Allamorph

[FONT=Arial]Ahhh! Bugger life. It always seems to happen to me at the most inopportune moments, like when I need to write a sign-up. This should have been done yesterday afternoon, not at three-in-the-bloody-morning. Grrr.[/FONT] [SIZE=1][U]Character Information:[/U] [B]Name:[/B] Tristan Lancaster [B]Age:[/B] 31 [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e97/UrUrAl/Fire%20Emblem/Blazing%20Sword/Lloyd.png][COLOR=SlateGray]Tristan[/COLOR][/URL] (nevermind the name; and yes, I?m a Fire Emblem geek) [indent]Tristan stands at an impressive six-two and carries himself nobly; his attire varies only when formal dress is required, and he always wears his overcoat open. A smirk is permanently attached to his face, unless he happens to be in a particularly foul mood (a rare occurrence) or he is laughing (which is slightly more common). His eyes are piercing and quick, never missing a single detail, and all his movements are smooth, graceful, and controlled. His gait is typically relaxed, but his stride is long, and his arms move very little as he walks. He left hand unconsciously rests on his sword at all times.[/indent] [B]Personality:[/B] [indent]Tristan was born a natural thinker and raised in an environment encouraging to his nature, and so he developed an almost incurable thirst for knowledge. He was also blessed with the ability to learn rapidly; there are very few areas that Tristan is not at least passable in, and he excels in diplomacy, strategy and tactics, and combat. His unfortunate shortcomings are his dry sense of humor and his tendency to be quite sarcastic, sometimes bitingly so, depending on his mood. He also tends to come off initially as reserved and taciturn, but he is in fact rather amiable; he simply feels no pressing need for initiating idle conversation unless there is actually something to talk about, though he will not refuse conversation if offered to him. He generally treats all his associates well and gives his respect where it he feels it is deserved, but he doesn?t take kindly to what he terms ?deliberate, conscientious stupidity?. Tristan has been a dragon rider since he was sixteen and was one of the five riders sent to Kaien?s resistance as a result of the agreement between the Validus and the Sapiens. He takes his duty and most things connected to it very seriously. In combat he usually hangs back, supervising battle from the air or a convenient cliff, anticipating enemy maneuvers, but Tristan is not afraid to throw himself into the fray, quite literally, as it were. He is still hesitant to experiment with magic?the potential power makes him nervous.[/indent] [B]Resistance:[/B] Validus [B]Weapon:[/B] On dragonback Tristan wields an elegant [URL=http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/Knight24/Weapons%20and%20Ect/d-602.jpg][COLOR=SlateGray]halberd[/COLOR][/URL] with which he is quite deadly; otherwise, he can be seen carrying a similarly elegant [URL=http://www.mwart.com/images/pl/Fantasy_Swords_Drizzt_Sword_Icingde_M1103_1405.jpg][COLOR=SlateGray]scimitar[/COLOR][/URL], which doubles as a ceremonial blade and an emergency weapon, and with which he is also skilled. [B]Spells:[/B] [indent][B]Visum Amplio [Supportive]:[/B] Tristan?s eyesight is augmented, allowing him to see over great distances, or focus on a particular section of a battle below him. [B]Vires Amplio [Supportive]:[/B] Tristan?s physical abilities are multiplied several times over, lending him greater strength and speed. He generally uses this spell in tandem with his dragon to combat airborne units?meaning he has his dragon hurl him through the air at an enemy to fight on it?s own beast. This also allows Tristan to survive larger falls, such as from around forty feet. (And no, he can?t leap tall mountains in a single bound. Short huts, maybe?.) [B]Ignis [Supportive/Offensive]:[/B] Tristan sets the head of his halberd ablaze. A simple spell, and the only one of actual elemental power he is comfortable using to date.[/indent] [U]Dragon Information:[/U] [B]Name:[/B] Lethe [B]Color:[/B] Blue [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/jj_walls/bluedragon.jpg][COLOR=Blue]Lethe[/COLOR][/URL] [B]Personality:[/B] [indent] Calm and rational, she is an almost eerily perfect match to Tristan?s own temperament. In the rare case that Tristan misses something, Lethe is certain to catch it, and almost as certain to remind him of her catch. Tristan and Lethe banter frequently, and so the rider is prone to randomly snicker at a silent remark made by his partner. Lethe can be just as serious as her rider about their role when the situation demands it, following Tristan?s every command, sometimes before he can give it. Though she is as friendly as her rider, she is significantly cooler than he in her interactions (which is saying something). Their bond is strong enough that a significant amount of emotional bleedthrough takes place between them. Fortunately, Lethe has not yet experienced any major violent feminine mood swings, for which Tristan is extremely thankful.[/indent] [U]Bio/Snippet:[/U] [indent][COLOR=Blue]Lethe rested comfortably on a crag overlooking one of the few passes into the Sapiens? city, her long body sideways, her head snaking back around, settled on her magnificent blue forearms.[/COLOR] [B][COLOR=DarkGreen]?A lovely day for flying,?[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=Blue]said the emerald dragon perched several feet above and behind her.[/COLOR] [B][COLOR=DarkGreen]?No clouds, no breeze, a warm sun?.?[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=Blue][B]?Mmm,?[/B] she returned distantly. [B]?Warm sun. A lovely day for [U]not[/U] flying.?[/B] The emerald dragon snorted.[/COLOR] [B][COLOR=DarkGreen]?Lethe, you spend more time on that rock than you do with the humans. Surely you should feel [I]some[/I] sort of need to stay involved, or at least active, especially given recent events.?[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=Blue]Lethe ignored him, shifting her head to a more comfortable position. The heat from the sun and the stone felt too good to merit an argument. Of course she was aware of the situation; she was always aware of the situation. She just hadn?t felt pressured to do anything about it yet. Below her, a pair of humans were making their way towards the city. She eyed them lazily.[/COLOR] [B]?Hey, look up there! Dragons.? ?Yeah?wait, I recognize that blue one. That?s that useless dragon that won?t take another rider. What was her name??? ?Really? How can you tell it?s her?? ?Look at her eyes. See how they seem to notice everything about you? And anyway she?s got those long horns that curve up.? ?Oh. So why won?t she take a rider?? ?Dunno. All I know is that?s one less dragon we have in the skies?.?[/B] [COLOR=Blue]The pair moved out of earshot; at least, out of Lethe?s conscious earshot. She could have kept listening to them, but she really didn?t care all that much. Everybody seemed to know about her now. If dragons ever came up in conversation, it somehow managed to end up on her, the rider-less dragon. The useless dragon. [B]?The useless dragon,?[/B] she muttered in contempt.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkGreen][B]?They are right, you know.?[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=Blue]Lethe raised her head and glared at her companion. [B]?Right about what??[/B][/COLOR] [B][COLOR=DarkGreen]?As long as you do not take another rider, you are useless. You are only taking up space and feed.?[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=Blue]Lethe snorted in irritation. [B]?Can I not get a moment?s rest from this??[/B] she asked the air.[/COLOR] [B][COLOR=DarkGreen]?No, you cannot,?[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=Blue]the emerald dragon retorted.[/COLOR] [B][COLOR=DarkGreen]?The rest of us are puzzled as well. Why do you not take another rider??[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=Blue]Lethe rose, tired of sunning herself. [B]?Because, Tarthis,?[/B] she answered as she took off, [B]?I haven?t found one yet.?[/B] [center]-----------------------------------------------------[/center] It was time again for the rider hopefuls to attempt to bond with a dragon. There were a couple of black dragons and a red one that most of the youths present were aiming for; apparently Lethe had been given up as a lost cause. She sat with Tarthis and a purple dragon named Reidervari, watching acolyte after acolyte try their hand at the Ouroboros Scroll, figuratively, of course. There were many gathered to watch; a gasp and slight applause rose up as an older boy bonded with one of the blacks. Lethe scanned the crowd idly, noticing a blond young man leaning against the wyr wall at the back of the group of hopefuls. He seemed to be watching his fellows as they each took their turn; his half-lidded eyes opened up when a girl about his age stepped forward, and when she bonded with the other black, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. [I][B]?He picked her out,[/B][/I] Lethe realized. [I][B]?He figured she was going to be successful.[/B][/I] She sent a thought at one of the other riders, and he came over to her. [B]?That girl,?[/B] the blue dragon started, lowering her head to his. [B]?How did you feel about her??[/B] [/COLOR][B]?She was one of the more favored candidates,?[/B] [COLOR=Blue]the rider replied quietly.[/COLOR] [B]?I?m honestly not surprised she bonded.?[/B] [COLOR=Blue][B]?I see.?[/B] Lethe thought for a moment. [B]?You see that blond boy over there??[/B] Her head pointed in the young man?s direction. [/COLOR][B]?Tristan? The one at the back??[/B][COLOR=Blue] [B]?Yes.?[/B] He?d noticed them looking at him, and his smirk disappeared, his brow knitting together thoughtfully. [B]?I would like to talk with him.?[/B] It took the rider a second to understand what she?d said.[/COLOR] [B]?Of?of course,?[/B] [COLOR=Blue]he answered.[/COLOR] [B]?He should be ready in about a month, but??[/B] [COLOR=Blue][B]?Good,?[/B] Lethe said with satisfaction. She watched smugly as realization spread slowly over the boy?s face; he knew what had happened before the rider was halfway to him. [B]?Tristan, hmm? I think I like you, boy.?[/COLOR][/B][/indent][/SIZE] [FONT=Arial]Weaughh. So much coloring.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Sorry I've been silent so long. I had some odd business come up, and then college life is constricting my time as well. I can't faux spam as frequently as I used to (:p), and my spring break is going to start about four days after everyone else's. Yippee. Anyway, I believe a Good Job is in order for [COLOR=Blue]Tiana[/COLOR], even if she didn't win the round. It was a rather complex issue to handle, and much easier for the other side, I feel. (Not considering opponents, mind; the stance itself is easy to attack from and defend. Nature of the beast.) Anyway, since this is shaping up to be a rather uninvolving round for all those...well...uninvolved, perhaps a bit of idle conversation is in order. I liked the questions bit that [COLOR=Blue]Josh[/COLOR] introduced earlier, but I feel it now somewhat exhausted, and so we're left with just kind of talking. So. What's up with you guys?[/FONT]

[quote name='John']When I am a famous multi-millionaire business tycoon, I will proudly proclaim that the secret to my success does not stem from an article in a titty mag.[/quote] [FONT=Arial]Ha ha. :animesmil Can anyone say: [center][size=5][B][I]PWN!![/I][/B][/SIZE][/center][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]I honestly had no real intention of playing Guitar Hero ever, but I got hornswaggled into it one evening and I was actually rather impressed. (And entertained, naturally.) I was quite surprised to see [I]Carry On, My Wayward Son[/I] and [I]Rock This Town[/I] on the track list; that Kansas song has an impressive, tough, SOaB bass line, which is unfortunately only available during multiplayer mode (the bass option, I mean). It made me happy. As far as future options, if the creators really wanted to throw in some though crap, I'd like to see some Nightwish; the solo on [I]The Siren[/I] is/would be nasty. :smirk: Other than that, more Kansas, Queen, Foreigner, ELO, and more big band, especially any of Brian Setzer's stuff.[/FONT]

[quote name='kalon'](Although technically, a guy that reminds me somewhat of Harlequin's real personality will be a major character.)[/quote] [FONT=Arial]And thus you've discovered the way around your restrictions. Different name, but maybe they're actually the same....? _> [I]ssshhhhh[/I][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Actually, I've never had to cope with self-image problems. This is probably due to my propensity to spend great lengths of time in my own head (or in someone else's), but I never really wound up caring whether or not I was/am/will be socially acceptable. And before anyone takes that the wrong way: yes, I shower regularly and often (meaning either at one or two day intervals) and I do my laundry once a week. So there.[/FONT] (^_^) [FONT=Arial]Anyway, I do worry about my appearance, but not in the sense that I'm trying to look like anyone else. I choose what I look like and am, and I just so happened to choose respectable, clean, and interested, with a bit of oddball thrown in for good measure and good fun. :p As far as advice for getting over said problems, I have only this: stop worrying about what you aren't. It's a waste of time. (It's also really depressing just to think about.) The more you focus on what you aren't, the more you forget about what and who you are. If you really must know how your appearance rates, ask your friends; and not your boy/girlfriend who wants you to be the spitting image of perfection (incidentally, does that strike anyone else as slightly vulgar-sounding?), but your [B][I]real[/I][/B] friends who have real thoughts and really care. [strike]Arrgh! WHY can't this watch stay latched!!!? Infernal clasp.[/strike] And for once I will agree with [COLOR=DarkRed]Adahn[/COLOR]. His last paragraph is very, very true. (Don't get used to it, bucko. :D )[/FONT]

[quote name='Adahn][FONT=Tahoma']I'm extremely uninformed in the area of physiology, so if you would be so kind as to tell me what the hell a pituitary gland is, and what function it has, I would be more than happy to answer your question.[/FONT][/quote] [FONT=Arial]"Isn't he great, folks! Let's give him a big hand!" (^_^) [quote name='Raiyuu]So what Allamorph was suggesting ([U]a little overly snidely, I might add[/U']) was that you, Adahn, are suffering from hormonal imbalance and subsequently from social maladjustment.[/quote] Bother. Here I am, quoting Calvin and Hobbes, and....yeah. Calvin's pretty snide most of the time anyway, so yeah. I really didn't ask you the question seriously so much as I just wanted to ask it, period. It just doesn't fit into many conversations easily, ya know? And now, we return you to your regularly scheduled topic. [I]*kzzzt*[/I][/FONT]

[quote name='Peter Griffin]"Haha, you said 'nuclear'! It's [U]nucular[/U'], you dummy, the 's' is silent."[/quote] _> [FONT=Arial][I]*cough*[/I] You know, bugger this whole 'perfect world' stuff. I'd like just as much as the next guy, sure, but then, who get's to define what perfect means? As far as I know, there aren't any humans who can claim that right nor delegate it to another. (No comments from [strike]Dead, Baron, or Deathknight[/strike] the Peanut Gallery, please.) I'd rather make the best of what I've got than fantasize about [strike]nuclear winter[/strike] what I can't have. It's much more fun to exist in reality, anyway. Oh, and "Confucius say: He who runs in front of car is tired; he who runs behind car is exhausted." [I]*raspberry*[/I][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Sorry I'm late. Life has been happening to me at a rather alarming rate. (You know what I mean.) [QUOTE=kalon]...I cannot think of a single idea I want to write on. If I do think of an idea, it's way overused or won't pan out the way I want it to or one of endless other mind-confuzzling things. I don't have writer's block, just good idea block....[/QUOTE] If you will pardon my language, my dear, to hell with ideas. You've already got enough quirky characters to blow any and all conventional ideas clear out of the water; just start watching them for a half-hour or so. (Have Virgil and Hilde get into a fight or something.) If you feel a clear-cut situation is absolutely necessary, then by all means pick a random one and make as much fun of it as you can. Awkward moments, complete lack of reverence, deadpan, just schtick in general. And [COLOR=DarkRed]Retribution[/COLOR] actually has a good point, even if it's a little too satirical-prone for my skills yet. I was once required to write a short story/poem/song/piddly-piece-of-crap about an iris once in English class, as a "Creative Writing" assignment. Though I was not the only person in the room to actually animate said flower, I was the only one in the room who even thought of trying "wood nymph", especially a nastie one at that. Basically, if you want to use a concept that you feel is now somewhat overused and trite, try asking "But what if [I]this[/I] were a ____________?" [I]¿Comprende?[/I] Take whatever you've got swirling around in your noggin and just screw with it. Fun stuff tends to happen.[/FONT]

[quote name='Baron Samedi][size=1']It appears some random noobs have gotten popular recently. Good for them.[/size][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Why, thank you! [I]Signed:[/I] -A, the random noob.[/FONT]

[SIZE=1]Darius grinned at Nikki?s retreating back. That had been quite an impressive feat, freezing their assailants in place, and she?d hit all five guys at the same time, too. Not bad at all. He began to follow the others through the motionless bodies. And then there were more. They just kind of appeared around the Magicians, like somebody besides Xavier had been using an illusion as a mass cover and had lost focus. [I]?What the?.[/I] There wasn?t time for thought. He heard Nikki yelp, and the cloaks immediately stirred to life again. [B]?Move!?[/B] he cried, shoving Amelia sharply to one side. He leapt forward and tackled Ivy, twisting so that it was his back, and not her face, that hit the street. A blue streak of something-or-other shot over them, connecting instead with another black cloak on their other side; the robed figure disintegrated on contact. Still holding Ivy, Darius used his lower body to throw them to their feet, and he spun her behind him, using his now free right hand to withdraw and hurl about a dozen matches towards another magician. The matches erupted in his attacker?s face, and the cloak caught fire; its owner stumbled blindly away, wildly flailing its arms, attempting to put itself out. Darius grabbed a bit of the flames and pulled it to him, splitting it into two small fireballs, one in each hand. [B]?Ummm?,?[/B] he began intelligently, [B]??crap.?[/B] [center]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center] [indent][B]OOC:[/B] I didn?t want to post again [I]quite[/I] this soon, but I read [COLOR=DarkRed]The Boss[/COLOR]?s bit and saw the set-up; [COLOR=DarkRed]Eclipse[/COLOR], [COLOR=DarkRed]Revelation[/COLOR], have fun with Darius. [/indent][/SIZE]

[FONT=Arial]Like I said elsewhere (*shifty-eyes*), I knew you'd be fine. So, then. For the argumentation bit, now you can start unraveling your opponent's satements. Look for logical fallacies or unexplained conclusions. And remember, don't directly attack the speaker, just the arguments.[/FONT]

[quote name='sbsp13668][COLOR=SeaGreen][FONT=Comic Sans MS]LOL! That was complex sounding...[/FONT'] [/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial][I]*gasp!*[/I] You've figured it out. Congratulations. Have a cookie. [quote name='Adahn']I am not very social in person.[/quote] Well, then. In that case, I have a (possibly sardonic) question for you, and I quote: "Are your maladjusted antisocial tendencies the product of your berserk pituitary gland?"[/FONT]

[QUOTE=BKstyles][FONT=Tahoma]I thought by Revalation's post we skipped the flight sequence and merely got to where we were going. I thought it would be difficult to do the whole wrist-thing and conversating while flying since the wind and speed of our travel would hinder normal speaking functions past screaming back and fourth loudly, and having Xavier in a wrist-lock by Amelia out of nowhere would cause some kind of body movement that would involve not being to control oneself without the usage of hands and planting one's feet...which is impossible while riding a unicorn at high speeds I imagine. Dunno, seemed like a scene that worked better on the ground...plus i figured everyone would want an opportunity to start showing off some magic in actual battles since few have not yet done so, and other's would probably want to elaborate. Sorry, if you had something in mind for the flight itself Allamorph.[/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]So essentially we all just flummoxed each other. (^_^) That's cool. And it worked out, anyway. It was easier just to say we'd landed than to worry about how it happened. [B]Edit:[/B] [quote name='BKstyles][FONT=Tahoma']It's best that the scenes aren't so far apart that it almost seems like we're backtracking with every post,[/FONT][/quote] Yeah, that was just a bit of flashbacking. Darius thinks a lot, so....[/FONT]

[SIZE=1]For the second time yet that afternoon, Darius found himself looking down on the city, riding on the back of a fellow Magician. He was currently seated sidesaddle on the unicorn, just in front of Cameron?s massive white wings, gazing over her left side at the streets beneath them, trying to get his head around the events of the previous ten minutes. Actually, he had been brooding ever since he had dealt with Crowley?s murderer in the alley. It was the man?s first statement that had initially made him uneasy. There had been no ?What do want with me?? or ?Who are you?? or such questions that might have made Darius doubt himself. No, the man had immediately revealed his guilt: [B][I]?He didn?t wish to join the Master. He had to die, and, and?so will you.?[/I][/B] This admission had also told Darius four things: one, the killer had already known why he had been pursued; two, the killer had recognized Darius on sight; three, the killer had not only known Darius was a Magician, but that he was one of those who had resisted the ?Master?; four, this ?Master? most likely knew all of that information as well. Add to that the fact that the man had not continued fleeing once he?d gained the alley, but had instead attempted to assault Darius, and the Magician was led to one rather disturbing conclusion. [I]?Crowley?s room was left for us to find.[/I] If that were true, then the sickening words on the wall were not so much the random inspiration of a mildly insane killer (which the greasy, revolting man had certainly seemed to be) than they were a premeditated message left specifically for them. Darius had been so completely preoccupied with his thoughts that he hadn?t even been aware of LeCrosse?s presence until the Cajun had already immobilized him. The telekinetic had been shocked and very angry; he had probably seen the rather fruitless interrogation, or at least its result. In the heated conversation that had ensued, Darius had rattled off some cliché and unconvincing excuses, too bothered by the direction his logic had been leading him to pay much attention to what he was saying. LeCrosse had finally released him, albeit grudgingly, and the two had returned to the lobby, where they had found the other Magicians. Apparently they had done what they could and were preparing to leave. Some concern had been expressed over what the two had been up to, but LeCrosse had immediately covered everything up; Darius was certain that Xavier, at least, hadn?t fully bought the story. LeCrosse had then hissed a warning to him. It had been completely unnecessary, and Darius had almost refused to acknowledge the sentiment at all. He had been on his way out when he?d noticed police uniforms headed towards them. In the brief glimpse he had been afforded, he had counted nine. [I]?The cops are here already?[/I] he had thought in surprise. [I]?That was really good response time?.[/I] [B]?Officer! That's him! That's the man who killed Crowley!? ?Put your hands behind your head, sir! Do not attempt any resistance!?[/B] Darius had turned in time to see LeCrosse tactfully hurl a ticket stall at the officers, who?d immediately ducked out of the way and returned fire. Luckily, Xavier had been on top of the situation, and the Cajun the police had so dutifully killed was only an illusion. Albrecht had provided a few more seconds of time, and Cameron had provided a quick ?getaway car?. And now the police bothered him. They had gotten there much too quickly?the other Magicians had been in Crowley?s room for no more than five minutes, and Darius was positive they had been the first to arrive. There had been no evidence in the backstage crew?s actions to suggest that anyone else had known of Crowley?s death, and yet the police had arrived almost instantly and had already had a ?witness?, who had conveniently pointed out LeCrosse as the killer. [B][I]?Darius, don' you t'ink dat dere's others aroun'? ? Someone will have realised you killed him, and dey won' be happy 'bout i'.?[/I][/B] LeCrosse would probably attribute the incident to Darius, and normally Darius would have agreed. But Darius didn?t believe his actions had instigated this situation; it had happened too quickly to be retaliation. He let his vision blur and thought back to the moment he had spotted the killer in the lobby?. [I]A brief flash of black to his left caught his attention; he turned and saw a retreating figure wearing a black mantle?. A flash of black to his left?flash of black?twisting black cloth?[/I] The figure had turned. He had been stationary, facing Darius, and he had turned. [I]?He was waiting for us. He was a plant. The guy was a freakin? [U]plant[/U]![/I] The whole thing had been a set-up. The room, Crowley, the killer, the police?not only had the ?Master? known they were coming, he had prepared, meaning he was probably anticipating their every move. They needed to get out of the air, and fast. It occurred to Darius that he had no clue where they were right now. He was generally good with navigation, but then he had never seen his landmarks from above the city before. He looked up to ask for help and saw Xavier up by Cameron?s, neck giving her directions while referencing a small book in his hand. [I]?A contact book? But wouldn?t that have been taken? Unless?.[/I] He pushed his concerns aside, masking his worries behind his usual genial demeanor. [B]?Sorry for chiming in so suddenly, but where are we??[/B] he asked after they?d landed, scanning the streets for landmarks. [B]?This is SoHo, one of the bordering neighborhoods to my home neighborhood actually,?[/B] answered Xavier to everyone in general. SoHo. Darius recognized the buildings now. He?d been here once or twice, so he still wasn?t really familiar with the layout, but at least now he had a reference point. He listened as Xavier talked a bit about SoHo and the Magician they were looking for until the illusionist was cut off by screeching from the left. Darius didn?t even have to look around?he already knew what was happening. His mind raced as he and the other Magicians prepared to defend themselves. [B]?We don't have time for this, so the best thing to do is to just get by them as fast as possible...whatever that may involve!?[/B] he heard Mugen say. Nikki went still beside him for a second. She had closed her eyes and appeared to be concentrating; Darius abruptly remembered that she was a time witch. [I]?Ahhh,[/I] he thought proudly, [I]good thinking, girlie.[/I] [B]?Well, then,?[/B] she announced after a second, smirking. [B]?That should take care of things. They won?t be moving for a long time.?[/B] She looked around at the others, who hadn?t quite grasped what had happened yet. [B]?So what are we waiting for??[/B] she added. [B]?Let?s go find this Trisha Parke person.?[/B][/SIZE]

[FONT=Arial]Whoa. When did we get on the ground?[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Two of you! [I]"Ohhh, they got me, Jim. Say good-bye to Ole Yeller for me, and tell May I ? I'm sorry."[/I] *dies* [I]PAIN!!! Holy freakin' ? eeeeaaauuurrr[size=1]RRRGG[/size]GGHHHHHH!!!!![/I] Oh, right. *pant* I'm an Immortal; I can't bloody die from a heart wound. I just keep comin' back. (Jays, the resurrection process always hurts so freakin' much.) ------------------------------ Hmmm. I've been meaning to read the Landover series for a while now; I've read both the Shannara and the Knight of the Word series. I'd recommend the latter first. But yeah, good author to look at. Also, before I forget, Isaac Asimov and Orson Scott Card.[/font]

[quote name='Clurr][FONT=Arial']I don't remember doing ANY writing and grammar stuff since the sixth grade.[/FONT][/quote] [FONT=Arial]What's depressing is that writing skill is not valued as highly anymore, and neither is it reinforced. Of course there are always those bizarre humans among us who just seem to be blessed by the muses ? metaphorically speaking, naturally. [quote name='Clurr][FONT=Arial']Creativity and imagination is part natural, but anyone can grow a decent imagination if they just think out of the box.[/FONT][/quote] Yep. However, I do not see evidence that many people wish to actually use their imaginations anymore. Also depressing. [quote name='Clurr][FONT=Arial']Right now I can't decide if reading books has a positive on negative influence on one's creativity. On one hand, doing so can inspire new ideas. On the other, it's absorbing a prewritten storyline and is not interactive at all.[/FONT][/quote] On the contrary: with a book one is free to develop any auditory, visual, or otherwise tactile sensations on one's own level; the author may provide boundaries, such as the reek of a rotting corpse, the caress of a fresh spring breeze (to get rid of that God-awful corpsey smell), or the ... well, you get the idea. The author gives the reader a reference and describes a particular scene as expicitly as he/she wishes to, but it is the reader that makes the story live. I mean, without a reader, the whole thing just ends up as ink on pressed paper. And [I]that's[/I] a whole load of fun there, mmm-hmm. :p It takes two to tango, you know. Same principle here.[/cliché+cheesy tie-in] And even with the predetermined story, [I]you[/I] don't know how it'll turn out, at least if the author is worth their weight in Asimovs, so you still get to watch the whole thing unfold in front of you. If you say that "the Good Guy always wins", then I ? I shall strike you. [quote name='Clurr][FONT=Arial]I hardly ever read for lack of an [B]interesting[/B'] book....[/FONT][/quote] Expound, please. I cannot fathom that every book in existence is tofu to you. (^_^) [quote name='Clurr][FONT=Arial']Like I said, I never read and I'm pretty sure I'm doing just fine in the writing department.[/FONT][/quote] True, but that does not mean that you should utterly abandon the pasttime. It's fun.[QUOTE][FONT=Arial]Originally Posted by [B]Tekkaman[/B], taken from another thread and appropriately edited.[/FONT] [font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][I]And... stop right there, [Allamorph]. ... Yes, if you don't know already, [fun] has no description for how great it is.[/I][/size][/font][/QUOTE] Hee hee. I love thread-hopping. Anyway, I'm sure you know what fun is, so I shall spare you [I]that[/I] tortuous speech. I've blithered enough.[/FONT]

[FONT=arial]'Kay. (random sentence to lengthen my post beyond ten characters.)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]This challenge will be interesting, not because of how well a player can argue/defend, but because it will be interesting to see how particular people adapt to the sides they're given. Whether or not one actually agrees with the topic one is defending is quite irrelevant?courtroom lawyers run into this scenario all the time. The debater's job here is simply to attack or defend a particular standpoint against [U]any and all[/U] possible arguments to the contrary, and the better one can do this, the more cases one can win. Some might even hold it an advantage to disagree with the side they are arguing for, since not only do they have research that can aid them in their defense, but they can also anticipate arguments against the standpoint and refute them; essentially, it's the flip side of "you are your own worst enemy". I realize that [COLOR=Magenta]Sandy[/COLOR] wants us to be up and mobile as soon as possible, but I would very much like to hold for a few posts, since I unfortunately know nothing about you, [COLOR=Blue]Tiana[/COLOR] (incidentally, my call name for OB S is [COLOR=Blue]Shade[/COLOR], but you don't need to use this if you don't wish to), and next to nothing about how you think. As for the current topic, the only thing that makes me nervous about arguing it is that I am a ... ummm ... well, I'm a guy. Small jurisdictional problem there. I would be absolutely fine with taking this round, except that I think there'll be a better one I can handle later. You, on the other hand, are in a little better of a situation than am I. Make the call, [I]mon Capitaine[/I]. [/FONT]

[quote name='Aaryanna_Mom][spoiler']pulls out her paddle for spanking in case Sandy does try to make her betray her team![/spoiler][/quote] [FONT=Arial][spoiler]I hear the sound of a paddle being unsheathed. (Equips Kathy with [U]Amulet of Pain[/U]: all spanks now deal +4 pain damage, and paddled target receives additional -1 repect points per spank.)[/spoiler] Abortion. Ugh. This'll be fun. [/sarcasm] And I bid a uncertain but sincere Welcome to [COLOR=Blue]Tiana[/COLOR], our ... new captain? *winning smile*[/FONT]

[quote name='SunfallE][COLOR=RoyalBlue]Take J.R.R. Tolkien, I positively hate their books. The writing style drives me up the wall. I enjoyed the movies made from them but to read the books? [shudder'] No offense to those of you who do like Tolkien.[/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]You wound me. But [COLOR=DarkRed]SunfallE[/COLOR] has a good point. If you're not going to enjoy reading it, don't bother. Try it first, but if you find you're having to force yourself through it, then you should probably put it down for a long while. For example, I forced myself through Moby Dick in sixth grade (don't ask), and I will probably never read it again; along the same lines, reading Charles Dickens feels like slogging through thigh-deep, slowly hardening mud. Incidentally, Anne McCaffrey has a plethera of wonderful sci-fi fantasy novels you could try, and then there's the popular Terry Goodkind (if you haven't heard of the Sword of Truth series yet, you must be living under a rock :animesmil). [B]EDIT:[/B] [quote name='ForgotteÑ-HerÖ][COLOR=Blue']How can I check if anybody would even be interested in my stories?[/COLOR][/quote] I feel this issue kind of secondary, actually. Sure, it's nice to have people read your stuff and say "Hey, keep it coming", but I write more because I have a story in my head and want to put it down before it eats me alive. I try to keep the fact that I might have an audience in mind, so I don't just write down plot and action and leave out detail and description, but I also don't really attempt to tailor my material to a specific group of people. To actually answer the question (:animeswea), just post your stuff here, or start mentioning it to your friends/peers. Even writing in front of them will arouse theire interests, and you might even get some fellow writers to talk to and bounce ideas off of.[/FONT]

[quote name='Shy][size=1']If Allamorph won't have the time this week to be very active, then I'm willing to go in his place.[/size][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Good point. Just to clarify, though, Thursday is the only day I should be completely down, so I'm not really [I]that[/I] worried. (^_^) And MWFs are, by contrast, rather laid back, so.... But yeah. The only thing that would concern me would be if this's another speed challenge. Without time constraints, I'll be okay. [quote name='Shy][size=1']I don't know anything you don't, good sir, it's just my speculation.[/size][/quote]Of course. However, speculation is generally based on something in the back of the speculator's mind, and I was essentially asking for your suspicion's grounds. (Obviously, "a hunch" is a legitimate answer. :animesmil )[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]I'm sorry for not posting here so far [I](today)[/I]; I had classwork I thought was due?which turned out to be otherwise?and typing that ate about two hours this morning, I got caught by a very good question in the Anthology for the brief time I was actually able to get on, and pretty much from now on my Tues./Thurs. are shot all to H-E-double hockey sticks. I will have maybe an hour free at ten this Thursday. Maybe. And then I'm not off until about 7:00-10:00. P.M., even. (This is a really interesting year for the trombone studio.) [quote name='Shy][size=1']The prospect of switching teams doesn't appeal to me at all.[/size][/quote] I beg your pardon? Where did that come from? I can see so many different twists that [COLOR=Magenta]Sandy[/COLOR] might throw at us that I don't know whether to volunteer or not. Besides, he said basically nil about what the volunteer will be expected to do, or even if the others on the team are going to be the ones playing around the volunteer (don't ask), so I can't make a comfortable decision. Basically, I [I]would[/I] volunteer, but [COLOR=Blue]Mom[/COLOR], you got there first, and you're the captain and what, so I leave the final call in your hands. I'll be just as happy playing as I will be watching. (Nothing like ambiguity, eh?)[/FONT]

[quote name='Clurr][FONT=Arial']My mother is also an english major, so I guess it's just in the blood.[/FONT][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Yeah, that could play a bit of an important role.... :animeswea (I have an English major Mom, too.)[/FONT]