It May be Bitter Cold Outside...

But Valucre's Got All You Need to Warm the Soul!

Well, it looks like winter has really come down hard on a large chunk of the country, bringing in temperatures colder than John Boehner's heart. A few places aren't too bad- my neck of the woods hasn't found temperatures below 20 at this point- but for most of you, I'm willing to bet you could use something to warm you back up. I can't offer chicken soup, funky microwave slippers, or Tauntaun guts* (Environmentally friendly method!), I can offer you some good reading and exposure to role-play so damn awesome, your soul will warm right up.

With that, let's get to the blog, shall we?

*No Tauntauns were harmed in the making of this blog. No animals either for that matter. In fact, the only thing likely harmed was my pride, but I'm not sure any of that was left anyway. 

What's Happening Valucre?

Where Men Win Glory- Do you enjoy gladiator style fights? Do you wish to participate in glorious battles in matches pitting you against men of all kinds, with limited crude weapons and your wits? Or perhaps you have always wanted to play the role of an owner, someone who dictates the fate of his property, fully in control of his (or her) near worthless life. Perhaps you like gambling away Valbullion, betting on which  fighter bests another, using your knowledge and educated guesses to increase your wealth. Did we also mention royal invites, setting up the opportunity for political conflicts and scheming? Oh yes, there will that and a whole lot more, if you would just click this link and take a look. ;)

A Trek through Nightwood- Well now, we've got someone here whose been brainstorming ways to stay busy while going on a walkabout through the dreaded Nightwood, in search of some pesky trolls. He has a myriad of potential conflicts about, meaning you should have some opportunity to flex a character's muscles and wit. Check it out. :)

Heaven, Hell, and Earth- This is one of those types of role-plays where I feel like I can do the extensive description little justice by paraphrasing it down. The best I feel I can do is to say that it involves a complicated story of Angels fallen from grace, mistakes made by humans and divinity alike, and the webs of their lives intersecting into an intricate pattern of chaos. I strongly suggest taking a moment to read this one through.  

Needles- Certainly not something for everyone, but I'm sure this will fit someone's taste. The person heading this one up is looking to do a romantic plotline involving a scientist doing genetic alterations on another person. The author of this one is set on wanting to play a male, and so the catch is that if you too are set on playing a male role, you need to be prepared to take on a plot involving homosexuality. You can get in touch with that person over this way. 

Order of Summer- The Order of Summer is looking for recruits to join their swelling ranks of Paladins. This group is one where you start out low in the ranks, but have plenty of opportunity to rise above the masses. If you want an RP surrounding destroying evil and working hard for your place in the world, look no further. 

Terrenus Bulletin Board (Updated): I was going to skip this one this week, but then Supernal went and updated it, compelling me to list it once again. This bulletin board is quite handy for fighting Terrenus based role-plays. If you want something there, or are having trouble finding what you want in the water cooler, come by and take a look!

  

Question of the week!

Three answers this time around, not a bad number, although I wish I had more to give you. Let's take a look at our answers, and then we'll come to this week's question, I think I have a good one. ;)

Response One: 4 months, that's how long it took me to develop my current writing style. I started role playing back in 2004 and what I was doing could hardly be called role playing. I barely typed 15 words per minute and I was barely spelling anything correctly. By 2009 I had developed a some what flowery and poetic style of writing. I was gone from 2009 until 2011. Upon returning in 2011 I wrote in a disorganized unattractive manner. This persist with me until later in 2012.

It wasn't until October of 2012 that I made a conscious effort to revise and change my writing style. While I have always loved flowery writing it isn't something that comes naturally to me anymore. So here I am actively trying to develop a new style.

Response Two: I'm twenty-eight, and the first time I remember deciding to do some Serious Writing was... hm, was it fifth grade or sixth? I think fifth. So, according to math, it's taken me eighteen years to develop my current writing style.

I started writing much more often in '02, when I first started roleplaying. Not counting high school creative writing assignments, it was the first time I wrote for an audience, and the first time I was under pressure to get a story done quickly. It's when I started learning to worldbuild, and when I started really caring about characterization.

Ten years?

But then, there was a point when I got comfortable with my writing. I started feeling like I could convey what I wanted to convey, and make my writing have a point other than "I got this idea and I put words around it." If there's a time when I've settled into a writing style, that was it.

That was somewhere in the middle of '09, the first year I signed up for a year-long writing challenge. I haven't stopped developing my writing style- never have, never will- but the biggest milestones I can point to are '02 and '09.

The most specific answer I can give is seven years.

Response Three: As far as my writing style, it’s always been the same as far as I can tell. My narrating has gone downhill though, lol. There are even days I see my old work as my better works.

With those three answered, let's look at today's new question! 

New Question: If you could have a day (all to yourself) with the writer of your choice (Alive or Dead), who would it be, and why?

Remember- you got two weeks to answer this one ;) 

New Members and Returns!

Well, this was defintely a slow week for new members coming in. We did get one return as well, but it didn't really help balance things out all too much. That's okay, we'll have a large load soon. :)

The New Folks...

Welcome, Shannrak

Welcome, Mikayla

Welcome, Lyriad

Welcome, Silvercontamination

Welcome, Shuji

Welcome, Akiko

The Returning Folks

Welcome, Palmtop Tiger

Slow week, but we'll soon have more. :)

Other Highlights?

If it weren't for the fact that I had something I really wanted to highlight, I'd be griping now. Always with these additional extras... these entitlements! Yes, that's what they are. The dirty 47% (well, in truth I would love it if 47% of our active member base read these blogs, it would like quadruple my readership :P ). Well, today you get your other highlights without too much griping.

Canonization- I think we deal with quite a bit of confusion in this area, as it seems like people haven't used it much, or feel like if that it' not canon, it never happened. A canon submission is the process of getting something added to the lore that has an actual impact on the lore- and is not required to count it in your history. Your character's canon is up to you, and you have the ability to decide what did or did not happen to them. Now, you might run into trouble if you claim your guy is a marksman expert with guns in Islyer- there are no guns there and cannot be any. But if you reasonably follow the lore, no one will question your character back-story  If you complete a quest, you can submit that for canonization. Now, the board leaders process these, and will delegate it off to sub-board owners when it pertains to their land.  

Now, anything not put through the canonization process never happened on an 'official capacity' in that- if you think that something lasting should have happened, you best get it through the canonization process. If you are going to actively pursue canonization, I strongly encourage you to read up on the lore, make sure you stay within the boundaries of it, and if in question, talk to a board leader to find out what your limits are. We love seeing changes occuring through role-play, but we want to make sure that those change are reasonable and possible. You can see the write up on canonization over this way. 

Did You Know- that you can exclude forums? That's right, if you don't care to see a section of the board (never use it, never plan to, etc) you can remove it from your sight any time you are logged in. Get the know-how here. Get some more Did You Know info from the archives. ;)

Closing Thoughts?

Well now, here we draw towards the end, hitting up the closing thoughts for this week’s blog post, and for the month in general. You know, it’s actually sort of funny, I always worried that my rambling thoughts would become the least interesting part of the blog- the section people glance at and move on. Instead, I’d say that some of the best feedback for I’ve gotten for these blog posts comes from this very section. Sometimes things work outside our expectations- for better or for worse- and in this case, it was a rather pleasant difference between what I thought and what actually was. Now, this is only an aside, I won’t subject you to an entire wall of text surrounding my sentiments. 

I just wanted to say thank you for your readership, support, and kind words. They really do make my day. :) 

On to the subject of the week, something I thought we could all stop and spend a little time putting some thought to. We’re living in a time where we’ve been brought up to have high expectations, something that borders entitlement in many of us, and crosses that line in some of the worst. This is not to attack anyone in particular or even a group, it’s just a simple observation of cultural and generational changes. Many (but not all) of us have grown accustomed to a certain degree of met needs and demands, and over time, we’ve grown accustomed to it. It becomes far too easy to lose sight of the good things we receive. 

There’ an old saying, it’s actually much older than you might think, dating all the way back to about a century before the fall of the Western Roman empire- although the original translation is something far from familiar. You might derive the meaning, if I only told you ‘A given horse's teeth are not inspected’, which is the direct translation from the old Latin. It is funny that we say it differently, because this translation actually explains the origin behind the phrase. 

Never look a gift horse in the mouth. 

Now, I assume most everyone is familiar with that old saying and what the general meaning of it is, but that original translation gives you a closer description to what the problem is with that action. One of the ways used to identify a good horse was to examine its teeth, to ensure you were getting a good buy. If someone was willing to just give away a horse to you- a very valuable commodity in early times- you were being rather rude and unappreciative! Even a horse worse for wear is a rather kind gift when give free, and so you shouldn’t be trying to examine the beast to see if you were given the greatest horse ever. Be thankful for what you got!

So there you have it, the spirit of this closing thought for the month- looking at the things we have, the things we do for each other, and having appreciation for those things. It’s all too easy to lose sight of those good things, especially when things aren’t going so well, or what we’re offered doesn’t seem like all that much. In a world where we can be instantly gratified through technology and convenience, we tend to build up some expectations. I admit, I’ve been guilty of it some, especially when I was younger. Going forward in my life, I’ve really worked on having an appreciation for what I do have, and the help I get. 

So, think about it! Do you have someone in your life who’s always been there for you? Is there someone you can think of would step up and give you hand with little to no expectation of return, except perhaps a return favor someday. Or, wrapping this around our RP world- do you have someone who constantly strives to give you their best, posts back dependably and you know you can count on them to do their best to give you a damn fine role-play? 

If so, take a moment and thank them, and don’t take it for granted. Maybe their very best isn’t the absolute best, or something terribly desirable. It might seem like something less than glamorous, but it is still their time they’re giving you, and that work means something to them. Rather than looking that gift horse in the mouth, look at the gesture itself. Perhaps the gift could have been better, but it may be all they have to give, and regardless- they didn’t have to give you anything at all. ;)

That’s the closing thoughts for the week, and that’s the blog for the month. We’ll see you February 7th!

- Acies

Write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can. I'm not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.

~ Neil Gaiman

Everyone's a Winner...

When they come to Valucre for Role-Play. 

That's right, if you come over to Valucre for a bit of writing and Role-play, you are a guaranteed winner, and believe me- we don't hand out participation ribbons. You're not winning just because you're that unique and special snowflake that no one can get over- of course not! You're a winner because you joined up with the best place to find some fine Role-play and quality writing. While I can't promise you the keys to paradise (Supernal jealously guards those and says I can't have them until I get more work done -cringes-), I can promise you that you're not going to find the same level of talent anywhere else- period. 

Bold statement? Perhaps.

Hyperbole? Absolutely not! 

There's plenty going on, so we have a good deal to cover before this blog is done. As January is another one of our long months, you are getting four full weeks of blog, the skip week being on that rare 5th Thursday that comes sneaking around from time to time. Even though you get an extra helping this month, I'm not going to skimp out on anything!

All that said, let's see what's going down. 

What's Happening Valcure?

Let’s Go Demon Hunting- Demon hunting... hmm, I bet that never sounds like a bad idea. Well, since adventurers are the type to always hold a reckless disregard for their own well-being, this will likely entice many and more. There is someone putting together a group to go demon hunting in the lands of Islyer, and he's looking for anyone interested in joining up, or providing some of the fight. If this suits you, then bring your best. 

School of the Rising Sun- Hey there folks, do you like playing magic users, but think the same old same old has gotten a bit stale? Well, isn't that such a wonderful coincidence that Genesaris has a city that boasts an array of unique magic users, and they seem to have some openings in that school of theirs. If you like school based role-plays, and perhaps like magic as well, you certainly have something going on. Come on over, and then hit the books. 

Prophecy in Tea Leaves- A brand new people have joined Islyer lore, and now someone has an interesting idea on how to incorporate this new group and their recently added lore. A fortune teller get's more than she bargained for after giving a fortune of dire importance to a character (or characters), and well, ends up dragged along for the ride in whatever mess was predicted. It's always bad enough being the bearer of bad news, well now not only do you not get to kill your messenger, you're stuck bringing her along in your disaster ride as well. What do your fortunes hold?

Skirmish with the Mer Folk [Quest]- Looking for opportunities to participate in canon effecting events, and make VB while you are at it? Well then, quests are by and large the best way to go about this! In this case, we have a quest taking place in Morgana City, an Orisia Isle City, who seem to be having some troubles. You can come assist in the quest over this way.

Genesaris Ranger Corp- I love it- it seems like that Guilds may yet make a comeback, and now we have an organization putting together a group for the better of the people. This Corp is comprised of truth seeking investigators seeking to up hold the values of Honest, Trust, and Brotherhood. They function independently of lands and answer only to the Council of Union City. If this tickles your fancy, maybe they will have use for you. 

Terrenus Bulletin Board- As it is such an easy way to include the happenings of Terrenus, even when watercooler activity for them are going a bit slow, I love tying in the Bulletin board here at the end. this is your comprehensive list of things to do and ways to shape the land. If you want something in Terrenus but have found postings in the Watercooler to be a little slow, check out the Bulletin Board. 

Valucre 2012 Awards!

Did you think I could go right past this without saying anything? Of course not! In fact, it got me to thinking- I need to be including any time someone earns a medal, not just this big event- so I am going to work on doing that as well. With that in mind, let's get this Week's medal earner put out in the front, separate of this so she doesn't get lost in the lists of other awards coming through. 

Congratulations Shades of Grey, on Receiving the Activity Award!

Shades has put a tremendous amount of work into making Shrine City more than just a city on the Genesaris map, contributing lore, bringing in other members, and just writing like crazy. Definitely hard earned and long over due. Congrats ;)

That is our award for this week, so now let's go look at these 2012 results, just in case you live under a rock and missed it. Hell, even if you didn't- these hard working folks have earned a brief moment to shine. :)

Valucre 2012 Fan Favorites: King, Praetorian, Roen, Acies ab Vesania, and Supernal! 

Valucre 2012 Role-Play of the Year: The Masquerade Gala! Started by .Irénè Gabriela DuGrace.; participating members include: Acies ab Vesania, Aleksei, Alexei, Alukai, Ayden, .ϾђɑɍĮόϯϯɛ. , Eternity, GodlyUnderdog, Liontolamb, Lunadrakla, Malaysia NightReaver, Master of Chaos, Neru Amhran, onyx2047, Paradise, Praetorian, Roen, S0m3thingr4nd0m, Sickly Sweet, Suta, Teddy-Son, Thaiis, The Hummingbird, Titan, Transall Abyss, Vehement Agony, & Wolfbat9008 

Valucre 2012 Role-Player of the Year: King!

Valucre 2012 Best New Role-Player: Rounini!

Valucre 2012 Most Improved Role-Player: Suta!

Valucre 2012 Character of the Year: Roen, By Roen!

Valucre 2012 Best Hero: Alazar, By The Hummingbird!

Valucre 2012 Best Villain: D'eon, By Hiss the Villain

Once more, a big congratulations to all of this year's winners. :)

Question of the Week!

Well, I did get three answers this week, so I guess that's not all that bad. I don't know what I have to do to get some of you folks to participate! Well, in the mean time, let's answer last week's question: If there was one aspect of Writing and/or Role-play that you could suddenly develop perfect skill, what would that be?

Response One: Imagination and character development. In all my writing, I have a lot of very similar characters. When I do make an attempt to give someone a unique personality, I find myself having trouble staying true to that character. I'm always making the mistake of having the character behave the way I want the plot to go, regardless of whether that's something the character would do. I'd also like to have a better sense of where I want the character to go—how I want them to grow, what I want them to learn.

The whole process of roleplaying—controlling just one character in a story—helps me practice staying in character. It's easier to write actions and reactions when I don't have an idea of how the plot's going to go and I don't know how the other characters are going to react. But I still don't think I'm very good at it, and I would not object to becoming so overnight. :)

In my writing overall, I wish I had a better imagination for characters, settings, plots… everything. I know there's nothing wrong with drawing on existing works for inspiration, but sometimes, it feels like all my writing is just a mashup of hundreds of things that have been done already. I don't desire to be completely ground-breaking, but I'd like people to read what I wrote and go, "Oh, that's a cool idea. I haven't seen that before."

As an afterthought, I'd like to be better at not worrying about achieving perfection the first time through. I hit major roadblocks in my writing because I can't think of a good way to word or explain something. Roleplaying actually hinders me a bit, here, since I don't really get the chance to go back and change the way a post goes. Once the next person posts, it's set in stone; while I can always go back and fix spelling or grammar errors, I can't completely rewrite my character's actions. But in my personal writing, I want to be less afraid of sounding clunky or making mistakes on my first draft. I'd like to be a little more dedicated to working and re-working things until I get them just right.

Response Two: If I could magically make a writer's or roleplaying skill perfect which one would I do?

Well if the option was there, I would say interacting with confrontations I'm good at running from fights or unfavorable situations but not staying and fight it out with that sense of confidence.

If I can't have that...than I would want to perfect the skill of making my characters unique and different from each other.

Response Three: If I had to pick one to instantly become a master of it, it would be description. There are some beautiful writers on this site that writes some amazingly flowery things that are pretty awesome to read. I'd like to have the ability to write like that. That being said in all honesty I'd rather not put all of my stat points into a single category. I'd much rather elevate all categories to the point in which I am actually happy with my writing. I mean let’s face it I could be the most descriptive person in the world but if my grammar sucks the post is going to suck.

There you have it, what a few of our readers would like to improve, should they have that ability. Wait! You do! It's not magic, it's not a pill, but each and every one of you can achieve these goals- hard work, perseverance, a willingness to learn, and the refusal of giving up- all you need. ;)

Anyway, I expect that you would like to get your question of the week. I had a reader send this one in to me, so thanks for the free question!

Hey Valucre- How long has it taken you to develop your current writing style? 

I suppose all of our styles are always evolving, but how long did it take you to get to what you consider your style, more or less, at this time? I'm interested to see the response to this one. :)

Say Hello to Our New and Returning Friends 

Uh oh, a strike through. That doesn't mean I am going to start neglecting returning friends, does it? No, of course not. I just didn't really have anyone who qualified for it these week. Instead, we can shower all of our attention on the small handful of members who joined us this week- short week this time. It happens, but I bet we'll have more join our ranks soon enough.

Welcome, Cry

Welcome, Ilexiariever

Welcome, Esana Bridges

Welcome, Sharksaremyfriends

Welcome, Drake

Welcome, Lethe

Welcome, Firehair

And that's it. Yep, really- when I said a short list, I meant it, ha. Seven this week, perhaps double that next week! Considering double is only slightly ahead of our average, I say it's perfectly doable. Hell, we should shoot for triple. :)

Other Highlights?

You give and you give and you give, and yet, someone is always there ready to take and take. How many words have I showered you with already? How many more will I give you in a short time here. I'd tell you, but I don't think it will change anything. Have your highlights then.

Complaint Process- That's right, we do have one, and not everyone follows it the way they should. If you want to know what that process is, come check it out over here in the code of conduct.  

Did You Know- About the Bestiary? This is our ever growing collection of nasties you can find in the world of Valucre. It's organized by land, and you can find your future beast here. For more on the Did you Know Series, take a look this way. 

Closing Thoughts? 

As I often do, I thought I would use the closing thoughts this week as an opportunity to spread a little bit of knowledge. As of late, I have noticed that many of our incoming Storyteller requests are marked as requesting a GM, but nothing about the following request suggests that someone is looking for a GM (Game Master, a non-D&D version of a DM). In fact, the majority of those who say they want their thread to have a Storyteller GM it are actually looking for something much less involved than what typically a GM does within a thread. It makes me think that what defines GMing is perhaps a little unclear.

Now, by no means do I need the space of these closing thoughts to clear up the distinction, but I thought I would tie it in with another piece- some information on GMing itself. Here on Valucre, there is no requirement for a GM to be a storyteller- in fact, we ask people to avoid having us do the DMing for threads, because of how much more time consuming and involved it can be. The service is available for those who feel it is of absolute importance that a storyteller GM their thread (a high-level quest perhaps, or something intended to have great impact on canon), but in many cases, you could have another member fulfill that role for you. Anyone can do it, but whether you can do it well- ah, that takes a little know-how.

I started DMing D&D campaigns about ten years ago, and over time, I have certainly had my share of ups and downs with the experience. You learn a lot as you go along, experiencing a myriad of growing pains and headaches. However, as you go along and do it, you do learn useful skills and means of managing a group, keeping things on track, and providing a quality story that folks enjoy playing. I'm going to detail some of these things I've learned, and see if they can give you a good foundation for GMing role-plays. I've personally found it enjoyable- maybe you will too.  

So, you want to GM a game. What do you need to this?

Patience, Patience, and even more patience.

Yes, the number one thing you should develop is your patience. Imagination is nice. Organization helpful. The ability to adapt is quite nice too. Patience, however, is going to make you or break you as you try to lead a game. If you don't have patience, you are going to find yourself quickly frustrated by not only trying to keep things on task, but also in dealing with the players innate talent for messing up plans.

Innate talent for missing plans you ask?

Oh yes, all people who participate in GM'd role-play have this quality to some extent, some more than others. You make a nice plan; you have all these details laid out and events to generate when, BOOM! Some character just went and did something that made everything completely irrelevant. Does this mean you should stomp your feet and get angry? Should you force them back on course and chastise them for their inconsideration? Should you rip all your hair out and run around babbling like you just lost all your wits?

I'm sometimes inclined towards the last option, but the answer to all of them is no. We have to suck it up, think of a way to modify plans and in doing so, salvage what we can and want to, and toss out the rest. Sometimes, people have this unusual ability to find your plot and then wreck a train right into it- must be one of those natural phenomena or something. If you are going to deal with this constant disruption, you have to have patience. Especially because this is not going to be the only place that people get you.

Depending on whether or not you are in a game with some actual rules, you might get people who want to argue with you every step of the way. Can't do this, doesn't work like that, I hate your shoes... you never know what is going to come up. Now, you can bite someone's head off, but that is a little bit much to chew, and who knows where that thing has been. I find the more practical solution is to just be patient, be firm, and redirect them back to the game. Patience also helps when you are leading a group (in person) who are as task oriented as a box full of kittens.

If I haven't made my point well enough yet, I am going to have to drag a dead horse with the word "Patience" branded on its side and then beat it with my bat imprinted with the word 'Point'. I'm going to assume that you haven't fallen asleep yet and you're understanding the virtue of patience.

Once you are feeling ready to deal with all those possible headaches, we can get into some of the more actual GMing related stuff. As I mentioned earlier, a bit of imagination, organization, and adaptability are all helpful as well. You want to keep your people interested, and that means you are going to have to come up with new and interesting stuff so they don't get bored. You have to keep track of what everyone is doing, where they are going, what they are doing, and what their motives entail- all in addition to trying to setup your plot and follow through with it- this takes having some organization (Keep notes!!!). The last one is quite helpful as well- being resilient. If someone blows up your plan, be ready to modify and/or completely change plans on short notice.

So, you have patience tucked away. You are a regular writer, so I am going to assume you have some imagination at the very least, and you feel like you can adapt and change as needed. Great, you are on your way. From here, it's more about how you are running the game and where you are going with it.

First: I recommend that until you get more experienced; do not play a character at the same time. Some DMs never feel comfortable playing a character in addition to DMing a thread. It takes some work, as you want to play your character, but also have to devote time and energy to the plot itself. You have to work at identifying what your character can or cannot figure out or do, so that you don't accidently metagame based on your knowledge of where the game is going. This can be a little tricky at first, but the easy way to go about it is to pretend that you're not just GMing, but writing a story. If you were writing this as a story, ask yourself- would your character be able to do this or have that knowledge on their own?

If not, make sure your character doesn't have those advantages. If in doubt, underplay, not overplay .

Second: Keep everything reasonably fair. In D&D, it's easier to pull off- use random die rolls for who finds what or gets what help, and how good it is. In a setting more like ours, make sure you treat everyone equally, and if you find any one person is getting more of the help/hindrance than another player, give the other player a hard time for a while instead.

Third: Maintain enough control to avoid having the game thrown off because of a player unknowingly creating problems. If you really need the Bartender to act in a certain way, by no means should you allow a person to play that bartender. With that in mind, decide ahead of time: Can players play non-essential NPCs, or do you want them to stick to their characters only. This can vary depending on your style and on how the game needs to flow.

Fourth: Give a little here and there. If people are really struggling, or if someone is arguing a lot and they are just getting to you- it's okay to give a little now and then. Throw them a bone so the game can keep flowing. Let someone win a minor argument so you are not always the badguy- hell, for that matter, pick your battles as well! Some stuff is not worth arguing about, and it's just much easier to let something go. Now, if one person is chronically abusive, undermining, and unfair- it might be time to give them the boot.

That's a lot to chew on, so let's summarize this up all nice and pretty:

GMing takes a lot of patience, and other helpful skills include imagination, organization, and adaptability. As GMing is time consuming and sets up a potential for abuse, I recommend not playing a player chacter until you get practiced with dividing attention, and can comfortably separate what you know from what your character knows. Metagaming is never any fun for anyone, so avoid it at all costs! You should maintain fairness among players (although a character reaping what they sow is fine, just don't pick on players). Maintain the degree of control needed for your role-play, and absolutely make sure that key people or items are out of player's reach. Last, remember that power struggles end in futility, so it is okay to give a little here and there, especially if it gives you more leverage later where it's more important. ;)

Well, that's all I got for this Closing thought for today, hit me up if you have more questions!

Well, that's it for this week's blog. I'll see you next week folks!

- Acies

~If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative. 

Woody Allen

This Just In!

Reading the Valucre Blog has Proven Health Benefits.

I swear- it's true! I mean, it's not like I am biased about this or something. Reading the blog is guaranteed to provide more laughs, exercise your eyeballs (reading and eye-rolling in one!), improve self-esteem (be glad you're not this guy), reduce stress, and  increase your knowledge. In addition, it may also* lower blood pressure, cure diabetes, clear up glaucoma, knock out the common cold, reverse arthritis, provide a foot massage, and kiss your baby.

Serious.

Now that I've shown all the reasons why you should be reading the blog (after all, what's ten to fifteen minutes of time to improve your health), I welcome you back to your weekly edition of the Valucre blog. As always, it is packed with content that appeals to all of you, my Valucre readers. So without any more fluffing, let's get back to checking out what's around in our neighborhood.

*Additional health benefits are undocumented, unproven, and based purely on conjecture. Also, they are probably all lies. 

What's Happening Valucre?

Mistborn RP- Based on the Brandon Sanderson book series, Mistborn is an interesting choice for an RP, sure to offer some unique opportunities for quality role-play. I'm becoming a rather large fan of Mr. Sanderson's work, and while I have not had the opportunity to read this series, I've heard many good things. Go check it out!

Vampire the Masquerade- We've got someone trying to start up a World of Darkness based RPG, and I've included it because this was once an immensely popular RPG, and I figure there might be some folks out there who would enjoy getting on board with this. If you like the dark and gothic, and have a thing for Vampires who don't sparkle, you can bite it here.

Ventus (Quest)- This sounds like it could be a good amount of fun, and I know this area could always use a little more activity. There is a promise for VB just for showing up (20) and a promise of more VB (200) for completing the quest. So what is it you are out to do? Well, they need a swordd hidden within an old Temple. There's opportunity for treasure, and the adventure itself will be of middling difficulty. There's a list of troubles you might encounter found within the interest check, and you can take a gander at the first of two threads over this way. Good luck!

Cirque De Rêve- This one sounds quite interesting, and the thread starter put a bit of work in putting together a description of the sort of RP he is getting going here. A marvelous carnival with a haunted secret, splendors galore and the temptation of fame drawing you in. All you have to do is sign on the dotted line and hand over your soul, a small cost for the prize of immortality. Of course, nothing is ever what it seems and making deals often have ways of going wrong. The interest check alone is definitely worth the read, so go take a look!

Write with Malum and BlooSh- Now, the fact that this has not garnered more attention seems absolutely criminal to me. Two awesome writers, one who hasn't participated in an RP in a while, have come together to put on what sounds like an excellent RP. A man who has lived his life and safe by the rules looks over all that he has accomplished, and realizes that what he has wanted most he never achieved- a real adventure. On a fateful day where he is pushed into chaperoning his spoiled nephew through town, he runs into a rather strange individual, who will change what remains of his life forever. I think this RP sounds full of potential for major growth and character development, and I look forward to what these come up with. On second thought, I might just have to dive into this one myself...

Terrenus Bulletin Board- Once again, I am going to plug this one in here, because it makes it really easy to see what's going on in Terrenus and what is out there for you to pick up. I think this is one heck of a resource available to the role-players, and applaud Supernal for putting it together. 

Question of the Week!

So, last week's question was, "What's your RP pet peeve?"

I expected a good turn out for this question, as people usually love to tell you what get's their goat, but instead, I only got one answer! What's my pet peeve- not getting good responses to the blog questions. >_> 

The Only Response: I would have to say that my biggest RP pet peeve is those role players that think everyone has to have the bow down and believe that their characters are the most fearsome to walk the land without any reason as to why besides that they believe so. And than throw a tantrum when someone disregards their post or says otherwise.

I have to say, if I ever get to be that pompous let me know. Actually I'm serious. Anyone catch me doing something that is outright bull, minus the hyper bits, please set me straight. I don't want to become those I distaste.

So, there is our one answer for the week. Let's see if I can turn out a better response this time around. 

So Valucre, if there was one aspect of Writing and/or Role-play that you could suddenly develop perfect skill, what would that be? Grammar? Description? Flow? Voice? Character Development?

Let us know!

Say Hello to Our New and Returning Friends!

I love doing this part of the blog, because I am not so good at stopping in and saying hi to the new folks. I try to remember to do it, but I'm kinda spotty with it. But here, I get to give one big collective hello on behalf of all of Valucre! So, hello to our eleven new members, a solid number if one were ever asked for! 

Welcome, Secrets

Welcome, Mesja

Welcome, Dotty

Welcome, Baileynicole22

Welcome, SimonBane

Welcome, Softanaesthesia

Welcome, Cashwin

Welcome, Solidarigee

Welcome, Iamjillstits

Welcome, Varziel

Welcome, Madolche M

Remember folks, if you want some help finding an RP for you, you can head over to the RP Direction thread to get some assistance, and while you wait, you can started in the Tavern of Legend!

Other Highlights?

Off from my vacation, and I am not only back at work on a busy day, but back to giving up these highlights. I feel like a man in a vice, squeezed for every drop they can get out of me. Well, have your highlights, slave drivers. >_>

Private Message Folders- Hey, do you get quite a few PMs? Or are you a PM pack-rat like I tend to be? Well, this sometimes becomes a problem, because those blasted messages get lost, or you forget to respond to one because it got buried. Well, this is why I started using folders, and it helps a lot. I still goof on occasion, but I have found that it makes my life so much easier! If you want to go make a folder, it's as easy as sending one in the first place! Underneath that option to send a new PM is an option to edit your folders- this includes the option of creating new ones. Give it a shot! 

Did You Know- There is a section to do a little write-up about yourself that you're willing to share. It's in your profile, called 'About Me'. There's also a section to add all of your characters too! The Character section is a nice place to list all of your characters, so other people can check them out (Link them up). Better yet- makes it easier for you to go track them down, ha ha. You can see the little stub here, or see more of these 'Did You Know' snippets here. 

Closing Thoughts?

Consider this a sequel. I know, I know- sequels rarely compare to the first, their quality at least a step or two below that, even if they retain the same cast and crew. However, there are a few good ones out there- in my opinion, The Dark Knight beat both its predecessor and the one that followed, The Lord of the Rings movies got better with each installment, and the same could be said for the last Three Star Wars movies. In short, not all sequels are bad, and I’m just sitting here justifying the reasons why I am writing one. Well, it is what it is and that’s all it is. How is that for a tongue twister? :P

A couple weeks ago I spoke about writing outside your comfort zone. My primary focus was on the genre of the role-play, and not so much the individual aspects of it- in particular, the characters involved. Interestingly enough, someone started a thread asking what people would not play or participate in- what they absolutely objected to when it came to role-play characters; their taboos and pet peeves. Some of the more common themes are certainly the less popular aspects of role-play, written by a small group of people who enjoy those unusual choices. A few others were based on other kinds of characters selected for personal reasons and some aspects of role-play (IC and OOC) that tend to bother them. 

Since I already did a write up on genre concerns and the need to try out something well outside your comfort zone, I thought perhaps I would make an argument in favor of going out of your way to play something you could not see yourself doing. 

Hey now- before you grab the pitchforks, rope, and torches, hear me out. I’m not talking about making a long term dedication to writing about a character that you will likely never grow any fondness for, but coming from a different standpoint: If you refuse to play it or anything similar, what particular experiences are you denying yourself? I’m not talking about things like getting a thrill by playing a Neko who spends the day licking themselves, but again, emphasizing the need for us to do things that expand our skill sets. I might dislike certain types of characters, but I never know if someday my writing might call for something similar. 

How can I do a convincing job of writing about this character if I have no idea where I am coming from? If I never use the opportunity to improve upon these skills and gain new wisdom and knowledge, then I am just holding myself back. It’s a disservice to myself, and it’s a rather big shame to do so. 

I admit, I am not crazy about furries (or Anthropomorphic characters is general). I think sparkling vampires has to be one of the silliest things I’ve ever heard of. Love sick characters, to the extent that it consumes every fiber of their being, are rather obnoxious to me. I stated in this thread that I would not flat refuse to play it- and I meant it- but I’ve gotten to thinking. I may not refuse it if someone really wanted me to do it for them as a storyteller or what have you, but perhaps I am doing myself a disservice by not at least picking up something like that for a short term period. 

The above characters leave a bad taste in my mouth (all right, especially the Neko, who just licks and licks and licks). Yet, there are aspects to these things that might help me develop as a writer- especially if I took it seriously. No kidding around, no trying to trash the stereotype- making an honest effort to do a story or role-play as something I find against my interests. Might backfire, but it might do something for me as well. 

Perhaps I’ll just do that. 

All right Valucre, that’s all I got for today. This is your blog writer signing off, and we’ll see you next week. ;D

- Acies

There are three difficulties in authorship: to write anything worth publishing, to find honest men to publish it - and to get sensible men to read it.

~ Charles Caleb Cotton

Since Mayan the Apocalypse didn't Happen...

Guess I have to come back and deliver another blog.

Welcome back ladies and gents, to the 2013 edition of the Valucre blog. It's exactly like the previous edition, only we changed the the end of the date by one! Now, you get all the same stuff as before, but with more 2013 and less 2012! Isn't that something?

Well, if that wasn't enough to entice you, I don't know what is. Now, by sheer coincidence, this first update of the year is also the first update after a break week, so it will be filled to the brim with content, making up for that long pause in between. Does that mean you're finally going to get something shiny and neat? Well, don't hold your breath. But, you do get more of what we all love most- heaping helpings of Valucre.

This one is promising to be bursting at the seams with stuff, so be prepared for all that you can handle and more.

Welcome back folks, let's get started. :)

What's Happening Valucre?

Valucre 2012 Awards- The very first of soon to be many annual awards, given out based on the votes of you, the people! There are two sets of votes going on, one set of several categories highlighting different aspects of Role-play, and a second set for your fan favorites. I could go about listing here all the categories you can vote on, but it would be just as easy to provide you a link and let you go look for yourself. Be empowered!

Terrenus Bulletin Board- Carlos has gone and made it easier than ever for you to find out what there is to do in Terrenus. Consolidating ongoing quests and threads with big opportunities for engagement and canon shifting all into one place where you can look it up and get out there and RP. If you feel that the watercooler has gotten to be a little daunting for you, and you really have an itch to go play in Terrenus, the Bulletin Board is a great place for you to start.

Battle for Marlboro Keep- This thread started a little while back, but due to some IRL complications with one of the founders, it hit a big lull. However, the facilitators of this RP have gotten back on track and are looking once again to create an epic war thread, detailing every gritty aspect of war. You can fight with the Roanists, who seek to take the hold, or you can help the the current occupants defend their home- the choice is yours! Pick your side.

Hiding in a Whisper- This little piece of potential involves a character on the run from an organization who has put a rather sizable bounty on her head, and she is doing what she can to stay a step ahead of them. As of right now, a pair of storyteller's have stepped in to make things interesting, and the promise is a dangerous situation for the young character in question. The RP is left open for flexibility, so others have the chance to come in and drive it forward as they wish to contribute. Do you want to play a rival bounty hunter, or be the hero that keeps this girl out of harm's way? Decide here!

Boil and Bubble, Toil and Trouble- Someone has booted up an Iselyeren Quest (if I spelled that wrong, my boss is going to kill me!!!) and is looking for another member or two help fill the ranks. The quest involves trekking out into the dangerous Athirat Desert to collect the ingredients needed by an alchemist. It calls for high risk, but sweet rewards. Are you up for it? Check it here.

Maze of Balance- Now, this one looks like the member base needed is full up, but because it is a Terrenus Artifact hunt, I am posting it up here anyway. While the thread has a group working together to seek it out, it's considered open season for any who might want a piece of that artifact. Which means any are welcome to enter and try to stay a step ahead of the group, or even sabotage their efforts to get the rare piece- that is, strictly IC of course, don't interfere just to be mean. ;) The interest check is here.

Body Snatchers- This sounds pretty damn cool, and if I weren't already in 80 projects and looking down at a few more, I'd jump in on the chance to join this. Body snatchers have made their way into Dougtan, taking over hosts comprised of powerful wizards, dashing warriors, and many of the cities homeless and infirm. Many complications arise in trying to rid the city of this scourge, and it will require some real work to get them all out. You should definitely check this one out here: For in that Sleep of Death

Port Town Needs Leaders- Another expanding city within Genesaris, Port Town is looking for some help with their growing government. Fairess has lots of positions open, and if you are looking to claim a stake in a bit of Genesar politics, this is your chance. Come take a gander over this way.

Open Roles for Nobles in Nvengaria- An island nation within Genesaris (one without a sub-board, yet) is getting launched with the intent to build activity. The current leader of the island has laid out numerous noble families who are up for grabs from the folks interested in Genesaris. If you want to have a hand in getting a land off the ground from the floor up, this is your chance. Tell us, are you of noble birth? Whew! That was 9 of them for you today. A lot has happened in these last two weeks!

Question of the Week!

A new year, a new chance to win yourself the monthly prize. I have four answers that came in this week, which seems to be a bit of a sweet spot when it comes to these responses. I'd love to see this expand some day, but we'll work with what we get in the interim.

But on to better news, it's time to determine the winner of the Monthly blog drawing. Well, let's announce that shall we?

Congratulations... Lunadrakla! You have won the drawing. You'll be contacted via PM.

So, let's see these answers!

Response One: What kind of New Year Commitments am I making regarding Valucre? I can say I've been working on them but I want to work on improving my characters. They all seem to becoming similar now, variety is always nice to have as people want to be able to play with people that bring something new to the table and not just racial changes. 

Response Two: Not sure if this is the correct way to submit this, apologies if it isn't. I do have a writer's new years resolution and it entails:
1. The ever ongoing effort to simply improve is always a goal that I strive for and being surrounded by the calibre of writing in Valucre pushes/inspires me to try harder. 
2. Quality, not quantity. I hope to cut back on involving myself in so many threads that ultimately leave me stretched thin and burnt out; I want to focus my efforts on stories that really appeal to my creativity and try to make those stories profound.
3. Character development. I want to focus on really and truly understanding the personalities of my characters and add more depth to them. Sometimes I struggle to really understand my character and end up frustrated when a post doesn't reflect what I feel they would've said/done, writing a true realistic portrayal that fleshes them into believable entities is harder than it seems at times. I need clarity for all the voices in my head! x.x
4. I want to contribute! Valucre has provided me with a place where my depraved little thoughts are accepted and even encouraged. It is a wonderful morass of writers that spin some of the most amazing tales and I have come to regard the community fondly. I want to find a way to give back to what has become my escape from the toils of reality and so far I'm only doing so with activity, maybe soon I can find other ways to be of use.

Response Three: I plan on balancing out my workload so that I can actively attend to all projects equally. So that means making sure OiC gets the love and attention it needs while also being the best ginger storyteller out there and the most kick ass Knight in the Order of the Black Heart.

Since I've come to known Terrenus and terran lore pretty damn well I intend on expanding my capabilities and start RPing in Genesaris as well. To the point where I can do storytelling there without having to ask questions about lore.

Finally I'm looking to increase the number of people that I role play with. This was a goal I started last year actually, I just randomly started throwing myself into threads. Eventually this goal is what resulted in me joining the ranks of the STs. Well that goal hasn't fully been met. More people know who I am, but that's not what this is about. I want to build long lasting role playing relationships with new and old members alike. That way someone goes" Hey you know Praetorian?" The reply will be, "Yeah I know Cody. I love role playing with that ginger."

Response Four: My New Year's resolutions aren't specifically roleplay-based, but I am trying to be more proactive and responsible this year and to write more in general. Hopefully that carries over into Valucre. :) 

Response Five: I have a goal and I'm putting it into action right now. My goal is to get my character's name known in every nation on Valucre. I'm going to earn myself a whopper artifact or complete a major quest in every one and I'm going to go down in history. Also, I want to do it in less than a year. 

Usually, I put these up here as anonymous answers, but one of these gives away who the commenter is- well, I also try to refrain from altering answers, so I left it alone. Thank you for your response, token ginger fan. ;)

Alright, I bet you want your question of the day. Well, let's kick one off then, shall we?

We all have pet peeves- what is your biggest RP pet peeve? 

Let's leave names out of this, shall we? ;)

Say Hello to our New and Returning Friends!

You can tell it was the holidays- we go on our two week hiatus, and we have less new members and returns than we average in a single week! Holidays really keep us busy, (I know, mine were hard to get through 0_0), so we'll leave it at that, and I won't have to crack out the tissue with Carlos quite yet. 

Hello, new folks!

Welcome, Jennazon

Welcome, Septosurgeon

Welcome, Whispersinthewind
 
Welcome, Caladrius

Welcome, Darkheir

Welcome, Zaphrex

Welcome, Miranna Cross

Welcome, Div

Welcome, Avalancer

Welcome, Valerie Alexander

Welcome, The Hooded Boy

Now, welcome back to our returns!

Welcome back, Stephiie

Welcome back, Wants2play

Welcome back, Frost Walker

So, speaking of those new folks- I had a refer a friend contest. Well, it only netted me one new reader, but I got one new reader! Thank you Shades of Grey, you won the big prize. And it sounds like you have opted for the RP plan, so you'll have to let me know what you have in mind. :)  

Other Highlights?

Getting time off from this blog is just like my vacation- I never feel like I really got time off, I was just given new tasks to sort out. Just when you'd think I might get away from this, no... here you are with that plate of yours, asking, "Please sir, can I have some more", and here I am, looking like the villain because I want to know why on earth you want "S'More?"

Fine, have it your way, have some more!

Player Spotlight- Now, we don't highlight individuals in the blog, but they do in the newsletter! If you think someone should get a bit of light shone their way, you can nominate them with this form. They do up an interview with them and everything. :)

Did you Know?- You can rate threads. Do you think a topic is particularly interesting? Do you think a certain RP thread is really cool? Well, you can let others see that themselves, by giving a thread a rating. Check it out here. You can read the rest of the Did You Know Archive to learn more! 

Closing Thoughts?

Heh. You ever have one of those days, where you really want to sit down and finish what you're supposed to, but something just keeps holding you back? You feel like nothing is going to give, and you're doomed to stare at this unfinished task for the rest of your miserable existence, because for whatever reason, you cannot compel yourself to finish the darn thing. Instead, you stare blankly at it, maybe find a few distractions or excuses, and dig through your reasons to avoid the task, and flit past one after the other, burning them out for as long as you can. 

Yeah, today is turning into one of those days for me, so forgive me if this all sounds a little rough.

Let's examine that though- getting bit by the bug of 'unmotivation', where your once zealous ideals suddenly melt away, leaving you with nothing but the former shadow of intent you once held for this task. Isn't it absolutely frustrating when this happens? You had plans, you had ideas, you had this whole thing worked out and knew how you were going to approach the task, and at that last possible minute, it all fell apart and left you wanting. Now you have to get out there and get it done anyway, and you're not even sure if you still have it left in you to get it done today. Hell, wouldn't it be just as easy to toss in the towel for the day, explain away the failure and then go one with life?

Of course it would be. 

This happens to all of us, some more than others, with some tasks more often than other tasks. 

I imagine there are a number of reasons we could come up with to explain the cause- mental fatigue, tiredness, stress, lack of focus, etc. You could easily make excuses- hell, that's what half this condition is anyway, making excuses to put off your task. Surely, there are some legitimate reasons for this to come about, but like with any struggle, having a legitimate reason for a struggle does not mean you now have a pass to give up- no! All you have is an explanation for why you need to work a little harder. Why you need to push through this rut, fight your way past it and do what has to get done. 

At the end of the day, there are some things we absolutely have to get done, whether we want to or not. Then, there are the things that we can put off- and because there is no glaring obligation, nothing breathing down our necks making us feel compelled to get it done- we do put it off. Then we put it off again, and again, and again. Pretty soon, that task never gets done. It goes unfulfilled, and at the end of that lack of success, you only have one place to point that finger- back at yourself. 

As someone who writes a blog for a Role-Playing and Writing community, I of course must put this focus on our role-playing posts and our standalone writing projects, but this really can go with anything else you ever want to do. It is so easy to find an excuse not to get something done, simply because you aren't feeling up to it. Then that task sits there incomplete, and you only have yourself to look at. 

I was really feeling that way about the closing thoughts tonight. I'm tired, out of ideas, and a bit stressed out- been dealing with some things the last couple of days. Hell, in some ways, I'm missing my job- it structures my life, keeps me focused, and busy. The blog would have been on time, if I were at work, I can promise you that much, hehe.

As you can see though, I'm just making excuses. Yes, it helps me to have that structure, but in absence of it, I need to find a way to keep myself on track, I need to find what will help me stay focused.  I have to find what it takes for me to keep on task, so I can get done what I want to get done at the end of the day. I'm running late, but at least it's getting done. I wanted to call it good without a closing thought, but I knew I'd be leaving this short- doing my job half-assed. 

I found a way to make myself push through it, and that's what I am doing.

There are other parts of my life I could certainly still use this kick in the pants, and this is one of those things where I definitely say- do as I say, not as I do. I am notorious for having ideas and letting them go to waste, busying myself with other mundane tasks, and codifying it as not having enough time. I'm a busy person, but if I really wanted to, I could find  a way to get done what I truly want for myself. For some reason, I just haven't found what it takes to push me there. 

Hopefully this doesn't sound like some self-pity reflection, and hopefully you took something from it. As a final closing though, you should check out this comic, it pretty well sums up the feelings of this 'Closing Thought'. 

G'night Valcure! You're all beautiful. :D

- Acies 

“You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.”
  ~ Saul Bellow