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589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | - Hillsfar, ruled by Lord Malthiir, believed by the party to be a former gang/crime lord, who came to power by unknown means. - The Red Plumes, an army of mercenaries recently added to a pre-existing smaller force; news its victory over the most recent orc attack (of which there have been three so far in the region) is spreading, attracting more enlistees. - The local Thieves' Guild, a member of which helped acquire the antidote for Ian and Rhanellus - The Hand, a mysterious order of deadly monks and assassins - K'Sh'Aal, a powerful unidentified figure who apparently pulls many strings; according to Luc, the name is reminiscent of those used by dragons - The Zhentarim, an order of sorcerers who actively seek power; rumor suggests that they are on the verge of an internal struggle - The Harpers, a centuries-old secret society that seeks a way to restore Faerun - Jalal, the Elven-designated watcher/keeper of Cormanthor - Garovia, a recently-awakened corrupted Druid, whereabouts unknown - Orcs, thousands of which live north of the Moonsea; the attack on Hillsfar is the third such action in the past year - The Citadel of the Raven, a tower complex where resides Lividia, who has been linked to Rhanellus, the sacking of Shadowdale, keech (an addictive plant), the recent orc invasion, possible agents within the Red Plumes, and the foreign goblin machinists - Lizard Folk, of which nothing is known except they attacked the party during the interrogation of a keech-addicted Red Plume guard Plus various individual contacts the party has met or heard of. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | It's okay, rock lobster. All is well. If email is iffy, we can always use this handy blog. I will make an effort to deliver announcements both here and by email. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | perhaps we can have it that if an email is sent out that a confirmation email can be sent back. i don't know why it didn't go through or why no one received it. the only way ben knew what he did is because i spoke to him on thursday. i'm going to stop using the netscape account though - if everyone could change my email to [email protected], i would appreciate it. sorry again |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Mir -- Ben said something about 50/50. Regardless, we missed you; hope your day was a good one. Father Castillion has been found, and the end of the battle of Hillsfar was remembered, in which everyone earned an average of 2,000 xp, and a few leveled. Also, Scott got some much needed rest. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | I don't know how long RTG will last. I don't see a reason to end it, as I am presently committed to gaming as a regular activity in my life. Players may come and go, but I will be writing and running some sort of game as long as people want to participate in such. # posted by Harmony : 10/15/2003 03:31:00 PM so does that mean rtg will last until 2005? # posted by hotcocoa : 10/15/2003 02:56:13 PM At my current pace, I will graduate in either Dec '05 or May '06. Sure takes a long time to earn 48 credits. # posted by Harmony : 10/15/2003 11:46:41 AM |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | and as far as characters go, i like luc - i want to see where her story goes - i've committed over 2 years to seeing how she would develop and i want to see the ending. i feel like i owe it to her. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | and i don't even believe that duellacathata is actually dead. i can't believe that powerful of a magic user wouldn't have a backup plan in case her body was destroyed. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | To be fair, Duellacathata didn't directly frame the party; that was (supposedly) the desire of K'Sh'Aal (or, rather, his/her/its representative). Duellacathata just wanted Falchez dead and buried in his family's magically sealed tomb. Or so she claimed. Ashes, of course, tell no tales. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | i'm going to stick with Ian, for now. but having the choice is quite cool. welcome, scott! glad you were able to get in this time. let me know if you have any further trouble. any chance we could just teleport to the dragon's graveyard, and then teleport back? 'cause *damn* it's a long way back south, in the opposite direction of everything else we want to see, even by way of the cave network previously mentioned... after we find out about castillian, i say we: - clear our names, expose the conspiracy, report the lizard men sighting - determine burne's fate - go destroy the keech fields and, maybe, lividia - find a big enough city where we can all train and otherwise increase our skills not necessarily in that order, but close enough. was the Hand mentioned as possibly being involved in our current predicament, in regards to the murder we've been accused of? can't *believe* that Zhenterem bitch killed that banker and framed us for the murder, just so she could raise him from the dead to steal from his own deceased grandmother. way to go, rhanellus! burn baby burn... |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Once the party discovers what happened to Castillion (a mystery that technically matters directly to only two present characters -- Gregory and Ian), the group will be at an interesting crux: What Next? The party is now international in membership, and global (and beyond) in awareness of The World. The mysteries and challenges that have been placed on the table are definitely different from how the story began. This may be frustrating to some, and I understand the desire for simplicity (Let's Just Get The Ring to Mount Doom), but it was always my intention to create a broad, organic world within which various characters could pursue adventure and glory. I had done the Single Through-Line campaign before; I was interested in trying something with fewer (if any) boundaries. The catch, though, is that the game began with certain set archetypes, if you will -- various Local Yokels and a couple of Wild Cards who set out to figure something out -- and those archetypes may, very reasonably, strain a bit at the edges as they move beyond the comfort zone of what they originally intended and expected to do. Which is kind of my point -- what do the players feel about their characters' comfort zones? Of the current party, Fennie and Connor are the most likely to pursue adventure for its own sake. Rhanellus has a personal journey to take that seems, at the moment, to be connected to the Big Picture in some unknown way. Adan has a spiritual calling to Right What Has Been Changed, and it is natural for him to roam the world on that quest. Luc, like Rhanellus, has a personal journey that seems linked somehow to the events of the world -- specifically, the often-mentioned return of the Demon Kings. But then, there are other issues: Connor would probably like to find the other two thirds of the Codex one day; Fennie would like to put this map to the Dragon's Graveyard to use before she dies; Luc would like to know who made her a 'key,' and can it be undone; and Rhanellus wants to go wherever clues lead him to his own self-knowledge. Each of these goals is, unlike the World In Crisis situation, not only individual and unique, but geographically diverse -- to the point: Candlekeep, the Citadel of the Raven, the mountains on the other side of the Dalelands, Cormyr, Zhentil Keep, and the distant land of Thay. Talk about an Indiana Jones red line map crawl. And then: What of Gregory? Does he feel a pull to move beyond his comfort zone, or is it a natural evolution for him to remain in the Central Heartlands of Faerun, patrolling the darkness that lurks therein? Likewise, what of Ian? Should he return to the monastery and report what he has learned, or is he a free agent? I'm not declaring anything here -- just sharing some observations from this side of the screen. What we have now is the result of something I have personally always wanted to do, but never tried -- a game world that spans centuries, nations, and even continents and oceans. There is room for everyone, and for every player in the saga, Glory Awaits. But what Glory will that be? The Local Hero? The Regional Hero? The Hero of the Land? The Hero of a World? Or the Hero of the Multiverse? Certainly questions worth thinking about. As I mentioned in the previous post, all characters are welcome to follow their path to Glory from the point where they started. Likewise, players are free to create new heroes should their characters evolve onto a path unique to themselves. Unless a character dies, everyone who has been in the world will still be an active and prominent participant in the world, even if they are not represented in a game session. Boris Borovich and Burne Trinson are out there even now, making choices that matter. The same could be said of any character that chose to veer off on his or her own. Personally, I like all the characters. I enjoy their choices and their actions, both their desires and the things they don't really give a flying fig about. All are welcome to do as they please, as they follow their own Road to Glory. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Referring to Johnathan's post, I think that the party clearly does not have the same goals. This is fine, mind you, but needs pointing out none the less. Personally, I just don't feel that Gregory has evolved enough within himself to be able to broaden the lens/scope for him. He is still very much following his own set of goals. Some of which are shared by other party members, such as finding Castillion, but like the majority of the party, he seems to have his own agenda. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | [ Mon Oct 06, 05:44:17 PM | hot chocolate ] oh burne, how i miss thee and thine control over ye big mouthed monk. [ Mon Oct 06, 04:19:35 PM | Harmony Baggins ] ...and so it was that Burne lived out his years, with wife and kids, in the land of Chesterfieldius. In case you're curious: after pursuing various leads regarding both their recent memory loss and the murder they are suspected of committing, the party has made a curious and partially unexplained bargain with several Illithids, who promise to restore their memories -- an act which may resolve several questions, one of which being the location and activities of the missing Burne. [ Mon Oct 06, 03:22:03 PM | John Robinson ] RTG Notebook My famous/infamous notebook is currently enroute to Mr. Haley via a courier who will exchange for some SG-1 DVDs when he next attends a non-cancelled Hand of Shiva session. Good journey. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | To paraphrase JMS of B5 fame, one might consider this the story of a platoon in WWII. Whatever happens to the platoon, the story of WWII goes on, often dwarfing the individual soldier. Perhaps the best one can hope for is to be present at Midway, or help raise the flag on Iwo Jima, or be the bombadier on the Enola Gay. Regardless, there are two valid choices: either to focus only on one's own mission and interests, or to expand that focus to include the scope and detail of the war in part or in its entirety. What the player finds entertaining, rewarding, and manageable is often defined by what he or she chooses to be specifically relevant to the character. Of course, in a party of seven characters, there are seven separate lists of what is relevant. If one is to remain with a party and not go off on one's own -- which would be perfectly acceptable, except that it would result in leaving the game -- there is an argument to be made for being aware of what the other six individuals deem relevant to them. Otherwise, one is watching choices without clear motivation, and the result can be a frustrating chaos. Thus, the list of what one needs to know to function within the story grows a little bit longer. And so on. By the way, as a general note: If any player starts to feel that his or her character *would*, at some point, decide that it's more logical to leave the party and pursue his or her own agenda, it is perfectly acceptable for the player to create another character that will join the party and take the previous character's place. There's no rule that says you must stay with one character throughout. Once provided with the player's basic guidelines/requests, I would NPC the character Somewhere Out In The World until such a time that the player wanted that character to return. Alternately, the path of the absent character might later intersect with the party again, and for a time the player could play both until one left again (hopefully this would only be a session or two.) Anway -- just a random thing to toss out there. Even though it began as a simple mystery of What Happened to Father Castillion, the camera has pulled back far enough now that almost all the world is in play. Thus my interest in launching some side games that occur elsewhere in the world's history. This post, like many stories, seems to have grown with the telling. I'll stop now. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | dude, i have no idea where that notebook is now but i get your point. i can keep most of it in my head, it's just such an epic and i have such a hard time pronouncing the names! |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | [ Mon Oct 06, 12:11:48 PM | hot chocolate ] and the cast still remaining from the first season are: Scott Moran (Gregory) Miriam Maddux (Luc) Ben Haley (Brother Ian) Jimi Harrell (Rhanellus) the scoobys and of course, the god of us all, Johnathan Shipley. [ Mon Oct 06, 11:28:50 AM | Harmony Baggins ] Early 2001. A little over two years, I think. [ Mon Oct 06, 10:00:10 AM | hot chocolate ] how many years have we've been playing now? [ Mon Oct 06, 09:11:03 AM | Harmony Baggins ] Thanks, chocolate. Though a game isn't any good without players to make it so. [ Sun Oct 05, 07:46:58 PM | hot chocolate ] great game johnathan! |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Perhaps you can make notes to yourself during the game, as John did. I supplied notebooks and folders to everyone at the beginning of the campaign for that purpose. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | very interesting but hard to keep in head all at once. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Small Picture - murder rap - lack of identification papers / peace-bonded weapons - K'Sh'Aal - lost 11 days - where's Burne - good/bad Red Plumes - Plume patrol emitting magic aura during battle - Red Plumes defeat orc army twice their size; word spreading beyond Hillsfar - Plume soldier addicted to keech; possible source = Lividia?; link with Boragard and the Bullyboys? - K'Sh'Aal = 'K'? - Esseneth, Luc, and a book you can't put down - Lizard Men under the city - memory flashes of possible forgotten places/events - curious tracks in rooms = possible lead in abandoned area of Civic District - Ethelred, during battle, notes that Rhanellus has two souls...? - Connor's contacts in Hillsfar = info? - How did the party acquire the antidote? - Who wounded Rhanellus and Ian? Big Picture - Zhentarim; Zhentil Keep; possible civil war? - Cormyr vs. Sembia: Spring = War? - Dragon's Graveyard: worth going to right now? - Thulos - Yoggoth - Harpers - Strife between Drow Houses in the Underdark - Arabel (default capital of Cormyr), Lady Myrmeen, the Order of the Shining Dawn, Tilverton threat? - Castillion's fate: still relevant? - Threat from the East? - Demons/Demon Kings rising or returning? - Giants gathering north of the Citadel of the Raven? - Zhentarim interests: black powder, dead giants, crystal swords, time control, demonic sites - Fate of the Obliat - The Shadow of Semerius / Dragons - Fairies and Dragons = the first beings on Teranel? - Curious historical discoveries - Connor's Codex is one volume of three - Mystra's Tear, magic's wane - Where did the Elves go, and will they return? - The Hand and Master Po - What is Calleum doing in the Great Dale? - What army will Gregory lead; did the girl in Shadowdale truly have a gift? - Rhanellus attaked his son...? - Luc is a gift and a key = Shaddath? - What was going on at Adbar / Hellgate Keep? - Can Teranel be restored to whence it was taken? Just some things to ponder. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | greetings, RPG'ers. these two new blogs for 'glory' and 'shiva' have been designed for discussion about the respective games. this will provide a place for us to discuss our characters, the current plot threads, and perhaps even come up with some answers to the puzzles that have been presented to us. it may also serve as a way for the respective Game Masters to get a feel of where the group is heading. my original and grander plans for 'ahvanet' may be on hold indefinitely; rather than wait until the whole thing comes together, i decided to go ahead with the blogging portion. please keep the random tomfoolery to a minimum, so that we can maintain focus; we've got 'circle of irony' for that! |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | god hates his day job |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Testing...1.....2....3......tap,tap,tap. Hey! is this thing on? Hello.... |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | yo, yo, yo homeslices! |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Hey folks -- check your email! No game today. Apologies to all, explanations within. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | i will be there for the entire game this week. woo hoo |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Even funnier if you replace the guys with a drow, a beholder, and an illithid. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | joke moved to circle of irony err...actually not. forget it ever existed These are not the droids you're looking for. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | i will be at the next game! |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | The road to glory is currently a quiet one, it seems. Welcome, Rahn'Keth. I'm your private dancer. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Hey! You buckle your swashes someplace else, pal! This is a family friendly joint! |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | man, that was like one of the best games ever.... |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | this is what i also look for in relationships: No More Messy 'Inky' Towels and Hands * Easy Break Down and Assembly * Customizing Evolving Map * Standard One Inch (1') Grids |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | this makes me want to run a dungeon crawl again: urlLink tact-tiles |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | RTG Party 1.0 (*) indicates Blood of Tilvernus - Burne Trinson*, Paladin of Heironeous, of Tilverton - Brother Ian, Monk, of Tilverton - Boris Borovich*, Fighter, of Tilverton - Gregory Sendant*, Ranger/Fighter, of Tilverton - Luc, Bard, of Cormyr - Rhanellus, Sorcerer/Fighter, heritage unknown RTG Party 2.0 changes: Boris Borovich returns to Tilverton; Connor joins in Shadowdale - Burne Trinson, Paladin of Heironeous - Brother Ian, Monk - Gregory Sendant, Ranger/Fighter - Luc, Bard - Rhanellus, Sorcerer/Fighter - Connor McClaren, Rogue/Wizard, of Hillsfar RTG Party 3.0 changes: Fennie joins in the Underdark - Burne Trinson, Paladin - Brother Ian, Monk - Gregory Sendant, Ranger/Fighter - Luc, Bard - Rhanellus, Sorcerer/Fighter - Connor McLaren, Rogue/Wizard - Hermione Fenwick, Rogue, of Sembia RTG Party 4.0 changes: Burne departs for Rashemen; Gregory acquires new talents; Adan joins in Hillsfar - Brother Ian, Monk - Gregory Sendant, Ranger/Fighter/Druid - Luc, Bard - Rhanellus, Sorcerer/Fighter - Connor McLaren, Rogue/Wizard - Hermione Fenwick, Rogue - Adan, Cleric of Fharlangn, of the Great Dale RTG Party 5.0 changes: Brother Ian and Gregory choose to deliver news to Tilverton; three as-yet unknown heroes join - Luc, Bard - Rhanellus, Sorcerer/Fighter - Connor McLaren, Rogue/Wizard - Hermione Fenwick, Rogue - Adan, Cleric of Fharlangn - Unknown #1 - Unknown #2 - Unknown #3 Party 5.0 will represent 8 different geographic regions of Faerun -- none of them Tilverton. Also, the Blood of Tilvernus is no longer present. Only two witnesses remain of the Winter's Edge festival that initiated the long road to glory. Including the three new additions, the campaign has produced 12 unique player characters so far. What new, future souls may join the present struggle remains to be seen. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | ...but the spirit of the fellowship remains, so long as we hold true to the purpose of the one we sought and found. Castillion's path is much like our own; he left his home with small but noble intent, but now walks a much longer road, towards a goal of global (cosmic?) significance. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Having acquired the proof needed to clear themselves of the murder charge, the party accepted an offer from the shadowy K'Sh'Aal to eliminate the would-be crimelord who framed the party. Given the discovery made after the raid on Grieson's heavily protected auction, it is unclear if the party succeeded. Meanwhile, Ian and Gregory have decided to return to Tilverton to deliver an altered version of events: namely, that Castillion died in Shadowdale, when in fact he did not. On the eve of a rumored message arriving from the East, the party has been invited to join the mysterious Harpers; it is unknown if they will accept. What is known is that the original fellowship that departed from Tilverton is broken, and that three strangers may be joining the remaining heroes as they take their first steps towards entering the ranks of those who hope to achieve the healing -- or, perhaps, the ultimate restoration -- of Faerun. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | It's always nice when you find something...and it is free! Go to urlLink www.wizards.com and click on the red dragon that says 'D&D'. Then on the next screen on the left under Articles, scroll down and click on 'Foldup Paper Models'. This is just fucking awesome. Scott |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | /cricketts chirping in the distance |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | yeah, i don't know why people don't go to this site - |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Even the crickets have stopped chirping.... |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | yuggoth - fungi demon lord? starting to invade higher reaches of underdark. why? possibilities: - demons in general emboldended by wane of magic and the rise of human conflict; seeking to take advantage of both - freed from imprisonment from magical ward, failed now from magic's wane / seismic activity / zhenterum foolishness - seeking to infect at least one creature which might be able to leave local group, thereby preserving its essence prior to when the thulos / cthulhu conflict comes to a head - fleeing from something worse down below ian - not of the blood of tilvernus - not of this world? - union of father castillian and sister jara. castillian in ethereal plane. is he not of the blood of tilvernus as well? is he from beyond the local group? and/or sister jara? master po knows more of ian's - heritage? potential? origins? will possibly guide ian to greater power / energy / etc. manticore cave from 2 years prior - what was the object that master po picked up? where (when?) was the place we had been transported to? other caves with manticore imagery - suggested human presence long before what was know - some caves were gone when we tried to visit them again. possible connection with original manticore cave? displacement of time and space? group has been teleported on several occasions through time and space. how? possibilities: - zhenterum meddling (at least one chronomancer exists; maybe more?) - general instability of faerun magically / physically due to 'local group' issue - someone in the group - nexus of some sort? luc? rhanellous? what happened to the obliat ? connection to dragon's graveyard? have others tried to get it before, or to graveyard? such as: zhenterum, shadow of simerius, demon lords? what happened to all the dragons ? if dragons and faeries were the first inhabitants of faerun, what were the next? when did manticore appear? manticore from somewhere else? did this happen before or after the removal of faerun from the prime material plane into the local group? where did the elves go? did they know about the local group situation? did it predate their depature from the human occupied lands? was there a falling out between their race and the drow? how do the illithids figure into all this? there are apparently evil and less evil (benevloent?) kinds - do they truly seek to rule faerun? if so, how? what if any allies to they possess? zhenterum and harpers have much ancient and magical knowledge - will / have the illithids attempt to join / ally / subvert / infiltrate / destroy either group to further their own ends? is party X good or evil? sinister or just meddlesome? do they possess power to be reckoned with? have the zhenterum approached them? can lividia be beaten by the likes of us, or should we ally ourselves with others before taking her on? all those of the blood of tilvernus in the group have departed said group. coincidence? this bloodline is physically powerful in at least one way: used it to permanently seal the 'beast' in the ruined tower(?) near shadowdale. will the blood be used again for similiar uses? is anyone seeking us out for this very reason? was tilvernus a god, demi-god or powerful hero? when did he walk faerun - before or after the creation of the local group? what others of his ilk strode our lands in times past? what are the harpers ' true intentions? are they any better than the zhenterum? seem more benevolent, compassionate - connection to aden's patron deity? is ian becoming / considered as a harper, by virtue of wearing the pin? |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | in case anyone wishes to know, i did get accepted into the english grad program. but i didnot get the t.a. position which really, really sucks. so, it seems i won't be getting my m.a. from vcu and i'm off to law school. any advice fellow travelers? |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | baak? |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | it is possible that we can move beyond the past and create a new world that no longer has the dark cast of demons and ghosts? is it possible to forgive and still love anew? am i a phoenix rising from the ashes or just a soot-covered fool? |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | in response to ben's journal entry - even though what we are doing may have no real significance and no will ever know the actions we will perform this day, it is still important that we do them. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | this article discusses the american support of and the merits of torture used on political detainees. http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020513&s=schulz |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | enjoy. http://www.knology.net/~carlos/redneck.htm |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | The poet is in command of his fantasy, while it is exactly the mark of the neurotic that he is possessed by his fantasy. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | it's odd and sad - mary magdalene is here but where are peter and judas? |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | nobody reads this damn thing anyway, so i'll attempt to be poetic (and also because johnathan challenged me once long ago about knowing the meaning of love). when we love and we feel that sense of spiritual understanding, that interweaving of self, and we hold each other and cry. crying for joy because of what we have been given, the gift that we sense so few have had, and crying knowing that death, time, or own forgetfulness of that moment will take it away. we argue about the petty, meaningless issues that make up our justification for an existence and forget the times when we were angels - and knowing that was all that mattered. we look back in our lives and laugh. laugh because of the love that we have encountered, the beauty we have seen and for each ending we know there is a beginning and the understanding that the cycle will continually renew. or as john lennon would put it - 'why on earth are we here? surely not to live in pain and fear. why are earth are you over there? when you're everywhere. come and get your share.' so, it's late, and that is my opinion about love .... |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | figured it out - hee hee. hit the team button. then select your name and it will take you to your stats for your name. then on the right hand corner there is a button that says 'edit your profile' where it will take you to a screen so you can change your screen name, etc. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | hmm.. when i refresh the site the new messages come up - okay time to stop hitting the bong... |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | les in order for your post to be on the site you need to hit post&publish.... |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | OK, OK, I finally joined! - Leslie |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | mmm.. maybe could ben could explain better... |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | alright scott what you want to do is go to team |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Ah, crap. It is posting my name and not my selected screen name. Blast this new fangled technology! |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | So how does this damn thing work anyway? |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | aye, tree. happy birthday mr. bach. may you not have a rabbit jump out and strangle you as you utter the words 'why george why?' |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | It's been over 90 degrees the past two days in the big apple. The a/c at work is broken. Ah, April (see post 4/6...). Happy birthday eve, BACH. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | once again the freedom of speech is protected by the supreme court - and the biggest shocker of all thomas did not vote with scalia!!!!!! http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2002/04/16/sc_childporn/index.html |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | a great headline - and yes it is from one of those liberal rags that i read if you don't get it (the headline) pls write your name, address, and phone number on a postcard tie your arms and legs together and throw yourself into the ocean... 'Work to Salvage Racism Conference' |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | welcome, mark! no, as ms. tree has already addressed, i am not in NYC. i still call kip in richmond, though currently i'm on walkabout for first union - i'm training Wachovia brokers on how to use our new hardware and software at various branches in Georgia and the Carolinas. welcome also brother Jason - silent for now, no doubt with fingers steepled, waiting patiently in the shadows for the right moment to STRIKE. either that, or he took one look at the blog and fled in a mixture of terror and disgust (these same people again?!? ;) |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | you guys have got to love this article - he not only says lucas has no talent, that star wars is a bunch of rubbish but also that joseph campbell just sounds erudite but is really a gas bag. http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/2002/04/10/lucas/index.html |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | i'm going to move in with you tree. so save me a space on your sofa - i'm going to write and make documentaries and eat dryer lint. hey, at least you are making a living doing what you love. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | No, Mark, Tree lives in NYC. And it's suddenly cold; but since it's April ('springtime in Germany...') we'll have nice weather again at a moment's notice. --And the cult-cha! Sister, I'm telling you this place is crawling with it. Ironically, I am now working at the costume shop that made the white Elvis-style jumpsuit for Britney Spears' Las Vegas concert PR campaign (she sent us a signed poster of herself in it recently). So much for the highbrow artsy theatre stuff. Sigh. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Ben, does this mean that you're now living in New York? I never seem to hear about anything that happens on the east coast anymore. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | wasn't it just 70 degrees in NY? It must be so exciting to live up there - with all the culture... |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | me again, with more advice on happy blogging. the best page to bookmark (and the only one you need) is http://yelahneb.blogspot.com . from here, you can read what's up, and then if you decide to post something, you can click on the click here to login and post link on the left side (this takes you to www.blogger.com). from there, login to 'circle of irony', type in your words of wisdom, click on 'post & publish', and then click on the view web page link in the left and center of the page to see how what you've written looks like on the blog (alternatively, you can just refresh the yelahneb.blogspot.com page ). REMEMBER: don't forget to 'post' AND 'publish' your missives (there's also a single 'post & publish' key). if you only click on 'post' and not 'publish', the sysop (me) has to come in behind you and 'publish' your text - otherwise, it doesn't show up on the blog. everyone wants to read what you have to say - don't deny us! ;) |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Snow flurries happening. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | hello group - now that i'm starting to get the hang of writing HTML, please post any suggestions you might have about the look of the site - things like font size, color, etc. for that matter, if any of you are having trouble with logging on, posting, etc., please email me. also - for those wanting to look cool and clever, you can have whatever hip 'handle' you want on the blog. that way all you shadowrunners can remain pseudo-anonymous! to change your handle: while you're on the 'post and publish' side of the blog, click on 'team', click on your name, and then click on 'edit your profile' in the top right hand corner. if you want a single word for your handle, just choose a character of some sort (like a ! or a number or something similar) for your first name, and enter your handle in the last name field (you have to do it this way because Blogger forces you to fill out both name fields). of course, you're entirely welcome to go by your actual name, but that's soooo 20th century. ;) while you're on this screen, go ahead and set your time zone to EST if you haven't already. you can put in a relevant email addy for yourself if you wish, but it isn't necessary. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Ciao, babies. Glad you've created another discussion forum, yelahneb; hope it gets put to good use. I'll visit occasionally (like now, as my roommate's travelling & I can use her computer). Now I'm going back to sleep. Stay safe & warm, y'all; they're calling for snow flurries in the Big Apple tonite. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | [4/5/2002 5:51:57 PM | miriam maddux] okay, okay. something wry? or interesting? i still like the one about the woman who was trying to sell her baby for a dog - i'll ask once again - what is your trade-in value? >>>>>i had to delete and recreate this post to do some admin stuff. thanks for being the first to join, mir! |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | welcome, chummers, to the new and improved circle of irony . join us as we blather on with a sense of relevence and self-importance about an endless array of topics: politics... science... religion... politics again... yes, this is hard electronic proof that i (and now you, apparently) have one or more of the following: 1. no life 2 too much idle time 3. a job with a computer (those fools think you're working - you'll show *them*!) 4. an idiot in your life named ben sooo, with those qualifiers out of the way, let the posturing and mindless chatter commence! this way, there's no need for us to clog our inboxes with meandering discussion threads - and if you no likey the thread, you can simply not visit the site for a few days. it's beautiful, man... now get posting! if you've replied to the 'blogger invite' that i sent, you should be able to post by now to the special 'publishing' site. the page that you add posts to (or 'publish', as blogger describes it) gives you an entry screen at the top. once you've 'published' whatever bit of wry writ you've come up with, you can then go to http://yelahneb.blogspot.com to check it out by clicking on the 'view web page' link. in other words, the site you enter your rant on isn't the same site for viewing everyone else's. if you have any questions, give me a holler. if this seems like more trouble than it's worth, go back to sleep. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | you've come a long way, baby 'Before all of this happened I was extremely interested in posing,' Silvas said in an interview posted on the Playboy Web site. 'I have the utmost respect for the entire company, and I believe posing for Playboy is the American dream for a woman.' http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/05/31/stripper.mom.reut/index.html |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | this is very scary and john - not from salon magazine.... what about protests and freedom of speech? are we all supposed to sit there like robots while someone speaks? isn't decorum an option rather than a legal issue? http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20020530_1105.html |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Speaking of Russia, what in the world is going on here? Russia became a junior member of NATO recently (like 2 days ago). Correct if I'm wrong, but NATO was formed to combat the Warsaw Block (which died 10-15 years ago). The Warsaw Block was held together by the USSR (aka Russia). Why do we need NATO anymore if Russia is such a good friend that it is joining the very organization that participated in its defeat during the Cold War?!?!? Something does not add up here. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | in response to the russian article - every religion has it's beginnings somewhere and who knows, we can be looking at the beginning of another christ cult. i felt very envious of the fact that this man is very secure with who and what he is - i loved the quote that to keep it simple he would start by telling us, yes, he is jesus christ. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | I am going off of other people's words here, but, supposedly, the Ep II novel discusses spirits (for lack of a better word). When Anakin has sanpped and is slaughtering the Tuskins, they pan back to Yoda and you here Qui-Gon say 'Anakin! Anakin! NO!!!!' In the book, Yoda and Windu are puzzled by this, because there has aparently never been an reports of an afterlife or whatever you want to call it. Taking that, you could assume that Yoda and Obi-Wan figured out how to live on. Remember, Obi-Wan warns Vader that he will become more powerful than can be imagined. Now, it does not explain Vader. Mir - Obi-Wan did not communicate with Luke immediately upon his death, possibly explaining why Yoda did not. As for sensing Leia, that's easy. She was not attuned to the Force at that point, masking her from Vader. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | 'Sergei Torop was a traffic cop in the small Russian town of Minusinsk until 1989, when he announced that he was the son of God. Now he commands a following of thousands and rules over a large swath of the Siberian mountains. Ian Traynor makes a pilgrimage.' http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,721088,00.html |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | i think you may be putting much more thought into your analysis of the movie than was actually put into the script for attack of the clones or phantom menace. the issues you are pointing out are due to inconsistency on the part of george lucas. then again, one could argue why was obi-wan able to communicate with luke after his death but yoda wasn't? or why darth vader could sense luke but couldn't sense leia ? my point being is that there are no real answers to these questions - we could conjecture on what the answers are but none of these very valid points were addressed in the movies so we can only assume that it was lucas who was not paying attention to the details of his films. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | something else that hasn't been specifically addressed yet: 'disappearing' vs. 'leaving a corpse' at the death of a jedi. in e4, obi-wan 'dies' at vader's saber, but leaves no body behind - an event which seems to puzzle vader. in e6, yoda dies by visibly fading away in front of luke. also in e6, vader dies, but his body remains. same for qui-gon in e1, and some unknown jedi in e2 (in the arena scene). so what's up with that? you can't argue that only jedi masters get to fade away when they buy it - qui-gon was a master. there's an argument to be made regarding whether a jedi has the time to anticipate his or her own death; yoda and obi-wan both knew it was immanent, and if there's some 'thing' one needs to do to not leave a body behind, perhaps it requires at least a few moments to prepare. obi-wan turned off his saber and closed his eyes; yoda relaxed and closed his eyes. some sort of meditative state is suggested by these moments. qui-gon did medidate in the middle of his fight with darth maul, but he apparently felt optimistic enough about the outcome of the battle that he didn't bother to memorize the 'body fade away at death' spell. ;) however, he stayed alive long enough to have some final words with obi-wan - so why wasn't he able to utilize that period of time to initiate his 'disappearence'? unless it requires that you prepare yourself before a fatal blow, this explanation isn't consistent. and then there's vader/annakin. supposedly, and by his own admission, luke 'saved' him from the dark side before he died. he even appears as a 'ghost' next to obi-wan and yoda at the end of e6 - which suggests that all 3 of them went to the same 'place' after death. so why does vader leave a body behind? i've heard some fans argue that perhaps his body faded away 'off camera', and that luke was only burning vader's armor in the funeral pyre. i don't buy this, though. heck, maybe the 'disappearing death' is some new trick that the jedi learn between e2 and e4! after all, sometime during this same period, the whole branch of thought concerning 'midichlorians' gets dumped... thoughts? i know this is an obscure one, and it may come down to an inconsistency that in hindsight, lucas said, 'oh crap, that's right. oh well.' |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | the circle of irony welcomes our two latest members: shannon erwin and johnathan 'better-late-than-never' shipley. ;) please see the prior notes about proper 'blogging' contained in prior posts - they're in the archive section now, but they're a good reference should you have any questions. episode 3 news: apparently there will be 'several' years between e2 and e3, and then 'about 20' years between e3 and e4. luke and leia will appear as 'infants' in e3 (towards or at the end). my rant: i'm getting tired of CGI being used to create human or human-like creatures. landscapes are OK, but CGI creatures are still just fancy cartoon characters. until they're indistinguishable from 'actual' creatures, i can't take them seriously; i.e., they serve only as a clever but distracting talking head in what might be an otherwise serious scene. if you're making a comedy and/or kids film (which may be all lucas is trying to do now), then perhaps this perspective is overly critical; but admittedly, i took the original trilogy to be a story somewhere between modern mythology and serious science fiction. these films are something else; something modern, but not as deep, somehow. thankfully, i didn't have to endure watching a cartoon lizard/rabbit thing step in feces this time, but i did get weary of the 'C-3PO has switched heads with another robot' gag. yes, it was funny in the first scene where this occurs. however, it ceases being funny by the fifth time that we're reminded, 'look! C-3PO has switched heads with another robot! hilarious, huh?' by that point, i'm cringing, hoping it will stop, and that we'll get on with that 'other' plot thread of watching the jedi council beng attacked by the forces of Darth Tyrannus. we can't say we weren't warned, though, even before episode one; namely, with the ewoks, in episode six... but even that was tolerable, given that things were on the upswing - it's (sort of) a pleasant thing to see the furry warriors triumph over the evil empire. by that point, we feel the immense scale of the overall conflict - a galactic conflict between good and evil, spanning hundreds of worlds, coming together in a final battle. the ewoks aren't distracting in e6 because they seem like a small part of a much larger tapestry. in e1 and e2, however, the sight gags and the bad puns seem to be given the same weight as the rest of the events in the story. the ewoks were just a little something for the kids in e6, and a way to symbolize the hope of a happier future for the galaxy; they're not important to the great arc of things, and the screen time that they are given is balanced with the bigger events accordingly. heck, a couple of the ewoks are even shown dying in the battle; but lucas wouldn't have dared showing any gungans getting creamed - he's too afraid of scaring the kids now. he was a little bolder in e2, with the assination attempt at the beginning, but it's easy to kill off characters that we met, oh, 2 seconds before they blew up. ok, 8 seconds if you count the screen time padme's stand-in had in e1 - but you see my point. when qui-gon dies at the end of e1, it's unfortunate. when obi-wan 'dies' at the end of e4, it's a tragedy. why? probably something to do with acting, character development, etc. but more than that - in e4, obi-wan and the rest of the gang never had to compete with cartoon characters (and background sets) for screen time. like you said, JLS - pretty pictures. a new trilogy for a different crowd; lighter, goofier, and in the end, a kid's movie. and once i accept this, i find i can enjoy the whole experience with a much less critical, cynical eye. after all, how serious can i be (or be taken), posing for pictures in a jedi outfit for total strangers? ;) |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | allright shannon who is edward jones? does he have a good job? is he nice to pets and children? you haven't seen episodeII? are you sick? |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | I have not seen Episode II yet so cannot actively participate in the current thread, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I am present and accounted for, and thanks to Ben for inviting me back into the sandbox. I had missed our discussion threads and I now feel loved once again. You like me! You really really like me right now! sniff sob sputter Shannon |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | the whole thing was a dupe, engineered by palpatine/sideous to take control of the republic, with a now tried-and-true army to back up said control. jango was working for dooku/tyrannus, dooku/tyrannus was working for palpatine/sideous. dooku had orders to let the whole thing unfold roughly the way it did - give the republic an enemy to fight, and then step in to fight it, proving to your constituents that they need you to protect them. classic empire building - divide and conquer, from within. i had indeed thought of the seperatist / rebellion connection - i think they're one and the same. anyone in the republic who had any sympathy for the seperatists will have to accept the fact that they almost wiped out the jedi council under dooku's direction. many will side with palpatine as a result, and support his use of the clone army to make them pay for what they did. the separatists will slowly become the rebellion that we're familiar with in episode 4 as the roots of the deception become clear. for now, dooku will continue to serve as the lead 'boogey man' for the jedi and republican troops to focus on, while the real threat slowly arises behind them, as palpatine gains political power. eventually, dooku will be exposed and/or killed, leaving the seperatists in chaos. meanwhile, the peaceful republic will continue to transform into the empire, as the noble jedi knights are swept away to make room for the soulless cloned soldiers. episode 3 should be quite the laugh riot. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Too many unanswered questions that I don't think will be answered in Episode III: 1) Who was Jango working for? On one side, he was the basis for the clones. On the other, he appeared to be working for Dooku to assassinate Amidala. But Dooku was building the droid army that the clones fought. Was he just playing for both sides? 2) Who was/is Sipha Dious? My spelling is made up, and this question is not my own, but if you take out the 'pha', what do you have left? Sidious. Coincidence? 3) Why was Palpatine/Sidious creating two armies that were destined to fight each other? Did anyone think about the fact that the Seperatists may actually be the beginning seeds of the Rebellion? If so, how ironic is it that the future rebellion was responsible for the death of so many Jedi? All in all it was an ok movie, but I find myself agreeing with Johnnathan on a movie for a change. Alot of what we saw happened because it had to happen. It was more like riding a roller coaster (i.e. being on a track) than it was going exploring in a big old gas guzzling SUV. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | so what did everyone think of the starwars movie? |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | check out ben's picture on the sbac site (i believe it is called art damnit under the links - he's in the tobacco gallery section - probably only up for a few more days and he has hair! |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | even though i know people don't read this - you really should it's great!!!! anyway, this is about parents and children in the california prison system - it's about how mothers aren't allowed contact with their children while they are in prison and the trauma this produces for those children well, shocks of shocks people - this is my position these women commited a crime (drug specifically) - are the problems they have with their children really related to the fact that they are in prison? were they good parents anyway? here's the story http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2002/05/08/contact_visits/index.html |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | once again, another college update. i am going to grad school at vcu. why you may ask? insanity and butterflies, i tell you.. madness and beauty. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | an argument for absolutes in what seems to be a subjective universe - in order for certain mechanisms to work they must have an order - there is a specific way it must be done or it will not work. in order to get a car engine to run there is not one truth for me and one truth for bob - if one of us does not put the engine together correctly, it simply will not run. there are rules - mathematical and scientific rules that must be followed in order to get results. these are absolutes. these are your objective facts. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | well folks you won't get any commentary from me for the next few days - i'm going on a trip - on a plane. just a little song i thought i'd share to express my feelings about flying up on the airplane nearer my god to thee i start making a deal inspired by gravity if i did wrong i won't do it again cause i can be sweet and good and nice and if i had enemies their friends i'll hold to my life with the grip of a vice and i'm up on the airplane nearer my god to thee i start making a deal inspired by gravity that little spot on the ground is my hometown i like to call it my home and it's sweet i'd rather take a seat down there than a throne up here up above 30,000 feet and i'm up on the airplane i never should have read my horoscope or the fortune on the bubble strip saying what you think won't happen will a great thing to read before a trip on an airplane pilot says the big blue sky's like a swimming pool big fluffy clouds like a feather bed i'd rather have a real pillow underneath my head lying in my bed which is in my hometown which is on the ground far from an airplane (my bed my hometown) far from an airplane (on the ground my bed my hometown) far from an airplane (on the ground my bed my hometown) on the airplane (on the ground) [i'll be making a deal] on the airplane (on the ground) [i'll be making a deal] on the airplane [i'll be making a deal] [i'll be making a deal] [i'll be making a deal] |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Thanks, Mir. I at first could not see those links because I forgot I had to scoll the screen over to the right to be able to read what was posted. I mention this to Ben and he assures me he is aware of this issue and working on a solution. Anyone know html? Is there a way to set the word wrap further to the left? Well I guess he will figure it out. Hey Mir what about this similie: {:-P |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | i love that smile! you can enter the secret city (if ben has not already told you over his cube wall) is to go to the main site - and there are listings of other places you can go - links - the last link is a link to the secret city which i assume is a type of journal. so far, it has been a really big secret and i hope i'm not giving anything away..;) |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | This sercet city is indeed a secret to me. How did you find and enter this sercet city, Ben? For that mater how did you know Mir? ;-) Seriously, What is this secret city? |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | Um...testing...testing.... ....is this thing on? Hello World Ben, I can post! :-D |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | hmmm... okay. that was beautiful was referring to your comments about the city at night and the use of the phrase 'invisible cathedrals' it was a very powerful image for me. and the comments about marriage were in response to your entry in the secret city. I hope I have explained everything sufficiently so everyone who reads this can grasp my meaning. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | group: make sure that when you refer or respond to information from a source outside of this blog that you include enough information for everyone to understand and appreciate the source; i know the traffic here is pretty low, but please only post complete thoughts or responses to thoughts on this blog. if you've got any 'fragments' out there, go ahead and edit them so that everyone who reads your entry will know what you're talking about. |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | watch that pendulum swing baby! some of my favorite quotes: 'This is new. We have thrown the gender switch,' said Christina Hoff Sommers, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and author of 'The War Against Boys.' 'What does it mean in the long run that we have females who are significantly more literate, significantly more educated than their male counterparts? It is likely to create a lot of social problems. This does not bode well for anyone.' and 'As a nation, we simply can't afford to have half of our population not developing the skill sets that we are going to need to go into the future,' said Susan L. Traiman, director of the group's education initiative http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38887-2002Jun24.html |
589,736 | male | 35 | Technology | Aries | 05,August,2004 | one final note (for now) on the marriage as solution issue (and yes, i think salon is presenting an extreme view - shock!) from what i have experienced in life (which is limited indeed) one of the best feelings one can experience is to see a person, touch them, and realize that no matter where you physically are, that you are home. |
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