Visitors' Comments and General Mishmash

[Wired*Nun]

Post things that don't fit anywhere else, here.

[Pygysys]

Stumbled onto this game of yours Wired*Nun from the GOO forums. I've read the posts and I must say that I've been enjoying the dialogue/interaction so far, keep it up. :) WN - I also like the cameo performance thus far of Flora and Gerard, very amusing and entertaining, and solid. I've known too many to NPC Flora as a ditz, which I always found as a copout of sorts.

I hope it's okay if I keep tagging along for the ride?

[Wired*Nun]

Stumbled onto this game of yours Wired*Nun from the GOO forums. I've read the posts and I must say that I've been enjoying the dialogue/interaction so far, keep it up. :) WN - I also like the cameo performance thus far of Flora and Gerard, very amusing and entertaining, and solid. I've known too many to NPC Flora as a ditz, which I always found as a copout of sorts.

I hope it's okay if I keep tagging along for the ride?
Thanks for the kudos. Feel free to read along, comments welcomed. If anyone thinks a centuries-old political intruguer like Flora is a ditz, they seem to have a lapse of logic. I think she is more of an actress than anything, and has been acting the part so long people think that's her. No one knows how smart she really might be - is it all an act? Can she really be that shallow? Of is she just a bit weak? Maybe amoral and unprincipled? There is more complexity there than Zelazny revealed, but he dropped hints here and there. Anyone ever seen "Auntie Mame?"

As far as Gerard, just because someone isn't clever doesn't mean they are not wise, interesting, or important. We place too much value on cleverness. I'll take wisdom any day.

[Pygysys]

As far as Gerard, just because someone isn't clever doesn't mean they are not wise, interesting, or important. We place too much value on cleverness. I'll take wisdom any day.
I'm with you there. I thought the manner in which Gerard dealt with Corwin was particularly wise. Sure, he might not be the quickest thinker in the family, but his value comes in thinking through. A very under-rated thing to do at times.

[LynMars]

Someone who keeps hand grenades in her purse "just in case", leads archer units in battle, and maintains 8 large dogs capable of ripping any of her brothers apart isn't exactly a weakling in my opinion...I've always liked Flora, and think some of Erick Wujcik's interpretations are right on; she's a great ally, as long as you're on the winning side, or she decides she likes you and wants to help you suceed. And Gerard's not stupid either, he just tends to take a different viewpoint than many of the others, thinking in a different way. He also stikes me as a foil for some of the other brothers, someone who is different from many of the others, as least the way he was presented in the Chronicles.

[TreyKincaide]

Testing

[Wired*Nun]

got it. I'll put in the request.

[LynMars]

there he is! guess you actually need to post something before you show up anywhere? huh...he's responding to your email now, Wired...

[Thanos]

This is fascinating and creative work this troupe is putting together. Its been a long while since I have even had a chance to read a good Amber game, let alone play one. An email to Dave seems in order as I would so like to get involved in such a dynamic assembly of players.

[Pygysys]

I'm blushing, don't know about anyone else. I vote: Let Thanos play, Dave. :P

Anyway the more the merrier and you're still not loaded, right? ;) If we keep this recruitment drive up, every Amberite Elder can have spawn running around. Hmmm... who would be our Oberon? Random? *Falls over laughing*

[Wired*Nun]

I find people's compliments surprising, actually, given that I have no experience doing this PBP. I guess it's just a matter of putting the effort in - I won't say work, as I think this is fun, not work. My players always liked my games, when I could find decent players anyway. Finding decent players of Amber was even harder.

And who said Oberon was dead? Can't trust any funeral where the casket is not open. And in Amber, not even then.

I do have to go back to work next week:cry: so it will be interesting to see if I feel loaded then.

[Wired*Nun]

Welcome shadowdawn!

[Wired*Nun]

Welcome Tony Jones!

[Tony Jones]

Welcome Tony Jones!
Thanks! Pleasure to be lurking here.

I was reading your thoughts on Pattern and hellriding on one of the other threads, and was wondering if I might incorporate bits of them on my own Amber Powers Pattern page (at http://www.wolfram.demon.co.uk/rp_am_pwr_pattern.html)? With credit to you of course!

[Wired*Nun]

Oh, feel free. These are just my interpretation of Zelazny's intent. Credit is nice, thanks very much. Sorry I don't explain it as well as I could. I'll look at your page here in a minute. Do you have any intention to play, or just reading along?

[Tony Jones]

Thanks for that. I'll see about adding to my page when time allows...

Given how insanely busy I am at the moment, playing is, alas, out of the question. Lurking is enough work for me given how active the game is! Maybe one day... :\

[Wired*Nun]

Howdy, Grahluk. How's the little Grahls? Or are they Luks?

[Wired*Nun]

Hi, Tamarind. You make good chutney.

[Tamarind]

Alas my chutney-making skills remain wholly untested, I fear you confuse me with another - more competent - cook :roll:

Seriously, in addition to being an (apparently quite tasty) fruit, Tamarind is also the name of my character in a long-running face-to-face game

Very much enjoying following the game - some really excellent characters and npcs. Can't wait to see what happens next with Joachim et al...

[Thanos]

Life is about to become very complicated ;-)

Interesting Avatar you have though, I like it.

[Tamarind]

Thank you - the fullsize version is at http://www.wolfram.demon.co.uk/rp_am_tle_tamarind.html but I think it works well as a thumbnail too

And I think you could be right - very complicated :tsk:

[BigRedRod]

*pop*

Heh, this game has only existed a short time and already it occupies the number one spot for posts on the site.
Well done people. It is nice to see that progress can be made when you get a dedicated DM and players (dedication in the form of an average of 20 odd posts a day ;) ). Especially as it isn't D&D or BESM, I like seeing variety suceeding on the site


I previously had the largest games which have existed for rather a long period and they both have about 500 less than in here

So yeah, that was all I wanted to say

*tips hat*
Good Day sir!

[Wired*Nun]

Kudos accepted, on behalf of all. We have a great team.

[Shutter]

I'd like to point out that I'm having a whole hell of a lot of fun. I love the fact that I've made over 600 posts but haven't killed anyone or engaged in earnest violence...A wonderful change of pace from my prievious gaming experiences. Thanks Dave and everyone else!

[chalice]

This game is like being told a really great story - I can never wait to find out what happens next to everyone in it!

[Wired*Nun]

So what does anyone think of the Betancourt books? I'm in the middle of the second one - not going to pay hardback prices after all - and I am enjoying them, as long as I think of them as "Amber stories" rather than "Real Amber Books." Some big flaws IMO in matching up with the proper Zelazny multiverse, but if you just take them just like you would an Amberzine story, they're ok.

[LynMars]

Good lord, after seeing the flame war this caused over on GoO's website, I'm loath to bring it here.

Though I do think we're quite a bit more mature than some of the people there...Strikes me as funny how petty and childish people who post to game company forums can be; there are reasons I don't go to White Wolf's anymore; the immature types outnumbered the sane.

ANYWAY, I read the first one, haven't gotten to the second yet. The first one tried real hard for the proper feel, but I read it way too fast; as in, I got done in next to no time.

I don't think they're "absolute drivel"; I think Betancourt, if he really did mention Zelazny's desire that no one else ever write Amber, is doing it because someone else would have anyway and he thought it may as well be him. I hear he's improving with his novel style as well, being a primarily short story writer until recently, but as I've read very little of his other work, I don't know.

Interesting ideas; if GoO uses them at all (I can't imagine anything including them selling well just due to the general feeling I've seen regarding them), it should be suplementary material at best. I think they will, eventually, if only because at some future date they may need a book to sell. I did like a few of the characters, and he had a decent feel for them. A lot doesn't match up with RZ's own hints and ways of doing things, but they're okay "stories".

[Wired*Nun]

Yes, I agree. Some cute ideas, though I am kind of feeling like I'm reading "Oberon Potter and the Door to Chaos." If I ever did a campaign using it, I would say, "Set in the bizarre shadow of the Courts detailed in the Betancourt novels." One thing I noticed was far too many modernisms in the way people talk. I can accept it in the present story, after all, many of the characters have been to shadow Earth, but in those books, it was supposed to be the far far past. In any case, I am enjoying reading them, as much as any other book.

[Thanos]

I took them as being seperate short stories that somebody had done in their spare time and had molded together. He is not a bad author, but he is not Zelazny with any stretch of the imagination.

I did however enjoy the books for what they were, more books written with the proper feel. With a little mature editing by those of us that are Zelazny fanatics we can see the story as Zelazny would have written it.

As to the stuff that doesn't match up? Heh, only Zelazny knew what he was hinting at, if anybody did, which he might not have. I liked the premise for how the powers came to be currently. Don't know if I would use it in a game though.

[chalice]

Strikes me as funny how petty and childish people who post to game company forums can be; there are reasons I don't go to White Wolf's anymore; the immature types outnumbered the sane.
Yeah: there was a reason I stopped running events for gamers for a living...:depry:

[Shutter]

You were a proffesional GM?
...pardon me while my mind boggles for a few minutes....
What was that like?

[LynMars]

heh, we used to be part of a White Wolf demo team; but the guy in charge of the demo teams moved or something, and there was a breakdown in communications; we never got our credit for the last UniCon in Joplin, MO. Ah well. Trey's thinking of starting it up again. Running games and getting product for it can be fun.

[chalice]

I wasn't a professional GM - I used to organise gaming conventions both for a living and voluntarily. And it's odd how every single gamer with zero experience of working for a games company or running an event knows exactly how they should be run, how the games should be written, why the products should be better-packaged and cheaper, and why insisting on respect for copyright is Evil and Wrong. Sigh. And they all want to harangue you about it - because it's not like you have any actual work to do, right?

[Wired*Nun]

Lol. Ain't human nature a bitch!

[Thanos]

I picked up To Rule In Amber as my reading material at the Department of Motor eVisceration’s. So far they have explained how Ygg came into being in the first 2 chapters. I am looking forward to the book, but it started out kinda slow and boring…..or that’s how I felt while reading in the middle of a mass of people next to a highly distracting young woman that was far to young for me.
Gosh, how kids dress these days! It was like a Britney Spears video ;-)

[LynMars]

At least she looked to be somewhat near to being of age, right? I have a problem with 10 year old girls in tiny t-shirts and cutoffs that say "dangerous" or somesuch crap on their butt. No Kidding! Talk about taking some things to extremes....

[Thanos]

At least she looked to be somewhat near to being of age, right? I have a problem with 10 year old girls in tiny t-shirts and cutoffs that say "dangerous" or somesuch crap on their butt. No Kidding! Talk about taking some things to extremes....
If she was a day over 17 I would eat the book. Thats 12 year difference, so I was a bit put out:S
that and the like, you know, anyways, like, well, anyways, didn't help at all :yum:

I go to the gym 3 times a week (most of the time) and I see a lot of girls with that on their backsides or other areas that guys like to look...and some of them I really would consider dangerous:cool: ! One of the girls has legs so defined she could be in a physiology and Anatomy book...sometimes I get distracted, sorry:worry:

[Pygysys]

What I wonder about is the parents who allow their kids to dress in such a fashion, especially the younger kids. Anyone else remember their parents putting their foot down and sending you back to your room to change into something a little more appropriate?

[Wired*Nun]

Indulgent parents and an affluent society = excess. I have 3 children, 10, 14 and 17, and so I get to see a lot of it. We have been very firm with them about a lot of things, and guess what! Everyone we know marvel at how well-adjusted, sensible and likable they are. "I wish my (daughter, son) would be like that!" I want to shake them by the neck and say, "They could be, if you set some fricking limits once in a while! And NOT give them everything they ask for?" They seem afraid of the short-term pout - it's easier to give in than say "no." But we all know this, intellectually. It's application that's hard. Consistent loving discipline is the key.

[LynMars]

I marvel at how my siblinga and I turned out so differently. Right now my mother is being driven up the wall by my baby brother's antics. The youngest, and the boy, Dad spoiled him a bit. To the point that when Dad yelled at Mom for scolding Johnny, and left the house in a huff, my brother turned to our mother and asked if Dad even cared about the crap he was pulling, and that she was the only parent actually trying to do her job and help him (by this point, my brother had dropped out of Senior Year of High School--Sister, Mom, and I could have killed him--and we know he's been dabbling in drugs). He's fully aware of what he's doing, but doesn't want to stop. Our dad never punished us growing up, leaving it for Mom to be the "bad guy", and only after reaching my late teens did I realize the difference. Now, I appreciate it so much that I had at least one sensible parent who kept me in line.

And yes, for the curious; my grandfather was John Sr, my Dad and Brother are Jr and the 3rd, respectively, and I've been dating a Jon for over 4 years now. My mother asked why I had to make it difficult; my poor nephew is going to be so confused...

[Pygysys]

I grew up in a single parent household with my younger brother and sister. So for us a lot of the reasoning behind 'no' was because we quite simply couldn't afford it and my Mum didn't want us to be as spoilt as some of our friends. I really do appreciate how well the three of us turned out in the end and admire her for the job she did. Like a lot of kids/parents, we have our issues but I'll never begrudge her for the individual she helped to mould me into.

Too many parents today want to be friends first and win the popularity contests, forgetting that sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind but first and foremost, parents are parents. This doesn't say that they can't be friends with their kids, it just means they have to be parents. Mind you, I say all this without the benefit of actually being a parent myself but I do get a lot of inspiration from my younger brother and his wife with their three kids (Who I love and adore and babysit whenever I can). :)

[Wired*Nun]

I totally agree with both of the above. My wife and I made a pact on day 1 that we would never be split apart by the kids - we would be a unit, and agree publicly, disagree only in private, and back each other up to the hilt. It works wonders. Once a child sees the parents in disagreement, several bad things happen. 1) They lose confidence in the parental unit, 2) they start thinking they can get what they want by playing them off each other, and if they are successful 3) they lose respect and develop contempt because they are now able to manipulate the parents and 4) love isn't far behind, because it's hard to love someone for whom you have contempt.

I would rather any day that my children respected me than liked me. Funny thing is that if someone respects you, they have a good foundation for affection; without respect, they will neither respect themselves, nor like you.

[Wired*Nun]

For those visitors that view this, there's still room for another player or two, if you think you will fit in.

[Wired*Nun]

Welcome, Zeff!

[lotus]

How would one go about creating a character if A) there is a vacancy available, B) no longer has a Corebook but is very familiar with the rules (long story short: moved on very, very short notice and was not able to take many things so ex-girlfriend inherited about $1500 worth of game books, clothes, comics, yadda yadda) and, C) has no experience with a PbP game?

I actually came across this site because I was at the Phage site looking to order a new book found out the license had been sold and was at GoO, registered for that site, and after some random wandering and posting saw the advert for people interested in an Amber PbP and came here to check it out.

[Wired*Nun]

Well, if you are an Amber fan, have looked at the game threads, like what you see, and have read the "Read This First" under the House Rules forum: (takes deep breath*)

Read the "Backwards Link" section, the "House Rules" and "Game Questions" Threads;
Create a character concept - history, background, and stats, based on 125 points;
E-mail it to Wirednun111 @ yahoo.com.

We will discuss your character by e-mail. Right now, it's pretty full, since I am deployed to Baghdad and have more limited time than normal to GM. I should be back by New Year, and may be able to accomodate more then.

Cheers!

Dave van Dyche

[lotus]

First off: Thanks for your service, politics aside I appreciate it personally, and stay safe.

That said...yes I've done the reading (was actually doing some at the moment waiting for the Arsenal game to start) and while we may disagree philosophically about minor points (mostly trump stuff) I can deal with that as it is your game :D.

I actually was already working on a character (not because I had any great confidence of getting into the game but, because I was bored and had two hours to kill and can only watch the same sportscenter rerun so many times.) I'll try to work out some history and send it to you this weekend sometime. (depending on how motivated I get could be this morning)

Understandably if you're not accepting any new submissions until the new year I'll just read along or something until then.

Thanks for replying in a timely manner.

Michael

[Wired*Nun]

If you've sent something to my Yahoo account I haven't been able to access it for a couple of days, but I will eventually.

[lotus]

Yes I did, but there's no hurry I'm sure you've got far more important things to worry about...

[Wired*Nun]

I got your stuff in the e-mail, Lotus, but as I said, I'm not really able to make the time to add more players right now. If/when I get a chance, I'll send you back my take on your character, but for now, I've only given it a cursory glance.

[lotus]

yeah no biggie, I'll just be reading along...it's a lot to read...

[Shutter]

Try archiving it all by hand. :)

[lotus]

Isn't that what Cut/paste and printers are for?

[Shutter]

Well, yeah, cut, paste, and finding/inserting all the headers of the posts, keeping track of who said what, making sure the fonts come through correctly, synching up posts that may be non-sequential, removing OOC comments...

[lotus]

Yeah I was thinking along those lines...I'm not saying it would be easy (in fact i was doing some of that last night) but, it's not like you're sitting in the dark transcribing it by candlelight in longhand...;)

[Shutter]

Ah, good point. Shouldn't have said "by hand" I guess....oh well.

[lotus]

it's no big deal I was probably being too literal.

[chalice]

If Shutter's computer is as ever-helpful as mine, transcribing by candlelight might be quicker;)

[lotus]

could be worse you could be a Benedictine...

[MisterBlaze]

Hello, all. Just wanted to offer kudos to a really entertaining read. Blame Pygysys for pointing it out to me, if you're buckling under the weight of another lurker. She's most persuasive. Not that I turned out to need a lot of convincing. A very seriously cool game. Many kudos.

[Wired*Nun]

Lurkers are fine and encouraged. Lurk all you like. Thanks for your support. Sorry I don't feel like I can handle more players right now.

[Pygysys]

People should hassle MisterBlaze to run a Changeling game some day on the forums, once he's got a computer up and running at home again.

Best damned Changeling GM ever!

For MisterBlaze: Step away from the troll!

[Wired*Nun]

If only I liked Changeling...but I don't.

Need Rebis' post BTW.

[Wired*Nun]

Welcome, Eternal!

[chalice]

People should hassle MisterBlaze to run a Changeling game some day on the forums, once he's got a computer up and running at home again.

Oooh, I'd play!!!! Loved Changeling, but only played in two short-lived campaigns.

MisterBlaze, if I knew you, I'd hassle you along with Pygysys:roll:

[MisterBlaze]

D'worry Chalice. Pygysys can hassle me enough for you, her and any other forty seven people you can name. She's relentless. How anyone'd be game to go up against Kat is beyond me. I've crossed her characters before and it's always gone horribly wrong.

You offer to stab *one* duchess with a fork and your whole life is made a living misery :)

*hugs to Pygysys* BUt I still luvs ya.

[Pygysys]

It wasn't any old Duchess it was my beloved Duchess!

*Mutters under her breath about MisterBlaze and forks.*

Seriously though Chalice, once he's up and running again at home, I'll hassle him into running a Changeling game. Even though this might inflate his ego: I just can't play Changeling without him running it. Nobody runs Changeling quite like MB.

'I'm a pirate! Of course I can sing!'

[Shutter]

What is this "Changeling" you speak of?

[LynMars]

A White Wolf game that didn't make it to 3rd ed. It was a bit lighter than the others, though had it's own dark points, of course. Trey once tried to run a game for me...but with the same couple we'd tried to run the Amber game Karina came from with and their problems again got in the way of the game. That and Trey has a short GM-attention span. ;) It takes Faeries, creatures of Dreaming, and puts them in the banality of the modern World of Darkness. We only have a copy of 1st ed; have seen 2nd ed and it was an improvement. The new Dark Ages Fae book is pretty, and dark and scary, just like the original fairy tales themselves. :)

[Shutter]

Ooh, intriguing...I may have to venture forth to a game store one of these days and see what's come out in the last 8 years...

[lotus]

I would also suggest the works of Fantasy author Charles De Lint, specifically the books that make up Jack of Kinrowan (Jack the Giant Killer and Drink Down the Moon IIRC) as they, to me, convey the general feeling of modern fae. Although they're a bit dated now.

[Thanos]

BAH FAE!

No need to play no stink'n FAE! We landed on the moon and now they are doomed! Then again, that kinda hampered the creative spirit of the entire human race into a state of apethy, but heck the Ascention War is over and everybody lost!

No offense, but the Technocrats painted themselves into a corner as it were. Give me a Void Engineer anyday. At least they think that there is more out there than a civil war.....

[Pygysys]

I've only been able to get my hands on one of Charles De Lint's books and I have to agree, it certainly caught the general feeling of modern fae.

I like Changeling, probably because MB seems to balance the light and the dark side of the game rather well. One minute we're all rolling around the floor laughing at our antics and then ten minutes later we're recoiling in horror and so on...

One of my favourite NPC's will always be the Fox Sherrif who rescued a PC from tangleweed... then of course there was the talking icecube... the evil serpent monster who got killed by a PC's high heel shoe to the eye... it goes on. :)

[lotus]

Of the four WoD games from the 90's I always felt that Mage was the best, for me everything else sort of paled in comparison. I didn't read any of that Acension War BS though ugh...I suppose they felt they needed to reboot but, um why again...oh right sales...

[MisterBlaze]

Oh I'm a huge fan of Mage and Werewolf too. I generally prefer to stick with 2nd Ed. White Wolf kinda shot themselves in the foot with Revised. The metaplot kinda ruined it all which was, as I understand it, the point.
The funny thing about Changeling is watching Pygysys. She plays such dignified and stern characters. Right until she plays Changeling. Then it all kinda goes downhill. But it's her Amber characters I most like. She's a right giggle when she's stirred up. Just keep her away from a Trump deck and it's all OK.

Her: Let's go to the tavern.
Me: Nah. I don't feel like drinking.
Her: Infidel dog! *Trump brainfry*

Course I *was* playing arguably the anti-her. We never got on. Just like siblings should :P

[lotus]

Yeh gotta be careful with the random trump brainfry...I agree 2nd ed. is where it's at...

[Pygysys]

Her: Let's go to the tavern.
Me: Nah. I don't feel like drinking.
Her: Infidel dog! *Trump brainfry*

Course I *was* playing arguably the anti-her. We never got on. Just like siblings should :P

It was more like this:

Him: So ... we're the Ambassadors for Amber. Let's go get pissed (Aussie slang for drunk) and check out the racks.
Me: *Facepalm* I don't think that's what your father had in mind... oh wait, Random's your father.
Him: That's right, I'm the King's kid, don't you forget it.
Me: *Trump Brainfry* Oooops... did I do that?

[LynMars]

Sounds fun...I liked some of the changes for 3rd ed, didn't like others. Rules wise, it was good. I like some of the changes and revisions of the splat books for Vampire and Werewolf--Malkavian, Assamite, and Red Talons especially were Greatly improved. As for Mage...Jess Heinig is the Devil. All there is to it.

[MisterBlaze]

I liked the Revised rules. The story wasn't too flash. I have to agree with LynMars about the changes to some of the splatbooks. They did a great job with the Fianna and Get of Fenris too. As for Mage...meh. What they were thinking is beyond me.

And, darn it, Pygysys, my father was Benedict. Random would have had to stand on a box or something to reach mum :)

[Pygysys]

No MB: Your Father was Random. The little guy. The fellow we use as a moving beer coaster.

My father was Caine and all was well with my world... even if I was shipwrecked.

[LynMars]

I think I like this MisterBlaze guy. Can we keep him?

[lotus]

(tries to imagine Random standing on a box for that) *shudder*

now I have to go wash my mind out...

[Pygysys]

MisterBlaze really is the lovable type and yes we can keep him. His wife keeps him on a short leash though, so we can't keep him out past his bedtime though. :P *Ducking now*

[MisterBlaze]

Now everyone things I'm Random's brat *sob* Gwen was Random's brat. I was Benedict's brat. Remember? Everyone thought I was Corwin's. Even Corwin didn't know if it was true.

Me: Corwin, they tell me you're my father.
Corwin: Uh...you could be. I meet so many women...
Me: Hey! We have a lot in common! Me too!
Benedict: . o ( Maybe I'll just hang in the background and make sure he doesn't get himself hurt doing something stupid )
Me (later): *Trump* Um. So. I'm plummetting to my death after Tir Na Nog'th has vanished underneath me. I could use a hand here.
Benedict: *facepalm* Now I *gotta* tell him. He's too stupid to survive on his own.

Sound familiar at all, big sister? :)

[Pygysys]

No. Gwen was Gerard's brat or so everyone thought but turned out to be Caine's brat thanks to Dara.

Now you're getting the campaigns mixed up. In the sibling game, you were Random's brat. :p

In the following campaign, you were ... hey hold on, Gwen was in Pete's campaign.

Anyway in the sibling game you were Random's kid and I was Caine's kid and that was that. :P You wanted to kill me, I wanted to kill you and Tom Cruise (Armand) was our Grand-father from Chaos come to make sure we didn't kill our Mum.

[MisterBlaze]

Of course I wanted to kill you. By the time we were into the game everyone wanted to kill you. People you didn't even know wanted you dead. I was too busy plummeting to my death and irritating the Pattern (what do you have to do wrong to get the Pattern to hate you?) to keep up with all the enemies Cassie made.

Kat is so much sweeter. Why can't you ever play nice kids like Kat while you and I are playing together? :nervous:

[Thanos]

Because she is EeeeeeeeviiiiiiiiL! ;-)

[Pygysys]

Kat is so much sweeter. Why can't you ever play nice kids like Kat while you and I are playing together? :nervous:

This from the pimp of Amber? Hah! ;)

And Kat isn't evil nor nice, just finding her feet and that's not easy with the company she keeps. :KO:

[lotus]

Because she is EeeeeeeeviiiiiiiiL! ;-)
I second that...*ducks quickly*http://tgv.online-roleplaying.com/forums/images/smilies/smiley%20-%20lick.gif

[Wired*Nun]

(tries to imagine Random standing on a box for that) *shudder*

now I have to go wash my mind out...

This reminds me of a really vile joke with the punchline "And you're still believin' in leprechauns!".

[Pygysys]

I'm intrigued...

I also think that along with Roland and Raevyn, Kat makes up the triad of nice guy and gals of Amber. :P

[lotus]

I too am intrigued...

and look she's already got her own cabal that just proves it, it's only a small step from that to using the pattern as an inkblot...:roll:

[Wired*Nun]

Intrigued by the joke?

It starts with a guy looking over at the little fellow peeing into the unrinal next to him...do you really want to hear more?

[Thanos]

I'm intrigued...

I also think that along with Roland and Raevyn, Kat makes up the triad of nice guy and gals of Amber. :P



OOOOOHHHHhh! So you are saying that Heldrik jumping down to help Kat get out of that magic net and taking the beating of his entire 200 year life ant friendly!? See what help you get next time you impertinant lass! j/k

I agree, Heldrik is not a nice guy, but more like a hardened guy. He will side with the 'nice guys' when it suits his purposes, which of course are about as muddled as they come at this point.

Don't worry Kat, besides Gray she is the only one that Heldrik took a liking to ;-). You will have a rescue party coming sooner or later.

[Pygysys]

*Beams* Kat is liked. :)

And yes, I'm intrigued by the joke. I've only ever heard one leprechaun joke and though I can't remember it, I do know it didn't start like yours does Dave. I'd like to hear more, it might be a vile joke but jokes come in all sorts.

[Wired*Nun]

Yes well...I'll tell it in bits so I have some deniability...

Anyway this guy glances over and sees how well-endowed the little fellow is...

[Pygysys]

Good idea. I'll jot it down in one piece to assail my friends in the days to come.

[Wired*Nun]

And he exclaims out loud, "How in the world did a little guy like you get such a big member?"

[MisterBlaze]

Man, I take a day off work and when I come back it's the leprechaun joke. I remember this one well :P

And Kat is, indeed, evil. She's sweet *now* but I bet she'll turn any time now. Bewaaaaaaare.

OK. I'm over it now.

Your joke has been interrupted by the letter J and the number 9.

[Pygysys]

She hasn't been bitten by any evil creatures of Chaos yet, MB. No reason for her to turn into anything aside from the good cousin and loyal servant of Amber she is. :P

*Jots down the next line for the Leprechaun joke.*

[LynMars]

I think I've heard this one before...but for the life of me can't recall how it goes...

[Wired*Nun]

The little fellow says, "I'm a leprechaun, don't ya know, and all of us leprechauns know the secret of getting such a large lady-pleaser, if yer be gettin' my meanin'."

[lotus]

*snicker* ladypleaser...this must be an older one.

[Wired*Nun]

The guy looking on (by the way, you can insert your favorite well-meaning slur here - when I heard it, it was Navy aviator) says, "I sure would like to know that secret"

The leprechaun says, "Well, you're not going to like it, but if you really want it, it's the only way."

[LynMars]

I think the slur used for Army jokes was Marine...sometimes Air Force... ;)

[lotus]

must be a military thing...

[lotus]

I do so love it when people leap to conclusions after the fact...*points at Landon*

[Pygysys]

Don't you love it when you wake up, head downstairs and find a hose sticking out of your car's fuel tank... *Mutter-grumble* Am now awaiting the police and praying they didn't leech all that precious petrol. Very hard to deliver pizzas without fuel.

[LynMars]

I'd imagine it is rather difficult, yes...I use to have a lock on my gas cap. Handy, especially as my step-cousin and his friends liked to siphon gas at the time...

[Pygysys]

My poor 'Ben' is 17 years old, so if I really want to go out of my way, I could track down a cap that locks but given I have a house I can lock the car under, I think I'll just make sure to do that in future. It just really sucks as this off week for pays and I still have the 2 shifts of work left. Blah. It could be worse though, MisterBlaze just told me about the time some wankers stole his mother's new tyres. Now that's a lot worse.

[TreyKincaide]

Hey lotus, that's the player's fault. It's not really jumping to conclusions. Never hurts to consider poor alternatives and be ready for them--or try to be. I was actually working on something else and it just struck me. That's usually how my mind works. I'll wake up at 2 am and figure out something that I was wrestling with at work the day before.

Wow, I've never actually heard of someone's gas siphoned. My grandfather showed me how to do it once when he ran out of gas for his lawn mower, but that's odd.

[MisterBlaze]

Happiness is sitting in your bedroom with an air rifle popping pellets into someone trying to steal stuff off your mum's car. It's like playing that video game 'Silent Scope' only your victims scream more. They don't come back either. Evidently it's not a very nice thing to do but then again neither is stealing tyres so we're about even, I reckon :)

[LynMars]

*Adds MisterBlaze's post as a quote in her usual mIRC channel*

[MisterBlaze]

*Takes a small bow, does a little dance and in general entertains.

[Pygysys]

It's a common enough thing, especially if kids are after fuel for stolen cars or don't have enough pocket money to buy their own fuel for their own cars... plus there's also those who entertain themselves with good old fashioned petrol sniffing. Poor schmucks.

At least on the bright side of things, they got scared off before they took it all. Given I had 2/3's of a 52 litre tank and I still have over 1/4 left, I'm happy. I can work tonight afterall, but more importantly I can drive to the petrol station and top up if I need to.

This is why I always have a hidden cash reserve for emergencies... okay it's really the emergency vet fund for the cats, but it comes in handy.

[TreyKincaide]

Ack. Damn America and it's standard system. No comprehension of 52 litres.

[Pygysys]

I believe the equivalent is 14 gallons?

[Wired*Nun]

Imperial or US? Hahah. Trey, stealing gas in Europe is more common at the equivalent of $6 a gallon than at US prices.

And, as promised:

The Navy pilot says, "I'll do anything for one that big! The women will want me and the guys will envy me! Hell, some of the guys will want me too!"

The little guy says, "All right but we have to go in that stall there...and remember, you said 'anything'."

[lotus]

it is indeed about 14 US liquid gallons...13.752 give or take a few to be precise...

and Trey I understand about the whole thing about coming up with ideas post script, just I don't generally verbalize them for the GM :)

[chalice]

and Trey I understand about the whole thing about coming up with ideas post script, just I don't generally verbalize them for the GM :)

But in this game Dave encourages us to detail our characters' thought threads - hence, we include things just the way Trey did. It's a style thing.

[Wired*Nun]

So they go into the stall and the little guy climbs up on the seat and drops his pants and says, "Drop down that lovely flight suit, me boy, turn your back and I'll be havin' me way with ya."

[lotus]

But in this game Dave encourages us to detail our characters' thought threads - hence, we include things just the way Trey did. It's a style thing.


no no I understand that. I just think I would have phrased it differently or something I'm not sure. I didn't mean to make such a big thing about it just that I thought it was funny that he would have this big plan and then completely deconstruct, very systematically, the same plan in the next post. It's like okay here's what I think we should do and now in my head here's all the reasons why it's a bad idea, but it's too late cause I already spit it out...oops.

[Wired*Nun]

So the aviator grits his teeth, drops his flight suit and the little fellow goes to town on him, grunting and groaning. "So, what is it yer do fer a livin' there, me bucko?" asks the small man.

[Shutter]

Yikes....13 guests looking at us....7 in the fiction section....


Hi everyone!

[chalice]

Yeah...I'm gonna hide 'til they go away:paranoid: Bye!

[Thanos]

Good stories attract lost of people!

EDIT Lots ;-)

[LynMars]

Lost people? Does that mean we've found them? :fun:

[chalice]

And can we keep them?:roll:

[Shutter]

Looks like they already left. < wanders off to reset the traps >

[Battlebooze]

Hey, I really, really like the avatars you use on this board! hehe I am going to have to download the original card sets and make myself one :)
Looks like you run a pretty clean ship, WiredNun.

[LynMars]

Thanks Battlebooze! We started using thosae cards on another RP forum Shutter and I frequent. It takes some work--and other programs can do it better, but Paint works fine for me--but with some patience and practice, it's worth it. :) Especially when you have no real artistic skill of your own. ;)

[Wired*Nun]

Thanks! Clean except for the joke it looks like...so, on to the joke...

The Navy man says, "I'm a...unhh...pilot in the...Navy..."

"Ye are, ye say? Well, don't ye have ter go ter school and suchlike to be a Navy pilot?" he goes on?

"Yeah...we have to get a lot of...unhhh...education..."

(I decided to just get it over with)

(To get the best laugh, you have to almost shout the last bit when you tell the joke)























"All t'at education...and you're still believin in leprechauns!"

[chalice]

Happy Candlemas, everyone!

[LynMars]

Aw, MisterBlaze is starting up a Changeling game! I'll have to watch that one...

[Pygysys]

Here's hoping the forum request gets processed soon ... that way the preludes can get posted up. If you're interested in seeing the character's background stories, skip on over to http://www.pygysys.com/~radams/Revolution/Revolution.html and please keep in mind, it's a work in progress. :)

[Thanos]

Pygysys,

Thats a very nice set of pics, which remind me a great deal of Exalted. Which brings me to the game that I am running. I have started up a game of Exalted and have the full set of characters all complete and running their intro's. Many of them are just starting to get together and the first public thread is up and running.

If any of you would like to visit and spend some time their, if you have it, it is under Thanos' Games: This Too Shall Pass.

[Pygysys]

Thanks Thanos. I found them quite by accident. I really need to add a note somewhere to acknowledge the artist and his website. His stuff is very good, well I love it. :)

I've already started checking out your game and should be a regular visitor. :)

[Wired*Nun]

Can ask folks here (players or onlookers) to review for me who is running a PBP game and of what? I might be interested in playing something.

[chalice]

Oh, btw, Heldrik does know that he is robbing the cradle as it were ;-) and is going to enjoy every minute of it!

He'll be needing to learn shapeshift, thenhttp://www.online-roleplaying.com/forums/images/smilies/smiley%20-%20evil.gif

[Thanos]

And here I thought Adv SShifters could shift other people who were willing ;-) and he will be VERY willing!

[chalice]

That's possible of course. But wouldn't he prefer Gray's concentration to be on...other things?http://www.online-roleplaying.com/forums/images/smilies/smiley%20-%20ponder.gif

[Shutter]

Ewwwww.....please stop the fantasy pedophilia, it hurts my brain....ewwwww......

[chalice]

This from the guy who had his character sleep with an NPC prostitute within his first few turns? No, actually, I don't think I shall be taking any lessons in moral guidance or good taste from you, sir.

I find it really, really offensive that your refer this way to a relationship I and another player worked out for their characters. Sorry, I know NPC 'courtesans' are less work, but some people prefer the depth of inter-character roleplay and relationships.

It is not paedophilia (note spelling, BTW) to have sex with one's wife - especially when, like Gray, said wife is over 16 and fully willing. And I find completely unacceptable your implication that either Thanos or I would find paedophilia a subject to be taken lightly.

I will, however, bow to your delicate (if inconsistent) little sensibilities and lack of sense of humour, and refrain from frequenting even the Visitor's Thread of this game in future. Thank you for removing the few regrets I still felt at leaving as a player.

[Shutter]

This from the guy who had his character sleep with an NPC prostitute within his first few turns? No, actually, I don't think I shall be taking any lessons in moral guidance or good taste from you, sir.

I find it really, really offensive that your refer this way to a relationship I and another player worked out for their characters. Sorry, I know NPC 'courtesans' are less work, but some people prefer the depth of inter-character roleplay and relationships.

It is not paedophilia (note spelling, BTW) to have sex with one's wife - especially when, like Gray, said wife is over 16 and fully willing. And I find completely unacceptable your implication that either Thanos or I would find paedophilia a subject to be taken lightly.

I will, however, bow to your delicate (if inconsistent) little sensibilities and lack of sense of humour, and refrain from frequenting even the Visitor's Thread of this game in future. Thank you for removing the few regrets I still felt at leaving as a player.

'Scuse me?...Well, you're welcome I guess.

[Icebird]

This from the guy who had his character sleep with an NPC prostitute within his first few turns? No, actually, I don't think I shall be taking any lessons in moral guidance or good taste from you, sir.

I find it really, really offensive that your refer this way to a relationship I and another player worked out for their characters. Sorry, I know NPC 'courtesans' are less work, but some people prefer the depth of inter-character roleplay and relationships.

It is not paedophilia (note spelling, BTW) to have sex with one's wife - especially when, like Gray, said wife is over 16 and fully willing. And I find completely unacceptable your implication that either Thanos or I would find paedophilia a subject to be taken lightly.

I will, however, bow to your delicate (if inconsistent) little sensibilities and lack of sense of humour, and refrain from frequenting even the Visitor's Thread of this game in future. Thank you for removing the few regrets I still felt at leaving as a player.

A bit grouchy today?

[chalice]

Guys. Paedophilia is the rape of children. Like the word 'rape' it has no place, ever, in a would-be humorous comment.

Try substituting the definition of paedophelia for the word itself in Shutter's 'jokey' comment (if such it was meant to be) and see if you can fathom why it upset, rather than amused, me: "Please stop with your child rape fantasy." Still think that's amusing and acceptable?

[Shutter]

Guys. Paedophilia is the rape of children. Like the word 'rape' it has no place, ever, in a would-be humorous comment.

Try substituting the definition of paedophelia for the word itself in Shutter's 'jokey' comment (if such it was meant to be) and see if you can fathom why it upset, rather than amused, me: "Please stop with your child rape fantasy." Still think that's amusing and acceptable?

No (http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=pedophilia) that's not what it means.

[LynMars]

How's about we drop this line right now? Just better for everyone that way.

[chalice]

No (http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=pedophilia) that's not what it means.

And that is not an answer to the question - do you think paedophilia "sexual perversion in which children are the preferred sexual object" is a suitable subject for humour? I think you'll find that most survivors would use the same definition as me, by the way. But nice attempt to duck the real issue, there.

If your comment was meant as a joke, it was deeply unfunny.

If it was a serious accusation that Thanos and I condone and somehow get our kicks by portraying said peversion in a fantasy roleplaying game, then it was utterly offensive.

So once more I ask, how is the following acceptable or funny "Please stop with your fantasised sexual peversion with a child as the favoured object."

[Shutter]

And that is not an answer to the question - do you think paedophilia is a suitable subject for humour? I think you'll find that most survivors would use the same definition as me. But nice way to avoid the whole issue, there.

Which is why I find the discussion of Heldrik savoring robbing the craddle (a mentaly unstable 16 year old girl) to be unpleasant. I wasn't making a joke. I find that whole bit unsavory.



Edit to account for the new version of Chalice's post:

Right, I wasn't making a joke, nor was I making an accusation. I was requesting that you not write things on the internet, in a space we share, that made me feel uncomfortable. So in answer to So once more I ask, how is the following acceptable or funny "Please stop with your fantasised sexual peversion with a child as the favoured object." I would argue that it was acceptable because I wanted you to stop.

[chalice]

So, we're absolutely clear. You honestly believe Heldrik and Gray's relationship portrays sexual peversion.

In that case there is nothing I can do except be deeply offended and assure you that you are wrong.

BTW - I would have had no problem with a request like "I'm a bit uncomfortable with this, can we move off the subject?" But your choice of language was about as offensive as it possibly could be - it made your request into an insult, and one that I find particularly sickening.

[chalice]

You are actually doing 2 things, you see.

1 - asking for the posts on a certain subject to stop - no problem there

but

2 - inserting into that request your own personal (and inflammatory) interpretation of two other people's actions, which they are expected to swallow in accedng to part (1).

Oh - and when I made a request in this same game's OOC thread that people stopped posting things I found uncomfortable - I was accused of 'being defensive', not heeded. N one then seemed to think it reasonable to request such a thing. Nice to see one rule applied to everyonehttp://www.online-roleplaying.com/forums/images/smilies/smiley%20-%20frown.gif

[Shutter]

So, we're absolutely clear. You honestly believe Heldrik and Gray's relationship portrays sexual peversion.

In that case there is nothing I can do except be deeply offended and assure you that you are wrong.

BTW - I would have had no problem with a request like "I'm a bit uncomfortable with this, can we move off the subject?" But your choice of language was about as offensive as it possibly could be - it made your request into an insult, and one that I find particularly sickening.


1)wouldn't have phrased it that strongly, but, yes.

2)I'm sorry you feel that way, and I am reassured to know that such wasn't your intent.

3)I did not think that such a blatant request would have been well recieved.
3b)I suspect I could have been more offensive, I think that perhaps you're being a bit overly dramatic.
3c)I'm sorry you feel that way, I assure you that I had no intentions of modifying anyone's opinions or playstyle beyond leaving certain things out of the public forum.

[Shutter]

You are actually doing 2 things, you see.

1 - asking for the posts on a certain subject to stop - no problem there

but

2 - inserting into that request your own personal (and inflammatory) interpretation of two other people's actions, which they are expected to swallow in accedng to part (1).

Oh - and when I made a request in this same game's OOC thread that people stopped posting things I found uncomfortable - I was accused of 'being defensive', not heeded. N one then seemed to think it reasonable to request such a thing. Nice to see one rule applied to everyonehttp://www.online-roleplaying.com/forums/images/smilies/smiley%20-%20frown.gif

1-2) guilty as charged. I did not behave perfectly, nor even admirably.

Regarding the OOC thread incident, we (myself plus the folks I consulted on the matter, i.e. the community at large) felt that the type of posts you objected to had been the norm since the beginning of this game, therefore, I (at least) found your request unreasonable.

Similary in this instance I am confident (i.e. certain) that the Gray/Heldrik business elicits an "ewwwww" response from at least a majority of our members. So, that is my explanation of how our community standards are being applied. As these standards are not your own, I submit that you are making a wise choice in leaving.

[chalice]

From everyone? - I don't think so. For a start, Thanos and I don't think so. That's 2. Tam doesn't either. That's 3. One other player has commented to me that they find the Heldrik-Gray relationship adds depth to the game, so I assume they aren't going 'yuck, peversion, amke it stop'. Uh - that's 4.

Out of, um, 8 - and that's with some people expressing no opinion.

[Shutter]

From everyone? - I don't think so. For a start, Thanos and I don't think so. That's 2. Tam doesn't either. That's 3. One other player has commented to me that they find the Heldrik-Gray relationship adds depth to the game, so I assume they aren't going 'yuck, peversion, amke it stop'. Uh - that's 4.

Out of, um, 8 - and that's with some people expressing no opinion.

I'm pretty sure I didn't use the word, or imply the concept "everyone." I miscounted it seems, I was looking at this in terms of "members who are neither you nor Heldrik." In more of an audience/performer relationship. Regardless, my claim of a clear majority was faulty. Please forgive my exageration.

[chalice]

No problem.

[Wired*Nun]

Well, I'm a bit saddened that we seem to end up here quite a lot. Rather than parse out "who said what when," I'm just going to ask that you guys drop this particular conversation in this forum. From my point of view, the IC relationship of Thanos and Gray was quite a May-December thing but not improper. If it had, for example, been less highminded on Thanos' part or diverged into Penthouse Letters territory I would have said something. If I thought it was out of the bounds of grown-up roleplaying I would have counseled the players involved. However, everyone has a bit different view of sexual morality, and application of such to role-playing games, even to the distinctions of print vs. visual media etc.

This brings up the whole "culture of being offended" we in the Western world seem to have bought into. I have to deal with this every day in my work, as the military of the US and most NATO countries that I am familiar with, despite problems, continues to lead in most cases in eliminating racism and other types of offensiveness when compared with many parts of civilian society. However, we begin to put get it backwards after a while, believing the mere existence of feeling of offense is de facto evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the offending party. We all know that it is perfectly possible and even probable to give offense to someone without having been wrong in the least. I'm sure the criminal feels quite offended being arrested by the cop, to cite a more extreme example.

So, we always hope than when we stray into offending territory, reasonableness, common sense, community standards and politesse will apply. The first reaction of someone shouldn't be to claim public offense. The first reaction of someone should be to wonder whether one's own feeling of offendedness is legitimate. If, after reflection, one believes so, a private communication with the person is normally the right way to handle it. If the offense was so egregious that one has no doubt that it was legitimately perceived, intentional on the offender's part, and injurious to one's reputation, then a public response is called for. Midway between these two extremes, one should get the GM/forum moderator involved, especially when the community standards are not explicit.

Because of that, let me lay down some basic standards to work from for this my own game. It only applies here.

Commenting in and replying to comments in the Visitor's comments is pretty wide open. However, please refrain from taking deliberate shots at people's character, or making personal attacks.

Equating behavior within a game with the player's personal morality is most assuredly wrong. I do things in games I would never do in real life, normally fully conscious of the fact that I would be sinning or committing criminal acts were I to do it in RL. This doesn't make me a bad person, any more than it makes Robert DeNiro a bad person to play bad people espousing bad behavior in movies. Indulging or wallowing in the descriptions of said bad behavior can become improper, such as if for example PCs or NPCs were described indulging in torture. It's normally sufficient to say "Fred tortures him for as long as it takes for him to give up the info, or he dies" rather than writing paragraphs to describe it.

Endlessly taking someone to task for a misused word or offhand comment, using your offense and victim's status as a blunt (or sharp) instrument, is not allowed. I've seen too much of this here and elsewhere. It needs to stop. It shows a lack of respect and an unnatural love of enjoying the offense even while claiming victimisation.

Similarly, if you said something that struck someone's nerve, do your best to say, "oops, I didn't mean it that way but I'll try to choose better words in the future" or, alternately, "actually I stand by my statement as accurate, even though I didn't mean it to offend you." Let's be adults here.

Let's also remember that not everyone reacts the same on any given day. However, this is not the place to work out your personal problems, nor is it a substitute for addressing those problems in RL. If you had a bad day at home, don't bring it here. This is supposed to be a happy place. Let's keep it that way.

[jedric]

Hello, anyone there?... Hello... this is Jedric here, no that should be Baarak actually, I always get those two mixed up!

[Wired*Nun]

Yes, we're here, and maybe you'll be joining us soon...though you will have to choose a better picture, maybe LynMars can make one for you when you've posted a description...

[jedric]

Yes, we're here, and maybe you'll be joining us soon...though you will have to choose a better picture, maybe LynMars can make one for you when you've posted a description...

Er, at the risk of sounding like a dummy when / where should I do that. I'm assuming it's the Character Descriptions sub-thread in House Rules.

[LynMars]

Yup. Basic descriptions and known histories, info, etc on characters in the game. Character sheets are for you and the GM, that's for everyone. Handy for quick-linking/referencing, all that so people know what they're looking at.

And welcome, I guess! :)

[treehouse]

I have no idea what this game is about - I just wanted to comment that 'My Enemies Have Sweet Voices' is a great name for a campaign.

[LynMars]

I beleive Dave named it after a song he linked the lyrics to once. Amber DRPG is based on Roger Zelazny's 10 novel series The Chronicles of Amber and 6 short stories. If you need more info than that, we'll be happy to supply it. :)

[Wired*Nun]

http://www.page27.co.uk/page27/als22.htm

I particularly like the Merlin reference, which makes it just that much more apropos...

[Wired*Nun]

Time off is a good thing.

[Thanos]

Yes. I am glad to get most weekends as not having to work. I take great pains during the week to help make sure that I do get the weekends off. I don't think that with the job I have that I actually get any weekdays off unless I use my 5 days of vacation time, that includes Holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving! I guess that is why I try to make the weekends count more ;-)

[Wired*Nun]

Hello everyone. 6 guests in the forum, welcome! Your lowly GM is online, if anyone has questions or comments.

[AoM]

I suppose I might as well put in a comment on this game. This is clearly a dream team of gameplay, and although I don't think I could realistically comb through all of the back story and read through this, I am deeply impressed.

I've only read the first 5 novels in the Amber series, and haven't been able to get ahold of the Merlin books. To be honest, I'm amazed that the series has spawned such an attractive RPG. How in the world did you guys manage to get all this started?

[Thanos]

I started playing in 1991, but started reading in 1990. When the RPG landed in my lap and found that I could only really find people to play in games that I ran as nobody could/would run a game that I could play in for more than a few weeks. When I found this game, that Wired*Nun runs, I was a little late to get started, but found that my interest in the story that was already there compeled me to ask to join. Since then it has been fast, slow, fast, slow, and then fast again in terms of posting and such, but in the end its all worth it because the story is so involved it just captivates you.

[LynMars]

It's actually rather easy to find all 10 books in one omnibus version these days. Finding the RPG is harder now, I think. Guardians of Order is supposed to be gaining the rights to make a new edition, but there hasn't been word on that for about 2 years now.

[Wired*Nun]

I've been roleplaying for about thirty years now, and I guess it's not hubris to say that experience shows. We have a young player with a lot of talent (Icebird, I think he's 18 or so now?) up to older ones (I haven't bothered to keep track, I think the rest are in their 20s and 30s), but I think two things are key.

First, the GM and players have to have a passion for the genre and story, and Amber stands unique in my mind as a blend of...well, everything. I guess you either get it or you don't, in a way.

Second, you have to have an experience level and attention span to support that passion. I've had some ups and downs, long stretches where I felt blocked and distracted, but it was still very much on my mind, this story I wanted to tell.

There were so many loose ends in the series, and my desire was to wrap many of them up, at least in one plausible way. I am certain it isn't the way Zelazny would have done it; still I have always tried to keep true to the spirit of the series, rather than do graft things like high tech or old west onto it. Not that I begrudge those artists their fun; a little wackiness (the Arthur Holmes incident comes to mind) goes a long way, though.

This medium is particularly friendly to long-running games, IMO. I didn't realize it when we started, but this is a venue where we could play the same game for the rest of our lives, no matter where we live or what we do. That's something the internet has done for us. The longest-running game before this I've ever had was 2 years, and that was special. Especially in the military lifestyle, it's hard to "go long," but for me, that's where the satisfaction is. Developing these plots, putting out the clues (which I think are obvious but the players think are subtle), seeing them get it or miss it, being proud of them when they roleplay well, trying to guide or chide them when I think they are straying...I get a deep satisfaction from this, and I consider these people my friends. I think that helps, too.

[Wired*Nun]

Howdy Grahluk

[Gralhruk]

Just peeping :). I'm a big fan of Zelazny as I think I may have mentioned before. I do check in from time to time just to read a bit of the story (and occaisionally the fiction). This is definitely an excellent game.

[Wired*Nun]

Thanks. If you ever get the time to join, let me know.

[Gralhruk]

Will do :). And thanks for the invite - I've never played Amber before.

[Lans]

Lans type person hoping to join in the fun. Thought I'd drop a hearty hello to everyone in this thread too for those silly introductory purposes.

[LynMars]

Oh Noes! We've been invaded by the Lans!

(Nevermind that's mostly my fault)

Hiya, Lans! :)

[Thanos]

Hi Lans, we have heard some much about you...all of it good....of course...?

[Lans]

You've heard good things about me? Blast. My reputation is permanently tarnished, especially if its all good. Oh well, I suppose that sometimes it cant be helped and we must do the best with what we have. Which in this case, might possibly be the worst torture device ever heard of with Lyn's name on it, or possibly just my snow cone maker, because its tasty. I'll let the reader's decide.

[TreyKincaide]

I want a snow cone.

[LynMars]

So wait, does that mean I get to use a torture device on people? Sweet!

...if not, I'd rather have a snowcone too.

[My Fellow Gamers]

Congrats on 11 000 posts! I doubt my games will make it that far. Quite an accomplishement!

[Thanos]

And those are the public posts to. Many of the characters have largish private RPing threads as well ;-)

[My Fellow Gamers]

Pretty incredible.

[Wired*Nun]

Yes, but unfortunately the GM has been letting them down lately.

Don't think I don't feel bad, I do. Kind of GM block, I guess.

[Thanos]

It comes and goes. When this game is up, it rocks like no other. When its down its about the same level as most of the other games on this site, at least the ones that I am in.

[itches]

You guys are ending? Wow ... I mean, you guys are The Cult.

[Pygysys]

As they say; all good things must come to an end. :(

[BigRedRod]

And we never even got a chance to make the rest of the Cult MtG cards. With you guys gone the benchmark for making a game awesome is really going to drop.

[Thanos]

Depending on me getting a job and what kind of job it is, I might be looking into starting a serious Amber game myself. Don't know the player total that I will be looking for, but I know at least a handful players I would want in ;-)

[LynMars]

Better get those Cult cards done then! ;) And there's always Trey's new Amber game, although currently in prelude stages and viewable only to players and priveledge Admins.

[Thanos]

Yeah, I asked, but I was a little late to get in. Life happens that way.

[BigRedRod]

Wired*Nun would you like me to open up the private subforums? At the very least it might be nice to let your players solve any lingering mysteries contained within. That and it'll let outside players read the largest game in the history of the ORP.

[LynMars]

You may have to pm/email him directly on that.

My problem with opening the private subforums would be the OOC GM Comms threads in those forums where various OOC things were discussed, some likely to be fairly confidential for a variety of reasons.

Maybe move the IC info, RP, character stuff over to the main or one of the other subforums, or keep the GM subforum hidden and move the Comm threads there. Or if there's stuff folks don't want to be seen by the general public, they can go in and delete the contents of those posts.

[Wired*Nun]

I'll start culling the material and posting it into some new threads, You guys will have to probably work out the timelines yourself, unless I threw it all into one big mass (which makes it chronological but hard to follow).

I may or may not be able to start it soon, I am leaving for Germany today and am not sure about cheap or consistent internet while I am there. I'll be back in two weeks.

[llemaire]

Saw something that caught my eye in the participants-only OOC thread. Even though things seem to have winded down in this particular forum, no need for sticking posts in where I don't belong, so um...here I am.

http://online-roleplaying.com/forums/showpost.php?p=237616&postcount=4021

This particular post made by LynMars especially caught my attention and I wanted to add my own two cents to the dicussion, however late it may be. Considering I am an RPer from the Gaming Guardians RP community who is notorious for almost exclusively playing the "normal" type character, I figured my thoughts on the matter beared mentioning.

I tend to play non-powered (and typically very normal or low-levelled) characters as a matter of personal preference. I generally don't like to play anything else. That's not to say I consider non-normal characters bad - not the case at all. I've seen a number of high-powered characters played well (such as LynMars' Amberite, Lans' Ninja, etc.) It's just not quite my thing.

I find that there is a certain appeal to normal types when played in an extraordinary setting, such as GG RP. There is a certain level of challenge (for me) to be able to keep up with those who can alter reality on a whim, blast off spells like no tomorrow, and just outright do very neat things. I find it fun, anyway.

Mm, not sure if I went where I was hoping to go with this post. Ah well, hopefully it'll give y'all another perspective on things. ^^ Ciao.

[LynMars]

True. But Val and Shae still have class abilities and feats that make them stand out from the non-heroes of their systems, even if they don't have the abilities and powers of some of the other characters, and so are considered "normal." ;)

"Normal" is relative in gaming. To me, it's more a difference of "high-powered" versus "low-powered."