Venefyxatu

That sounds like a bad day to me... but remember that it can always be worse! To illustrate, I'll shamelessly link to a picture I found on a website I frequent (http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com --> give credit where credit is due, you know ). http://s96920072.onlinehome.us/TPC/Funny_P...00/0928/928.jpg As for the bad day at work : I'll copy one of the older "daily jokes" on the same website (once again, without shame). You might've read this before (or you might not... ). Bob is a commercial saturation diver for Global Divers in Louisiana. He performs underwater repairs on off shore drilling rigs. Below is an E-mail he sent to his sister. She then sent it to radio station 103.2 on FM dial in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, who was sponsoring a worst job experience contest. Needless to say, she won. Hi Sue, Just another note from your bottom-dwelling brother. Last week I had a bad day at the office. I know you've been feeling down lately at work, so I thought I would share my dilemma with you to make you realize it's not so bad after all. Before I can tell you what happened to me, I first must bore you with a few technicalities of my job. As you know, my "office" lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a suit to the office. It's a wetsuit. This time of year the water is quite cool. So what we do to keep warm is this: We have a diesel-powered industrial water heater. This $20,000 piece of equipment sucks the water out of the sea. It heats it to a delightful temperature. It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden hose, which is taped to the air hose. Now this sounds like a darn good plan, and I've used it several times with no complaints. What I do, when I get to the bottom and start working, is take the hose and stuff it down the back of my wetsuit. This floods my whole suit with warm water. It's like working in a Jacuzzi. Everything was going well until all of a sudden, my butt started to itch. So, of course, I scratched it. This only made things worse. Within a few seconds my butt started to burn. I pulled the hose out from my back, but the damage was done. In agony I realized what had happened. The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish and pumped it into my suit. Now, since I don't have any hair on my back, the jellyfish couldn't stick to it. However, the crack of my butt was not as fortunate. When I scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually grinding the jellyfish into the crack of my butt. I informed the dive supervisor of my dilemma over the communicator. His instructions were unclear due to the fact that he, along with five other divers, were all laughing hysterically. Needless to say I aborted the dive. I was instructed to make three agonizing in-water decompression stops totaling thirty-five minutes before I could reach the surface to begin my chamber dry decompression. When I arrived at the surface, I was wearing nothing but my brass helmet. As I climbed out of the water, the medic,with tears of laughter running down his face, handed me a tube of cream and told me to rub it on my butt as soon as I got in the chamber. The cream put the fire out, but I couldn't poop for two days because my butt was swollen shut. So, next time you're having a bad day at work, think about how much worse it would be if you had a jellyfish shoved up your butt. Now repeat to yourself, "I love my job, I love my job, I love my job." I hope exaggeration and humour work for you as they do for me!

There were other, even more sinister things moving through the night than elemental assassins. The Shades were once humans but had left their humanity far behind after an extended stay in the plane of Shadows. These once mighty people had fled with their entire city to avoid its destruction and had returned only a few years ago – even mightier. Nothing can stay in the plane of Shadows for such a long time and not become corrupted – which is exactly what had happened to them. They had become creatures of the night who took even less kindly to outsiders than the people of Rahkir... if an outsider came into their city they simply killed them right away. The reason why they had not done this to Samantha was because they'd tought that she was one of them. They'd figured out that she was not because her behavior was... different. She kept a human slave without chains, and her way of addressing others was just not right. Still, they'd been intrigued enough by her to let her live... at least until they could figure out what she was. That's why two of them were now shifting through the city, staying close enough to Samantha to observe her every movement. Apparently, the assassin who'd followed her in hadn't been acting alone – she could make out at least seven others searching the shadows in such a way that an ordinary human wouldn't be able to slip past them. But she was no ordinary human... she shifted through the shadows, ending up behind them. “She certainly is using her abilities well, think you not?” “Aye, she is. She could pass as one of our own.” Samantha had only been to the city of Jaegerran once, but she knew those soft, grating voices like a blunt blade attempting to slice through silk and they sent a shiver down her spine. She knew what she'd see when she turned around : at least two dark-clad humans, only taller and thinner and with a skin slightly more gray than that of the average human. She turned around. She'd been right. They stood looking at her with expressionless faces and the way she could hardly see them told her that the assassins of Rahkir wouldn't be able to see them at all. “Samantha Wilder. Why did you visit our city? You could've saved yourself and us a lot of trouble...” Samantha replied in an equally soft but rather much cooler voice. “I had to, and you know it. For all I care you and all your spell-slinging companions could go back to the shadows where you belong as long as you quit following me.” “You know that is something we cannot do... yet. Why come you not with us, complete our knowledge about you and be free again?” “Come with you? To your cursed city, I presume? You know as well as I do that I wouldn't leave it alive again.” The moment she noticed the second one was gone she knew it was too late already but she tried shifting nonetheless. To her surprise it worked! A few rooftops further she appeared again, immediately picking up a loose stone she found lying around. Then she shifted back so she'd stay in the middle of the assassins searching the rooftops. Because she was waiting for it now, she could actually feel them step out of the shadows behind her, right in front of the assassin that was heading her way. She threw the stone to the floor amidst her feet and shifted again, leaving the surprised yell of the assassin behind her, together with the hissed curses of the Shades. That should keep all of them occupied for long enough to give her time to find a place where she could rest during the day.

*boingies* Yay! \o/ That was some nice work there... and no, I'm not an accountant assassin, even though it sounds verrrrry interesting *ponders* If there are no accountants left, their knowledge will disappear and I will get a lot less economical subjects at school... hmmm... *Walks off, an evil scheme forming in his mind*

That can only be described with one word : "wonderful"! I love the way you describe the applicant's feelings and have him make some of the more common mistakes that people just make when they're nervous. The ending came as a total surprise and actually had me laughing out loud. Great job!

Being ill isn't healthy, so get well soon! On a lighter (and hopefully a "cheer-you-up" kind of) note : if you're coughing all the time, now you know what Raistlin feels like?

Travis was beginning to worry. Why was nobody showing up? Was this not a community of artists? Surely they would want to see him, the one, the only, the magnificent Travis! Just as he was considering posting and personally handing out more signs, a figure approached. Venefyxatu, still out of breath after the Conga line in the Cabaret Room, approached the dome slowly, leaning heavily on his staff. He stood looking at the structure, the banners and the people for a few moments to let it all sink in before approaching. When he did approach he immediately walked up to Travis. Travis-"Welcome, welcome! I see that you are one who can truly appreciate a concert as marvellous as the one you might witness tonight! Might I suggest that you go and find yourself a nice spot and have something to eat while we wait for more art-lovers like yourself to show up? After paying, that is..." Venefyxatu-"I think I'll ..." *wheeze* "... do just that. And don't... " *wheeze* "... worry - the people here love art, I'm ... " *wheeze* "... sure they'll show up soon." Venefyxatu dug 10 geld from his pockets and handed it to Travis before moving to enter the dome. Travis-"Oh, and sir?" Venefyxatu-"Yes?" Travis-"You might want to catch your breath... you'll need every last scrap of it, for my performance shall take your breath away!" With a grin, Venefyxatu entered the dome. If Travis was really as good as he said he was, this was going to be a concert to remember.

Venefyxatu finds himself drawn closer to the music, wondering what it is. As soon as he recognizes the dance and the spell that goes with it his eyes go wide, but it's too late. "I don't even like da-" Dut-dut-dut-dut. Dut. KICK.

Xaious, Now that I have seen the title and the picture linked, it's hard to think of anything else, but I'll give it a try I'll start with the God Machine, since I saw that before the picture. It sounds like something horrible, a thing of nightmares. The words God (generally seen as a caring and loving entity) and Machine (cold, heartless technology) can only combine into something bad, a gigantic machine that knows only cold, analytical thinking instead of compassion, love and reason and that is in some way connected to all of our lives and fates. Now that I'm thinking a bit more about it (as opposed to just saying what springs up in my mind ), I see that there is something of that in the picture as well although it is too much fantasy-tinted. The picture, on the other hand, is something I would've associated with a mage. Yes, I am "somewhat" obsessed with fantasy, which would be an explanation for that I probably would have connected it with a complicated spell that combines scrying, conjuration and warfare. The scrying part is pretty easy to explain : the eye set in a socket over a crystal ball. Warfare is still doable : it has something to do with the metal "arms" and blades. The conjuration? Tricky... it might be the way the crystal ball is filled and the cathedral on top, or it might be the entire composition. The lyrics (I don't know the song) almost make me want to cry - so full of hate and anger. It made me see images of murder, fire raining from skies darkened with rolling clouds, death, and anarchy. I hope that made some sense and that it wasn't too long-winded

Having nothing to do at his maze for a few moments, Venefyxatu decides to come over and have a drink, as wel as try his luck at Wyvern's game. In an attempt to keep his robes at least somewhat clean he casts his levitation spell again, floating around Minta splashing through the mud. When offered his free Bruteweiser he gladly accepts, hoping that it'll warm him up a bit while he's waiting for Gryphon's turn. After a few sips, however, he starts feeling a bit fuzzy and notices that the air under his feet isn't as firm as it used to be. "Whee... where'd he geddoze t...three eczdra *hiccup*s vrom? Hehe... ne'rreally hadda head fer *hiccup* zdrong alloc... hollac.... alloholololoc... thingy. I godzzzz....zomthing dad'll zober me *hiccup* though." Wyvern, knowing that no matter what all the books in the world say the first rule of wizardry is to never let a drunken mage cast a spell and worried that he'll see his booth vanish together with the gold he already earned in some mad spell, grabs a potion from a full crate and rushes over to Venefyxatu to stop him. "I've got ssssssomething much better here.", he hisses. "An Almost Dragonic Brand Cheap Drunkenness Removal Potion™! And becausssse you're a nice guy and it's my last one I'll offer it to you for only 10 gold!" Wyvern, having seen the full crate, interrupts. "Uhh... didn't you take that potion out of..." "Nonono... it'sssss my last one! Honessst!" "Whoopee! T... ten goold? And fivve fer the game?" Venefyxatu takes 20 gold out of his pouch, adds 10 more to that and hands it to Wyvern, who quickly pockets it before Gryphon can interrupt. Leaving Venefyxatu with the potion, he quickly turns to end Gryphon's wait. Venefyxatu, shrugging happily, quaffs the potion, immediately followed by steam rising from his ears. Gryphon : "Uhh, Wyvern, is that normal?" Wyvern : "Ssssure is!" Venefyxatu launches himself from his chair with a backflip that nobody would've believed him capable of and lands on his feet in the mud, sending splashes every which way, but sober. "Heh... that drink did get me warmed up..."

Venefyxatu sat enjoying his view over the courtyard, making sculptures of any Pennite who cared to try his maze. When Black finally made it through and wanted to know why it was so hard, Venefyxatu answered with a grin. "I needed something to stall you guys while I'm sculpting here... but you did earn your sculpture! Congratulations!" With a toothy grin, Black took the sculpture and looked at it appreciatively. Apart from the colour it looked just like a miniature version of himself. They chatted for a while before Black excused himself, probably to go and do something that somehow involved blood. He was still wondering when the old Kasmandre T. Koot would wake up and continue the maze when he heard a truck backing up towards the snow. Slightly puzzled yet greatly interested, he watched the workmen unload the giant block of ice and the tools before they drove off again. Seeing Vahktang get to work he wondered at the music box and the impressive tools he was using, curious as to what the statue would look like in the end. He didn't get much chance to think about it, though, with Gryphon entering the maze so enthusiastically he barely managed to avoid Kasmandre. When Gryphon starts sending his dancing lights around the maze Venefyxatu muttered, "What in the name of Moon is he doing in there?" Hearing the explanation from Gryphon while he was screeching to a stop made Venefyxatu smile. "There's a thought! Do you have a knack for mazes or something? You were so fast I didn't even get the sculpture finished!" Chest swelling with pride, Gryphon tried his best to appear modest. "Well, umm..." When he saw that the statue Venefyxatu was finishing was only about 8 inches in height, however, his enthusiasm lessened a bit. "I thought it'd be bigger...", he muttered. "Tell you what... because you were so fast and you left those impressive lights I'll make it self-illuminate. That way everyone will be able to admire it in the dark as well, even those without darkvision! How's that?" Happy with the idea that his sculpture would be the most visible of them all, Gryphon bounded off to show it to everyone who wanted to see it, as well as everyone who didn't want to see it.

That is one impressive image! I hardly dare think about the time spent making it... Had you given me only the image, I wouldn't have called it the God Machine. Had you given me only the title God Machine, I would've envisioned something else entirely. Now that you gave me the two, they are connected forever in my mind. Great work!

My thoughts go out to you, Salinye. If it is meant to turn out all right, it will do so, and I am hoping for it with all my heart.

It's been snowing in the corner for a day now and for some reason nobody has cleaned it up or indeed noticed it yet. In fact, it's been snowing so hard that none of the Pennites would still be able to look over it if they'd care to try. Dressed in warm robes, carrying a rolled up parchment in one hand and closely followed by a hovering table full of ice blocks and chair, Venefyxatu crosses the courtyard towards the snow, refusing to let his own spell distract him from it. Not dispelling it just yet, he unrolls the parchment and looks at it for a few moments before rolling it back up and getting to work, the table and the chair gently floating to the ground. He chants a quick spell that levitates him about an inch above the ground and then starts murmuring one quick spell after the other, his free hand weaving through the air in small patterns, his fingers making complex movements. Slowly, the snow in front of him starts to disappear, leaving a gap wide enough to walk through. Not interrupting his murmuring and hand movements for even a moment, he hovers into the gap, going deeper and deeper, and vanishing around a corner. The murmuring continues for some time before the snow next to the already existing gap vanishes as well, creating a second opening, thus enabling Venefyxatu to come out of the snow again. He floats down to the ground again and leans on his staff for a few moments to catch his breath and ponder whether he didn't forget anything in there. Let's see... there are no footprints on the ground that can be traced and as long as the courtyard is lit there will be light since the corridors have no roof. The enchantment that keeps the snowy walls from melting or being dug away is in place and there is still snow on the ground that can be used to throw at others. And, of course, there are some unexpected surprises set up as well... I think that's everything. Carefully blending two spells together, he dispells the spell that kept people's attention away from the snow while at the same time making letters glowing a soft blue appear on the walls. Venefyxatu's Snow Maze - search your way through while I make your ice sculpture 5 geld for participating With that done, he bends over to scoop up some snow and roll it into a vaguely skull-shaped ball, then with a snicker tosses it across the courtyard towards the two giant Guinea Pigs at the kissing booth. Satisfied that he managed to hit one of them, he puts on his most innocent face and sits down on the chair where he starts blending skill and magic to carve something from the first ice block. Nuncio : "Wha?" Guido : "Hey, look! Der's snow! And a ... maze? Gotta be a mage thing, and dat guy prolly knows more!" Nuncio : "I'll ambulate over to check it out! You stay and smooch the babes" Ducking Guido's playful blow, he heads over. As he approaches the table, he wonders what all this is about. Nuncio : "Hey, mister?" Seeing the slightly confused Guinea Pig in front of him, still with snow in his fur, Venefyxatu can't suppress a grin. "Sorry about that, I just couldn't resist. Tell you what : you get to be the first to try out my maze and afterwards I'll have a sculpture waiting for you right here." Nuncio looks at him for a moment before he decides that this could be fun and enters the maze. While squeals of glee and surprise erupt from it every now and then Venefyxatu continues working, magically creating the tools he needs out of thin air as he needs them, blue light flashing from his fingers from time to time. When Nuncio emerges from the mage, grinning and completely covered in snow, Venefyxatu gets up to hand him a beautifully crafted ice sculpture of both him and his companion. "It looks like you had a good time? The sculpture is enchanted so it'll keep itself cold - you could literally take it through Hell." Brushing the snow from his suit, and shaking it off his fedora, he takes the sculpture, and answers : "Thank you sir, but having been to several, I have no intention of returning anytime in the forseen future." With that, he heads back to his own booth, holding the sculpture in plain sight - And a snowball behind his back... Edit : Underneath the announcment glowing on the maze, new letters slowly take shape...

A huge figure stomped onto the stage, carrying a treetrunk that we shall, for lack of a better word, call a club over its shoulder. When he reached the centre of the stage he turned his back to where the audience was supposed to be and stood there, quietly, looking at the wall. Nothing happened. The audience kept silent. Had Ug turned towards them, they would've seen a deep frown on his forehead. When nothing continued to happen for quite some time, the announcer whispered, “Hey! Pssst! You're supposed to turn the other way and tell a story!” Ug brightened, because he remembered why he was here now. He turned around and spoke in a loud, rumbling voice. “Me Ug! Me tell storee! Ug stole statsjoo once. Statsjoo from der villetsj. Der doc-turr say Ug need steal statsjoo. Then he give Ug shinee stuff. UG LIKE SHINEE STUFF! Ug like smashing things too. Me smash a tree when going to der villetsj! Der tree went ka-BOOOM! Ug strong! Tree gone! Den Ug smash cart too! Der cart was flat 'coz Ug so strong.” He erupts in a roaring laughter that, despite the silence from the audience continues for several moments. Then he pauses, frowning, as if trying to remember what he was doing again. “Were wazzI? Yer! Ug smash cart, den go to der villetsj! Me found der villetsj fast, 'coz mee's smart!” The ogre starts speaking a little bit faster, emphasizing his words with swings of his club that would've wrecked a smaller stage. There is a sound of collective movement as everyone in the audience suddenly decides that the seats at the back of the room are the most comfortable ones. “Ug had to smash der wud-cut-ter too! Den dey no longer haf wud in der villetsj so Ug can take der statsjoo! Clever plan from der doc-turr! But humans all look same to Ug, so Ug shout who is der wud-cut-ter? Dey was all hiding, but Ug saw dem in deir houses! And Ug shout again, who is der wud-cut-ter?” The ogre is really shouting now and the audience is glad they're at the back of the room, safe from ear damage and spit flying from its mouth. “Onnov 'em come to Ug and say lotsa hard wurds dat Ug not understand so Ug take his club and smash him, like dis!” To show how he smashed the man, Ug takes his club and crashes it into the floor in front of him, destroying a few chairs in the process. “Ha! Ug good at smash things! But Ug get sting in leg den, so Ug swattered stingee thing away. It did 'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA'!!!!” A few worried Pennites come hurrying in, having heard the shout outside. Upon seeing the ogre on the stage, they quietly leave again. “Den Ug take der statsjoo, 'coz der waz no wud-cut-ter. Ug walk through house wit der statsjoo, so der people culd no hide in it no more! Ha! Den Ug leave, wit der statsjoo. Dey haf no statsjoo now! HA HA HA HA!!!” The ogre throws his head back and laughs for minutes. Just as the announcer wants to try and get him off the stage for the next participant, the ogre continues his story. “Hey! Me's not done yet! 'Coz den Ug did somthing im-prezive! Ug stop and turn and yell :” Here, he stops for a few moments, trying to remember what it was that he yelled. “I haf yer statsjoo!! Mua.” He pauses again for a moment. “Ha. Ha.” Pause. “Haha. Ha. Der doc-turr wuz happee! Ug got shinee stuff! Must go see if it's still dere, 'coz it not always stays were Ug put it!” With these words, the ogre leaves the stage again, to go wherever it is that he stores his shiny things. --- OOC : I edited (read : rewrote ) it, and found out that it's actually possible to write from the point of view of a really stupid character Since I thought the idea was to use a character from somebody else, thanks to Black for borrowing me Ug, faithful minion of Dr. Avil! The picture that goes with it is the scheme that the Dr. made up before sending Ug on this thrilling mission For slower connections : it's about 52k... (should the posting of thumbnails be against a forum rule I missed let me know and I'll remove it immediately)

Even though the temperature at the Mighty Pen Keep isn't extremely cold, dark clouds are gathering above a corner of the courtyard. Snowflakes start falling down and stay on the ground where they fall. When a soft breeze blows some of them away from the corner they melt, but most of them start to form a snow blanket... Katzaniel, taking a stroll across the courtyard to have a look at the booths, notices that there's more snow than there should be and briefly wonders whether she should have someone to get ri - hey, look, Wyvern's set up a booth! I wonder what he's come up with this time! From a safe distance, so she won't be drawn into any plots the lizard might have thought of, she watches the bruteweiser turn into mud, the snow all but forgotten... |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| |*. '`. ~ * ´*.'~ °, .`* ~ . , ° ' .~` " *, .:. -| |. ~.'°'¨. -:';´,* ,'-* ¨` ° *. `'" ::. '´,* ",´.°| |¨`,'- *: °, .' " :`~' °, . ~* "`¨,.:,. '`´ ° *. ,| OOC : This is going somewhere, I promise And I hope it'll turn out to be more than a mere exercise in patience and present tenses for me Update : More snow! Update 2 : Even more snow!

In a laboratory located deep underground, dimly lit by a few candles, the only sound that could be heard was the soft scratching of chalk on stone. It went on for quite some time, the candles burning steadily in the still air. When the candles were about half-way, the mage was satisfied and moved to his tome, his heels clicking on the ancient stone floor. Despite his fingers being covered in chalk he enjoyed the feeling of the aged parchment as he browsed to the spell he would be casting in only a moment's time. Calmly he placed the bitter leaf that was required on his tongue, hardly noticing the taste from years of experience, and started weaving his arms in patterns, spreading the dust from the bones he'd crushed earlier that day. As the patterns his fingers were weaving became more complex and he started chanting, his fingers started leaving trails of purple light in the dust that was now in the air. The light was vague at first, but as it spread towards the chalk circle on the ground it became more intense, until the mage had to close his eyes or be blinded. Despite his closed eyes he knew exactly what was happening - the runes the circle was made up from started glowing, one by one, until the circle was blazing with a purple glow so intense it could easily be called hellish, and through the light, a vague shape could be made out... --- And a real-life one : While the hydraulic bus doors open with that typical, hissing sound to let in a gush of fresh air I let Selex slide into my hand. The smooth metallic cover feels good in my hand, and I start tapping the keys. I can hear their soft clicks, knowing that nobody else can, and I can almost see her extending her senses, trying to feel for other Bluetooth equipment around. A rush of adrenaline shoots through my veins as I see a name pop up - "Nokia 6310i". With hands that are becoming slightly cold (I don't know why but they do that when I'm nervous) I tap a few keys and send off a message - "All your base are belong to us." I wait for a beep, but in vain... no cell phone makes a sound, even though Selex tells me "Contact sent". When we get to my stop, I get off the bus unaware of who my victim was...

Leaving the body in a shadowy corner of the roof, Samantha quickly slipped across the rooftops. She'd gathered enough information to know in what area of the city her target lived, but she didn't have an exact location. Normally she wouldn't have worried about finding him quickly – as long as there were people who knew him around she'd be able to get the required information. But Rahkir was no ordinary city, that much was obvious by now. She decided that she'd try sneaking into a few houses this night and, if necessary, wait out the next day for a glimpse of him. Quite some time later, she arrived in the area that her victim lived in – she'd made a careful progress through the city. She quietly lowered herself from one roof and opened a window. As she slipped into the house, though, she could feel that the floor was not made of ordinary wood and before she could raise her feet again, the bamboo floor emitted a loud creak. Cursing silently, she tried to get back out of the window, only to be knocked back in by a foot to the small of her back. With a roll she came back to her feet, the floor creaking so much it almost sounded like a melody. If the owner of the house hadn't been awoken by her entering the room yet, he was sure to be awake now – damn these silent guards! "I don't know how you got past me, lady, but I'll make sure you regret it." With these words, the guard moved in to attack. Seeing the blow coming, Samantha dodged it lightly. Hearing the floor creak behind her, she turned to face both her opponent and the door, not wanting to give the owner of the house the chance to strike her from behind. Maybe she could... with a quick roll she avoided another blow. When she felt a dagger flying past her ear she knew she'd have to get out quickly. The man who appeared in the door opening made her pause for a moment, though – she'd entered the right house! Her assailant saw her pause and used the opportunity to slip a dagger into his hand and get in a swing at her. She hardly felt it, though, as she shifted through the shadows, letting Fir'nae slide into her hand and into her victim's neck with one smooth movement. Now it was the guard's turn to pause, which gave her the precious seconds she needed to get to the window and shift to a roof across the street. What she saw there made her glad she could blend in with the shadows...

Interesting question, and interesting replies. Even though I am convinced that there is something after this life I have no intention of dieing just yet, no matter how heroic it would be. If it is my time then I will go, but until then, I'm enjoying my life too much to give it up in exchange for eternal fame. It is as Peredhil and Parmenion have said : I would rather somehow make a difference for the people I know without being remembered than do something truly amazing and be remembered for that by people who only know what I did, and not the person I am. Btw, it's spelled Achilles

Even though I don't know very much about your back-ness and away-ness, I'm going to add my own welcome back to this thread. Welcome back. And, indeed... that looks like the daggerwork of an expert...

That looks like one hell of a week For some reason I prefer "let's be friends" to "let's hate each other", but that's just my (inexperiencedly optimistic) opinion I hope you won't have to see another week like this ever again - best of luck!

*sneaksily reads the explanation that was meant for Knight* Wow... I had a vague idea, but I never knew all that *realizes he gave himself away* Umm... Hope you don't mind? *hopeful grin* Gryphon : with enough gasoline, wood, matches and paper lighting a church should be possible. If a candle works, a church is a sure-fire way (pun intended ) to work We have this cathedral here in Antwerp.......... *ponders* Disclaimer : I am joking. If, for some reason, any cathedral or church withing 9988775975985 km of me burns down it was not my fault. I don't burn buildings.

Which would be... ummm... everyone, I gather?

Congratulations! I'll see if I can get you some candles lit (or do you prefer churches? ) and I'll keep my thumbs up and fingers crossed!

Hmm... let's see... if a person is so excited there can be only one reason for that, thus ruling out all other reasons. That makes it pretty easy to guess why you are excited (at least theoretically) since there can only be one reason. Now, to come back to my original point, being the reason for Salinye's excitement : presents. It must be presents, you see, 'cause there can't be another reason. *After having proven that his guess must be the only correct one, Venefyxatu sits down to ponder.*

I love this thread Since I went roleplaying tonight (with the Crazy Group), I have a few to add... They're "don't ask" kind of things - you're better off not knowing A small chunk of information you'll need to understand something here and there : our DM is American, so we play in English. Since none of us are native English speakers, this makes for some pretty interesting translations sometimes... Diviners go "tic tic BOOM" All we need to do is turn off the sun for a few minutes. I can't kill the character so I'll just kill the player You're going to kill Jimmy now because you want Tanin dead? That's the weird one that offends people Jesus must've been at least a level 5 cleric And then it says "meep meep". Vriieeaaauuuwww is just a sound it makes. I see a rainworm. Now that we're done with cats giving head... I try to appraise the city Yes, we actually got some roleplaying done as well... some of that was actually in-character