skedy

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]I believe internet piracy, or any form of piracy for that matter is actually helpful. It is stealing and wrong, at least in that respect, but it is also justified in that it forces people to be more cautious with their security and increase the quality of both the product and the security. I mean dozens of audio file formats have been developed to help artist preserve their works and prevent stealing. Hell even the operating system your reading this on now was probably pirated, at least in part, from the earliest ones before it. Stealing requires some degree of effort, depending on what is being stole and how blatant one wants to be, and certainly helps people develope both their product and skill sets in the process. Well something like that, ~skedy[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]Just thought I'd add this point - Our society is primarily based around the ancient Greek one, from politics to aesthetic appeal and morals. What we consider to be bisexual was normal in Greek society however. They believed that the woman was so inferior that there could never truly be love between a man and a woman. So the vast majority of ancient Greek males were participants in same sex relationships but also acknowledged that they needed to produce children so they procreated with and even came close to 'wedding' females. Rome actually thought this practice was less than civilised and tended to scorn it, though there have always been homosexuals and bisexuals, in every period of history, but ancient Greece was the only area with a society that was mostly bisexual. Kinda makes me wonder if the reason so many people are curious about bisexuality because of the influence our society has on us. In such a sexually driven world, western world at least, it seems natural to me that someone would want to experience what the same sex has to offer when the 'perfect' physical depiction of that is being plastered all over walls and flashed across tv screens almost everywhere we go. Oh, personally I think it's great that people are so open about sex, I don't want anyone to mistake the above statement for one of those 'society is going to the craphouse' rants - because it isn't. Contrary to many people's views I think sex is another outlet for people to enjoy. While I think it can be more, I don't think that sex necessarily has to be a deep and meaningful connection, people do it for fun all the time, and why not? There's my opinion, what does eveyone else think about it?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]Hehe. Yeah I probably didn't get that across too well Pumpkin. I agree totally with you but didn't express it overly well I think. There is a huge difference between fakers and bi-curious people. The point I was trying to make is that I respect and support people who are genuinely bi-curious and want to experience what their own sex has to offer but have no respect for the people simply faking it. Also I think whether having a crush on the same sex being considered bi-curious is hazy at best. I'm interested to know what the others following this thread think about it.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]I was talking to a friend, ex-member of OB, earlier today and he said something I thought was pretty funny, well sort of funny. We were talking about sexuality, as you do when you're bored and wandering aimlessly around town. He believes that their are people who are genuinely bisexual but there are also people that he has taken to calling 'bi-curious'. He believes these people want to experience what their own sex has to offer but aren't really attracted to them, they simply want to try kissing someone or claim they are 'into' same sex relationships to further their own reputation or, as it has been suggest here, to make themselves seem more appeling to a potential partner. I agree with his points and think that pretending to be bisexual to further one's self socially or to aid in 'scoring' is ridiculous. I genuinely support people who are actually curious to what it would be like to 'get with', to whatever degree, a member of their own sex but can't help be offended by the fakers. No one can be born gay or bi, or even straight for that matter. I believe people's sexuality is determined by their own personal thoughts, emotions and experiences. And like Hevn said, it is entirely possible for someone to believe that they are as straight as it gets and come to realise, maybe ot over night, that they do have an interest in the opposite sex, even if it is only for a specific individual. Personally I would not consider a person to be bisexual if they have a crush or are attracted to a single member of their sex. I think people need to be attracted to multiple individual's of their gender or acted upon their feelings for an individual of it.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]Generally, and by no means am I specifying your prior situation, I believe suicide isn't selfish but rather egotistical. I think a large part of what people who have or wish to commit suicide is a loss of a larger picture or sense of beloning. Personally I have been through patches rough enough to contemplat suicide but know, and always have, that I never would or could. Coming to this point I lost a sense of who I really was and how I affected the people around me. I was surprised to hear someone had made a comment about me behind my back, that I influenced the world at all. Personally I attribute this to an egotistical nature. My problems affected me so much I was unable to focus properly on anything other than myself or the issues I had to deal with. Now if that made sense, I believe that similarly to you I would have not known what to do and probably turned to suicide. However, I'm incredibly arrogant and equally proud as I am stubborn (in ground personality traits) and couldn't have let that sort of adversity take me to that point, I probably would have gone nuts and killed my mother. Then again I can't really know what you have experienced. But I don't think it is selfish in the least to contemplate or attempt to carry out suicide.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]More a point for reflection that an actuall comment on anything. I dreaded telling my parents that I was anything other than straight. Dad is what like call a blokey bloke. By this I mean he is the sort of guy who gets out there plays football, has a couple of drinks with his mates and generally has an 'it'll be right' attitude.This isn't a bad thing, but he is also very proud and somehow I convinved myself that he would feel almost ashamed to learn that his eldest son was not straight. Now my parents split up and married seperate partners when I was young. I was raised by my mother and my step-father but spent time with my father regularly. My step-father is a real out doors man but generally more accepting of homosexual couples than my hereditary father. He hates the idea of bisexuality however, thinks it results in too many people's feelings being hurt in unsure relationships. I think he thinks that bisexual people are simply confused and that people have to be either gay or straight, there is nothing else. I still don't really think he likes the fact that I'm bi too much. My mother is cool, she makes a point of being accepting towards everyone and everything. She was the only one, as far as family go, that I didn't hesitate in telling my sexuality. Likewise my step mother seemed cool. But I know she is more or less disgusted by the notion of a same sex relationship. But she is accepting enough to live with it, so long s they don't involve her in any way. That was my take on my family before I told them. Then last new years eve I decided, slightly trashed I might add, that I should make my sexuality an open. I'd already told several of my closest friends but decided it was time to let my family know and the whle world along with it. Over the break I was watching mother's house, she was holidaying up north with the rest of the family, so I called my father from there and told him over the phone. He thought I was joking at first but was cool once he realised that I wasn't. There was no way I could have confronted him in person about it, I just couldn't get he confidence up to do it. Then I called my mother and told her openly that I was bisexual. She wasn't really suprised but said that she expected me to say I was gay. I guess my point is that you tend to assume people's reactions are going to be worse, well at least I do, than they are actually going to be. I know that SunfallE isn't confident in whether or not she is bi but I somehow it seems relevant to make the point that you cannot get anywhere with this sort of thing unless you take a risk and put it out there. There was no way that I was going to be confident with my sexuality until I told people. And since then I've been alot more comfortable around both my friends and family. But then again I don't have strong ties to my family, I will move a fair way away from them in the next year and don't really care all that much about it, and I'd already talked to my closest friends about it so I knew that they didn't have a problem with it. Well yeah, there is a nice little reflective sorta speil. What do we think? ~skedy[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=elfpirate][b][color=black]I think that you're wrong, skedy-- I don't think that it has anything to do with how far you're willing to go. [/color][/b] [b]If that were the case, then virgins (the ones that remain chaste by choice, I mean) would have no sexuality whatsoever, and that's just not the case. I mean, I'm celibate now... but that doesn't make me magically unpreferenced.[/b][/QUOTE] [COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] I think you've taken what I meant wrongly elfpirate. I said I think sexuality is determined by how far you are willing to go, not how far you have gone or will go. But I also admit that I phrased what I meant badly and should say that I think it is a large factor in determing ones sexuality and is a huge bearing on how much someone is willing to admit to themselves. Also, how many people have been at odds with their parents over their sexuality? Mine were pretty cool about it, though they did tend to view bisexuals as slutty because of the people they have known throughout their lives. They were surprised that I said I was bi, however, and not gay. And I think there is some substance in what Lalaith Ril said. People in my area tend to view bisexuals as 'slutty' because they are more open. I think, as a genreal perception in the public, this fact it true but isn't of the individuals being steroetyped with it. Just because someone is bi, and in theory more open to a larger variety of sexual activities (due to the fact they will have partners of both sexes), doesn't mean they personally will be as promiscuous as the people around them believe them to be. Essentially I believe how free someone is sexually is determined by their own personality. Taking my self, for instance. I haven't had very many partners but simply because I'm not particularly apt in socially intensive situations. Alot of people would consider my ethics in dealing with partners slutty. I have no problem if two people have sex simply for the fun of it or cause they enjoy it, I don't care if someone pursues a relationship afterwards or not. The two things that tick me off with relationships however, is a lack of trust in one's partner. I hate it when creeps don't trust their girlfriend enough to leave her alone for a couple of hours with some of her guy friends. And I also hate it when people are dishonest with one another in a relationship. If someone does something wrong they should have the guts to tell their partner for better or worse. I also agree strongly with SunfallE in that it is wrong for someone to cheat on someone else. I find I'm a little more 'open' in this area though. I wouldn't consider it cheating if someone 'slept with' another person while they are in a relationship, or even pursued a relationship with a second person. So long as the partner is aware of and ok with it before the other person pursues such course of action. A couple of points there hey, ~skedy [/FONT] [/SIZE] [/COLOR]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]For me, the weirdest dreams are the ones that when you wake up from them you can't really tell whether you're a wake or still dreaming. One that I can remember having is: After a rather long adventure with several friends that took us all across the city and through numerous pass times I woke up in a hospital bed, apparently after being hit by a bus or something like that (it was never really mentioned) and was well on my way to a full recovery. This seemed normal at first but several little things slowly made me realise I was dreaming, like the off-red coloring of the lights or the constant presence of the moon, which was cool. Then one night I went to sleep in the hospital only to wake up in my own bed in my own room to the sound of my alarm, I use my phone so it was a midi from Final Fantasy. Details like this usually convince me that I'm actually awake. After fumbling in the pitchblack for my phone and turning of the alarm off I pushed my head back into my pillow, drowzy as I usually am when I first wake up, and tried to get back to sleep. Next I hear a creepy giggling and try to sit up but there is something sitting on my chest. Somehow I know it's a little impy-devilly thing and start to freak out as it claws at my face. After struggling with the critter I eventually pass out only to wake up, once again, to my alarm. This time its for real though. I was so freaked after that dream. I couldn't tell whether I was awake or asleep for most of the following day...resulting in several amused looks from many of my friends. It was one those things that has a huge affect on you, guess that's why I can remember this one so clearly, strange eh?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=AzureWolf] when one person likes girls, that person only likes girls, or just likes boys significantly less. And then there are bisexuals, who would be in the middle of the spectrum, liking both genders equally.[/QUOTE] [COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]I don't think that you can really view sexuality as cleab cut as that. I know a couple of people, both guys and girls, who are straight and never even thought otherwise but there are still members of their sex that they find themselves attracted to. I think it's how far people are willing to go, with members of the same sex, that determines their sexuality. Personally I'm bi but find I'm more attracted to girls than I am guys when it comes to a relationship but I often think some guys are physically more appealing to me. Then again I also know a lot of people who'd be offended at the suggestion that they are even remotely attracted to a member of the same sex. But the community I live in is pretty open to the idea of same sex partners; a lot of people wouldn't try it for themselves by they accept those around them as equal members of the community. Heck it's more or less a bad thing to judge a same sex couple around here, end up with people being treated much like the couples they insult in other areas. I really feel sorry for SunfallE living in such a restricting community. Oh, and I think its how you feel about the same sex hitting on you that determines how straight you are, not whether they hit on you or not. How do you feel when other girls hit on you SunfallE?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] Hey all. After reading [i]Coming Out[/i] by gothicserenity I started wondering just how many OBers, and their peers, are something other than straight. I'm Bi persoanlly and have a couple of gay friends. This is common knowledge in my social circles but it is often not. Have you had any 'awkward' social situations arise as a result of people not knowing you or your friend's sexuality?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#4444ff] OOC:It's probably more my fault then your's. But Barakis is the Commander of the human forces. The Archetype certainly does nto make use of hte senate, he is trying to protect the stations from the Archetype's children...it ties in with the first segment of the post when the research [i]station[/i] is destroyed. The leaders of the Archtype's forces are Ragnar and Einar. Ragnar is the one who is charged with halting the incursions within the ranks and hives of the Lyricts. It would be appreciated if you edited the names in your posts accordingly, everything else is right and checks out, just not Barakis' name. Again I apologize for not making the connection clear enough in my own posts. [/color] [COLOR=#4444ff] Twelve stations in seven days. Azruliath mused, gliding swiftly over the turmoultous winds of Archaus. The Archtype had begun moving its forces to take the few settlements the humans had managed to maintain beyond their Elysia, Piel-5 they called it; he wasn't sure why. There were three more stations as far as the Junip could tell, he was the one leading the team through the region. It was his mission to verify the location of the remaining stations and what defenses they had if any. It was his head if they were wrong. [/color]

N. B. - Please note that the rating of this thread has increased. I feel that a believable account of a war based RP needs the freedoms of more mature content. [COLOR=#4444ff] [color=#227722][u]Archaus[/u][/color] The technologically driven world known as Archaus has come into conflict. Every aspect of its existence, from its people to the very heart of the land, has felt the corroding influences of its century spanning war. Humanity has dwindled to a fraction of its former size and power, confined to dozens of city sized environment preserving structures known as the Elysia. The Elysia are mankind?s last refuge, the last regions of Archaus uninfluenced by the Archtype, the mysterious face of Archaus? cancer. Nobody has ever seen the Archtype and there are few left willing to try. Its legions, its armies, its children are the bane of humanity. They march across the wastelands in forces thousands strong, there scant figures riddled with tattoos signifying their allegiance to their master. Humanity hasn?t given up on the fight. The psychic exhibitions becoming more and more prevalent among their populations may prove their final hope against the menace. Recent technological innovations have allowed those with latent psychic abilities to begin an assault against the Archtype. A specially designed computer network linked to a series of chairs in each Elysia allow mankind to in contact with one another and mount assaults against the Archtype?s mainframes. Unfortunately these attempts have proved fruitless and a great number of psychics have been lost. Archaus itself is not without hope. The ancient elemental race, calling themselves the Lai, have begun to resist the influences of the Archtype. With much of the planet destroyed or otherwise corrupted beyond recognition their powers have dwindled and they no longer have the control over the elements they once had. Abominations have appeared in their race. Children of the ever prominent rain, metal, magma and swamps have begun to appear. Their conflicting dispositions often leads to their exile from the Lai homelands, leaving them alone in the world Archtype?s world. The Lai aren?t the only race to feel the corruption stretching across the planet. Humanity has begun to crumble as large factions have moved into conflict with those organizing the fight against the Archtype. Nobody is sure how to combat its phenomenal powers; infighting has become common and threats the integrity of many of the safe havens. Even the Children of the Archtype have felt the corruption spreading around them. Many have begun to desert the Archtype in favor of a less restricted life. There attempts have failed time and again but larger numbers of mutineers have begun to appear recently? [color=#227722][u]The Characters[/u][/color] Kalliope (Neuvoxetere) and Sakura (Okhami) ? The lyricists, the Archtype?s elite warriors often used to lead small forces. Takahiro (Kayin) ? An Eon, among the bulk of the Archtype?s warriors they are generally equipped with differing sets of equipment to allow them to fulfil a multitude of roles, from foot soldier to storm trooper. Azruliath (skedy) ? A Junip, the scouts of the Archtype?s armies; they often provide are support for larger armies and are used for espionage missions into the Elysia. Kai (Blayze) and Sendre (Nefertimon) ? Psychics, the gifted warriors of humanity. They alone can employ the newly developed Psytech and often make used of minor psychic manifestations. Origa (Freude) ? A soldier, the traditional combatants of the human defence movements. They make up the majority of the human forces and fulfil a variety of positions within the army. Mekalu (Pumpkin) ? A medic, the staple point of any force. They provide much need d healing and medical treatments for mankind?s armies. Seuneu (Takuya), Andrial (skedy), Ruth (Legacy) and Lurlan (Quad) ? The elemental spirits of the planet. They wield the planets traditional elemental forces in an effort to preserve themselves and Archaus. They are not aligned with the Archtype or Humanity; and certainly move with or against either, so long as they benefit. [color=#227722][u]Plot[/u][/color] The characters above all originate from Mercarus, a continent on the planet of Archaus, within the locality of the Elysia Piel-5. The environment on this continent is toxic and cannot be trod by humanity unless they employ environmental protection suits. It is rumoured the Archtype is on this continent but the area is still huge and no one has succeeded in finding him. [/color] [COLOR=#4444ff] [color=#227722][u]Initium[/u][/color] Caius tugged nervously at the seals on his suit. He had seen what happens to a man outside without a suit, and it was something he surely didn?t want to see again. The heavy doors thudded together, closing the station behind him. Their partners began to part, the shrill sirens tearing through the icy chamber, the harsh atmosphere tearing at the walls. The reports, the design specifications, pages of statistics scrolling across the screens, he was familiar with the mistakes of the past, all the engineers were. The first chambers had failed to withstand the brief burst of atmosphere. Technicians had miscalculated the long term effects, the walls gave way in dozens of stations?thousands were shredded, more casualties of the century long war. With a heavy clunk; the exterior doors had peeled into the wall, opened the chamber to the environment. ?Systems stable. Exposure complete. Status check.? The metallic voice blared into Cauis? mask ?Positive control. Conditions as expected.? A generic response. That?s what kept the system running. It was expected. It kept them safe. Double checked his harness and stepped hesitantly into the world beyond. He had grown accustomed to the station; he had been here almost three years now, transferred from Piel-5. There weren?t many engineers left; the war had drained the Elysia of its youth. There was simply no one left to train. Sure there were a few, but the medical sciences were far more important and not many people were willing to risk exposure, not without the bravado of war. ?Good l-ck? Control crackled through the headset as Caius found the station?s outer wall. Sweat was already dripping across his visage. The environ suits more than halved the heat, stopped its corrosive air tearing at the flesh. This was one of the worst areas, of course. That was why the station was built here, to investigate the extremes. That?s how the chamber was developed, the first faults found. They were confident there were no more left. He edged along the wall. Fumbled for the outcropping, the thin wall connecting the GD units to the station. The air was thick with dust, tearing against the suit, near pinning him to the wall. They had given up using conventional torches long ago. Only the military carried light sources on their person now, only they travelled in regions calm enough to see with them. Caius? hand bounced over the small lump, imperfection, in the wall. It was the halfway point, as near as he could tell. The station?s designers hadn?t thought to quell the fears of the poor souls left to venture outside, along the wall, over the roof. They were employed for practicality and practicality alone. [center]~[/center] ?A-mos- there.? A speaker crackled in the control room, a distraction. ?Roger that.? Angela replied, carefully studying his suit?s readouts. The team never fully trusted the research suits. It wasn?t a spoken mistrust; that was mutiny and something they certainly couldn?t avoid. They simply knew one another thought it, didn?t want to risk saying it aloud, not in the station at least. And where else was there to go? She peeled away from the console, rumbled across the ground on rickety wheels. The chairs hadn?t changed, they work, always have. A sensor had failed. Triggered the blaring screech of yet another console. It was a motion sensor, a recent addition to the perimeter. She was never sure why they had installed them. They had done nothing but malfunction. She flicked the alarm off, turned to the speaker. ?The sensors are fouling again. Dirt?s frigged them again.? A positive reply, as usual. Then: ?Are you ---- i-?s a foul?? She frowned and peered across her shoulder at the console again. ?Yeah, what else could it be?? [center]~[/center] Daniel through his papers onto the desk with a sigh. The alarms were blaring again. Another false siren, a faulty seal, misread hatch. Paperwork. An archaic term, paper hadn?t been used to close to a century now, you needed trees for that. Not the aesthetic ones in the parks, the fabricated ones dotting the Elysia. ?What is it?!? He?s crossed to the intercom. Relaxed his finger, frowned with concern. There was no reply. ?Angie, what?s up?? No reply. He hurried out the door and to the closest stair. Stations weren?t afforded the luxury of the Elysia, they were too small, uninfluential to install elevators. Probably better anyway, they?d only kill someone if they held to the standards of the other machines around the place. A broken rail, the stair well?s only imperfection, its halfway point. There wasn?t much that could go wrong with the solid cement column, the iron case welded to its walls. Its heavy steel coated door slammed against the corridor. The station?s highest level, a domed floor centred round the control room, the station?s heart. Daniel paused at the door. It was heavy, airtight. The only one in the station. It sealed everything important from the harshness of the world, its atmosphere. It was what they wanted should something go wrong, the information, the future. The door was sealed. Locked. He knocked anyway. A dull heavy thud. It was pointless, there was no way she could have heard him. He collected his breath and keyed the pin, slipped, swore and repeated it. Sand. Heat. The acrid smell of the exterior. The curved ceiling of the control room, its twelve feet of protective plexiglass, torn to the floor. Three lightly clad figures stood behind the door, already sneering at the captain?s mistake, their comrade?s close behind. Daniel dropped to his knees, his arms peeling in clusters to the ground beside him. Angela?s remains already scattering through the door, tearing at his face amidst the sand, the vengeful earth. The captain?s life ended, his brittle skull smeared in its flesh across the air filled corridor. The children moved into the station, quickly, efficiently, emotionless? [color=#227722][u]Ignotus[/u][/color] ?The armies must move. They have already begun moving against the stations. The line will be breached!? Senator Mahon fell back to his seat. It had been a heated session, every representative had had something to say, there was little to agree on. Twenty men, ten women. They all knew something must be done, knew it was important. ?The line won?t fall, they haven?t the strength to move against it. It?s the stations themselves they want. We?ve only five left. We need to consolidate, reclaim what we have lost!? Commander Barakis? voice rose across the auditorium. He rarely spoke on his own volition. He seemed hesitant to impart his reports upon them. The room fell silent. The men, the women, curious. ?Piel-5 will be all you have left soon. We don?t even know if four and five are still standing. If you keep withdrawing our forces we?ll have nothing past the line. Then It will rally, muster its forces. Is that what you want, isolation?!? He took his seat. ?A vote. Should the army withdraw to the Line or move to retake the stations?!? The chancellor addressed the room. Began the vote. It hadn?t always been this way. There used to be a representative democracy, when the populations were large, when rule by the masses wouldn?t lead to demise. They had learned that the hard way, on the other continents. When It first came, finished the job, sealed fate. Now it was the elite, those competent enough to rule, chosen by those before them. Society is the past however and the democracy remains. Perhaps the deciding factor in the war. If its recent performance continued It wouldn?t waste much more time, Piel-5 was vulnerable, weak. As weak as it had been for the last three hundred years. [center]~[/center] ?I won?t do it Chancellor. We?ll loose too much.? The Commander struggled with the absurdity of the Senate?s decision. ?I just can?t. There will be a mutiny soon. They don?t like the indecision, you look incompetent!? ?Sit down Commander.? The Chancellor countered sternly. The Senate feels the Line is too weak. Supplies, more funding, more men. Anything at all to make them feel better. Piel-5 doesn?t know about the stations. If we move the armies they?ll panic.? ?Fine. But I warn you Chancellor. They won?t put up with much more. Incompetency isn?t going to help with their outrage.? Commander Barakis stole out of the room, he had better things to do than argue with the democracy. The masses where his concern, not the elite. [/color] N. B. - Barakis is the Commander of the human forces operating in the Elysia Piel-5. I will be playing him as an additional character and post a sign-up for him at a later time ~ skedy

[COLOR=Teal][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode][i]The Battle of Archaus[/i] has been posted. Please note that the thread's rating is M for Mature language, violence, and other themes such as sexual content or the atrocities of war, especially those in the environment being presented. I am keeping this sign-up open. I want more players to sign-up and any characters being introduced into the RP to be signed up here. If new players are joining they should wait before posting in the actual thread for a confirmation of their character and entry into the thread.Thanking you for your patience,~ skedy[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#ffff55][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] I'm now officially running this thread. Due to time constraints I haven't been able to start it over the last couple of weeks but things look to be easing up at the moment and I should be able to get it off the ground over the next couple of days, so keep an eye out. I'll edit this post once the thread is up or PM everyone who got through. Thanks for the patience and continued enthusiasm, skedy [/font][/size][/color]

[COLOR=#ffffff][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode][color=#ff4433][u]Name:[/u][/color] Azruliath [color=#ff4433][u]Age:[/u][/color] 80 [color=#ff4433][u]Race: [/u][/color]The Archetype's Children [color=#ff4433][u]Class/Job:[/u][/color] Junip [color=#ff4433][u]Abilities:[/u][/color] Azruliath can fly and has extraordinary reflexes. His strength has also been increased but not excessively. Additionally Azruliath's senses, eye sight, hearing, and touch, have been heavily upgraded. Finally Azruliath has been modified to give it control over its body temperature and a series of visors used for detecting various creatures and devices in a range of conditions (like Samus in Metroid Prime or the Predators in Predator). [color=#ff4433][u]Appearance:[/u][/color] Shorter, and far more agile, than most of his kind Azruliath stands at a little over 4' 8". Early in his career he was chosen for extensive upgrades awarded to the finest of the Archetype's Children. This involved extensive reworking of the scout's body leaving him more machine than not. To aid in his duties Azruliath was given a darkened chrome to cover most of his exterior parts and a streamlined shape rarely seen among many of the classes of the Archetype's Children. Keen to keep his abilities as a spy and undercover agent of the Archetype Azruliath also underwent careful reworking of his countenance and upper body, leaving him with the psyche of a young man with shoulder length brown hair and vibrant green-grey eyes. [color=#ff4433][u]Weapon:[/u][/color] A small high-frequency blade usually sheathed along his forearm and a small light weight blast weapon incorporating flash grenades to aid in an escape. Azruliath was not designed to stand and fight and as such has light weight weaponry and armour. [color=#ff4433][u]Alliance:[/u][/color] The Archetype, among the loyalist of his supporters and responsible for exposing several Children contemplating defection. [/font][/size][/color] [COLOR=#4444ff][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] [color=#227722][u]Name:[/u][/color] Andrial [color=#227722][u]Age:[/u][/color] 136 [color=#227722][u]Race:[/u][/color] Lai [color=#227722][u]Class/Job:[/u][/color] Water Lai, Healer [color=#227722][u]Abilities:[/u][/color] Andrial has refined her control over water. She can shape it into a variety of forms and summon storms so long as she is no more than two miles from a large body of water, such as a moderate lake. Whilst she is touching water Andrial can heal most life forms, including the three base races: The Lai, Humans, and The Archetype?s Children. Should the need arise Andrial can summon a large mass of water far from any source but doing so drains her of her energy and leaves her weak for sometime after. In her serpentine form Andrial can travel at incredible speeds so long as she is in or over a body of water, this ability is also present in an increase in her reflexes whilst she is still in her humanoid form. Due to her wings Andrial can also fly as long as she remains in her animal form. [color=#227722][u]Appearance:[/u][/color] Standing at six foot and three inches Andrial is not particularly tall among the people of Archaus. She has should length Aqua coloured hair and a fair complexion. She is slender but not gangly and quick on her feet. Andrial can usually be found clad in a worn grey-green tunic or a finely woven outfit of the same colour with a set of knee high leather boots. When moving in her animal form Andrial usually takes the shape of the large serpentine creatures typical of her class. When morphed she is a little over eight foot in length with a girth of just over a foot. Her wings are long and sleek, her scales silver. The tone of both Andrial?s scales and skin changes depending on the health of the water around her. When she is near polluted water her scales turn a brown-green shade with a hint of silver showing through while her skin turns darker and her hair shifts to a matted brown still hinting at its true aqua colouration. [color=#227722][u]Weapon:[/u][/color] A healer and generally of a pacifistic disposition Andrial is loathe to carry the weapons she does but following past experiences she has learned that both Humanity and the Children of the Archetype are quick to violence. As a result Andrial now carries a small bone blade, roughly as long as a forearm in length. She only draws this weapon as a last resort and relies heavily on her water based powers for defence. [color=#227722][u]Alliance:[/u][/color] Lai, but is willing to help all the children of Archaus should shes see their motivations as just. [/font][/size][/color] [COLOR=#ffff55][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] [color=#ff1111][u]Name:[/u][/color] The Archetype [color=#ff1111][u]Age:[/u][/color] Unknown [color=#ff1111][u]Race:[/u][/color] Unknown [color=#ff1111][u]Class/Job:[/u][/color] The Archetype [color=#ff1111][u]Psychic Ability:[/u][/color] Unkonwn [color=#ff1111][u]Abilities:[/u][/color] Unknown [color=#ff1111][u]Appearance:[/u][/color] Unknown [color=#ff1111][u]Weapon:[/u][/color] Unknown [color=#ff1111][u]Alliance:[/u][/color] Unknown Yeah a lot of unknowns. Just posted this to let everyone know that I am playing the Archetype for Okhami. [/font][/size][/color]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode][b]What is it?[/b] Okhami's RP thread: [b]'Dragon Wing Festival'[/b] [b]Why is it Nifty?[/b] I think Okhami's thread was nifty because it was the first time I thoroughly enjoyed writting in a long time. The storyline and the thread itself developed well and it brought a small group of less famous, perhaps, OBers back together from one of her previous threads. The atmosphere and involvement achieved by this thread is the very heart of OB and deserves to be commended for it. lol, or something like that, -skedy[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]A friend once said something that really stuck in my head: "The difference between most guys and Australian guys is: When you tell a normal bloke you're gay he jumps and says get the hell away from me, when you tell an Aussie bloke you're gay he jumps but is quick to say 'That's cool, just don't hit on me or nothin'." I guess that's a saying or something. I also like a particular line from a song "When you are lost in your way deep in an awesome story...". Hearing that always makes me think about life as a whole and deeper meanings and stuff, depending on what's important at the time. I'm not sure where it comes from but an extension I heard quite a while ago for Crazy Ace's second quote, "You reap what you sow.", is: "You reap what you sow. But what you sow depends on who's field you have been left in." Just make me think about who seems to be in control of your life nad who really is, that's all. -skedy[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=2][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]Friends are definately more important to me than family, I mean there is nothing in the whole world that I wouldn't do for the people that I rely on for supportand I just don't have this sort of feeling towards family. I think that may stem from the fact that my families (both my parents are remarried with kids) have been equally split in importance, well something like that, is hard to word really. skedy[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Teal][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]This is the first year I decided to pursue a New Year's resolution. I planned on taking the year to do two things: Firstly I planned to tell everyone I knew that I was bi-sexual and secondly I wanted to enter into my first serious relationship. Its now the fourth day of the first month and I've done both off these things. Some year long resolution huh? lol, skedy[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=#eeeeee][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] Two days of solid riding, with his mount beginning to fail under the strain, Talon was yet to see a single sign of Terra?s group. He was confident he had moved fast enough to be able to circle around and meet the girls from the direction they were heading, assuming he could survive another day of riding. Unlike Isabelle, the mage had had no chance to sleep, he had pushed the gelding through the night and long into the morning, breaking only once for water. The woman dragged hopelessly onto the horse still had very little idea of what was going on. She wasn?t sure why Glen Haven was burned, why her store, friends and happy existence had been torn from her. No, she was as the majority of Glen Haven?s citizens would be, confused and innocent. A whole town had been dragged into the foundations of war. Exasperated, Talon released his breath and pulled their mount to the crest of a nearby hill. They had reached the western plains, the vast expanse of empty, grassy fields that stretched from the end of the rugged hills, Terra had unwittingly rode through, to the thickets of Harlmul forest, bordering the swamps of the surrounding mountain ranges. Unsure whether to stop and make camp or continue to ride blindly across the expansive wilderness in the hope of stumbling across the others, Talon dismounted and helped Isabelle to the ground, they needed to drink before they could go much further. Unfortunately the mage hadn?t gathered enough supplies in his hasty escape, he didn?t reckon on needing them, his spells would have been more than enough to sustain him. But he couldn?t help Isabelle; she?d need food and water if they were to continue much further. It wasn?t long into their break when their first glimmer of hope could be seen galloping through the knee high grasses below? [/font][/size][/color]

[COLOR=#eeeeee][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] [color=#ffffff]Reeling Doubts:[/color] Surer of the situation but far from easy, Talon spurred their steed once more. He hadn?t revealed to the stranger all he knew of the ancient languages, he?d be a fool to do so. There was very little new information presented during their meeting, save the alternate form of the beast, and its capabilities. Having studied the divine arts throughout his childhood, the mage knew the way the planar realms linked to Gaia, knew their laws were unimaginably different. There was a limit, however, to what visitors native to these alien worlds could do on Gaia. They were still bound by the laws of their home plane, as far as he understood it. But where the menace?s origins lay was beyond him, there was simply no way Talon could learn them. And there were far more pressing issues to deal with before he could. Mind racing, Talon continued to urge his steed on, Isabelle shifting uncomfortably in the saddle behind him. He had lost valuable time on the stranger and could only hope Terra wasn?t pressing forward as hard as he was. [color=#ffffff]OOC:[/color] Talon?s view on things isn?t necessarily right. I haven?t talk with Ohkami about the way planes work in her setting, they may not actually exist, though Takuya?s post implies it. The information presented is what Talon has gained through the tome in his store - skedy [/font][/size][/color]

[COLOR=#ffffff][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] [color=#300EC4]Farewell: [/color] The Town Square was silent by the time Athen ventured from the Clock Tower, dismissing the pair of eagles he had summoned. Glen Haven was little more than a burning wasteland. Spot fires were leaping from one building to the next, slowly making for the ensuing inferno. Glen Haven was gone, its inhabitants lay strewn throughout its streets, its shops and stalls smoking and broken. The survivors too few to combat the raging flames. Unsure what he was supposed to do the mailman crossed to the Curiosity Shop. Of all the people in Glen Haven Talon was the most likely one to know who, or what, attacked the town. No luck, the door was locked and there was no reply. Unable to repress a sigh Athen started cautiously for the small apartment he kept on the edge of town. The screams had stopped, there was simply nobody left to cry. Moving away from the smoldering ruin that had once been the heart of a bustling township, Athen began to notice an increasing amount of papers scattered across the ground. Struggling to read the uniform print under the thick blankets of smoke rolling through the air Athen doubled his pace. Sprinting through the remnants of Glen Haven he collected what little he owned and made for the closest stable, one of the few in town. It took quite sometime to find and saddle a horse. Most of them had bolted during the attack and the few that remained were still wide eyed and started at the smallest sound. From here Athen made for the food markets and collected what little he could for supplies, most coming from the ruins of a bakery not far from the edge of town. With that he crossed the northern threshold, bidding Glen Haven and his duties to it farewell as he went. He knew, as everybody with knowledge of the lands surrounding the town did, that the quickest way west was north. The hills and landscape immediately to the west were too rugged and did little more than slow travelers down, especially those with horses. No, it was far better to cut across the plains to the north when speed was necessary. Athen smiled as he left Glen Haven for the last time. Alone. Free. [/font][/size][/color]

[COLOR=#eeeeee][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] [color=#ffffff]Frantic Flight: [/color] The Curiosity Shop had emptied some time before chaos erupted across Glen Haven. A bloodcurdling chorus of screams had ended the days trading. The all too familiar sounds left Talon despairing. He?d encountered Gal?naash demons only once before. A pair of them had attacked the caravan he was traveling with, they had slaughtered some of the best fighters in the southern lands. Thirty men had perished alongside their wives and children that day, Talon had been among the few lucky enough to saddle a horse and ride from the slaughter. Even from the sheltered confines of the Curiosity Shop he had heard the shrill cries of at least six separate demons, most rising from the Town Square below. There was little Glen Haven?s residents could do, they?d have to rely on the nearby dragons to rescue the town. But they were unlikely to rally unless Terra was nearby. And considering the urge to have her message translated earlier he doubted she would still be in town. Turning from the window Talon hurried to the back door, grabbing several small satin pouches and a large shimmering staff as he went. He paused at the door, spotting the tome he?d left open on the desk. The contents of the book would be useful, especially if he managed to catch Terra before she reached the mountains, but there was no way he could carry it. No, he?d have to hope it would be safe here in Glen Haven until his return. Locking the door behind him the storekeeper muttered a stead stream of gibberish before tapping the building?s wall with a head of his staff. Satisfied with the appearance of a soft glowing field he headed for the stables, there was no way those demons would enter his store, no extra-planar creature could. All save three horses had broken their lashings and bolted from the stable. Of the remaining steeds Talon chose the most hardy, a chestnut gelding with a brilliant white streak running along one side, and saddled the beast. He hit the town at a gallop, heading north, towards the looming mountains, towards plejalta?s range. The Town Square?s bustling market had already been demolished, the broken tents and fallen bodies did little to slow his horse as he made for the streets. He was too pressed to check for the wounded, the unfortunate souls who had managed to survive the hell-beast?s carnage. He?d seen the fever their claws brought on before, it was hard to cure, and even harder to bare. It could only really be treated early, when the wound was still fresh. And the smallest scratched was enough to infect someone unfortunate enough to face the fiends. Glen Haven?s outskirts were far worse than its heart, the Gal?naash were obviously unorganized. Every second building was smoldering beneath a heavy blanket of black smoke and many of the residents had been spread across the broad streets, there were very few intact corpses. The most disturbing sight, however, was the fallen bodies of dozens of dragons. Many were headless, others just ripped open. There were few things on Gaia capable of killing so many of the legendary beasts, the most powerful of all creatures in the natural world, and the beings powerful enough to do so were often loathe to leave their plane. Gaia was far too confining for them, its laws too rigid, too alien to cope with. No there was something big, something ready to shake the realm, taking place in the quiet town of Glen Haven. And there was nothing he could do to stop, nothing any local could do, not without help. Talon spurred his steed, muttering another incantation as he went. He had spent years perfecting the art of spell casting, developing some of the most advanced spells of the ancient world; spells that most would find impossible to cast normally, let alone from the back of a galloping horse. His heart sank as he finished the spell. A single syllable off, the results of his horse jumping the remains of what may once have been a merchant, he?d have to try again. Talon focused and repeated the spell, fortunate enough to pronounce it with the required exactness. A soft glow fell across the mage and his horse, reminiscent of the one surrounding the Curiosity Shop. It wasn?t nearly as powerful as that which protected his prized store but it would afford him enough time to avoid an unwanted company. Rounding yet another corner Talon gulped. Centered amongst the smoking carnage of the street was the looming bulk of a single Gal?naash, a young woman sprawled desperately before its feet. He recognized her as Isabelle, maker of the best breads in all of Glen Haven, well so he thought. Unsure what else to do, Talon charged towards the fiend, his mount?s whiney enough to draw its attention from the woman in the street. Isabelle had already scrambled to her feet when the horse reached the demon, every inch of its body rippled with anticipation. The mage whispered to the staff as he went. The relic was older than the first Gal?naash, ancient when humanity?s first ancestor was borne into the world. And it appreciated Talon?s words, humming softly in response. The fiend failed to notice, it was rash, as all of its race were. The humming went unheard, the building glow unseen. Talon rolled the relic through his fingers as the distance faded. The pair came together: the mage swung his staff, the demon clawed for his face. He didn?t block, simple swung. The staff caught the hell-beast?s chest, the barrier its claw. Talon?s horse didn?t falter, it was going too fast to even consider it. An air borne corpse crashed through the front doors of the bakery, its back broken, innards splayed across the dusty ground. Talon?s aura was all that filled the air where the pair had met, its crackling mass broken and shattered. He was thankful it had held against the attack, glad he?d retained his head. Spurring the steed into a fiercer gallop the mage lowered and arm and helped Isabelle swing a leg over the horse behind him. He hadn?t time to stop and could barely manage the words to tell her where they were headed as the pair was jostled onwards by the sweating horse. The carnage stopped just past Gen Haven?s threshold, giving way to luscious green plains. Halting the horse for the briefest moment, Talon turned his gaze back towards the town. High above the smoking ruins a brilliant flash eye. It wasn?t a bright dazzling light, as one would expect from a dragon?s powerful magic, but a dark sphere sucking light into it as it grew. As the flash subsided, a tiny figure could be seen hovering above the smoky wreck. It was bigger than a human, but still far smaller than the trio of wyrms rushing towards it. A gargantuan set of devilish wings adorned its back, motionless. Obviously a powerful creature, able to bend the laws of Gaia, to exude enough power to free itself from a force all others were bound by. Unable to turn away, Talon watched as the dragons closed in the gap between themselves and their target. The first two charged forwards head first, the third approached from the rear. This was the beast that had already slain more than a dozen of their kind today, the being powerful enough to bring about a prophecy millennia old. Isabelle gasped as the first of the two dragons fell, its broken body twirling towards the ground. The remaining creatures reached the beast at the same time, the first enough to draw its attention long enough for the second to tackle it from behind. Unfortunately its attack came to late and it dragged the hell being towards the ground alongside its headless counter part. As the pair disappeared within the buildings Talon turned the horse and resumed their gallop. He knew the dragon would fail, become another casualty. [color=#ffffff]OOC: [/color]Sorry to use your character Takuya, I don?t think I did anything wrong with him. But let me know if I need to edit. Chaosfaerie: if you don?t want Isabelle to go with Talon to find Terra and the others either let me know and I?ll fix it in my next post or post yourself, Talon will not turn back towards Glen Haven however. [/font][/size][/color]

[COLOR=#ffffff][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] Athen could hardly see through the thick plumes of dust rolling through the air inside the clock tower. Chaos had erupted in the square outside, just as he was returning to the post office. Three hellish beasts had bounded over the roves and into the crowded market place below. The young messenger wasn?t really sure what they were, he didn?t get the chance to look at any of them clearly before he was forced into the seldom trod confines of the old clock tower. The structure was six stories tall, higher then any other building in all of Glen Haven, and was rarely entered, save for Mr. Hallman who was responsible for maintaining the array of giant cogs and other mechanical oddities. Unsure what he was suppose to do Athen bounded up the stairs, arranged in one great big spiral that stretched from roof to ceiling. The wrought iron work shuddered heavily under his weight, threatening to give way several times before he reached the platform at the top. Here he could see the carnage spreading through the town. Moving out onto the small catwalk across the highest point of the inner tower, Athen made for the narrow door nestled between the massive glass clock face and the weathered stones. Spot fires were already spreading across Glen Haven. The once bustling town?s occupants ran like ants before a storm, uncoordinated, panicked, one viewed together, but each individual moving with their own hurried purpose. The black hell beasts cut swathes through the fleeing crowds, tearing apart stalls, homes and shops as they went. If only Terra were here, then she could summon the dragons; they?d make short work of the demons, surely. The thought had hardly left his mind before the immense shadow of a wyrm fell across the clock tower. Athen?s hopes fell as it continued over the screaming masses of the Town Square. It made for the northern end of town, intently; it could obviously see something he couldn?t. The upper level, the paved section that both the Curiosity Shop and the post office opened onto hadn?t been touched as it lay in the shadow of the clock tower. Besides the wretched creature that had leapt over Talon?s roof the luscious green gardens and carefully placed stone benches had gone unnoticed. Unable to see the courtyard directly below the tower, Athen wasn?t sure what to do. He?d lost sight of the demon that had chased him into the tower, but was still pretty sure it was near by, and his magic was far to weak take one of them down by himself; the fiends had already savaged dozens of more capable warriors scattered in the markets. Edging back into the tower he tried to block out the screams, he wasn?t sure whether the noise or the knowledge of the hellish actions, that accompanied them, was worse. Athen was stranded, in the tallest building in all of Glen Haven alone, hopefully, with nowhere to go. A shrill roar sent a fresh chill the mailman?s spine. One of the beasts was close, close enough to echo through the tower?s airy confines. Unsure what else to do Athen settled to the center of the catwalk and calmed himself. He?d need to find his focus if he was going to free himself, if he was going to summon help. [/font][/size][/color]

[COLOR=#ffffff][SIZE=1][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] [color=#300EC4]Unwanted Ears: [/color] ?Impossible.? Athen didn?t know what to do as the summoner led her knight away. Yuka. Terra. He couldn?t still his thoughts. Couldn?t think what to do. He had been moving around the eastern district of town, delivering mail, when he overheard Terra informing the young man of the situation. Surely she meant for him to hear, someone so powerful. There?s no way she couldn?t have meant to let others know, revealing the story in an open doorway, less than a dozen feet from Glen Haven?s bustling streets. Remembering the letter the mailman hurried along, his job was his first priority. Maybe then he could follow after, ask Terra exactly what was happening. [color=#300EC4]OOC: [/color]Excuse the short post, I?ll make up the times left out between this one and the previous ones over the weekend - skedy [/font][/size][/color]