Jubaris

It might have something to do with the war of Yrthilian and Liberty against Jester's Necrovion. KoB was lost to Necrovion for a period, until Lifeline brought it back. Liberty didn't want to return to KoB (I think it was related to terms of the mentioned war), and it might be the point of your arrival there. If you're intent on the application it would be very welcome if Pip could say something on the matter, or anyone else who was active with the case. Chewett was, but he is a busy man, and I'm not sure he would remember such technicalities, because the main point of the story really was that Pip took over an ally and we wanted to solve that. The thing was years ago, but it carries some weight. Also, I'm curios on your status regarding the MR fraternity, how does being MR affect you, and would it conflict you as a potential Marind Bell citizen?

According to the archives, Liberty invited you into KoB to guard it with your loyalty points. You went inactive, but were kept in the alliance, which eventually lead to you being able to send invite to Pip. I can't reference the sources to you, because it's in the private part of the Marind Bell forums, but to other MBians I can: http://magicduel.invisionzone.com/topic/11939-kob-take-over-situation/?p=107364 You don't remember the situation?

I didn't know MRWander was your main... Few years ago, Pip took over KoB, he did it with an invite from MRWander, or MRWanderer (your account anyway). This creates a problem for your application, why would you get accepted back with that act in mind?

Sorry for not finishing this yet, just giving a bump so you know I didn't forget. By 1st June I hope for every entry to be described by me and winner determined.

It's hard to discuss a process so very personal while staying on the concept of general taint. That's why I will look to go into specific forms, mostly rage, when talking about concrete process of embracing the taint. The influence of shades and the creation of taint does not come naturally from ourselves, but with our interaction with the world, the rules and expectations it installs in us, and our reaction to it. An urge that is in conflict with the rules of the enviromnent will be held back. Depending of the urge, it can be a matter of a huge potential energy. It gives initiative, it gives purpose, and turns you into a very active element if only you accept it. Not without a price. To be consumed by this energy, to be overwhelmed with it, it suffocates the remnants of your identity. Sometime it is temporary, until the energy is spent, ultimately releasing you from the taint bringing you closer to the balance of the mind, but sometime it is permanent. A process to embrace the rage, and an attempt for it to be permanent, is to encourage the taint and amplify its stream: 1) Let go of everything that connects you with your own original identity and is not related to your pain and rage. 2) Preserve everything that remembers you of the source of pain. In practice, those points would manifest somewhere along: 1) Change your avatar, find the appropriate one to symbolize just what you are now. Sell all your possessions unrelated to your new purpose, creatures, items, delete your papers. 2) Heretic Archer is your main creature now, it represents the aspect you want to use. The items or anything similar that is related with the source of your pain are now there, accented by the lack of anything else, as your scars and marks for everyone to see. You will soon start to accumulate new things, with the soul reason to direct their symbolism towards your target, tools for rage to start. With your acquired wealth made from the selling in phase 1 you might see to acquire killing items, or hire others to assist you. You will have a daily ritual where you will recite the same poem, oath of a sorts. This will be done in a scene that awakens the thoughts about the root of your taint most clearly. It can be several scenes, in which case you will use them in a "tour" fashion, something for each to get. Mantras, routine, focus, all in favor of 'washing' your mind and fortifying your new identity. As time goes by, you will be a shell capable of little else other than your designated purpose, and it will take extraordinary effort to stop and become 'normal'. Necrovion encourages such aspects, it should be your new home from now on, although not necessary. Spending some time there periodically 'helps'. If you are lucky enough for there to exist a faction which goals are unifiable with your own, join! Transform the name of your spells accordingly. People are social beings, they need interaction. If you can't find allies, by common belief or by trading favors, social interaction urge will be satisfied with striking your enemies. The pain and reaction you will cause in your own enemies will be a fitting preserver of your new identity. You cannot stand still, there must always be action. Every 'great' act you do will leave traces of your new identity, and of the glow of those traces you will also help maintain it.

Evaluation time! I ask for some patience until I announce the results (number of days).

Happy birthday! :)

*cling cling cling* Two more days!

Happy birthday Eagle Eye, have a good one! x)

We have already talked Vladan, and I tried to help you in your need to choose your home, in accordance to your nature, without trying to sway you here. To my delight, you indeed chose it to be Marind Bell. The following goes in case your voting doesn't go through due to people not checking such things :) Reference to: http://magicduel.invisionzone.com/topic/15199-getting-a-marind-bell-citizenship/ (...to become citizen of Marind Bell...) quote: "- Get three (3) Marind Bell citizens to vouch for you and confirm that you are their friend and that they wish to see you as a citizen of Marind Bell." I give my vouch to your application Vladan, hope to see you in your new home soon!

Don't post dream interface pictures, it's a spoiler, or at least put it in a spoiler box.

Yes, yes, I noticed afterwards that you started the mentioned paragraph with "Now... this is a gamble" ... :) Much cooler that way indeed

I probably won't participate in this nice game (although I will if I'm around), but may I suggest changing the prize rules to if two players get 1st place both, they divide 1st and 2nd place rewards (50%+30%)/2 rather than 50%/2 where the 2nd place gets higher reward while actually being third? If more than 2 players tie on the 1st, just split the whole pot on them equally, and that's it. ...or I just read it too fast and superficially and you got it covered? :P

Why do you think training angiens should be convenient, Aeo? :P

Approximately two more weeks until the end of the quest! PM me if some clarifications are required regarding new entries.

What you said about medicine, Nim, doesn't contradict what I said. In regards to the reaction of the body - you found out a pattern (by observing and processing information) where substance X helps with the disease Y and you apply it. Those patterns can be useful on their own and can be used as a reference to discover new patterns, and you use that to manage yourself in the world BUT they don't grant you the understanding of the realm, you ponder upon the patterns and observations you know and throw some abstract conclusions, theories... Simply said, those abstract conclusions and theories are metaphysics, and it's a rough equivalent of what research in MD is. Practical information, patterns such as reaction of the body in medicine, have MD equivalent in the actual mechanics. In reality, you cannot prove that our whole existence as we know it, for example, isn't just some simulation, you work with what you get. But in MD, the context of MD existence was imprinted by Mur. There may be lesser amount of 'planned' concepts and info on MD than some think, not everything is made to have perfect sense (lot of things aren't), but it's not the opposite either. There's a lot to be known under the surface, and that's where you head with the research. Sometimes you don't search for the MD truth either, just for personal interpretations (or should I say inspirations) that help you in your own understanding of the world in reality by using parallels by drawing up conclusions that weren't intended by the creator.

I can document dreams, sorry I didn't appear earlier, wasn't following the progress of this topic. Research interface I can do too. However you feel like it's best, with precise instructions I'll get on it.

If we shift to reality, nobody can verify 'science' either, observations and trying to detect patterns. In here on the other hand, Mur can validate a lot of research, even though it's not present in some textual form as part of the game at the moment, the concepts are still in his head. Meanwhile, you can observe and find patterns, deduct reasonable thoughts to the most logical one. Abandoning the road to understanding of the realm is quite disappointing. Peculiar that you, Miq, as a Golemusian, have that view

Happy birthday Burns! :)

I hope this helps a bit for future entries: Repentance, confessions, mantras and prayers, self-punishment, baptism... Many examples you can use in reality, every religion/philosophy should have practices of its own to clean the mind or to wash away something. Cutting off your hair is a symbol used by many individual women through history after traumas, or decisions to go in a different direction. How would you do it here?

It's allowed alright, although the connection with Magicduel itself is a bit loosen, the rest is up personal liking and disliking of the audience and is a legit entry :) The context can be applied, if for "the lost ones" we use "the ones that stopped playing" as equivalent.

Wow! One of the best looking avys in general! I hope shrinking it down won't mess with its current quality :)

But gotta add, I'm sorry to see you, DD, making an entry that in my view seems not-that-personal because of the reference to a magic-originated taint. For lengthy periods of time you felt uneasy with events and people in MD, and certainly all of that has affected you. Being mad at the world, that people used to label on you, usually eventually stimulates change in yourself. You have an opportunity to use drops of that passion and create something here, based on your true feelings that you can connect with the purpose of the quest, and by that making a very quality entry. Not that I discourage people from just being creative... But maybe it's a waste for some not to use extensive material that they have when making an entry for this quest. :)

Indeed, the case is I was talking about general corruption of one's soul, however, I won't refuse entries that are referencing Granos' taint.

Extra points for proving Ary wrong! :P