@VATROU I'd be interested in helping, since Riley's coming in with a supernatural power source that hasn't really been seen in the other characters so far.

@VATROU I'd be interested in helping, since Riley's coming in with a supernatural power source that hasn't really been seen in the other characters so far.

Gonna have to add you to the List.

But yes, the only thing in development I want really “pseudo-GM” control of is how The Arcane Stream works and so forth. It’d be better for me to feel confident in mattering to this universe with Marcus’ lore instead of how I felt before (despite leaving/hiatus) where what I was working on was ignored and set aside. It killed my original interest in the RP, so I’d like to keep myself motivated.

But yes, the only thing in development I want really “pseudo-GM” control of is how The Arcane Stream works and so forth. It’d be better for me to feel confident in mattering to this universe with Marcus’ lore instead of how I felt before (despite leaving/hiatus) where what I was working on was ignored and set aside. It killed my original interest in the RP, so I’d like to keep myself motivated.

Well with what You've explained so far I'm in agreement. I mean it sounds good so I have no reason to want to mess with it.

You understand why I was livid and stopped writing for the RP considering what I came back to (Demon Invasion, Alternate Universe versions of my characters, etc). I mean I see that I was a bit unfounded in some aspects, but I hope no one holds it against me that I felt like “what is the point when my stuff is ignored or retconned and I’m barely consulted”.

You understand why I was livid and stopped writing for the RP considering what I came back to (Demon Invasion, Alternate Universe versions of my characters, etc). I mean I see that I was a bit unfounded in some aspects, but I hope no one holds it against me that I felt like “what is the point when my stuff is ignored or retconned and I’m barely consulted”.

To be fair, I did consult you. And let you know I was going to make an Alternate Merlin, mostly because I wasn't sure how how long you'd stay active over here. The Demon Invasion thing though I honestly don't know enough of what you established before hand to make an opinion either way, nor do I think the guy who started the whole thing even knew you made Lore for things in the first place, So it just kinda happened. Still I am glad you're back mainly as you did create most of the foundations prior which I am using. Although there will be some differences as you said the Arcane Stream is the magical energy that lies between dimensional planes as a sort of “distortion” created. If kept unmonitored or uncontained it can cause massive rifts where a demon or eldritch horror can just walk out of their world and into ours.

So these beings obviously have ways into our world and ways to bypass even Merlin's protections. Not completely mind you, they can't just hop the express train to Earth and cause mayhem and destruction, but they can find ways to influence and or hop over if they have help. In my Merlin's case, she is one of the most powerful beings of her World, not the most powerful but up there with other Gods and such.

Still this is why I'm thinking of creating a Thread or GDoc like this, so everyone can have a say in how things work and we all know where to reference things. I'm not saying we should have super detailed systems in place, like for X magic to work you need Y of this and X amount of prep time and it's only effective on certain enemy types. But general rules and whatnot.

To be fair, I did consult you. And let you know I was going to make an Alternate Merlin, mostly because I wasn't sure how how long you'd stay active over here. The Demon Invasion thing though I honestly don't know enough of what you established before hand to make an opinion either way, nor do I think the guy who started the whole thing even knew you made Lore for things in the first place, So it just kinda happened. Still I am glad you're back mainly as you did create most of the foundations prior which I am using. Although there will be some differences as you said the Arcane Stream is the magical energy that lies between dimensional planes as a sort of “distortion” created. If kept unmonitored or uncontained it can cause massive rifts where a demon or eldritch horror can just walk out of their world and into ours.

Hence why I said “barely consulted” and while I felt I had no right telling you no, I felt like it wasn’t even within my power to decline the idea entirely. I mean I’m collaborative and easy to work with, but it seemed like a lot of the framework I was leading up to was shelved. And I barely remember who Nite said did the demon invasion— all I know is when I came back is that it happened (as well as my neighborhood being renovated and gentrified Lex Luthor style which put a nail in everything I wanted to tell with Marcus). It was annoying and saddening, but it happened.

Do you think I could retcon Marcus being involved in the Demon Invasion in some way when Season 2 starts up?

Still this is why I'm thinking of creating a Thread or GDoc like this, so everyone can have a say in how things work and we all know where to reference things. I'm not saying we should have super detailed systems in place, like for X magic to work you need Y of this and X amount of prep time and it's only effective on certain enemy types. But general rules and whatnot.

I don’t disagree.

I remind you... This was part of my first Aquilifer post after one of Raptorman's alts pretty much decimated one quarter of the main city in game...

# Soyyyy un perdedooooor, I’m a loser baby, so why don’t ya kill meeee #

An arm reaches out from the covers, feels around and picks up the phone.

“Mmmm-eah?” he grunts into the phone.

“Oh thank God you’re OK! It’s all over the news!”

“Geez, ma. Calm down, what’s all over the news?”

“Wait, where are you? Are you home? You can’t be home if you don’t know what I’m talking about... Where’s Grampa Alan?”

“Ma, calm down. It’s too early for this. Now slow down. I am home, what’s all over the news?”

“Go check on Grampa Alan...”

“Alright, I’ll check on Grampa Alan. I’m going now, I’ll call you right back.”

“No! Don’t hang u--! Clik”

Dennis threw on some pants and a tee, to make the small trek from the accessory apartment he lived in to the main house which was his grandfather’s. Strange that his mother would call on his cell. It’s an expensive call from Seattle, she’d normally call the house number. But for all he knew, maybe she had and he slept through it. He was a pretty heavy sleeper after a night on the town, so it’s not unheard of that he could have slept through... oh...

Dennis clung to the door handle. The entire back end of his granny flat (which ironically enough, the grandson lived in) was falling away down into a 70 to 80 foot drop, where it plateaued and the rest of Little Ulster had given way to parkland and greenery. The property seemed to be the border between the rest of the city and oblivion-cum-nature, with his own house seemingly held back from the abyss by the foundations of his grandfather’s house.

Dennis scrambled and climbed back up his door-jam into his own house. Overlooking the vast new countryside.

“I’m not looking forward to Grampa telling me to take care of the back garden...”

---

* ‘Loser’ lyrics written by Carl Stephenson and Beck Hansen
© Universal Music Publishing Group

Sometimes stuff just happens and ya gotta roll with it.

<Snipped quote by VATROU>
Hence why I said “barely consulted” and while I felt I had no right telling you no, I felt like it wasn’t even within my power to decline the idea entirely. I mean I’m collaborative and easy to work with, but it seemed like a lot of the framework I was leading up to was shelved. And I barely remember who Nite said did the demon invasion— all I know is when I came back is that it happened (as well as my neighborhood being renovated and gentrified Lex Luthor style which put a nail in everything I wanted to tell with Marcus). It was annoying and saddening, but it happened.

Do you think I could retcon Marcus being involved in the Demon Invasion in some way when Season 2 starts up?

<Snipped quote by VATROU>
I don’t disagree.

I believe those who started shortly dropped after the arc was started, leaving all the players with the bag sort of speak.

Right now, this is sounding like the past issue that happened before VATROU's Lore thread was created and when I tried to draw out a share of information for lore and stuff to create a more united world. When I was newbie, I didn't know what was created or previously made, only that some people already had established and that NMS wanted to keep freedom over personal creation pretty loose. Example, no strict rules of how magic works so people can make a wide range of magic without stepping on each other's toes. Same went for other things.

I do recall telling Tearstone you had some magic stuff, which I don't know if he ever pmed you or not about it when he was considering a mage pc at one point. It was rattling in his head for a while though it might've faded.

Anyways, personally before we do anything or permanently decide something, it might be more proactive to see if this doc idea works first. Gowi, if this works, you might end up changing you mind later on seeing the doc idea work and possibly incorporate small bits of lore into the doc and see how it fairs rather than put your foot fully in. Who knows?

Currently, I'm focusing on one species of werewolf and kitsune and see how that takes. Not point in going overboard with a series of things if this doc idea is going to be chaotic or not work after all.

And that's something I want to remind people.

This is a sandbox game. The possibilities are virtually endless...

But...

It's easy to carve yourself off a niche in your own corner of the world, create your own stuff and then wonder why you feel so lonely and nobody seems to want to interact (because they're terrified of inadvertently stepping on any part of your intricately sculpted creation)

Or...

You can play very close knit. Throw yourself into collabs repeatedly, but feel your own character and NPCs are experiencing limited growth... also, when you play so close knit its a lot easier to step on toes and inadvertently box people in.

The game's size is immense. Theoretically we haven't even tested it's boundaries yet. Because virtually anything is possible.

So with that much room to play with, just be mindful of not stumbling in and mindlessly destroying someone else's stuff.

But if you take a ding... yeah, it might frustrate you, but most things you can find a way to walk it off.

...or cling to the back porch.

And that's something I want to remind people.

This is a sandbox game. The possibilities are virtually endless...

But...

It's easy to carve yourself off a niche in your own corner of the world, create your own stuff and then wonder why you feel so lonely and nobody seems to want to interact (because they're terrified of inadvertently stepping on any part of your intricately sculpted creation)

Or...

You can play very close knit. Throw yourself into collabs repeatedly, but feel your own character and NPCs are experiencing limited growth... also, when you play so close knit its a lot easier to step on toes and inadvertently box people in.

The game's size is immense. Theoretically we haven't even tested it's boundaries yet. Because virtually anything is possible.

So with that much room to play with, just be mindful of not stumbling in and mindlessly destroying someone else's stuff.

But if you take a ding... yeah, it might frustrate you, but most things you can find a way to walk it off.

...or cling to the back porch.

I think VATROU is more or less trying establish a way for those who want to collab with each other, and those in the future, an easier means. I understand some people won't like what everyone does or how. However, some of us do which I'm one of them. If someone else wants to use and build on something I made, great. IF not, that's alright too! My only worry is if this will work or not to allow that for those who want to.

Right now, this is sounding like the past issue that happened before VATROU's Lore thread was created and when I tried to draw out a share of information for lore and stuff to create a more united world. When I was newbie, I didn't know what was created or previously made, only that some people already had established and that NMS wanted to keep freedom over personal creation pretty loose. Example, no strict rules of how magic works so people can make a wide range of magic without stepping on each other's toes. Same went for other things.

I thought I reiterated... in my last statement hun. Not sure if you spotted that or not.

For me personally, when it comes to worldbuilding I don't mind if someone describes a concept or a character in a different way then what I have envisioned. It's interesting to see how the same thing can be interpreted by different people, and I've often found that conflicting ideas over a concept can lead to a more refined idea then what I started with.

No. I saw. It was just a general statement.

Also kind of a softly spoken "GM's word" on the issue (albeit, just my own word), since we've probably generally been pretty quiet on it.

No problem with anything you're doing and glad to be included in the PM docs before to keep us informed of the general overview of what you are coming up with.

There might be a few things I disagree— I think ABSOLUTE freedom in a game that needs the rules of magic defined might work against it more often than the opposite for example. But I like the doc idea, it can help my ideas not be run over this time around and make me invested for years.

There might be a few things I disagree— I think ABSOLUTE freedom in a game that needs the rules of magic defined might work against it more often than the opposite for example. But I like the doc idea, it can help my ideas not be run over this time around and make me invested for years.

Oh, yeah. It's not absolute. But generally its been sculpted by players within the game, then at breaks such as seasons the general game info can be added and built to so that prospective players get a better idea about the world they're considering jumping into.

@NattyThat's pretty much the only route open unless someone wants to read over 600+ posts. Lol. And to have a character be pre-established. Unless this RP doesn't care about retroactively changing things, then it's not an issue.

To be honest, I read about 6 pages back and got a pretty comprehensive grasp on everything of note happening, as long as you're new to the city so past events don't really matter as much at any rate. Otherwise it could be a little hard to explain what the hell you were up to when everything was kicking off.

I will say, on this time around, we probably let the first season drift a little long.

There were a number of events that kind of truck-and-trailered and didn't really leave a good space for a break... but as GM's we possibly should have stepped in and shortened it up a bit.

That said... it's first season on a new site (or two or three...) and you get initial pages of new players who may be testing a game and less likely to stick around, new site means it can take a while to really get into it... that said. Preferably maybe a bit shorter so that there's more accessible jumping on points to prospective new players.

That said, the length of what qualifies as a "good" season is largely dependent on the turnover rate of players.

If you have a close knit group which don't really change, seldom new players, seldom leaving players... well, you can run longer without needing to explain the twists and turns of an intricate season.

If you're more reliant on new players, and you see greater turnover... shorter and clearer jump on points become damn near pivotal.

Hm.

So we can make locations huh.

I call dibs on Scotland.

@VATROU

As someone who enjoys playing supernatural and magical characters, even though I love other types... and who has done so fora long time... I have to say I am interested.

@Gowi

I wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes. However, in the words of Isaac Newton... "If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants." I believe this applies. Some things to consider with magic, and what makes it good, vs crappy. Magic that simply solves all problems with the wave of a wand, especially without any rhyme, reason, or explanation is bad. However, something that does make sense, has it's own issues, and takes some kind of effort and understanding makes it worthwhile as a storytelling and RP tool.

I have two main systems that I use for magic, with minor variations, most often. I'd love to compare systems, compare notes, and see if there's something I like better, or put down what I use, and see if anybody else wants to work with it. And of course, how these systems interact.

As @Hound55 said, this is one big sandbox, and anything is possible. It's possible for us to use all systems as well. It could be in a form of a type of technology we don't fully understand, but was understood and known by the Ancients (generic term) and passed down to Earth at some point. For them, their texts and the like are a comprehensive manual base don fundamental knowledge of the universe, and is outside our knowledge right now. Some wizards study to learn those fundamental secrets their entire lives. That's why they got into it. - For others it could simply be a force of nature, or a field that we have yet to fully tap or map out. You could even explore magic from a quantum mechanics aspect. Or it could simply be an unknowable Kool-Aid of some kind, but here's what works, and why. It could be an energy from an alternate dimension, or a dimension we haven't discovered yet. It could be all of them at once? - We can spin them well.

But I think that a collection, a tome.. a grimoire... would be useful for us. So to speak. XD

Long story made short - Hells yeah I'm interested. Sorry for the rambling. It's early and my mind is just .. buzzing I guess.

@VATROU I'll be happy to join in on your discussion, it'll be my pleasure to add anything regarding what I feel is appropriate.

Also, here's the thing about making 'one single theory' on magic, in the medium and setting we have in front of us, making one specific kind of method for literally anything is imppossible. We are in a forum with multiple people all with their own ideas on how their character or organization operates, and similarly they are entirely within their power to post a character with an entirely different method on how magic works or how one of their NPCs are going to take part. Trying to set up a single, solitary method for anything, or even making concrete lore, is something this kind of medium does not thrive on, there's too many creative minds with opposing ideas. Hell, not even actual comics have matching ideas on things like magic. Hell, I made the Shroud Syndicate as the biggest criminal organization on the planet, but I totally understand if someone brings another crime organization to that level, and actively will reach out to them to see how we can co-exist rather than tell them a specific way to play their character or organizations based on my actions. We just have to keep into account how many people are actually playing, and how their ideas are going to conflict with our own, and we shouldn't be able to override them because it doesn't totally mesh with our characters. Compromise is a much better way to create anything in this game as we are not alone in what we write, and working with the other players to create that will easy theories in much better. So I'll definitly put my thoughts on the supernatural in.

Also, update: @Fallenreaper@Melonhead@Athinar Posts are going to come a little slow. I was going to take a crack at them this morning, but I unfortunately forgot my roommate's birthday was today, I now have to go emergency shopping for a birthday present.