terra

Mm, I always liked Kyo too. And I'm not into bad boys in real life at all. It's just ... I don't know. Yuki's got it too easy; everybody at school loves him, and looks at him as the hot one. (I know, I know, his life isn't really [i]that[/i] easy, but that doesn't change the fact he's the "prince" at school.) Whereas with Yuki around, everybody overlooks Kyo. So it's kind of a sympathy thing. Besides, there is something so cute about how Kyo tries to act so macho, and can't quite express his feelings ... you know what I mean? I always wanted him to end up with Tohru. :p I like Shigure too, but he's too ... I couldn't be romantically interested in him. (For a cartoon character, at least.) I never liked Yuki at all ... he looks too much like a girl. And acts like one, for that matter.

[color=green]Indeed, this does sound like fun, but this thread is two months old. BoSelecta, please do not bring back old threads, particularly in the Adventure Arena where if an RPG is two months old, it's either never starting, starting and died already, or starting and still living happily in the Arena. Just check the date of the last post before posting next time :). Thanks, --terra[/color]

The kitchen meeting had adjourned into various factions, the major one going to the grocery store. As Ellie wished no part in that, she headed back out to the foyer, where she saw a dog sniffing its way toward her. "Eh?" she said as the dog all but attacked her. Her hand, that is. With the lethal weapon of his tongue. Though Ellie rather hated getting any type of saliva on her skin, she relented at the adorable plumpness of this dog and knelt down to greet it. "Hey there, boy," she said. "Joining into our circus?" She looked up in search of the owner, and her eyes fell upon their other entrant into the circus. "Hello there," she said. "Jordan," he said, holding out a hand. Ellie was distracted from taking it by a distinct hissing sound. Jenna's cat appeared to have discovered one of their new bunkmates. Though Ellie didn't know a lot about cats, she knew enough to recognize when one was not particularly happy. Pleasantries were ignored as Jordan and Jenna went to deal with their pets, which Ellie hoped (mostly for their sakes) wouldn't be an ongoing motif in the house. Feeling rather useless around animals, she headed back upstairs towards her room, with a vague idea about reading ... something. As she entered, though, she was surprised to see a male figure standing wrapped in a towel, hair still damp. "Oh!" she said. "So [i]you're[/i] my roommate. Good to know."

I was drawn into video games because I am a poser. My brother would play (probably one of the FF RPGs, but I'm not sure) and while my cousin was there, I'd watch. One time I remember my brother said to me, "What are you doing? Go away," but my cousin stuck up for me and said, "She just wants to watch, who cares?" ... Yes. Painful childhood memories. Anyway, I don't know, watching video games was really enjoyable for me for a while. I think when I finally actually started playing, it was also Mario Kart. (My brother had the system in his room, so he never let me play until we got to a multiplayer game ...) Then he got pissed because I started beating him. :D From there, it's been history. Funny story about Super Smash Bros. (N64 version) ... I was really horrible at it the first several times I played (with others, we didn't have our own copy for a long time). One of my brother's friends came to stay one night, then he and my bro went somewhere for a week before returning. And he brought SSB, and he proclaimed himself its king. The first night he came, he and I played and he whipped my butt with every character. He laughed at me and told me jokingly to practice, and he'd see if I got any better by the time he got back. And, I did practice all week ... and guess who won when he got back? :D He was one of them underestimaters ...

Unfortunately I've never read it, but I have seen the first couple episodes of the anime (I kept meaning to PM you back about it, Eternal Otaku, but I just kept forgetting ... sorry) :sweat: Anyway, the anime is pretty funny. And also, actually, pretty bad. I mean ... it's very amusing, and a good waste of time, but doesn't go very in-depth, introduces characters and then doesn't bother expanding on them, and has one of those plot --> side-plot --> side-plot type wandering storylines. Well, I suppose I've only seen five episodes or so, but that's at least the impression I got. It still is pretty enjoyable to watch, though. And perhaps the manga is different.

Indeed. With the changes, it looks really rather amazing. And, it's pink. :D That just adds to the cuteness somehow.

Such a very, very cute idea. :p Very nice and clean. Your websites are always very clean, which is a really good quality for websites to have. The text is still very hard to read, though. I think you could fade the background for the text box a good deal more. Really, though, I like this one a lot. It's simple and cute and very effective, all at the same time. My eyes are itching with tiredness, so sorry this is kinda short.

OOC: On the letter -- thanks, guys. This only points to one conclusion: I should be the king of a country. :D [color=green]"Now how do we get to Ma'Uriith?" Anubis was the first to respond. It was a sort of chuckle, perhaps some half-commendation of Leile's bravery. "Well, it's fairly easy," he began. "Yes, I can transport us there," Aissa cut in. Anubis turned to her, slightly raised eyebrows the only indication of any surprise on his part. "You can transport us there?" he said, his voice no indication of the slight incredulousness Aissa was sure it hid. "Yes," she replied with more confidence than she felt, "I can. I need to pick up some supplies from my house, though; let's go." And she turned and walked briskly down the street, not looking back. They reached her house rather quickly, and Aissa ushered them in without the usual ceremonies she might have gone through. Arland was sitting in the living room, studying an ancient tome that had belonged to her father. "Hey, what's all this, Aissa?" he said, looking up. "You've heard the news?" Aissa said. Arland's face fell from its habitual cheeriness. "Yes." "We're going to Ma'Uriith," she said, having decided on the way there that it would be best to get this out in the open as quickly as possible. Her brother's face was indescribable, and his reaction loud. "WHAT?!" Aissa turned to Leile and Anubis and politely but firmly ushered them out the door. "Excuse us," she said, "I believe we need to have a family meeting." Once they were outside, she turned back to her younger brother. "Arland, don't even start," she said, pushing past him to pick over the assortment of herbs they stored in the kitchen. "I'm going, and that's that." "Our parents --" "We moved out for more independence, remember?" she tsked him, stuffing colorful assortments into her pouch. She reached under the kitchen counter for her supply of arrows as well. "I don't think that exactly meant careening off to a [i]cursed[/i] city --" "Didn't you read the king's letter, Arland?" Aissa said, turning back to face him at last. "He asked us, the citizens of Laeth E'Thae, to help. And I took that to mean me." "But Aissa --" Arland said helplessly, and they held each other's gaze for a long moment. "Then take me with you." "Out of the question," Aissa said, having decided this long before as well. "[i]What[/i]!? But you just said, you took that to mean you, what if I take that to mean me too--" "Well, one of us has got to stay here," Aissa said, and it was followed by a rather uncomfortable silence as the implication came silently: [i]so that our parents will be sure they still have at least one child[/i]. Breaking the silence, Aissa continued, "And since I'm older, I get to go. You can cover for me for a few days, can't you? Oh, and get in contact with the rest of my appointments and let them know I won't be around. Heck, you could probably heal them yourself." Arland paused, wishing for something more to say. "Er ... well ... have you thought this through? How are you going to get there?" "Obviously I have [i]not[/i] thought this through," Aissa said frankly, "and ... I'm going to teleport us there." "You can't do that!" "It's well within the law --" "You know what I mean. You physically cannot do that. You haven't mastered that yet." Arland looked at her reproachfully. "Well, there is no way in hell I'm letting that guy out there do it," Aissa said, letting out some of her anger at last. "One snap of his street performer fingers and we'd probably be there. But I've had enough of him being the big shot magician in town." Arland shook his head as Aissa opened the door to go back outside. "Maybe it's a good thing I'm not going along, after all ..." Aissa ignored him as she crushed a large plant between her hands, walking so that its dust fell in a circle. "Get into the circle," she instructed Leile and Anubis, who hadn't spoken much since she'd finally decided to take charge. "You'd better sing, sis," Arland said. Another implication passed between them, a rather teasing [i]It's your only hope.[/i] But Arland didn't say it out loud, knowing that she wouldn't want to be embarrassed in front of the other two. He was a good brother and, suddenly realizing what she was doing, Aissa stepped out of the circle and gave him a fierce hug. "Arland ..." He acquiesced for a few moments before pushing her back into the circle. "Get out of here ..." Aissa looked back at him for a moment, then outstretched her hands and chanted, her words blending and blurring into a low, soft melody. Their own figures blurred, it seemed, to Arland, slowly and without any hurry, then shimmered and faded. Aissa was the last to transport, and her eyes were full as she looked back at him, then disappeared.[/color] Sorry ... it got all ... LONG.

Lissa had risen early that morning, before the sun, to pray with the priestesses of the Skye Temple. Though she had not been studying long there, the priestesses were always kind to her, and she often accepted their invitations to prayer gladly. It lent a certain calm to her day. During prayer, one or two of the priestesses would occasionally perform a simple spell, if they felt so led by the Skye Gods. So one morning, they might each feel a gentle, yet invisible, touch on their shoulder, and arise somehow feeling refreshed; another morning, they might be frozen in place for some time, allowing them greater concentration on their prayers. Lissa had never felt such an urge to perform a spell during their hour of prayer, but this morning, halfway through their vigil, she suddenly rose and lifted her hands towards the sky. An iridescent light beam flung itself down through an open window and, hitting her hands, spread itself over the cluster of Skye priestesses. She was joyous for some moments, gazing at the light in her hands, the light she, for that time, had the power to give to others. Then Lissa stumbled, as if the ground had moved under her feet, and she fell to the stone floor. The other priestesses were still rapt in their prayers, but Lissa looked around uneasily. Not out of embarrassment; she knew that nobody would judge her in this temple. But ... something had ... It was as if something had pulled her away from the light, and not pleasantly. And it was not only the matter of the spell, she thought ... The others seemed unaffected, but Lissa was ruffled. She stood to leave, no longer feeling capable of the prayer the Skye gods deserved.

K. I've an extra fifteen minutes or so, and have no idea if I can cut out 250 words ... but I can give it a shot. (having finished) There's no way I cut out 250 words. I ended up putting in many suggestions that didn't only have to do with cutting things out, hehe. Be wary of repetition; sometimes you say the same thing a couple of different ways. I don't think I caught all those instances. Good luck! [center]_____________________________________[/center] [u][b]Past Tense[/b][/u] Emily trudged down the narrow lane, [strike]her whole body[/strike] projecting an air of forlorn determination. The ground rolled beneath her gaze, the muddy path weaving after her like a snail?s trail. [strike]The[/strike] green hedges [strike]on either side[/strike] brushed her bare arms as she passed them, almost as if they were real people. [strike]It was the very beginning of spring[/strike] [color=green]Spring had just begun[/color]; the Hawthorne buds were already blooming. It had rained the night before; the path was muddy and the hedges still held droplets of water in their green depths. [strike]Emily?s pretty pink dress was already crumpled and untidy;[/strike] the ruffles [color=green]of Emily's pretty pink dress[/color] had long since ripped and shredded themselves on the hedges. [color=green]It wouldn't be long until she reached home, or something more succinct. The next sentence is a little awkward.[/color] [strike]She was about a mile from home, and it wasn?t much longer until she reached her destination.[/strike] When she arrived at the clearing, however, she had to be certain of her footing. While the feud had ended in the Lowlands hundreds of years ago, [strike]up here in the Highlands, the feud was rampant[/strike] [color=green]it was still rampant here in the Highlands[/color]. Her mother had confronted her, face red with rage. ?You, Emily Síne Campbell, are not to consort with a McDonald. A McDonald boy, no less! Do you know what they did to our ancestors, Emily? Have you no family pride?? Emily had stared at the ground. She didn?t understand the [color=green]old[/color] family feuds[strike]; it had happened ages ago[/strike], but the part about family pride did needle at her conscience. She was proud of her roots ? who wouldn?t be? [strike]She loved the Campbell's, and their existence.[/strike] [strike]Nonetheless,[/strike][color=green]But[/color] she was friends with James McDonald. She wouldn?t, however, be friends with him for much longer. If her mother found out she was friends with him, she?d take away Emily?s books. [color=green]The last three sentences or so are rather awkward together. Don't have time for suggestions, sorry :p[/color] [strike]So[/strike] [color=green]And now?[/color] Emily walked the path that separated the McDonald and Campbell properties. Callum McDonald ? a widower ? lived on one side of the hedge, while Enid and Kieran Campbell lived on the other. A month ago, Emily had never heard of James McDonald, but [strike]from what he?d told her,[/strike] [color=green]apparently[/color] he?d [color=green]just[/color] come home from boarding school in Edinburgh. When Emily had pointed out that he couldn?t be that bad, really, if he was civil enough to go to Edinburgh, Enid had sniffed that a sane Highlander would never send their children to the lowlands to be educated, and if Callum McDonald was really as posh as that, then she was glad she?d never associated with the likes of him. Emily had given up at that point, and [strike]agreed to tell the boy that she?d not see him again[/strike] [color=green]knew her mother was inexorable: the friendship would have to end ?[/color]. The clearing was just up ahead. She could feel [strike]the[/strike] [color=green]its[/color] tranquillity [strike]of it beginning to[/strike] wash[color=green]ing[/color] over her, like a breeze rolling through the trees. [strike]It was sometimes spooky, the way[/strike] just being in the clearing could [color=green]somehow[/color] make everything in the world [strike]just[/strike] [color=green]seem[/color] perfect. It wasn?t as if the clearing was particularly pretty; except for the occasional wild flowers, there were only high, twisted mulberry trees ? someone?s futile attempt to civilise the region. There was no bench, just the limb of one of the trees that stood like Atlas to the children throughout the decades. Emily had just scrambled up the branch when she heard James? voice behind her. ?You?re early today.? ?I can?t stay long, which is why I?m early.? She looked around, astonished as always to see him in the middle of the clearing. He was [strike]always there before her,[/strike] always appearing out of nowhere to surprise her. It was [strike]almost[/strike] as if he knew beforehand where she?d be looking[strike], although she always tried to trick him[/strike]. When she peered at him again, his eyes [strike]were sad and taking[/strike] [color=green]had taken[/color] on the lonely cast they?d had when she?d first met him. She smiled; hoping to delay the inevitable [strike]brush off she?d have to give him[/strike]. His eyes brightened to their normal jovial smile, and Emily relaxed. ?Why don?t you climb the tree and see if you can beat me this time? I barely took two seconds.? James scoffed. ?It was longer than ten seconds. You?re always so slow. [strike]I can climb much faster[/strike],? he boasted, and proceeded to demonstrate his talent. Emily shuffled her body [strike]to one side[/strike] to make room for him. [color=green](Or, you could take out "You're always so slow." There's repetition in his speech, which is probably good, but we are cutting stuff out here :p. Or, you could take out the whole "Can you climb as fast as I?" thing altogether. Hard to say ... it does show their companionship, but isn't too key to the story.)[/color] They sat silent for a while; Emily swinging her legs, James fiddling with a leaf and staring at her. She became uncomfortable, fingers tracing the once impeccable ruffles of her dress. ?You want to tell me something. What is it?? This was it. Emily bit her lip, looking everywhere but at [strike]the boy[/strike] [color=green]him[/color]. ?Look, James?you?re a McDonald. And, well, I?m a Campbell. In Edinburgh, [strike]where you go to school[/strike], things might be different, but here,? She glanced up, desperately hoping that he?d understand. ?Well?here, the feud is still going on. The Highlanders, they ? we ? remember things longer. And well?I can?t be friends with you any?? she didn?t finish her sentence. James? eyes hardened, anger etching itself into his features. [color=green]It wasn't the anger of one child towards another, but something decades old.[/color] [strike]His anger was decades old ? not the anger of one child towards another.[/strike] [strike]It was anger[/strike] [color=green]Something[/color] that had years to bubble and boil to the surface, like a slow-burning furnace. His eyes hated her, contempt and scorn evident in his entire being. ?I thought you were different. I thought you didn?t care about century old feuds.? He advanced at her, and Emily shuffled backwards[strike], trying to avoid his penetrating stare[/strike]. He kept coming toward her, as graceful on the branch as [color=green]an experienced[/color] tight walker [strike]who?d had centuries to perfect his art[/strike]. His arms shot out, and he shook her. Emily screamed and knocked him away. He flailed for a second, eyes showing [strike]his[/strike] shock and helplessness. His body hit the ground with a sickening crunch. Emily stood there for a second, panicking, then dropped from the branch and took off at a run. The hedges rushed past; streaks of [strike]white on[/strike] green. [strike]She couldn?t breath.[/strike] Her lungs were screaming in pain, the breath panting out of her. Her dress was whipping her legs, so she lifted it [strike]past her knees[/strike] and kept running. The hole in the fence was just up here, so close, but if she passed it then she?d have to go back and find it, and all the hedges look alike, and why wasn?t there a gate? But she knew the answer to that; to keep the Campbells out. Emily gave up, instead scrambling up the Hawthorne hedges. [strike]Her dress caught, and she tugged on it.[/strike] Another ruffle shredded itself on the green claws. She was almost at the house; if she could just make it, she could save James, but, oh God, what if Callum McDonald shot her on sight? ?Mister McDonald!? Emily called, [strike]her Scottish brogue ? already barely understandable to outsiders ? thickening itself with her panic[/strike] [color=green](a nice touch, but costly word-wise)[/color]. ?Mister McDonald!? McDonald walked out with a shotgun. [color=green](I might make the shotgun a little more exciting: "McDonald walked out, his shotgun live in his hands." Eh, that wasn't great, but you know what I mean.)[/color] ?What is it you want, [strike]Emily[/strike] Campbell? Come to spit on my lawns, like the rest of your cousins?? Emily nearly sobbed; she [strike]would have if she hadn?t been[/strike] [color=green]was[/color] so overcome with panic and short breath she could barely think. ?There?s been an accident. Your son. He?s?? ?My son? You, girl, are just like your shifty ancestors. But you should at least get your facts straight. I have not, nor will ever have, a son.? ?But Sir, James, your son. He came home from boarding school at Edinburgh?? His face ? so like an older version of James ? twisted into contempt. ?Well, you certainly have done your homework. Listen to me, Emily Campbell, and listen well. If you or any of your relatives ever mention James, and his death ? at Campbell hands[strike], I might mention [/strike]?? Emily cringed, ?I will personally see to it that your family never forgets that your Grand mammy killed my brother!? ?I don?t care about your brother!? Emily cried. ?But James just fell out of the tree!? Callum McDonald grabbed Emily?s arm, his old, twisted fingers digging into her skin. ?Listen to me well, Emily Campbell. I don?t care what sort of delusion you?re under, but I have not, and will never have a son, due to that fact that when I was twelve, my brother fell out of a tree ? because of a Campbell ? and while I was riding to get help, another of your relatives threw a stick into my wheels, and I then fell off and hit the bar on my bike. I have been sterile since that incident, which means, you little liar, that I cannot have children!? [color=green]I like his anger, but the second sentence he says is rather long, and doesn't really sound like someone's natural speech. Try seeing how you'd say it if you were just talking to somebody.[/color] Emily ripped her arm free, then [strike]grabbed his wrist and[/strike] started pulling [color=green]him by his wrist[/color]. ?Look, I can show you. James fell underneath the Mulberry trees. He?? Callum had gone pale. ?You were playing in the Mulberry trees? Don?t ever go near that place again.? ?Why?? ?It?s haunted. By my brother?s ghost.? ?By James.? ?Yes,? he whispered, still pale. His eyes were glistening with tears. ?By James."

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by OlgaTheDwarf [/i] The Bible say's that once you're a true christian you can never un-do it. So, either you still are or never were in the first place.[/QUOTE] Heh, the aforementioned can of worms. It's a long story, if you'd like to hear it, PM or IM me sometime. :p Anyway, yeah, Plumb is a really good band. I too have never noticed their overall message being overtly Christian, but they are labeled as such. I think the Supertones are labeled Christian as well. My friends who like them are also into these two bands called Relient K and Switchfoot. I don't like Relient K or the Supertones, but Switchfoot has some really good songs. Christian music may be somewhat repetitive lyric-wise, but I don't think it's any more repetitive than any other genre of music. I mean, pop songs are often just different reincarnations of the same thing: "I love him/her sooooo much, why doesn't he love me?" Lyrics seldom appeal to me, it's more than feel/sound of the music.

It's okay. I like basically every "shameful" mainstream pop group there is to like. I suppose I'm not proud of it, but I don't really care either. I have come to terms with the fact that I am a top 40's girl. It is really amusing to read that Tony likes a Backstreet Boys song, though. And I wonder how that 2Gether CD is.

Heh ... I'm not sure why I, of all people, am starting a thread on this, but the idea came to me, so why not. Does anyone particularly like any Christian bands or songs they feel like talking about? I'm not a Christian anymore, but I still have a ton of music from when I was. Since much of it is on my playlist and I'm always on random play, sometimes it'll come up and I'll hum or sing along, simply because the songs are so catchy that even though I don't believe in their message anymore, I can't help it. :p The song that actually prompted me to start this thread was "Testify to Love" by Avalon, which is just like ... a classic Christian song, I think. I love the combination of guys' and girls' voices in any song, and this one is just ... really well-done, somehow. Another one along the same lines is "Send Out a Prayer" by Anointed. It's also interesting to me that recently "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me for some reason has been playing on pop stations. It'll come on after, you know, "Thong Song" or something. And, people like it. I never really have seen the delineation between Christian music and other music aside from the general message, but ... still didn't expect that to happen. (Yeah. So, as is obvious from the thread title/forum, this is only for a discussion on the music. So not the merits or faults of the religion, as much as possible. :p Hm, I appear to be opening a can of worms of some sort ... so I apologize in advance if this gets out of hand.)

Heh, I haven't actually gotten to watch the series yet, but I know the soundtrack is great. :p On the off chance that helps any. It is definitely on my personal to get/watch list, though, since I've heard a ton of good things about it, and the idea is kind of cool. AND, because Alucard is Dracula backwards. o.O Wow.

These are hysterical. Particularly yours, Sara. I wish I had dreams where people talked in green. I wish people talked in green in real life. Anyway, I posted this one in another dream thread, but I'll post it again anyway. We (as in all OBers) were involved in some sort of war, possibly against another message board. But we were all in some building, and had weapons. I ran off to the basement, where not very many people were for some reason, so that I wouldn't have to fight. ... And that's it, I guess. Last time I posted it I remembered some specific people I'd "seen", but it was a while ago now. :p

Ellie woke up rather late the next morning in her bed, and realized she wasn't quite sure what had happened to her over the past twenty-four hours or so. So, to remind herself of what interactions she'd had with the other people in the [strike]RPG[/strike] house and for her own amusement, she decided to play the events back in her mind. She'd meant to have them in a sensible, chronological order, but they ended up just being little flashes of her memory ... She'd wandered the house for a little while, between amused and amazed at its hugeness. House? Mansion? Hard to say which name it really deserved. She'd dragged her stuff up the stairway and into a room without really bothering to check who was living there, which was probably a mistake. Come to think of it, she still didn't have a clue as to who her roommate might be, as whoever it was had obviously gotten up before her. ... Most people had probably gotten up before her ... She'd stayed pretty quiet during the restaurant meeting, though it only contributed more to making her feel like this year was somehow going to be one big reality TV-like experience. Of course, the restaurant sounded like it'd be a ton of fun, and she was hoping she'd get a chance to waitress. Although she was sure she'd be sick of that in time, too. She'd contemplated grabbing a beer during the small event that resembled a party, but had decided not to, remembering her own ridiculously low tolerance and the fatigue she was experiencing from the rather long day of travel. Oh, and she was almost sure she'd overheard someone, for some odd reason, calling her "Terra." ;) Well, it was a new day, and Ellie was up and dressed in about fifteen minutes. She headed downstairs to the kitchen, where she thought she heard voices.

[color=green]Hi MidnightWolf, RPGs should have a thorough background and plot to them, and the first Recruitment post should contain at least a brief overview of that story. Your post contains no back story whatsoever. Seeing this post and your post in the Battle Arena, I'd urge you to put a little more effort in when you're posting in the Arena sections of OtakuBoards. [b]Please review the rules and The Harlequin's sticky.[/b] I'd also encourage you to look over other RPGs for examples of what is acceptable in this forum, and put more effort into your posts in the Adventure Arena. Feel free to PM me or any other moderators if you have any questions. Thanks, --terra[/color]

Hehe ... I do like its simplicity, I have to say. Though the violence of the thing is a little less ... endearing. :p But hey, AC is not exactly a sunny game, I'd guess at least. It sort of looks like a closeup of some sort of machine gun to me, but I'd guess it was actually an AC ... somehow. I'm curious to see what other AC banners you've come up with recently :).

Indeed. To AzureWolf. In that I would much rather have my classes earlier and get them over with. The afternoon is my favorite time, and I'd like to have that as free as possible. Odd, in high school, my classes started at 9 and let out at 3:20. My friends who went to public school envied me -- their classes started at 8 or so, but they got out at around 2. And I always envied them, because I'd rather have the afternoon that much emptier. But having to wake up at 6:30 or earlier does sound a little tough to me ... I guess it's all about balance.

Ha, thanks, Dagger. The Scrapped Princess thing is quite a compliment :D. And, the reason you never saw this thread is probably because the last time I updated it was practically when you'd just become a member. ... That's a lie, but it'd been like a month. Anyway ... ~aya kinimoto~, yeah, you can have the Aya banner if you want it. I assume you're referring to the one on ... the first page? If so, I can change the text on it if you'd like, just PM me.

[color=green]Hi, Tujex, and welcome to OB. :) A couple things you should know. The first post of the recruitment thread should contain a rundown of the back story to your RPG. So, you should have a general idea of the back story [i]before[/i] you post. Please edit your first post to include a storyline, ASAP. Also, signup sheets are required to be somewhat more extensive than just the character's name, class, and weapon. This is to prevent people from signing up with three-word posts, which is considered spam at these boards. You may want to add in a description, brief bio ... anything to give the characters a bit more substance. I'd encourage you to check out some of the other RPGs in the forum for some examples. Also, remember to read the rules for OB, as well as the sticky at the top of the forum, if you haven't already. Oh, and finally, though it is interesting to see every smiley for the forum in one post ... it's probably not really necessary. That's not a rule, really, just my advice. :p --terra[/color]

I am recalling my own rather old thread ... I hope that's all right. I didn't want to start a new one, and rather like having all this archived here. Anyway, I randomly made some banners tonight. And here they are. [i]Scrapped Princess[/i] ones: (I just finished watching this show which most of you have probably never heard of, so I figured I'd make some banners for it. "The poison that will destroy this world" is from the show.) [img]http://pantheon.yale.edu/~elc23/fun/scrapped1.gif[/img] [img]http://pantheon.yale.edu/~elc23/fun/scrapped2.gif[/img] One from [i]Pita Ten[/i]: (I've never seen this show, just found this ridiculously cute picture and figured it deserved a banner ...) [img]http://pantheon.yale.edu/~elc23/fun/pita-ten.gif[/img] Any thoughts, you just let me know. :p

As Aissa stared silently at the darkened map, she was distracted by a townsperson stumbling into her. "What the --" she said, turning around to yell about inconsiderate people and manners, but the words died on her lips. The Shii'Saiit looked ... dazed. "The announcement," he whispered. "What?" Aissa said. "The announcement," the man repeated, then with sudden, awkward violence, he grabbed her arms, squeezing them with rough fingers. His hot breath in her face as she pulled away in fear, he cried, "Mage! You must know something. [i]You[/i] must be aware, able to --" He was cut off as a staff fell across the back of the head with a loud clunk, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. Aissa and Leile both looked over to Anubis, who was standing calmly, ignoring their incredulous expressions. "We should see this ... announcement," was all he said, and walked away towards the center of town. A mass of people were clustered around one wall of a building, and as the three of them neared they saw soft yellow parchment tacked on its wall. Aissa began reading as soon as proximity would allow it ... OOC: I don't particularly want to write this letter, but I'm going to. Arcadia, if you don't like it, just let me know. [quote][i]To the people of Laeth E'Thae: A dark shadow has fallen over that noble city of Ma'Uriith. Though many of the townspeople left in time, several have succumbed to its black clutches. And now, I inform you with unspeakable grief, the city has fallen. It lies in ruins, occupied only by shades and spirits of a caliginosity that can only be imagined, never described. It is again with the saddest of passions that I inform you that Ma'Uriith is not the only city in danger. Tal'Ebot, Feurith, Shaar, Kaer ... we are all in danger, my friends. We have as yet no idea of what curse we may have fallen under, and accordingly, we know not the means to stop it. But I do not write to a people whom I expect to fall into despair. I do not write to a weakened people, to a country full of those who might abandon hope. I know that you are strong, each in your own way, and I know that in a time of need, a country's people are its most valuable asset. It is with your own strength of character in mind that I call upon you, citizens. To use your courage, your fortitude, your sorcery and charms -- whatever skills you might have, friends, to fight this demon alongside of me. Indeed, to fight it in ways I cannot even think of; I am only one man, and I have not the ingenuity of you thousands of citizens. Please, I urge you, for our country and for yourselves: please offer your assistance in finding the cause of this curse, as well as its cure. To those who, by a mixture of happy chance and their own skills, may be able to aid this land, you will assuredly have the eternal gratitude of our country, and abundant compensations as well. My last words are this: do not give up hope. Whatever burden we face, we all face this together, as one country, one land, one people. And I have confidence that together, we will find a way. We will survive. --The King of Maurii[/i][/quote]

[b]Name:[/b] Lissa Oraisia [b]Age:[/b] 21 [b]Gender:[/b] F [b]World:[/b] Gensine [b]Weapon/s:[/b] N/A [b]Magic:[/b] [i]Ravima[/i] -- Causes the clouds to open and a white beam of light to fall from the heavens over its target. Its effects are various, including (but not limited to) increased concentration, physical healing, and rejuvenation. [i]Sendatu[/i] -- Lissa dedicates some of her own life force to the healing of the target. This gives her more specific powers than [i]Ravima[/i]; she can choose how much energy to expend, and what its effect will be. [i]Peatuma[/i] -- Freezes movement of target. The length of its effect depends again on how much energy Lissa puts into the spell; it can vary from thirty seconds to ten minutes. [b]Location:[/b] Jerrik [b]Bio:[/b] Lissa and her family breed various livestock, and at a young age, Lissa was given the responsibility of shepherdess. She is an extremely stereotypical resident of Gensine, as is the rest of her family; she and her older brother were brought up inculcated with ideas of morality, to always do what was right, to have an inherent love for others, and other ridiculously good-hearted things. Her older brother moved to Knoll to dedicate his life to religion as a Skye monk, and her parents heartily support him. Lissa has a heart of gold and a love for the light. She loves all animals, and has a particular talent with them, given her upbringing. At her brother's departure, she decided also to train at the local Skye Temple, which has allowed her to learn the magical abilities listed above.

Hm. To be honest, as a person with not much of an AC background, it was really hard for me to follow the story. This is probably because of the immense number of characters, added with the skipping around of time between the prologue and the first chapter. We're introduced to so many people, in so short a time, without much of a description of who they are, even if we see their AC. I did really like the sense of action you maintained in the first section, though, which I guess owes some of its strength to the number of people involved. The mission felt very rushed, busy, and violent, the way I'd picture a real mission to feel. I thought you did a really good job of setting up that atmosphere. It was pretty well-written, I think; my biggest problem is that I really can't understand the story very well. It's probably really clear in your head, and maybe it gets clearer in later chapters, but I think right now you're running the risk of alienating the reader kind of early because it's hard to get into the story. There were a few minor punctuation/grammar problems, but overall there was not much of a problem in that department :p. Like I said before, I think that it's easy to see that you're a good writer with a sense of where you're going ... you just need to let the rest of us know where you're going, too. :)