Written By Shard
Feb. 2, 2018, 10:57 p.m.(2/10/1008 AR)
Relationship Note on Thena
Consider what the first words out of his mouth were. That told you everything you needed to know.
Written By Shard
Jan. 26, 2018, 3:37 p.m.(1/16/1008 AR)
Enough people have written plenty of words already, so I'm not sure what mine will add. But I'll put this down anyway.
The things that Abbas Thrax did in the Isles, that's the kind of story that spreads and lasts. 'That's part of the point', some might say. But let me say this. I grew up on those stories. My tribe was often far from the Compact, but when we wandered close, we were terrified of you. We thought of you as the worst of enemies. My elders, my teachers, the parents in my tribe, they all taught the children to fear you. Our stories of you never carried the kinds of things you talk about in your stories. They never spoke of honor, or bravery, or sacrifice. They never talked about your heroes, or if they did, never /as/ heroes. They never talked about your gods the way you talk about your gods. And it was always your gods. Never /the/ gods. Never our gods.
Do you know why that was? Do you understand? It wasn't because my tribe wanted to be enemies with you. We wanted to live free of you, but we never fought you. We never wanted to fight you. We avoided you. We hid from you. We heard those stories from other tribes, who heard them from other tribes, and on and on. The story of Abbas Thrax will live on as the legacy of the Compact in the minds of dozens and dozens of tribes that never met him, alongside all the stories of all the other Abbas Thraxes real and exaggerated, in the same way you have stories of brutal rampaging barbarians that sacrifice people to demons in horrible blood rituals that are true, but not nearly the entire truth.
And then a liar comes along and spins stories about the Compact poisoning shamans and killing spirits, and tribes willingly turn to the Horned One. A powerful warlord comes by and promises revenge against the Compact for all of their horrible acts, and tribes listen to Brand. Your diplomats try to convince tribes to join you, and find they'd rather fight and die than submit at the point of a sword.
Do you understand? This is not just about the bodies long cold.
The things that Abbas Thrax did in the Isles, that's the kind of story that spreads and lasts. 'That's part of the point', some might say. But let me say this. I grew up on those stories. My tribe was often far from the Compact, but when we wandered close, we were terrified of you. We thought of you as the worst of enemies. My elders, my teachers, the parents in my tribe, they all taught the children to fear you. Our stories of you never carried the kinds of things you talk about in your stories. They never spoke of honor, or bravery, or sacrifice. They never talked about your heroes, or if they did, never /as/ heroes. They never talked about your gods the way you talk about your gods. And it was always your gods. Never /the/ gods. Never our gods.
Do you know why that was? Do you understand? It wasn't because my tribe wanted to be enemies with you. We wanted to live free of you, but we never fought you. We never wanted to fight you. We avoided you. We hid from you. We heard those stories from other tribes, who heard them from other tribes, and on and on. The story of Abbas Thrax will live on as the legacy of the Compact in the minds of dozens and dozens of tribes that never met him, alongside all the stories of all the other Abbas Thraxes real and exaggerated, in the same way you have stories of brutal rampaging barbarians that sacrifice people to demons in horrible blood rituals that are true, but not nearly the entire truth.
And then a liar comes along and spins stories about the Compact poisoning shamans and killing spirits, and tribes willingly turn to the Horned One. A powerful warlord comes by and promises revenge against the Compact for all of their horrible acts, and tribes listen to Brand. Your diplomats try to convince tribes to join you, and find they'd rather fight and die than submit at the point of a sword.
Do you understand? This is not just about the bodies long cold.
Written By Shard
Jan. 25, 2018, 5:56 p.m.(1/14/1008 AR)
What are you people doing? The reason Ainsley's outburst was so bad was because you're not supposed to be seen infighting in public, not because of Reese's personal feelings. You're meant to present a united front to bolster the common folk or some such shit, isn't that how it goes? Don't replace one fight with another.
Written By Shard
Jan. 24, 2018, 2:20 p.m.(1/12/1008 AR)
Relationship Note on Alarie
What the fuck are you talking about? Who said I was offended? I was pointing out that if you're buying multiple ships you have a fuckload of coin. Which you worked for. Good for you. I'm not sure what my profession has to do with anything, unless it's not good enough for your tastes. Does it not qualify as hard work for you? Not generous enough? Not honorable enough? Not enough nights bleeding into the dirt for you, protecting ships like yours, caravans like yours, making sure people don't run off with your hard worked goods so you can actually spend that coin on pink painted ships and turn your noses up at people 'selling each swing of our swords'? That's cute. My poor tender feelings are so bruised now.
If you spent that long reading through my bullshit, you might take the time to actually read what I recently wrote. I said I wasn't mad at Reese. I'm not calling her horrible, I said calling her the 'least spoiled' was ridiculous. That implies that maybe, just maybe, she might be a little spoiled sometimes. Most nobles are, let alone one with that much to her name. But by all means, keep acting like someone lit her house on fire by suggesting she's not perfect.
If you spent that long reading through my bullshit, you might take the time to actually read what I recently wrote. I said I wasn't mad at Reese. I'm not calling her horrible, I said calling her the 'least spoiled' was ridiculous. That implies that maybe, just maybe, she might be a little spoiled sometimes. Most nobles are, let alone one with that much to her name. But by all means, keep acting like someone lit her house on fire by suggesting she's not perfect.
Written By Shard
Jan. 24, 2018, 12:41 p.m.(1/11/1008 AR)
Relationship Note on Alarie
Yes, I suppose the people who don't have the ability to buy enough things to keep an economy healthy (or multiple ships for that matter, for fuck's sake), just can't understand the largeness of a heart with enough money to constantly do things like that while still never wanting for anything in the world. Daring to point out just how much such a person has must clearly only come from an ass load of jealousy, and not the reality that most people happen to live in.
As for those worrying about unity? I think unity can handle an argument. If it can't, how can it handle a war?
As for those worrying about unity? I think unity can handle an argument. If it can't, how can it handle a war?
Written By Shard
Jan. 24, 2018, 10:47 a.m.(1/11/1008 AR)
Relationship Note on Belladonna
You have to have things before you can give them away. And, as I said, her stated reason for giving them away was that she no longer had room for them. She's done this a number of times; giving things away is not wrong, I'm not saying it is, I'm just pointing out how /much/ Reese has, and how frequently that overflows even her ability to hold onto it. And how ridiculous it is to say she's the least spoiled, even when it comes to princesses; I don't see every princess in Arx, and there are quite a few, having this problem. Are the rest of them burning their extra possessions instead?
I don't hate Reese. I'm not even angry at her. But there's coming to her defense, and then there's jumping to the opposite end of the accusation to do it.
I don't hate Reese. I'm not even angry at her. But there's coming to her defense, and then there's jumping to the opposite end of the accusation to do it.
Written By Shard
Jan. 24, 2018, 3:54 a.m.(1/11/1008 AR)
I understand the need to come to the defense of a friend, but.../least/ spoiled? You're kidding, right?
I saw Reese give away more things in an hour than I've owned in my entire life. Things she no longer had room to keep in a house so large my entire tribe could have lived inside of it, probably with horses included. That day she had a song sung about her, to her, while surrounded by enough food to feed a crowd of people twice as large as the one it took to take all the things she was giving away, things that were brought out to the grounds by servants in large chests, that, when emptied, the servants carried away again at a single order from her.
And I'm sure all of that is a normal thing to you, because that's the way you live too. But some perspective, please.
I saw Reese give away more things in an hour than I've owned in my entire life. Things she no longer had room to keep in a house so large my entire tribe could have lived inside of it, probably with horses included. That day she had a song sung about her, to her, while surrounded by enough food to feed a crowd of people twice as large as the one it took to take all the things she was giving away, things that were brought out to the grounds by servants in large chests, that, when emptied, the servants carried away again at a single order from her.
And I'm sure all of that is a normal thing to you, because that's the way you live too. But some perspective, please.
Written By Shard
Jan. 20, 2018, 1:11 a.m.(1/2/1008 AR)
I didn't choose everything about what I am, but I chose this. I chose it very young, and I chose it again and again as I grew older, when my choices actually started to mean something. There were other paths, other choices, other ways I could have gone. There were other things I wanted, but I didn't want any of them as much as I wanted this, and so, always, I kept choosing this one. Always this one. I didn't choose my reasons, or my circumstances, but I chose how to react to them. That's important to me.
If there's a day I no longer have to make that choice any more, it's because I got what I wanted, or someone stopped me.
If there's a day I no longer have to make that choice any more, it's because I got what I wanted, or someone stopped me.
Written By Shard
Jan. 12, 2018, 3:50 p.m.(12/14/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Nierzen
I notice you haven't addressed a damned thing I've said. You're just saying I'm wrong, without saying how, or why. I mean, am I supposed to be upset that the man who thinks the Nox'alfar worked for Brand thinks I can't understand the intensely stupid things he writes?
Written By Shard
Jan. 12, 2018, 3:30 p.m.(12/14/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Nierzen
You said you were disappointed the Compact hadn't conquered them by arms. Which of course, means you were at least partly disappointed the Compact hadn't killed more Abandoned before forcing them to join (if any were still alive after they were done). The second half of that was some nonsense about how clearly the Compact was so incredibly clever it had tricked the Abandoned into being conquered without realizing it, but I've already been over that bullshit.
Written By Shard
Jan. 12, 2018, 2:57 p.m.(12/14/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Nierzen
Weren't you complaining that the Compact hadn't outright conquered more Abandoned a few weeks back, instead of convincing them to bend the knee? If that's how you assume the Nox'alfar view the Compact, I think that says more about you than it does the elves. You'd think if they were interested in conquering they might have got around to it sometime in the past few centuries. Maybe thought about it back when one of them was actually the king. You know, just maybe. I hear they get bored, you'd think it would have come up.
But I mean, you said the most devoted worshipers of Death were allies with Oblivion's Herald and then made the exact same mistake in saying the Marin'alfar, a bunch of Mangata followers, are working with the Gyre, so it's possible you don't have the slightest fucking clue what you're talking about.
But I mean, you said the most devoted worshipers of Death were allies with Oblivion's Herald and then made the exact same mistake in saying the Marin'alfar, a bunch of Mangata followers, are working with the Gyre, so it's possible you don't have the slightest fucking clue what you're talking about.
Written By Shard
Jan. 12, 2018, 1 a.m.(12/13/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Nierzen
Oh, yes, the Marin'alfar and the Gyre, the strongest of alliances since the likes of the Nox'alfar and Tolamar Brand.
Written By Shard
Jan. 6, 2018, 7:13 a.m.(12/1/1007 AR)
Word of warning to anyone coming to visit Audric: if I don't know you, don't come walking up to his bed in a rush. Or armed. Or with suspicious packages. Or with food. Or drink.
Or at all, really, if you can help it.
Or at all, really, if you can help it.
Written By Shard
Jan. 6, 2018, 1:21 a.m.(11/28/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Reigna
I could answer you, but I guess the actual question is: do you want to have it that easily?
Written By Shard
Jan. 2, 2018, 8:20 p.m.(11/22/1007 AR)
Heroes don't exist. I believe that, firmly. Heroes are what we put in stories, but in reality, every person is flawed, and expecting otherwise leads to problems. Disappointment. Anger. Mistakes. Inflated egos. People are always people in the end.
But...now and then I learn something I didn't know about people I never knew, and it's the kind of thing that makes me regret that I was never able to know them.
But...now and then I learn something I didn't know about people I never knew, and it's the kind of thing that makes me regret that I was never able to know them.
Written By Shard
Dec. 31, 2017, 5:05 p.m.(11/16/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Laric
So, in essence, when the Horned One's people kill someone in the city, prodigals from forest or Northern tribes can expect the same.
Written By Shard
Dec. 31, 2017, 3:46 p.m.(11/16/1007 AR)
There's...something to be said about a speech about how becoming a prodigal is a sacred tradition and how the Inquisition won't look kindly on those who mistreat prodigals for no reason right after they themselves have gone tearing throw the city's prodigal population with the help of the Iron Guard and some mercenaries, hauling off former islanders for questioning simply for being former islanders.
If the only reason you need to do that is 'a Herald has Abandoned cult members', are we supposed to feel fucking comforted? Maybe we can feel as comforted as we do valued for the fact that we're called prodigals in the first place.
If the only reason you need to do that is 'a Herald has Abandoned cult members', are we supposed to feel fucking comforted? Maybe we can feel as comforted as we do valued for the fact that we're called prodigals in the first place.
Written By Shard
Dec. 30, 2017, 1:51 a.m.(11/13/1007 AR)
The Arvani have dozens and dozens of words for 'leader', each word being used to define which leader leads what and where and how and why and when and in what way each leader ranks up to each other leader, so everyone knows who is in charge of whom and in what order at any given time. They have leaders for war and religion and crafts, leaders for common people and leaders for nobles, leaders to tell all of those other leaders what to do and one leader to rule over the whole mess.
They have just one word, just one, to describe hundreds and hundreds of different tribes, clans, and bands that live outside of the Compact, hundreds of thousands, likely millions of people that live from the southern tip of Arvum to the northern reaches of Everwinter.
Imagine how confused you'd be if every single job, every single position, and every single title in the Compact was just 'king'. You might start thinking any you weren't directly involved with were all the same there too.
They have just one word, just one, to describe hundreds and hundreds of different tribes, clans, and bands that live outside of the Compact, hundreds of thousands, likely millions of people that live from the southern tip of Arvum to the northern reaches of Everwinter.
Imagine how confused you'd be if every single job, every single position, and every single title in the Compact was just 'king'. You might start thinking any you weren't directly involved with were all the same there too.
Written By Shard
Dec. 26, 2017, 1:42 p.m.(11/6/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Agnarr
But as I explained, it doesn't actually mean leader at all. If you thought a word meant sword and it didn't, and you kept using it to refer to dull chunks of metal that didn't resemble swords at all, that wouldn't actually turn those chunks of metal into swords no matter how much you insisted. It just makes you look a little dim.
Written By Shard
Dec. 26, 2017, 5:27 a.m.(11/5/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Agnarr
I've only ever heard that used toward people when it was referencing the wolf concept, and it sounds even more ridiculous. Like a sentence that has been mistranslated several times over until it makes no sense in either language. If the original concept of a wolf 'alpha' doesn't even exist in wolves, why use it to refer to humans? You've got words that mean leader. You've got dozens of them, in fact, words for each type of leader and how important that leader is compared to other leaders and how that leader got his job. You've got so many words for leader I still forget some of them. 'Alpha' doesn't mean any of that. It usually means loud, obnoxious, and aggressive (and, for some reason, male? There are ideally always two pack leaders, a male and a female, this is why I had so much trouble figuring this damned word out originally), possibly likely to be filled with arrows, but it doesn't mean anything important or substantial enough to need its own word.
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