Dying Earth: Pre-Game Discussion

[Lycanthrope]

Okay, first, the quest. Now, Dying Earth is a savage place full of self-interested, self-serving people. No one at all works to serve the greater good, since everyone knows the world is doomed. Thus, most quests tend to be geared towards either personal well being or the well being of those close to you.
Some example quests from the books:

1) A search for the knowledge to create an intelligent life form from scratch
2) A quest to save your master, who has been captured by a rival wizard
3) Someone scarred so that they see all that is beautiful as vile attempts to see goodness in the world, traveling through many lands to remove the curse.
4) Someone whose face was swapped with a demon by a witch attempts to get it back
5) In order to get it on with a hot witch, one character goes on a quest to retrieve a tapestry from the dreaded Chun the Unavoidable. (this one didn’t go too well)
6) A search to discern the muddled history of Dying Earth (no it isn’t common knowledge)
7) Someone is sent by a powerful wizard prince to make contact with a long forgotton civilization across the sea.
8) A man cursed by a sadistic magician is sent to retrieve an artifact that would allow one to perceive the world as heaven.
9) Said man seeks to extract revenge upon said wizard for years spent in enforced servitude.

throw ideas at me, and I'll tell you if they're feasible or not

[IHateMakingNames]

5) In order to get it on with a hot witch, one character goes on a quest to retrieve a tapestry from the dreaded Chun the Unavoidable. (this one didn’t go too well)

I like this one...

[Lycanthrope]

Well, in the end of that one, the dude's dead. He deserved it though, he was one of the most hateable characters you've ever encountered: a vain, egotistical, sadistic, self-justified son-of-a-bitch by the name of Layne the Wayfarer.

[IHateMakingNames]

Well, my guy will be likeable, and maybe I will have him go get a wizards book first so he can then get the tapestry to get the hot witch.

[Lycanthrope]

Let's just put it this way: I wouldn't suggest it.

[Darth SS]

My guy will be a real hard-ass.

Who's obsessed with two thing.

1) Finding his sister

and

2) Murdering his father.

[Krylo]

How about my Demon's quest to become human? I figure that seeming as they all envy humanity, trying to become one would be a decent goal.

SS... can't just one of your characters have a healthy relationship with his family?

edit: Bio: Risyh, along with other men, discovered that Jeene the Hot, a hot witch, is giving up her virginity to any man who can bring her a Urn from Chun the Unavoidable's weaker brother, Nuhc the Avoidable. So now Risyh wants to get that item first.

...Hahahahahaha

[Lycanthrope]

IHMN: give it up.
Krylo: looks good, but remember that demons are bitter creatures. Their general reaction to beauty is to destroy beauty, to debase everything to the same level that they are. You technically could technically be different, but you'd better find a pretty damn good reason why.
SS: sounds good. *coughoedipuscough*

[IHateMakingNames]

Why give an example, then not let some one use it?

[Lycanthrope]

I basically annoted all the stories down to their individual character goals. As I said, that one ended badly. If you wish not to head my advice, go ahead, but chun has no weaker brother.

[Darth SS]

I like the disfunctional family thing, because it contradicts so much with my life.

And in Ragnarok, Kal has a good relation. Because his family is dead. And Covenant just wants to kill his father. His sister is missing, and I'll assume his mother is dead.

[Truce]

Well...can my character be a demon who was trapped in a human body via enchanted object (the Erew Collar)? Though he may envy humans for their world, he destests their weakness. If he ever gets his body back, he'll kill them all or force them to become his slaves. All this will occur after he takes over one of the Hells; just for the sake of fun.

[Forever Zero]

SS: sounds good. *coughoedipuscough*

Ouch, that is Ancient Greek School Burn.

And it's not exactly the same, unless he marries his sister... And that would be sick.

[IHateMakingNames]

What if my guy's mission doesn't need to get some magic item from Chun or Chun related people?

[Lycanthrope]

no, not neccesarily, but witches don't tend to be the nicest people on earth either. Hell, you might get away with it. there are pleanty of witches out there. Only Lith wants her tapestry back.

[Krylo]

What if my demon helped him on the basis that the witch might help with the humanizing?

If demons are as powerful as you say, I'm certain that the two of us (given that he's a thief, and my character looks like a moving shadow) would be able to infiltrate the base of, steal from, and possibly kill anything.

[StormRider]

So there could technically be other hot witches we could risk life and limb for in return for some action? Or perhaps multiple hot witch quests at once?

EDIT: Now I realize I still haven't posted my bio. I've been kicked off the computer repeatedly tonight, haven't got a chance to sit down at length yet. I'll get right on that.

[Lycanthrope]

I won't talk about it in case you do choose to fight chun, but he's a force to be reckoned with. He might be a match even for a wizard, for various reasons.

And a bit of general advice: solicit the help and information of the Twk-men. They are helpful in any quest. They have a fondness for salt.

[IHateMakingNames]

Fight? Why would a thief fight? My guy would sneak in, wait till he sleeps, grab the item and run like hell.

[Lycanthrope]

wouldn't work. he's chun the UNAVOIDABLE. Reguardless, I'll compramise to your current quest. Don't expect him to be easy. If anyone hasn't posted their quest yet, feel free to, but I'm moving on.

Magic.

The writing on the page is two dimentional representation of complicated symbols of more dimentions than the human mind should rightly be able to comprehend. looking upon the page, the symbols basically induce a semi-hypnotic absobtion of the information into the sub-conscious portion of the brain. A willful wizard could cram as many as five spells into his mind at a given time, but there is no limit to how many times you could rememorize. Once you call upon the information, words in an arcane tongue fly out of your mouth on their own accord, your hands move on their own forming complicated symbols, and the world shapes itself to the spell. Once cast, the spell is gone from your mind. However they are vastly powerful. Basically, imagine if you took level 7-9 spells in DnD, and then made it so that there were no saves possible. Then you get a concept of the type of spells wizards have access to. Of course, there are less powerful spells for every day tasks. basically cantrips. The wizards don't guard those as jealously.

Now many of the spells seem... suspiciously similar to Dungeons and Dragons Spells (there is, for instance, a Prismatic Spray) however, after I just confermed that this was written in 1950, a good deal before dungeons and dragons, I believe, I think its safe to say that the spells were stolen from this, not vice versa.

[StormRider]

We never addressed the slightly-easier-quest-resulting-in-massive-hot-witch-orgy suggestion.

Side note: Is it any wonder CJ is the only girl here, when we all talk like this?

[IHateMakingNames]

Since Chun is bad, I made it the original witch and her hot sister, Jeene the hot.

[Lycanthrope]

yeeeah.... well lets put it this way, you want an orgy with a bunch of witches, your on your own figguring out how to pull it off.

[IHateMakingNames]

Not an orgy, and threesome. And you just said Chun is bad, so just one witch doesn't seem like a good enough prize.

Also, is krylo's quest still intervined with my own? My guy could try to get one of the witches to help him with his human thing if he helps get the item.

[StormRider]

I was being facetious.

On quest #7, would we find magic in this ancient civilization? If so, my vote's for that one.

[Krylo]

We all get to pick our own quests, Storm. I think Lyc has some idea of getting our quests together/making us come together at some point...

Although we might just be various seperate story arcs in a world that he lords over. Never know.

Edit: Flare and Batgirl are here too... not just Celes. Ren was here before too... and she's just as dirty mouthed as the rest of us. She's just a slacker about RPing.

[IHateMakingNames]

Right now, I think my guy is going to do this.

"Mr. Chun, what do you want for that tapestry?"
*Assuming Chun does not kill my guy, he says he want something from someone*
*My guy goes to that place, if he can't steal the item, then*
"Mr. ____, what do you want for _____?"
*Assuming ___ does not kill my guy, he says he wants something from someone*
*My guy goes to that place, if he can't steal the item, then*

and so forth.

[Lycanthrope]

*throws up hands in disgust* dream your little dreamy dream, I'm threw trying to warn you guys off of this path. Just inquire of the nearest Twk-man you encounter where to find Lith the Golden.

Adendum: I've looked at demon magic again. I was a little off. In fact, a lot off. A major demon would have basically raw magics at his disposal. One spell is used: a demon, without issuing a syllable is able to temporarily paralize a wizard for a period of time, almost enough to kill him. Unlike wizardry, the spells can be shaken off, if you realize it's a spell, since the wizard then killed the demon in a single casting of the Excellent Prismatic Spray.

[MasterMage]

Once you call upon the information, words in an arcane tongue fly out of your mouth on their own accord, your hands move on their own forming complicated symbols, and the world shapes itself to the spell. Once cast, the spell is gone from your mind.Well I guess this means I can only transform one for each soul orb.What I would like my guys quest to be:Just do his job as a morpher.Help the party by morhing into strong monsters to help his party in a fight.Just as long as he gets fair pay.

[Lycanthrope]

Mastermage, I'm confused as to what you're talking about. Soul Orbs?

[Truce]

*Cough* Let's see if I get this right Lycanthrope. MasterMage, just listen to me.

Magic classes are limited. Morpher, though is primarily considered a warrior class, it utilizes a special class of magic. Also, since demon shapeshifting isn't really allowed, I doubt Humans being able to shapeshift would be...no.

Also...where did you get the idea that Morphers would be having an important part (or, at least, a designated job) in this world from in the first place?

[StormRider]

Hmmm. Wizards in this type of world wouldn't be likely to take on apprentices, would they? Considering they're greedy and hoard all the magic for themselves.

[Lycanthrope]

No mention of apprentices, per say, but not all wizards are incredibly powerful. Just the ones that matter. There are pleanty of minor magics going about.

[StormRider]

I see. Hmm, how about this. My character makes a deal with a wizard to go fetch him a heavily guarded artifact in return for acces to some magic. Of course, the wizard has no intention of actually giving him that magic, but my character doesn't know that yet. Would that work? I'd flesh out the minute detail later, of course.

[Lycanthrope]

Works for me. Corrupt deals are the bread and butter upon which Dying Earth works, however most wizards would simply put a curse on you so that you'd have to go through with the mission (for instance, in one of the novels, the main character has a parasite inserted into him that moniters his thoughts and intentions, and will cause him physical pain each time he thinks about doing something other than the quest that the wizard sent him on)

Edit: Is everyone interested signed up and bequested? If we're ready, I'll start.

[MasterMage]

*Cough* Let's see if I get this right Lycanthrope. MasterMage, just listen to me.

Magic classes are limited. Morpher, though is primarily considered a warrior class, it utilizes a special class of magic. Also, since demon shapeshifting isn't really allowed, I doubt Humans being able to shapeshift would be...no.

Also...where did you get the idea that Morphers would be having an important part (or, at least, a designated job) in this world from in the first place?Fine with me.*edits sign-up sheet to wizard*
Why did a morpher at first?
Well,It would give me a nice set of blue magic spells,It would help In travel (flying,riding.etc.,etc),and monster abiltys for offense and defense.

[Lycanthrope]

*sigh* have you been paying attention. Reguardless, it appears the thread is dead anyway. For the most part wizardry is out. You haven't a conception, obviously, of how it works in this world. There is no "blue magic." any spellcaster is practically a god among men since his spells are powerful and unstopable. Wizard is something you can fight to attain, not something you can start off with.

But, as people seemed to have lost interest in this, it's a moot point.

[StormRider]

Whoa now. Who says we've lost interest? I'm still interested, although I can't speak for anyone else.

[Lycanthrope]

well, I'm still game to put this on (all though I'd probably be unable to start one until next week, as I'm gone every night until 10 this week, and then have homework waiting for me when I get home), but I'll wait until some other people have re-stated their interest. I ask again, how many people are ready, how many people still need to get bequested?

[Krylo]

I'm ready and all that jazz... I'm still interested although I don't have as much time for RPing these days.

[Truce]

I'm in. I'm definately in. However, I just need to

Now, MasterMage, I don't know much about you, but from what I've heard and seen I'm not very impressed. I'm usually a nice guy, but you need to get some things straight.

First off, PAY ATTENTION!!! You've missed several major points in this already, such as Wizards being...you know, too godlike for a PC to be. Lycanthrope said that you could be one if you absolutely, extremely, life dependingly needed to be one...but he's certaintly not going to give it to you, you just haven't justified that class. Or any, for that matter.

Secondly, your character's bio just sucks. Every section of the sheet is just the bare bones...actually, less than that. You didn't change your character's race from Elf, which was commented directly by the GM only a couple posts afterwards, and you mispelled Wizard. That's just being lazy right there, and all in all your character isn't very impressive or interesting.

Thirdly...your writing skills are bad; I'm not kidding when I say this. You seriously need to improve them before you join ANY RP. Take a look at how most other RPers write, and then take a look at how you write. Is there really any real comparison between the two?

Finally...if you're willing to take advice on how to improve (and actually apply it), we'll try to help you.

[Lycanthrope]

hmm... we've got most of the people here... still missing FZ and IHMN, maybe others but I'm seriously too tired to think of them right now... and Celes said she wanted to join but never posted a character bio...

I'll wait until next week. If we have more than four people back by that time, I'll run with it.

oh, and ecurt... cool down. You don't want to get in trouble for flaming. We've all misunderstood things from time to time, and if I have to I'll excercize the right as the GM to yell at the players, but there's no need, now.

[Truce]

I'm (very) harsh, but I'm not flaming. I was even willing to help. There's a difference in what I said and flaming.

Meh...but I will cool down a bit more.

[Forever Zero]

Who with the what hey now?

I've been lazy, and I thought this had died off or something. If it still lives, I'll put together something. I've just been sidetracked by Graduation, School Projects, and my other big RP that I'm putting together, along with taking time to just relax and play games. I'm still interested though. Sign-Up sometime soon from me then.