Gryphon

I like the indication that might makes right - only as long as you're winning. That's an all to human sentiment. I'm thinking about these last few posts particularly in relation to Cryptomancer's post about showing the option of another path and letting the other person decide if they're going to take it. Add to that the fact that mankind is still evolving - obviously slowly - away from beating each other in the head with rocks as punctuation for proving their point and I had a new series of thoughts. Worrying ones. If we're still close enough to our roots that the old rock-to-the-skull method is most often used to convert someone else to your point of view. And if those who argue using a rock are more likely to walk away alive from the arguement ensuring by natural selection that the rock users are more likely to survive to breed. Does that indicate that instead of evolving - we as a race are going to devolve back to a state where using your brain doesn't matter so much as how big a rock you can swing? Fortunately, by and large, the rocks are proverbial. Unfortunately, they do get replaced by fists, feet or other weapons. I don't (for the record) believe that the rock swingers are going to inherit the earth, at least not straight away. More I'm wondering how you can encourage people to use their brain to think and to reason rather than to scratch themselves and pick up a rock. I know we encourage turning the brain on here, and making use of it, so in essence I'm 'preaching to' or at least asking the converted, but you must have all seen variants of internet rock swinging - flame wars - recently. Look at some of what errupted online with the US election and kerry vs bush. I guess to clarify the 'babble' I just indulged in down to a clear(ish) question: What is it that can be done - online if nowhere else - to encourage people to use their brain for thought and discussion rather than variants of the Monty Python argument so aptly shown by Cryptomancer? Are we doomed to wait until everyone else evolves, or at least until they learn to turn on their brains and join us?

I can get him there, if I know about the amulet, or his ability to assist with holding this thing... it's hard to say since I wasn't actually I'm unsure what I'd know as ex-cannon fodder. I'll also have to drop all sheilds in order to do it, but if you've got it confined at least temporarily that wont be a problem. I did have an idea though, I asked if anyone knows anything about taking out spirit like undead things but it seems that no-one in our current group actually uses combat magics - you're all hand to hand, or claw, or fang or whatever types. I cant think right now if there's any member of the pen who can do combat magic, or who might be able to confine/destroy dark spirits (necromancers?) or who has some ability in that general direction. If anyone wants to suggest a name or two to me, and that person agrees to get however briefly involved in the story let me know and I'll bring them there.

I once read a book about a war starting because two different species couldn't understand one anothers language. The basic premise was that if you don't know for sure that the other guy isn't saying "I'm going to kill you now, ok?" then you better take steps to make sure that you're going to be the one left standing at the end of the 'conversation'. Perhaps this is a simplified repitition of what you're saying? (I hope I've not simplified it too far, I'm just trying to bounce the idea back in a different context to see if I'm getting it.) The major difference being that in that book the lack of understanding was limited largely to language. You're referring to having a lack of understanding of an entire belief system - be it religious or political. In that book the two species eventually learnt to communicate and when they did the first thing they asked each other was "Why did you start the war?" the second thing out of both their collective mouthes was "What do you mean us? It was you!" Here's what I'm wondering now. You mention the evangelist showing people that another path is available and leaving it up to their choice to take it or not. That would be the ideal way for people to typically conduct themselves, wouldn't it? Communicate, let the other person know the options in front of them and all the facts they want but presumably never your own opinion because if it's different to their own thats when the conflict and resistance starts. If they don't pick the path you've shown them, that's their call and good luck to them. That sounds like it would work in the political and religious arena. My question becomes this: Take someone who offers the options, the facts, sometimes their opinions on a new path, or a new set of options. Our convincer sees the person they were 'trying to convince' turn from the new path offered them and return to their old path and in response they switch to convert-by-violence mode. Are they following a corrupt version of the original ideal? Or have they got it totally wrong and they're just borrowing technique from the person who has it right? It occurs to me that most people would rather bash at someone than offer them choices and then live and let live with the decisions made.

Looks around into the silence of the thread Ah, Tanny? Anyone? Looks at Cryptomancer I hope we're not going to be the only two taking this thing on. OOC: Maybe we'll wait until everyone else is awake and posting before planning more on how to take on the nasty thing.

My main restriction is that I've no idea what it's abilities and capabilites are... I can probably build a shield that'll hold it... unless it can translocate or something like that. Any information would be good and useful.

Does anyone here practice combat magic? Gryphon wondered to himself as he reached for power from an airborne ley-line outside and above Salinye's mansion... and reached... and reached... How far underground are we anyway?!? Just as the worried thought crossed his mind he felt it, a pure rush of power that highlighted the corrupt nature of the haunted house. Shuddering he focussed his mind on the incoming flow, shaping it, molding it into a series of shields, set to repel magic and physical threats - including those from non-corporeal creatures. Quickly looking around he checks to see that others are prepairing their own defenses or attacks against this vengeful spirit he finishes putting up his shields and prepairs a magical attack of his own hoping that he'll be able to have some kind of effect on this thing. "Please tell me someone here knows something about evil spirits".

So basically, if I may paraphase and expand, hopefully not too incorrectly here: Most people drift along with their 'rose coloured' glasses on, assuming the world is all good and happy and everyone agrees with them and their perspective... Then someone comes along and says, "actually... you're wrong or at least not entirely right about... we can insert a section on politics or religion here" and suddenly the world is no longer a rosy friendly place making our happy person go all defensive thus possibly starting a shut down in their ability to think and discuss and turning on their ability to... turn nasty and possibly even violent in defense of their previous viewpoint, now being challenged. Instead of grasping the idea that someone might not actually agree with them and acknowledge that everyone has the right to their own opinion, they launch into a full out attack designed to intimidate, threaten and where ever possible convert the person who's disagreeing with them to their own point of view. This as a result often causes the first person to fight back, be it verbally or intellectually, starts a chain reaction of ignorance and stupidity. Which possibly explains why people react in a similar way in both political and religious discussion, and to harken back to a much earlier point also explains why my neibour was offering to beat me to a pulp because I dared point out that he was being inconsiderate towards the needs of others. Am I off the mark here? Anyone?

This all makes sence in a most unfortunate way. It's just the need for people to convert others to their way of thinking that gets me. Surely it'd be just as easy to agree to disagree, but no - one person always seems to have to bash the other in the head with a rock (figuratively speaking - I hope). And I know I may just be jumping back into the discussion early without giving everyone a chance, but it occured to me that earlier I lumped my question with politics and religion in the same sentence as the two generate similar reactions in people. But maybe they're only similar - not the same. Can anyone include a guess at what's with the madness that seems to circulate around religion? I mean that in a non-inflamatory way, religion just seems to generate a natural disaster zone much like the recent US elections did. I realise I'm generalizing in a chronic way here, but as always, it's not the people who's philosophy is live and let live that get noticed, it's the ones who insist that everyone must agree with them and them only. I liken that kind of attitude to a tornado or something similarly dangerous if you're foolish enough to step into it's path. So yes, any additional thoughts? Do religion and politics fall under the same heading in this case? (Now I wonder why people don't go mad and threaten and beat others into their way of thinking on other topics... why not have a big fight over other things humans feel passionate about - a fight over love? A fight over friendship? or do these things happen too and I'm just not paying enough attention?)

I should mention that the reason I'm asking this question here is that we all do such a good job of being polite to one another that I'm not expecting this to errupt into a full scale war. I'd prefer a sharing of polite opinions.

There are some things, as I'm sure you've all noticed, that tend to get people all revved up and ready to come out fighting. Sometimes their cause seems to be a good one, sometimes bad, often it seems to be totally incomprehensible to anyone except the one wanting to do the fighting. I've noticed, as I'm sure you all have, that this is not isolated, it's not a paltry few who exhibit these tendancies, this madness, or whatever you want to call it... On a micro-scale I had this happen to me the other day, when my neibour disagreed with me and suggested that if I caused him to disagree with me again he'd take the law violently into his own hands proving that I was wrong by pounding me into a pulp. On a macro-scale the world watches US politics, or religious exponents pounding each other - just bigger bullies making the whole world their playground. With these thoughts, came questions, more observations and in my case, a desire to post here and ask others opinions on the matter. Here's what I thought, I'd like your opinions if you're willing to give them to me and the rest of the world as represented by the members of our little community: Why is it that there is such a lot of general crazyness and conflict? Is the need, the desire to impose your view of the world on someone else so overwhelming, so intense that it cannot be ignored? Why is it that people get into rabid foam-at-the-mouth flame wars online when someone disagrees with their opinion on what politican should be (or shouldn't be) selected to lead a country? Why are there similar discussions on what religion's people choose to follow? Is it that we've not evolved? Why do you all think people cant just accept that maybe they should just let it go and be happy with their own choices rather than trying to impose those choices on others? Surely if you're right and they're wrong in the long run you should be able to just sit back and enjoy the ride because it's not going to be you that burns (figuratively speaking usually). I'm curious about what everyone thinks about this.

I tend to favour transformation, transportation and defensive magics with a bit of shape changing and attack thrown in.. I dont know that I can do that much to assist in fixing a possession. Having said that, in Gryphon form I'm big enough to hold Gwai down or i can feed energy to anyone who can deal with that kind of thing... or assist in holding some pretty tight sheilding over him. On the plus side since I dont go much for earth magics (being a creature of the air) I can probably boost anyone without having to worry too much about the unclean power down here. Let me know if that helps anyone at all and I'll taylor my assistance since I've had minimal involvement.

I went looking at a star wars website the other day... It was supposed to be a discussion of the new Episode III teaser trailer. There might have been some discussion like that, maybe. I gave up looking after trawling through 30 minutes worth of post election kerry vs bush flamewar. It's nice to have people getting all passionate about politics, but it seems to me that it can be taken too far you know? On a lighter note, lets take a closer look at the term politics shall we? It can obviously be seen to come from two core words: Poli - Or if you prefer Poly... indicating many, or multiple tics - or ticks... bloodsucking vermin. politics has something to do with many bloodsucking vermin?

Whenever we talk about this it seems to me that you succeeded - but on "their terms" (or my terms, or the terms of the rules or whatever). I love this statement from Katz. You don't like the feeling of having just squeaked through? No problem, next time aim to survive on your own terms. Just remember that you can't go back and do it again, but you can move ahead and make damn sure that when you hit the next challenge you'll win and on your terms. I hope that didn't sound lectureish... I really don't mean it to be.

Gryphon slips out of the shadows and over to Ayshela to give her a hug. Happy Birthday, sorry I'm a bit late - I've just been running a bit behind lately. Hope you had a great day.

As Mynx leaves the party a shadow melts out of the very doorway and envelops her, becoming an extension of her cloak. Two little sparkly fireflies come winging in to light her way and the shadows themselves seem to guide her steps safely back to her abode to sleep off the results of the party. [OOC: Gryphon is with the cannon fodder in the haunted house, though nothing has really happened to him yet... maybe I should ghost myself? ]

Gryphon sidles silently into the room - or as silently as a Gryphon can. Taking a seat in the corner next to Tanny he turns his full attention to the storyteller hoping that his arrival is not going to interrupt the telling of the story that he's enjoying so much.

carryover from the Halloween Party thread: As Pilocanci exits the passage between the mansion and the haunted house the dark shadows gather behind him. As he enters the first room a pair of cold blue sparks that vaguely resemble eyes open in the shadows behind him and regard him coldly. A cold chill settles on the room and a syllibant laughter seems to come from the very walls as the darkness becomes even more oppressive. The eyes seem to close but the darkness remains.

It seems to me that if Bush won the election then presumably he's got more supporters than Kerry did? Surely the implications there are that they should be the ones doing the outnumbering? I'm curious though. With so many people claiming to want a change of president, a change of direction, a breath of fresh air in the stuffy room of politics... How is it that Bush managed to get re-elected? Are the supporters of Kerry et al just the only ones making noise? I was under the impression that the whole situation was very vocal, so I'm wondering why it now looks like there was either a silent majority that supported Bush - or a hefty portion of those who were complaining didn't get up the guts to do something about it and vote for Kerry. Can anyone give me a clue here?

I saw a funny headline today: Generations of Bushes Watch and Wait. I got this picture in my mind of a bunch of plants gathering in a clearing... Well it was funny to me.

My first impulse is to say I'd rather be deaf. Truth is that after giving it some thought both are fairly terrifying, but I imagine I could do without sound (or rely on the previously mentioned hearing aid devices for the auraly impared)... However I know having spent most of my life needing glasses that being unable to see is a comparitively scary thing to me. I dont mean that in the sence that I need light at night or I panic... I'm at home in dark that I can make go away if I need it to. Its the lack of control that gets me. So I think that being deaf would have the edge on what I'd prefer.

From behind the bar a thin mist issues rising up to take on the shape of Gryphon. From somewhere above two bright emerald green fire flies come down to take their places as his eyes. The eyes seem to glint and sparkle with good humor and the shadow-shape gryph-grins at the newcomer at the bar before ordering it's own drink (straight coke thanks - none of those pollutants thanks), knocking it back and then disolving back into a black mist as the fireflies take off to hide once again somewhere in the rafters or the corners of the room.

Races to get an encyclopedia of species... Kiwi: Pronounced: kee . wee - This is a small flightless bird native to New Zealand. It is nocturnal and most species are endangered. Well, lets see. I'm partly nocturnal. I'm the only one of my kind that I know of... guess that makes me an endangered species. I'm technically flightless (at least in human form ). Not all that small tho. Ah well, close enough... kiwi I am. Not too sure that I want to be famous tho. I'll think on it. Hope that's good enough for now.

Gryphon comes marching into the OOC thread with a handful of papers and a frustrated look on his face... Look... I'm doing my best here, I really am. Honestly all I'm really trying for is to add some ambiance to the game. As promised to Tanny my ghosts are not killing off (or even seriously hurting) gamers and they're certainly not indicating who's a wolf and who isn't... But I ask you, please, if you want a ghost written for you, just ask hijacking a ghost, it's supposed to be kinda like hijacking a... Gryphon casts around for a comparison... a wall. It's just the little things, I mean like when Gnarlitch tried to 'attack' me just recently, I was already gone... I thought he was supposed to be a cheer-dwarf anyway - what happened to playing ones role? I dont mean to rant... It's just... help me out here guys! OOC: I wanted to do the whole abused artist thing "I cant work under these conditions"... but I can

The temperature in the corridor drops several degrees as the eyes narrow further, a feeling of malevolence permeates the darkness beyond the portal. A faint whisper of sound can be heard that brings scales (or vines?) on stone to mind and the eyes begin to recede away from Gwaihir taking the darkness and chill with them.

Please tell me you're not going to play the remainder of this WW out from within that one room... It's making it exceedingly difficult to come up with convincing ghosts when you're all clustered together like that.