Katzaniel

Okay, by "Current Age", Appy, did you mean like current technology and/or current events and/or ... what? Because I am so tempted to say computers but I think that's partially covered in Current Age. I could be mean and say Canada. Hehe. How about this, if computers/technology is overlapped with Current Age I'll contribute "Words ending in X" (I'm picturing giving the definition and having to come up with the word, but play it how you wish.)

::Wait:: said Inbi. ::Let me check it out; I can't get hurt.:: Sweetcherrie hesitated, then stopped. "Okay." Gryphon nodded, not really paying attention to anything but Mynx. Mynx herself was rubbing the back of her head, clearly still recovering from the landing. Inbi didn't wait any longer. She took off, leaving the paper for a stalactite and then a rock and then pausing in astonishment at the sight that met her eyes. The first thing that registered in her brain was the large tree, branches growing up and out into a sort of gigantic umbrella. And at the base of the tree was a pond, sparkling blue and playing host to floating lily pads. When Inbi got over the fact that not only was there a bar deep within the caverns, but that the bar contained a tree and a pond, she was able to realize that this bar was almost exactly like the Pen Keep: Worked into one wall was the familiar fireplace; the bar ran nearly the entire length of the room; the Mighty Couch sat exactly as near the fireplace as it would let itself be placed; lanterns hung from branches and rafters all over the room; a series of pillars played across the area; the floor was made of hardwood; rock surrounded the fireplace and served as a border to the tree; a loft was set into the rafters; and doors led into what were presumably the kitchen, supply room, and restrooms. What wasn't the same as the Pen's tavern was the fact that this bar was apparently run by and for trolls. An aproned troll served troll patrons their drinks. A dolled-up female troll slipped between the tables with a large platter, narrowly missing the hand of a troll man questing to pinch her. Two bouncer trolls guarded the entrance. Inbi briefly forgot her dream-form in her panic to escape, but remembered when the rock that was hosting her failed to turn around and flee. Then she allowed herself to calm down before returning to the three guild-leaders and presenting the news.

"No dice." (What you just guessed is wrong.) Also, "Beg your pardon?" means "What did you say?", kind of like just "Pardon?" does, but if used at all nowadays it generally indicates that a person heard you, but doesn't really believe that they did.

Cool. Very creative, I love the flow from 2 to 3 and from 4 to 5. I also greatly enjoyed the sentence "A shrill gust of wind, or a sharp breathy scream", though I can't say why. One thing I found distracting was the switch of "sole" and "soul". It's like that deliberate mispelling of "morning" in my own poem that you told me I should remove - very clever, and has a meaning on a second level, but it detracts from the rest of the poem. I kinda didn't like the ending, either. Too abrupt, I guess, though that's probably the point. Anyway, very good. Lots of great phrases, and definitely struck a chord.

Spices? Jade looked Matthias over. He was holding out the bag, not quite smiling but apparently earnest. She took a bundle from his hands, peered in, and nodded, trying a smile. "Thanks." It was a nice gesture, and Jade knew that the meal would taste much better with these additions, but she wasn't sure what else he wanted. He just stood there, watching as she added the items. "Um... so, where are you from?" she put forth, stirring. "Valensia," he replied. A moment's pause, then he echoed her own question. "Lamoss." No one else was paying much attention. Grasshopper struggled in her mind for something else to say. She couldn't remember what Orin had said about Matthias - though she supposed it had something to do with scouting - so there was no inspiration from that. She was spared the effort when he spoke again. "Did you hear anything interesting last night at the tavern?" With relief she answered. This was something that she could talk about. "A murder in the streets, night before last. Popular opinion says a theft gone bad, but I discovered that the knife was in the man's back. Nothing related to us, I'm sure, but it's always good to know about these things." "What do you think it was?" he queried, voice not betraying any emotion. Grasshopper suspected that he was only casting about for something to say in order to keep the conversation going. Jade wondered what reason he had to keep talking, but immediately dismissed any possibility of danger from him. Their superiors would never have chosen him for this mission if there was a chance of his motives being discordant with those of the Confederacy. He must simply be trying to get to know her. "I'm not sure. Obviously someone wanted him dead; could be someone was hired to kill him, but did a poor job of making it look like an accident." Matthias nodded thoughtfully, then the awkward silence returned. Eventually Jade lifted the pot from the fire. "Meal's ready," she announced, moving back toward the rest of the company.

I beat it! Didn't use any hints, either! (If anyone *wants* any hints, I will try to help you out without giving away too much at once). Appendum: That's the GrowCube one, that is.

"Beg your pardon?" (The shorter ones are hard, but I couldn't think of a longer one with Pardon in it, and using My seemed like cheating).

I am interested, but I may not have time enough for all stages. If you need to know now, just assume stage 2, but if I can decide as each stage comes out, that may be different.

Sorry to interrupt the flow of IC requests. I wanted from the beginning to read this over and do it properly, but now I have neither read all the posts nor have a sufficiently creative response in mind, and know that I'm going to have less and less time over the next few days, so here's my request: Fairy Tale: Gyrfalcon and the Seven Keys Please tell it as a story that may have happened but been stretched out of proportion over time, and is no longer necessarily realistic to anyone who actually knows him but rather to those who have heard of his many deeds. (I'm asking this to make it easier, so that you don't have to be totally consistent to the character, but that we can still recognize elements of the Gyrfalcon we know - plus, in Gaze of Eternity he laments the larger-than-life image he has accrued over time, and I think it would be really neat to hear one of the stories that is part of that.)

Correction: Mod abilities aren't in the top right, that's something everyone has. I did find mod abilities though. Sweetcherrie says she has abilities in some subforums and not others - I haven't tested fully, but have them in at least 2 subforums. However, the particulars of those would probably be better off in PMs. The other thing, since I'm posting anyway, is that polls rock now (you can ask multiple questions), and that everyone should go check out the Board Assistant (right next to My Controls and View New Posts in the upper right corner of the board) because it's actually handy now.

Notes: I can see the AVV. (IE browser). I can still use mod abilities. (They're in the top right, though.. maybe you just didn't see them there, Sweetcherrie?) Yui rocks. And whoever else helped with the upgrade. It's neat-o. *wild cheer* Whoa! We can change the size of the post-square!

It just seemed to me that this person did not realize what this site is about. I gave my opinion regarding their questions, but indicated that if these are their concerns, they should be looking to a different sort of forum. No, I don't expect that everyone writes to be published. But don't we expect that you at least like to write? Yes, the Cabaret room is for off-topic discussions. But, in my opinion at least, one shouldn't come into a writing community and start out in this manner. I guess I'm saying (or making a bad attempt at saying) that I agree with the point that you agreed on... and agree that I should have gone about pointing that out in a different manner. Sorry, wanderingcamel.

Did I miss the assignment coming through? Sal, I think this is a great idea, but didn't post originally because I didn't know if I'd have enough time after you posted the assignment. I think you might garner more interest from people (including me) if you let people participate if/when they're inspired and not have to sign up (if that's what you were waiting for). Cheers, Katz

Um... hi. Supply and demand. If you're willing to pay it, they'll charge it. Some people don't pay. They walk, ride a bike, take the bus... it's good for the environment and, bit by bit, it probably is affecting the cost. But, try getting the whole country together against it - especially including people who have to get to places that are far away on a regular basis, and don't want to waste their lives in travelling - and you'll have some trouble. Why not? We help both. My question is, why are you posting this here? This is a writing site.

Did that stalactite just talk to me? wondered Inbi, even before she realized that she was now inhabiting the paper. What the...? She couldn't feel the pulsing of magic, but the cave was rocking, the stalactites were beginning to break off, the wind was howling and they were deep within a cavern. She thought she heard another voice somewhere, before everything went white again. Inbi settled down to concentrate on the paper. This was easier, since she was inside of it now, and it definitely existed. When the mist kept reforming, Inbi began to get a little ambitious, and she attempted to form a stairway up, out into the open, too... but when in one panic-stricken moment the paper disappeared, Inbi forgot about everything but it. Paper. I'm a piece of paper. And it explains how I'm here, and that I can't really do much, but at least I'm here. Finally the mist cleared, for the last time. Inbi was no longer hanging off the roof, and luckily the cave was no longer falling apart. It was a totally different cave than the first time, or the second, or at least they weren't in the same place within it. Inbi-paper wasn't quite sure how the world worked yet, but the point was that they were lost. Not that they hadn't been before. Gryphon and Sweetcherrie were both standing now, and surveying the area. "I think maybe we had been heading that way...?" "Does it matter?" Gryphon looked upset. "Everything is different. How can we know which way is the right way, if we were even going the right way before?" Sweetcherrie began to shrug, before her eye caught on the piece of paper lying on the cavern floor. She bent to pick it up, and scanned it. "Inbi is here now, too." "What?" "That's what this says..." "But we didn't feel her coming?" What? The young woman perked up. There are others here as well? That was a good sign. Maybe.... maybe she could somehow communicate with them, create a piece of paper there too... but unless the world emptied again, there didn't seem to be much chance of that. Gryphon went to stand beside his co-guildleader and read the note as well. "The Cloak of Dreams... Odd that it can reach us here." "She must be right, we are in some sort of living dream." "So..." Gryphon looked around. "Isn't there any way to talk with us directly, at least? Maybe we can open ourselves to it." "Yeah," added Sweetcherrie. "That's a good idea. If all three of us concentrate..." From Inbi's vantage in Sweetcherrie's hands, she saw them both close their eyes. Well, worth a try, she thought, and then put everything she'd learned so far into attempting to make a thought appear in their minds. ::Can you hear me?:: Gryphon opened his eyes excitedly. "Did you get that?" "No... try again, Inbi..." Of course. Gryphon was more practised in communication magics. But if she could talk to him, perhaps she could talk to Sweetcherrie. It wasn't necessary to speak with both, but it would make things easier. ::Sweetcherrie... C'mon, hear me this time, Sweetcherrie:: "I... There it is! I heard my name!" ::You can both hear me now?!:: "Yes," they both chorused. ::That's awesome!:: "Hmm, so, you can't do anything else?" mused Sweetcherrie. ::Um, not really. I can move around a bit. And maybe - you said some others were here somewhere?:: "Vincent Silver. Tanuchan, Mynx, Patham. Vlad, Stephen, and Anna." ::Any idea where?:: "No." ::Well, maybe I can try to find them... Unless you have another idea?:: Inbi hoped they did, for finding the others in this crazy world would be no easy task, and she was liable to lose these two if she tried.

Cheers! It's good to see you around again, and proclaiming semi-permanence at that. I hope RL gives you a break now.

"Mrmmrmle," said Lucy shyly in what everyone took be some sort of "no", for her next action was to make a run for the door without looking anyone in the eye. She quickly turned the handle and had made good her escape before any of the others had had a chance to reply to the question.

Now if maybe a mod would be so kind as to move Black's pro-slug post (the first one, I believe) into the new thread?

Specific Rules can be found here. Judge Katzaniel presiding. The resolution is: "Be it resolved that a slug is more dangerous than a cricket." Arguing for the Negative (against the resolution) is the curious Patrick. Arguing for the Affirmative (for the resolution) is the daring Black. Black will start us off. Let the debate begin! Katzaniel starts her watch and settles down to listen.

Good question. Perhaps someone deleted it because they thought it was an accidental double-posting. I'll make the post again now and fix the link.

I have 1 more person expressing interest in doing a debate. Does there happen to be anyone wanting to join in, who's been holding back? Or who missed the sign up and now has some free time on their hands? In the interest of speeding this up, if you are willing to join in at this late date, please claim the spot in this thread and then PM me ASAP with your arguments for and against the Mario/Luigi debate.

Sweetcherrie loped along the tunnel, sword drawn, looking this way and that for any sign of danger. Gryphon walked almost backward, keeping a sharp eye out for anything following them. Both looked very nervous. Calm down, thought Inbi-the-rock, who by now was convinced that this was some sort of dream/reality combination, where the actual plane was influenced by the inhabitant's imagination. Don't you see that every time you think you hear something, something actually makes a sound?! She had seen it multiple times: One of them would cock their head, stop, and then gesture to the other. Both would listen for a moment, and as if on cue, a footstep or rumble would echo down the corridor. Twice, a troll had actually appeared before escape was made good. Then Gryphon faced abruptly forward. "I think there's something there," he murmured. Sweetcherrie glanced that way, and then backward, opening her mouth to respond. A rumble was heard immediately in front of them and then footsteps behind. Oh no, what have you gotten yourselves into now? Inbi fairly wailed with frustration. They hadn't seen any side tunnels for some time, so the only real chance was to keep going and hope for escape that way. Neither needed to say a word; they dashed forward. Inbi followed, praying for a split in the path. If it came down to a battle, they might win, but neither was at their best and she hadn't figured out how to alter anything yet. She knew, or hoped so much that she felt it must be true, that it was possible. She hadn't really stopped trying, though her efforts now included attempts at forgetting that a given cave wall existed, for example. But that was harder than simply travelling around, for the walls looked very solid. Then the troll was before them. Sweetcherrie didn't hesitate; she went right forward, slashing at it, but one tired movement of its arm and she was on the floor, thrown back almost to where Gryphon stood. "Are you all right?" he called, judging the distance to the troll and obviously planning a spell of some sort. When she didn't answer, he moved forward, crouching at her side and ready to fling something at the troll if it made a move. He looked at her worriedly; Sweetcherrie had no obvious bleeding, but was out cold. That's when the second troll appeared. Thank goodness for our heroes, that's also when Appy made the first complete connection with the button. Everything went white, and mist once again filled the area. Inbi felt herself without a tethering point for a moment, but the plane began to reinhabit itself. She seized this moment and concentrated very hard on the piece of paper that she absolutely knew had been lying there but a moment before. Oh yes - she'd written on it herself. How could the paper not be there any more? They had been in a huge cavern with a single sheet of lined paper on the floor. The plane took ideas from the minds of Gryphon and the others, to the most extent, since they were actually on the plane. But the force of Inbi's thoughts on the mostly empty world did in fact cause the paper to appear. They were still in the tunnels, but both trolls were gone, and there were five exits off this particular section of the tunnel.

Lucy is extremely shy, unless she's looking through the camera's lens. This changes her personality, and she will talk and talk, but often not within hearing. She's just less aware of the world when taking pictures.

Lucy enters the room with her camera nearly glued to her face. In quick succession she has taken pictures of Sweetcherrie, Celina, Christopher, the coffee machine, the walls, the furniture, and even the floor, all the while muttering a soft-spoken monologue. At one point she raises her voice within hearing to say, "I thought I heard someone here ask for coffee, it's just over there...", muttering for a few moments, then saying, "....Oh, sorry, I'm Lucy..." and then plunging right back into too-quiet speech. When she's finished cataloguing the room to her satifaction, Lucy brings the camera down from her eyes and looks around at everyone. Immediately her posture changes and she looks very timid, refusing to look anyone in the eye and retreating quickly to one corner of the room.

The carnival had been a long one, and the process of closing down had been slow. The Pen had been the last stop for the carnies this summer, so they each took down when they felt that their activity had worn thin, or that they wanted to be home with their families, and they travelled home in small groups. Dain, as usual, was the last to leave. The carnival had been basically over for many days, but the guildleaders generally considered Dain's leaving as marking the official ending, and so they now felt a little sad. "Been some fun," commiserated Dain as he stood outside his packed caravan. "We'll all miss y'all." Sweetcherrie nodded, and shook his hand. Mynx hugged him. They all said goodbye in their own ways, and then the last official remnant of the festival got into his caravan and drove off.