Arcadia

[QUOTE=Arcadia][size=1][color="#993366"]Also, you should really read over OBs rules, which you can find on the menu to the left, as well as the Arena's stickies. Both will help you out tremendously and will explain to you in detail what it is we expect from members on the boards. If you've got any questions or concerns, please don't be afraid to PM me or terra.[/color][/size][/QUOTE] [size=1][color="#993366"][b]I'm trying to explain to you why threads such as this one aren't exactly up to standards, as well as what you can do to change that in the future. Now, however, I'm going to close this thread. When you've read the rules and you want to try at another RPG, you're more than welcome to. ^_^ - Arcadia[/b][/color][/size]

[size=1]Thanks, you guys. It's nice to hear some positive feedback, especially since some of you are notoriously picky. :p I decided to let the story sit a bit before I went back and revised it (again). There were a couple parts that I wasn't completely satisfied with, but it wouldn't have done a lot of good for me to mess with it then. I finally came back to it this morning, more refreshed and ready to rumble, and attacked the bits and pieces that bothered me. As a result, this version is a little longer (which makes me a little more comfortable with it, heh) and I think it flows a little better. It's still not perfect by a long shot, but this is the version I'm turning in. I would have edited the first post, but I like the idea of being able to actually see the progress I've made, so I'm posting it again. ^_^; So without further ado, I give you: [center][b]Just Like Any Other Morning: Revised![/b][/center] Every morning I have a ritual. I stop at Starbucks and I order something hot and add about half a gallon of cream, and then I start my day with my fingers firmly wrapped around the warm, cardboard cup and a goofy little smile on my face. Sometimes I add a blueberry muffin to the mix; chocolate if I?m feeling adventurous. This morning, however, was slightly different. I stopped to get my usual caffeine fix before heading to campus for my nine o?clock class and had almost literally run into a man while I was fishing my wallet out from the bottom of my bag. He smiled politely and started to say something but the words sort of died because that was about the moment we both recognized each other. The last time I remember seeing Alex was at a mutual friend?s graduation party, and it was a little less than comfortable. We had a few polite conversations, but our niceties were just to cover the fact that we really didn?t have anything to say to each other. There was a little too much history, I guess. I knew even before then that we would never be able to recover any of our bad jokes or friendly repartee, but that moment really seemed to drill it home. There were times, even months after that, when I wondered if he still hated me or held a grudge, if I would forever be doomed as a ***** in his eyes, or if he even cared. I worried about that most. Despite my long-held beliefs that I hadn?t done anything wrong (in fact, I hadn?t done anything at all), there was a pool of guilt within me that never really seemed to go away. Still waters run deep, you know. ?Long time no see,? I said then, deciding to initiate some kind of conversation. Seeing him was kind of like a blast from the past, and I would be lying if I said it wasn?t the least bit uncomfortable. But I smiled anyway and gestured for him to take a place in line in front of me. ?No, go ahead,? he replied, ever the gentleman. In high school he always insisted on covering the tabs to movies and dinners and it used to infuriate me. As independent as I was at that age, I still felt like I had something to prove. He?d picked back up on the conversation again once I stepped in front of him. It took a second, but I gave in. ?How are things these days?? ?Really good, actually,? I replied, wondering if he had moved into the area and thinking how damn weird that would be. ?I?ll be graduating at the end of the semester.? He nodded, pulling at some of his hair at the front, as if trying to smooth it down. I recognized it as a nervous habit, and for one reason or another, it relaxed me. It seemed that he was feeling just as out of place as I was, so at least we were on some kind of common ground. ?I?ll probably start grad school after that. If I get in,? I added, as an afterthought. Alex raised his eyebrows, still nodding along and acting interested, bless his heart. He always was a good actor ? fooled me a number of times. ?Grad school, huh?? ?Yep.? I glanced to the muffins they had on display behind the glass counter. They were looking awfully good. A safety net, if you will. ?I?m hoping for a Masters in Ancient History.? ?What are you going to do with that?? I shrugged, grinning, and he chuckled, and for a few seconds, things seemed kind of normal. ?Teach, maybe. Not sure yet. What about you?? He had the beginnings of a smile on his face, and I could tell that this was something big. That was his ?excited? face. Funny how I still remember all this crap. ?I got myself an agent. It?s only a matter of time before I?m on stage again.? ?That?s awesome,? I said, but I was really thinking about how optimistic he sounded. Maybe that?s one of the reasons he kept trying, even though I?d never given him any reason to. It?s almost amazing how we can fool ourselves into seeing things that we want to see, instead of what?s really there in front of you. But that wasn?t something I needed to be thinking about at that moment, so I continued, ?Congratulations. Maybe I?ll see you in the movies someday?? But he didn?t get to finish that thought because the line had moved and it was my turn to order. I blinked at the menu board before smiling at the girl behind the counter. ?I?ll have a café latte, tall, please, with a blueberry muffin.? She rang up my order, took my money, and then gave me a number. I moved to the side, allowing some space for the other caffeine addicts in line, and broke a small piece off of my muffin. After Alex had ordered, he too moved to the side and flashed me a quick smile before turning to watch the employees make drinks. It was the kind of smile that was friendly, but only because you both knew that you?d probably never see each other again. Naturally, I returned it. After all the things that had and hadn?t happened between us, we were now barely acquaintances and neither of us could care less about it. And when the man in the green smock and Starbucks cap handed me my latte, I gave Alex a little wave and said, ?Well, see you around.? Except that I knew I wouldn?t see him around and, I?ll admit it, a part of me kind of hoped that it would stay that way. ?Yeah, take care,? he responded, and flashed that smile again. I think I can safely speak for both of us when I say that as soon as I walked out that door, we both breathed a huge sigh of relief. I tightened the scarf around my neck and snuggled into my coat, feeling a little more secure despite the cold and continued on my trek to class. I was walking to meet Aaron, the new man in my life. Revisiting ugly memories with Alex just wouldn?t do. Most of my thoughts, however, drifted back to the coffee encounter anyway, and to the problems with Alex that had somehow consumed my life in high school. When I think back on all the drama that occurred then I can?t help but shake my head. Sometimes it?s hard to believe that I was ever that young. A lot of things have changed since then. It had taken me about a year or so to get back into the swing of things after the big blow out between Alex and me. I didn?t want to be in another relationship, and I didn?t trust guys. I?d been called too many things by too many men during that whole stupid affair and I wasn?t in a hurry to get back in the water and makes waves. It wasn?t that I wasn?t interested ? trust me, there were a lot of gorgeous men on campus ? but I guess I was afraid. Although wounds might heal with time, you?ve still got the scar to serve as a reminder, and I certainly never forgot mine. When I did go on a few dates towards the end of freshman year, I never let any guy pay for anything of mine, and I hated it when they gave me little pet names. I had to assert myself. I felt like I?d be run over completely if I didn?t act like a force of nature. But I never wanted to run over anybody else, since Alex claimed again and again that was exactly what I had done ? I?d screwed him over completely. I was a messed up little girl when it came to that. It was hard to find a balance. And then I met Josh. Josh was cute, but Josh was also gayer than a care bear, despite how quiet he was about his preferences. We were quick friends. It was a very easy, natural relationship, as though we were twins seperated at birth (never mind the fact that we didn?t look alike at all). He was one of the coolest guys I?d met since coming to campus and his mellow, easy-going nature always helped to sooth over my frazzled nerves. He was my other half, my alter ego. It was like he could even read my mind sometimes. Josh watched me go on these dates and he watched me push the guys away and eventually he sat me down and made me talk. ?I don?t know what you?re doing or why you?re doing it,? he had said, ?But there?s a story behind all this and you?re going to tell it to me.? Naturally, Josh was right. He took me to the International House of Pancakes and we discussed my malfunctioning love life. I did most of the talking, actually. Once I started it was kind of hard to stop ? I hadn?t realized I had so much to say about it. Josh only interjected a few times, either to nod and encourage or to ask if I was going to finish my hash browns. Something about ?The Talk? (as we had come to call it) really hit home and it smoothed over all the sharp edges of my memories. It made me think about the situation and about Alex when both were the last things I?d ever wanted to do. It also made me examine myself ? what I said and did, and what I didn?t say or do. I knew that I?d never meant for any of it to end up like that, that I?d never purposely try to hurt anybody, least of all Alex. But my inaction did exactly that anyway. Because I didn?t speak up and I didn?t assert myself in that relationship, things went to hell. And while I didn?t think all the blame was mine, I knew that I definitely deserved a fair share of it. I sighed, and watched my breath fog in the cold air as I crossed the street towards the campus. Coming to terms with Alex in my mind changed everything. I can see that now, and I?m glad that Josh made me face my fears. I?m even glad that I met Alex and I?m glad for all the drama between us, no matter how many times I?ve previously wished otherwise. The experience taught me something invaluable about myself and it changed the way I viewed guys and relationships as a whole. If I hadn?t have gone through all that, I simply wouldn?t be where I am today. I wouldn?t be the same person. And I wouldn?t have met Aaron. I?ve been seeing him for about a year now. The more I think about it, the more I really believe that without all of this experience backing me, I never would have had the courage to ask him out for coffee (of all things). As I spied my darling man waiting on a bench, drumming away to his headphones, I curled both of my hands around my latte and said a quiet cheers to all the men in my life. Alex might never know it, but I?m sorry for the things I put him through. I never meant to hurt him, and I never meant to make him cry. Even if those were his goals for me afterwards, I don?t care. Maybe that?s karma. I learned, didn?t I? And I can honestly say now that I don?t regret a moment of it. ?Hey sweet cheeks.? Aaron pulled off his headphones and opened up his arms. It was warm there with him, and I hoped it always would be. But even if it wasn?t, at least I knew that I would always cherish these good moments, as well as the bad ones. Grinning up at him, I asked, ?Why do you have to call me that?? He kissed my nose before taking my latte, spreading the coffee love. ?You know you like it.? And the best thing was, I couldn?t deny it. ?You having a good morning?? I took back my latte, smiling, and replied firmly, ?Yes, yes I am.? [/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]sky, all RPGs must have a backstory of three or four paragraphs if they are to continue into the Square. Yours only has about two right now, so I'd like for you to put a little more thought into your story. Some extra detail might help to clear things up. Read through the Inn's stickies (yes, all of them) to get a better understand of what's expected here. When you're ready to make some changes, just use the edit button and edit your post, or add a new one. Just don't double-post. Again, you can learn how to do all of this by reading through the rules. If you have any questions, PM me or terra and we'll help you out. Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]This is a short story I had to write for my lit class, so I thought I'd share it here and get some feedback before I have to turn in the final draft. ^_^ [b]Just Like Any Other Morning[/b] Every morning I have a ritual. I stop at Starbucks and I order something hot and add about half a gallon of cream, and then start my day with my fingers firmly wrapped around the warm, cardboard cup and a goofy little smile on my face. Sometimes I add a blueberry muffin to the mix; chocolate if I?m feeling adventurous. This morning, however, was slightly different. I stopped to get my usual caffeine fix before heading to campus for my nine o?clock class and had almost literally run into a man while I was fishing my wallet out from the bottom of my bag. He smiled politely and started to say something but the words sort of died because that was about the moment we both recognized each other. The last time I remember seeing Alex it was at a mutual friend?s graduation party, and it was a little less than comfortable. We had a few polite conversations, but our niceties were just to cover the fact that we really didn?t have anything to say to each other. There was a little too much history, I guess. I knew even before then that we would never be able to recover any of our bad jokes or friendly repartee, but that moment really seemed to drill it home. There were times, even months after that, when I wondered if he still hated me or held a grudge, if I would forever be doomed as a ***** in his eyes, or if he even cared. I worried about that most. Despite my long-held beliefs that I hadn?t done anything wrong (in fact, I hadn?t done anything at all), there was a pool of guilt within me that never really seemed to go away. Still waters run deep, you know. ?Long time no see,? I said then, deciding to initiate some kind of conversation. Seeing him was kind of like a blast from the past, and I would be lying if I said it wasn?t the least bit uncomfortable. But I smiled anyway and gestured for him to take a place in line in front of me. ?No, go ahead,? he replied, ever the gentleman. In high school he always insisted on covering the tabs to movies and dinners and it used to infuriate me. As independent as I was at that age, I still felt like I had something to prove. He?d picked back up on the conversation again once I stepped in front of him. It took a second, but I gave in. ?How are things these days?? ?Really good, actually,? I replied, wondering if he had moved into the area and thinking how damn weird that would be. ?I?ll be graduating at the end of the semester.? He nodded, pulling at some of his hair at the front, as if trying to smooth it down. I recognized it as a nervous habit and for one reason or another it relaxed me. It seemed that he was feeling just as out of place as I was, so at least we were on some kind of common ground. ?I?ll probably start grad school after that. If I get in,? I added, as an afterthought. Alex raised his eyebrows, still nodding along and acting interested, bless his heart. He always was a good actor ? fooled me a number of times. ?Grad school, huh?? ?Yep.? I glanced to the muffins they had on display behind the glass counter. They were looking awfully good. A safety net, if you will. ?I?m hoping for a Masters in Ancient History.? ?What are you going to do with that?? I shrugged, grinning, and he chuckled. ?Teach, maybe. Not sure yet. What about you?? He had the beginnings of a smile on his face, and I could tell that this was something big. That was his ?excited? face. Funny how I still remember all this crap. ?I got myself an agent. It?s only a matter of time before I?m on stage again.? ?That?s awesome,? I said, but I was really thinking about how optimistic he sounded. Maybe that?s one of the reasons he kept trying, even though I?d never given him any reason to. It?s almost amazing how we can fool ourselves into seeing things that we want to see, instead of what?s really there in front of you. Getting back into focus, I continued, ?Congratulations. Maybe I?ll see you in the movies someday?? But he didn?t get to finish that thought because the line had moved and it was my turn to order. I blinked at the menu board before smiling at the girl behind the counter. ?I?ll have a café latte, tall, please, with a blueberry muffin.? She rang up my order, took my money, and then gave me a number. I moved to the side, allowing for some space for the other caffeine addicts in line, and broke a small piece off my muffin off. After Alex had ordered, he too moved to the side and flashed me a quick smile before turning to watch the employees make drinks. It was the kind of smile that was friendly, but only because you both knew that you?d probably never see each other again. Naturally, I returned it. After all the things that had and hadn?t happened between us, we were now barely acquaintances and neither of us could care less about it. And when the man in the green smock and Starbucks cap handed me my latte, I gave Alex a little wave and said, ?Well, see you around.? Except that I knew I wouldn?t see him around, and I?ll admit it, a part of me kind of hoped that it would stay that way. ?Yeah, take care,? he responded, and flashed that smile again. I think I can safely speak for both of us when I say that as soon as I walked out that door, we both breathed a huge sigh of relief. I tightened the scarf around my neck and snuggled into my coat, feeling a little more secure despite the cold, and continued on my trek to class. I spent most of my morning walk to campus remembering high school, and though I had a lot of good times, the particular memories that were flitting through my head were not exactly the ones that I felt all that pleasant about. It had taken me about a year and a half to get back into the swing of things after the big blow out between Alex and me. I didn?t want to be in another relationship, and I didn?t trust guys. I?d been called too many things by too many men during that whole stupid affair and I wasn?t in a hurry to get back in the water and makes waves. It wasn?t that I wasn?t interested ? trust me, there were a lot of gorgeous men on campus ? but I guess I was afraid. When I did go on a few dates towards the end of freshman year, I never let any guy pay for anything of mine, and I hated it when they gave me little pet names. I had to assert myself. I felt like I?d be run over completely if I didn?t act like a force of nature. But I never wanted to run over anybody else, since Alex claimed again and again that was exactly what I had done ? I?d screwed him over completely. I was a messed up little girl when it came to that. It was hard to find a balance. And then I met Josh. Josh was cute, but Josh was also gayer than a care bear, despite how quiet he was about his preferences. We were quick friends. It was a very easy, natural relationship and he was one of the coolest guys I?d met since coming to campus (even though he drove on the other side of the street). He was my other half, almost. It was like he could even read my mind, sometimes. Josh watched me go on these dates and he watched me push the guys away and eventually he sat me down and made me talk. ?I don?t know what you?re doing or why you?re doing it,? he had said, ?But there?s a story behind all this and you?re going to tell it to me.? Naturally, Josh was right. He took me to the International House of Pancakes and we discussed my malfunctioning love life. I did most of the talking, actually. Once I started it was kind of hard to stop ? I hadn?t realized I had so much to say about it. Josh only interjected a few times, either to nod and encourage or ask if I was going to finish my hash browns. Something about ?The Talk? (as we had come to call it) really hit home and it soothed over my shattered nerves. It made me think about the situation and about Alex when both were the last things I?d ever wanted to do. It also made me examine myself ? what I said and did, and what I didn?t say or do. I knew that I?d never meant for any of it to end up like that, that I?d never purposely try to hurt anybody, least of all Alex. But my inaction did exactly that anyway. Because I didn?t speak up and I didn?t assert myself in that relationship, things went to hell. And while I didn?t think all the blame was mine, I knew that I definitely deserved a fair share of it. Coming to terms with Alex in my mind changed everything. I can see that now, and I?m glad that Josh made me face my fears. I?m even glad that I met Alex and I?m glad for all the drama between us, no matter how many times I?ve previously wished otherwise. The experience taught me something invaluable about myself and it changed the way I viewed guys and relationships as a whole. If I hadn?t of gone through all that, I simply wouldn?t be where I am today. I wouldn?t be the same person. And I wouldn?t have met Aaron. I?ve been seeing him for about a year now. The more I think about it, the more I really believe that without all of this experience backing me, I never would have had the courage to ask him out for coffee (of all things). I tightened my fingers around my latte and smiled before taking a sip. Alex might never know it, but I?m sorry for the things I put him through. I never meant to hurt him, and I never meant to make him cry. Even if those were his goals for me afterwards, I don?t care. Maybe that?s karma. I learned, didn?t I? And I don?t regret a moment of it. ?Hey sweet cheeks.? An arm slipped around my shoulders and I knew it was Aaron immediately. I?ve always been good at remembering certain quirks about people, and ?sweet cheeks? was something only he called me. And I loved it. He grinned and kissed my forehead. ?You having a good morning?? I looked up at him, smiling, and replied firmly, ?Yes, yes I am.? [/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]Guys, one-liners are generally considered spam. Try to keep this kind of stuff to PMs in the future, all right? If you need to, refresh your memory by reading the rules. They're pretty helpful. Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]There's like a million posts in here, so there's no way I'll ever be able to read them all and still stay sane. So instead, let me just say this. I'll be voting for Kerry come November 2 because: 1. I don't like the way the war was handled, and I don't like the fact that $290 million has been spent on the war when we've got plenty of problems at home (education, healthcare, welfare, social security) that could certainly use some of that money. 2. Because of Bush's views on gays and on abortion (among other things), I feel like the country as a whole would be taking a step backwards rather than forward if he was allowed to continue with the bills he's trying to pass. 3. The fact that they've even been [i]thinking[/i] about bringing back the draft infuriates me. I don't think they could ever actually put it back in practice (I know that I wouldn't stand for it, and I can't think of many other Americans who would either), but I certainly don't want to give them the chance to. 4. I'm a biased liberal feminist. Yeah, go figure. About voting in general - [b]do it![/b] If you're old enough to vote, then you sure as hell better be out there on the second, letting your voice be heard. This election is going to be decided by [i]us[/i], so why don't you make sure that your vote is counted? Swing the vote.[/size]

[size=1]Drizzt, while I definitely agree that we all need to be able to goof off and enjoy an RPG that's lighthearted and funny, I don't think that people need to lower their standards because of it. If a creator asks for a certain quality of work, whether the RPG is serious or not, then you need to deliver that - it [i]is[/i] what you signed up for, after all. That's not to say that a serious RPG can't have its moments of hilarity. A lot of that has to do with the characters themselves and whether or not the person writing them wants to give them a sense of humor. Of course, what and how you write a post definitely depends on what kind of RPG you're writing for. If it's a comedy, then your style might change a little to suit that genre - it might become a little lighter on the details, for example, with more dialogue than thoughts. I'm just saying that comedies can be just as spectacular as the dramas when you make sure that quality is a focus (compare Kill Adam and Anime Stereotype High School to see what I mean ^_~). Does that make sense? lol[/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]ThatOneOddDude, in order for your RPG to continue, you're going to have to put a little more effort into the story. [b]All RPGs must have a few good paragraphs of backstory; one paragraph simply does not cut it.[/b] Read through the Square's stickies and OB's rules. You've already had one warning and you don't need another one. Remeber that ignoring the rules (or a moderator's requests to abide by them) can and will result in a ban from the boards. sunofexiles, you should also read over the rules. There's an emphasis on quality on OB, especially here in the Arena, and you're not quite meeting the standards. A little more thought and detail into your characters and posts will go a long way to help you on the boards. Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]Yes yes, definitely keep going. Your writing style is very natural, almost conversational, which makes it fun to read. I can definitely see this story developing into something incredibly cool, heh, so keep at it. I for one would like to know why the crazy American woman is there. ^_~[/size]

[size=1]It's kind of hard to imagine pornography as being cool or glamorous in any way, but Arianna comes close to making that kind of connection, heh. It's interesting to be able to look around the facade of the porn star and see what's actually driving this woman, what she thinks about her career and her coworkers and herself. It's [i]cool.[/i] Your writing, from a technical aspect, is very good, as always. There are a couple typos and stuff, but honestly, it's not that big of a deal, heh. I know when I'm writing and the ideas are flowing, the last thing I'm concerned about is whether or not my grammar is perfect. lol Anyway, I'm definitely looking forward to the next part. Yeah for Kill Adam! ^_^[/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]You've got a cool idea here, but you're going to have to put a little more effort into the backstory before it can really go anywhere. All RPGs must have at least three or four paragraphs of said backstory. Obvously, you've got some ideas, so just explain the board game a little more. Why is it messed up? What kind of dark, nightmare-ish stuff is going on? Is the RPG going to be turn-based? Think some of this through a little more and then add what you come up with. C'est facile, n'est pas? Also, make sure you read through the Ratings Sticky at the top of the forum. We want to keep the thread ratings more universal so everyone can look at them and immediately know what they stand for. So while you might label yours [M], what else is included in that? Check out the sticky and then PM with what you think is a more appropriate rating, and I can change it for you. If you've got any questions, read through the stickies - they'll explain everything in a lot more detail. Just make sure you make these changes so that the RPG can keep going. ^_^ Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]Actually, I don't think it's very hard for me to get attached to something like a blanket or a stuffed animal, considering every other year or so I get a new one. You see, my grandmother sews a [i]lot[/i], and she's been making quilts and things for my entire extended familly for years. She used to make us clothes, and I remember getting this vest with a bunch of zoo animals on it that I never wore. But it's the thought that counts, right? ^_^;; The latest quilt she made for me was for my high school graduation, and it's patterned, with lots of green and white. Kind of Christmas-y actually. But she's also made me a very colorful one (lots of orange, actually), with two little kids on it being cute, and a crocheted maroon one, both of which I love very much. The oldest one I have, however, is one that my great grandmother made me. It's kind of a darker pink/maroon color and it's one of those smaller blankets that you can fold up into a pillow. I've had that thing forever and it's by far my favorite one. I used to get called Linus because of that thing, heh. [/size]

[size=1]I wish I could be accosted in a train station. :p All right, the language was lovely and fluid for being "unpolished," as you say, and while the story isn't exactly something everyone can relate to, I'm sure the fantasy aspect of it is. ^_~ Awesome work, [b]Badness[/b]![/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]Ciao, Komotu. A couple things.. The first being that all RPGs must have a decent backstory. What this actually means is that we want about three or four solid paragraphs out of you. Put some detail into the story, about the people or the town. Just know that without some kind of plot, the RPG isn't really going to get anywhere. You can edit this thread and add whatever you feel will accomplish these goals. Your RPG also needs a rating. Please read through the Ratings Sticky (at the top of the forum) and choose one that you believe is most appropriate for your story. When you've got that, just PM it to me and I can do the rest. Also, you should really read over OBs rules, which you can find on the menu to the left, as well as the Arena's stickies. Both will help you out tremendously and will explain to you in detail what it is we expect from members on the boards. If you've got any questions or concerns, please don't be afraid to PM me or terra. That's what we're here for. ^_^ Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]Obviously, when you're talking about fight scenes, the first thing you think of is classic Chinese/Japanese black and white films. Every Bruce Lee fight I've ever seen has made me feel really, really sorry for the other guy. Jackie Chan has always been one of my favorites because in his fights, he's always grabbing random things from around him to kick the other guy's ***. And usually, it's pretty damn funny. Of course, movies like Kill Bill and Matrix come to mind, as they both kind of redefined what people thought about and expected in fight scenes. Likewise, Star Wars seems to be on a whole different level - lightsabers, man. Lightsabers. I don't know if war scenes are included, but let's talk about Braveheart for a second. I think that this was the movie that started the entire gore and guts war movie trend (Saving Private Ryan also comes to mind). I distinctly remember the part where [spoiler]the horse's legs get cut off,[/spoiler] even to this day. Then, of course, there's Lord of the Rings. I can't think of another massive battle scene like that one at Helm's Deep that was done so incredibly well. Except for maybe the next huge battle at Pelennor Field, and again with the King of the Dead and his dead legions of creepy green ghosts. I also liked the main battle in The Last Samurai, even though it made me cry like a baby.[/size]

[size=1]What about our Bill of Rights? Freedom of the press? Or even religion? The banning of books may not be a direct violation of these laws, but it still makes me a little uncomfortable to think that there are still people out there who want to restrict and control what we read and write and think. I don't know why these people are afraid of books or afraid of their children reading them. What's wrong with learning about new places, new ideas, new people, new cultures? What's wrong with making up your own mind about something? What's wrong with stretching the limits, or daring to think outside the box? I always thought these were things that we tried to encourage. Somebody else mentioned the irony in trying to ban a book like [i]Fahrenheight 451[/i], and I guess I just want to emphasize that. How can a person honestly try and ban this book when they know what it's about? This whole thing just screams [i]stupid[/i] to me.[/size]

[QUOTE=Kid Anime]The eight dragons of ancient China, which were hidden away in Japan, are now awakened! With their dark powers, they will surely destroy the world. Only the eight who would seek the dragons to tame them shall receive the Dragon's Heart, a diamond with a power that rivals the Shikon no Tama! Drako, the prophet of the ancient ones also seeks the dragons of Thunder, Fire, Poison, Forest, Yin, Yang, Life, and Death. But will the dark human truly succeed in capturing them/ Only time will tell. Basically, this is about another gem that Inuyasha doesn't know about. You can be one of eight characters who seek out the dragons and to battle Drako, like Draco the dragon constellation, and get the Dragon's heart.[/QUOTE] [size=1][color="#993366"]Kid Anime, please add a little more to your backstory. All RPGS [b]must[/b] have at least three or four [b]decent paragraphs[/b] (which means that it must be longer than a couple sentences) in order to operate on the boards. Just add a little more detail to the story, perhaps about the dragons or about Drako. The more information you add, the more people have to work with and the better the sign-ups and the RPG itself will be. You might want to read through the stickies to get a better idea of what I mean. If you've got any questions or concerns, PM myself or terra and we'll work things out. Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[quote name='Hiei23']I need Boy's/girl's for a journey to find a destroy the evil power sith will we train yes will you coplain you better not :demon: Are you thogh anofth to come?[/quote] [size=1][color="#993366"]Hiei23, I think you might want to read over OB rules before you start any more threads. This includes the stickies in the Adventure Square - they explain in detail how things work in this forum. For example, any and all RPGs start off in the Adventure Inn, where you can recruit members to join the story. It only moves into the Square after you're satisfied with the response and you have the players needed to begin the RPG. Please note that the boards also emphasize quality. That means that when you create the RPG, it has to be longer than a sentence. In fact, RPGs [b]must[/b] have a few solid paragraphs of backstory in order for the story to begin/stay open. Proper spelling and grammar is also necessary to all your posts on the boards, not just in the Arena. If you've any questions about how things work, even after you've read through the rules, then don't be afraid to PM me or another Mod. We'll do our best to explain things to you. ^_^ Thanks, and welcome to the boards! - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]While she was by no means a scientist and could never hope to understand the physics of an arm turning into a showerhead, Aya found that she [i]did[/i] have a sudden appreciation for the thing, and for the robot that produced said shower-arm-thing. Even long after her blissful shower and herbal treatments and Hair and Beauty and the lunch break she didn't really need, Aya was still thinking fondly of the robot. That was a miracle in itself. It was now [b]2:24 pm[/b], and there was a minute left until her Transformation class began. She put the extra time to use by doodling [i]I heart robots[/i] all over a notebook that probably wasn't even hers. Her infamous mask hung crooked on the side of her head, and while it made many of the students around her nervous, she still hadn't actually put it on and that was something to be thankful for. Still, the fact that Aya was present baffled some of the students. They had never actually [i]seen[/i] her transform into anything (unless of course you counted the mask), but every year she was back and the professors never questioned her presence. There was a rumor awhile back started by a unpopular boy that went something like, "OMG, she totally turns into air, I [i]saw[/i] her, I swear!!1!" But the idea was rejected. Nobody really liked that kid anyway. Besides, the air trick was totally Mima's, and Aya liked Ms. Miste, even if she didn't always know she was there. They might have been roommates once, but Aya couldn't really remember. Only a handful of people on campus, staff included, knew the true identity of her transformation and generally that was how she wanted to keep it. The mask helped her in that task, though there were always risks involved... "Hey, where's my notebook?" Aya blinked and focused then on the cieling, quickly disposing of anything that [i]might[/i] have been on her desk before neatly clasping her hands in her lap. Just in time, too, as the clock chimed and class began. [color="#993366"]OoC: Right. I do believe there are a few others with transformation, so somebody else can take it from there, or it can just be skipped entirely. I just thought it would be nice to post and get the ball rolling again, heh.[/color][/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"]ThatOneOddDude, you might want to read over OB rules before you go any further. Double-posting is not allowed. If you've got extra information to add, just press the edit button on your previous post and you'll be set. Also be sure to read over the Inn's stickies. Your thread needs a rating, and it could probably use a little more detail as well. Your story doesn't need to be epic, but we do ask for a few decent paragraphs. If you've got any questions or concerns, feel free to PM either myself or one of the other Square mods and we'll help you out. Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1][color="#CC3366"]Mr. Dante, while this is a good start, I'd like you to look over a couple things. One of these is your spelling. There really isn't any reason to have a whole bunch of mistakes in a post when you can easily run it through Word (or something other program like it) that picks out all the errors. Proper spelling and grammar becomes especially important here in the Arena, as we're using the written word to tell stories and express ideas. The clearer your posts are, the better we'll be able to understand what you're trying to say. That, and the RPG will have a higher quality to it all together. The other thing I'd like to point out is that your sign-up requirements are pretty cluttered. You might want to go through and fix that. Also, you might want to put a little more effort into your character and his history. The more time and thought you put into him, the more potential players will do the same with theirs. And in the end, it's better to have that kind of thought-out character because it just makes the story itself even more dynamic. Read over OB's rules and the Square's stickies, including the Ratings Sticky (all threads must have a rating). You'll get a better understanding of how things work on the boards and in the Arena. If you've got any questions (or if you've figured out an appropriate rating for your RPG), please PM me and let me know. Thanks, Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]I'm also from Orlando, although I go to school in Tallahassee. I was home for Charley, which was a category 2 by the time it got to us. It may not seem like much, but I'm telling you, a category two storm is plenty bad enough. I can't imagine staying in my house through anything worse than that - I'd just go insane. You hear the wind howling outside, the rain is pounding against the roof and walls and there's a constant threat of tornadoes or flooding or something equally bad. For Charley, amazingly enough, we didn't lose power. But we had no telephone lines, and we did lose a couple trees. We got lucky. (See pictures [url=http://www.myotaku.com/users/arcadia/life/3]here[/url].) My friend, on the other hand, had about five big pines fall on her house and on her mom and dad's cars. Their pool enclosure was completely destroyed - there was a tree in the pool, heh - and the roof in their spare room was starting to cave in. They were obviously not so lucky, and that's just what Charley did alone. After four hurricanes in six weeks, you can't even imagine what all of Florida looks like now. Frances took another one of our trees, I think, but by the time she came through I was already up at FSU. That didn't mean I was out of line of fire, though. I missed two or three days of class because of Frances and Ivan, both of which were originally supposed to hit Tallahassee dead on and then eventually curved elsewhere. Because of that, though, I was either stuck in my dorm for hours on end, going insane with boredom, or I was outside playing football with friends on the green. Hurricane Jeanne wasn't much of anything by the time it got to me all the way up here. The majority of it hit Sunday evening and during the night, and by today, it was just about gone. I definitely had class today, so I was walking through the last few bands of Jeanne, heh. It was a bit windy and rainy, but after living in Florida for about 18 years of my life, I'm a little used to the rain. If anybody is super interested in seeing aftermath photos and stuff like that, I'm sure you can find them all over the web, as well as any additional information about the storms and all the damage they've caused. Let's just hope that was the end of it, eh?[/size]

[size=1][color="#993366"][b]LashamaruChaos[/b], while I'm glad that you've taken interest in the Arena and RPGs, I want you to read over OB's rules and the stickies in the Arena. They explain how the boards and specifically this forum works and it'll keep you out of future trouble. For instance, all RPGs begin in the Adventure Inn. That's where you introduce your RPG and recruit members for it. Later, you'll move it here, into the Square. Again, read the stickies - it's all explained in detail there. Also, [b]Captain Jack Sparrow[/b], please leave the moderating to the moderators. If you happen to run across something that doesn't look right, then just let us know by hitting the exclamation point button on the top right of the post. We'll get on it as soon as we can. Thanks, and if either of you have any questions at all, don't be afraid to PM me or one of the other Arena mods. ^_^ - Arcadia[/color][/size]

[size=1]There are a lot of reasons a person might drop from an RPG, and sometimes it's because of outside factors. Personal problems, family issues, school events, too many hours at a job, etc.You can't blame a person for quitting when it's completely out of their control. And sometimes, an RPG doesn't turn out the way you thought it would and you just lose interest in it. If you're not having fun and posting becomes a chore, then why should you be forced to stay in? We all hope that in any case, the person at least sends a PM to the creator and explains what's going on, but the fact of the matter is that it's out of anyone's control. The best you can do is to pay attention to who on the boards posts consistantly and hope that if worst comes to worst, they'll be decent and let you know why they have to leave.[/size]

[size=1]It's not like science is incredibly important anyway. >_>;; This list is definitely cool, though, and very handy, as Shinnie-poo already mentioned. It also gets me thinking ahead. I'll have to go back and check what Aya's exact classes are and then make a list to see who I've got what with. As a preliminary poll-type-thing, though, is anybody interested in doing/planning something [strike]destructive[/strike] exciting with me? Edit: By the way, 'hevn, if you've got something planned, go for it. I've got Hair and Beauty, but I haven't planned anything for the class.[/size]