Valucrecon Day One: A Gathering of Fifteen

Wow, that is a lot of Valucreans! 

That's right, through rain and shine, turbulent rides and flights that seemed like they would never happen, fifteen members of Valucre managed to converge together and all in one place, and like old friends meeting after years gone by, the flow of conversation came generously and without awkwardness. We were laughing, joking, talking about Valucre and things unrelated, just 15 different souls from different places and different walks of life, linked by one common place- and apparently much, much more. 

This first night went without a great deal of activity, because getting here for some of us was a battle in and of itself. Lightning storms and heavy rain delayed The Hummingbird's and mine flight to Chicago, where we were to transfer off for Atlanta. Once we finally made it to Chicago, we were delayed yet again, and thus ended up in Atlanta much, much later. Meanwhile, Redemption and her group braved that very same weather, driving through that nasty mess in pursuit of making it to this con. We came together later in the day and with a great deal of weariness- our exuberance still came forth in abundance, but it is clear that any excitement will have to come later this weekend. 

So, who made it, and what did we learn?

Well, you had:

Acies, The Hummingbird, Aperion, Malum, Aleksei Vintage, King, Vasanti, Ran Iji, Corban, Circa.Cipher, Redemption, Blue Shoelaces, Rouini, and Fallen Joy.

Now, as to what we learned...

Ran Iji and Corban are in fact two different people 

However, they are working on it.

 You do not want to know what the next step entailed. All I can say is that Corban ended up face down on the bed..

.

We learned that Vasanti does in fact smile:

Too late! Next time, perhaps you will think about that before forgetting to check the blog during the weekend of updates, or skipping out entirely on the Jordancon.

Of course,  we did a lot more than just learn. We had some serious fun. With that, I leaving you with a montage of photos:

These two are silly. 

None of us are sure what Corban was doing....

 

Kat liked this pillow A LOT

Stone and Aleksei, long lost siblings

Annnnnnd what did Bloosh think of the meeting today?

 

This, and much more to come. Stay tuned. :)

    

The Wheel of Time Turns, and Ages Come to Pass...

Leaving Memories That Become Legend

Legends fade to myth and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind of change rose up from the ranks of Valucre.com. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But, it was a beginning.

That wind blew from the furthest reaches of the north and the deepest passes in the south, it rose from lands to the east and it flowed from outpourings to the west. From where it came mattered not, for it was where that wind blew that created the pattern. The wind touched upon a car filled with laughter and voices, baked goods and the immeasurable excitement of young folk chasing fate. Soon the wind carried past several airborne pieces of metal, each with many lives and many paths, this pattern concerned with only a chosen few. 

Other still it touched and passed, guiding men and women from all parts of the lands to come together. 

Welcome to your Valucre/Jordan Con Special Edition Blog ;)

What's Happening Valucre?

Valucrecon- Absolutely, this is heading up your What's Happening for the week. Valucrecon (Well, really a Valucre gathering at the Jordan Con) is officially beginning. Already, one member has gone out and met another, and it certainly did not take long for the first death threat to be ushered- how many more of those to come? With many more soon to fall into suit with these meetings, you can expect much more excitement to begin brewing. This writer himself prepares to leave in a mere few hours and make a quick trip up to PDX. So, what is on the itinerary at this point? Jordan Con stuff of course, but some of us are talking Six Flags and a trip up to Senoia, to go check out The Walking Dead filming sites. Now, there is talk of potential felonies occurring should Norman Reedus be present, but rest assured- I will stand back and laugh.

Anyway, as a final treat, take a look at the shirts we are going to be wearing (SPOILER)

The Chosen Continues - Some are fast, some are slow, but many are still on the go. If you somehow missed this with each and every update, pay attention now- Chosen is still there for you to watch and there is much to be discussing in the lounge.

Gaian Academy Field Trip- Looks like Supernal is trying to get some activity in the Gaian academy back underway, by way of planning some field trips and such. If you were always one for doing the school based RP, and like a bit of extra flair to it, get yourself on the next trip.

Dead Eye's Monocle- Per the Terrenus rules of engagement, with another artifact saught, others might join in and either fight with the protagonist, or try to capture the artifact before he does. How you might participate is left to your discretion- within reason of course.

Renovatio | artifacts- More and more lore seems to crop up on the side of Tellus Mater as of late, and it looks like the board owners have created some more scenarios for you to get involved in. A powerful weapon could be yours, if you have what takes.

Valucre Trivia Question!

So far, this is even less popular than the Valucre Question of the week. Alright guys, work with me here ><

Last weeks Scenario:

While Genesaris has suffered more than one terrorist attack, one stands out above the rest due to the sheer magnitude of damage caused.

The question and answers:

1. What City- "Celin City"
2. Who was responsible- Youkyou (Played by Paradigm)
3. What happened to that person(s)- he was thought to be dead, but was rescued at the final moment. 

So, you need a new question for this week...

Let's do a Wheel of Time Trivia piece instead.

What is the name of Valan Luca's Circus?

Find out your answer tomorrow. 

New Members and Returns!

Welcome, Lifeless Vigor


Welcome, Sapphire

Welcome, LilyHobbit

Welcome, Virgo Proxy

Welcome, Crystalloid

Welcome, The Celfoid

Returns:

Welcome Back, Pumkin


Really short week 0_o

Works out well for me though, I have only so much time for this blog today!

Other Highlights?

What, aside from the kick-ass meeting soon to be occurring?

User Groups- Seems like it should be a given, but it does seem that we get people who do not realize there are user groups and you can do all sort so meeting related things, with ought having to eek out another 90k.

Did You Know- You can keep track of your character's progress over time. If you need a resource to better track how he is growing up, I say go for ti.  Get more details from this thread here and you can check out all the rest of the Did You Know Archive over here.

Closing Thoughts?

Safety in a not so safe world...

Typically, these closing thoughts of mine bear some sort of relevance to writing, the site, or life in general. Consider this one of those that branches out more towards life itself, instead of just encompassing writing and/or role-play. It seems like every time we feel like we can start to breathe again, something happens again to remind us that things in this world are not doing so well right now. We are blessed to live in a country whose problems are often small in comparison to those in other places, but the fact remains, there is a lot of stuff going on out there, and a lot of potential danger- both abroad and here in our own backyards. I'm not saying that we all ought to start living in a state of panic, but would just like to put out there- we should be paying attention.

Many of us are out traveling today. A few days ago, an unthinkable event took place, rocking the city of Boston and the country as a whole. This was a traditional, yearly gathering, and I expect that an act of Terrorism (Domestic or foreign is irrelevant) would take place that day- it's simply not something we have to deal with on a regular basis here, and its something that becomes further and further from our minds as time goes by. Yet, even if it were not an actual act of Terrorism, there are a lot of 'bad' people out there. If not someone looking to incite fear and cause widespread harm, it might have been a predator in search of goods to steal, or someone to victimize...

When things go well, we become complacent- I have seen it both on the grand scale (here in our country) and on the small scale (my work place, when things go well for too long). People grow accustomed to things going nicely, and they come to have an expectation of  a continuance in that trend- sadly, this is rarely the case, and eventually, something does happen. When it does, those who let their guards completely down are the one's who get bit the hardest. Sadly, I am sure I sound like someone telling people to be out hiding their kids, hiding their wives, and to be expecting everyone to be raping everyone else out here--not the case, I assure you! I mean to point out, that there is living life without stressing the small stuff, and then there is allowing yourself to become an easy victim.

Recent events have reminded us, in the most harshest of ways, that there are in fact many people out there who are willing to cause serious bodily harm- or worse- to others for reasons only understood by them. These people will not care if you are local or a visitor, young or old, rich or poor, nice or mean. If you are an easy target, nothing else beyond that fact will matter. Do not allow yourself to be an easy target.

How does this all relate to the blog itself? Well, I already stated that we have a large group of people out traveling today, and while I am 98% sure that no one attending today means harm for anyone else (can never be certain of these things :P ), there are other people about us as well. Most of us are going to be out of our element, in surroundings unfamiliar to us, traveling from place to place and residing in places different than what we are used to. Do not assume that every smiling face is just some friendly person giving you a nod in hello. Do not assume that the gracious person giving you a hand with your bags is just someone acting out of the kindness of their heart--these people exist, but then again, there are those who pretend to be these very people.

Today and tomorrow shall be epic days indeed- a gathering of Valucre family meeting for the first time, and it will be a tragic shame if one of them were hurt before arriving, or unable to arrive at all. Please, I implore that everyone use common sense, be mindful of their environments, and give limited trust to those you do not know. In a world where as I sit in the airport I have heard an overhead warning from the Sheriff of Portland telling people to report any suspicious people or unattended bags, we sometimes have to remember, there are people who are willing to- and even want to- hurt us.We cannot always stop it from happening, but you can do a great deal to reduce that risk.

Stay safe Valucre-

- Acies

"Authors who never give you something to disagree with never give you anything to think about." 

 ~Michael LaRocca

It Came to Pass, That One Week from This Very Day, the Veil Will Drop

And No Longer Would they Be Strangers...

Well, wouldn't you know it, exactly one week from now, at the time I stroke these words, I will be arriving at PDX to prepare for a lengthy flight to parts unknown! Yes, an adventure of sorts, a journey literally spanning across the country, from the west coast to the east, a trip that shall take no less than eight hours by plane, the fastest mode of travel. To what lofty goals do we travelers ascend? Why, none other than to form the greatest party ever seen, of course. No less than 16 Valucreans shall converge upon Jordan con and show all that dare challenge us the strength of our mettle!

Behold, the might, fury, and greatness of Valucre. Malum's beard alone is a WMD! Now, hopefully he can get that through customs...

Well, fortunately, Circa Cipher volunteered to be a mule if necessary.

Alright, all that nonsense aside, this is your weekly addition of the blog. I am not certain how the blog will go up next week- I intend to have it all written out ahead of time, and will have to find a way to post it. After all,  I cannot be certain that I will have the ability to post it from the airport, and posting it on the plane even less likely. First, I have to get lucky enough to get on a plane with Wifi, and then if it has it, I have to pay $8 just to utilize it. Well, I'll find a way. I always find a way!

What's Happening Valucre?

The Chosen Continues - Yes, those matches continue, and two more have recently begun. One member was late to the party (missed the threads going up) and another joined late, to replace the one who never deigned to show up at all. So, with all matches but one going, you have plenty to watch and track, and much you could be discussing in the lounge.

Random Encounters: An Alternative System for Fighting NPCs- I thought I would give this another plug, because it is definitely a useful resource, and it looks like there are a couple of RPs out there that already intend to tie it in. It's giving me ideas of my own, now if only I had the time to utilize them. We'll see how it goes, but for now, look into this alternative system, and see if you like it!

Grand Spring Festival- Well, by this point, you might be asking if this is recycling day. In a way, yes, because there was not all that much new activity to mention. However, this has not had any visible responses other than by Carlos and myself, so I thought I would try to generate some more interest for it. Get the details over here.

Life's Roll- Hey, something new, and speaking of alternative style games coming about with the dice roller in place... this pun intended role-play will put more reliance on the random luck factor than just simply saying your char does it all. The system is well done, and it already has a few takers on board. If you are looking for something new and of a different flavor, I think this deserves a looking over. You never know what may my come up on that die...

Dying Games, the Second- This had a popular turnout the first time around, but some stalling occurred and unfortunately, it lost its steam. Well, it is back and running again, and this time the intention is to get right into it. Gladiatorial matches, gambling, behind the scenes nefarious play... all that and more will be going on as bare-bone fighters go to take on the challenges thrown their way. Do you have what it takes? Or Perhaps you have money to blow and wish for the prestige of owning the best gladiator of them all. Either way, see how far you can go.

Celin Catacombs- Hey hey, VB opportunity. If you enjoy doing the canon quests, someone has began the quest to take on the criminal activity plaguing Celin city, and is looking for 5 able bodied adventurers to give him a hand. So far, it looks like he has three people on board, so there is room for a couple more. Good luck!

Valucrecon- Yes, I already mentioned this in the introduction, but I want to really get the word out on this, and some plans surrounding it. As this is a major event in the history of Valucre, I intend to keep all informed of the great and epic things that we are doing. Sure, we intend to spend time getting into some great seminars for writing, but what would be a gathering without spending time doing the fun stuff? Nightly blog updates shall show you what you are missing, and perhaps entice you to come out for the next time something of this magnitude happens. I'll be doing my best to give you decent updates, but these will be mini updates. To keep track of these intended events, you can follow the countdown in this thread.

Question of the Week!!!

The Final Question of the week went up, and I think I only had one response to it. Feel free to send suggestions in if you have any surrounding what could be used to replace this question of the week. Otherwise, this section is officially retired.

A Reminder- Changes in the prizes!

Since VB never went over so well, and people were uncomfortable with me handing out gift cards and such, I decided that I would turn over the opportunity for you to leave your mark on the blog! Your chance to shed some light on what you might be thinking, what you want to show off, and how you would like to see the blog go for a week. I think it's a cool opportunity, so answer that trivia, refer some readers, and watch for other opportunities!

Valucre Trivia Question!

Last week, I threw out the first Trivia question. I had one person take the time to answer, and he got two out of three! So, in case you forgot, the question was-

About a year and a half ago, 'The Architect' made his way towards an infamous prison in the company of trusted allies, disguised as homosexual lovers. They sought to validate rumors they heard pertaining to this prison, and they found much more than expected.

1. Who were the characters involved (3 involved)

2. What Prison did they break into?

3. In reference to what they sought, what answer did they find?

And the answers: 

1. Faustus (Faustus), Cain (Amenities), Fossil (Desloate)
2. Dead Peak Prison
3. They sought a secret entrance, based on rumors of break-ins. They found this to be false, but also found that the worst criminals are kept in some mysterious place called the void. Further, Terrenus scientists are using the prisoners for experiments.

Well, let's see if more of you will answer this week!

The scenario:

While Genesaris has suffered more than one terrorist attack, one stands out above the rest due to the sheer magnitude of damage caused.

1. What city was it?
2. Who was responsible?
3. What became of the one(s) responisble?

See if you can answer!

New Members and Returns!

Welcome, Amina

Welcome, A q u a m a r i n e

Welcome, KamisamaDoll

Welcome, Wolfthal

Welcome, Deeecember

Welcome, Sikis1312

Welcome, Retro

Welcome, Sleeping Giant


Returns:


Welcome back, Skinflies

Welcome back, Favrielle

Well, it really seems like this week was a bit of a slow week. Eight new members is nothing worth complaining about, but it is a bit on the low side. Either way, we are glad to have our new members. May they all find the RP they seek.

Other Highlights?

Alright, I was willing and happy to be doing this the last week, but here we are again, having to give into this entitled behavior. Highlights on top of everything else! A content filled blog and plenty to come next weekend. Sigh...

Daily Weekly- This under used resource can line your pockets with VB and help push some influence on to the canon. Do you want to get some news out there? Perhaps put a certain spin on events, thus creating tensions or favor for certain interests? Hey, this a great place to do that! Send in a submission or join on the staff!

Did You Know- You can setup cloud tags for your thread? This makes it easier for people doing searches for certain kinds of content to find your thread- or to help you find your thread at a later time. Get more details from this thread here and you can check out all the rest of the Did You Know Archive over here.

Closing Thoughts?

Success

It is something that most people want, and I have listened to many people talk about it- hell, I have heard myself talk about success plenty enough. Success and the definition thereof tends to vary with the individual you are speaking to, but whatever the exact variables, success is their measure of having achieved in life what they set out to accomplish. What a person wants to be successful in depends on their ideals, aspirations, hopes, dreams, and a number of other factors. Perhaps the most common one on Valucre in some way pertains to writing- but certainly not all. I have heard from more than one member that their primary purpose for being on Valucre is just to enjoy the role-playing- and that’s perfectly fine. However, if you were to ask them if there is anything they want to succeed at, I would put down money on the bet that the majority have something.

Another common thing, inside this very vein of discussion, is that not only are people good at talking about success, and how much they desire it, but the rather lack of effort a person makes in trying to reach that success. Now, let me stop right here and raise my own hand in acknowledgement- yep, I don’t work hard enough at the things I want to succeed- if anything, there are too many things I focus on and I tend to spread myself thin. Sure, I have some things I am succeeding in, slowly but surely, but when it comes to the things I feel passionate about, the things that I hold close to my heart- I am not doing enough to try to reach those, and I am reaping what I have sown.

That’s just it- people talk about wanting to have success, but most people do very little of what is required to have that success. I honestly am not sure why that is- I suppose the reasons might vary from one person to the next, but the overall truth is that people are not doing near enough to achieve their dreams. True success, reaching out and plucking that very thing you desire more than anything else, takes more than just some want and a bit of work. No, achieving success requires a lot of work, a lot of dedication, and a great deal of energy. It might require losing sleep, getting up early and going to bed late, it might require every ounce of grit you have to spare- because getting what you want, what you truly want, is never easy.

Nor should it be.

There is a video in our ‘Amazing Things’ thread that talks about this very subject. In that particular video, as an athlete talks about what it takes to achieve success, he said something I found very powerful, and it resonates with me. I often think about it, sometimes when I am trying to do something difficult, and sometimes when I think about the long-term picture. It especially comes to mind when trying to reach some goal is difficult, or just seems out of reach. Now, this is more than a quote, it is a story- a story about a man who wanted to achieve success, and a guru he sought out. The story went like this:

“There was a young man that wanted to make a lot of money, right? So he went to this guru and told him, “I want to be on the same level that you’re on.”

The guru told him, “If you want to be on the same level I’m on, I’ll meet you tomorrow at the beach.”

So the young man got there at 4 A.M, all ready to rock and roll, got on a suit when he shoulda wore shorts. The old man grabs his hand and says, “How bad do you want to be successful?”

He said, “Real bad”

The old man says, “Walk on out into the water.”

So he walks on out into the water, waist deep. So, to himself, he’s like, “This guy is crazy”

He’s thinkin’, “I wanna make money, he’s got me out here swimming. I don’t want to be a life guard, I want to make money.”

The old man says, “Come out a little further.”

He walked out a little further, out to his shoulder area. He’s thinking, “This old man is crazy, he’s makin’ money but he’s crazy.”

The old man says, “Come out a little further.”

He came out a little further, it’s right at his mouth and he’s thinking, “I’m about to go right back, this guys out of his mind.”

So the old man said, “I thought you wanted to be successful?”

He said, “I do!”

The old man said, “Walk a little further.”

He did, he walked a little further. The old man grabbed his head, under water, held him down, the guy was kickin’ and scratchin’, still holding him down, he had him held down and just before he was about to pass out the old man raised him up.

“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breath, then you’ll be successful.””

Upon looking this up (to keep my information straight)- I can tell you that this was Eric Thomas, a former NFL cornerback (pro-bowl and all-pro 1988) and now a motivational speaker.

He parallels this with asthma, or other breathing conditions, where you lose your ability to breathe, and your lungs are burning, your heart is racing, and your back cramps up with this horrible pain, and that panic sets in. The harder you try, the more out of reach it seems, but desperately, desperately you cling to that shred of hope that the next time you draw breath, this one is going to get through. In those scary moments, as the world is blurring and there is just so much pain- you care about nothing else. Nothing else matters, other than just grasping that one breath that is going to make everything all right. I suffer from asthma myself, much worse when I was young, much better managed now as an adult, but when I was young, I had some scary close calls.

Talking about wanting success as much as you want to breathe- yeah, I can relate to that, because I have been there. I have been on the brink, where you just feel like that there is nothing else that could possibly matter in that moment, then finding a way to survive, finding some way to get that bit of air.

When you desire success this badly, only then will you achieve it.

It makes me think: I do not truly desire success- not yet. I like the idea of success, I want the idea of success, but with the effort I do make, with the way I lackadaisically approach trying to succeed, I must not yet truly want to achieve it. No, someday, when I truly commit myself to that thing I think about, that idea of success, and I can long for it in that same way I long to draw just one breath, when my lungs are closed and my world is spinning-

That is when I will want success.

Perhaps then, I will get it.

These are the closing thoughts for the week folks, be prepared for an early update next week, and then a weekend full of Jordan Con updates. Only 7 days (168hrs) until I am sitting on a plane bound for Atlanta!

Looking forward to meeting a bunch of you :)

- Acies

"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." 

 ~Stephen King

Bigger! Longer! And Uncut!

Now get your head out of the gutters, because that is not what I meant!

Ha, the hypocrisy of me telling other people to keep their heads out of the gutter--I myself spend a great deal of time with my thoughts lurking in those dark corners. Anyway, the title is reference to the ever growing boundaries of Valucre itself, and the way this blog is stretching its waistband. Four weeks into my adventures in weight loss, I have shrank noticeable amounts (again, head out of the gutters folks), and well, all that extra mass has to go somewhere- why not bloat up the blog, am I right?

Today, you get extra what's happenings, an additional highlight, and a new section- Valucre Trivia. It's in addition to that soon-to-be-changed Question of the Week, and it will tie into a new trial system I am going to implement. Now, don't expect this extra work every week- oh hell no, I have too much on my plate to be adding that much extra content to the blog- but the Trivia is a permanent addition, and the blog today has a bit more.

Think of it as a stimulus package to get the blood flowing in all the right places. That, my friends, you can take any way you like. ;)

What's Happening Valucre?

The Chosen Continues - The fighting continues, with most matches still going, only one having ended due to a dropout. The fights are in varying stages, and each has taken on their own interesting twists and turns. Some things are quite fishy, while others are... poetic? Hey, you never know what can happen, so go read up and discuss your favorites in the lounge.

Random Encounters: An Alternative System for Fighting NPCs- Well, that was a bit of a mouthful, but the thread itself is far from a mouthful of useless information- quite the opposite! It's a mouthful of useful and interesting information for role-players looking to add an element of suspense to their role-plays. Want to add some chance of failure to what you are doing, without having to decide how to implement it? Well, check out this alternative system, and see how you might apply it.

Grand Spring Festival- The Sword and Board Tavern is hosting a celebration of the coming of spring, with an invitation to come on down, have a free drink and enjoy the entertainment. They all but guarantee (see the disclaimer) that you will have an excellent time. Get the details over this way, and be sure to read the fine print...

Temp Agency of Genesaris- I have to admit, this is the first time I have ever seen a 'Temp Agency' on Valucre, let alone any role-play forum for that matter. I find the idea interesting and entertaining, and a good way for our new members to earn themselves some VB, for those interested in doing so. Soap (the employer) will pay 15vb per post on a weekly basis for your work in an RP thread that sends you on a specific task. Check it out, especially if you're broke. ;)

Horse Killer Quest- Hey now, something is killing Kethlerin's horses, and they suspect this brash murderer might in fact have eight legs and one creepy ass countenance. The thread author is looking for some members with characters not afraid of getting their hands dirty to come assist in this quest. If you are one of those people who keep posting about feeling board- go take on a quest!

Ingredient Hunt in the Athirat Desert- Speaking of taking on quests to keep you busy, here is another, this one centered in the Ahthirat Desert of Isyler. If you really, really, really feel like you need someone to help keep you busy, I cannot suggest enough that you ought to look into doing quests, as they give you something to do, a plot already outlined, and you have a chance to have an effect on canon! What more can you be asking for? Anyway, this quest involves finding some rare and vital ingredients in a really hostile environment, so make sure you bring out your hardiest character. Check it out.

Airships and Pirates OH MY- Hey now, now we're talking. Airships pirates running amok? If I were not so damn bogged down, I would certainly have to sit down and figure out which character I could toss into this, or just make a new one, because Airship Piracy is pretty damn cool- and, it has Supernal's seal of approval- seriously, what are you waiting for?

Property Available- Renovatio- Looking to legitimately hold some property inside the world of Valucre? Well, Renovatio has some good sized properties available, and the last update promises more on the way. I am not sure what the asking price is, but you can get your questions and take the tour by heading over to this thread.

Vampires and Dark Stories- Normally, when an interest check is skin and bones, I tend to not list them up here- I expect effort people! However, in this case, what the person is looking for really does not have the right sort of content for an in depth interest check, and it does involve the ever popular vampires- so hey, I am listing it. This member has created a new vampire character and is looking for some dark oriented role-play, but due to his lack experience in both subjects, is unsure how to go about it. Do you have a dark plot in mind, particularly one that might benefit from a Vampiric cameo? Well now, help this guy out.

Valucrecon- Yep, this thread has definitely had some attention already, but in case you live under a rock, you can click that link to check it out. In just a couple short weeks, several of us are converging on the city of Atlanta, and will be bringing the biggest concentration of awesome that city has probably ever known (Jordan Con, Valucre meetup, and Malum's Epic Canadian Beard? Seriously, this shit is going to be hard to handle!). Now, I've already heard some talk about expectations of pictures and stories and whatever and whatnot, and well- this blog never fails to deliver. That's right folks, I fly out Thursday morning (at 6am)- the same time the blog goes up! On that fateful Thursday morning, you will get an early blog update, and then, for the rest of the week and weekend, you will get nightly blog updates with details on the Valucre meetup. Pictures as I can obtain them, stories, and possibly more- yep, uploaded nightly. Don't expect full length blogs like this one, but I will do my best to make sure I deliver some goods.

Hear that? It's the sound of Supernal filling his shorts. :P

Question of the Week!!!

I admit, I had one shitty question last week. That thing smelled a dairy farm besieged by an epidemic of rotting fish and flatulent Rottweilers (If you have ever been exposed to one, you know what I mean!). In fact, I had only one person give me an answer, and that was in chat, basically stating- 'Of course I don't fucking have one'. One what? The Question:

"Do any of your characters have a sort of catch phrase? If so, what are they?"

How damn lame is that?

Well, I was throwing something out there, and the lack of response was to be expected. However, the lack of responses lately tells me that this has become tired, and probably uninteresting. So, I present to you your last question of the week, a question to end all these questions! So, what could possibly end this thing?

"What do you think should replace this section?"

Easy, right? Question of the day doesn't seem to appeal, so tell me what might appeal to you!

A Change in the Prizes?

Hey, I tried Vb- people really seemed apathetic. Then I threw in the option of getting some actual cash value- people hardly nibbled. So, I am changing this up again. This new system will apply as the reward for doing whatever the question is replaced with, for giving the correct answer to the upcoming Valucre-Trivia section, and for giving me a new reader. If you answer the trivia correctly, you will get 3pts. If you refer me a new reader, you get 2pts, and the new reader gets 1pt. As for the new section- it will be weighted based on what you all come up with. So, what are these points for?

They mark your number of chances. I will take each person's points, add them up, and use a custom die roller to determine a winner for the month- the more points you have, the more likely you are to win. Now, what do you win?

Guest Writer for the Blog.

Hey, a chance to have your influence on the blog? Yep, exactly that. So what does that entail? Well, it amounts to as much as you want, or as little as you want to do- or do nothing at all yourself (you can pass your opportunity on to someone else that you know would like it, but *you* have to choose who). You can write:

The Intro (and Title of Course)
You Choose the Trivia Question
You can work the new section (depending on what is come up with)
You can choose the highlights
You can write the closing thoughts.

So, do you have a particular direction you want to take the blog for a week? Do you have a cool idea to write on for closing thoughts, a soapbox issue you want to speak about, or a rant you have to get off your chest? Hey, its up to you. Now, here is the caveats:

It must be *semi-appropriate*- By that, I mean that it cannot be explicitly sexual/violent/or anything that would get slapped with a hard R or NC-17 rating- notice, I use dirty humor and some curses here and there, but I keep it subtle and limit the language. In addition, let's avoid saying anything that constitutes has hate language (Purposely Racist or Offensive to certain groups)- fun humor is one thing, being a douche is something else entirely. Lastly- no singling individuals, or small groups of people out, with mean spirited humor. All your content will be subject to my approval (I'm lax, but I am going to be make sure what I am putting up is not going to be mean, hurtful, or piss a lot of people off). 

I Will Act as Editor- Meaning, I will check over for errors and what not, but I might need to trim for space or ease of reading. I am going to try and limit any and all changes, but if there is a sore need to, I will do so- but I will be open about it. We can work on compromises as need be. I'm not a hardass about things, but if you ramble for 8 paragraphs about the benefits of colon cleansing on Tuesdays, I am going to have to... assert some limitations. 

Your Thoughts Should Pertain to What Valucre is About... in Some Way- This remains pretty open, I am more than happy to work in most topics. The above however, probably won't fly at all. Yet, anything pertaining to the arts, role-playing, similar interests, community, etc- if you can convince me it fits, it will work. But outlandish things might meet the ax.

That's it!

Valucre Trivia Question!

This new section is going to be trivia about Valucre Canon- I will be scouring threads looking for occurrences that are considered canon, and see if you can answer them. Good way to help brush you up on some lore information. The first question:

About a year and a half ago, 'The Architect' made his way towards an infamous prison in the company of trusted allies, disguised as homosexual lovers. They sought to validate rumors they heard pertaining to this prison, and they found much more than expected.

Questions:

1. Who were the characters involved (3 involved)

2. What Prison did they break into?

3. In reference to what they sought, what answer did they find?

One point for each correct answer ;)

New Members and Returns!

Welcome, Chrisdena

Welcome, Micheal Webber

Welcome, Hollow Man

Welcome, DalVlodan

Welcome, Flippy

Welcome, Umi

Welcome, Spinrobin

Welcome, Escsriet

Welcome, Ozton

Welcome, Eightbit

Welcome, Darkpane

Welcome, Ezra Lesatiel

Welcome, Professor Ent

Welcome, Shionhimirai

Welcome, Vanath

Welcome, Ezuri

Returns:

Welcome back, Armin

Welcome back, Avvercus

Welcome back, Sx.

Welcome back, MerrygoRoundofLife

Other Highlights?

Well now, this section always makes me feel a little deflated (ha, more innuendo), but today, I am going to suffer through it anyhow.

Dice Roller- This ties in with that new NPC battle system, but this also helps any who are doing dice based role-plays of any kind. There is a built in dice roller on the board, and you can read up on its uses (and unfortunately, some of its bugs) in this thread.

Did You Know- You can leave feedback of your first impressions, and earn VB while doing it! It is a great way to contribute to the betterment of Valucre as well! See the information here  and you can check out all the rest of the Did You Know Archive over here.

Bonus Information- Hey, looking for an image that fits your character? Well now, someone was kind enough to put together a huge archive of images for you to sift through. Check it out here, and if you find something you like, drop some rep on the guy. ;)

Closing Thoughts?

Believe me when I say, I do my best to write something interesting when I do up these closing thoughts.

Most of the time, I manage to come up with something I feel strongly about, something I can relate to and from that, put my thoughts to this blank white screen (I write out of Microsoft word most of the time). I invest enough interest into these closing thoughts to think of things outside the blogging timeframe, often having a spark hit me when I am days and days away from writing the blog. For example, this week, when I had what I remember to be an awesome idea for the closing thoughts- well, the key phrase is ‘what I remember to be an awesome idea’. I meant to write it down, I just was unable to at the time. By the time I could have, I forgot to write it down. Now, fast-forward four days, and that topic is lurking somewhere deep in my subconscious, too damn far to reach right now.

I’ll remember it sometime, but for now, alas, it shall be missed.

Getting back on topic, with these closing thoughts, I try to write about something I feel strongly about- something I relate to, and think others can as well. I’d like to think I do a decent job on most of them (I get good feedback), so it stands to reason that something I am doing is working. The one common factor in all of these:

I am writing first and foremost for myself, and from somewhere I feel something.

Yeah, those feels, and it has nothing to do with what’s going on below your waist.

Kidding aside, what I am talking about is realizing that writing, in my opinion, is an inherently selfish act- yep, you write because it brings you pleasure, it fulfills you, it satiates some need, it does something for you, and often, by extension, for others. Do not feel ashamed of this selfishness, it has nothing to do with you being a selfish person or some terrible human being; it simply has to do with fulfilling your needs. Writing is filling a need for you, and sometimes that need is filled by giving something back to others, or by the approval of others, or for whatever reason you want other people to read your work. You might have genuinely kind aims when sharing your work for others- but make no mistake, the number one reason you fervently write is for yourself.

You write first of all for you, and that’s just fine.

Be okay with it.

Accept it.

And don’t you dare fill yourself with guilt.

Now that we have looked at that inner demon and validated its presence, we can get back something very important, something I have certainly seen people overlook- writing for you. Yes, in realizing that you are writing for yourself, why the hell aren’t you actually writing things for yourself? Sure, there are situations where you are going to have to write on a topic you don’t particularly care for, and possibly in a style that appeases a person who has a very dramatic effect on future outcomes- employers, teachers, etc. Outside those exceptions, what you choose to write, and how you write it, should reflect directly upon what is important to you, and what your voice is.

Now, this isn’t free license to write terribly, there is a difference between style and poor use of grammar and conventions. This is permission to write in the way that suits you. Just like that last sentence is probably considered wordy- I could write it as, “This is permission to write how you want”. Yet, it does not quite carry the same inflection, it doesn’t convey what I want to convey in the same way. In this case- I stick it to the system, I am not writing a formal essay, I am blogging my thoughts, and I will write it the way I damn well please.

By the way- the use of damn was a colloquialism.

I could buckle under the pressure of writing in the way that is considered proper- I could decide that I should be writing this entire piece in the way that might appeal to my average reader, but then I am going to end up writing something that bores me. It will not have my voice; it will not have my way of emphasizing certain words and the way I want to express my thoughts. It will be packaged crap that I am spewing through my keyboard in an attempt to appease certain people. Sure, I think I am capable of making that garbage looking pretty good, I can usually pull off a convincing job on a paper that holds no interest to me, or where the expectations I have to write from are completely contrary to my own.

But it will lack my passion.

It will not have the uniqueness I lend it, just as when you do the same, it will lack the uniqueness you lend your work.

Sometimes, our ‘needs’ drive us to irrational actions, such as trying to earn approval by being something we are not. This can apply to any situation, from dressing different, to acting to different- or in this case, writing differently. I want to earn the respect of these people, so I will try to change the way I write to appeal to those people. Yet, this other group likes this style, so maybe I have to write like that. Or perhaps I just want to get something out there so damn badly, I will write exactly the way someone with success does it- after all, they are successful, so won’t I be as well?

No. If that worked, we would have a lot less variety and a lot more published writers.

In this world, we have assholes who will appreciate nothing short of whatever appeals directly too them- often, the way they write and communicate themselves. Close-minded fools who cannot appreciate true artistic expression- the hell with them! Write how you write, put those words to that paper in the way that just exudes your presence. Find your voice, and with that voice, shout! Make yourself heard, and never let anyone tell you otherwise.

As an aside, again, I remark- don’t take bucking some rules as permission to disregard understanding them. Learn how to write properly before you decide to bend the rules ;) 

A good writer can fudge some work so it looks good, and passes by the person for whom it was written. A good writer can detest the subject, and yet manage to contain that anger, rage, revulsion, just long enough to get that paper written and passed along. Good writers can do that when they must, but why do it any time other than when absolutely necessary?

Write first for you and the rest will fall into place.

That’s my thoughts of the week.

I’ll see you next week folks.

- Acies

"To grow in craft is to increase the breadth of what I can do; but art is the depth, the passion, the desire, the courage to be myself and myself alone." 

 ~Pat Schneider