Pumpkin Pie and the Valucre Blog...

Does it Get Any Better Than That?

The holidays are coming back around and I think there is no better way to kick off this season then to grab yourself a glass of eggnog (or cider, or hell- both!), the biggest slice of pie you can possibly handle, and then come over here and read up on what’s happening in this RP world of ours. I’m sorry I pushed this one back a week, but let’s make up for it by stuffing this baby like it’s the thanksgiving turkey and then top it off with the cranberry sauce too. 

Now, speaking of that pie- make sure you go out and have a slice for me. I quit eating gluten last March (for my health, not this fad diet nonsense) so I can’t have any. This will be my first year without eating at least half a pie by myself, so it’s going to be strange- probably a good thing I signed up for a double shift at work, ha!

Okay, enough about me, let’s talk about all of you, the Valucre community. As always, there is plenty of stuff going on and lots to talk about. And in the Thanksgiving edition, we stop to think about what we are thankful for both in our community of role-players and writers and in our lives in general as well. I’ll kick this one off by saying I am definitely thankful for all of you!

Let’s throw some gravy on the mashed potatoes and get digging in, yeah?

What's Happening Valucre?

The Chosen: Round Three Continues- Well, this has turned into that one lonely dish that gets pushed back in favor of everything else, hidden from view and definitely amongst more odorous things because not only is that casserole ugly, it's kinda stinky. Hopefully this poor little guy is gonna find someone who wants him... This just in, apparently the third round is over! Please stand by for news of Round 4, the finals- whoever wins this gets to go on and challenge last year's champion for the title!

NaNoWriMo- NaNoWriMo will soon be ending, so make sure you get your last ditch efforts going so you can clear your goals. I know some people (myself included) definitely had some more struggles with it this year, but just doing the best you can is certainly better than not doing anything at all. Keep writing Valucre, keep writing! Support your fellow participants in this thread here.

Adaveil's All Saints Festival- Adaveil will soon unveil its celebration of all the saints' victory over the Three Entities (forces of chaos). There is talk of food, games, and lots of mingling among those awesome folk (rumors of royalty to boot), so make sure you come on down and join in- being a native is no requirement at all. Party party!!

Black Market and Cracked Mirror- A mystery based RP, this one surrounds some dark overtones in an already dark place. A shady business has taken some real hits as of late, hits with no plausible explanations. Meanwhile, talk of the town is on this mysterious mirror dedicated to a dark lady. Can you get to the bottom of this?

Alterion--Changing the Tides- The owners of Alterion are looking to bring interaction to a whole new level, with the quests you do having a direct influence over the control a religious organization has over the land. The more you do to thwart that, the less control they have and the more the rebellion begins to push back. The quests will have varying levels of difficulty and differing requirements. Not all the details are out yet, but make sure to take a look to get what there is and ask questions as you have them. Good luck.

Winter Howls- A Genesaris quest, one involving helping the city of Valjer deal with a serious wolf problem- a lot of random attacks as of late, all of them difficult to explain. The thread author is looking for a few others to help quell the problem and help the people, earning VB in the process as well as a wolf puppy. Do you want a wolf puppy? Of course you do...

The Children of Heaven- I threw this one right after the one above because they relate, even though they are two different sides of the same story. Rather than taking a part in the development itself, you can come RP in Hells' Gate at the unveiling of the newest model, one they hope to use to turn the tides of war against all unnaturals. Will you witness the future?

Let's Make a Cult- An opportunity to create a cult following within the lands of Adaviel, this grouping would follow the evil forces of the three entities, forces of chaos who according to prophecy, will someday destroy the world. A few cults out there follow the forces and pray for this coming and now you have an opportunity to play in such a group. Thread author is looking for a Demon, Male and Female warrior, but others are welcome as well! Are you a force of destruction?

A Monstrous Disaster in Mezthaluen!- Putting this one up again because fast paced RP with space for more people if they wish to join in- time is running out for those bonuses! It will not be long before the first of these bad boys get through and if you haven't noticed- a poor school is under siege! Children are dying for crying outloud. Please, heroes of Valucre- think of the children. All they wanted for Thanksgiving was a warm meal and good shelter- for they are poor children you see. Not only are their dreams of turkey crushed, but their hopes for survival dwindle as well. Save the children!

A New Available Race--Nightwalkers- Putting this up here despite the huge traction it got already, because it has good to know information! This race comes with four elder families and leaders of each, and if I skimmed correctly, those roles might be filled. However, anyone can play one of these races and you can ask others to be part of their families- so be sure to go some reading. These are not sparkly, twilight, we love the people kind of vampires- these guys are followers of a dark god and love what they do. Do you want to play a monster?

Cold Snap- Unusually cold weather is spreading through parts of Terrenus, bringing with it a frigid winter sure to have detrimental effects on your adventuring. The North-East, Parts of the South-West, parts of the South-East and Cocoino Marsh are all affected by this. Cities that hit these regions (who are either experiencing massive cold or colder than usual winters) likely include: Hell's Gate (inside affected area) Marboro Keep & Weland (on border of affected area), and Ashville and Last Chance (outside affected area but very close- likely significantly colder than the seasonal averages without too much effect otherwise). These events might be affecting other lands- I'll update you next week. These conditions shall last through March 20th and should be taken into account for any threads that began after 11/19 and do not take place in the past (any thread created that takes place before the current time period of right now) and are in these areas.

Featured Read of the Week- 

This week features one of our commonly featured writers (what can I say, it's the same circle of people who do the majority of our closed threads and a few of them are just plain awesome) and one who has not yet been featured. This thread has quite the intensity to it, with each post driving you forward to the next set of dialogue- if tension were physical presence, you'd need a carving knife to cut through that cut of meat. As a final warning, the thread contains a bit of sexual content, but I feel it stays within Valucre's required parameters- just a warning for the more sensitive audiences.

Congratulations to Aleksei and Typhoon for being the authors of this week's featured thread!

Tempting the Raven- Alone, lost in her thoughts and anger, Quincy sits in contemplation, ripping away the adornments given to her by the townspeople. Nicholas, a known figure in her life approaches and speaks to her, his disregard for her naked state a clear one. He begins with pushing her towards making choices in the face of having a limited hand, but she pushes on him, tempting the man despite the potential ramifications. Contact between them lets her see pieces of his past, the pain and anger that paints the portrait of his past, and when she cannot get what she wants, she throws it against him, tossing old words back into his face. Things grow dark, intense, close to a culmination for which there will be no return. Until, something else happens...

This section is becoming a little harder to do- doing this once a week has taken me through a myriad of threads and has made it harder to find threads that fit my general criterion (number of posts, longevity, in addition to quality of content). With that in mind, I am going to go from doing a 'Featured Read of the Week' to a 'Featured Read of the Month'. The last update of the month will have this featured thread and by doing this, I hope to not have a day where I run out of threads worthy of featuring that I* have not already featured :P

Lore of the Week!

This Week's Feature: Snapshot of Adaviel

At a Glance: 

• Leader:  Seven lands ruled by seven different families...
• Population: Humans, Elves, and Dwarves, no population numbers given.
• Humans: They tend to be a hardy race, but are sometimes considered weak by others; they're generally erratic and short-lived. Their numbers are diverse in skill and function, a reasonable amount of mages are born every year, but their magic spreads wide on the spectrum.
• Elves: Fighting techniques usually follow tactic or agility, and there are very few elves without magical powers. They live for several centuries and are very intelligent, and typically live in tribes or clans--if you're looking for them, try Gwirella or Adree. An elf may have anywhere from 1-5 children in a lifetime, but generally elves are raised o be deeply monogamous. They have one mate, and until one of them dies they are almost entirely faithful.
• Dwarves: A few magical children are born in each generations but are typically quite powerful. Physical strength and armor are their best fighting skills, since many are smiths, miners, and warriors. They use a caste system.
• Defenses: 
• A land rich in magic users as well as capable warrior races. 
• Hot Spots: 
• Saintly Quests: The saintly quests are a particularly special group of quests that allow you to go after one of a handful of unique artifacts found in Adaviel. These take some real work and dedication to earn, but their powers are pretty damn cool, and keep in mind: Valucre canon recognizes hard work (as in, if it sounds powerful, a 75+ post quest justifies it being so- food for thought ;) ). 

Canonical Occurrences by Members:

1. 865 AB • King of Pavitrdesh usurped by Queen Cardui, tyrannical rule ended→ Sands of the Soul
2. 867 AB • King and Queen of Denfell Asassinated, Queen Kasha and Princess Jailene also targeted, attempts fail miserably→ The Bloody Rise of Queen Kasha
3. 867 AB • Queen of Jerilor murdered, Princess Cleopatra and Prince Theoden take her place→ Jerilor: The Deceit

Available Quests:

• There are a ton of quests available right now- this is a new land filled with all sorts of untapped opportunities. There are four differing types of quests to look at:
• General Quests: These are your easier quests, ones that take less work and yield a lesser reward- but if you want something you don't have to dedicate a huge chunk of time to, you can probably whip out one of these in a reasonable amount of time. 
• Saintly Quests: As mentioned above, these are higher tiered quests with better rewards- but require more work.
• Rechargeable Quests: If the quest is in indigo, it means that the quest can be done more than once. So if someone alright set out on one of those and you wanted a stab on it by yourself- you can do so. ;)
• Bounties: If it is in green, you can expect to be out retrieving people. It might be an NPC, it might be a player character- who could say. ;)

Brief Summary of Lore:

• War of Beginning, where the Seven Saints seal away the awakened Entities
• Division of Adaviel into 7 provinces, ruled by 7 families
• Svasrtva is founded by Slyviar Taresean
• The Magician's Order and Tower founded by Xinwalida Aloawith, for those who want to hone their inherent magical ability
• Adrian revolt occurs; Gwirella splits into two provinces
• Free market of Ethian established

Taken from the timeline. The land is newer, so I did an overview look at it as a whole. Next time around, when it is Adaveil's turn to be featured once again, I expect there will be enough lore will be fleshed out to start giving each place an individual glance. ;)

Newly Awarded!

Well, nothing this week. Can't have some every week, or else we might just get bored with them, right? If you feel saddened by this, I bet an extra helping of candied yams just might be the solution.

Valucre Blog Challenge!

Bah, no takers again. I thought it might be a fun one, but what can you do? Still, I shall persist, because I really want this to become a thing for our writers out there. Perhaps some people are just burned out due to NaNoWriMo- well then, if that is the case, I expect some activity out of this in December. 

Challenge of the Week: Create an epic fight seen. It could be your favorite character against a pack of demons, your villain taking on knights, or hell, maybe a story about you taking on your worst enemy- you decide on it. Write out an epic battle scene (might not be the whole of it) and try to keep it under 500 words. Good luck!

Post it to your blog and I just might link it! If you want to remain anon, you can send it to me and if it is eye catching, I will put it here. (Eventually, I might just make a blog specifically for this :P)

New Members and Returns!

Welcome:

CW553:
Well then, you have a strange name! I cannot even begin to guess how to pronounce that :P.Well, it's a shame that your site burned out, but sometimes that's just what happened. We don't do offsite linking here, but what we do do is provide an awesome place for role-playing, one that is not going anywhere any time soon. Welcome, I hope you join us. 

Eherie:
Hey, someone from Poland- you might be the first we've had on the site (I don't recall anyone else having come here from Poland at least). I find it pretty neat that you decided to use an RP forum to help master your English, but I think its a good idea. You'll definitely have some opportunities to build up your vocabulary here- just remember, no one in the English speaking world refers to eyes as oculars >>

berzerker489:
Hey, don't feel bad- lots of people need a little time to get integrated into how the site works. It's actually much less overwhelming than it might seem like at first, so don't let the layout intimidate you. I see that The Hummingbird sent you a PM already, so you should be in some good hands. Look forward to seeing you around. :)

Anthraxia:
I'm sensing some sarcasm is sarcastic coming from that opening line of yours, but who knows, I've been wrong before. But considering you say you enjoy being sarcastic and 'being a sarcastic little shit'- I bet it might be a safe assumption. Welcome to Valucre nonetheless, I hope you enjoy your stay. ;)

A Decadent Intruder:
Reviving the old RP spark eh? Been there a time or two, and it feels great to plunge back in. Don't feel intimidated by the lore- you can certainly learn more as you go. It's there to provide some rich depth for you to use, not as something we will quiz you over :P So, take your time and enjoy the place. ;)

Alice Liddell:
A lover of some of the classic fairytales and eagerly seeking and RP in which you can do some decent posting? Wow, did you come to the right place ;). Okay, so maybe I am a little biased, but I do believe that some of the best RP I've ever encountered came from here, and with my 10yrs of online role-playing as history to fall back on, I'd say that's pretty darn good! Welcome to Valcure, I hope you find some RP that is enjoyable for ya. 

EloquentMisprints:
You know, you're the second person to mention having trouble with only getting smut rp options on Tumblr- must be something about the place, ha. Fortunately, Valucre shies away from that (for the most part) and prefers to focus on building great stories. You can come out here and have a great time role-playing and not have to worry about having your character take their clothes off. ;P

Skaliolli:
Ah, another one studying psychology- we may have to have some conversations sometime. What I love to look for is differences in what they teach and the real world application :P. Anyway, yes, if you are looking for a place with some great writers and fantastic opportunities for great role-play, you have found the perfect place. I hope you enjoy!

Jinzouninge:
Howdy! I see you found a way to get started, so good for you! Now that you have a character to work with, you gotta find yourself a nice place to get started. Dive through that watercooler and find yourself an awesome group to start writing with, and remember your intro thread- less QQ, more Pew Pew- words to live by. ;)

Doge
Named after the meme, a meme I apparently missed! Well, it's not that hard for me to miss them, I barely use social media (outside this webforum that is) and so I miss a lot of these things. Anyway, I see you are a fan of the Doge, but can you put him down long enough to pump out some great RP posts? I hope so. ;)

Zeikke Ekkiez
You heard this is a great place for stories? Well, do not expect to be proven right. Know that you will be proven right, because this is an absolutely fantastic place for stories. Looks like you've already gotten right in there, so good for you ;)

BlackAscension
Ollies in? People still riding skateboards? News to me. Anyway, you come in all like, "I'm this guy but you can call me... this guy..."- talk about leading us on. Here I thought we were all gonna be cool and on a first name basis and then you give us the username again. At the very least you could have said we can call you black, it's a little more personable... Okay, I kid, I kid- welcome to Valucre, I hope you enjoy your stay. ;P

SimonAmbrosious
Hey, you were inb4 someone made you there minion, but I was inb4... shit, I lost my train of that on that one. Woops- blame it on the holiday turkey. Anyway, welcome to Valucre, I hope you enjoy your time here. 

Ike
Fun Fact: I like sharing facts too. Another fun fact: I like greeting new members- heyo, I get to do one of the two! Welcome to Valucre. Looks like you're doing a fantabulous job of fitting in, so I will let you carry on with that. ;)

CataclysmicChel
Ha ha, another one who grew tired of Gaia online. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against them personally, but it does seem like when people grow up, they leave Gaia Online and come over to Valucre- that's been the trend at least! Welcome to Valucre- you'll find that most of our members are not noobish at all and have some pretty good RPing chops. Enjoy yourself!

Kronos
Named after the Greek Titan or after the comic book character? Gah, that shows just how nerdy I am. Anyway, welcome to Valucre. Of course we came highly recommended- look how awesome we are (Okay, I admit, I got a bit of a swelled head when it comes to our site)- I am sure you will find some great RP here. Enjoy yourself. 

D34D
Well, you didn't give me anything to work with! What does saying you're new do for me when I want to write up a proper introduction? No further comments, no info on the profile? Bah, I can't work here! Anyway, welcome to Valucre. >>

Marik Cayne
Welcome to Valucre- if you heard we're a cool place to RP, you heard some good information. Also, I love the dualism quotes you got down in your signature there- a philosophical construct I love to explore sometimes. Anyway, I hope our site proves to be everything you are looking for and more. Enjoy!

Venn
Hey there, offering points for knowing where North Dakota is I see- well then, not only is it above South Dakota, but it sits sandwiched between Montana and Minnesota and it's right below Canada, eh... so, where's my ten points? Well, I suppose while I am shaking you down for those extra points, I ought to say- HEY, welcome to Valcure ;).

Vallendar
Welcome welcome. You claim to be Canadian by blood- I wonder how one is Canadian by blood. Last I knew, Canada was this frigid country that sits above us, looking down with their epic beards, tasty maple syrup, and superior healthcare systems. I wasn't aware of them having special blood- hell, if that's the truth, I have some Canadian in me too! I can be an honorary Canadian ^_^

Tres Ecstuffuan
Oh look, another Gaian refuge! Well, contrary to popular belief, no one who has crossed borders into Valucre has earned themselves a bad reputation (or rather, one for the transplanted members as a whole at least). What has become more of a thing is that the members flooding our gates tell us of their in vain efforts to find decent RP on Gaia- and so here they are. As I mentioned above, it seems like when RPers grow up, they leave Gaia and come hang with us. We'll take you folks ;). Welcome!

Isabellepaintedthefloor
Well, another one who takes the minimalists' approach to giving a greeting. Makes it hard for me to give a proper welcome when I have no material to work with, but I do the best I can... I see you have a long username! And... I have always been a fan of the name Joscelyne... and I hope you say more soon! Welcome nonetheless. ;)

Beloril
Doing an introduction post based on the recommendations of others- I can dig it, its a good recommendation. Just make sure that you use good judgment before taking people up on their recommendations- if someone recommends that you go up to a tiger at the zoo, hop in its cage and call it a 'fat kitty'- I would have to strongly advise you against that. Fortunately, folks around here aren't usually trying to get people to do things that will get them killed, so there's a good start. Anyway, I hope you do find yourself some nice adventure in Genesaris and I wish you luck! :)

Imnohero
Ohhhh the irony! We can call you hero, but you are no hero- that actually made me lol a bit. Anyway, glad to see that you are making yourself at home and looking to both roll out a new character as well as integrate a new one. Dedicating two at the start tells me that you intend to be around for a while- fantastico!

Merkalias
He of the name with no real importance, a title for which no one shall believe, will be simply known as Connar- well, that's an easy and believable one, so I'll roll with it. Looks like you have a friend on the site, so that's great- someone to help show you around. Hope you enjoy the site! :)

Zandra Asami
Look, another stalker. I had one of those once... I still have nightmares sometimes. Please, don't stalk me- go stalk other people. Carlos (Supernal) loves stalkers- stalk him. Anyway, while you're out here working on building up a list of restraining orders, I ought to give you a warm welcome to the forum- so welcome to the forum, delivered at 72F. ;)

Smiles
Lost in the woods, oh noes! Especially if you are lost in the woods of Gaia online- yikes, got to get you a guide and a nice roadmap. :P Anyway, welcome to Valucre- of course we come up as one of the best- we are just that awesome. I do hope you find some great Rp to get yourself dived into and that it is every bit enjoyable as you expect :)

Returns:

Dodgen:
I'm not sure how I would react if I found my laptop, my connection to the world outside a place smack in the middle of nowhere, had a 'gloriously sized crack across it's screen'. I might have to consider crying, because it would be all I could do before unleashing rage on everyone and everything 0_0. Clearly, you must have either found a healthier way of channeling that frustration or took my option A, because you're hear posting on the forum and not sitting in a jail cell. Welcome back!

HimJL:
Hey, I too remember you. Partly because I featured you in the blog when you were just coming around and partly because I saw you around. I see that Supernal already linked you to the blog- I hope you've taken some time to read it, because this thing is always stuffed like a turkey- only the blog comes to you electronically, and not through the... never mind. 

Art in Music:
Hey, you got a name change just in time for you to come back around. I understand having too many commitments to stay tied down to as many rps as before- (look at my track record with the blog the last couple of months) but we're glad to have you back and Rping with us once again. Yes, let's make more stories together. ;)

LouisPls
Hey, seems like it was only a little bit ago I greeted you as a new person here on the site- oh wait, that was just a couple months ago, silly me. And you already had an absence and a return- well, absences happen, we're just glad you took the trouble of coming back around too. ;)

Well, if you actually take the time to go and count all of that up, in the last two weeks we have had a whopping TWENTY SEVEN new people sign up- oh my word, holy cow turkey stuffing sheesh! I know that makes no sense, but 27 in two weeks is amazing! Add in the four returns and we have ourselves a net gain of 31 people. I am absolutely tickled!

Birthdays of the Week?

So, here are the week's listed birthdays. PLEASE, keep in mind that if you do not make birthday's on your profile listed and public, they will not show up on the Calendar. If they are not on the Calendar, I have no way of knowing about it and therefore no way of adding it here! If you want a shoutout for your Bday, be sure to make it viewable!

• NOVEMBER 15th:
• Keba69
• NOVEMBER 16th:
• Herobrine
• Talon.Angel 
• Pyrozack 
• NOVEMBER 17th: 
• No Birthdays
• NOVEMBER 18th:
• No Birthdays
• NOVEMBER 19th:
• Ru_doragon
• LetsFly
• NOVEMBER 20th
• KariCartwrite
• NOVEMBER 21st
• T2_mick
• RavenElric
• NOVEMBER 22nd:
• ChronicIronic 
• ookamiwing
• ShadowDragon759
• NOVEMBER 23rd:
• No Birthdays
• NOVEMBER 24th:
• Roen
• Penguin_Converse
• NOVEMBER 25th:
• Levequis
• NOVEMBER 26th:
• chinaman5m
• ir3x
• NOVEMBER 27th:
• WinnyOwO
• Saint
• NOVEMBER 28th:
• TURKEY DAY!!!
• No Birthdays

Happy birthday all you fine Valucreans!

Other Highlights?

Bah, these highlights, the deepest thorn in my side. Only for my love, my love of Valucre.

Genesaris Snapshot- Looking for some quick and easy information on Genesaris? Want to know some of the basic facts and other bits that can let you hit the ground running? Well them you should take a look at the Genesaris Snapshot, a (terribly) underused resource that is a fantastic way for both newer members and old to brush up on some Genesaris facts. You can find it under the lore page, a link to it in the Genesaris Guide Book thread (in Genesaris) or just click this!

Did You Know-  About Forms? Yeah, there are actually a lot of them, located under General-->Forms and Requests. Here, you can find forms to nominate people for awards, request storytellers and more! Read about this Did You Know here, it gives you The details. Want more Did You Knows- go here.

Closing Thoughts?

Here we are again, back for another update of the Valucre blog, once again crossing that road on the big Turkey day itself- thanksgiving! Thanksgiving (for me) is like the big kick off into the holiday season. This is when I kick on my Christmas music, increase eggnog consumption by startling amounts, and begin planning the multiple family visits. It’s a nice tradition for me and a person who enjoys tradition, I think we are going to make another one here for the Valucre blog. Last year’s closing thoughts pertained to thinking about the things we give thanks to- I would like to lead us through some discussion on that yet again- thinking about the good things we’ve had this year and how it contributes to our growth as people.

Now, I hope I write this in a sensible and logical way- my brain is about completely out of gas and I just might end up falling to the ground. It’s hard to stay focused, let alone writing something quality, when you’re so tired that it is taking every ounce of strength just to keep your eyes open. The amount I work combined with some other required errands I do- I think you can see where this exhaustion comes from :P.

So Valucre: What are you thankful for?

It’s a tough world out there. This year, we have had some radical weather patterns uproot people all over the world, taking them from their every lives and leaving them tossed out in on the streets- or worse. People in Syria get gassed simple for holding different views than their leaders. There are a lot of negative events out there- and yet it seems like the majority of us are doing fine. For that, I am thankful.

What went right for you this year?

For me, I still have my job and I still have the ability to do overtime so I can supplement my income. I am thankful for having an awesome relationship with my other half, who provides me support when I need it. I am thankful for the chance to get back into taking classes and thankful for the fact that I actually did it. I am thankful for the opportunities I had to meet many Valucreans- it was a great year for those meetings.

It is a tough world out there, and sometimes shit just hits the fan. You do the best you can and weather the storm as it rages on. You make your choices and live by them, hoping for the best. Yet, despite how rough it gets, always take that moment to evaluate how you are doing and why are you still here.

This is a harder one to write a great deal on, and combine that with the fact that writing at all is making me nod off, I have to cut it short. Hopefully, the above content is enough to sate the readers.

Have a safe holiday everyone.

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."  ~Oprah Winfrey

Always Blogging, Never Studying...

Test on Friday? Ah well, I gotta blog to write. 

Seriously, I think my priorities are skewed somewhere, between this, NaNoWriMo and my exam at the end of the week. Naturally, I'm writing a blog instead of taking care of those other things, so it's clear where I stand! Well, I'll just keep telling myself that since I got an A on my last exam despite shitty study habits, it is surely going to happen again- no way that the fact that these three chapters had more content in each chapter than all three of the previous chapters combined will have anything to do with the difficulty of this test.

Seriously, cakewalk, right?

Anyway, so that I can get back to studying and note taking, I am going to get on with this here blog for all you guys. Enjoy!

What's Happening Valucre?

The Chosen: Round Three Continues- It might be going again soon. Might... don't hold your breath.

Genesaris Dark Festival: Prizes- The carnival is over but you can cash out for your prizes.

A Monstrous Disaster in Mezthaluen!- A time sensitive quest, the city of Mezthaluen is under attack, overrun with five strange creatures who are out to steal people's brains- yes, their brains. Though not in the zombie like way, oh no, these bastards are ripping them straight out of your skull! They show strong psionic talents that also enable them to use arcane-like magical talents, they have nasty claws and tentacles too. The next Japanese Anime, or some kick ass opportunities to save the people and get VB- you decide!

NaNoWriMo- Hey, we are nearly 1/2 of the way through NaNoWriMo. In theory, you should be over the 20,000 word mark- if your not, worry not, you still have time. You just might be like me, so busy with other things you got to get done that you haven't kept up with the quotas. If you're behind, do not let it discourage you- you still have time to get it done, and the most important thing is that you keep writing- keep it going through all thirty days and at least make sure you get as close as you can. I'm at just shy of 15k right now, but I will meet that 50k. I will dammit. >_> Give some support over this way.

The Agency- I like the concept, so now if only I had a little more information to impart. We have a member who plays a detective character and intends to open a 'firm' of sorts, so they will need a few more detectives to sign on. If you want to play on the right side of the law for a while, you can get in on this.

Looking for Trouble (The First)- A beginning to what is intended to be a series of troublesome threads, you will have the opportunity to leave your stamp on the fine canon of Genesaris- by being a huge bastard. In this particular quest, you will be poisoning food supplies with a toxic contaminant sure to kill thousands and seriously harm tens of thousands. Do you feel like being the progenitor of such a major crime? Do you like valbullion and unique items that you cannot find anywhere else, such as a highly potent curse scroll? Well then, this one just might be for you. Keep in mind, more quests of this nature will be cropping up, and all of them will eventually lead into some other changes. You will have a front seat to the beginning of some very bad things...

Win 1,500vb Easy- Well, he calls it an easy 1,500vb but I doubt it will actually be 'easy'. Praetorian wants to see people duking it out in regular T1 matches, where the first two persons to win 10 matches in a row gets 1,000vb. Now, after that, these two then must fight each other, where the loser forfeits 500 to the winner. There is a catch though- you must cycle through all your characters, never reusing one until you have used all of your major characters. Tough challenge, you up to it?

Featured Read(s) of the Week- 

This... I cannot explain this thread. It has to be one of the trippiest things I have ever read, and I am unsure if I accidently ingested something I shouldn't have and then sat down to go through closed threads for a featured read. That, or the two collaborators on this one were trippen on some serious stuff. Either way, if you want to be in for one strange read, I direct you over yonder.

Congratulations to Off Topic and Die Shize for being the writers of this week's Featured Thread.

Ask a Serial Killer (Part 2)- You know, to fully appreciate this one, just go read it without me spoiling it. Probably be even better if you're a little stoned first. 

Lore of the Week!

This Week's Feature: None!

Because I forgot to do my homework. Doing a level 3 board this week, and I try to ask the owners of those what they want featured in particular. I forgot to do that ahead of time this week. OOPS... check back next week..

Newly Awarded!

Just one this week-

Congratulations Noko on your activity award, it was overdue! :)

Valucre Blog Challenge!

No one took it up last week. I am disappointed. ><

I really liked that one, so I am going to reuse it at some point. For this week though, I came up with an idea while joking around. To give you a hint, read the this:

"Hunched over in the dim light of a softly glowing incandescent bulb. Words flowed like rivers of honey...

He knew it was perfect. The untold story of adventure, the unwritten tale of two men's journey through a world unknown. The passionate love affair of Legolas and Gimli..."

Challenge of the Week: Write a romantic fan fic! Yes, a short story (strive for under 1,000 words) telling of the whirlwind romance of two characters no one would ever expect to see. I think this could be quite funny and a good stretch for those who try to avoid doing romance based fan fics, or fan fics all together.

New Members and Returns!

Welcome:

Alexander Meadows
Lego Xbox
Jinsei
Gromanzombies
Pawn
Charkitty6
Rilath
Maxaline
Talamak
Drmarker
Harmony Rae
Shinji
Tooly


Returns:

The Doctor
Efranial Kishime

Thirteen new folks in one week is huge! Two returns is about average for us, so that is cool too. Normally, I go through an say hi to everyone individually, but I am already running on borrowed time, behind in other obligations (studying >>) and not feeling particularly well either- all lame excuses for why I am skipping out on it this week. I know, I know, terrible of me.

I'm sorry. ;-;

Birthdays of the Week?

So, here are the week's listed birthdays. PLEASE, keep in mind that if you do not make birthday's on your profile listed and public, they will not show up on the Calendar. If they are not on the Calendar, I have no way of knowing about it and therefore no way of adding it here! If you want a shoutout for your Bday, be sure to make it viewable!

• Alora Veta (Nov 8th!)
• Exequim (Nov 8th!)
• Stoner Boy (Nov 8th!)
• Eriadu (Nov 9th!)
• Goblet97 (Nov 9th!)
• Zombie Ivy (Nov 10th!)
• Cor (Nov 11th!)
• Faustina Jaeger (Nov 11th!)
• -Malice- (Nov 11th!)
• Riku Katsu (Nov 11th!)
• Euxuine (Nov 12th!)
• Mizzykins (Nov 13th!)
• Kion (Nov 14th!)
• Silent Whisper(Nov 14th!)

Happy Birthday all of you!

Other Highlights?

User Blogs- Hey, this blog isn't the only blog out there. There are blogs on valucre too. Honestly, the way I always find them is to go look at the last blog updated (found at the bottom of the forum) and then from there I can get into the other blogs. If someone knows a more efficient way- tell me! :P

Did You Know-  First Impressions? Want to let us know what you think? Been here less than 30 days? Come let us know. Read about this Did You Know here, it gives you The details. Want more Did You Knows- go here.

Closing Thoughts?

Well, last week got really heavy... and dark. I hate going down that way and I hope I did not give anyone the wrong impression- that is, the impression that if you chill on the internet long enough you're eventually going to end up a victim to some psychopath. It's not a likely scenario and my intent is just to instill the value of using both good judgment and keeping your guard up because bad things can happen to anyone.

That said, let's focus less on the icky this week.


I mentioned it above, I am running a bit behind schedule here (normally I have parts of this blog prepped throughout the week) and I have other priorities I have to at least spend some time on- namely, getting ready for my exam on Friday. I’m even putting off NaNoWriMo for that, and will instead work on blasting through that over the weekend. All this excuse making is basically just layering the foundation of the big excuse- why I am not going to write a whole lot here today. >>

I am just going to make an observation and then leave it to all of you to mull over on your own.

We have a great community here. Sure, we have some arguing and fighting, a few outbursts and big disagreements as well, but overall, this has definitely been the most solid community I have participated in- and I have been doing this for over ten years. What is great about community is not just that we have a nice place to hang our hat for the day and chill out, not just that we have a place to put together some great stories, but that we have a lot of community support around here.

Many of us have taken on the madness that is National Novel Writing Month- the 30 day stint where you try to pump out at least 50,000 words, a hell of a feat for some people. We have a thread up that is specifically designed to help support each other- we went other people to have success and to be able to enjoy their successes with them.

Sometimes people have a bit of trouble in their life, and rather than going to the board at large about it they just put their thoughts to pixels inside their blog- and the amount of support that comes through for them is often quite astounding. When people do speak more openly about struggles they are having, we see people truly rally to help them.

We are a community who looks out for each other, and to put this more in the writing aspect, we support each other in these endeavors. We make contacts that help us with our beta reading and with skill building. Hell, we have people here who have made strong and lasting friendships outside the site and collaborate on projects together. All in all, I find this not only to be awesome, but also to be something great to think about:

Sometimes, it’s about what you can do on your own, but what you can do when you have  a community at your back, ready to support you when you stumble along life’s journey.

Take care people, we’ll see about having a more satisfying blog next week.

Especially because it is our final November update for the month, which makes it our Thanks giving update!

See you next week

-          Acies

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.”  ~ John Donne

We Interrupt Your Regular Programming For Something Awesome...

Why, the Valucre Blog of Course. 

Howdy folks, welcome again to your weekly update of that blog that you all should know and (I hope) love, written by yours truly for your reading pleasure. This blog post comes at you between me writing the blog and writing out microscopic notes for my exam next week- yes, when I say microscopic, we're talking size 4 font on that badboy. Because when they say one page front and back (handwritten or typed) I believe in space economy. 

I hope NaNoWriMo is going well for all of you who are doing it this year. As soon as I get this blog wrapped up I have to go work on meeting my daily quota- so wish me luck, yes? Anyway, let's get this blog post kicking and I'll see you all in Valucre. :)

What's Happening Valucre?

The Chosen: Round Three Continues- On another pause...

Genesaris Dark Festival: Prizes- The carnival is over but you can cash out for your prizes.

Word Association Writing Contest- Quick, simple, easy. Looking for a brief contest to join or something to give you a break from NaNoWriMo? Try this contest on for size. Take the list of words and use them in a 1,000 word or less story. Supernal picks the winner. Can you do it?

NaNoWriMo- Speaking of NaNo, how is it going for everyone? Well, not only is there the group mentioned last week, but you can also go to this thread here to give support and get support. A lot of people are doing it, so perhaps you should too. In fact, First blog update of the month in December, I am going to feature all you awesome people here. How's that for cool?

Adaveil- Fresh Lore and Untaken Quest- Adaveil is a newer board looking to get everyone involved. There are quests as well as roles in the royalty and politics available for your taking- so take a look!

The Ragged Winter- A fine opportunity going to waste. People mention enjoying the canonical RPs where they get to have an affect on changes, so here is something just like that! This RP takes place in the past and covers the history of the rider of the golden dragon from the Dragonmerge storylines. You start at his beginning and RP his adventures to the end of his journal. There is a role for someone to play as that rider and as support characters. If this sounds appealing to you, step on up.

Nich'e, a New Sub Forum in Terrenus- Got to admit, this looks really cool. A second shoutout to make sure people give this new real estate some proper notice, this board has already had some real work and dedication put into it and I know it's creator has been asking for advice on how to make sure something unique and fun is created. I can tell this person really enjoys their monsters and hopes to make it enjoyable for you as well, so go have a look!

A Monstrous Disaster in Mezthaluen!- Something strange has entered Mezthaluen off one of their ships and now they are wreaking havoc! These creatures drain the life out of people and consume their brains, becoming tougher, smarter, and better spellcasters. They are hard as hell to bring down and will require some strategy and teamwork. Big rewards for those who show up and get the job done fast- are you up for the challenge?

Featured Read(s) of the Week- 

I guess I went and promised two of these this week. Got one picked out last week and did not get to it, so I will hold my end up and find a second to go with it. Two features in one week (I really got to quit running behind on things).

Last Week's Pick: I chose this one because of the array of different participants already putting this one together and the way that the DM for this thread makes things turn weird right quick. This is one of those quest RPs you know is bound to end poorly for at least some of the people giving it a shot, so be prepared for things to be come much more twisted.

Congratulations to aSimpleMusician, Rin, AlphaCentaurus, PandaHat, Aleksei, Deviant, Dodgen, Vasanti, and The Hummingbird for being part of  the pick of the (Last)week.

The Tower of Horrors- Entering this tower is never something that comes out on someone's list of 'good ideas', but every now and then someone decides to go ahead and take on the extreme risks for the incredible rewards that follow. A caravan transports displaced travelers and a man dressed in royal pomp who have all decided to enter the tower. An old friend of the man shows up, about the same time as an opportunstic watcher spies the group gathering to take on the tower. Another mysterious one joins the group and soon you have an entire entourage headed for the inside of the ominous place. Introductions and pleasentries asside, it comes time for the intrepid group to take the plunge and enter the dreaded tower. The Hummingbird kicks off the weird factor straightaway, giving a memorable post that still leaves me with chills. The reactions of the others are on par with expectation, and more is surely to come. 

Pick of this week: I liked this one straightaway for the amount of work put into building the plot structure and then letting others join in and take off with it. There was some definite creepy stuff added as well, a fitting thing given that it was written in the month of October. The diverse case of characters definitely makes this a more interesting read, especially when two of those people are a Witch Doctor and a scientist. The thread is definitely a fun and worthwhile read.

Congratulations to DarkHeir, Refrigerator, Syncopy, Khan, Gohrik Trisona, and Spyfox31 for being the writers of this week's featured thread.

This is Why Liches Are Dangerous- A dialogue between two evil powers within a massive, malevolent organization converse about planning, and then one leaves to enslave the populace of a town outside Dougton. The Lich brings on the creep factor by callously killing off an entire family, cracking witty jokes and using banter as he goes around snuffing the life from people and bringing them back as undead slaves. He builds his armies up just as the heroes arrive, a ragtag group of individuals with all differing strengths and approaches to handling this problem. The interactions alone are worth the read of the thread. 

Lore of the Week!

This Week's Feature: Gesa, Iselyr

At a Glance: 

• Leader:  Four leaders for all four corners of the plains: Hora, a powerful shaman, claimed the north; Urglak, a fierce warrior, claimed the South; Lo’ar, another shaman, claimed the West; and Suuel, a huntsman, claimed the East.
• Population: Smattering of Barbarian Tribes
• Defenses: 
• Powerful barbarians with no central location (nomadic)
• Hot Spots: 
• None

Canonical Occurrences by Members:

•  None

Available Quests:

• None currently.

Brief Summary of Lore:

Taken from Lore: Before the ancient war known as the Fall of Gorand, the rolling plains of Gesa were home to none, spare for the many wild beasts that freely roamed the terrain. In fact, it wasn’t until the smoldering aftermath of the costly war that Gesa had seen her first signs of humanity in the form of the several barbarian tribes that still call the plains home to this date.

The Odaa'na were, at first, a vast organization of barbaric tribes scattered throughout the Nyssian Mountain chain. Unfortunately, over decades of steadily dwindling food supplies and an onslaught of unexplainably harsher winters, the Odaa'na found their numbers becoming few and far between. What’s more, they also found themselves on the brink of war against the tyrant-king of Le’Chery: Ethan, which formed a rift within the Odaa'na that threatened to tear it in two.

The largest tribe of the Odaa'na, the Otero, vehemently protested any involvement in the war. The barbarians had their own very real, very dangerous issues to deal with; the last thing that they needed was a war, which very well could have pushed them to extinction. The Norsar, on the other hand, suggested that the barbarians had no choice but to assist the resistance and fight Ethan’s legions. Otherwise, he would cast a treacherous shadow over all of Iselyr, and no land would be safe.

After months of deliberation and heated political feuds, the Odaa'na dissolved. The Otero, along with their supporters, fled the snowy mountains and headed southeast, to the coast, while the Norsar rallied alongside the resistance and headed south to meet Ethan’s legion in combat.

Ethan’s vast army all but crushed the resisting forces in the initial skirmishes of the war, and the Norsar barbarians found themselves pushed even further south. No longer being pursued by Le’Chery’s forces, having been driven many miles from the city’s borders, the barbarians happened by the lush, ripe plains of Gesa. Still, despite this new utopia, the Norsar still had many troubles still facing them.

Opposed to the political strife that had caused the major split of the Odaa'na, the remaining barbarians of the Norsar decided it would be best, for the people, if they split into smaller groups that lived separated from each other. Each of these four groups occupied a cardinal territory and was governed by the strongest of their group:

Hora, a powerful shaman, claimed the north; Urglak, a fierce warrior, claimed the South; Lo’ar, another shaman, claimed the West; and Suuel, a huntsman, claimed the East. Central Gesa, or the Heart, as the barbarians call it, was designated for the chieftains of each tribe to meet and convene on subjects of utter importance.

Generally speaking, the tribes of Gesa are relatively nomadic. And while they do possess an innate skill for agriculture, they often prefer to hunt the wild beasts that also make the rolling plains their home.

Newly Awarded!

We got some awards for you this week!

Activity Award: Ayden & Suta!

Model Role-Player: Ayden!

Congrats you two!

Valucre Blog Challenge!

Well, wouldn't you know, someone took us up on this week's challenge. I only got one, so only one can be featured. This person asked to be anonymous for this one, so no credit given. But thank you to the submitter for letting us see how this exercise played out!

"I'm an average person.

When I was born, my father gave me my own name because he couldn't bare the thought of using my accomplishments as an extension of his own. He was considerate enough to allow me the freedom of identity without having to be constantly reminded of him, good or bad. All in all, there was never any bad. To this day we're still extremely close, proof of just how much time he spent with and invested in me.

I was lucky enough to reside in a neutral, secular household, where instead of giving me answers my parents only asked me questions in an attempt to create a genuine perspective of crystalline unforced-upons. My childhood amounted to nothing more than the pursuit of individuality, for I grew weary of being told and forced to recognize how much I fit in. I just wanted to be different the entire time, but it wasn't because I cared about what people thought of me. Every year on Valentine's Day, I was the only child in class who always received a valentine. After finding out none of the other students could participate for religious reasons, how exactly I received so many is still a mystery to me, but it did wonders for my self-esteem. I can remember every single birthday and Christmas I ever had, because my family celebrated all of them. Same with every other holiday however menial, every single one.

At school I always bullied kids before they had the chance to bully me, but if they ever got that chance, I always stood up for myself. It helped that I'm pretty tall for my age, and I've always looked much older than I really am.

I've never understood someone's cause for the aversion to speaking. I'm grateful that talking is the very first thing ever expected of me from others, every day. It is without a doubt my favorite medium of communication, and throughout all my recent introspection, I've come to realize that every problem can be solved through the act of revealing it to others through reactionary, emotional chatter and following hugs. I love being asked 'What's wrong?' just for the chance at having to explain it, but people don't ask it often so I'm never given the opportunity.

My favorite body part would be my teeth, no contest. I've actually structured the way I speak to consciously show others how proud I am of them, and in every picture ever taken of me since I was 15 (which there are many of), I've always had an open mouth while smiling.

As I've grown older, I've been gaining friends instead of losing them. Nowadays I never spend any of my time alone and I go out to have fun every chance I get. When the day came for me to move out of my parent's house, which I did at a very late age, I did so by my own choice and my family was begging me to stay. They think very highly of me and check to see how I'm doing all the time, and because of that, I've cultivated a healthy self-confidence. 

Even at a young age I knew that I couldn't find self-fulfillment through the recognition of my value from another, so I didn't care to date, though I had plenty of chances. Every girl I ever had feelings for to the point of being 17 had always professed their interest in me, so whenever dating afterward, I always left them first because I was confident I could find someone else who understands or is willing to understand me. Since I had such a headstart, in every relationship of mine I've been far more experienced than my partner, so I was the mature one capable of making all the right decisions.

I'm not a virgin because deeply-rooted systematic sexual repression was given no time or space to hide within me.

I was never much for using coping mechanisms for self-expression as methods to escape my reality, I've always preferred outdoor sports to sitting in front of a computer, and I never had the patience to practice musical instruments. I'd much rather watch TV instead.

I use Facebook all the time. I have a nice car and a nice home because I was rigidly instructed to budget my earnings, I'm healthier than I could ever hope to be, I make a decent wage for intellectually satisfying work, I have seen the evidence of my Lord and Savior pulling the strings of fate from on high, and I'm on a clear path to bettering myself as an individual.

In looking at the world as an entity and my immediate surroundings to be a reasonable attempt at society, I'm perfectly content with what I see.

I couldn't be happier, because I'm an average person."

Challenge of the Week: Write the end to a story and only the end. Yep, no writing a beginning, middle, or even a climax. Create a quick story in your mind and then end it in a profound, jarring, or just surprising way. Write it in such a way that it's ending itself would make us want to go back and read that story. Beginning that story can be a bitch- well, see how it ends instead (Credit goes to Cracked.com for this idea). Write anything from one line to about 1 final page's worth (a page is about 250 words).

Post it to your blog and I just might link it! If you want to remain anon, you can send it to me and if it is eye catching, I will put it here. (Eventually, I might just make a blog specifically for this :P)

New Members and Returns!

Welcome:

Warewolves:
In with a poem and a name with an odd spelling- it's like werewolf, only in this case you are a wolf with wares, right? Right?? Tell me I'm right, because I hate being wrong. >> Just kidding, just kidding (but seriously. ><....). I enjoyed your little poem and do hope that you have in fact found your home. Welcome to Valucre, it's certainly my home!

Owloftheice:
Another one with an interesting name, only in this case I am imagining an owl stuck inside an ice-block- man, that would really suck for the owl. I am sure you have a different interpretation though, so that's okay. Anyway, it's perfectly fine that you are socially awkward, because half of us are anyway- hell, some of us are just plain awkward! Love of RP is definitely a great quality to have, especially when you are joining an RP site, heh. As for your other loves, well, sounds like you are in the right place. Welcome to Valucre!

TheSRD:
Okay, showing my geekiness here, but when I see "The SRD" I immediately think of the D&D SRD website- can you tell I do a lot of RPing? Hell, gotta have those online resources, it helps! Anyway, you say you have been RPIng on Deviantart  they do that there? I had no idea! Learn something new everyday. It seems like RP has sprouted in almost all forms of social media, which is actually pretty damn cool if you ask me. 

TJacker:
Howdy! Looks like you already found a little bit of a spark, but don't let the little quibble deter you, we're all pretty laid back for the most part. I sympathize with your graveyard situation because I too got lost on the old nightshift gig and it's not really fun. You operate on weird hours and find it hard to stay connected to people. Luckily for me, Valucre is hopping at all hours, so I always have someone to shoot the shit with while at work. Welcome to Val!

Fate Destiny:
Howdy once again! I already gave you a bit of an extensive welcome with helpful bits, so I only have so much left to say. Welcome to Valucre, enjoy your stay!

Returns:

Pseudomonarchia:
Welcome back! Hope you get to stick around this time, looks like you have a lot of ambitions that can help generate some RP. 

Black Magic:
AKA Dedicated or Even Addicted- see, I pay attention, I called you by your other name. Wait, that isn't supposed to be another name for you to go by? Uhh... never mind then...

Vixen:
Welcome back, hope you get your spark back so you can get back into producing some fine RP. It always sucks when our muse goes off a takes a hiatus. 

Erzatz:
Man, you have had a terrible time with keeping track of your user login information. I am not surprised, as you mention that you find all the buttons a bit distracting as well- you too have a 'squirrel!' problem! It's okay, happens to the best of us. You just got to work on----SHINY!

Troutt:
Troutt with two t's, it's been a while! I see the issue must have been crapped out computer- I really hate those. Welcome back friend, hope you get to do some serious RPing this time around. ;)

Odd, we have the same amount of new people as we do returning members. The new member count is a little below average (;-;) but the returning members count is more than double the average, so this is just a week of returning folks instead! Welcome back everyone and welcome to the new folks!

Birthdays of the Week?

So, here are the week's listed birthdays. PLEASE, keep in mind that if you do not make birthday's on your profile listed and public, they will not show up on the Calendar. If they are not on the Calendar, I have no way of knowing about it and therefore no way of adding it here! If you want a shoutout for your Bday, be sure to make it viewable!

• Hopingfordestiny (Nov 1st!)
• ClarkKent (Nov 2nd!)
• The Hummingbird (Nov 3rd!)
• Estillum (Nov 3rd!)
• Zedkiel (Nov 3rd!)
• Somniloquist (Nov 3rd!)
• zanderman (Nov 4th!)
• k1b22 (Nov 5th!)
• Sharpnails (Nov 5th!)
• High Chieftain (Nov 5th!)
• AClockwerkKroww (Nov 6th!)
• Topeye (Nov 6th!)
• Katsujirou (Nov 7th!)
• Fallen (Nov 7th!)
• Lestat de Lioncourt (Nov 7th!)

Happy birthday all you fine Valucreans!

Other Highlights?

Bah, these highlights, the deepest thorn in my side. Only for my love, my love of Valucre.

Mark All Forums Read- Ever just not want to see all the new posts? Ever get that weird error where Vbulletin refuses to mark a subscription read even though you viewed the thread, and post, 80 times? Well, that second one actually happens to me nearly weekly. If you have these issues or something similar, you can click the 'Mark Forums Read' link beneath What's New and clear it right up.

Did You Know-  About VB donors? Yep, if you need some VB, some of our richer members are willing to help you out for a good cause. Read about this Did You Know here, it gives you The details. Want more Did You Knows- go here.

Closing Thoughts?

Well, I try to keep the blog on the lighter side of things and this one was no exception- it seems like every time I sat down to chip at the blog I was feeling chipper and well, it just naturally translates. I like the happier tone though, as RP is a hobby and your hobby should be fun! Well, unless you are a hobbyist negative person maybe, in that case, you should be as negative and grumpy as possible. But who the hell would want to do that?

All that said, I am bringing down the lightness back down to the realm of the real to use this week’s closing thoughts to talk about something serious, and frankly, something feel that is important.

There was a stickied blurb put up in the Newcomers’ forum warning you to exercise some good judgment in who you choose to interact with from Valucre and the decisions you make. She’s got it in the right when she tells you about the manipulation one might do to make another person make bad choices, but I think this needs to go further. Hell, I know it needs to go further because I deal with this in my workplace –all- -the- -time-.

I’m sure you’ve heard it already (if you have been around more than a few weeks at least) that I work in a Forensics Psychiatric Hospital- we house the criminally insane. Given our population, we have a varied mix of people who suffer from genuine mental illnesses with a smattering of people who did a good enough job of ‘faking it’ (we call it Malingering) to get into the system. Because of how our laws work, once they’re here, we can’t send them to jail. We have them until we discharge them, and we’re not supposed to discharge them unless they are found not a danger to themselves or others.

Yeah, they end up here for the long stretch.

Among these malingerers, you find our highly sociopathic/psychopathic patients. The masters of manipulation. Smooth talkers, perfect liars, your best friend and then your worst enemy. They seem perfectly fine, friendly even, so easy to get along with. They show you some ropes and even help you out a bit. Not so bad right? Well, you clearly don’t understand the process of Downing a Duck.

I suppose I should give some explanation for this blurb and the warning up in the newcomer’s section before going on. I don’t want to get into the gritty details, but we received warning that a newly registered member was someone who was targeting women, getting them to go nude on cam, and then blackmailing them with the pictures. This set them up in a perpetual cycle of fear and regret, feeling trapped because he had those pictures and could leak them any time. Worse yet- he will. I’m not speaking for this individual, but from the pathology of this profile: They will do exactly what they threaten, the moment you are not compliant.

And in their eyes, it is all your fault.

This member was removed, but it brought us to the realization that something needed to be said, because these people are out there. Anyone remember the sad case of Amanda Todd? Perhaps a very extreme case, but these are the kind of people who go out and prey on people. They are predators and they will use you and abuse you. It’s easy to tell you to watch out for people who are trying to manipulate you, but my feelings on this is that this needs to go a step further. I want you to know what you are looking for when dealing with someone like this. I want people to be able to defend themselves against anyone using these tactics to sucker them (male or female) and to have information to give to others.

A very illustrative case is titled “Downing a Duck”. I used the term already, and it is a term that originated in the prison system. I am going to paste the story here because I cannot find a location I feel is both safe and reliable (so it will stay up) so I am going to paste it here. It is a little long, but the read is compelling. Yes, this is 100% a true story.

Forgive me if the formatting/editing is not perfect- I had to copy it from elsewhere where it was not put up in the cleanest way. I have a PDF of it, but it is in image form. So, this is what I got.

DOWNING A DUCK

  

Cracking the Shell Takes Time and Effort

You have to go about developing a duck in a manner that creates very little suspicion. A man would be a fool to just walk up to a joint cop and ask him to bring in “grass,” booze or money. You have to go slow, which takes time and effort.

The dudes who get caught are the ones who get over-anxious and move too fast. The first thing you gotta do is watch. You know, things like the way a person acts, walks, stands, sits, or dresses can tell you a hell of a lot about them. Things they laugh or smile at; what makes them sad or angry; their likes and dislikes; this is all important information if you really want to develop a duck.

You gotta start small if you want to get a person to a point where they’ll do just about anything you say. The last duck I developed was natural. Naïve, shy, friendly as hell, a do-gooder who could be made to believe anything. You see, prisons don’t know how to warn their people. They gotta say, “Be friendly, be nice,” but they don’t know how to tell them when they’re going overboard. So I’m gonna tell this story like he was my duck. At any rate I started my duck with nothing more than getting him to give me pencils and

paper in excess of what he was supposed to give. Here’s how I developed him.

Developing the Duck

I watched this cop for a long time. He had all the traits. He was uneasy around his boss, pushed the nice guy bit so strong on us he overlooked violation of some small unit rules in other words, he didn’t take care of business. He couldn’t put across his orders with any kind of firmness, and the cons were givin’ him a rough row to hoe. When you find a guy like this, you can pretty well figure you got a duck--but you can be too hasty, you gotta be sure.

I sent some friends of mine to get him involved in philosophical discussion to find out where his head was and to push him a little to see how far he’d let things go. They talked about how bad other cops treated them and how they hoped he didn’t become like all other cops. He agreed, and told them about things he’d seen the other “bulls” do that supported their reason for disliking cops. While the talk was going on, some of the guys broke rules like stepping inside another con’s cell, putting marks on the wall, suggesting playing poker--all minor rule violations.

The officer said nothing. Each time he started to leave and tell some guy to knock it off they’d praise the hell out of him and he’d get back into the conversation. Me, I just watched. The guy was very easily distracted and we build on the nice guy image. He didn’t look like a cop--sloppy dresser, half done jobs, and he’d come unglued if someone said he did a poor job, or if someone didn’t particularly like him. When this happened he’d get in a “downer” conversation telling the cons how no one understood him. They’d agree, and build his ego. They got him on a first name basis--it’s harder to tell a guy “NO” when you’re that friendly.

When I was absolutely certain that this guy was the one I wanted to develop, I had his unit orderlies do a sloppy job so he wouldn’t pass inspection. The sergeant gave him hell. When the sarg left, I went over to the guy and said, “You know what, Pete, you didn’t have that coming. The sarg doesn’t know you like we do. Out of all the cops in this joint, you’re the only one the cons trust. Remember, we told you where to find the convict home brew. He didn’t remember you made that bust. I’ve been talking with the other cons in this wing and we’re going to make you look good from now on.

My duck kept raving on how that sergeant has been on his back; that he just can’t seem to do anything right. So I told him, “I got extra time each day and I’ll fix this place so you’ll not only pass inspection, but you’ll get a commendation for the cleanest wing in the joint. I ain’t gonna let no crummy sergeants talk to you that way anymore.” The cop said he would be grateful.

As the days and weeks passed, I worked my tail off for this joker. He began passing his inspection with honors. He had the habit of leaving his lunch box open or his cigarettes laying on his desk so I began helping myself. I didn’t over do it, and he said nothing, so I asked him for a couple of full writing pads and a few pencils. He was supposed to give only one pencil, usually used, and only a couple of sheets of paper. With a long explanation and unsteady voice he turned me down. Saying “No” was hard for him. I looked hurt and said, “Oh, I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I thought you knew I liked to relax and write after working at my regular job, then cleaning this unit for you. I only asked you because most of the guys in the wing told me you understood things like that--that you like to see us doing constructive things. Oh, well, it ain’t no big thing.” I tried to let my expression say my feelings were hurt, I was sorry he didn’t trust me, and I guess he was like all the other cops. With my head down I sauntered to my room.

Shortly Pete was at my cell door. He made sure no one was looking then slid a dozen new pencils and three new writing tablets under my door. I said, “Pete!, you’re the greatest! Just like all the guys say, you really try and help convicts stay out of trouble.” I worked extra hard that next week winning Pete praise from the sergeant who formerly cussed him out. Pete was pleased and said, “Thank you, Terry.” He used my first name, a sign I was developing him properly.

Several months had passed now and we had become good friends. I sought personal, financial, and marital advice, which he freely gave. And since he liked baseball, I liked baseball. He disliked hunting, so I disliked hunting. Now you gotta be careful with this too. If you have too much in common, that’s not good, so you let him talk you into believing as he does. For example, he asked me if I believed in God. I seemed hesitant and confuse. I let him convince me there was a God.

You gotta remember when developing a duck that you’re always the student and he’s the teacher. You appear to be fascinated by his knowledge. You make him think you kneed his help; that he’s making you a better person; and that you wanta be like him. I had this joker bringing me candy, magazines, cigars and he mailed a couple of birthday cards for me. I always told him he shouldn’t do things like that ‘cause he could get in trouble and then I would hint around for something else I needed. Pretty soon he’d bring it, but I made him feel I was looking out for his welfare.

Then I figured it was about time I got a little more serious with this guy. One day a fight broke out in the wing and my duck tried to stop it. He wound up facing a couple of cons with knives who said they hated cops and were going to kill him. He was scared spitless. I let him stay in that situation for a while and finally rushed in, got between the cop and the cons and talked them out of hurting him. I never saw a guy so grateful. Right at that time this duck said he’d do just about anything for me. I told him friends needed to stick together; that no one should expect favors for doing what was right. That night I used Pete’s own cigarettes to pay off the guys who staged the fight for me.

Sometime later I showed this officer a letter from my sister stating the wife of a guy in our wing had been killed in an accident. The con was a friend of mine so I asked my duck to tell the guy. He couldn’t do it because he gets too emotional he said, so I wound up telling the inmate myself.

When your grooming a duck you are limited only by your own imagination. Here are two situations that I set-up to learn something about the dude. The fight told me fear and friendship could get me what I wanted from this cop, and the second added sympathy to the list.

Everyone in the wing was sad over the loss of this convict’s wife, especially the cop, so the next day I brought my duck a sympathy card signed by most of the cons in the unit and told him they had taken up a collection for the con’s kids. I told him I knew it was against the rules, and that convicts ain’t supposed to have money, but this was different. This would do a lot of good. “There ought to be some rules we can break,” I said. “Most of us convicts have spent a lifetime taking things from people, and the one time we want to give, there’s a rule against it. It just doesn’t seem right!” The cop was concerned over the amount of money with the card and that he might get caught.

At about this point my personality began changing a little. I had to let this guy know he had already done some dumb things that could get him into trouble--to do so in a way that showed we were still good friends but that I meant business. So I reminded him of a few past situations. For the first time, he didn’t quite know how to take me. I immediately got nice again. I said, “Ah, come on, it would do us a lot of good to give for once in our lives, you can’t deny a person that kind of inner satisfaction. Any doctor will tell you it’s good therapy. Besides, the penalty for taking a letter out with money in it ain’t no greater than the ones you’ve already taken out. Don’t get me wrong, I would never tell, but I have had some trouble keeping some of these other cats in the unit from telling the sergeant that’s always on your back.

He was beginning to feel the pressure. The confusion on his face was obvious. He wasn"t sure where I stood. As I continued talking, I slid the envelope into his inside jacket pocket. “There ain’t no way you’ll be caught. They don’t search cops like they do inmates. Gosh, man, you can’t let little kids starve just ’cause their old man is in the joint. Those kids ain’t done no wrong. There ain’t a con in this place who would understand the deep hurt a person goes through when someone you love gets killed. I thought you were different. You don’t have to worry, we took care of those people who might have snitched to the sarg. No way are we going to let you get in trouble. Besides, I’ll never ask for a favor like this again. It’s just that those kids…” I walked away and left him to think about what I had just said.

I had been my old friendly self for a few days so my duck could become comfortable over taking the letter and money out. Then I told him some relatives of my friend--the deceased woman’s husband--would be sending a package to his house. The package would contain nothing but prayer beads for the grieving inmate. “Don’t open the box ’till you get here,” I told him. “we need the address to thank these people, and they were really grateful for that money.” He agreed. When the package came, I told the cop I’d show him the contents later and he said never mind he didn’t want to know. His voice told me I needed to butter him up a little because we both knew he was over the barrel. I had him right where I wanted him. But I still had to develop him more deeper. I knew he was in debt on the streets so I got the training officer’s clerk (an inmate) to add extra time on the dude’s pay records. The cop appreciated the extra money and said nothing.

Because I let him know I was responsible for the little favor, he became more friendly, but he was still cautious with me. By this time I was about the only friend the cop had. Sometime back his real friends began telling the guy he was being too friendly with convicts. I couldn’t let that go on, so I started a rumor that this cat was living with an inmate’s wife. He came under investigation. Cops like to go with winners, not losers. This guy was a loser so left him alone. He had to talk to someone, and I was the only person available. I had the guy right where I wanted him, for sure! It took time but you gotta develop a duck carefully if you want it to pay off. Now the guy was ready for the big one. He had to do anything I said or I tossed him to the wolves.

Turning the Duck into a Golden Goose

I had done a lot of time in my life and was tired of prison. I wanted to get out. I’d been thinking about this for a long time now. Getting out had become an obsession with me. My duck and I were about the same size so I got him off to the side and said, “You don’t know it yet, but I’m going on parole, and you’re going to help me get there!” My voice was stern and commanding. He looked confused, but he knew I meant business. “I want you to bring me a cop’s uniform!” We had joked about this kind of thing before and he hoped I was still kidding.

With all the hatred I could muster I shouted, “Look you stupid S.O.B., you ain’t got no choice! Every convict in this wing will snitch you off. You took out letters, money, you brought in things we still have stored to use as evidence against you, and you’ve been accepting money from the state under false pretenses. Now you bring in that damn uniform or you’re dead, sucker!” I stood glaring at him and let what I had just said sink in for a moment. Then I handed him a letter from the people who had received the money in the letter he had taken out. It stated they were willing to testify against him. He had no choice. He had to so as I told him. “Listen, you rotten bastard,” I continued, “you bring a shirt tomorrow, trousers the next day and so on until I have the complete uniform. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!”

The duck brought a piece of the uniform each day in his lunch box. As I received them I rolled each new item and neatly placed it in the bottom of the foot locker. Then I told this dumb cop to call me off my job when ever the institution search team came into the wing. “Make some excuse like I didn’t clean my room” I told him. I knew if I were on hand when my room was being searched, I could talk the searcher out of going to far into my locker.

Some cops do their job and look at everything in the room, but most of them don’t like searching and can easily be talked out of looking in places where a lot of work is involved. You know, there’s a psychology behind handling a searcher. One of the first things convicts learn when they first come to a joint is how to beat the search team. Like, if you want to hide a major contraband in your room, then you leave a minor contraband item so it can be discovered. The dude searching will usually abandon the search when he finds the piece you salted, and he leaves feeling he’s done a fine job. You got to be just a little bit smarter than they are to survive in prison.

On the other hand there is that occasional sharp cop who can’t be fooled. When this happens, you’re in trouble. So the way you handle this guy is you get all the cons in the area to complain about how the guy dumps stuff on your floors, tears your bedding, etc. If the complaints keep coming about the guy, joint big shots take the attitude that “where there’s smoke there must be fire,” and they give him a job change. Can you beat that? The dude gets punished because he’s doing a better job that anyone else.

One morning my duck called and said the search team was going to be in his unit. I rushed and stood nonchalantly by my cell door. A cop was already in my room searching. I was polite, joked with him, pointed to an area in my room he failed to search. I even complimented him on his thoroughness. When he came to the foot locker I said, “Man, I’m sorry, it’s going to take you hours to get through all the junk in that box.” By seeding this thought he gets tired just looking at the job. They’ll usually just give the box a once over lightly and quit. I pointed to a master list of things in the footlocker that was taped to the underside of the lid. I said that because the box was so full the list might make the job more bearable; that it was packed military style; and it took me hours to do it. “But you got your job to do,” I emphasized, “and I don’t mind repacking, even though it will take me most of the day--go ahead on.”

The dude was impressed by my politeness and complimentary attitude and he was convincing himself that a con who encourages a thorough search is probably clean. I did ask him, however, that as he took things out of the foot locker to place them on the bed--if he didn’t mind; and that he could glance at the list to see how orderly I kept my things.

By this, I knew two things would take place in his mind: his eyes would check the list as I suggested; when he

consistently found things in order, he’d feel he’s wasting his time; and the old buddy association I was developing would help convince him I was hiding nothing. So I figured after removing a few things he would conclude the search.

It happened just as I thought.. He removed the top row of clothing and about half of the next, then said, “O.K., you’re clear,” and he moved on to the next cell.“Whew.” Breathing a sigh of relief, I decided this searcher came a little close and I had better put my escape plan in action soon. Tomorrow morning, I thought, was as good a time as any.

My duck comes on duty at 7:45 a.m. At 8:00 a.m. the night shift goes home, and at the same time there is a major work release for prisoners: the corridor is always crowded at that time. I figured I had 15 minutes to get out of my room, slip into the broom closet, get into the uniform then melt into the crowd unnoticed. I would go to the exit door next to the control room where a sergeant is supposed to identify everyone leaving and stand with the group of officers waiting to go home.

The procedure for releasing officers from the security area at the joint is done like this: The sergeant at the control room looks at everyone wanting into the sallyport (a sallyport is a holding area in between two locked steel doors). When he’s satisfied he’s only releasing staff, he pushes a button which opens the first of two electronically controlled doors. Everyone enter and the first door closes. Before the second door is opened, an officer looks at everyone to assure the sergeant made no mistakes. Once the second door is opened they cross a patio to the administration building where another sallyport exists, and the procedure is repeated. When everyone passes through the administration building, there is a final sallyport where a tower man and a sergeant make sure the proper people enter and leave.

In each of those sallyports, the employees who opened the doors were nightshift people and I had suspected that because they were tired and sleepy, they released people not on the basis of positive identification, but because they were a uniform. Well, at any rate, tomorrow morning I would find out how correct my suspicions were.

The night passed slowly. I had a difficult time sleeping, so I spent most of the night going over and over every detail of the escape plan. Finally it was 7:45 a.m. I heard the lock door snap, and I knew it was my duck letting me out. I grabbed the uniform and rushed to the broom closet. The uniform fit like a glove! It’s funny how clothes can make you feel. I suddenly felt clean, almost like I wished I were on the side of the law and not a criminal. Then I thought of my stupid duck and decided I was better of as a hood.

During morning work release, the day shift officers stand in the center of the corridor as inmates pass up and down the long hallway on their way to job assignments. Staff members going home walk along one wall to the control room and they are usually looking into the units being released; their faces are away from the corridor officers in the corridor, so it would not be suspicious if I did the same. I started out of the unit. As I passed the officers’ stations, I took my duck’s lunch box for realism. He started to object and I said, “Don’t say it, you dummy, or you’re dead.” I slipped into the crowd and made my way to the control. The sergeant was peering through the mirror identifying people. Then suddenly the bolt snapped and the electric door opened. Everyone stepped into the sallyport, and the door closed behind us. I kept my head down slightly so no one could get a direct look at my face. The officer looked everyone over from a small unbreakable window, and he was being careful. I thought it might be over at this point. The officer’s phone rang, some people were turning in and drawing keys, and in his momentary distraction, he opened the second door.

When I was crossing the patio to the administration building, an officer coming on duty stopped me and asked me for a match. I felt panic surge through my veins. If the group got through the first door without me I would be alone, and alone, an unfamiliar officer was certain to be challenged. I searched my pockets quickly and said, “Sorry, guess I’m out of matches, too.” I hurried and caught the group just as the first door opened. The desk officer was flirting with a little blond secretary and just let everyone pass because they were all uniform personnel. The last sallyport was about 75 feet in front of us and the hardest one to get through. An officer in the tower by the entrance building--main gate as it was called--would identify the people leaving. If he recognized everyone, he would open the first gate. Once we’re inside the sallyport, the main gate sergeant checks everyone a final time before the gate to freedom can be opened.

As the group approached this final sallyport my heart was in my throat. I began to think for the first time there was a possibility of my making it, even though I knew this would be the hardest hurdle. Everyone had now reached the gate. I kept my head low without being obvious about it. The tower man was scanning faces. Then he shouted, “You there, look up!” I didn’t know if he was talking to me but assumed he was. I shadowed my face with my hand like I was trying to keep the sum from blinding me and looked up, slightly waving my hand at him to indicate I recognized him. A long moment passed, then the door slid open. While waiting for the final check, I noticed a large group of officers standing in the main gate sergeants’ station ready to be admitted after the night crew were identified and released. I heard someone in our group say they were new officers going on an orientation tour.

The gate sergeant’s eyes were scanning the group. I was trying to be inconspicuous by looking slightly away from him. It seemed an eternity of silence was being lived in those few moments. Then, my world fell apart when he shouted, “You, the officer with his back to me, come over here. I approached the window he was looking through and this time I looked him right in the eye. I felt disappointed and angry over being so close and getting caught, and had about decided to suddenly hit the fence even though I knew the tower man would shoot at me. I was mad enough to take that chance.

The sergeant asked, “What are you doing there? You’re supposed to be with these new officers out here.”

Thinking quickly, I replied in an apologetic voice, “I’m sorry sarg. But I thought the training officer said to meet him in the administration building.” “Who the hell let you in anyway?” The sergeant sorta growled in a tone indicating he was irritated with me. He opened the gate, and as I entered the gate house, he stood in front of me and demanded, “Now you stay with your group, understand?”

“Yes--I will--sir. But do I have time to run to my car before the training officer gets here? I forgot my I.D. card.”The sergeant looked disgusted. “There’s one in every group. All right, make it fast, the lieutenant doesn’t like to be kept waiting!”

I hurried to the far end of the main parking lot. Behind the last row of cars was a fence separating a corn field. I dropped to my knees behind a car and crawled on my stomach and slid under the barbed wire fence to the safety of the tall corn stalks. Keeping low I made my way to the main highway. I saw a car parked on the highway shoulder. No one was in it so I assumed the driver had run out of gas. I decided to stand in front of the car and hitchhike. My thinking was being in uniform and in front of the parked car, drivers would think it was mine and I had experienced car troubles. It worked! I had been standing about two minutes when this car pulled over. The driver motioned me to hurry when I noticed he was wearing the same kind of uniform I had on; my heart dropped. What was worse I recognized him as one of the wing officers at the joint I had just left. I was caught.

“Get in.” he said sharply. I almost confessed “O.K., you caught me, I’ll go peacefully but I didn’t. The lump in my throat wouldn’t let me.“Where to?” he asked with a half smile. “The first town you come to so I can get some gas,” I managed to answer. The town was bout 20 miles away. As we drove, I gathered my wits. He said he’d help me get the gas and run me back to the car. He asked if I was a new employee at the joint and I was glad to confess I was. Then I said, “You don’t need to return me to the car. I’ll call my wife and she’ll pick me up.” “O.K.,” he said, “it’s no bother--you know, you sure remind me of someone I’ve met before!” “Really? Well…no! I’m sure we’ve never met,” I said.

He dropped me at a service station, wished me well, and drove away. I was free! About three days later, I was miles away from that prison. I was hungry and tired so I decided to rob a store near the outskirts of the nearby city. During that robbery, I killed three people, but managed to keep from getting caught for over a year. Never mind how I got the gun. I was eventually apprehended, convicted and returned. I hated that stupid cop I ducked, and while I was on the streets my obsession to get a message to authorities so that cat would be fired was the thing which led to my apprehension and new conviction.

Eventually I had to testify at his trial. Of course I couldn’t tell them much except that I had developed the duck and then the details of the cop’s violations. “Anything else you folks would like to know?” I asked my interviewers.

“Only one thing. Now that you are back in prison, are you trying to acquire, or have you acquired another duck?” I leaned back on my chair, fixed my eyes on the petitioner as I thought about the question, took a stick of chewing gum from my shirt pocket, unwrapped it, and slowly slid it into my mouth. I stood to leave the room, paused at the door, smiled, and said, “They don’t sell gum in these joints…later, man!”

Chilling, no?

It is a process, and while the story gives you an in depth look in how a criminal grooms (another term we use) this guard into giving him contraband, this process applies to anything else one of these people might want. I am going to give you a quick and easy run down on what to expect while dealing with people like this. There are definitely some important things to think about.

First Rule: Never, never, never, never, never, never, never, Never^1,000,000 say, “That can’t happen to me. It won’t happen to me. I won’t do that.”

Look, every single person who has ever been suckered said the same thing. My PERSONAL experience with dealing with this situation regarding a coworker began with that very phrase and ended with the said person being charged with a Class C felony. Never assume you cannot be tricked. Repeat this mantra:

It could be me. This could be me. I could be next. I can be fooled.

Believe it, and then do everything you can to prevent it.

Becoming complacent is what gets people in trouble. They believe they are above this and so they make mistakes that a more cautious person would have seen coming. If you have it in your mind that you can be a victim, you will stay on top of things.

Second Rule: Observation

You got to get good at reading people- a skill you have to work at, but it can definitely be the big difference between believing someone is a gentleman and noticing the off qualities about them. Pay attention, and then watch for the following signs…

Glibness/Charm: Some people are charming naturally. When you talk to them, they just attract people. You cannot help but like them. So, take a step back and actually think it out- is this a natural quality about the person, or does it feel a little put on? Does it seem like the projection is actually intentional, that they are trying to make themselves look very positive?  

Compliments: If someone is trying to flatter you when you barely no them, you have one serious red flag. If someone is paying you frequent undue compliments, you also have a red flag. It is one thing if someone says, “Hey, I liked your post” or when you post a pic of you up with a new haircut, “Hey, great haircut”, it is an entirely different thing when the compliments come often and even seem from out of nowhere. If the compliments are targeted to something you feel inadequate about- might be time to run.

Example: I feel bad about my characters- I think they are all too generic and need work. Person X not only tells you they are fine, but goes on about how great they are and how great you are. Thereafter, they periodically drop compliments about your ability to create very awesome characters and how you have a unique perspective on this that other people just don’t get.

Unusual Amount of Interest in Your Interests: Have you found someone who just seems to be into everything you are. They squeal with delight when you mention your interests and seem to be into the same things you are. Not only are they into your interests, they want to know about all your interests- the more they know, the more they have to work with.

Invasive Questions: Speaking of which, after they have softened you up some, they will ask personal and invasive questions. They’ll try to get you to divulge information helpful to them in trying to figure you out. If they figure you out, they know which buttons to push and how to better manipulate your mood. They will find those sore spots and help massage them out, making you feel better. They find what might rile you up and do it just here and there, enough to get you going a little bit, but only in a fun sort of way.

Teasing/Dares/Challenges: Perhaps I don’t have enough psychology under my belt yet, but I don’t know why this compels people to act, but if someone challenges you to do something, or makes it out like you just wouldn’t dare, that you wouldn’t dare do this- people want to step up and do it. You have to prove the other person wrong. They think you are too chicken/weak/incapable? Why, you’ll show them. Even if it means showing your private bits.

Once you get into this situation, you are going to be over your head in no time. You give someone power over you by exposing yourself (whether it be with your body, or your secrets, or something else) they have control. They can make you do more. They can twist you into doing what they want. If they are just interested in themselves it will continue as long as they have access to you. If they want to cause pain (Amanda Todd’s case) they will pursue you relentlessly.

I am going to wrap this up, but expect something to go in that thread Vintage put up sometime soon, with this and maybe a bit more (Not the whole closing thoughts, the information after the story :P). I want people to be careful out there. Unfortunately, this has to go out doubly so to the ladies of Valucre, but I think knowing this is useful for anyone, given that a predator is a predator. There is more than one way to be a victim to one of these people.

Never let your guard down. Assume you could be next. Pay attention, and make sure it never happens.

Until next week you fine folks-

See you next week

-          Acies

"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. ~Confucius