lashtal

Adventuring Award: Azrafar (based on how well people is doing in my quest) Champion Fighter: darkraptor Best beautification: Yasrin Luvien (for the principles-related symbols) Fossil of the year: No one (both for his age and his attitude towards "noobs") Most Popular: Ailith Outstanding Service to MD: Chewett Prime Quest: Princ Rhaegar (for his Books and Libraries quest) Rookie of the year: Gljivoje Top Techie: darkraptor

I tried this one but the results were substantially inaccurate.

Yes, if said player is inside an alliance he gains loyalty (also) by fighting.

Where's the problem? Until the second in command surpasses the former leader in loyalty, the alliance is stuck. If the alliance is dear to its leader, he/she will arrange things so that a new leader can be appointed (he can retire from the alliance and -eventually- ask for a new invitation if he wants to occupy a seat). Otherwise, the "second in command" will have to grind his way to the top. That can be hard, but not impossible. I agree on disbanding inactive or useless alliances; but not alliances that might get temporarily stuck. I don't know, I guess it depends on how this new comer is seen within the alliance. This alone opens for more possibilities, none of which look "stable" or "static" to me. Just... LOL.

While I'd see a follower system too complicated to properly work, I'd prefer Pipstickz's suggestion to the way they work now. I also think those No one call "noobs" may have fresher ideas and insights than many of the fossils who just log in to get one more "active" day.

How about allowing people to edit one of their principles every time they die? That way, being revived would be the "beginning of a new life", so to say, or rather a new way of looking at it. Of course the "new" principles would have to start again from 0.

I'm active. I enjoy researching and discussing, I run quests, sometimes I may have nice ideas, sometimes I just hide in the cemetery.

Happy birthday Neno, all the best!

Mine works too.

Your joker didn't die, he just left your army. My priest converted him. :P

I'd have to re-test this, but if my memory doesn't fail me, you shouldn't be able to intoxicate more than 1 player. So if you intoxicate someone, the trigger box displays it and should others fight you while the first intoxication is on, they are not affected. Edit: forgot: it's player related

I confirm the behavior of such creature. The intoxication only affect the player, never his creatures. Chewett's explanation actually makes sense, I wouldn't change the creature's behavior, only the description of how intoxication works.

I'd suggest "research and connection". Right now we can only achieve second research depth, while the clues go up to level 8. Plus, we (I?) don't know who is supposed to receive/rate our research and how to get unstuck in this feature.

:ph34r: :blink: OPEN THE GATES!!! :o :))

And here are the logs from the last meeting. I may have skipped a few lines here and there, but the sense should be preserved. Lecture 4/4 [spoiler] : TheRichMerchant salutes the two knights of Marind WittyLeWat: *looks up to her hair, crossing her eyes* Uhm.. yellow! Ary Endleg: I think I got 300-400 wins today lol Sir Blut: Nice, I have skill damage lashtal: For those who are interested, I'm about to present, and hopefully to discuss, my last ramblings about fear. : WittyLeWat looks to lashtal, interested TheRichMerchant: lol, Ary...i was about to get some wins on you guys Ary Endleg: you have to plan ahead richy lashtal: If you missed the previous meetings, here's where you can find the logs: lashtal: http://magicduel.invisionzone.com/topic/15790-college-of-darkness-fear-class/ : Sir Blut nods off : WittyLeWat nods : WittyLeWat re-lights her cigarette and takes a pull lashtal: Tonight I will introduce what I consider the "inner part" of this series of meetings. : TheRichMerchant is listening : WittyLeWat sits down and listens too lashtal: ... That is: learning from one's own fears. : *Eara Meraia* sits quietly and the gate chewing on some nightshade : TheRichMerchant fears Eara will choke : Aeoshattr chuckles : lashtal takes out a scribbled notebook and starts flipping pages back and forth : Aeoshattr glances at the Nightshade, his eyes clearly interested : lashtal clears his throat and looks around for attention Aeoshattr: We are listening, lash : TheRichMerchant fears noone will give lashtal attention lashtal: Mothers in all realms comfort their children when they're scared, and teach them not to be afraid of that which doesn't exist. : WittyLeWat is watching and listening, not participating much though lashtal: Nursing your fears, on the other hand, working on the vilest thoughts we're capable of, and confronting with them may lead to a deeper understanding of who we are. TheRichMerchant: (i have a bit of a hard time to believe that) WittyLeWat: (got a bit of stuff to do, sorry, *keeps an eye on the chat* ) lashtal: As I said last time, you'll never find a better dread master than yourself. lashtal: Nobody knows your weak spots better than you. lashtal: So… Do you really want to miss this chance? Aeoshattr: *chuckles* I dare say, sometimes it's better to remain ignorant. But please, go on. *Eara Meraia*: what about fairytales? our mothers tell them to us as well. But I guess thats offtopic : lashtal chuckles and shakes his head at Aeoshattr's comment lashtal: Unpleasant as it is, a panic attack, a nightmare or a "bad trip" can teach us more than years of chit-chatting. lashtal: In such situations, refusing or being unable to apply rationality is the key, the first step to learn a lesson. lashtal: Going with the flow, as dark as can be. Starring in front of the mirror. lashtal: The price? Your safety, in case fear comes with real danger; your mind, in case you don't accept yourself. lashtal: Nightmares are extremely fascinating for their irrational contents, but also valuable for us to "test" stressful/dreadful situation in relative safety and teach/train our mind how to deal with it. lashtal: In a way, nightmares prepare us to face difficult situations while we're awake. lashtal: Banishing nightmares and fears absent-mindedly, like swapping the air, is just another way to look away. lashtal: You may pretend your fears don't affect you, but neither you learn nor you resolve them. lashtal: Therefore, along with rationality, pride should be left aside. lashtal: Don't be ashamed, be afraid!! TheRichMerchant: ba afraid, be very afraid, lol lashtal: ... Once the dreadful experience is over - and only then - we can rely on rationality again. : *Eara Meraia* nods in agreement with lashtal : TheRichMerchant realizes he had spoke out loud : Aeoshattr chuckles, listening lashtal: Analyzing why a specific image emerged within a dream, or why we got scared of a certain situation is the key to our weak spots, our fragilities, the dark corners of our-selves. lashtal: Being aware of those, and eventually accepting them, represent to me THE highway for our personal growth, as human beings. Ary Endleg: homework? lashtal: There will be, if you want to. Aeoshattr: That would be interesting Ary Endleg: I always do my homework, unlike Amber :P : AmberRune whistles innocently : lashtal grins *Eara Meraia*: hmm...what if accepting them leads to stagnation rather than to growth? lashtal: I think acceptance and recognition are always to be considered a step forward, Eara *Eara Meraia*: recognition yes, but acceptance? sometimes recognition leads to fighting, acceptance almost always leads to not doing or changing anything. lashtal: I'm not sure one has to do anything about him/her-self... *Eara Meraia*: I mean, sometimes nightmares are signs, warning. acceptance sounds for me like ignoring them...or do I get you wrong? lashtal: On the contrary.. lashtal: It implies confronting with their contents lashtal: Going through Aeoshattr: *chuckles* Acceptance can only be achieved by change. Whereas fighting implies resistance to change. : Ary Endleg thumbs up Aeo lashtal: I see different points of view here... *Eara Meraia*: it doesnt have to. fighting is a change as well Aeoshattr: Hm. You do have a point there. It could be different for every person lashtal: I'd be interested in knowing what would you fight against, and what kind of change you mean. Aeoshattr: (me or Eara?) lashtal: Both, otherwise we might misunderstand each others. Aeoshattr: Hm. Speaking about Fear, the way I see it is that in order to grow and change, you must accept and understand your fear, rather than fight it. Aeoshattr: However, fighting may cause change as well - to me, the only thing capable of inducing change in this world is Pain and fighting can cause pain too. I will detail this in a sermon of my own *chuckles* lashtal: Acceptance and understanding, I agree on that... AmberRune: I don't know if pain is the only thing : *Eagle Eye* passed Silver coin to WittyLeWat : *Eagle Eye* passed Silver coin to WittyLeWat : *Eagle Eye* passed Silver coin to Sir Blut : *Eagle Eye* passed Silver coin to Sir Blut *Eara Meraia*: my view is a bit different, even though I overall agree *Eara Meraia*: I agree that you need to accept your fear but.. *Eara Meraia*: With fighting I meant conquering your fear, not transferring it into real life situations. *Eara Meraia*: Let us say you dream of killing your child *Eara Meraia*: Over and over again. *Eara Meraia*: Recognition would be helpful in this situation imo *Eara Meraia*: But acceptance could lead to a very serious negative consequences. *Eara Meraia*: So I would rather work on that fear, instead of just accept it and do nothing Aeoshattr: *chuckles* It would bring about Pain. *Eara Meraia*: I would look into reasons of that fear, analyse it in details, go through it, as lash said before *Eara Meraia*: but in my vision, acceptance has a lot of inertia in it Aeoshattr: (Ironically, I had a similar, very eerie experience OOC) *Eara Meraia*: too much sometimes Aeoshattr: (It would fit the whole fear lecture, but it's OOC so I'm not sure if I should swamp the chat with brackets or not) Azull: acceptance doesn't imply resignation Aeoshattr: Acceptance comes after a great deal of internal pain - which will inevitably change you. lashtal: You name "change" what I name "growth"... lashtal: But with growth I mean you're not really changing, you're evolving, but being yourself. Even more aware of yourself Aeoshattr: *nods* I name it change because it is not always... growth in a positive sense. Aeoshattr: (hawkward silence) Azull: Time to sleep. Goodnight all AmberRune: g'night Aeoshattr: Sleep well, king Azull lashtal: Rest well *Eara Meraia*: welterusten lashtal: (enjoy the silence!) lashtal: Instead of doing homework... We could use Eara's example to actually try and figure out the reasons behind such a nightmare. lashtal: She said: Let us say you dream of killing your child. Over and over again. lashtal: I ask you: what would such a dream reveal about the dreamer? WittyLeWat: *thinks* Maybe the inner fear of something happening to the child? AmberRune: There's something more concerning to them than the thought of repercussions for killing the kid lashtal: That for sure... *Eara Meraia*: he has fear to loose something dear *Eara Meraia*: or let go in general : Aeoshattr chuckles lashtal: I'm guessing here... there may be also the fear of losing lucidity and murdering the child in a moment of "freakout"? Aeoshattr: It could not be a fear Aeoshattr: It could be a desire. Or a long repressed fear. : WittyLeWat gasps Aeoshattr: Perhaps the fear initially was "I will not live my life if I have a child" lashtal: That might be... lashtal: Of course now we can only guess... we're rambling about a hypothetical dream of someone unknown lashtal: But when we apply the same method to our dreams... WittyLeWat: *nods* We see it subjectively.. lashtal: True, but we also know ourselves better than a random stranger, hence the analysis will be more accurate : WittyLeWat nods WittyLeWat: However,a second opinion of someone who knows us really good may give us another perspective, maybe something that we couldn;t think of *Eara Meraia*: *smiles* ok, I see now. What you call acceptance, i call analysis WittyLeWat: But like you said..we know best. And I think our most private thoughts and happenings are only known by ourselves : lashtal agrees with Witty lashtal: Eara, yeah with acceptance I mean the result of analysis.. does that make sense? *Eara Meraia*: your words make more sense now, in any case :) WittyLeWat: Excuse me for interrupting. By analyzing ourselves we reach a conclusion, something about ourselves, right? I think the next step is to accept that, if it cannot be changed lashtal: *nods* That's the key-point, Witty : WittyLeWat smiles WittyLeWat: I think acceptance is a more difficult thing to do than analyzing... Azkhael: I am incredibly late, I know. Greetings, nevertheless. : WittyLeWat waves to Azkhael lashtal: Nice to see you, Azkhael : Aeoshattr chuckles Aeoshattr: Fighting would mean trying to change "it". Acceptance means changing "you". That's how I see it WittyLeWat: *thinks* But how does accepting something about yourself actually changes you as a person? Azkhael: Even if you can and would change it, why would you not accept it? Aeoshattr: You cannot truly accept something unless you change. lashtal: Why do you have to change? AmberRune: I know I'm a stubborn type person and it's burned me. I accept that I'm still stubborn and am ready to stand in front of the fire Aeoshattr: It depends on how you define accept. If it means saying "Yes, I fear spiders" then you don't have to change. WittyLeWat: *frowns* But then how else can you define acceptance? Aeoshattr: To me it means "Yes, I fear spiders and I understand why." Aeoshattr: It doesn't mean you no longer will fear spiders. But you accepted the part of you that feared spiders. Aeoshattr: Which, until then, was not understood Azkhael: You might change due to your position in relation to external means beyond your ability to influence, perhaps, lashtal? : *Peace* quietly joins the crowd and takes a spot to listen. lashtal: I'm not sure... lashtal: Your Highness... nice to see you *smiles* Aeoshattr: My Queen *smiles and bows* : WittyLeWat waves *Peace*: *nods to all present.* I was hoping to be here on time, alas... But please, do continue... Azkhael: In a sense, to analyse yourself you must accept what that anlyses brings as to whom you are. Azkhael: Though you may wish to change that, you cannot truly do that if you had not accepted your condition to as it is in the first place. Azkhael: But those are two meanings to a same word, I suppose. Azkhael: To accept and to embrace, not wholly different, not entirely akin. lashtal: *nods to Azkhael* But why is that supposed to change me? WittyLeWat: I think it's a cycle.. We analyze, accept, move on, then we must analyze ourselves again and do the same process over and over.. maybe that's how change comes. WittyLeWat: .. from the decisions we made and thoughts we had after truly accepting something.. and before having to analyze again? Azkhael: I believe the very process of reflection would change you, for we are dynamic, rather than static. To reflect upon what we are changes us by and of itself. Azkhael: Though I do like to believe we learn more than we change. *Peace*: I second that. Aeoshattr: (Sadly, I have run out of energy. I literally can't follow the conversation anymore. I'll just lurk.) WittyLeWat: *thinks* Maybe the things we learn actually bring the change in our character. Azkhael: But I also believe most of us would easily be driven into change by circumstances. : WittyLeWat agrees Azkhael: The earliest steps of our upbringing, in a sense, is where the environment's effects upon ourselves is most evident. Azkhael: For we are being very nearly shaped in an environment such as a school. Azkhael: For better or for worse. lashtal: Again, you name "change" what I name "growth"... *Peace*: Evolution? WittyLeWat: *looks at lashtal* then what do you call change? lashtal: Exactly, but at the same time a confirmation of yourself, hence why I dislike the word "change" Azkhael: Hmm, does a school foster growth, lashtal? Azkhael: Or does it foster systems of social distinction? lashtal: It depends... This is Necrovion's College of Darkness... lashtal: Are you changing, growing? Getting bored? Aeoshattr: *bows his head before heading off* Thank you for your lecture, lash. Sweet... dreams, everyone. WittyLeWat: *waves to Aeoshattr* Rest well. lashtal: Thank you for participating Aeo [/spoiler] At this point, the discussion turned to a wider debate on "free will against determinism" (as Jester labelled it), and raised what we may call burning questions: What are we, as humans, growing towards? Are we growing towards death, are we eating just to poo? [spoiler] Azkhael: An adult may be less malleable than a child, but I doubt any of us would state they'd be whoever they are today in spite of how they might have been raised. *Peace*: Sweet nightmares, Aeo. *nods.* Azkhael: I am likely changing, in a way I perceive positively. I am testing my own views, after all. But what am I growing towards? *Eara Meraia*: death : *Peace* smiles at Eara's comment. : WittyLeWat raises a brow Azkhael: You have given me a noun. Azkhael: Now attribute qualities to that noun. Azkhael: I could be heading towards death, surely. But to claim I grow towards death one must first attribute those qualities to death that makes the process into a form of growth. lashtal: I wouldn't say we grow towards death, we grow towards a more defined version of ourselves. Hence why I wouldn't say we really "change". lashtal: But saying we grow towards death sounds like "we eat just to poo" : WittyLeWat chuckles : *Peace* chuckles amused. *Eara Meraia*: no that would be WE GROW JUST TO DIE lashtal: We eat to poo? :-p Azkhael: A. do we have free will in the process, or is our path across that process preordained? Azkhael: B. Does growth require free will, in your view? *Eara Meraia*: *chuckles* you cannot deny the fact Azkhael: You can. lashtal: Seriously... A. We have, although it's often conditioned. *Eara Meraia*: no, you can not. try to eat and not to poo :P lashtal: B. Difficult to say... WittyLeWat: But.. growing is a mental process too, I think death is just physical. Azkhael: @Eara Meraia: causality is a standard of convenience, never a real certainty, though many examples may strike you as absurd. Azkhael: The problem, concerning both the notion of free will and that of growth (...) is that to speak of them we'd require a point of reference. Azkhael: Would you agree, lashtal? *Eara Meraia*: when you were asking about where we grow to, it was a question about causality. Azkhael: It pertains back to free will, Eara. : lashtal agrees with Azkhael Azkhael: Very well, then, do you believe we can somehow find a point of reference for free will and growth? lashtal: For growth, yes... harder for free will WittyLeWat: How much control we have over growth,though? Azkhael: That is a question we cannot answer without first enduring others, sadly. Azkhael: If we can find a point of reference for growth, is that point, itself, inherent to the world (transcendent) , or entirely subjective (given by our experiences) ? Azkhael: Or a mixture of both. WittyLeWat: I think probably a mixture of both. Jester: what is this, free will vs determinism? lashtal: It has to be a combination of both, but focused either on an individual or on a larger scale Jester: I'm a firm believer in free will, just as I was made to be. : WittyLeWat waves to Jester Azkhael: A provoking statement, Jester. Jester: Hiya. Azkhael: It does define the conflict quite well. WittyLeWat: We haven't met before. I'm Witty! *extends her hand towards Jester* . lashtal: Good to see you, Jester Jester: It does tie into causality for me Jester: Good to see you as well, lashtal, and nice to meet you witty. Azkhael: If there is something of transcendent to growth (...) I do not know it, lashtal. Azkhael: But by believing it, you can make those statements you've made. : *Eara Meraia* was dragged by Tal Jester: If all time exists at once, and we simply perceive it as linear due to our limited capacity, then that argues towards determinism in my mind. WittyLeWat: *takes her hand back and smiles* Nice to meet you too. Jester: then that quote about all the world is a stage, all the people merely actors would be extra true, since we'd all be acting out predestined roles Jester: of course, then you have to take into account whether people can ad-lib lines. Jester: I think so, and thats my philosophy now. Jester: All people are playing roles set up for them, but occasionally you get to go off script. WittyLeWat: Who sets up their roles,though? Jester: Not who, what. What being everything that happened before them. Jester: The answer to the question "why?" is "because". Jester: and the answer to the question "why anything?" is "because everything." : lashtal chuckles Azkhael: Complete determinism is not undoable. The problem, however, is that, regardless of whether everything is preordained by causality, that speaks nothing of one being able to speak of it. : WittyLeWat scratches her head Azkhael: The perception of determinism and the existence of determinism are not interconnected. Azkhael: As such, logic cannot be applied to verifying its existence. Jester: I essentially believe that people mostly act the way they where set up to, but occasionally they break out of the mold. Jester: Eh, I did read something a while ago that said whether an... I think it was an electron, whether it moved left or right was 50/50 and nobody could figure out why it chose the way it did Jester: it seemed to be random Jester: so if randomness does exist on that low of a level, it must exist on the higher ones Jester: as below, so above Jester: of course, it could just be that we haven't figured out what determines which way it moves Jester: Anyway, I didn't mean to ramble and interrupt your discussion. I type too quickly for my own good. : WittyLeWat 's hair turns light brown Azkhael: Why would individuals break out of the mold, Jester, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle? Azkhael: Assuming the mold as such exists in the first place, of course. Jester: I thought the uncertainty principle had to do with us not being able to perceive something, not with it being fundamentally uncertain Jester: though that reminds me of one of my favorite jokes, from a terry pratchett novel Jester: something like: "The act of working with something changes the thing worked on and the person working on it. for example, an elementary physicist might wake up one day and realize he either knows who he is or where he is, but not both at the same time." Azkhael: Whether or not observable causality is denied by an inherent element of randomness to the universe (...) Azkhael: That speaks nothing of determinism, indeed. Jester: but yes, correct me if I'm wrong, but the uncertainty principle doesn't have any randomness in it Jester: it simply says that the act of percieving something changes that which is perceived Jester: nothing about chance or randomness Azkhael: Heisenberg's own? No. : Assira the Black leans against the wall listening : WittyLeWat waves to Assira Azkhael: Though it has long since been further annotated by other physicians. Rophs: Let's say that I think there's a neutron here. Jester: physicians are doctors, heh Rophs: I want to see how fast it is going so I bounce another neutron off of it and measure the bounce Jester: physicists study physics Jester: ah, thank you rophs Jester: now I remember, its been years : WittyLeWat listens quietly : Assira the Black nods to Witty Jester: I personally don't believe in the alternate universes theory though. The infinite number of parallel ones. Jester: That would mean that every planck time, which is the tiniest amount of time there is, an infinite number of parallels would branch off due to an electron spinning one way or the other. Jester: Hell, one could be made of anti-matter instead of the matter we know, though completely identical otherwise.. Jester: Oh, though I did hear that they discovered that electrons can teleport. Jester: Wish I could teleport. : WittyLeWat 's light brown hair starts glowing slightly Jester: *glances over* women. always changing their hair color. Jester: Or is she going super saiyan? WittyLeWat: *chuckles* I don't bother keeping it the same color anymore. : Assira the Black raises an eyebrow lashtal: Time has come for me to rest. Thank you all for coming lashtal: It was an interesting discussion Azkhael: Farewell, lashtal. Jester: Nice seeing you lash-it-all, I'll hopefully be here again tomorrow so we can chat. Jester: (of course!) : Assira the Black nods to lashtal WittyLeWat: *nods* Rest well. It was great meeting you! lashtal: My pleasure, Witty [/spoiler] If you feel like doing homework (yeah, in College of Darkness homework is only for the volunteers), and if you're not familiar with my quest Déjà vu - a recurrent nightmare PM-me in game and I will offer you a situation to ponder on. A very special thanks to all those who attended the meetings and participated to the discussions. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

I'm totally with Burns on how "favors" should be granted, meaning with an aim or a direction to follow. Lately I noticed your (Mur's) excitement regarding at least a couple of things: Ackshan's post in the Dark Balance thread and Yasrin Luvien's symbolic drawings for the principles. I believe such people and such intuitions should be "rewarded" if you feel they deserve it. Saying "in the past you would have got fancy stuff but now I can't anymore or people would start complaining" is unacceptable to me. No use for a dead god, or a paralyzed one. Of course this kind of support implies being aware of what happens in MD, this is why what Miq suggested seems a good compromise to me.

I really like them. Please do it for all the principles (yeah, a better scanning would be awesome), and let's have them in game too!

PLayer Name: lashtal PLayer ID no.: 221376 Strongest feeling experienced in the past one week concerning MD and its happenings: some disappointment, but there were some positive surprises too. Do you know what PMS means? (yes or no) Yes Have you watched the movie Mean Girls? (yes or no) No I give consent to Nimrodel to use my responses as raw material in her research. I am very well aware regarding the ethics concerned in human and animal trials and i promise to abide by the rules.

Hmmm?

Here's the fresh log from tonight. I forgot to give you homeworks, but next time you have no escape. :D Lecture 3/4 [spoiler]lashtal: Anybody awake? Rikstar: I am lashtal: *nods* Very good, I'm about to start lashtal: Last week Ary Endleg showed me a very interesting video, something that nicely fills the gap between the past lectures and the new ones. lashtal: While we wait 5 more minutes for others to come, please take a look at it: lashtal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSKtTBjSBg0 Rikstar: I will do. BFH the WHITE: Community Event (hosted by lashtal) : College of Darkness - Fear pt.3. @Howling Gates NOW lashtal: Oh, and another one: lashtal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyiAR2BXtKU Rikstar: (I am a person who can't watch horror.) BFH the WHITE: message will dissappear in a while, i leave now BFH the WHITE: cya Rikstar: (Those movies stalk me for weeks.) Rikstar: (So I have learned to not watch them.) lashtal: Thank you BFH, see you : lashtal grins at Rikstar lashtal: I understand, but sometimes fear teaches us much about ourselves. lashtal: Some may say it's a pity not to hear such a lesson. lashtal: Allright, welcome everybody. lashtal: If you're done with the videos, maybe you got questions or comments before I start? Rikstar: I do agree with it. Rikstar: And I think that I can't disagree with it since it is a fact. lashtal: Tonight's lecture will introduce the concepts of terror, horror and the role of imagination. lashtal: Although often confused, terror and horror refer to different states of mind. lashtal: Terror is the feeling of dreadful anticipation that precedes the experience. lashtal: Such a state usually sharpen your senses, making your body ready for a "fight or flight" reaction. lashtal: Terror can be a valuable source of inspiration too, for it may bring our conscience to un-experienced heights. lashtal: Horror, on the other hand, is the feeling of revulsion that usually occurs after something frightening is experienced. lashtal: Horror is what can freeze you and leave you unable to react. lashtal: Terror is characterized by obscurity, indeterminacy, it shouldn't be dressed with too many details. lashtal: It is precisely THIS indeterminacy which is amplified by the imagination of the victim. lashtal: Imagination is what fills in the missing details and regardless how skilled you are, you'll never find a better dread master than your victim's imagination. lashtal: Speaking of this.. lashtal: I can't help but notice the affinity of such concepts with a mysterious technique that might have to do with fear itself... lashtal: I'm talking about Black Water. lashtal: I'm about to reveal something many would consider "spoiler", but since it's our 3rd gathering... lashtal: Page 4 of Black Water states: lashtal: "Black Water isn't actually a real element. Its reality is in the imagination of the user and is amplified by the vulnerability of the subject. lashtal: The user of this malevolent device shouldn't keep memories of using it, for those memories would turn inside his body." lashtal: As of now, I am not sure Black Water has to do with fear, if it's some sort of conjuration of our dark thoughts... But I can't avoid to relate them. lashtal: I'll give you time to ponder on the implications, and the possible relations Black Water has with fear and the role of imagination. lashtal: I'll conclude this lecture with a quote, from a director I always appreciated. lashtal: "Keep your eyes and ears open. lashtal: All we can do is try to frighten you with some fancy powers. lashtal: But it is only when you close your eyes, or look away, that we get a grip on you. lashtal: Because fear is in your mind. lashtal: Behind closed eyes, is where the real terror begins." lashtal: [Lars von Trier] : *Eagle Eye* failed to cast a spell : lashtal was about to sneeze AmberRune: Need pepper? : *Eagle Eye* smiles *Eagle Eye*: Is failed i wonder why? : [Spell] screams : lashtal eyes Eagle Eye, then Amber lashtal: No thanks *Eagle Eye*: I cast without your name FAILED : Rikstar cheers : *Eagle Eye* cheers *Eagle Eye*: Lot of heats *Eagle Eye*: Thats why failed:) *Eagle Eye*: Not allow to cast 11 players Heats Needed lashtal: I thank you for being so quiet during the lecture lashtal: If anybody has anything to say, I'm here to listen and discuss AmberRune: That's why I haven't been playing zombie games late at night in a while TheRichMerchant: (i hope you have read the lattest from Princ, fellow marindians) *Eagle Eye*: I used to lie in bed in my flat *Eagle Eye*: and imagine what would happen if there was a zombie attack. lashtal: What would you do EE? *Eagle Eye*: Shout and Scream lashtal: 'Till they come and get you? lashtal: Wouldn't you organize some defense? Gljivoje: shout and scream, unorganizations in clutches of horror what might happen, but it still isnt *Eagle Eye*: single def lashtal: Single def against zombies? Which creature? :-) Azrafar: Zombies are just shambling corpses. I wouldn't worry about them too much. *Eagle Eye*: Vamfire Priest lashtal: I'm with Azrafar Rikstar: Other humans are a greater threat! Azrafar: I can just outrun them and wait for the military to clean them up. Rikstar: ANd if there isn't a military? Gljivoje: you must include emotional horrors, variations of current situation Azrafar: Then I'll hide, fortify and go hunting. AmberRune: Pool cue *Eagle Eye*: Culture is just a shambling zombie that repeats what it did in life; bits of it drop off, and it doesn't appear to notice. : lashtal looks Eagle Eye in amazement Azrafar: I would disagree with Eagle Eye on the culture analogy. *Eagle Eye*: :) Azrafar: Culture can stagnate, but it can also evolve and adapt quickly if necessary. lashtal: I must admit I enjoyed the image rather than the analogy.. *Eagle Eye*: Culture makes people understand each other better *Eagle Eye*: And if they understand better in their soul, it is easier to overcome Azrafar: I feel the conversation about zombies and horror just got derailed. :) *Eagle Eye*: :) : Eon throws the dice and gets 1 *Eagle Eye*: Hello Eon : Eon passed Silver coin to Azrafar Azrafar: Thank you, but why? *Eagle Eye*: Anyway, Lorerootians up coming training ground you can joined if you like soon *Eagle Eye*: back to Zombie *Eagle Eye*: We fear death so profoundly, not because it means the end of our body, *Eagle Eye*: but because it means the end of our consciousness-better to be a spirit in Heaven than a zombie on Earth Eon: . Azrafar: True. *Eagle Eye*: :P Azrafar: I'm tired, so I'll be going now. Thanks for the lecture. : Azrafar bows and leaves *Eagle Eye*: take a good care : *Eagle Eye* bows *Eagle Eye*: See you around lashtal: Thank you all for coming [/spoiler]

Finally, this is THE point. Power comes with responsibilities. There is a greater good here, greater than dst, Eon, DD, Mur or anybody involved in this: MD as a realm. While a villain may be extremely annoying, sometimes he/she forces reaction and activity, for the realm's own good. (Tension is necessary to existence) If, on the other hand, such activities bring frustration to those who SPEND THEIR OWN TIME organizing quests, no matter how good you think the quests are, this is simply not doing a good service to MD. If one's actions make others players leave, again, it's not a good service to MD. There's a thin line between being a villain and being a troll, recognizing it is part of what I label "intelligence".

A lot has been said already and there's not much I would add to what Ivorak and others pointed out. To those who organize quests and events: get prepared, there will be trolls! Get prepared means either: A - protect your quests, don't run all the stuff by yourself; B - deal with the superior intellect who's urinating on your doormat (it was dirty already and it's not because it's yours... Plus, if you ask respectfully he/she may stop! :))) To the trolls: keep on trolling! It's easier than running your own events and even funnier! You can play the badass and in the end get candies because you helped people figure out there are trolls to deal with. Seriously, who could ask for more?

Happy birthday to you both, all the best!

I'm still in the middle of the journey but... Well done so far!! It's very nice to hear you dealing with sound-scapes :) I have semi-professional audio equipment and spent some time myself recording unusual material. Internet has many samples you can DL for free, but should you need anything particular recorded just let me know.

For me it will be "just another" great friday night: I'll be rehearsing with a friend of mine, wait for our women, have dinner all together and in the end get as wasted as we can. :D