Dashing Through the Blog

Because I HasThings to Do... Look at My Backlog...Far Too Much to Chew!

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Anyway, welcome once again to the Valucre blog! I did my best to get through this in a timely manner while simaltaniously making it feel like that was exactly NOT what I did, ha. As always, I strive to deliver quality content, but as it frequently seems to be the case, I am trying to cram in an unusually high workload and studying/exam prep for my exam this week. This is why I try to prep this sucker ahead of time, but instead of having time to do that this weekend, I was incredibly busy, gahhh! Well, life happens as you all know and the best you can do is roll with the punches.

A funny saying that. Why would you 'roll with punches'? Frankly, I try to dodge or deflect them. Hell, if someone is trying to kick my ass, the last place I want to be at is on the floor rolling with them. No thank you- well, maybe there is an exception to that, but that's a different sort of ass kicking.

Anyway, hope this blog is up to the usual kick ass standards. G'day Valucre, let's see what's going on this week. ;)

What's Happening Valucre?

The Chosen: Round Three Continues- Continues this Friday that is, as both participants are swamped in schoolwork at the moment. The first week will probably start off slower and a little less than full throttle as we have to wrap up that school business, but after the school stuff is out of the way- watch out, this one ought to be good!

Frost Hunting- Do you enjoy hunting giants? How about the chance to rip wings off frost fairies (come on, we all know half of you are sadistic bastards)? Well, if you want to get in on the RP opportunities provided by the cold snap and get in on some Gaian academy based stuff as well, go help this person out with their planned trek into the wilderness.

Check Out the Gaian Academy- Hey, if you haven't checked out the Gaian Academy, you just might be missing out some really cool stuff. A variety of classes for everyone, with all manner of lessons available for that growing character. Want to start from scratch with a character while giving them a realistic chance at success? Start at the academy!

Dimensional Jumps- This is one of those threads where the first line uttered by the character was probably something along the lines of 'opps'- which nothing good ever came of that. The character in this thread accidentally jumped himself into some other realm unknown, and this RPer is looking for someone, or someones, to come playa friend who goes off searching for where the heck they ended up. Care to play search and rescue?

A Warrior's Retreat- Hey, do you play a medically oriented character or have interest in starting one up? Do you want to come to the aid of an injured character and provide some help in getting this person back on their feet? Well then, as long as you know something about the anatomy of a vampire (or perhaps have your Complete Idiot's Guide to Vampires on hand, you know, for reference), you can get involved in helping this poor person out. And if you are not the most medically inclined, perhaps you can come RP as a support person. Will you lend a hand?

Clear Cut for Valjer City- Valjer city needs some help clearing out a bandit problem in a nearby woods they intend to use for lumber harvesting. A small group is requested to accompany a couple of their rangers in getting rid of this problem. If you wish to endevour on this task, let the OP know!

A Monstrous Disaster in Mezthaluen!- Another mention because they are closing in on their deadline bonuses (fyi to the people involved- extension coming through due to me being too busy to keep up, but only one that makes up for my delay, not a super long one, so better hurry!) and so they might need help getting this wrapped up. VB, stone with unique ability hidden among them to the first who finds it- all you got to do is slay some beasts. Quick, help the townsfolk, they know not how to defend themselves!

Site Changes!- News  not pertaining to role-play in and of itself, but in case you are the type of person who might not pay attention to threads that get put on force read, I am going to reiterate important news here- the site is moving. Not URLs, but across software, and with those changes, we're losing our current blogs (on Valcure, not here) and groups- if you have -anything- that needs to be backed up, do it ASAP! Like, yesterday, or by the end of the weekend or something. The software change moves us onto a better platform, one that should have some better features and stability (yay) so be prepared for the changes and again, back up important group/blog stuff!

Lore of the Week!

This Week's Feature: Blairville, Terrenus

At a Glance: 

• Leader:  Regent Induo Katamus
• Population: Highly diverse, with no solid majority of Humans, Dwarven, Gnome, Gypsy, Goblin or Wellfolk (Automata, Sauren, Maas). Small population of Molocks (Mole-people) present as indigenous population. Numerous other unique entities are also present but too small to register in a census.
• Defenses: 
• 3,000 Registered Militia
• 3,000 Constabulary Officers
• 3,000 Terran Guard
• 1,000 Cartographers: Cartographer's are Blairville's elite transplanar exploration team, tasked with exploring and mapping out the unknown doors of the multiverse. In order to perform their job at full capacity, they are trained rigorously in body and mind and are often tasked with the destruction of any 'unnatural aberrations', often having to do so alone. Almost no one has actually seen a cartographer, but it is said that during the attack on Blairville cartographers went about tearing the heads of men and demons alike with their bare hands. Their only known identifying feature is their strange, rust-colored armor. 
• PeaceKeeper: : Merle Atreides
• Hot Spots: 
• Inn de Clairmont- An ornate, three-story caravansary. The Inn de Clairmont serves as a way-point on Terran's northern road. A common home for passing travelers, it boasts a stable for their horses, a small smithy for small repairs, and an attached shop for purchasing essential wares. Just the place to relax-, re-equip and get what you need before moving on to the next leg of your journey. The hanging gardens fringing the building and surrounding its inner courtyard, which is often used for venues, is also a tourist attraction.
• Rookhelm Tavern Hall- A finer place to feast and rest your feet could not be found for miles away from the Rookhelm Tavern Hall. Somewhat a more legitimate establishment than most towns might offer by way of tavern, the Rookhelm is often times used as a meeting place for businessmen, merchants, visiting dignitaries and the Constabulary. 
• The Gypsy Market- The Original Bazar of Blairville, and a grand location for magical trinkets and bizarre curios. It is here that many a hedgewizard plies their trade, along with many thieves. 
• Tower Quarter- Arguably the only proper mage district in all of Terrenus, and inarguably the larges. Numerous spires jut out from the low-lying shop fronts, and many "mage clubs" are hidden in the twists of houses and along the gaps in the cobble. Here the professional wizard makes their services available to the public, sometimes with prices too steep or unique for the common brand of adventurer. 
• The Unterholm- Blairville's subterranean furnaces, the crucibles and kilns that form the backbone of Blairville's ore refinery business. Much of the lower caste in Blarville society filter their way down into these depths, finding honest if physically demanding labor. It is rumored that some born within the deeper recesses of the Unterholm are cursed never to see the surface. 
• The Walls of Blairville- A magi-tech marvel, the Walls of Blairville are a massive, thinking artifact, tasked with forbidding entry save by those who pass through its front gate. A very, very rare few know about the Wall's mechanics, and fewer still know just how far the walls are willing to go in keeping to their collective programming to protect the people within. 
• The Pavilion of The Sun, Moon, and Seasons- Festival and parades are a part of Blairville culture, and the The Pavilion is the center of that culture. During the day, it forms the center of the town, but when parties are about, few can hardly comprehend the wondrous, exciting chaos that it plays host to.
• Artifacture Tower- A massive, 14 story keep, roughly four blocks wide on all sides and made of ashen stone. Contained within are the acitivites of the mysterious organization known as Artifacture Unlimited, ho serve as opaque benefactors to the city. The only listed member of Artifacture is its owner and sole proprietor, Julius Aldoid. Julius is best known for coming to the aid of the city following the Arcantian assault.

Canonical Occurrences by Members:

1. Gypsy Market - Dragon's Egg: Three individuals helped an old mobster's wife steal a dragon's egg, and caused a serious ruckus in the Gypsy Market which resulted in their ownership of the egg.
2. The Sacking of a City: A legion of demons and creatures, headed by a warlord, arise from the marshland and march on Blaurg. The city is on high alert, having been struck with sorrow once too often, and rallies to defend itself. As quickly as they came, the army vanishes; the purpose for their feint remains unknown.
3. Unlike Tower One: Events of the past that explain why Artifacture Tower was empty and the reason behind the 'disappearance' of Julius Aldoid and 'The League of Mages'.
4. Artifacture Tower - Chapter One: Months after Julius Aldoid's disappearance from Valucre, Soren, a time-traveling Mage and his companion, Lunarius Maji, arrive in the emptied Artifacture Tower. Finding the fourteen-story keep empty of both life and activity, Soren and Lunarius claim the tower as their own. Taking Julius Aldoid's study and laboratory, Soren escorts Lunarius to a guest room before bidding her a good evening.
5. Julius Aldoid and his employees and personnel vanish mysteriously and abruptly, leaving behind an empty tower.
6. Blade Sweeping: Blaurg has been razed in a bold, daring move by the Arcantians of Altus Arcantium, located in Genesaris, in a decisive victory for the Arcantians in the Terrenus (Gaia) vs Genesaris (Altus Arcantium) war. Blaurg has suffered the most damage of any single town in the history of Terrenus beginning with Odin Haze's reign.

Available Quests:

• lvl2: A gypsy has gone mad and is cursing anybody that wanders into her store. Find out what the cause is (has she been threatened? cursed? children kidnapped?) and put a stop to the chaos.
• lvl2: Your character(s) wakes up in a dark, dank prison cell. S/he has been captured and must escape the Unterholm before an even worse fate befalls them. 

Brief Summary of Lore:

• Beginnings: The City of Blairville's charter was signed in the Second Great Unification, during a period known as The Times of Many. King Oros, ruler of an ancient nation predating Terrenus, had commissioned cartographer Erebus Langley to survey his land and make a map of it. The Langley Expedition is one of the great early stories in the nation's history and it was Langley himself who first discovered and recorded the supernatural effects of Terrenus's forests.
• Pre-Crusade: Through most of its history, Blairville has been a city outside of Terran culture. Wedged between hills fringing the Wastelands and the Coconino Marsh, Blairville was often thought to be a backwater city and their trade was limited to Langley's Keep and Patia. Wet winters that gave way to monsoons and dry summers that gave way to drought gave the early settlers a rough time of claiming their stake. Blairville's outsider nature quickly attracted many mages and representatives of the arcane world, due to its ready access to materials mundane and illicit. The city also quickly became well-known for its artisan spirit, and the local booming sector of craftsmanship resulted in Blairville's growing fame and financial stability. True wealth did not come to the region until three major crops started to show up in national circulation- tea, spices, and sediments in the top soil. With these crops Blairville gained and continues to hold command of its own destiny. Independence and aloofness, more out of internal interests than external apathy, have been prevalent themes through much of its history.
• The Crusades: The Battle of Western Plains was a decisive victory for the Imperialist Forces. Pagan Separatists held much of the town and it took 18 months to crack open Blairville's walls in a war of attrition. Even after entering the city, fighting was toe-to-toe for six months. The battle tore much of the town apart and it had remained a ghost town, functionally abandoned, for half a century, until its ruins eventually settled by the gypsies and mages that claim the town now.
• Saturnia Regna: It is only in the last ten years that Blairville has once again entered into the national stage, its involvement encouraged by Odin Haze and the great respect he earned for himself and for the national government he represented by way of his selfless restoration efforts. It is notable as well that in the last thirty years before flying the Terran banner, Blairville was untouched by crime syndicates, malevolent warlocks and Hidden Devils. Blairville was a humble town, small compared to other cities but charming in that regard. Only recently has it returned to its proud heritage of artisanship and, though bustling, it is not yet the arcanopolis it once was.
• Knock the Bottom out of the Sky: During a clear March day, Blairville was attacked by Arcantian forces. A single, massive airship covered in blades fell from the sky and razed a great portion of the city. Civil engineering damage reports indicate that a defense satellite, the northern Gaian church, and the largest local library were also destroyed despite none being in the path of the crashed airship and intelligence reports indicate that these locations were specific targets of Arcantian forces. It is difficult for historians to agree on a specific death-toll. Altus Arcantium reports suggest hundreds of thousands dead, while Terran estimates suggest a conservative ten thousand. Some theorists suggest that the disparity between the two reports is a result of propaganda, though it is unclear which side is engaging in the lie, and the destruction of census records in the targeted library make it hard to agree on a base number as well. Refugee camps spread out along the region and numerous subterranean developments sprang up within the foundations of the town.
• Reconstruction: Terran Government contracted private arcane research and artifact company Artifacture Unlimited, due to the personal friendship between Odin haze and Julius Aldoid, a renowned philanthropist and local resident of the city. Rebuilding the city and its foundation took a single week, while planning and development stretched the affected quadrants of the city into a month of abandonment. Local merchants proved themselves a hospitable bunch, opening many of their warehouses and factories as temporary shelters for the displaced citizens and transplanar immigrants. Six weeks later citizens returned to their homes and the city lived once more.
• A Vision for the Future: Shortly after the construction of Artifacture Tower and the revival of the League of Mages, some suggested that Blairville may have been entering a second golden age. Pressure from international relations, more deeply felt in the notably individual Blairville than in other cities of the federation, attributes to a great strain felt by the people. Currently the city resembles much of the Post-Crusades Blairville – a place filled with magical secrets, exotic people, and a thirst for wonder paralleled only by Hell's Gate's thirst for knowledge. 

Newly Awarded!

Got one for ya!

Congratulations to Offtopic for earning the Most Helpful Award! Thanks for always helping out in all the ways you do!

Valucre Blog Challenge!

Hey, I had one submission come in this week, a different sort of approach, but I liked it. An epic fight seen was the topic, but this one is more focused on the aftermath. Thank you for your submission (I forgot to get consent to credit, so I will leave this anon for now). 

She was knelt next to his body, her knees caked in blood and mud. The wind picked at the curtain of her long black hair swaying gently at her elbow. Dirt smeared a cheek, parted by old tear trails. Shadows haunted her tender face. The light of her life was gone, pale, lifeless on the ground. His eyes stared unseeing at the sky where their spirits once danced with imagination. She shuttered as she covered his eyes and closed them to the world he once loved. 

His sword was jammed in the soiled earth next to her. Without looking, she reached for it with one hand, grabbed it by the hilt, and pulled herself up to a wobbly stance. Her wounds were many, evident by the dents in her plate armor, but none cut deeper than the darkness filling her heart. An ugly gash oozed crimson blood over the curve of her breastplate. Bodies lay all around her. The wind shifted, filling her nose with the pungent smell of human excrement, charred flesh, and ash. 

She turned her head to the battle raging on down the hill; black against white, ice versus fire. Dragons tore at each other in the skies above two clamoring armies of silver and gold. Her soft brown eyes reflected the flashes of metal. A single pristine tear leaked from her eye, streaking her cheek. She yanked his sword from the ground and glanced at the saber, then back at the battle, the carnage. Her eyes hardened to glowing slits as her lips formed a crooked smile. One word, spoken in the ancient tongue, left her split lips, sending a sonic boom through the field below.


New Challenge of the Week: Sometimes, a minor incident in a character's day is actually a metaphor for something much larger that is going on- a small conflict representing a greater struggle they are working to overcome. Write a short scene detailing a character first overcoming this minor conflict, and then having that moment of epiphany where they realize its parallels to their greater problem- and perhaps how they can overcome that as well. 

Since we're losing blogs, just PM it to me! :)

New Members and Returns!

Welcome:

Nyriel:
Hi Nyriel! I’m Acies, site blogger. I’m glad to see you’re ready to dive right in here and start making something of your time on the site. Don’t mind your sloppiness, you can improve over time- no one will look down at you for trouble with the tenses (well, no one reasonable at least). Also- scraped up knees? That is a bit of an odd one, but hey, to each their own!

Mystiqueblaire:
Howdy Kayla, welcome to our little slice of heaven. I’m the guy who greets you via the blog- so greetings! Valucre is a great place to get your practicing in so you can improve, so I hope it pans out well for you! 

Feadur:
The man from Slovenia, a country I had no idea where to find on a map and thus, to my great shame, I had to go look it up. Already making myself look like a stereotypical asshole American- great going Acies! Anyway, to make up for my ignorance of your countries location (as well as every other major detail of it >>) I am going to extend my warmest hello to you and give you wishes of a happy rping career! 

Tenor:
Hallo Hallo Tenor, you did not give me much to go on in greeting you, so I kinda have to sit here and ramble on while trying to make it look like I wrote a suitable amount of content to pass as a decent enough greeting for the new member. You like how I can expand this out without really writing anything of relevance at all, thus making it look like I put much more effort into this than I was truly able to? That’s call bsing my friend, and you might see it in some the RP threads you plan on reading too! Anyway, hopefully you find some good reads not so stuffed up with fluff, so you can enjoy what is written. ;)

Harmoniel89:
Vicktoreya- that’s an interesting way to spell the name. I like unusual spellings though, as long as they don’t come off as corny :P. Anyway, glad to have you here and hope you do in find fact find that little niche for yourself where you can get a good group (of those two to three others) going in some fantastic RP. Sounds like you’ve been doing this for a while, so you know how it goes. Welcome to the site. ;)

The Ronin:
Hello back Mr. Ronin, I did in fact care to read what you wrote- and I bet you will find that lots of people do, believe it or not! Hell, as of the time I am checking this thread, 22 unique registered members checked out your thread- that’s some reading their partner. That all said, I return your  warm greetings with greetings (heated to a comfortable level of warmth as well) back to you and say I hope you have plenty of opportunity to kick off any rust you might have and get back into some enjoyable writing. :)

MrKrutiika:
Hey there, so what is a pseudo-newbie? Are you pretending to be newbie, or just falsely presented as one, or just an imitation? Inquiring minds must know!!! Anyway, welcome to Valucre, I see you are another refugee from Gaia. I say refugee because people come in here seeking decent role-play and well… they never go back- isn’t that something? Anyway, welcome to Valucre, have a fantastic stay!

Yummybiscuits :
Dude- your name is fucking hilarious and you have a bitchen avatar- welcome to Valucre, can we keep your forever? 0_0 Anyway, you too are a transplant from Gaia- been getting so many these days. Glad to have you, hope you enjoy the RP ;)

Ilaughatmyself:
Hey, what a coincidence, I spend a lot of time laughing at myself too- wouldn’t it figure? Of course, when you’re me, you either spend time laughing or else you start crying and crying is just unbecoming on a person my size, so I try to save some shred of dignity. Anyway, I hope you have a good and memorable stay here on Valucre!

Returns:

Nada!

This week, we got 9 new members and zero returns. The lack of returning folks is disappointing, but getting 9 new members is a good solid number and something I can appreciate!

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 29th:
• Lady Ambrielle
• Bookwizard
• NOVEMBER 30th:
• Epitaph
• _Yoku_ 
• Valkyre
• DECEMBER 1st: 
• A'Larea
• Tbh12
• DECEMBER 2nd:
• Lore
• DECEMBER 3rd:
• Lord Corvus
• AlexKlein5
• DECEMBER 4th
• None
• DECEMBER 5th
• Nasturtia

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.

Today's Posts- Want to know what all was posted in the last 24hrs? Hey, go to quick links and hit that "Today's Posts" link. Or click this, you know, if you're kinda lazy or easily confused.

Did You Know-  About Me Section? Yep, there is a section in your profile to write a blurb about yourself, but even better- link to your characters so that way someone else (or yourself even, I do this a lot) can click those links and look up your characters! Read about this Did You Know here, it gives you the details. Want more Did You Knows- go here.

Closing Thoughts?

There is an interesting thing about memories. Assuming that an experience was not one that was negative and had a scarring effect on you, you’ll find that as time goes on, you might remember it more fondly. Those days of younger years will become the good old days, and those good days you had will be something you cherish forever. It’s just the way our mind works- we choose to put a positive spin on the things we had done in the past versus what we are experiencing now- even if what we have now isn’t half bad. That’s nostalgia for you.

There is power in this though- it’s a way to keep you happy, to have something to reflect back on and feel good about. It’s something for you to look back on and make yourself feel better when times are a little rough, or something you can associate with other knowledge and then later get multiple parts of your brain firing off at once. This is a good thing- it’s exercise for the brain and it’ll help you keep those wits about you for a longer period of time (helps with thinking too).

Why am I bringing this up?

Well, we’re coming up on the holidays and in that holiday spirit, many of us enjoy the prospect of giving (at least, I am going to put aside some cynical biases to assume most people do >>) and look forward to Christmas for that very thing (or any other holiday you might celebrate at this time). Christmas is fun, I love giving, I love giving something to make other people happy, to show that I cared enough to pay attention to what they like and make a concerted effort to get them something they would enjoy.

However, this makes it easy to get lost in that materialistic side of things- the thinking about stuff. It’s not that we’re doing it because we’re truly trying to be materialistic so much as it is just easy to lose focus on that fixation. Hey, I want to make you happy and give you cool stuff, so I am going to get very concerned with what stuff I am getting. Stuff is nice- we get things we can use, things we like, things that might last quite a while or only a short while. We get excited when we see what other people have come up with for us and we appreciate that thought put into it.

However, there is a funny thing about stuff- most of the time, it is not going to last forever. Most of the time, we’re going to use it up eventually, or it will wear out, or maybe it was not as great as we once thought or it just loses its luster. We do this not just with gifts given to us but more often with things we buy for ourselves as well. Sure, sometimes, you make an investment you are happy with- a console, a computer, that guitar you have ached for- those have emotional/utilitarian ties. However, a lot of things though- we’re just purchasing stuff with only shallow meaning.

That shallowness just doesn’t hold up to the sands of time.

Now, let’s go back to memories. We tend to remember things more fondly than we might have even experienced it the first time around (hence, people thinking that old days were better when in reality, they probably weren’t much different) or if we did have a great time, we keep that. It is not something that can lose its luster because it’s captured the way we tucked it away, and any time we want to pull that back out and look at it again, it’s still going to be just as shiny and cool. It’s because that’s your memory, your thing to keep from here on out (short of something happening to your memory as a whole of course). There is plenty of research on this- experiences and making memories makes people significantly happier in the long-run than buying stuff.

Yep, that fun vacation is most likely going to be a far greater source of overall happiness for you than buying that new pair of shoes, or the newest Iphone (which you will have to replace in six months anyway, if you plan to stick with the most updated version ;P ), or some other physical good. When it comes down to it, we tend to derive the most long-term happiness not from the things we have attained but from the memory and experiences we have acquired.

I spent quite a bit of money getting two of us over to Jordan Con this last spring- and I have not regretted a second of that. I had a blast- and when I think back to it, I just feel fantastically happy I did it. And even though my car tried to blow up- going up to meet Rob and play him in some grueling airhockey and chess was something I will keep with me in my memories for long time- it was motivating enough to send me back up to Washington for a second time. Going to Big Bear with even more Valucreans- priceless as well. I don’t sweat the amount spent in making these trips possible- I just feel damn glad I did them.

The message I want everyone to take from this (not go to Jordan Con, although, that is a good secondary message ;)) is that when it comes down to it this season, even though you might be handing out actual gifts (I am), make sure you give the gift of good memories, both to those you love and yourself. Enjoy people’s company, have a good time, enjoy being in the moment and let those memories build up, so that way, a few months down the road, you can fondly look back at this holiday season and say- hey, that was a great time. I’m glad I got to spend it with those people I care about.

Especially for those of you who might be struggling too much this year to give some sort of cool material gift- give the gift of a good time, a happy memory, a moment to cherish- it doesn’t cost you a thing, except maybe a bit of your time. You don’t always need money for that.

[Unless of course you want to get out to candlestick park for the last 49ers game ever being played there, where legends were born and retired, but getting there is going to run you $600… then you might need money. But hey, you do the best you can. And hope someone out there just happens to have $600 they just planned on throwing away anyway. :P ]

In all seriousness though folks, I really do want you to have a great holiday season and make sure you have a wonderful experience. I’ll be seeing you all next week. ;)

"Memory is the treasure house of the mind wherein the monuments thereof are kept and preserved."  ~Thomas Fuller

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