla -
Something for the Boarders, maybe? by
on 2016-02-16 04:36:00 UTC
Link to this
Though it could easily translate to an in-universe quiz, but that would take away the fun of agents being assigned to departments they're not a good fit for. :P
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They could know where they belong... by
on 2016-02-16 08:57:00 UTC
Link to this
... but the department could be full. I get the impression that agents are assigned where they are needed, which doesn't always match where they want to go.
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In-universe quizzes by
on 2016-02-16 04:47:00 UTC
Link to this
Who says anyone has to pay attention to the quiz?
After all, it only takes a rubbish bin and good diplomatic skills to make said quiz have technically never existed. -
Re: In-universe quizzes by
on 2016-02-16 05:09:00 UTC
Link to this
Or a pair of hands capable of shredding movements and bureaucratic laziness!
-
Just went to Los Angeles (And I didn't get mugged!) by
on 2016-02-16 07:24:00 UTC
Link to this
I saw the USS Iowa, which was nice. Wound up getting a gash in my hand from a palm tree, which I proceeded to swear even more than usual at. It's all kind of a blur, though since the TSA wouldn't let me take my sleep meds. We mostly went for my Dad, though. He was running in the LA Marathon as part of his physical rehab. If this seems disjointed and twitchy, it's because I'm running on -3 days worth of sleep, and enough caffeine/sugar to kill an elephant. They had good tea down there, so I just couldn't stop drinking it.
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Story link request. by
on 2016-02-16 11:20:00 UTC
Link to this
I remember reading a bunch of stories where the Marquis de Sod introduces one agent to another, but I cannot remember how to find them again.
Could you please give a clue on what search term brings those up in the wiki?
Or if anyone wants to plug their own stories, that would be awesome. -
Beta requested for Permission by
on 2016-02-17 15:43:00 UTC
Link to this
My email is bramandintook@gmail.com
I don't think that canon knowledge is necessary, and the ones that I have brought up are pretty old so I don't think spoilers are a problem.
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Belated celebrations! by
on 2016-02-16 11:33:00 UTC
Link to this
*delurks*
Wow, it's been a while since I've been on here!
Anyway, in the midst of all my IRL busyness, two fairly momentous milestones just passed: the 11th anniversary of me being part of the PPC, and also my 30th birthday!
(Guess this makes me definitely an oldbie, huh?)
Welcome to all the new people since last I was here. Mongeese and bleeprum all round!
Elcalion, festive -
Welcome back and happy birthday! by
on 2016-02-17 01:48:00 UTC
Link to this
And happy anniversary, too! Gosh, so many milestones in February!
Also, I'll pass on the bleeprum, thanks. I'm not comfortable with alcohol, and my agents are all technically underage, so...a-heh. Yeah. -
Returnbies crawling out of the walls! by
on 2016-02-16 15:00:00 UTC
Link to this
*offers a plate of returnbie SPaGhetti* Welcome back!
-
Goodness! by
on 2016-02-16 14:06:00 UTC
Link to this
Congrats on the both, especially on the big 3-0!
(Terrifying, how everyone gets old, isn't it?)
I will certainly accept the bleeprum but I don't think I can in good conscience take on a mongoose, at least while I'm still aboard a ship.
-July, arr -
I know! by
on 2016-02-17 00:41:00 UTC
Link to this
I still feel like a kid stuck in an adult costume pretending to be an adult, secretly afraid that people will discover my secret...
But at this point having worked full-time for almost 10 years, owning a house and hitting a new decade at life, perhaps it's time I faced facts: I'm an adult.
Congrats on the rate and the deployment etc, too, I believe that all happened while I was off lurking.
Elcalion, hearing distant chanting of "One of uuuuuuusssss, one of uuuussssss" -
Haa, yes. by
on 2016-02-17 04:16:00 UTC
Link to this
Sometimes I feel like I'm going to wake up one day in my bedroom back home and find out the last two years- or even longer!- was just a dream.
So far that hasn't happened yet.
And thanks!
(Adulthood and being a grownup are not the same things.)
-July -
Returnbie!!! *Glomp* *Boop* by
on 2016-02-16 12:50:00 UTC
Link to this
Yeesh what's with all the Returnbies having a membership longer then my tenure at school.
Anywho have some mortal-grade ambrosia. it doesn't heal but it does taste like heaven -
Happy birthday, Elcalion. by
on 2016-02-16 12:43:00 UTC
Link to this
Happy PPC anniversary, too! Many happy returns!
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Hello returnbie. by
on 2016-02-16 12:01:00 UTC
Link to this
Have some black-hole chocolates, please. I hope for you that this return is for a long time.
-
P.S. by
on 2016-02-16 12:12:00 UTC
Link to this
And this you have one birthday and one boardday too, I'll also give you a pot of black-hole coffee, and a self-updating guidebook from all the deathtraps in the multiverse.
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Back where I started again. by
on 2016-02-17 05:08:00 UTC
Link to this
By which I mean that I am now sixteen years old. As of eight minutes ago, if one counts midnight as the boundary.
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HAPPY BIIIRTHDAAAY! *throws balloons in the air* (nm) by
on 2016-02-18 01:25:00 UTC
Link to this
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Happy Birthday! *tosses Spikes* (nm) by
on 2016-02-17 22:09:00 UTC
Link to this
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And a very merry birthday, to yoooouuu! by
on 2016-02-17 14:34:00 UTC
Link to this
I present to you... not a shovel, but a herring.
Speak with the Knights who say "Ni!" They'll tell you what to do with it. -
Happy birthday! (nm) by
on 2016-02-17 13:58:00 UTC
Link to this
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Happy birthday, Shy! by
on 2016-02-17 12:37:00 UTC
Link to this
Many happy returns! Here, have this link to a nice speed-drawing by a YouTuber I follow (rest of the channel is rather NSFW — she's got quite the potty mouth).
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY by
on 2016-02-17 08:25:00 UTC
Link to this
IN ALL CAPS.
AAAAAH. -
Happy birthday! by
on 2016-02-17 06:33:00 UTC
Link to this
Have this self-updating guidebook from all the deathtraps in the multiverse.
And many wishes of happiness too. -
Happy birthday then! by
on 2016-02-17 05:15:00 UTC
Link to this
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU
ON THIS DEAR DATE
MUCH HAPPINESS
MANY YEARS OF LIFE! -
*cakefetti* by
on 2016-02-17 06:20:00 UTC
Link to this
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
MAY ALL YOUR WISHES COME TRUE
HOPE NOBODY MAKES YOU BLUE
AND YOUR CAKE DOESN'T EXPLODE IN GOO!
*blows noisemakers*
Lookit my lil' sib all grown up. :')
-
I may or may not exist by
on 2016-02-17 15:28:00 UTC
Link to this
Hello.
I have known of the PPC for a few years, and have been lurking for a short while. After a few months of lurking, I decided now would be the time to reveal myself.
I first learned of the PPC from lurking on tvtropes. I have been lurking around the wiki and occasionally the Board for a few months. I usually read some of the spinoffs as they are posted on the wiki homepage.
helpidonotknowwhatelsetoputhere -
Re: I may or may not exist by
on 2016-02-18 10:53:00 UTC
Link to this
Hi! Looks like we got here the same way! If you're at all concerned, don't be. I'm new too. You probably have a better idea of what you're doing than I do.
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Welcome, finely feathered friend by
on 2016-02-18 05:21:00 UTC
Link to this
Don't worry, we're all very non-judgemental.
We accept anyone. Even people who don't exist.
My gift upon you is: a nonexistent boat.
If you do exist, I'm sorry. Maybe you can sell it on Ebay. -
Welcome, welcome, welcome! by
on 2016-02-18 02:38:00 UTC
Link to this
Here's a box of movie-theater popcorn to eat while you read the Original Series and Constitution!
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Welcome aBoard! by
on 2016-02-17 22:10:00 UTC
Link to this
Have one of my own shed feathers and a complimentary kit of Spikes!
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Fee-fi-fo-fum! I smell... a newbie! :D by
on 2016-02-17 19:16:00 UTC
Link to this
Welcome, welcome! Make yourself comfortable. Here, have a slice of Infinite Pizza:
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Hello newbie. by
on 2016-02-17 16:45:00 UTC
Link to this
Have this pot of black-hole coffee. Hope you'll enjoy your stay in this madhouse.
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Welcome to Creation, here's your shovel. by
on 2016-02-17 16:39:00 UTC
Link to this
This magical shovel digs up ballpoint pens.
I don't think Zaphod Beeblebrox is gonna be too happy about this... -
Hello, new person! by
on 2016-02-17 16:19:00 UTC
Link to this
Welcome on-Board! Here, have this jerboa; it lost its teacup somewhere along the road.
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Newbie! *glomp* *second poke* by
on 2016-02-17 16:02:00 UTC
Link to this
Hello, and welcome aBoard! For your newbie gift, take this plate of freshly-made SPaGhetti!
Since you've already answered my usual questions, why not share what fandoms you like? -
Hello fellow troper. (nm) by
on 2016-02-17 15:44:00 UTC
Link to this
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Hang on, let me pull out the official questionnaire. by
on 2016-02-17 15:36:00 UTC
Link to this
Who would join the PPC must answer me these questions three, ere the other side they see... yeah, this looks like the one.
1/ WHAT... is your name?
No, wait, you've answered that one.
2/ WHAT... is your quest?
3/ WHAT... is the meaning of liff?
(Oh, and hi, welcome a'Board, we hope you enjoy your stay, and since I'm feeling Oldbieish today: [Pokepokepoke] First poke!)
hS -
Welcome! by
on 2016-02-17 23:59:00 UTC
Link to this
Hope you enjoy it here, And have a scone. They are strawberry-flavoured, just so you know.
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Help finding an OFU author? by
on 2016-02-17 20:55:00 UTC
Link to this
I found an old Doctor Who OFU and I was wondering if anybody remembers who the author is. I know the author was a Boarder — there's a review by Ailavyn Siniyash that mentions that.
Help? -
Tumblr? by
on 2016-02-18 05:03:00 UTC
Link to this
According to their ff.net profile, they are on Tumblr as kittyofthekatties.
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Or Kittythekatty on the Board. by
on 2016-02-18 08:57:00 UTC
Link to this
The Board archives record her mentioning OFUWho a couple of times.
hS -
I knew their handle had to do with kitties! by
on 2016-02-18 09:26:00 UTC
Link to this
Thanks, you guys.
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The state of the IRC by
on 2016-02-18 00:30:00 UTC
Link to this
So as some of you may not even know, we have an IRC room on the Sorcery server. There used to be a thriving community, easily rivaling the activity of the board, only at a faster speed. There also used to be a link to said IRC room up top with all the other important links.
Now we have no mods, no link, and maybe three people (including myself) who actually visit with any regularity. Unless people want to try to revitalize it (which I would be all for, it was fun as heck and I made all of my current best friends there), I vote we close it down. I think the community should, obviously, have a say in this so I figured I't put this up here. -
A dedicate chat would be nice by
on 2016-02-19 15:38:00 UTC
Link to this
Also hello again
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I'm all for revitalization by
on 2016-02-19 04:14:00 UTC
Link to this
I was present (sort of) in some of the IRC's livelier days, and I'd absolutely love to see that come back. If it means we can get a fraction of that activity again, then I'm happy to commit to being there more often and contributing to a more active conversation.
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"There also used to be a link" by
on 2016-02-18 08:55:00 UTC
Link to this
Yes, there did. I took it down all of two weeks ago, after being repeatedly told that it was entirely abandoned, and that the claim on the top of the Board - more prominent than any link other than those to TOS and the Constitution - that you could talk to people there was now a flat-out lie.
The IRC isn't empty because no-one knew it was there. It's empty because, for whatever reason, no-one thought it was worth spending time in.
hS -
Re: "There also used to be a link" by
on 2016-02-19 04:08:00 UTC
Link to this
I didn't know when it got taken down, but honestly, I'm still in favor of just getting rid of the IRC because it's been abandoned far longer than the link has been gone. Probably because most of the regulars decided they wanted nothing to do with the PPC anymore.
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I'm in favor of revitalizing as well. by
on 2016-02-18 02:26:00 UTC
Link to this
Like Des, I've been in similar chatrooms with Boarders before, and it's always been fun. I think the IRC would be a neat way to socialize with Boarders who maybe don't post as much; plus, it'll feel more like a real conversation than back-and-forth on a message board.
Do you think that if a few people commit to spending time on there regularly, and others begin popping in, it might take off on its own?
-Alleb -
Possibly by
on 2016-02-18 02:41:00 UTC
Link to this
It would take a few who were willing to be conversational, though. Usually when i'm in there (which isn't as frequent lately) it's just me and Tomash and occasionally NiviusLuna (whose name I probably misspelled), and we don't talk much unless someone else shows up.
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Re: Possibly by
on 2016-02-19 15:18:00 UTC
Link to this
Well, I'm in there sometimes... But usually it's just automated pings and no one talks. I had a lot of fun in the IRC, but I'm not sure how we'd resurrect it. The thing about the IRC is, I don't know if having Assigned IRC-People would work to bring it back - I feel like something like the chat needs to happen more or less organically, but. Well. Certainly I don't have better ideas.
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Aye. by
on 2016-02-18 05:31:00 UTC
Link to this
Tomash is always there.
I used to check in occasionally, but I never saw anything other than Tomash.
Just... there. -
Putting my actions where my mouth is... by
on 2016-02-18 21:47:00 UTC
Link to this
I opened the IRC. This is what I saw. Did somebody order an extra serving of crickets and tumbleweeds?
- IRC journal, day 2. by on 2016-02-19 23:24:00 UTC Link to this
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IRC journal, day 4. by
on 2016-02-22 03:00:00 UTC
Link to this
There's no day 3 because I was in a family meeting for most of the day.
Some conversation happens. - IRC journal, day 5. by on 2016-02-23 02:04:00 UTC Link to this
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So, there is other people on the Chat. by
on 2016-02-22 11:34:00 UTC
Link to this
I'll have to watch again.
And I congratulate you for picking up Dresden Files. Wait ultil you read the 10th for the DFRPG Core books, and the twelvth for the extension. Of course, all of them are totally worth it. -
Getting books in English is a pain here. by
on 2016-02-22 12:59:00 UTC
Link to this
I picked up Storm Front in October 2014 in London and swallowed in a few days. I've been procrastinating re: getting the rest. Is there an omnibus version? That'd be much more practical.
Anyway, I'll continue with the journal; the more data we have, the more informed the decision will be. -
Small omnibuses exist. by
on 2016-02-22 13:07:00 UTC
Link to this
The first one covers the three first tomes, the three other only two books, leading you up to Tome 9. If you're ready to try it, all of them are available in Kindle, Ebooks, etc, though. There is also one book collecting short stories.
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I'd like to see it revitalised. by
on 2016-02-18 00:43:00 UTC
Link to this
I'm having fun communicating with a few Boarders via similar means; I'm all in for revitalising the IRC. The problem is that I pop my head in and see tumbleweed. It's a self-perpetuating problem, it seems, and it's probably made worse by time zones.
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Yeah, that's part of why I've never spent much time on there by
on 2016-02-18 01:05:00 UTC
Link to this
I'd go on and see very few or no people.
If it could be revitalized, I think it would be quite interesting. It's also a cool idea to begin with--chatting with Boarders in, say, doc chats while betaing is always very interesting. On the other hand, I've never really been involved in it, and think other people should make that call.
~DF
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Brandon Sanderson plug. by
on 2016-02-18 03:06:00 UTC
Link to this
I firmly believe that this community would devour the works of Brandon Sanderson like a school of hungry piranhas going after some poor jungle critter; therefore, I shall plug him.
Brandon Sanderson is honestly one of the best writers I've ever had the privilege to read. His characters are vibrant, his magic systems are deep, his world-building is epic, and his stories always make me think. He leaves me laughing, crying, and eagerly awaiting the next installment. He writes mostly fantasy, with a dash of science fiction, and he's quite prolific. If you don't mind diving right in, try his Mistborn trilogy; if you're in the market for only one novel I'd go with Elantris. If you want something even smaller, I'd recommend Sixth of the Dusk; my favorite novella.
If you want to test him out before committing to buying one of his deliciously long books (that I still finish in a day or two, because I honestly can't put them down) try this preview chapter from the first Mistborn. And here's a humorous dialogue exercise he posted about a poor kid whose special knack is smelling good to dragons. Appropriately titled: "I Hate Dragons."
If you need any more convincing, one word: Cosmere.
-Alleb -
I've read the Mistborn trilogy. by
on 2016-02-19 13:57:00 UTC
Link to this
I was given the first, then made sure to get the other two (due to them not being in our library). And... I'm still not sure how much I like them. :-/
This review/analysis will necessarily contain spoilers, but I'll try to keep them mild. You should be able to read these and still enjoy the books just as much - the main one is just that a character you don't think is going to die, doesn't die. ;)
My first issue was with the blurb on the back of The Final Empire - and the front, for that matter - which states the really interesting premise: What if the Dark Lord won? Great, fascinating - but we are very, very quickly told that the 'Dark Lord' is the Chosen One who turned evil. Which means that either the blurb is a flat-out lie, or it's a massive spoiler for the fact that the premise contains a flat-out lie. That left me skeptical. (In fact, at no point in The Final Empire is any character mentioned who could even be a Dark Lord from the Chosen One's story. So the blurb is a lie whatever else happens.)
Secondly, Elend. I don't have any particular problem with Elend himself - but why does he end up in a position of such prominence in The Well of Ascension? That never sat right with me. He was not a person the heroes of the first book should ever have looked to in the way they did, and nothing made sense of it for me at any point.
Thirdly, the chapter-heading documents. I liked them. I liked the way they sneak you the backstory, and I like the way they do it through an inherently biased viewpoint.
But. When the first two books pivot on the fact that there is something misleading about those excerpts (and, thankfully, they are different misleading things)... how much of an idiot would I have to be to believe the implication of the third one?
Fourthly, while I adore his worldbuilding, I'm not so sure about the way he works things in. I can't recall the details, but I'm sure there were at least a few things which were just sort of dropped on us, in a 'if this were actually true the characters should absolutely have done something about it earlier'.
Relatedly, I'm sure there were some tricks people played with metals which they ought to have been using all the time, but which they only pulled once. I can't remember specifics, though, and a lot of 'one-off' tricks did end up being used over and over.
But... I liked the setting, and many of the characters, and a lot of the reveals came as a surprise (which is good). The cast felt believably flawed, and I appreciated the fact that, in the latter two books, you didn't feel that the characters were safe (even from being killed).
So I honestly don't know. It's all very irritating. ^_^
hS -
I've probably idealized them in my head. by
on 2016-02-20 18:37:00 UTC
Link to this
It's been a bit since I read them. I don't remember experiencing any of your frustrations, but I think you read a lot more deeply than I do (and, when I first read them, I did not read as deeply as I do now).
However, I still heartily recommend the followup trilogy that he recently completed, taking place several hundred years later in a 1910's kind of setting. I believe, at the moment, he's writing two more after this, one with 80's tech and the other a space-exploration thing. I love this man. These books are hilarious-- Wayne is definitely in my top ten favorite character list.
And, one random question: You can burn one metal. What is it?
-Alleb -
I'll look into them, certainly. by
on 2016-02-22 10:51:00 UTC
Link to this
Though it may have to wait (maybe until I've reread the first trilogy?).
One metal... hrm. I'm going to discount the higher metals (though gold looks like fun if it's at all tune-able - 'how would I have turned out if I were born in Doriath?') and just look at the basic eight from the original books. Hmm... while pewter and tin look interesting, I think I'd have to go for either brass or zinc.
I'm not entirely convinced there's much difference between them in practical application - sure, a Rioter can provoke anger faster, but a sufficiently skilled Soother can dampen everything except doubt and rage and achieve the same effect in the long run. Likewise, what's the difference between Soothing away negative emotions and Rioting positive ones? It's a matter of speed, mostly.
I guess I'll burn brass. I can see more applications for immediately Soothing than for immediately Rioting.
hS
PS: You know I'm a chemist, right?
Blue is for allomantic elements, red is the elements they alloy with, black lines show the links.
-Carbon is the only non-metal used in an allomantic alloy (steel, specifically).
-Copper and tin are both used as alloy-counterparts, while also being allomantic metals themselves. Copper is actually used in three of the six alloys: duralumin, bronze, and brass.
-Sanderson seems to have picked his metals based on name-recognition, not any discernable pattern in the periodic table. ^_~ But if you're hunting for new allomantic metals, check out indium or thallium; they're right in the middle of the pack.
hS, still/again
(PS: Thallium and indium are both highly toxic, so burn them fast! ~hS, third time lucky) -
They're definitely worth it. by
on 2016-02-22 20:08:00 UTC
Link to this
I absolutely adore the setting-- I'm going to use it for my next D&D campaign, I think.
I'd probably go with pewter or steel. It'd take me a while to get used to zipping through the air, but it'd definitely be fun. Imagine living in a city, with metal everywhere! No more traffic for me! ^_^ Zinc and brass would definitely be helpful, though.
I seemed to remember something about you being a chemist-- analytical, right? I think Sanderson trained as one as well; at the very least, he describes himself as an armchair scientist, and I believe there's a "Unifying Theory of Magic" hidden in his work. There's also Realmatic Theory and other cool things-- if you don't think it will spoil too much of his work for you, try The Coppermind Wiki. It knows everything.
-Alleb -
Magnesium burns with a bright flame. (nm) by
on 2016-02-21 13:35:00 UTC
Link to this
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And it's also damn dangerous. by
on 2016-02-22 11:41:00 UTC
Link to this
You see something made of magnesium on fire? DON'T USE WATER.
Water reacts with magnesium freeing highly flammable hydrogen, and you'll just end up making the fire worse. -
Only thing I don't get... by
on 2016-02-22 11:49:00 UTC
Link to this
... is how you mistyped 'awesome' as 'dangerous', 'always' as 'don't', and 'even more incredible' as 'worse'.
hS, creator of the Pyro Department, and professional chemist -
Tell that to Jo Schlesser. by
on 2016-02-22 22:45:00 UTC
Link to this
1968 French Grand Prix. He crashed on a full magnesium-bodied Honda RA302... with obvious results.
Sergio, showing off his racecar nerdiness. -
I tried; he won't listen. :( (nm) by
on 2016-02-23 10:11:00 UTC
Link to this
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Dead people are bad listeners, I'm afraid. (nm) by
on 2016-02-23 11:50:00 UTC
Link to this
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I know! What's even with that?! (nm) by
on 2016-02-23 12:13:00 UTC
Link to this
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It's also flarey and pretty! by
on 2016-02-22 16:10:00 UTC
Link to this
Thermite is also pretty neat.
-July. Flame. -
Electrum. With my IRL name, there's no other option. =] (nm) by
on 2016-02-21 12:18:00 UTC
Link to this
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I didn't know you read Sanderson! by
on 2016-02-22 20:14:00 UTC
Link to this
Awesome!
Electrum's pretty cool; I wouldn't mind being able to burn it.
-Alleb -
I... don't. Sorry. I looked it up on the wiki. =] by
on 2016-02-23 03:54:00 UTC
Link to this
That said, a few of my IRL friends have been badgering me about the Mistborn series for some time now, so I probably ought to give it a go one of these days. =]
One idly wonders what it would be like in a modern setting, where the Mistwalkers are burning, for instance, plutonium. Maybe it makes you an expert sushi chef. =] -
Ah. Well, you definitely should! by
on 2016-02-24 13:56:00 UTC
Link to this
Instant knowledge of sushi would be excellent; and who knows, I think there are still some unknown Allomantic metals in-universe! ^_^
-Alleb -
*Polonium. For heaven's sake, Scape, engage brain... (nm) by
on 2016-02-23 03:55:00 UTC
Link to this
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Pewter, probably. by
on 2016-02-21 11:04:00 UTC
Link to this
Mainly because it's damn convenient.
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Definitely. by
on 2016-02-22 20:12:00 UTC
Link to this
And it makes you a terrific dancer. ^_^ I'd probably go into some professional sport if I were a Thug; after all, it's not technically illegal, right?
-Alleb -
Well... by
on 2016-02-22 20:28:00 UTC
Link to this
I'd reckon it's kinda like taking performance-enhancing drugs, only the drug you take is a metal you can burn — I assume it'll become illegal very quickly. If I were a Thug, I'd probably go into carpentry or masonry; those disciplines always interested me, but I'm a bit too physically frail (hello, asthma) for them.
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Probably, yeah. by
on 2016-02-23 02:07:00 UTC
Link to this
Still, I could probably do some professional dancing outside of competitions. Or I could be a bouncer. What a mental image that is...
Carpentry or masonry would be pretty cool, though! Woodworking seems like a handy skill to have, and you can make some beautiful stuff.
-Alleb -
Wait, Bands of Mourning is already out? by
on 2016-02-20 19:00:00 UTC
Link to this
Holy duck, that was fast. I'll have o grab sooner or later.
Anyway, I would go for Bendalloy. I find time speed really interesting. -
It is! by
on 2016-02-22 20:10:00 UTC
Link to this
I grabbed it almost immediately, and read it in a few days. It was excellent.
Time manipulation would be very interesting; and helpful, when you're in a crunch.
-Alleb -
I'll put him on my list. (nm) by
on 2016-02-18 12:07:00 UTC
Link to this
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Coincidentally... by
on 2016-02-18 09:25:00 UTC
Link to this
I started Words of Radiance a couple days ago and it's bad for my sleeping hours.
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I know the feeling! by
on 2016-02-18 12:40:00 UTC
Link to this
It's very hard to focus on work and such when ohmygoshShallanbackstoryohmygosh!
That's how I felt through most of the book, anyway.
Oh, side note: how do you pronounce "Shallan?" My friends say "shall-en" but I say "sha-lawn."
-Alleb -
Hrm... by
on 2016-02-18 13:31:00 UTC
Link to this
"SHAH-lan", probably.
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Interesting. Another pronunciation question: by
on 2016-02-19 12:58:00 UTC
Link to this
How do you pronounce Elend? I always stressed the "-end," but everyone else stresses the "E."
-Alleb -
Best way to tell: by
on 2016-02-19 13:59:00 UTC
Link to this
Does anyone call him 'El' on a regular basis? That would only be a natural nickname for EL-lend (el-LEND would have to be 'Len'). It's not sure-fire, particularly in a written medium, but it's a good indicator.
(I can't remember myself; I'm not sure there was anyone who would...)
hS -
Yes, I think. by
on 2016-02-20 18:33:00 UTC
Link to this
I'd have to look it up, but I seem to remember people calling him "El."
-Alleb -
Hmm. by
on 2016-02-19 13:06:00 UTC
Link to this
"e-LEHND", I think? Then again I'm heavily influenced by Hebrew pronunciation.
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Coincidentally, his book "Calamity" came out yesterday. by
on 2016-02-18 05:06:00 UTC
Link to this
This isn't on purpose, is it? I already preordered it. If you don't know what it is, the series is basically this: Red satellite appears in the sky. People, known as "Epics" get superpowers. Most of these people go crazy, and the world falls apart. Fast forward ten years. A guy named David Charleston knows the reason why a supposedly invincible epic has a scar on his face. The series is full of late arrival spoilers. I've only read the Alcatraz VS. series and The Rithmatist so far, so I have not read anything related to his Cosmere at all yet.
How do you make links with a word, not the web address? -
I finished it yesterday morning ^_^ by
on 2016-02-18 12:36:00 UTC
Link to this
It was excellent. I couldn't put it down. Actually, the only thing of Sanderson's that I haven't read is Alcatraz. I should really get those. Ooh, I love The Rithmatist! I've heard he's coming out with a sequel soon.
Use this: < a href="http://www.yahoo.com"> here < / a > Substitute the word you want for "here" and put the desired link between the quotation marks. Then delete the spaces so that the entire thing is one word, except for "
-Alleb -
I finished it yesterday morning ^_^ by
on 2016-02-18 12:36:00 UTC
Link to this
It was excellent. I couldn't put it down. Actually, the only thing of Sanderson's that I haven't read is Alcatraz. I should really get those. Ooh, I love The Rithmatist! I've heard he's coming out with a sequel soon.
Use this: here Substitute the word you want for "here" and put the desired link between the quotation marks. Then delete the spaces so that the entire thing is one word, except for "
-Alleb -
Oh, come on! by
on 2016-02-18 15:56:00 UTC
Link to this
I have to wait until Monday. Say, what do you think would be the mini for the Cosmere? For Alcatraz, it would definitely be a gak, The Rithmatist, maybe a chalking of the subject, and for Steelheart, I have no idea.
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A mini for the whole Cosmere might be difficult. by
on 2016-02-19 12:56:00 UTC
Link to this
Maybe once we know a bit more about Adonalsium's home planet, we could pick one, but I think it would be easier to have a separate mini for each Shardworld until then. Unless we used mini-Hoids. ^_^ And that would be awesome.
I like the chalkling idea. For Steelheart, it'd probably just be a mini of whatever was misspelled. Or maybe mini-Obliterations. That'd be adorable.
-Alleb -
Mini-Hoids are creepy. by
on 2016-02-19 13:15:00 UTC
Link to this
Generally speaking minis are monsters, not sentient people. People-minis, AFAIK, are off-limits.
For the Stormlight Archive, though, I suggest mini-Chasmfiends. -
I like the mini-Chasmfiends. by
on 2016-02-19 22:26:00 UTC
Link to this
Mistborn minis could be either koloss or mistwraiths; Elantris could be mini-Seons. Actually... they're sentient, so I'm not sure. Then again, they could be like the mini-balrogs.
-Alleb -
Not so sure about mini-kolosses. by
on 2016-02-19 22:44:00 UTC
Link to this
They are somewhat sentient, and the trilogy sequel turns them into their own species (enough for a human to be 'koloss-blooded'). But mistwraiths wouldn't be good enough for holding back fanbrats, so...
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Hmm, true. by
on 2016-02-20 18:38:00 UTC
Link to this
Scadrial doesn't have much in the way of other monsters, though.
-Alleb -
Mistwraiths could work in the end. by
on 2016-02-20 19:03:00 UTC
Link to this
Like you said, monsters aren't so numerous back there.
-
What they lack in strength they make up for in freakishness. (nm by
on 2016-02-22 20:15:00 UTC
Link to this
-
People-minis are not off-limits. by
on 2016-02-19 13:28:00 UTC
Link to this
The Avengers OFU has mini-Nick Furies, for example.
Nor are minis under the jurisdiction of the PPC. They, and any decisions about what they can be, come under the OFU aegis, and Miss Cam - the creator of the OFU and mini concepts - never set any rules about whether they can be people, based on capitalisation, or anything else.
But person-shaped minis are creepy in so many ways and no-one should make them.
hS -
I still think that Cultureverse minis should be Mini-GOUs. by
on 2016-02-19 19:24:00 UTC
Link to this
Because the idea of a mini the size of a double-decker bus amuses me enormously.
"They're your WHAT?"
"Mini is... something of a relative term." -
People-minis are not off-limits. by
on 2016-02-19 13:28:00 UTC
Link to this
The Avengers OFU has mini-Nick Furies, for example.
Nor are minis under the jurisdiction of the PPC. They, and any decisions about what they can be, come under the OFU aegis, and Miss Cam - the creator of the OFU and mini concepts - never set any rules about whether they can be people, based on capitalisation, or anything else.
But person-shaped minis are creepy in so many ways and no-one should make them. <<< That is my opinion which I very firmly hold. But it is not a rule, because there is no rule.
hS -
We've had minis based on people before. by
on 2016-02-19 13:18:00 UTC
Link to this
Mini-Aragogs and mini-Roots are the first things that come to mind.
-
Wednesday Pluggage: Stardrifter survey. by
on 2016-02-18 10:27:00 UTC
Link to this
Stardrifter Survey: Ironic Overpower
This is a report on a survey performed by me in Noctis, a beautiful (if old) space exploration sim. Noctis lets you name the planets you explore - so I chose to name this system after the gods of the PPC mythology from a thousand years in the future. Why not? I've already named another system after Egyptian mythology.
And if you liked watching me ramble about a computer game, I'll note that I have a little-used blog for that. Which I should probably put this and a couple of other things on...
hS
(PS: There are some islands in the Pacific where it's still Wednesday right now. I'm not late! I swear!) -
Re: Wednesday Pluggage: Stardrifter survey. by
on 2016-02-20 18:05:00 UTC
Link to this
Something seems rather fitting that HQ is featureless and mostly flat. It's probably the closest you can get to Generic Surface, anyways.
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Very intriguing. by
on 2016-02-18 14:17:00 UTC
Link to this
Gotta say, whatever it was that happened on Kit gave me chills just reading about it.
I'd check the game out but homework is eating up pretty much all of my free time. Maybe come spring break, if I remember by then. -
Well he is the Dark God. by
on 2016-02-18 14:20:00 UTC
Link to this
Stay away from the Dark Canine God Kit!
~
What I think happened was that the program rendered the model, but forgot to put the texture on top of it. So you end up with a transparent planet showing only the light/shadows cast by the sun. I landed three times, and all three attempts crashed the game to desktop.
Weirdly, I did get to step out of the capsule on one of those, so there was something there...
hS -
And now we're in space too. by
on 2016-02-18 10:58:00 UTC
Link to this
Nothing can stop PPC!
So, you have this game blog and all of these games of Ages of Mythology. Did you have the occasion to play, or watch, games with Tales of the Dragon? -
I'm afraid I don't know what that is. :-/ (nm) by
on 2016-02-18 11:11:00 UTC
Link to this
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A new AoM add-on. by
on 2016-02-18 11:15:00 UTC
Link to this
It adds Chinese to the game. They earn favor through buildings called Gardens, which can also earn other ressources, their heroes are Immortals created at the forum who can use sword or bow.
By the way, who are your favorites. The Gods I prefer are Ouranos and Hades. I'm still thinking about the god I prefer with Chinese. -
So is it actually any good? by
on 2016-02-19 09:23:00 UTC
Link to this
The comments on Steam seem to be overwhelmingly negative - they're saying that the Chinese expansion:
a) Consists of copy-pasted units with modified art, not actual unique units. In a game with so few civs, that's pretty bad.
b) Has a campaign with serious flaws that make winning very difficult on some levels for arbitrary reasons. Someone was talking about having to keep the enemy 'away' from something, without 'away' being terribly clear, and an instant-loss if they fail - compare the various capture-the-Osiris-piece missions from the original, which gave you plenty of time to recover from losing control.
c) Flat-out breaks the game, either by crashing on victory, refusing to load past the opening cinematic, or breaking random maps.
~
I've also discovered that I don't have a Zeus game played. What I do have is an attempt to beat the final Titans mission the hard way - by killing Kronos without using Gaia. I'll see if I can write it up at some point.
hS -
Here's their human lineup. by
on 2016-02-19 09:50:00 UTC
Link to this
Halebardier, classic infantry
Chu Ko Nu, no presentation needed
Scout cavalry, think AoE2 light cavalry, and only 1 pop.
Cataphract, cavalry anti-infantry
Horse Archer, anti-cavalry
General, 3 units limit, morale-boosting ability simillar to Arknatos and Einherjars
Fire Lances, siege infantry with a distance attack.
Chariots, mythic age cavalry
"Sitting Tiger", proto-trebuchet, works like a catapult
Monks
Immortals
I didn't get a feel of 'reused' units, but that's my opinion.
b)Cannot really argue here. Two missions indeed have really vague objectives: One where you must stop a monk's ritual, seemingly by killing every enemy unit around him, but it doesn't always work instantly, and the next one, with the problem you mentionned. At least you can wall him off, the enemy has only two ways in, and the next mission pit you in a 'real' battle, and is really interesting.
c) Never experimented any of these problems personally, although there is sometimes problems with the info bar.
Guess you can say that like many recents games, there is flaws so close to the release, and I must admit that would be better for you to wait more before trying to buy it. Sorry for hyping you for this result. I enjoy it, but I cannot tell you to buy it if you have doubts. Watch some games on Youtube for a final opinion.
You're mad. You're flamethrower-crazy mad. I'm sure you'll find some way to do this. -
"Flamethrower-crazy"? by
on 2016-02-22 10:28:00 UTC
Link to this
It's funny you should say that:
hS -
Should have know that would end up like that. by
on 2016-02-22 10:43:00 UTC
Link to this
Atlanteans are the only able to literally go flamethrower-crazy in this game.
How many time did it take to kill him? - Here, have a report. by on 2016-02-23 16:51:00 UTC Link to this
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You did pretty good. by
on 2016-02-23 17:07:00 UTC
Link to this
I'm sure the next try will see Chronos dead. Like you said, you only need to configure the deathtrap better, and stockpiling more ressources. A shame that Gaia does not have Helios as a Myhtic god.
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There's a whaaaaaaat. by
on 2016-02-18 11:30:00 UTC
Link to this
This I must see.
...
:O
:O :O :O :O :O
Oh my multitudinous gods.
I have been wishing for another AoM expansion for a decade, but I never expected it to happen.
Pinch me. I'm dreaming.
It says it's sold through Steam - you don't happen to know if it's compatible with a base-game bought on CD, do you? I really hope it is (though I guess the 14-y.o. game isn't likely to be expensive to rebuy).
~
Um, right. Well done, you've utterly blown my mind.
Favourite gods... I can't remember. ^_^ It's been a year since I played. I know I've always been fond of Ouranos for those sky passages (and as I said in the Gaia report - Atlantean siege is the best siege), but I really can't remember which major gods I prefer.
I do actually have pictures taken for the Ouranos report... I should see if I remember enough about it to write it up. I think it got a bit dramatic...
hS -
Yep Ouranos has an excellent mobility. by
on 2016-02-18 12:00:00 UTC
Link to this
And you can combine this with either a human army with healers (Ocean/Theia) or a regenerating heroes brigade (Prometheus/ Hyperion), then you have Helios for warping your army anywhere on the map. Perfection. And Fire Siphon are cool, and Destructors not limited to building destruction.
Unfortuntaely, I think you cannot avoid Steam here, sorry. I'm not sure the CDs are compatible.
Oh, I forgot, *pinches* Chinese also have monks, who can heal your units, or convert enemies. And they have no energy bar to limit this. *pinches* *pinches* -
Monks! Monks are back? by
on 2016-02-18 12:16:00 UTC
Link to this
They were fun in Age of Empires II, and I always regret not using the Jedi version of conversion in Galactic Battlegrounds.
I shall have to look into this.
(My Oranos game is now up... why am I productive? Halp halp.)
hS -
On SWGB by
on 2016-02-19 19:41:00 UTC
Link to this
Still one of my favorite games. I loved playing online Senates. Always very entertaining. By as far as faction was concerned I always ran Empire. There was nothing quite as satisfying as launching an attack with two waves of 40+ AT-ATs fully upgraded and loaded with Stormtroopers. You can almost taste the despair. Of course that turns into your despair when that massive force utterly shatters on fully upgraded shield walls with a mass of turrets defending it. That game went from what would have been my greatest victory to my most bitter defeat.
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My favourite single-player games... by
on 2016-02-19 21:54:00 UTC
Link to this
... involve setting the map to Asteroids (or whatever it's called) and launching massive aerial invasions in the extreme late game. I tend to play on low enough difficulties that I can get away with that (because: I'm not actually very good at RTS games). For that, I like the Rebellion, because (in the expansion, at least) they have A Wings. Extremely fun to muck about with. TIEs just don't cut it - maybe because the lack of tilting when they turn is more obvious.
Least favourite enemy (but also least favourite to play): Gungans. A pox on their mobile shield generators. >:(
hS -
Rebels did have the best Air Craft by
on 2016-02-20 08:49:00 UTC
Link to this
But it was always satisfying watching an AT-AT take down a Rebel Bomber.
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I'll agree... by
on 2016-02-22 10:28:00 UTC
Link to this
... that the Imps have the best land vehicles. The Rebel ones are pretty dull.
hS -
Nothing comes close by
on 2016-02-22 17:55:00 UTC
Link to this
to the Imperials for rule of cool and effect except maybe the Trade Federation. I liked their Assault Mechs a lot as well. I never really liked the Republic's version, never had the same kind of firepower in my mind.
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Also. by
on 2016-02-18 12:45:00 UTC
Link to this
Sorry if you already heard about it, but did you see the African Kingdoms expansion for Ao2? It was announced at the same moment that Tales of the Dragons, but released sooner. It adds add Portugese, Berbers, Mali and Ethiopy. Unfortunately, it is Steam-bound too, so you won't be abel to use it if you only have the CDs.
And I hope you have some "Ouranos' Vengence" files somewhere in your computer. ;) -
I don't even know where AoE2 is. by
on 2016-02-18 13:17:00 UTC
Link to this
I haven't played it in years. I might well look into it - thanks.
Oh, and:
It's funny you should mention that...
(I may or may not have a Zeus game sitting around somewhere; I don't remember one, but you never know. It's not on the web, though, so that's it from me for now.)
hS -
That. Was. Awesome. by
on 2016-02-18 13:30:00 UTC
Link to this
Congratulations for this slaughter. That's why Atlantis rules.
Your bank account will hate me, but I'll have to point out that if you didn't touch AoE2 for years, you probably missed an expansion who was published with the HD Steam edition, The Forgotten, which adds Italians, Magyars, Slavs, Indians and Inca.
Seems it way more easier to create add-ons for great, but old, games that trying to create an Age of Empires 4... -
Based on my games so far... by
on 2016-02-18 14:06:00 UTC
Link to this
... I have to say that I'm strongest when playing as the Norse. I think it's due to the fact that I keep pulling them on island maps, and using the 'infantry = builders' feature to land bases on the far end of the enemy's. My sneak round the back as Thor shows that really well.
Atlantis is very strong in the late-game, I think - when I've had time to build up the resources to make a big army! But I had constant harassment from the Egyptians as Oranos, and lost most of my home island to the Norse as Gaia, because I couldn't get enough troops out in time to match them.
So there are now... 26 different nations in AoE2. And they all come with unique buildings, unique technologies, and various bonuses.
... you're right. My bank account is going to despise you.
(And now I remember the hilarious Korean Turtle Ship... oh dear, oh dear.)
hS -
Took me a while, and I haven't played in ages by
on 2016-02-19 19:24:00 UTC
Link to this
Pun semi-intended, but I was strongest with Isis. I had a friend who I played with fairly regularly, who almost always managed to beat me, He was running Norse this game, Loki I think, but I cannot remember, he did Hersir rush exhausting the majority of his resources, my defenses held out, and after a war of attrition the Egyptians pulled out a win.
-
Permission? by
on 2016-02-19 05:30:00 UTC
Link to this
I submit for the approval of the Midnight Society, er, I mean the Protectors of the Plot Continuum...
The bio: Name: Norinj
Appearance: The beak of a rooster, the face of a swallow, the forehead of a fowl, the neck of a snake, the breast of a goose, the back of a tortoise, the hindquarters of a stag and the tail of a fish. Black, white, red, blue, and yellow feathers.
Species: Fenghuang
Gender: Huang (Female)
Universe: I haven’t fully created it yet…
Personality: Highly curious about species of mythological creatures from other universes as her world is populated only by mythical things, to the point that she’ll sometimes ask insensitive questions to people she just met. A bit wary of works that have creatures that are entirely good or entirely evil depending on their species (such as Redwall and Lord of the Rings) due to a historical event in her world concerning a republic that had the same mentality. Might have trouble thinking of Mary-Sues as being completely evil. Perhaps should be told that Mary-Sues are to Original Characters what criminals are to ordinary folk.
Ability: Flight and sings songs to create facsimiles of people, creatures or even locations which will behave in accordance to their originals’ personalities. For example, “It Doesn’t Matter” will create a reproduction of Sonic the Hedgehog that will strive to protect the innocent and defeat evil. Norinj can even manipulate nearby instruments to play. The summoned can’t affect those who can’t hear them. (Will they work on inanimate objects?) She has to be careful she doesn’t hum, whistle or sing accidentally.
History: Hatched in a forest of orange bamboo. Learned the history of her universe at school. She swallowed a rock that she wasn’t aware had special properties for her gizzard, thus making her music magic. She could regurgitate it anytime (and does so occasionally to replace the dull rocks in her gizzard with sharp ones anyway) but she’s afraid of it falling into the wrong hands/talons/paws. She fell into a plothole and fell into the PPC’s headquarters. Went a bit nuts with excitement as she beheld creatures that are considered fictional in her world, such as foxes and humans, and creatures that are different from her home continuum’s, such as trolls and dwarves.
Department: Of Mary-Sues?
The prompt: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XcCcBuoyGoECqjNqIUNFBwF94-aujq97HyYZ6jVvw94/edit
The badfic: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3940868/1/soulless_shell
Would it be okay if I do the second prompt with another author? I've created only one agent. -
Still can't view the prompt. by
on 2016-02-20 04:49:00 UTC
Link to this
Regardless, it's better to ask for Permission when you have stuff like... y'know... both prompts put together.
For your first attempt (I say first because this is too incomplete to really count as an attempt), might I suggest better defining Norinj's powers? At the moment they seem kind of arbitrary and there's nothing stopping her from singing and summoning a deus ex machina when you write yourself into a corner. Complete sentences for the bio would also be a good idea. -
Okey dokey. I'l work on refining the bio and stuff. by
on 2016-02-20 07:51:00 UTC
Link to this
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XcCcBuoyGoECqjNqIUNFBwF94-aujq97HyYZ6jVvw94/edit?usp=sharing
Here's the prompt again. If it's not viewable, can someone tell me how to share it?
I'm planning to do the second prompt with Silenthunder together but it's gonna be incorporated into my first mission. Is that okay? -
It's viewable, but... by
on 2016-02-20 08:30:00 UTC
Link to this
...It's literally just seven paragraphs of your agent talking, with one sentence of her brow furrowing. Not really what we're looking for at all; we want to know how well you write: dialogue, narration, character interaction, all that good stuff. This doesn't really showcase anything except your agent telling how she arrived in Headquarters. And, well, you know what they say about showing and not telling.
Did you have any betas for this, or not? Because if not, you might want to consider asking someone for help when you give this another shot. -
I did this with my control prompt. by
on 2016-02-20 08:02:00 UTC
Link to this
Just write this part on one document, then you can use it for your mission after that.
-
You need to share the document first. by
on 2016-02-19 06:07:00 UTC
Link to this
For other people to see it.
As for Norinj, since I can comment on that:
What else compromises her personality besides 'curious to the point of insensitivity about things not native to her universe' and 'doesn't like things painted only in black and white'? This isn't really a personality. This just tells us two aspects. She can't be curious all the time, and that can't be as far as it goes for her, can it? This doesn't tell us very much about her except that maybe we should be expecting a flurry of questions every time she encounters something new in the PPC, which would be... all the time.
As for the ability: You say her singing creates fascimiles that behave like the originals. This is... a strange poewr, to say the least. Why would, using your example, "It Doesn't Matter" produce a copy of Sonic? Does she even know who Sonic is, or the canon? Does it create copies and versions of characters when she doesn't even know who they are? How does it create copies of locations? Is HQ at risk of somehow having a wide spath of the cafeteria suddenly replaced with part of, say, Rivendell? Or a part of Hogwarts? And she can use it to manipulate instruments?
This ability confuses me in multiple ways, and seems like it could be rather overpowered, besides the fact that it seems rather... out of place overall for the PPC.
As for the second prompt, it's best to get that sort of thing arranged with someone else prior to asking for permission.
-July -
Whoops! by
on 2016-02-19 17:55:00 UTC
Link to this
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bIK0Vh4sLFK8M-XLzr7qp9Q1G4mc6vl1M-7h0c_g8DU/edit?usp=sharing
How's this?
Okay, I'll need time to ponder how to refine her. She learned of Sonic's universe the same way all the other Agents learned of other universes; by reading, watching and playing their stories!
I should note that the facsimiles exist only for as long as she sings. -
Oh... by
on 2016-02-19 21:21:00 UTC
Link to this
I already arranged to cowrite a mission with Silenthunder.
I don't know, maybe I'm the type of writer who doesn't know the personality of their own characters until they're writing them. -
Yay, another pantser. by
on 2016-02-20 14:02:00 UTC
Link to this
I did like your approach to your character, letting her tell the story in her own voice. Is she the type who's likely to just randomly talk about herself, or start monologing(sp?) that to anyone who asks?
Maybe you could have her type up a journal? Try at least 1000 words worth of entries, the most interesting excerpts over a couple of months. It might just end up as "for your own reference" or it might be publishable when you get permission.
I hope you get her fleshed out better. -
Re: Yay, another pantser. by
on 2016-03-14 06:28:00 UTC
Link to this
Does each entry have to be at least a thousand words?
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Requesting permission by
on 2016-02-19 12:08:00 UTC
Link to this
Permission Document
Bios - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tbwoM72sBMTptoMonyWZ50eFjt1nafdA7j2d6mvbb-Y/edit?usp=sharing
Writing Samples -
1 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YHCRMpUPrv92GpvzZUc18PDoynNPg_e3yGnJL8pXKWQ/edit
2 https://docs.google.com/document/d/10C9Oxw8JvPLE7wTP3DBcZkNwKEWLfX2egirxYydwhqs/edit?usp=sharing
Links to first mission - I don’t know what mission I’ll be able to publish first, but here’s some I may try.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11262693/1/Fan-fiction-Chappie It looks like it’s written in the gang members’ dialect.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10994113/2/Guardian-of-Narnia I haven’t read the entire thing, but there is an elf. It might not be bad enough.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2883020/1/It-s-not-a-blender-it-s-a-coffeemaker It feels like cheating to pull off of the unclaimed list, but I probably will do this one.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9869874/1/Professor-Paradox-meets-the-11-doctor I think that Paradox is mostly in-character. I’m not sure about the Doctor. Might be too short to make into a good mission.
Name of the Beta - Anonymous friend. -
Attention! Please stop jumping in. by
on 2016-02-21 14:57:00 UTC
Link to this
As a few other people already noted, there's been quite a few people jumping in to add in their two cents, whether it's trying to be helpful to Bramandin or to add in to shouting them down.
Please note, this is a request. I can't make you stop, if you really decide to. Neither can anyone else. Your behavior and decisions all rely on you.
At the very least, keep the Constitution in mind. -
You're right; jumping in was a bad idea; I'm sorry (nm) by
on 2016-02-21 22:04:00 UTC
Link to this
-
Bramandin? by
on 2016-02-20 18:04:00 UTC
Link to this
While you haven't (that I've noticed) named the particular disability you've been talking about, the particular way you have been communicating implies that you may be autistic. I apologize if this assumption is wrong; however, as it is the most plausible one I have, I am posting the rest of this post under that assumption.
So... hi, fellow autist. I only wish this could be under better circumstances. And... yeah, I'm a bit angry with you too, which I am only stating in case this gets into a "but you *agreed* with me" situation -- unlikely, yes, but I have always felt the need to prepare for unlikely circumstances.
Anyway, I have a from-personal-experience piece of advice for you: don't respond to criticism, constructive or not, immediately. I'll freely note that I used to get cry-y just getting typos pointed out to me. I also got... well, defensive isn't quite the right word -- more "ready to just up and delete whatever it was so that people aren't mad at me." I managed to get over that last part, eventually, but it was a long and grueling experience. Honestly, the PPC helped me a lot. It's okay if it's not the place for you, but even just taking the badfics the PPC missions as 'what not to do' lists helped a great deal. Especially to make me less-afraid of "said." Though I *still* have a hard time using "stated..."
Well, anyway. What I'm saying is that I have some personal experience with what's going on here. For me it went like "frantically try to appease person, get embarrassed, abandon/delete fic, regret everything." It, well... looks like your response is to get angry at people. Now, I'm not saying that automatically makes you a bad person. I don't think you're a bad person.
Anyway, I'm possibly getting off-topic. I know it probably seems like you *have* to respond to criticism immediately. But for people like us, whose first reactions are probably not the reactions we'd like to have... take some time to wait. I don't know how much time -- my guideline was "wait until the tight, terrified feeling in your stomach goes away, or at the very least until the crying stops." It's helped me handle things much better, and I don't have the same "visceral terror" reaction to people not liking something anymore. (There's a thing I figured out, which basically feels like holding my brain steady, but there are no words in the English language to describe how it works and so I cannot usefully share that.)
I hope I have helped.
-- TheShyIon -
Autism and criticism by
on 2016-02-21 05:20:00 UTC
Link to this
Seconding what TheShyIon said about not responding to criticism immediately. I'd like to add that this does not only apply to autistic people -- example, me. I'm not autistic and I can react really emotionally to criticism. So even if TheShyIon's guess about you being autistic is off, you should listen to her.
-
My Concerns with the Second Sample by
on 2016-02-20 16:52:00 UTC
Link to this
For one, if Kelly doesn't feel passionate enough about fandoms that are popular enough to have fanfiction...then why is she in the PPC? The PPC is all about protecting canon from bad fanfic, preserving canon as it should be. Badfic is the norm that everyone deals with in some way or another, whether tht be slaying Sues, taking care of Suvian offspring and raisng them to not be like mommy and daddy, or whatever. It's like going into, say, engineering without being interested in engineering. It makes no sense.
Also, with the bear - interesting idea, but one flaw. There is no ways bears can sneak like what I assume you mean her to sneak for. I'm assuming that Kelly is in the DMS, so yeah, sneaking is a needed ability, but bears aren't that quiet. Far from what's required. Hide, probably. Sneak, no way, unless she picked a good D.O.R.K.S. form and trained extensively in that to sneak well. -
Alright, Who are you exactly? by
on 2016-02-20 18:31:00 UTC
Link to this
Just wondering, Anonymous and all that. Other than that, It's safe to assume that this is a no, right?
-
Silentthunder. by
on 2016-02-20 22:14:00 UTC
Link to this
Will you guys quit doing this?
-
*tidies up Silenthunder the mini-Boarder* (nm) by
on 2016-02-21 15:38:00 UTC
Link to this
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Drama. by
on 2016-02-20 00:09:00 UTC
Link to this
I suppose it's a tad too late for a review, then.
-
I'd love more tips on improving my characters. (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 00:30:00 UTC
Link to this
-
My biggest criticism? by
on 2016-02-20 00:54:00 UTC
Link to this
It's all rather... robotic.
Things just seem to 'happen.'
Kelly is playing a game of Chess, is losing, and doesn't seem to mind.
That's all we're given.
She doesn't grimace, doesn't mumble 'Drat,' to herself whenever the computer makes a good move, she doesn't quit, shrug, and sip a drink, or something like that.
Things just happen.
My advice?
Add some flair!
Go mad!
Snort some lead!
How do they react to their circumstances?
Kelly doesn't mind working with animals - does she smile because of that?
Or does she just stare stoically?
How does Injerd feel about that?
Does she think she's weird, and try and get some distance?
Does she start taking notes, or consider escape routes?
Consider that kind of stuff.
Don't actually snort lead, though. -
Hmmm, by
on 2016-02-20 12:43:00 UTC
Link to this
Kelly is a bit of a non-reactive sort, but I'll see about adding some "business" into her mannerisms.
Thanks. -
Multiple concerns.... by
on 2016-02-19 13:05:00 UTC
Link to this
Okay, your agent bio pages give me a few things that are eyebrow raising.
To start with, Kelly. You say she's aloof and guarded. She secretly cares about her partners. That's... it? We don't get much more? Your personality bit is just a few traits thrown together and don't really tell us how she acts or reacts to things. I could cut off the bit that tells us she reads trashy romance and it suddenly applies to a good deal of agents.
Why/how would Kelly have her sister's family just up and moved to a different continuum? Do they not have an extended family that would presumbly wonder where they went? Or her brother-in-law's family? Did her sister and b-i-l not have any say in the matter? This is a random thing that doesn't really... tell us anything.
Neuralyzer-immunity granting implants- I admit, it's been well over a decade since I watched the MiB cartoon, but I'm pretty sure I don't remember anything like that being canonical or even suggestibly canonical; the neuralyzer is pretty much the go-to tool in the MiB canons for preserving the secret that aliens are on Earth. The Ben 10 universe also has no real reason to negate such a thing- the Plumbers exist for a reason.
The agents who recruited her could have very easily had it removed or used any other alternative method to erase her memories and toss her back into her home-fic.
There's also a difference between being irreligious and telling off Aslan, who in his canon, most certainly exists and generally doesn't do anything to actually deserve being told off by a random PPC agent.
Injerd: Why does she have two names? Why the mention of usually a beard in disguise? You did not tell us much at all in this tiny bio.
Agent TBD: Holy macaroni, was that the general alarm I heard on the boat just now? Nope, it was just me reading this part:
'The rest of her personality will be determined once I’ve figured out how to build the perfect agent.'
The perfect agent does not exist.
This last one alone tells me you don't quite understand what we do with character creation as far as the PPC goes, if you make characters wholecloth for the setting.
As far as your stories go:
You have SpaG. Well done. There's a general forward movement in the writing, which indicates you have an understanding of time and movement.
Buuut you don't really show or do anything in the stories themselves. The characters show no real fleshing out. They actually seem kind of... boring, to be honest.
Random note about the first story with Agent TBD: I am currently wearing the blouse for a Navy Working Uniform right now in fact. I'm not entirely sure what you're going for with that sentence about it having faded first prior to dying. Is it because it's implied to be old? Because it doesn't work that way. Which is to say, if I were to take a brand new one, and shove it into one of the washers on the ship with a black dye packet it would turn it completely black without having to wait for it to fade (which would happen if I decided to just stand outside in the desert sun for a few hours. Easy peasy.). I would also gain some enemies in the Supply Department, but that is beside the point. Please both research things you include- because it will make people go '...No?' upon reading if they actually know the item in question- and make sure that you are clear about what you are talking about.
Lastly...
While I cannot speak for others, I did hear that you were giving others a difficult time when you asked for assistance with working on your characters and writing samples for asking for permission.
As a community, when people ask for help, we are all generally willing to give it if we have the time.
That said, it's incredibly frustrating when that advice gets ignored or tossed out; when that happens the result is people are generally less inclined to work with said person in the future when they ask for help again.
Boarders are not some mechanical tool to use to check something and then ignore if the results are not to your liking.
All that said,
Permission denied.
-July -
Lastly... I think you owe me an apology... by
on 2016-02-20 09:57:00 UTC
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I think you owe me an apology for casting judgement without asking for my point of view.
I was honestly not trying to be difficult. Desdendelle did admit to not being the most patient. He and Iximaz pointed out that my character is breaking the fourth wall when I already knew that. http://disc.yourwebapps.com/discussion.cgi?disc=199610;article=290304; The characters getting meta is what happened when I kept forcing the process and letting it onto the page where people could see it.
And he started talking like I demanded to use the old system when I merely asked. I did admit to getting annoyed at him and Iximaz for giving me a hard time about asking for help and having problems with the prompts.
I apologize if I didn't do enough to acknowledge that I was considering advice. And perhaps I missed something that got lost in the chat. I did show him that I was trying to follow advice.
He also seems to think I'm angry because he didn't gush praise on my writing. I hated the writing he was looking at, and would have gotten offended if he said he liked it.
Dedendelle also accused me of being a troll, which I didn't appreciate. -
No. by
on 2016-02-20 14:59:00 UTC
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When we pointed out your characters were breaking the fourth wall more than Deadpool, you got snippy and insisted it was because you were forcing your characters to do things they wouldn't do, completely ignoring the fact that nobody was forcing you to write them like that. It's not our fault you interpreted the prompts in such a rigid way.
It's a crying shame we don't have the original chat logs to compare, but I think your attitude here showcases it perfectly. You were demanding, and you threw a tantrum when we said no. And the more you demand and continue to insult people, the less likely you are to get the Permission process altered for you.
Considering how defensive you became when the other PGs pointed out everything that was wrong with your Permission attempt? Yeah, I'd say you're pretty angry we're not heaping praise onto you, which I find pretty ironic considering you're accusing me and Des of demanding praise for looking over your work.
All of this coupled with your multiple insincere-sounding 'apologies' means I am not and will not be apologizing to you. -
Clarification by
on 2016-02-20 15:45:00 UTC
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I already knew that my characters were getting meta, and I believe that I have explained that I was just letting it onto the page so that you could see the problem. Not all of the prompts got meta, either.
I thought that it was not very helpful to re-iterate the problem back to me.
I'm sorry that sometimes it takes a couple different ways of saying something before comprehending it. I'm not refusing concrit, what looks like arguing is really my way of getting enough information to understand something and make sure that the other person understood me right.
I am sorry if my tone came off as snippy, that was not my intention. How would you say it so that it's in a better tone?
I do apologize for asking for help when I had gone through less than ten of the prompts, and had more experienced people check my character instead of just cheating like the FAQ said.
I also apologize for not understanding how literally the prompts needed to be interpreted. I did try this, but I don't know if it's close enough to what the prompt says. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-SbSNd8r0jD6--lRli2koTGO3HDfOqeM2L55BFJ3MQU/edit?usp=sharing
I did say to Desdendelle that I did not want to use one of his suggestions. Perhaps I said it in the wrong way? Or do I need to try it even though I don't want to so he stops being upset?
I'm sorry for the insincere apologies. I honestly picked up a bad social context from another group that demanded apologies for things that weren't my fault. I mis-read the tone of this group. I'll try to adjust my mask to be more like what you want, but I do need some guidance.
And the post you linked. I'm as frustrated with you as you seem to be with me. -
*facepalms* by
on 2016-02-20 15:58:00 UTC
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"I did say to Desdendelle that I did not want to use one of his suggestions. Perhaps I said it in the wrong way? Or do I need to try it even though I don't want to so he stops being upset?
I'm sorry for the insincere apologies. I honestly picked up a bad social context from another group that demanded apologies for things that weren't my fault. I mis-read the tone of this group. I'll try to adjust my mask to be more like what you want, but I do need some guidance."
This. See this? This right here?
You're saying that 1) Desdendelle is acting like a petulant child who needs to be appeased and 2) you don't care about making reparations, only about being accepted back into the community under false pretenses.
I don't know if I should be worried or impressed that you've managed to keep digging yourself deeper. -
This is exasperating. by
on 2016-02-20 16:41:00 UTC
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I did not see this message before I posted my other one.
I'm not implying that he's a petulant child. You two seem upset because you think that I'm not following your advice. Do you want me to do what you want or not? What exactly do you want?
The mask refers to the outer presentation. Mine isn't perfect enough to pass for normal, but it does hide my weirder traits when in public. It's like pretending that I'm healthy so that I don't get weird looks, or bullied, or locked up. It's like someone pretending that they're straight so their homophobic boss doesn't find an excuse to fire them.
What I'm offering is to try to be more like the person you'd find acceptable. I admit that I was wearing the wrong mask when I came in here. Do you want me to act like I understand what you're talking about when I don't? Do you want me to not say anything when someone says something hurtful to me? -
On top of what firemagic said: by
on 2016-02-20 16:52:00 UTC
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"I admit that I was wearing the wrong mask when I came in here."
Good to know you've not been upfront about your personality this whole time. That explains a lot. -
OK maybe you didn't intend this by
on 2016-02-20 16:49:00 UTC
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I really hope you didn't, but.
You have just used an analogy which goes disabled person::society, gay person::homophobic boss, you::PPC. You have at the very least implied that Boarders - many of whom are neuroatypical in one way or another - are being as horrible and oppressive to you as a homophobic boss. This is not an OK thing to say, because many of the PPCers have to deal with that in their own lives.
Is that a clear enough explanation as to why you need to apologize for that analogy, right now? Because that is genuinely a painful thing to say to someone, and maybe you didn't think it all the way through, but either way you need to apologize for that. -
No, I didn't mean it that way at all. by
on 2016-02-20 17:17:00 UTC
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I'm sorry to mix the seriousness-level of the metaphors. My thought processes get very alien sometimes.
I honestly didn't notice the harm that it could cause. I'll try to put that into my database.
Maybe I should have compared the PPC more to the conformity of wearing the same sort of clothing as the rest of the school so that you fit in. Ultimately not harmful and easily dismissable, part of the societal contract that I can't grasp naturally like other people can. I just didn't think of it and I'm still not sure if it's clear.
I'm sorry this is a bit rushed. I'm going away for a while, and I will think about things. -
OK let's see by
on 2016-02-20 17:25:00 UTC
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Maybe this will be clearer. Expecting someone to follow a certain standard of civility is not the same as expecting everyone to be conformist droids, it's basic don't-be-a-jerk-to-people.
The issue so far has been that you have been saying hurtful things, the rest of us have been saying "Hey that's hurtful, maybe apologize" and then you saying "Well I have a disability, therefore it's ableist to expect me to know what's hurtful." To which many of us have said "Wow, ok, it's kind of bad to use disability as an excuse for that instead of apologizing, especially since many of us are also disabled, and you still haven't given us any sort of apology." And now you are saying "OK, tell me what you want to hear so that I can fake being the sort of person who does not say those sorts of thing (while still actually being the sort of person who says that kind of thing.)"
This is how a lot of us have seen the last day or two of conversation. Does that make it any clearer why your behavior is not good right now? -
And there's the point. Nail, meet hammer. (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 18:22:00 UTC
Link to this
-
Er... how about no. by
on 2016-02-20 13:48:00 UTC
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You have insulted pretty much everyone in this thread, you take criticism like a toddler takes nap time, and have made repeated analogies that are as offensive as they are self-serving. The only thing you are owed at this point is time to reflect on your conduct and compose an actual apology to the Boarders you have driven to distraction.
But we don't owe you that.
You owe it to yourself. -
(Dawn, do you have another basket for Dedendelle?) (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 10:19:00 UTC
Link to this
-
As it happens, I do! by
on 2016-02-21 01:57:00 UTC
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*produces basket* *sweeps* Hello, little mini! Nice to meetcha.
~DF -
My chance to explain by
on 2016-02-19 14:18:00 UTC
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Alright, what more are you looking for in a bio? I had a list of Kelly's tropes, but I didn't write them down. There's a lot of stuff that I won't know until it's actually important. I could try to fill out one of those character charts for her, but I'm one of those people that don't get much useful information from them.
I felt that moving Kelly's immediate family would fix any issues of her home story dissolving back into the MIB canon. I could work with that element, or just have it so she can't go home again. I also had an alternate-universe story in the works where she was rejected from the PPC but managed to get relocated in the Muppet Verse. I admit that it was part of a "take that" against her dealing with unusual situations, and I apologize for getting angry about it.
I'm thinking that since neuralysers can be blocked by brand-name sunglasses, an alien could have the technology to duplicate that effect invisibly. Plus, I seem to recall some agent who came from a space-magic anime getting recruited because her uncanonical computer-book still followed canon rules. The implants are a non-issue unless I go back to Kelly's early days.
I'm calling random incompetence in the name of funny for why the agents didn't get her sent back to her home universe. Or that page about vacations, where the agents hoped for some time off if Kelly was added to the labor pool.
I might have used irreligious wrong. Telling off Aslan, there is probably a workable story in that. Jesus doesn't seem like the type that would smite people just for rejecting him. It's like the Susan problem.
Ingeborg is an alternate name for Injerd. Frankly, I just started with the joke and plan to go from there. I did mention that I write like Tolkien, where I start writing without actually knowing what I am doing.
TBD: Yes, she does have some traits that could become Sueish if I am not careful. I included her because she would raise alarm bells.
The Dollhouse is in the business of creating a perfect person based on the criteria their client specifies. If your perfect date includes a fencing match, then the Active will know how to fence.
What makes the perfect agent might just be a horribly broken model based on what someone's idea of a perfect agent is. In one of the early episodes, Echo was made into a perfect hostage negotiator, that included asthma and the need for glasses because the flaws were part of the persona.
My research about the NWU: My spouse complained about getting new pants and having to get a new blouse because it faded and clashed too badly. My spouse went days without going outside. The fading with TBD's hand-me-down implies that the blouse was too old to be worn as part of a Navy uniform. The dying it black is from spouse's comments on how tacky it looks when civilian contractors prefer to keep wearing their NWU pants, and how spouse wants theirs to be dyed black if they become a contractor.
Those NWU's are nice fabric, and softer than denim even when they are new. I was allowed to try one on for a few minutes in private. I was told that wearing a discarded uniform improperly had levels of acceptability depending on how close the nearest base was.
And lastly is going to be another post. -
Clarifications on my spin-off by
on 2016-02-19 15:51:00 UTC
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"Plus, I seem to recall some agent who came from a space-magic anime getting recruited because her uncanonical computer-book still followed canon rules. The implants are a non-issue unless I go back to Kelly's early days."
Ok, as the person who wrote the mission you're referencing? I'm not sure you read that at all.
In Ari's recruitment, the issue was that the Book of Dawn was essentially indestructible from the outside, and that if Ari was killed it would respawn and do Bad Things to the canon in years, causing a huge mess for everyone involved. Ari was given the option of joining the PPC, which she took, and the Book was promptly confiscated and Ari didn't get back until it was very thoroughly de-glittered.
So, the situations are different, because I very much doubt that your Kelly's death would lead to an unkillable uncanonical glitter-consumer of worlds appearing... somewhere. -
Re: Clarifications on my spin-off by
on 2016-02-19 16:11:00 UTC
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Just because I can't recall every detail does not mean that I did not read it.
I'm sorry that I didn't realize that there was a "no uncanonical technology without an overriding reason to keep it" rule. Especially since my character doesn't keep it for long enough to be part of any stories I plan to write. -
Yeah, except by
on 2016-02-19 16:26:00 UTC
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If you're going to use someone else's story as a way to prop up your own agents? Make sure you understand what happens, and that it actually happened as you remember. It's not just some random detail, it's kind of the whole reason Lana and Narav didn't just assassinate her.
And... yeah? Of course. It's a bad idea to bring noncanonical stuff into a canon you're trying to protect. -
I apologize by
on 2016-02-19 16:53:00 UTC
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My agent's backstory is already changed... except in the alternate universe where she was rejected because I still think it's kinda cool.
-
Ah...ha. by
on 2016-02-19 14:41:00 UTC
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That's the thing. I'm not looking for a list of her tropes. If what you give us is that, it doesn't tell us anything about her pesonality. I could very easily list a bunch of agents who fall under that first section of 'personality' you gave and they're all entirely different with entirely different personalities. A couple of them are even possibly into reading trashy romance! Who knows!
When fics dissolve into canon, it doesn't explicitly erase everything. Things that are uncanon, explicitly against canon, those things go poof. Things that could exist in canon? Just blur back into it. There are more than a few fanfics out there in all sorts of fandom that can easily coexist with with the canon they are based on, without overwriting anything.
There's a very, very simple reason for why neuralyzers can be blocked by sunglasses: it's a very bright light. If you use (what are presumably UV filtering) sunglasses or similar, it prevents it from working on the people who are looking into the light. There is a reason why in MIB they get the attention of people who weren't supposed to see whatever it is and get them with the flash while their eyes are open. There's no need to overcomplicate things.
'Random incompetence' here isn't in the name of funny. I saw nothing funny about it. It came off more as 'here's a poor excuse'.
If she doesn't favor Narnia- by means of being uncomfortable with the setting's base to that extent- the Flowers would not actually have her working in fics from that universe. They have plenty of canon-knowledgable agents who would not go out of their way to yell at Aslan; the same goes for other canons.
As for... The alternate name thing, that doesn't work. You cannot do those sort of things just because. Tolkein didn't start writing without knowing what he was doing; the resultant works we have today outside of LotR and the Hobbit have alternate names and the like because he was still working on them before he died. They were incomplete. His son left it as such when he was trying to compile everything into fuller works.
Her traits are straight up Sueish. The Perfect Agent does Not Exist. Cannot exist. Would not be able to exist.
As for the NWUs: Yes, they fade. And when the blouse is more faded than the top, it can cause some issues. This is generally alleviated by not using certaind detergents, not standing in the sun for hours on end, and keeping the same sets paired together so they're at least evenly faded. Your spouse's comments on the tackiness are their own.
They are nice fabric, I will agree, but they also can tear like nothing else when abused in the wrong way. -
Re: Ah...ha. by
on 2016-02-19 16:03:00 UTC
Link to this
Alright, Kelly's backstory could easily be that they observed her dealing with a roomful of weird aliens and thought that she'd fit in as an agent.
In her previous life, her boss could have just re-educated her every time she was neuralyzed because there's no canonical way to recover lost memories. I just wanted to give her the choice of a special power at a cost and show that she preferred not to take the deal.
Kelly did not go out of her way to yell at Aslan. I don't know what happened yet, but it was probably the first clue that she shouldn't be working in that world.
The alternate name thing has nothing to do with the Tolkien stuff. I do see how you could see it that way. Her alternate name was in case the Injerd joke turned out to be completely un-funny.
Tolkien might have still been working on Lord of the Rings when he died in 1973, (he was working on a revision in 1965) but Wikipedia says that it was published by 1955. What I'm reading came from 1958, but I think they were originally written sooner than that.
Are you aware of the Dollhouse canon? One of their claims is that they can create the perfect date. Sure, it goes wrong any time they need drama, but most of the time it mostly works right. I was just watching a documentary about how Perfect Recall and Inception could become realistic within a generation or so.
When I say that she would be the perfect agent, the Dollhouse technology would create wholecloth someone's idea of the perfect agent. There is room for it to go hilariously wrong once I'm ready to bring her out, if being a programmed person isn't too Sueish.
I'll tell spouse that having a uniform that clashes with the rest of the line isn't tacky because you said so, nevermind what any of the shipmates may say.
-
Cutting to the Navy point. by
on 2016-02-19 16:27:00 UTC
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I'm not telling your spouse how to dress or what to wear as far as uniform goes. I'm no khaki, I'm no JO or wannabe. I'm just a seaman. I don't control their command or how their divo or department head runs things.
I agreeed that they fade, and it can happen without sunlight. Whether or not they look tacky is your spouse's opinion; it's not yours. Every command has a different view on how stringent to be with regards to uniforms and the peculiarities thereof.
You're welcome to go be a navy spouse and be patronizing to the sailors out in town, or on base. Trust me, we're- we being sailors- all used to it from people who have no business telling us our business.
Don't you dare do it to me here on the board. This is my space, where I don't have to deal with the general flavor of lunacy that goes with being in the military and dealing with people who think that marrying military means they carry their spouse's rank or importance, too.
I'm not replying to any of your other points because they're all wrong and can be easily refuted by someone else.
I'm done speaking to you. -
Okay. by
on 2016-02-20 22:12:00 UTC
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I should have said something earlier, but I'll just say it now. I'm very, very disappointed in the direction this thread took. The Constitution explicitly states we don't assume harmful intent. Bramandin, several times, said they have a disability and are trying to apologize, and BEFORE the thread got heated, people got incredibly aggressive, dogpiled them, and essentially started bullying.
I'd like you all to maybe reread your comments here, after giving a couple days to cool down. I'm shocked and frankly appalled at how quick we are these days to assume a newbie is being a jerk, rather than misunderstanding.
Another point, more specific: July, you do not own the military, you do not own the Navy, and you do not own the 'Board as your (and not others') safe space. Your experience is not the same as Bramandin's spouses, nor as Bramandin's, but that does not make their experience less legitimate or less true than yours, and this response was not at all justified.
If there are so many issues with Bramandin's application (which, by the way, I agree with - the underlying issue is a character is not the same as a bundle of tropes), there's no reason to slam them for having a different perspective than you. What the hell. -
No, you listen. by
on 2016-02-21 04:24:00 UTC
Link to this
I brought the blouse up because within the sample it made no sense to me, given that I actually wear the thing. I was asking for further information on it, because hey, you don't have to have it faded for it to be dyed, was it old or something?
Their response was their spouse talking about uneven fading and difference in uniform colors and their spouse thinking it looks tacky when contractors still wear parts of their old uniform items.
I agreed that yes, they can fade like that, and that it can be alleviated by keeping uniforms paired together by fadedness. I said their spouse's comments on tackiness are their own because said opinions are. They aren't shared by the contractors who had to pay for those uniform items when they were still in and are still wearing them. I don't have strong opinions on the matter.
That is the point at which Bramandin went:
"I'll tell spouse that having a uniform that clashes with the rest of the line isn't tacky because you said so, nevermind what any of the shipmates may say."
This was condescending. This was rude. That was going "My spouse knows more than you and I'm going to tell them someone on the internet thinks they're dumb" when I hadn't said anything of the kind.
This was already after they had told Huinesoron that he doesn't know as much about Tolkien as they did.
At no point did I even approach implying that my word was god, because as far as I was concerned, the matter was still the NWUs and others wearing them- not on Bramandin's spouse looking bad or anything.
I know damned well I don't own the military or the navy, much less the board, and I certainly don't act like it. I said outright in my reply that I'm no one's boss when it comes to the military side.
That said?
I still am not going to put up with being consecended to by someone who thinks only being married to a sailor means they get to tell me what's the what militarywise. Everyone's views differ, you're right. But in all my responses I tried to not get baited by everything Bramandin said, and my question on something that I know and recognize was not out of place. Their reactions were, because at that point nothing had gotten too far out of hand.
I qualified the 'my space' statement for a reason. The PPC is pretty much the only non-military space I've got these days, and while I bring it up time to time, it's not something I want to allow to dominate my time on the board, and certainly not with anything petty like that.
Or am I not allowed to have any escape?
I realized my end of things were getting heated, and I quit the conversation. I haven't responded. I've told other people, in email, to calm down. I've told other people to not jump in for the sake of jumping in.
And you?
You don't get to tell me that my response wasn't justified.
All you seem to do these days if I get involved in anything, or bring anything up is to step in and tell me whatever I said was uncalled for, that I was trying to be an authority for no reason.
I try to avoid stirring up trouble. All the stuff that happened in the past I avoid bringing up unless I feel it's relevant to the situation at hand, because I don't want it impacting the current state of the board, probably more than anyone else.
We say in the Constitution that we're supposed to not assume harmful intent, and you state it right in this post of yours.
You've been assuming harmful intent on my part for years, and I'm getting sick and tired of it.
Whenever you step in on things, it's generally to attack or belittle me, or say that whatever I said was ill willed. Out of step. Out of line. No matter what the other party said, or did. Even if I chose to step out before things got too or I'm not stooping to any of the behaviors the other party is. You condescend. And it's always directed, primarily, at me.
What happened to you? -
Yeah, you're right. by
on 2016-02-21 06:25:00 UTC
Link to this
I realized, as soon as I posted it, that who I was really angry with was Iximaz, not you. I apologize for posting that as a reply to you; it should have gone to the other parts of the thread, it was unfair to make it all about you. I did see your telling Bramandin that their spouse's opinion didn't count, and if you didn't mean it like that, I apologize for misconstruing.
Mostly, if you want me to be honest, I remember you saying, often, that your role was to be blunt and shut people down when others were too polite to do so, and I still read that into your posts. Most of the time I don't read them at all, because I'm hoping that's not the case anymore, but I still get that familiar stab of fear and anxiety, regardless. And if they are, I don't have the guts or the inclination to get into it anymore, anyway.
You can have whatever space you like. Again, this is me responding badly to things that remind me of a certain handful of people around here (and elsewhere; this is a problem not exclusive to PPC space, I understand) who used "safe space" as a way to say "Anything that I disagree with is an attack on my opinion/feelings, and hence unsafe." Again, I realize now that you were saying nothing of the sort, and I do apologize for my short fuse on the subject. It's become such a common shorthand that I react badly.
As a general rule, I don't reply to you . . . pretty much ever, mostly even if I do think you're wrong. Precisely because of the history there, with IRC, with Data, Maslab, Miah, etc. I know full well I haven't let it go, again, because I have a stab of anxiety every time I see something like this come up. So I try to just avoid you, and avoid conflict unless it's something serious. But occasionally, I see someone being dogpiled in a manner that seems incredibly bullying, and feel I should say something. I absolutely should not have said it to you. I wasn't paying enough attention to context, jumped to conclusions, assumed harmful intent, and was overall a dick. I'm sorry for that.
As to what happened to me - someone I considered a friend was manipulative towards me and others, and lashed out at me repeatedly, until I stopped trusting them, stopped considering them a friend, and eventually stopped giving them the benefit of the doubt. It's not entirely your fault; someone else did this same thing at about the same time everything went so wrong here, and I think, in hindsight, I'm projecting the fallout from both relationships onto you, since I no longer interact with him.
Tl;dr - you're right, I've been a jerk, and I'm sorry.
I stand by what I said about dogpiling, bullying, assuming the worst, and GOOD LORD the disability conversation, what the heck is going on here, but you are absolutely right that you deserved none of that, and I apologize. -
I'm sorry, too. by
on 2016-02-21 14:36:00 UTC
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I definitely wasn't trying to imply their spouse's opinion didn't count; thus the agreement about the fading. It's a problem with the fabric. The 'contractors shouldn't wear NWUs' is a hot topic sort of issue. Some people feel very strongly on the matter. I was mostly just trying to avoid that in the first place because I don't have strong opinions on people wearing them after they get out. It's just a weird thing in general that can't really get explained properly, I guess.
As for what I used to say: Blunt is not the same thing as rude or insulting. Not always. I try to not be rude. The same thing with insults. Being straightforward isn't the same as being a jerk, and I try to avoid the latter. I'm sorry that my posts give you a spike of anxiety.
I agree that the phrase 'safe space' has been overused and in many ways invalidated; disagreement isn't unsafe or inherently unhealthy. Using it as such destroys the ability for there to be real safe spaces for people who need it.
As for everything that happened before with the IRC: I've noticed. I do similar myself, because it's better to avoid it instead of giving opportunity for things to get rehashed again, and again, and again. It's not healthy for the people involved or the community.
About the other person you had a falling out with: I know I don't know the whole story, but I think I remember the person you're talking about, since you had brought them up fairly often when we were still talking (if it is indeed the same person, which I suspect) and I'm very sorry that happened. It sucks when that sort of thing happens. It can screw things up for years.
I do agree that there was an awful lot of dogpiling going on; I was planning on saying something this morning (for me, I'm currently 10~ hours ahead of the US, give or take a few), before I saw your reply to me.
Thank you for the apology. It means a lot. I had treasured our friendship quite a bit when we had it.
-July -
I'm sorry by
on 2016-02-19 19:10:00 UTC
Link to this
I'm sorry for bringing anything military into your safe place. You have actually taught me a valuable lesson in not letting military things into our apartment when we actually move in together. I did not mean to be patronizing, I have no right to repeat his experiences as if they are valid.
While saying that "my points are wrong" was technically correct, there was need for explanations. Thank you for letting other people tackle that argument in a reasonable manner and letting me know that I was wrong without implying that I was stupid. -
Dude... by
on 2016-02-19 20:13:00 UTC
Link to this
You are aware that you sound incredibly patronising, right? July's problem with you isn't "bringing anything military into [her] safe place" — especially considering she wrote this with me a while back — her problem, as far as I understand it, is that you're being patronising and thinking that having a spouse in the Navy means you know everything about the navy.
Frankly, you owe her an apology. -
I am not aware that I am patronising. by
on 2016-02-19 20:39:00 UTC
Link to this
I am sorry...
I am sorry for holding my spouse's point of view as truth. For thinking that I know anything because of being a spouse. I am ignorant even thought I'm the one who sews his patches on if I'm visiting when it needs to be done.
I am sorry. One of the old classmates recycled a uniform into a pirate costume corset, and she got mocked for being a spouse wearing the colors. I should have taken that as a caution to show more respect even though she was in her rights. I was not in my rights to let one of my characters wear a worn-out uniform even with a dye-job.
Did I miss anything? It's alright to bluntly tell me if I missed anything. -
Let me see if I can explain what's going wrong here. by
on 2016-02-19 21:23:00 UTC
Link to this
Bramandin, I'm operating under the assumption that you sincerely want to apologize, but don't quite understand why it's not working and everyone is upset. If you're actually using sarcasm on purpose, I shall be very upset that I wasted my time trying to help, so I hope that's not the case.
Lemme take this one piece at a time:
1.1. I am sorry for holding my spouse's point of view as truth. For thinking that I know anything because of being a spouse.
The trouble with this is that it's quite reasonable to assume that your spouse is telling the truth, so nobody would blame you for that. Apologizing for something that isn't actually wrong sounds false.
1.2. I am ignorant even thought I'm the one who sews his patches on if I'm visiting when it needs to be done.
Here you're qualifying your apology. Perhaps you think you're just explaining your thought process, but what we read into it is this: "I am saying what I think you want to hear, even though, because of [this fact], I don't actually believe I'm wrong and I will therefore continue to think and behave exactly the same as I have been."
I don't know anything about the military, military uniforms, or the culture of military spouses, so I'll say nothing about that.
So, that's how NOT to apologize.
What you SHOULD apologize for is the offense, insult, and/or hurt feelings you've given. You SHOULD say that you will remember what others have told you is offensive/hurtful to them—repeating what you've been told in your own words is helpful so that people know whether or not you do understand—and promise to avoid repeating those mistakes in the future.
It's fine to explain what led you to make the mistake, but nobody actually wants you to apologize for those circumstances. They just want you to acknowledge that you offended or hurt them and let them know that you respect them enough to not purposefully do it again.
I hope that clears things up and that I haven't given you the benefit of the doubt in vain.
~Neshomeh -
Let's try this again. by
on 2016-02-20 11:04:00 UTC
Link to this
I honestly am apologizing when I'm not sure what I did wrong, or if I did wrong at all, and I'm trying to remember that what seems okay to me isn't okay for someone else.
And trying as hard as I can to figure out what you want to hear. It's an in-grained habit, and I'll try to stop it. I just have so much trouble trying to figure out how other people think.
I'm also backing down when people are saying things that are not true and being really hurtful to me.
I'll try to make adjustments to my mask, but I'm not sure if it's going to turn out right.
Right now, this thread is a complicated mess and I need help finding which things to apologize for. Could a volunteer pick it apart and present it in a way that I can understand? -
A lot of stuff by
on 2016-02-19 22:19:00 UTC
Link to this
I am not being sarcastic. I am honestly trying as hard as I can and it's not good enough. It's like trying to tell a parapelegic that he's not trying hard enough when he can't sprint up the stairs.
I request that all of the greivances be clearly stated so that I know what you took offence at and what I should avoid. -
Buddy, did you just use a wheelchair analogy? by
on 2016-02-19 22:23:00 UTC
Link to this
Let me tell you something, as a part-time chair user: there is a massive difference between being physically incapable of something and having problems socializing.
Don't try to draw a comparison where there is none. -
I'm sorry again. by
on 2016-02-19 22:36:00 UTC
Link to this
I forgot that since there's something wrong with my brain, I'm not the same sort of disabled as the people who are incapable of standing up.
-
Allow me... by
on 2016-02-20 18:09:00 UTC
Link to this
...to kindly point you to this Tumblr post. Especially tenaflyviper's brilliant addition, part of which I will quote below to emphasize the point I wish to make. (The original has explicit language, which I've censored here, but the point is the same.)
IF YOU WEREN’T DIAGNOSED WITH IT BY A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, STOP [BLEEP]ING CLAIMING THAT YOU HAVE IT. AND STOP PRETENDING TO BE VICTIMS WHENEVER PEOPLE RIGHTFULLY CRITICIZE YOU, OR USING CONDITIONS YOU DON’T EVEN [BLEEP]ING HAVE TO TRY TO GET OUT OF TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR YOUR OWN POOR BEHAVIOR. Illnesses and disorders aren’t a [BLEEP]ing country club. You can’t just demand your way into them just so you can feel “oppressed” out of your own privileged guilt. Stop lowering the value of others’ genuine suffering just because you crave sympathy-based attention.
IF YOU WANT SO DESPERATELY TO FEEL “SPECIAL”, GROW A [BLEEP]ING PERSONALITY.
-
You're not helping, and also are completely wrong. by
on 2016-02-20 18:18:00 UTC
Link to this
Guess what! Self-diagnoses can be accurate as well! Sure, some people are looking for attention, but a ton more people either can't afford to see a doctor, or for various legal reasons don't want diagnoses on their records (guess how many legal barriers can jump up to stop autistic people from adopting kids, and that's just an example off the top of my head.) If you do your research right, there's no reason why a self-diagnoses can't be just as accurate as a doctor-given one, and frankly a lot of the time those official diagnoses amount to 'hey doc I think I have this thing' 'hm take this questionnaire/wait while I look it up, ok yeah that sounds right.'
In short? Shut up and know what you're talking about before you start citing tumblr of all places. -
I apologize to both you and Ix. by
on 2016-02-20 18:29:00 UTC
Link to this
Reading this whole fiasco, and especially this particular portion regarding mental disorders, made me irrationally angry and as someone with Aspergers who DOESN'T use it as an excuse to bargain out of my own mistakes, I couldn't stop myself trying to have a say in this. The keyword being trying, because part of the reason that I never get involved in Internet drama is because I know that literally anything and everything I say can and will backfire on me in some way (as it did here).
You also bring up a very good point regarding self-diagnosing - it's just that the cases where people "self-diagnose" just to get attention stand out more and make people automatically assume that ALL such instances, legit or no, are for that purpose alone. That was the very mistake I made just now, and I apologize for that as well.
And yes, the irony that I rashly quoted Tumblr in response to a drama that wouldn't have looked out of place on the seedier side of that site is not lost on me. -
It's not us you should be apologizing to. by
on 2016-02-20 18:36:00 UTC
Link to this
Considering your vitriol was directed at Bramandin.
-
My apology goes to them, too. by
on 2016-02-20 18:58:00 UTC
Link to this
That does not change my sentiment that Bramadin's refusal to apologize in general is wrong, however. I won't get involved in this any further from now on, but I won't be surprised if they ultimately get at least temporarily banned if they keep behaving like this, either. Bram really does need some time to think about what they've been doing.
-
Look. by
on 2016-02-21 04:32:00 UTC
Link to this
Bramadin is not getting banned.
At this point in time the one who's crossed the most lines in this whole debacle of a thread is probably you, unless you are somehow insisting you also need a temporary ban or something, if you feel their behavior merits it?
Please stop relying to all of this. -
Goddammit HTML. (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 18:16:00 UTC
Link to this
-
Okay, stop it. by
on 2016-02-20 18:14:00 UTC
Link to this
Right now. That was way over the line.
-
Ok, stop. by
on 2016-02-19 22:49:00 UTC
Link to this
That there? That's not an apology. Not for what you said. You said something actually offensive and you're dancing around admitting that you didn't think through what you said in an attempt to score points in an argument, and that in doing so you hurt someone.
-
No. That's not an excuse. by
on 2016-02-19 22:43:00 UTC
Link to this
You want to talk to someone with depression, ADHD, and complex PTSD about having "something wrong with [their] brain"? You really want to try to justify your behavior with something like that?
Having "something wrong with [your] brain" is not an excuse. Neshomeh explained quite clearly how not to apologize and apparently you're not listening. -
A lot of problems by
on 2016-02-20 12:30:00 UTC
Link to this
I listen, I'm just slow to comprehend. Especially when people anger me by making wrong assumptions about how I think.
I am concerned about your behavior. I may have hit a trigger with the wheelchair analogy, but did you really mean to belittle my social disorder and call it not a disability? Would you like it if someone said that needing the wheelchair was the only thing wrong with you? If one of your mental problems kept you in bed, isn't that being incapable of functioning?
You are flat-out wrong when you declare that I didn't follow advice. I'm sorry that I started a new files so that you didn't have the opportunity to see me trying the advice that I agreed with. I'm sorry that I also didn't have an opportunity to thank you properly.
Thank you for advising that I should cheat by looking for a prompt that would work. Thank you also for clarifying what I couldn't do.
It annoys me when you have an all-or-nothing attitude. I'm not trying to throw a pity party, I'm looking for a sign that you're making an effort in understanding my position. -
I've been staying out of this, but... by
on 2016-02-20 15:24:00 UTC
Link to this
The person with ADHD, depression and PTSD?
You were talking to her. It's Iximaz.
Don't use mental disorders as an excuse for your behavior. I don't. I have Asperger's, depression, ADHD, and I suspect several others because I'm genetically predisposed to mental illness.
But when I act like an irresponsible, borderline-hedonistic idiot and my family gets onto me about it, I don't blame my disorders. I blame the fact that I'm an irresponsible, borderline-hedonistic idiot. (which my dad says is no better and he hates my constant self-insult, but eh)
Look, just... nobody here has been getting onto you for thinking differently. People have been getting onto you because frankly, you're acting really, REALLY condescending and rude.
I'm not saying that a social disorder isn't a disability. I've seen people whose minds fared far worse than mine in coming into the world. Hell, I've spoken to a dude who honestly thinks that he's going to take over the world.
But! You haven't shown any signs of a disorder from what I've seen. You've shown obliviousness, ignorance, and active dismissal. You've shown the signs of someone who doesn't really care about what others think or say.
I'm sorry to put it so bluntly, because I don't like saying bad things about people, but that's what I'm seeing from you. -
Thanks for speaking up. by
on 2016-02-20 16:16:00 UTC
Link to this
Blunt is fine. Blunt is desired. I'm honestly trying to figure things out and I feel like a dog who doesn't know that he's walked into a group of cats.
I feel like my attempts to explain myself are getting brushed-off and ignored. I also think I'm saying "this is annoying me" and people don't even try to explain that they weren't meaning it that way.
A lot of what I'm saying here honestly doesn't look to me the way that everyone seems to be interpreting it. I'm trying to stand up for myself without being rude, and I guess I'm using a bad set of scripts.
Maybe you could help me with the scripts that work in this group. I am offering to change my mask to please people. -
Okay... by
on 2016-02-20 16:29:00 UTC
Link to this
First, reread what I just said. Carefully. Make sure you understand every word.
Then, do so for the entire thread. Your own posts and those of the Permission Givers.
None of us were abrasive or angry until you started leveling accusations and making excuses.
See, your problem is that you're not apologizing for your behavior. Your apologies have all been backhanded, sarcastic, and only made everyone angrier because even as you "apologized," you kept being a jerk.
There's no script here. You're not really standing up for yourself. You've gotten half the Board up in arms because you hit the buttons of almost all of them. Myself included. -
Your continued use of the phrase "change my mask" by
on 2016-02-20 16:18:00 UTC
Link to this
is not helping your cause.
-
Everything, it would seem. by
on 2016-02-19 20:42:00 UTC
Link to this
This? This right here?
A shining example of your patronizing, passive-aggressive attitude.
Knock it off. -
Alright, I'll stop being polite. by
on 2016-02-19 21:32:00 UTC
Link to this
Hey Chucklehead! It's your fault that they tease you.
-
Hey by
on 2016-02-19 21:45:00 UTC
Link to this
There's some pretty big difference between passive aggressive, aggressive aggressive, and talking to people clearly and politely. Learn it.
-
If you're going to insult me, at least do it properly. (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 21:36:00 UTC
Link to this
-
I meant to hit the return to messages without sending that. (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 21:33:00 UTC
Link to this
-
... then why did you WRITE it? (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 21:34:00 UTC
Link to this
-
Because I'm getting frustrated. by
on 2016-02-19 22:00:00 UTC
Link to this
I try to be polite, you get angry. I try to say that I'm sympathetic, you say I'm condescending. I try to tell someone that they're being ableist, they say I'm the one who's being difficult.
I CANNOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO INTERACT WITH YOU! -
Not acting like a petulant child tends to work. by
on 2016-02-19 22:22:00 UTC
Link to this
I've read every post here, every attempted and alleged apology you've given, and loathe as I am to dogpile people, I have a stake in this. You have grievously insulted two dear friends of mine and have the temerity to whine about the fallout from your own actions. You are behaving in a way that would embarrass me at my worst.
Protip: that's not a good idea.
Here's what you should do. Apologise. Actually apologise. Back down. Admit you were wrong. Take on board the justifiable criticisms levelled at you by a lot of experienced PPC writers. And then, for the sake of all that is holy, stop digging.
This is all I have to say on the subject, but that is only a testament to my powers of self-restraint. Whenever I get angry, I take a step back, and take a breath, and work out why I'm angry at people and why they have cause to be angry at me. Try it sometime. Sometime soon. -
I don't know how. by
on 2016-02-20 00:05:00 UTC
Link to this
I apologize for not following their advice even though I did.
I apologize for not giving them proper praise for pointing out what was wrong even when I knew that already.
I apologize for thinking that standing up for my own point of view wasn't wrong.
I apologize for thinking that "you're not trying hard enough" was ableist.
I apologize for thinking that mental disabilities are real problems on the same scale as not being able to walk.
I'm sorry for thinking that I was somehow special and that I shouldn't be derided for my non-conformist actions. -
... by
on 2016-02-20 00:44:00 UTC
Link to this
Your sarcastic apologies do not help your cause. Your mental disability is not an excuse for passive-aggressiveness or insulting other people. Your actions aren't non-conformist, they're insulting, rude and... I should probably stop with this now. "You're not trying hard enough" — because you clearly aren't, not because of ableism in my part; if I was actually ableist I'd have to level the same charge at, for example, Silenthunder when she wrote her first mission (FYI, Iximaz, DawnFire and I gave her three pages of concrit, which she actually responded very well to and improved her mission greatly).
Frankly, I'm not looking for praise. I'm trying to get you to understand that you're insulting other people — I've lost count on how many toes you've stepped; mine, Iximaz's, Firemagic's, July's, Huinesoron's, Scapegrace's... So far, it doesn't look like you get it, since even a clear list like Neshomeh's isn't clear enough. -
You're not getting it. by
on 2016-02-20 00:30:00 UTC
Link to this
You did not follow anyone's advice.
We were not looking for praise, so stop acting like we're self-entitled divas.
You're not so much standing up for your own point of view as being condescending towards others.
It wasn't, at least in an instance like this.
Apples and oranges, dude.
And now you're trying to get a pity party thrown in your favor. Forgive me for being unimpressed. -
That digging thing? You're still doing it. (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 00:28:00 UTC
Link to this
-
Hi, my name's Huinesoron. by
on 2016-02-19 22:05:00 UTC
Link to this
I didn't do any of those things.
Have you read Neshomeh's explanation of where she feels your apologies are going wrong? I think it's very good, and well worth your attention.
hS -
You're not the only one. by
on 2016-02-19 22:05:00 UTC
Link to this
This is because your 'polite' is condescension and passive-aggression. And you have yet to prove that anyone has BEEN ableist, and that is a serious accusation. Levelling it at people to win an Internet fight is kind of awful!
Just. Talk straightforwardly. Don't insult anyone, just say what you mean as calmly as you can without goading anyone or trying to score points. -
Well, for starters: by
on 2016-02-19 22:03:00 UTC
Link to this
You could try not shouting, hurling accusations of ableism, and posting insults.
-
A point: by
on 2016-02-19 16:11:00 UTC
Link to this
"In her previous life, her boss could have just re-educated her every time she was neuralyzed because there's no canonical way to recover lost memories."
Yeah that's not true? At all? The second movie and the cartoon both had De-Neuralyzers. There are only two ever mentioned, but they exist. 15 seconds on google found that out.
Also, why exactly would a FicPsych doctor actually try and shape a blank-slate person into being a 'Perfect Agent'? I'm pretty sure that they'd care more about making a person. -
Re: A point: by
on 2016-02-19 16:50:00 UTC
Link to this
Sorry, I was being deliberately ignorant to agree with a point. I get a very "agree with me or else" vibe here.
---------------------
In the first two episodes of the second season of Dollhouse, it was discussed how Dollhouse technology could make a complete person within parameters. I don't have the exact quotes handy, but "You needed to be complete." "You developed that trait yourself." "I did that so this wouldn't happen."
There is actually a story I was looking at where Topher Brink should be dead according to canon, but a Sue!wraith changed things so that he was alive. Basically I was wanting to set up a Schrodinger situation where a dead canon character either chose to accept his canon death or work for the PPC.
----------
In short, I think that Dollhouse technology could be the next step above the cultural implant machine. I wouldn't want too many agents to be subjected to that, but I wanted to introduce an extreme case that would be a candidate for that sort of treatment. -
Deliberately ignorant? by
on 2016-02-19 17:03:00 UTC
Link to this
What - why? That doesn't make a bit of sense. You said that something very obviously untrue was true, when people were asking you to provide a good argument. And now you're saying that pointing out 'Hey, you are completely incorrect here' is tantamount to 'agree with me or else?'
Also? Trying to change a reasonably important aspect of the PPC for your new agents? Not the best plan.
PS: that's not how Schrodinger's cat works, at all. Schrodinger's cat is either alive or dead until it's observed. Giving someone the option of either dying or working at the PPC? Not the same thing. -
Re: Deliberately ignorant? by
on 2016-02-19 17:44:00 UTC
Link to this
I've been in other circles where I got mercilessly attacked for not agreeing with the guy who was obviously wrong. I apologize for using that survival tactic here, and for feeling like I had to use it.
The Topher Brink thing was a case of "this happened" and whether he exists in the PPC depends on whether everyone else agrees that it's okay for him to still be alive.
The technology... maybe it's not okay to introduce new technology to the PPC ever. I'll accept that "extreme measure" technology that's only mentioned once may be too powerful to consider even in extreme circumstances. -
Hold on a second by
on 2016-02-19 20:22:00 UTC
Link to this
Did you just say that July pointing out that there's no canon support for anti-neuralyzer implants is obviously wrong? I do hope that I'm misreading that, because if I am not - stop digging, buddy, you don't need to try and do more attacking of people who are just stating facts. And insinuating that you thought the rest of the Board would mercilessly attack you for no good reason - I don't even know where to start with that.
-
Re: Hold on a second by
on 2016-02-19 21:42:00 UTC
Link to this
There is no canonical support for anti-nueralyser implants, as far as I know. There probably would have been if the cartoon-series needed one. It does seem like a plausible addition to the universe.
And yes, I am still getting the vibe that if I disagree with the wrong thing, I'm going to get attacked. -
About the technology... by
on 2016-02-19 18:01:00 UTC
Link to this
It's not about introducing something new - it's the fact that it crosses a moral line the PPC's not supposed to.
Giving a personality implant just makes a blank bit character develop an idetity - what you're suggesting is to basically have someone in the PPC literally construct a "perfect" PPC Agent.
There's an organization appearing in PPC's history that does build perfect characters. It's called the League of Mary Sue Factories. They are perfect, they can do no wrong.
PPC Agents shouldn't be perfect. It's what makes them human. -
*Culture implant. by
on 2016-02-19 18:17:00 UTC
Link to this
I've always been very adamant that FicPsych can't simply hand someone a personality, both in-universe and out. {= )
That said, I have seen Dollhouse and I understand what Bramandin is trying to do. But I agree with Sergio: FicPsych wouldn't do it. It's too close to what the LMSF do, and it runs counter to what Dr. Freedenberg has said in-character about personality coming with experience. I reckon he'd view a Dollhouse personality as fake, because it is.
~Neshomeh -
Thanks. by
on 2016-02-19 18:32:00 UTC
Link to this
I accept that explanation, and thank you. I'll scrap that character, and the mission that I was planning for recruiting Topher Brink... At least under the umbrella of the PPC.
-
OT: Actually... by
on 2016-02-19 17:13:00 UTC
Link to this
Schrödinger's cat is an example of why Erwin Schrödinger hated the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics.
His point was that it was absolute nonsense that the cat was in two discrete (quantum) states at the same time. It's one or the other whether you open the box or not. Unfortunately for him, the Copenhagen interpretation is still the most popular interpretation of QM. -
What part of "No recruiting canon characters" did you miss? (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 16:52:00 UTC
Link to this
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Re: What part of "No recruiting canon characters" did you miss? by
on 2016-02-19 16:59:00 UTC
Link to this
That the Bashir Hologram is part of the PPC.
And http://ppc.wikia.com/wiki/Team_Phoenix -
Ok, those did happen, but... by
on 2016-02-19 17:07:00 UTC
Link to this
Nowadays, using actual canon character is pretty frowned upon, as... well, they're not our characters.
What actually can happen is to recruit a Character Replacement that has chances of redempiton - they're fairly rare though, but them looking for a life of their own while trying to cast off their "previous identity" makes for good character development. Still, they have to be their own person in all respects, not just a carbon copy of a canon character. -
Point of order: by
on 2016-02-19 17:06:00 UTC
Link to this
Team Phoenix's missions are eight years old and under review, as the wiki page that you're referencing specifically states. So their canonicity is dubious.
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You didn't even read the page, did you? by
on 2016-02-19 17:05:00 UTC
Link to this
"It's really quite complicated, but the original canonicals remain where they should be." What you're wanting to do isn't this at all.
And on the subject of Team Phoenix, Chatvert had this to say.
As for the hologram, a program is a vastly different thing from a canon character. -
[Cringes] by
on 2016-02-19 14:21:00 UTC
Link to this
I did mention that I write like Tolkien, where I start writing without actually knowing what I am doing.
That is in no way, shape, or form writing like Tolkien.
hS -
Okay, by
on 2016-02-19 14:41:00 UTC
Link to this
I got distracted from reading "Return of the Shadow, so I didn't get past the four included drafts of the party scene..."
"When he first put pen to paper he wrote in large letters 'When M' but he stopped before completing the final stroke of the M and wrote instead 'When Bilbo...'
Also, in a letter, "So goodness knows what will happen." Though that refers to when he was thinking about Silmarils instead of a sequel to the Hobbit.
I might be able to pull up some bookmarks about the subject, but I won't put forth the effort to even check if you are not interested. -
You're welcome to not put forth the effort. by
on 2016-02-19 14:56:00 UTC
Link to this
Tolkien was first and foremost creating languages, and the world and mythos that would support and result in such languages.
As for the items you are describing, any writer can tell you that they're common enough items.
Things change with each draft of a story- details get refined, things get moved around so that the whole story moves better as a whole. The first draft is usually the roughest- while you have an idea of what you want, you don't necessarily know how it will happen because you have to work out all the details so that the story is consistent, and that everything set within is resolved as appropriate.
Changing what a line is going to say, and who is the actor within a line is nothing new, again- things change, perhaps this character or that one instead will suit it better or had not recieved as much focus.
People are more than allowed to change their plans, or heaven forbid, be unsure what projects they will work on, and the details of such. I just restarted a story I'm working on because I realized that a different angle would suit my goals and intents with said story better; not because I don't know what I'm doing. The same would certainly go with Tolkein, and even more so with him.
Authors have the fiat and author- (heh) -ity when it comes to their works. There are all sort of paths to getting there, and those often change, but it doesn't mean they don't know what they are doing, even if they are actually making it up as they go along for the first draft, instead of having things plotted out. -
Yes. That is how drafts work. by
on 2016-02-19 14:49:00 UTC
Link to this
Things change while writing, and the tale grows in the telling - and yes, names change around, too, especially if you're a linguistics professor with a profound appreciation for the sound of words. But that is in no way the same thing as not knowing what you're doing.
Tolkien wrote copious notes on where he expected LotR to go, and rewrote them on multiple occasions. A lot of the ideas in them got thrown out. New ones came in along the way - "I am sure I did not invent him, I did not even want him, though I like him, but here he came walking into the woods of Ithilien". But at no point was he just sitting there going 'meh, dunno, let's just write some words'.
I have read the entire History of Middle-earth cover-to-cover. I promise I know what I'm talking about. ;)
hS -
Wow. by
on 2016-02-19 12:38:00 UTC
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When you asked me and Des for advice, I knew it was being ignored, but I didn't realize it was to this extent.
I'm just going to let one of the other PGs deal with this. :/ -
Re: Wow. by
on 2016-02-19 16:34:00 UTC
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I'm sorry for not showering you with chocolates when I said that my characters were getting meta because they were doing things that weren't in-character for them to do, and that you pointed out that they were being meta.
I wasn't ignoring your advice, I was considering your advice, and I did eventually decide to cheat and find a prompt that would happen to them instead of being initiated willingly. I'm sorry that I didn't say "sir yes sir" and just do what you said without thinking about it first or getting clarification on the initial problem.
Since the chat closed, you might have said something else useful that I didn't notice at the time. I did ask Desdendell to re-iterate and he hasn't gotten back to me.
Perhaps Desdendell didn't share my concerns with you. They did include how irritated I was that you called my asking for help "hand holding" and how it made me feel. He also hasn't responded back to how I pointed out his accidental ableism. -
Sorry, what by
on 2016-02-19 16:54:00 UTC
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Hey, you asked for betas for a reason. Betas do not expect to be treated as the earthly manifestation of the Writing Gods, but a certain amount of respect for their suggestions is a good idea. And treating betas doing their job like they suggested you do everything they say no questions asked is very rude.
Also, mind having some sources for Des? Because calling someone ableist is pretty serious and I've never known Des to not apologize when he is in the wrong. -
No. by
on 2016-02-19 16:42:00 UTC
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You didn't want time to think about what you had done. You complained that the prompts were too general and didn't give you enough direction. And then you complained they were too strict and you couldn't 'write your agents to fit'.
You demanded you be allowed to go against the Permission system because you have a learning disability that 1) you had never mentioned before until you decided you didn't like things how they were and 2) shouldn't matter, because a learning disability is not an excuse for bad writing. There are multiple Boarders here, myself included, who have learning disabilities and we got Permission the same way everyone else did.
On top of your rotten behavior you displayed while asking for help, you've now insulted, what, six Boarders? Seven? More? with no signs of stopping, or so much as a hint of an apology.
Cut the crap, suck it up, and realize you need to do better on your next request, assuming you don't keep up this behavior. -
Maybe you misunderstood? by
on 2016-02-19 17:30:00 UTC
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The short of it that I was having trouble with the prompts. I think that you were curious about how I'd do without the prompts...
Desdendell said that it was okay to do whatever I needed to do to understand my agents better. I'll start writing them into missions and see if I'm happy with how they work before asking for further feedback. I just haven't gotten to that yet.
I didn't demand, I asked for reasonable acommodation or using the same system you did and you kept saying no. I THINK I WOULD DO WELL WITH TRYING TO GET PERMISSION THE WAY THAT YOU DID.
I apologize for the capslock, but I think that yelling was somewhat called-for.
I apologize for what you call "rotten behavior" could you please point out what I did wrong so that I can adjust my scripts?
"Cut the crap, suck it up, and realize you need to do better on your next request, assuming you don't keep up this behavior."
I apologize for only giving 90%, but I don't think that even 200% of my efforts will be good enough for you... and that feels like a backward way of saying "you're not trying hard enough" as an excuse for why 'it's being presented in a difficult way' is my fault. -
Yelling, crying, and stomping your feet won't work. by
on 2016-02-19 17:42:00 UTC
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The rest, I'm not even going to bother attempting to explain. If the last twenty times didn't work, then twenty-one isn't going to make a difference.
-
Re: Yelling, crying, and stomping your feet won't work. by
on 2016-02-19 18:26:00 UTC
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I understand that you feel upset because I might have missed a piece of good advice or didn't immediately praise you for pointing out that I could cheat.
What I am upset about is that you called my asking for help "hand holding" as if I'm less valueable because I couldn't do a certain task in the way that it was phrased.
And for the record, the twenty-first explanation was once the right one. I don't remember you explaining the twenty variants, perhaps you could list those again. -
Cut the passive-aggressive crap. by
on 2016-02-19 18:50:00 UTC
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I called it hand-holding because you spent a good ten minutes complaining that the prompts didn't offer you enough guidance. Me suggesting you try it the old way was completely rhetorical: as I explained multiple times, the only 'prompt' you got was "Write something about 400 words long". If you think the current prompts didn't give you enough guidance, I'd say that's about as hand-holdy as you can get.
When you changed track and started insisting the prompts were too restrictive... well, I'm not you. I can't fathom what possibly goes on in your mind and quite frankly I don't care to since you seem hell-bent on making as many people mad as possible. -
Re: Cut the passive-aggressive crap. by
on 2016-02-19 19:55:00 UTC
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Can you post the chat, because I think that I was complaining that the prompts weren't working from the beginning, not that there wasn't enough guidance.
I thought that I had asked to just do something off-the-cuff and that you had said "no." If I could just write anything to showcase my agents in a funny way, I might do better.
You can't fathom what goes on in my mind because unless you're the same type of neurodiverse that I am, you're probably working off of the neurotypical model.
I am not trying to make people mad. If someone comes up with a very direct list of what I did wrong, I will try to apologize. -
Re: Cut the passive-aggressive crap. by
on 2016-02-19 20:11:00 UTC
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Since firemagic covered the other stuff I wanted to say, here's the rest:
"If I could just write anything to showcase my agents in a funny way, I might do better." Yeah, at the rate you're going, I doubt anyone will be willing to make an exception for you. You're just digging yourself in deeper at this rate, buddy, and if you need a list to tell you what you did wrong then you're not going to last much longer. -
Re: Cut the passive-aggressive crap. by
on 2016-02-19 20:09:00 UTC
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This chat happened in a Google doc, right? Then there's basically no way to recover logs.
Also, write anything to showcase agents in a funny way - why isn't that something you could do as a normal prompt? Writing humor is pretty important, and a lot of the setups in the prompts are for joke material. So what's the problem?
Ok, that neurotypical model thing? Stop. Believe it or not, a lot of PPCers have neurodivergence one way or another, and guess what, they shouldn't have to out themselves and their diagnoses to get it through someone's head that they know what they're talking about. And someone refusing to do so is not a reason to say that they just don't understand what they are saying. -
*sweeps the latest Desdendell into a basket* by
on 2016-02-19 17:39:00 UTC
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*offers the basket to Desdendelle*
These really are rather nice ones, aren't they? All flowered, and stuff (as opposed to looking like Dell computers, which would seem to be their other probably manifestation). Kind of fun that you can get something like that from your name; I don't think I could get a flowering mini-me if I tried.
~DF -
Well that's certainly ominous. (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 12:43:00 UTC
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-
One of the agents gets a new partner by
on 2016-02-19 12:32:00 UTC
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One of the agents gets a new partner.
In {RC number,} Kelly was lounging in an office chair and reading “The Giver.” She thought that the book was alright, but it wasn’t something that she would have chosen. She really didn’t feel passionately about anything that was popular enough to have fanfiction, so she mostly dealt in canons where their departments were overwhelmed, or where no one had admitted to liking them.
The console [bip]ed, and Kelly read the message. She was happy that she wouldn’t have to be without a partner for too long this time, though also a little bit disappointed that she was losing her last one. She had actually hoped that he would beat the statistics, but she knew that there was always something that could go wrong.
There was a heavy knock at the door, and Kelly answered it. A grizzly bear was sitting in the middle of the hallway in front of her door. If it had been standing upright, it probably would have been between eight or nine feet tall. It had a gruff female voice. “I am Injerd.”
“Do you need me to open a portal to Medical?” Kelly knew that there were intelligent beasts running around Headquarters, and she had dealt with far stranger than that even before she joined the PPC.
The bear shook her head. “My name is Injerd. You may also call me Ingeborg or simply Ing if you must. Someone in orientation thought that it would be funny to introduce myself by saying ‘I am.’ I was told that I was assigned to {RC}.”
Kelly glanced at the plate on her door just in case her number had been changed again. She didn’t mind working with an animal, despite what happened last time. “Come on in. My name’s Kelly Stone.”
Injerd rocked forward and then walked through the door on all fours. She then looked at the couch and took a seat in front of the bookcase instead.
“I’ve just got to pack up my last partner’s stuff,” Kelly said, grabbing a cardboard box.
“What happened to him?” Ing asked.
“It was a mistake,” Kelly said dismissively, though she felt a bit guilty. Once she had learned that zabvronians gain nourishment from reading, she should have realized that he shouldn’t have been looking at the words in a bad grammar fic. Kelly just hoped that Mike Ditka would recover from his equivalent of food poisoning eventually.
Kelly then smiled. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself so I can get to know you better?” She wasn’t really curious about Ing’s personal life, but the more she knew about her new partner, the more likely it was that she could make up for any of her shortcomings.
“I come from Narnia. I was but a cub when King Peter and his siblings disappeared.” Ing paused. “The details of my life are hard to remember, as if they’re from a dream.”
Kelly wasn’t too concerned. She knew that some people didn’t have much of a past to work with. “Do you know how to hide and sneak around? What about fighting?”
Ing paused a moment before answering. “I was not trained to fight against Calormenes, but I do know how to defend myself. As for sneaking, I believe that I will learn quickly.”
Kelly hated having to figure things out as she went along, but such was the nature of being an agent, especially one who was always given fresh recruits as temporary partners. -
I think you may have misunderstood... by
on 2016-02-19 12:31:00 UTC
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... the purpose of the samples.
(I'm basing this purely on your second sample, since the first (as Hardric said) isn't accessible.)
There's a couple of reasons we ask you to write something for this.
1/ To see if you can spell, punctuate, etc. Great, you can.
2/ To see if you can show us your agents' character through your writing. I haven't read the bios, so what do I know about your agents' personalities?
-Kelly doesn't have strong emotions about things (eg, books), or emotional reactions to things (eg, bear, injured partner).
-Ing... may have a sense of humour, or may not realise she was being mocked for her name, or may not care.
That's... it. Your story shows me absolutely nothing of their characters. Given the "I have stated a fact about myself, now please state a fact about yourself" feel of the latter part, I'm not convinced they are characters.
3/ To see if you can capture the feel of the PPC.
Um... yeah, no. Change a few of the words around, and this could take place in any office.
So here's my question: what appeals to you, personally, about the PPC setting? What aspects of it do you enjoy reading about, thinking about? And how can you work those into even such a short story as this one?
PG hat is not being worn right now, though it's definitely to hand.
hS -
Re: I think you may have misunderstood... by
on 2016-02-19 13:05:00 UTC
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- I was having a little bit of trouble with starting with the prompts and then working into a good story. I did ask if I could just start from where I felt like, but Iximaz said no.
My impression of the PPC pre-missions is that it could take place in some of the less professional real-world offices. Mostly I've seen that when they're in the RC's, they're playing video games, doing arcane rituals, jazzercising, or arguing with belligerent minis. (I apologize for my malfunctioning spell-check.)
I like when the stories have a chance for things to get literal, like when Harry's flaming emerald orbs went rolling across the floor. Or there was the time that gravity kept shifting because of dioganle scene-breaks.
2. Kelly's archetype is a more subdued character that's usually there to help other characters shine. Ing's thoughts are hidden because I didn't want to head-hop, but she's just trying on the joke to see if she likes it. I'd switch POV but I'm not sure who Ing is yet, and I won't know until I've thrown her into the field.
I've read a lot of PPC stories where I have no idea who the characters are because I haven't read their bios. There was one where I thought that he was a giant snail-monster when I first started reading the mission. Turns out he was one of those blue deer-centaurs. I studied his journal and it was a complete waste of first-person perspective because third person limited would have given us the same information. I think I've recently read stories with a better deer-centaur that might be the same guy. There's another one where the guy likes Stargate and constantly calls his partner "Orky."
- I was having a little bit of trouble with starting with the prompts and then working into a good story. I did ask if I could just start from where I felt like, but Iximaz said no.
-
Okay, my curiosity is too great. by
on 2016-02-19 18:09:00 UTC
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Since my work has been brought up, I have to know:
1. Precisely what gave you the image of Ilraen as a giant snail? From where I sit, it can't have been "Ilraen's Journal," because he doesn't describe himself at all there, and it can't have been "Introducing Ilraen," because there are enough details there to dispel the image, assuming you read the whole thing.
2. Precisely what information are you referring to when you say I could have given the same in third person? Also, are you talking about the interlude "Ilraen's Journal," or Ilraen and Nume's character journal on Dreamwidth?
3. Do you truly believe that knowing what Ilraen is equates to knowing who Ilraen is, or was that just an unfortunate choice of words?
~Neshomeh -
Re: Okay, my curiosity is too great. by
on 2016-02-19 20:25:00 UTC
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Ilraen was arguing with a radioactive spider who had shut himself in the bathroom. Or maybe I have the wrong character altogether.
Was that the same story that pointed out how they were slant-eyed because it was anime?
I was talking about Ilraen's journal. I apologize for not considering that his observations might be telling about his personality. The and Nume character journal looks interesting when I have time.
Knowing what someone is... it's only useful if they fit into their planet of hats. I think that DS9 presented Quark as 1/3 recurring ferengi and he was the only regular that fit the steriotype.
I remember once reading about an alien who liked cinnamon buns, and his observations on how humans liked squares. Is that the same hat? -
I am very confused. by
on 2016-02-19 20:38:00 UTC
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Is there any chance at all you could give the title/s of the story/stories you read? Then I might be able to figure out where you're getting radioactive spiders and slanted eyes, because right now... okay, I can guess where those might be coming from, but those aren't words I've ever actually used in a story, AFAIK.
I'd recommend not looking at the character journal, actually. Most of it probably won't make any sense without having read my spin-off and knowing the context that sparked the entry.
I'll have to disagree that knowing what someone is is only relevant if they fit in. How Ilraen is different from most Andalites is actually a crucial component of his identity and character arc.
The cinnamon-bun-liking alien is indeed an Andalite, like Ilraen. His name is Aximili. (Using the names of things generally helps people to understand what you're talking about.)
~Neshomeh -
I'm sorry by
on 2016-02-19 21:17:00 UTC
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The slanted eyes wasn't a direct term... it just seemed odd for an anime setting. Something about the eyelid fold.
The radioactive spider occurred with a character who wasn't modest about using the showers in the gym. -
It's okay. by
on 2016-02-19 21:38:00 UTC
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So, the mission you're talking about is "Blood Raining Night," which is quite far into my spin-off. I did try making that one accessible to newcomers, but I also included an author's note recommending that people do some background reading on the PPC and RC 999 first, or at least keep the wiki open while reading. As hS said, starting in the middle of a series is rarely the best way to get to know the characters.
I described Nume (and the others by extension) as gaining an epicanthic fold because he had taken on the appearance of a Japanese person, and that's a feature they have that Caucasians generally don't. (FYI, "slanted eyes" has such a history of being used in a derogatory manner that it has incredibly racist overtones. Don't describe Asian people that way; you will give offense if you do.) Yes, the continua involved were animated, but I like to think of the characters as real flesh-and-blood beings regardless of the medium.
The "radioactive spider" is a mini-Aragog. They are not radioactive. I'm not planning to turn any of my agents into Spider-Man anytime soon. ^_~
~Neshomeh -
Snailren by
on 2016-02-19 18:24:00 UTC
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(So sorry, couldn't resist.) -
{X D by
on 2016-02-19 18:33:00 UTC
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Ahahaha, that's awesome. "Meow." Because why not, amirite?
I love the design on the shell, truly. ^_^
~Neshomeh, adding this to her fanart gallery. -
I just drew off a picture of Gary. by
on 2016-02-19 18:38:00 UTC
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Still, glad you liked it. :P
-
*Googles gary snail* by
on 2016-02-19 19:03:00 UTC
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Aha, it seems my ignorance of post-90s cartoons strikes again. But I still like it. ^_^
~Neshomeh -
What you've just told me: by
on 2016-02-19 13:24:00 UTC
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1/ You couldn't turn 'two people meet' into a good one-page story. That's pretty worrying.
2/ You can think of four things off the top of your head that would be interesting to read about your agents doing in their RC, but chose not to do any of them - or anything.
3/ You like it when missions interpret things literally. That's great! I do too. ^_^ Did you know you can write that in HQ, too? There's a scene in Crashing Down where one agent uses a literal pun to break out of prison - and of course, "it's a bit of a maze, unless you hadn't noticed...".
4/ Kelly is there to be a backdrop to Ing, but you don't have a personality for Ing. I think you just sent the backing vocals on before the band showed up...
5/ You don't know the word 'Andalite'. That's fine, Animorphs is pretty old.
6/ You got the key information - that Ilraen (I guess?) is an alien - but think it's crucially important that you know exactly what kind of alien. You also either don't read people's stories in order ('Introducing Ilraen' would be the place to start here) or have an aversion to looking up unfamiliar species-names. The former is something I've never understood, but lots of people do; the latter doesn't make sense to me if you think knowing the details is important.
7/ You don't like a particular story (Ilraen's Journal, I assume), and don't approve of Neshomeh's stylistic decision to showcase her character through a first-person journal. Given how much of Ilraen's character shines through that story in ways that would not come out in third-person (such as his writing style, his comments about Nume, and his emotional responses to things), I am forced to conclude that:
8/ You are not someone who particularly registers personality in stories you read.
And, y'know, that's actually fine. I border on that myself sometimes - I usually read stories for their setting and/or plot, not for the characters.
But.
But I do make an effort to write my characters with personalities. I even try to make them differ from each other (with varying success). On present showing, you haven't done that, and haven't shown that you think you should.
July's already given a verdict, but in case there's any doubt: I would deny Permission at this time if it hadn't already been done.
hS -
Working in the PPC is... by
on 2016-02-19 13:20:00 UTC
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Not like working in a less professional real world job. Things go strange. The PPC is, essentially, a meta-reality. HQ itself can be considered fairly pliable in a lot of ways- even a relatively 'normal' job there isn't.
To throw a few examples in:
The cafeteria workers don't have access to a normal logistics supply; some of them have to go into canons to get the ingredients and supplies themselves! They occasionally make due with random things agents bring in! Sometimes the food gains sentience and wrecks things!
The secretarial pool deals with their own set of problems, too. Terri Ryan- to use an example that belongs to hS- occasionally ends up with the mission reports we as the readers and writers see and produce- not whatever it is they presumably turn in in HQ.
The janitors are largely hallucinogenic plants, with the occasional human thrown in.
The guys who make sure the agents haven't succesfully burned down or otherwise destroyed HQ fully use concrit as a cement, and other materials that don't actually exist and sometimes exploit the weird nature of HQ just to get their job done.
HQ is definitely not normal and whether you're in action or infrastructure while some things are similar enough to a real world work environment, it really isn't at all.
2. There are ways to do it and stil have her be interesting. Subdued characters don't have to be boring or plain.
If you read through a whole spinoff from the start, you will know the characters present in said spinoff are and what they are supposed to be. Generally, picking up in the middle of anything isn't the best of ideas because you lose out on a lot of information.
The journal you're talking about was not a waste of first person perspective- it did exactly what it was meant to do, which was deliver Ilraen's thoughts and words directly, rather than just give us 'the same information'. It is not Neshomeh's fault you jumped in and did not realize he is an andalite. Different perspectives in writing give different results, whether between third and first, or even the character it is focused on; I am sorry you do not understand this. -
The other sample has exactly the same feel, for the record. (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 12:44:00 UTC
Link to this
-
Clarification re the 'misunderstanding'. by
on 2016-02-19 12:39:00 UTC
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I think you may have thought the samples were focussed on showcasing your agents' backstory, and tuned them to be information-heavy, when in fact the goal is to see how you write, rather than what you write particularly.
hS -
The agents receive a mission by
on 2016-02-19 12:29:00 UTC
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The Agents Receive a Mission.
{RC} was usually fairly quiet. While it was true that the console tended to beep whenever the agents were relaxing, it would cease to become funny if it never gave them any downtime.
Agent Kelly Stone was playing a game of chess against the computer. As a child, she hadn’t been encouraged to develop her intelligence, but she still was fairly smart. However, even with the difficulty turned down to three, Kelly was still losing. She didn’t mind because she was still improving.
Agent {To Be Determined} was sewing a patch onto her new uniform. Unlike her first uniform shirt, which had started life as a man’s dress-shirt, this one used to be part of the Navy Working Uniform. Its camouflage pattern had faded before the shirt was dyed black.
[BEEEEEEEE~]
Kelly slammed her hand on the “accept” button and began reading. “It’s for Chappie. Oh, you might want to make a backup. ‘They run into the rooms and wore on their weapons.’”
{TBD} had managed to stab her finger with the needle when the console went off. She had quietly put her finger in her mouth, but now she took it out. “Noted. You said it was ‘Chappie, right? Is that a movie?” At Kelly’s nod, {TBD} brought out her tablet and began swiping at the screen. A few minutes later, she pulled a bonnet-style hairdryer out of her bed’s headboard and laid down with her head in it. She winced as the device glowed blue for a moment, then she said “Ready to go.”
Kelly was already ready because she insisted on preparing for the next mission as soon as she returned from one. Previous partners had accused her of being OCD, but she just knew that being extremely organized made life much easier in the long run.
Kelly double-checked their bag of supplies and grabbed some extra bleeperin for herself. She was almost jealous of how {TBD} could just use her device to blunt the memories of missions. Of course, using Dollhouse technology meant that {TBD} couldn’t take any bleep products and had to wait until the mission was over to get any relief.
They stepped through the portal and were immediately assaulted with a hailstorm of seeds. -
Bios. by
on 2016-02-19 12:26:00 UTC
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The Agents
Basic info - Kelly Stone, Human, 29, female, Earth
Appearance - 5’6, dark hair, dark eyes, skinny
Personality - She’s guarded and aloof. She’s not too mean, but she usually doesn’t act nice unless it will get her an advantage. Though every once in a while she’ll soften and give clues that she actually cares about her partners a little. She reads trashy romance. She’s very picky and won’t eat food of questionable origin.
History -She originally came from a story where the MIB cartoon-verse intersects with the Ben 10 universe. She was working as an assistant / receptionist for an alien that was running a fake ghost-chasing business. She has an older sister, a niece, a nephew, and her sister’s husband. Kelly had them moved to the Muppet universe because it was safer.
When Kelly first came to the PPC, she had implants that made her immune to neuralysers. She had them removed within a few months because magic started making them give her migranes. The agents that recruited her neglected to tell anyone that they recruited her because the neuralyser failed to work on her.
Kelly is irreligious. She also told off Aslan at one point, so all of her Narnia missions are before that incident.
The department- I think rare fandoms is part of the Floaters division? She’s also an agent trainer, but it’s not on-paper official.
----------------------------------
Basic info - Injerd or Ingeborg, Narnian bear, female
Appearance - She pretty much looks like a grizzly bear with a harness.
Personality - She’s patient and pretty easy-going, though can go from fine to roaring rage in a heartbeat.
History - She was a bit character. She hasn’t grown much beyond that yet.
When using the disguise generator, she prefers to have a beard.
The department - She might go into APD for Narnia after she’s transferred away from Kelly.
-----------------------
Basic info - To Be Determined, female.
History - TBD will be recruited from a story I once saw mocked. If I can’t find it again, I’ll create an outline from what I remember and invent the rest. She was a bit character who was unceremoniously killed off-screen after criticizing the main character. Her one defining trait was that she was a bitch.
She stayed in FicPsych for several months without making progress on growing a good personality. She was about to be put out of her misery when FicPsych gained Dollhouse technology.
She has a murderous hatred of Sues. The rest of her personality will be determined once I’ve figured out how to build the perfect agent.
The Dollhouse technology can reprogram her personality at any time, but I want to keep it fairly consistent with exceptions for character growth. Even though it is ideal for instantly gaining skills Matrix-style, she prefers to limit herself to only gaining canon knowledge, similar to being a walking pocket fictionary. She can’t take bleep-products, but she can blunt any memories she wants to after the mission is over.
The department - Floaters / rare fandoms. Kelly will probably transfer out if I want to give TBD a new partner. -
Your first writing sample is not shared. (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 12:23:00 UTC
Link to this
- maybe this link will work by on 2016-02-19 12:27:00 UTC Link to this
-
First sample isn't accessible (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 12:16:00 UTC
Link to this
-
Of real world agents...... by
on 2016-02-19 13:50:00 UTC
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I was working on my permission, but have problems to think of a logical backstory for a real world agent.I mean, many of the older RW agents seemed to get sucked right into PPC through plotholes, even teenagers.
But won't they be willing to go back? If they signed up willingly after knowing about PPC, how will their disappearance be justified in the real world?
Normally investigations will be held and missing person reports sent, and if the area in question is well-secured and small, with very few missing person cases in decades, such disappearances are going to warrant great attention.
If those agents think about the consequences of their recruitment, won't they be scared, especially when said agent is a teenager? won't they be wishing to go back? And won't their requests be granted?
I'm thinking if the agents from real world can go back to their universe from time to time, just to cease attentions over sudden disappearance, or maybe they are transported to the HQ in a time period that is likely for them to go missing, like a trip to the wild or some busy cities with high crime rate,etc.
But maybe there is just no need to explain such things......Is it okay to skip such procedures with simple explanations if it is not important to the plot? -
My advice? Use the enviorment. by
on 2016-02-20 19:30:00 UTC
Link to this
For example one of my agents got caught in a freak blizzard, which isn't much of a stretch for an Iowan environment.
...Though now that a think about it a Tornado would also be a fun idea. -
Not gonna lie, I kinda swept it under the rug. by
on 2016-02-20 15:12:00 UTC
Link to this
Though my personal headcanon is that the Dives' parents said Rina went to study abroad and Alex got accepted into college early. After Rina ran away and everyone thought she was dead, there was a funeral for her back home.
I've been wanting to do a thing with Alex and his family sometime in the future, though, so maybe I'll have to get rid of that rug... -
This is getting into really strange terrritory. by
on 2016-02-19 16:21:00 UTC
Link to this
Remember The Message? I interpreted it as a copy of the person falls into HQ whenever that person falls through a plothole on World One. Anyhow, with the message, I thought that it addressed that you are not that person, as you have essentially been cut off from the world, that life goes on as normal, with what the agents see as "another them". Either that, or the plothole warps reality so that they never exist.It would make a rather interesting plot point, If I ever get around to writing missions.
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That story where Applejack almost froze to death... (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 18:41:00 UTC
Link to this
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Strange territory. by
on 2016-02-19 16:27:00 UTC
Link to this
The upshot of The Message was this:
The PPC doesn't exist. There are no such thing as plotholes you can fall through. It's all a fictional story we're making up. ;)
The implication is that 'World One' is not actually our world - it's a fictionalised copy where plotholes are possible, and PPC agents can wander around. The same concept worked its way into Multiverse theory - search for the paragraph starting 'Rumours that there exists', it's about halfway down.
Obviously, all of this is blatantly untrue; I mean, they'd notice if that were the case, right?
hS, toying with the idea that things can be true from the outside but false from the inside... -
I disagree with the shape of the PPC's universe. by
on 2016-02-20 03:35:00 UTC
Link to this
I, for one, think that it may be a Dodecahedron.
Reasons:
It is said to be the classical shape of the universe, rather than the isocahedron, which is water.
A dodecahedron is connected to the first half of the natural numbers which count up to it.
12 is a highly versatile number. It can be divided by one, two, three, four and six.
The faces themselves are pentagons, five sided shapes.
It's also a Platonic Solid.
It would mean that we have even more universes to touch. The article said that we have confirmed that four other continuities exist. I just think that one theoretical space be left, just to fool around with our imaginations.
It also fits the requirements which you summed up.
However, this may only be an approximation of what it may be, just what we can comprehend.
Thank you, hS, for giving me this new knowledge.
What do you think? -
Hey, hS, I think we broke 'em! *gleeful poking* by
on 2016-02-20 04:23:00 UTC
Link to this
That said, HQ itself exists in a sort of meta-reality; it's not really in any single universe, but exists in bits and pieces throughout the multiverse, cutting through all sorts of random places, potentially sight unseen.
So this bit and bob is perhaps somewhere under Moria, and this RC is perhaps under a basement in a Cardiff, and so on.
That is, of course, if you agree with (and therefore decide to use) the interpretation that, for example, hS created, and that I also subscribe to (with my own intepretations layered on top).
-July, suddenly remembering she saw a weird space down a corridor she'd never seen before -
*Had an epiphany, is going mad from it.* by
on 2016-02-19 18:29:00 UTC
Link to this
*Mad screaming* so you're saying that none of this actually happened? Funky. In a nutshell, World one is not our world. It's a facsimile, identical to ours, but with plotholes. In my headcanon, I think it's actually impossible to access the original word world. It's just floating somewhere, and agents, 'sues and everything in between are on a mere copy of the original idea, but they don't know that. Best not tell them that, it makes you feel real insignificant.
-
I like the concept by
on 2016-02-19 18:50:00 UTC
Link to this
It means that agents' home worlds can ignore what is and continue on with what could be.
Maybe a "real world" agent can return to a world where the Boston bombing never occurred, or ignore that their stated hometown was recently the sight of a random shooter. -
Well... There are a few ways, honestly. by
on 2016-02-19 14:13:00 UTC
Link to this
I think it'd honestly depend on the person! Some people would of course just not be suited to the PPC- plotholes come, plotholes go, and it's just as easy to go back as it is to wander in in the first place- if not moreso, if someone notices.
As for their disappearance in the real world?
Again, that depends.
Like you said, missing person reports happen. And plenty of people in fact do just go... missing one day. We know the real world causes, of course: They get kidnapped, they ran away, an accident happened and they got seriously injured or died in the process, and so forth. But there are still mysteries in this day and age that we have no explanation for, no clues.
Maybe your agent character from World One (because from our perspective, at least, our world is the real world, and the world intended to be the real world is World One) is one of those people.
Or maybe they go back.
Agents are not held in HQ against their will. There's nothing preventing them from just giving up the job and going home or to any number of canons. A certain someone from TOS retired into ancient Rome, after all. I can't remember where Dafydd and Constance retired to (but hS will no doubt come around to correct me) but I rather supect it was not World One, nor was it Middle-Earth.
And a thing with hieing off is that, not everyone thinks about the potential consequences of running off for an adventure- especially teenagers! They might get scared, but they have the option to leave if they want to, or sometimes don't think they do. This goes for the real world, as well. I'm on an adventure right now, and one I didn't exactly think out all the possibiities and consequences of out before I left for it.
As for what you're saying about agents going home occasionally or disappearing someplace likely, both are very possible! In fact, people have used both before this.
To use my own example, Agent July, when she ran off from HQ after snapping, she eventually ended up back in World One- timed right after she had left, despite a few months in the PPC. She also spilled the beans- both things that pretty much eliminate the worry of becoming a missing person.
That said, you don't really need to explain this sort of thing. You can in fact skip it if you don't want to go into this sort of detail. How a person ends up in the PPC doesn't tend to play into whatever story arc or plot you're doing with your spinoff, generally, though it can also be fun to write if you want.
This is most definitely an excellent thing to bring up, though!
-July -
some don't return home by
on 2016-02-19 20:04:00 UTC
Link to this
I heard about a pair of agents that retreated to the... anime alchemist universe and had to leave when that badfic was missioned.
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They're in an unpublished setting, yeah. (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 14:22:00 UTC
Link to this
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So that explains why I couldn't remember anything mentioned. by
on 2016-02-19 14:42:00 UTC
Link to this
...Probably the best for all other settings, outside of that one, of course.
Sorry for the ridiculousness said clan is no doubt wracking on your universe there?
-July, who knows this kind of problem -
They are making things a bit complicated. by
on 2016-02-19 14:56:00 UTC
Link to this
They've brought modern electronics into a fantasy setting (including an internet-capable computer, somehow!), and in one unpublished story (actually the once-prospective next chapter of Generic Surface) they accidentally almost sparked off an Industrial Revolution... yeah, it's probably best that the setting is mostly abandoned now.
hS -
Ahahaha oh dear... by
on 2016-02-19 15:05:00 UTC
Link to this
Abandoned to them. Quite the fate. And... probably better for everyone involved. Well, not necessarily better.
(I definitely want to see this story.)
At least it's more straight forward than what's going to happen/is happening with a set of mine? Time and the fiddling of such is involved there.
-July, mysterious, but definitely not a somebody -
Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey. by
on 2016-02-19 14:04:00 UTC
Link to this
The Un-Sueing of Vemi
But all that had changed yesterday, when Vemi had gone home to the Real World for a long-awaited vacation. Since time passes differently in the metaverse than in the Earth of normal human experience, she'd re-appeared only a few days after the day she'd originally left to join the PPC. Since her Real World persona had school classes to attend, she'd gone to class, both to stave off suspicion and for the simple novelty value of interacting with people who weren't a) fictional or b) concussed from walking into walls.
I think several agents have claimed the PPC as them going to university, too. And above a certain age, they can just claim to have moved cross-country (unless they're from Sealand or something). Some go with the explicit knowledge of their parents (Constance Sims, for example).
Or, you can just ignore it. How does the Doctor keep making off with young women without anyone launching massive man-hunts? Sure, these days he lets them phone home, but up until Nine...
hS -
Ayep! by
on 2016-02-19 14:22:00 UTC
Link to this
Honestly, one could make plenty of different excuses- nearly as many as there are jobs. Perception is literally, actually reality in many ways for the PPC.
And you're somewhat wrong about that lack of man-hunts, hS; Torchwood and UNIT, non? Admittedly they aren't entirely interested in the young women so much as the Doctor's doings....
-July, who can't phone home but apparently her dad seems okay with her vanishing for parts unknown. -
Wht kind of excuses could one make for just vanishing? by
on 2016-02-19 22:45:00 UTC
Link to this
Without warning? Especially for long periods of time - assuming their family cares.
I'm wondering because I'm thinking of having Natalie Carlman visit home and run into this problem.
- RIP Harper Lee by on 2016-02-19 15:58:00 UTC Link to this
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Rest in peace. *bows head* (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 12:47:00 UTC
Link to this
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Damn by
on 2016-02-20 05:43:00 UTC
Link to this
To Kill a Mockingbird was one of my favorite required readings from high school. When Go Set a Watchman was realized, I immediately went out and bought a copy not caring that all the copies were hardcover and therefore a teensy bit expensive. So sad to hear that the author of both books passed.
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:( by
on 2016-02-20 02:58:00 UTC
Link to this
I'm not particularly patriotic, but Lee was one of the few people I really considered a U.S. icon. Reality is going to feel like a weird place now that she's gone.
To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the only novels I've read more than once; it really is a beautiful piece of language.
—doctorlit -
WHYYYY??? by
on 2016-02-19 22:51:00 UTC
Link to this
Christopher Lee, Terry Pratchett, Harper Lee... So many famous ones are leaving us this year... :_;
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Because by
on 2016-02-21 06:19:00 UTC
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According to a totally reliable source, celebrities die in threes. So at least we might get a respite now. . . *giggling hysterically over the lump in my throat*
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Er... by
on 2016-02-19 22:52:00 UTC
Link to this
Lee and PTerry died in 2015.
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Whoopsie. Yeah, you're right. But still, they're gone... (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 03:40:00 UTC
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Oh, the memories by
on 2016-02-19 21:10:00 UTC
Link to this
I remember reading To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time in high school. I never actually thought that Harper Lee was still alive, but that makes it even more shocking to hear that she's gone now.
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I'll make sure she gets to Elysium (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 17:29:00 UTC
Link to this
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But in all serious it's extremely sad by
on 2016-02-19 17:31:00 UTC
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I actually did like that book.
(Now if I can just get through Lord of the Flies *Mattmans ideals scream in terror*) -
Aw man, not again... by
on 2016-02-19 16:14:00 UTC
Link to this
To Kill a Mockingbird was one of the two books we had to read in high school that I actually liked. This sucks.
RiP.
-
Grandma Cipher and the Philosopher's Stone by
on 2016-02-19 18:27:00 UTC
Link to this
Hello there, beauties and gentlebeauties!
As I am writing these words, me and Gran are about to watch the first Harry Potter movie; she, for the first time, and me to just refresh the memories.
Gran doesn't know anything about the franchise; she saw bits and pieces of various movies, when they were airing on TV, or with me when i was a kid, but never from start to finish. Not until today that is. If anyone's interested of her reactions, I'll post them as soon as we end watching. Are you ready? We are ready! Can you see how ready we are?! :D
#PotterSelfie -
Post-show: by
on 2016-02-20 21:18:00 UTC
Link to this
Sorry for not uploading this yesterday :P I have no excuse, I just didn't.
Initial reaction? I have a feeling Gran enjoyed this a bit more than Lord of the Rings (I'm sorry, Nesh! I'm sorry, Phobos! Pleasedon'thurtme!). I don't know why, maybe because HP has Polish dubbing, whilst LotR only a voice-over done by one person? Now, Gran is not very active commentator, she prefers to enjoy the movie, but there were things that we discussed:
- During the opening scene, she briefly thought Dumbledore and McGonagall were Harry's relatives. Also, she really liked Hagrid and his speech, which in Polish dubbing was portrayed as this working-class man who enjoys his vodka; slightly slurred, but not completely botched.
- At first, she thought Harry's scar is some sort of Potter family mark.
- "Unruly little brat." was her first comment about Dudley. As I mentioned before, she saw bits and pieces of the movies, so she remembered Dudley getting a pig tail later on. For some reason, she also thought Vernon knows magic (I later told her the Dursleys know about magic, but can't perform it).
- During the Hagrid scene, I was already sure Rubeus was her favourite character. Peraphs close to her own neighborhood; there were a lot of Hagrid-like people there. Also, she assumed Hagrid would become Harry's father-figure.
- She thought Eeylops Emporium was a post office, and that's where all the owls that delivered Harry's letters came from.
- She confused goblins with dwarves, which is I guess fair enough since we've recently watched LotR, and both races are connected with valuables.
- When Hagrid was telling Harry about Voldemort, and when he said that some believe he died, Gran theorized that You-Know-Who was hiding in Hogwarts, posing as one of the teachers.
- She remembered that Harry was going to have two friends with him, a redheaded boy and a girl. I didn't even try making her remember the names, although it was funny that she thought the girl's name was 'Emma'.
- "I don't like him." Her first comment about Malfoy.
- And of course, when Harry's scar hurt, she thought Snape was Voldemort in disguise! :D
- "Oh yeah, you better run." To Quirrell, when he stayed with the knocked out troll.
- She thought Quidditch was a bit too brutal.
- Hands down her best reaction was when she learned the Cerberus' name was 'Fluffy'. Wish I was filming it.
- "At least one thing you don't know." When Hermione said she has no idea who Nicolas Flamel is.
- "Yes, you're getting punished too, little snitch." When Malfoy got detention from Minerva.
- And she was actually sad when she learned that Hagrid had to give Norbert(a) away.
- Her first reaction to unicorn blood was "That's either tar, or mercury."
- And the surprise when Quirrell was revealed to be the big bad was priceless (BTW. have you ever noticed that, in the books, Fred and George were throwing snowballs at Quirell's turban? They were literally hitting Voldemort in the face!)
- At first she thought that exposure to the Stone gave Harry the power to kill Quirrell.
And that's it. I don't know when we'll do The Chamber of Secrets, but we definitely will. -
Re: Post-show: by
on 2016-02-27 19:35:00 UTC
Link to this
This sounds like a fun experience to have had! :)
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What did she say at Quirrel's big reveal? (nm) by
on 2016-02-21 19:16:00 UTC
Link to this
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Your grandma's reaction were really awesome! :D by
on 2016-02-20 23:56:00 UTC
Link to this
Not that I expected otherwise, given your first post about this, which I also found really awesome without knowing pretty much anything about Tolkien outside of what I have inevitably picked up his works from the TOS and the discussions here on the Board.
I really love how she theorized that Voldemort was posing as a Hogwarts' professor just from what Hagrid told Harry about him. I certainly didn't think that when I first read that part. That was really brilliant! :)
I have said this before and I will say it again, even though there's no real need to since you have already pretty much confirmed that you will be doing, but I will say it again anyway: Please do keep us posted on her reactions to the rest of the series! She and her reactions are just too awesome to miss out on! :D -
HAHAHA! Oh, your grandmother sounds wonderful! by
on 2016-02-20 23:28:00 UTC
Link to this
I love reading these. Keep them up, pretty please.
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I definitely will :) (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 23:31:00 UTC
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Future reactions promise to be interesting... (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 21:47:00 UTC
Link to this
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I'm really waiting on her reaction to Dobby by
on 2016-02-20 22:16:00 UTC
Link to this
Whose name in Polish is basically 'Cranky'
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Your grandma sounds awesome. (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 21:32:00 UTC
Link to this
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She's the best :) (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 22:15:00 UTC
Link to this
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Yes, please do keep us posted on her reactions! :D (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 03:33:00 UTC
Link to this
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Good luck, soldier. (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 22:51:00 UTC
Link to this
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Yes! Please tell us what she thought of it! (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 22:46:00 UTC
Link to this
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Yes, at least keep a log (nm) by
on 2016-02-19 18:38:00 UTC
Link to this
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A very, really, absolutely, totally important question. by
on 2016-02-20 09:38:00 UTC
Link to this
I want to know what the most filthy, noisome, horrid, spoon-on-eye, screwdriver-on-other-eye, gasoline-on-body, match-on-hand colour combination is.
The kind of colour combination that makes you want to try learning echolocation, just so that the narrow chance of you ever seeing that combination again is completely deleted.
Don't give any of those sue colours, or anything like that, by the way.
I don't want to kill anybody. Not directly, anyway. -
Hmmmmm... by
on 2016-02-20 23:03:00 UTC
Link to this
I guess *blank colour* that only *blank creature* can see. I.E, Pistol shrimps.
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Marty McFly's hat by
on 2016-02-20 19:30:00 UTC
Link to this
Or any of Al's wardrobe from Quantum Leap.
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That hat... by
on 2016-02-20 23:21:00 UTC
Link to this
His hat looks like a Paddle-Pop rainbow melted on a plastic baseball cap.
Who would have thought something so colourful could look so dead? -
Hmmm by
on 2016-02-20 11:40:00 UTC
Link to this
Lime green and pink, magenta or fuschia and certain shades of warm purple... Turquoise and yellow.
Start with opposites on the color wheel and make them bright.
Or maybe start with purplish country blue and find another shade of blue that makes it look gray. We discovered that with a medium green-toned blue.
Go to a paint store and start playing with the chips. -
What's wrong with lime green and pink? by
on 2016-02-21 06:10:00 UTC
Link to this
That was my favorite color combination for YEARS.
. . . Maybe this is why no one ever asks my advice on clothes.
For what it's worth, my worst color combination is navy blue and bright yellow. It's not out-and-out glaringly tasteless, but it sits there like an itch I just can't scratch and makes me want to punch things. -
I hope you win. by
on 2016-02-20 23:37:00 UTC
Link to this
This might be a little early, but I really, really think you won.
I found a picture of green polka dots on a pink background, and someone put little white borders outside the dots, as if separating them a little will make everything okay.
It's not okay! Nothing's okay!
If I saw somebody walking down the street wearing a pink tie with lime-green stripes, I think I would actually attack them. Physically.
I might insult their mother, while I'm at it.
Congratulations, Sir, or Madam. -
The '70s. All of it. (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 11:18:00 UTC
Link to this
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RIP Umberto Eco. Read his work. Get smarter. (nm) by
on 2016-02-20 11:09:00 UTC
Link to this
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I'm sorry you lost one of your favorites. :( by
on 2016-02-21 04:29:00 UTC
Link to this
I've only read The Name of the Rose myself, for a class back in high school. I remember thinking at the time that I hadn't read a story that complex before, and that it was maybe even a little above me; I ought to reread that someday. I've got Foucault's Pendulum on my to-be-read shelf as well, and I'll have to seek out some more of his work. He sounds like a wonderful author.
—doctorlit -
Now that I have a bit more time... by
on 2016-02-20 20:13:00 UTC
Link to this
“We often have to explain to young people why study is useful. It’s pointless telling them that it’s for the sake of knowledge, if they don’t care about knowledge. Nor is there any point in telling them that an educated person gets through life better than an ignoramus, because they can always point to some genius who, from their standpoint, leads a wretched life. And so the only answer is that the exercise of knowledge creates relationships, continuity, and emotional attachments. It introduces us to parents other than our biological ones. It allows us to live longer, because we don’t just remember our own life but also those of others. It creates an unbroken thread that runs from our adolescence (and sometimes from infancy) to the present day. And all this is very beautiful.”
-- Umberto Eco
Eco wrote books. Lots of books. I only have a few, but one of them is probably my favourite book of all time. Inventing The Enemy is a collection of his essays and lectures and I could feel myself learning when I first read it. In one of the essays he makes an entire story out of the moments of exegesis in other works (exegesis being the technical term for a massive, world-changing, frequently overblown plot twist of the "Here's a pretty ring" from Les Miserables variety), and I laughed aloud. In another, he explored the wisdom (and lack thereof) in common sayings and phrases and running a country on the principles of this "common sense". I didn't feel talked down to. I didn't feel out of my depth. I just felt... good. Like I was thinking better, and in better ways, than I had before.
He made me think more, and that's the best thing an author of books can do.
Rest in peace. -
Oh, come on! by
on 2016-02-20 12:48:00 UTC
Link to this
I love his feuilletons! *sigh* Excuse me, I need to sulk for a moment.
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Someone needs to PPC this. Urgently. by
on 2016-02-20 21:16:00 UTC
Link to this
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11764515/1/Dead-Right
This is, undoubtedly, one of the worst (best?) badfics I've seen in a good time. I honestly don't know what's worst on this fic. Loki cutting of slaves limbs all willy-nilly, Odin ALLOWING Loki to cut slave's limbs all willy-nilly while on his halls, the sue TRAJECK backstory, Hel's being pretty much the devil, the classic sue appearence, the lack of any explanation as to why she can't die, Odin trying to kill a baby SEVERAL times...
There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this fic. I would normally have a snarky comment about something like this, but honestly, this fic left me speechless.
Just, please, send your most experienced agents. Save these poor, poor canons. -
Official PPC intelligence report: 'Dead Right'. by
on 2016-02-22 10:22:00 UTC
Link to this
Agent Kyaris reporting.
This is a Department of Intelligence report, not a full mission. I felt that an appeal like this deserved some kind of response, so there we go.
hS -
Agent Kyaris by
on 2016-02-25 04:38:00 UTC
Link to this
I quite like her speech patterns. Or whatever those are.
Verbal tics?
Bah.
I know someone who talks very similarly, adding heaps of pointless questions to the ends of her sentences. -
Well, that's... pretty bad. by
on 2016-02-22 04:03:00 UTC
Link to this
Yep. This one isn't the worst I've seen, but it's still horrible. Looks like someone could have a bit of fun with it, too, so this might be worth missioning. If only because we'd get to watch our agents sit though it.
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Apprently Loki has raven hair. by
on 2016-02-20 23:46:00 UTC
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The dwarves should have used some of that when they made Gleipnir.
It would fit right in, next to the roots of a mountain and the sound of a cat's footfall. -
Loki made me write a ficlet. by
on 2016-02-22 13:14:00 UTC
Link to this
It's kind of really disturbing to have that happen.
~
I do not have raven hair. Ravens are Odin's pets and tattletales; they are his symbols of oppressive authority and purported wisdom. Their mangy feathers may be an approximation of their hair colour, but that is where the resemblance ends.
Nor is my hair as dark as a stormy night. When my so-called brother has one of his tantrums, filling the skies of the Nine Worlds with thunderclouds and slashing them with lightning, the general result is one of mayhem and sodden ruin. That is not, in point of fact, an appropriate simile for my hair.
Might my hair be midnight? Perhaps - but only the weak and the foolish try to hide their plans under the cover of night. Far better to carry out your intrigue in broad daylight, and see how far the naive gods of Asgard will bend to keep from admitting what you are doing.
My hair is not the same shade as coal, the dirty, inefficient fuel source of a pathetic race. It is not filled with the shadows of the deep places, for in my birthplace the caves are of ice, and blue-green light fills them. It is not as black as the void, that empty waste which no civilized race would ever deign to enter.
You pitiable humans, living out your mayfly lives on your fragile world, filling your brief hours with petty squabbles, have no concept of how important words can be. Words can bring down empires; they can corrupt the pure-hearted and reduce the strong to tears. Find the right words, and you can snuff out the stars.
My hair is as black as my hate. That is all that needs to be said.
~
Because words are important, and comparisons should not be made without proper planning.
(With bonus shout-outs to J.R.R. Tolkien and Diane Duane, though they're pretty oblique.)
hS -
What's the other reference? (nm) by
on 2016-02-23 01:56:00 UTC
Link to this
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Very oblique. by
on 2016-02-23 08:51:00 UTC
Link to this
"Both rings were round, and there the resemblance ends." -J.R.R. Tolkien, on the (lack of) connection between the One Ring and the Ring of the Nibelungs.
hS -
Hmm... can I spot the reference? by
on 2016-02-22 16:00:00 UTC
Link to this
"Find the right words, and you can snuff out the stars." Reference to one of the names of the Lone Power? ^_^
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:D We have a winner! by
on 2016-02-22 16:20:00 UTC
Link to this
Though given that the people involved in that line are Loki and the LP, I... don't think you'll want whatever prize they're giving out.
hS -
Noooo, probably not. ^_^ (nm) by
on 2016-02-22 22:58:00 UTC
Link to this
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Alright, I'll have a gander. by
on 2016-02-20 22:14:00 UTC
Link to this
But still, the point of the PPC is to have fun, not to be hell-bent on sporking every badfic known to mankind. While it would be rather interesting to see that happen, we aren't those people. Anyhow, sure, I'll look at it.
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I would like to observe (to you and Ix alike)... by
on 2016-02-21 17:11:00 UTC
Link to this
... that 'This poor canon needs saving right now, send your best agents!' is a formulation that's been used since Jay and Acacia were running around. It's not something you need to smack down. ;)
hS -
Hi there. by
on 2016-02-20 21:24:00 UTC
Link to this
We don't normally mission badfic because it's awful and it needs to die. Most of the time, we only tackle badfic that we know we can wrangle a good story out of.
So if someone wants to pick this up then there's nothing stopping them, but reporting badfic doesn't mean it'll get sporked.
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Re: Hi there. by
on 2016-02-20 21:36:00 UTC
Link to this
Yeah, going after a story out of pure hate, rather than because you think you can make it entertaining, is exhausting.