PlaneShift
Fan Area => Roleplaying (Communitive Storywriting) => Collaborative Stories => Topic started by: Kieve on September 01, 2008, 11:55:00 pm
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Preface: The purpose of this manual is twofold. First, to provide an accurate and comprehensive guide for RP involving my creations, Etherwights. Second, to provide a template for any player who may consider making an Etherwight character of their own. An important note: PLEASE CONTACT ME either through IRC or via the forums, if you are considering the second. Because of their peculiar nature, it is very important that any RP involving these creations be handled with care and discretion.
*Disclaimer: "Etherwights" are not officially Settings material, and other players are not required to RP with them or acknowledge their existance IC'ly
Etherwights Manual
Overview:
“Etherwights” are sentient creatures composed of raw magical energy. They must constantly absorb more energy to continue survival – this encompasses both physical (life) energies and most magical varieties. They have two primary forms – a Physical form, in which the creature takes a recognizable shape, and a Shadowmerged form, in which the creature’s energy is dispersed over a wide area and becomes part of the environment.
The term Shadow Wraith, or simply wraith, is often applied to the creatures, with “wraith” being used as a general term, similar to the usage of ‘human’ or ‘elf’. While Etherwights themselves are not physically composed of shadow, their constant absorption of energy, including basic light, causes them to appear as a pitch-black entity whenever they take physical form.
Wraiths are hunters and predators. While they will readily stalk and devour prey they consider inviting, they will rarely stay for pitched battle against multiple adversaries, or an opponent who weakens them excessively.
Appearance:
The physical form of an Etherwight varies heavily from one to the next, though they usually bear passing resemblance to one of the humanoid races in Yliakum. Their eyes are narrow glowing slits, typically an icy-blue hue, however deeper colors such as navy or even violet are sometimes found. Other shades are exceptionally rare and usually caused by a form of magical influence or corruption in the wraith’s form. Wraiths have needle-sharp crystalline teeth, similar to deepwater fish, and a cloud of black fog around their ankles and feet. They walk with a gliding motion, traveling much further in stride than their actual steps would suggest, and move with a sinuous serpentine grace.
Origin:
Etherwights are born of wild magic, similar in nature to both Krans and Glyphs. While their formation is spontaneous, they can only develop in dark, secluded areas. Locations in direct sunlight or those disturbed by local wildlife will disperse a developing wraith before it reaches sentient maturity. For those that do reach a conscious level, they are born in a Shadowmerged state. The first step for these young wraiths is to take a physical form, in order to feed their growing hunger. While mature Etherwights are capable of storing and conserving energy, the “wraithlings” must feed almost constantly to maintain their existence, as they are inherently unstable creatures. Because they require such a specific habitat in which to form, Etherwights are exceedingly rare, and even in the deep tunnels of the Stone Labyrinth, it is unusual to encounter one.
The ‘composition’ of the wild magic plays an integral role in an Etherwight’s early development. An environment near water or heavy with Blue Way magic will stunt the wraith’s growth, while areas rich with Crystal or Red Way will grant one increased strength and endurance as it grows.
Society:
While Etherwights are loners by nature, occasionally two or more will form a hunting pack where the prey is plentiful enough. They do not feel emotions in the way normal beings do - concepts such as love, loyalty, or honor are foreign to wraiths. Some may feel a sense of kinship with other Etherwights, though often they are territorial and will challenge a fellow wraith if they feel their hunting ground is being intruded on.
Etherwights have no regard for mortals except as food or, in rare cases, servants. Because of their unique nature and predatory habits, they tend to hold a contemptuous view of organic life.
Senses:
As one might expect, Etherwights see the world very differently from the races of Yliakum, and this is reflected in their abnormal array of senses. Their hearing is far below average, though they are capable of hearing most forms of speech. They cannot hear high pitched noises at all, and lower tones are more felt than heard. Touch is processed through the physical contact of their claws, and from disturbances in their physical form. Their tolerances to heat are much higher than a person’s, owing to their natural energy absorption – thermal energy offers a source of food and fuel for the creatures. Their sight is excellent, however, and they have no difficulty seeing in the dark.
The primary sense of a wraith is a form of energy detection, which functions both while physical and shadowmerged, and allows the wraith to distinguish between likely prey and other, less appetizing subjects. This is tied directly to their sense of taste – the various types of magical and organic energy carry a wide array of ‘flavors,’ and Etherwights often develop a preference for certain types of people or magic.
Abilities:
Energy
- Absorption – Though life energy must be deliberately drained, natural or magical energies such as the Azure Sun’s light or spell attacks are absorbed into the wraith, providing they are of a compatible type.
- Draining – The wraith’s primary purpose is to feed on life energy. It accomplishes this in a number of ways, though the most effective is direct contact with its victim. The draining is excruciatingly painful and, if carried to its final extreme, will turn the body to ash and cause True Death for the subject.
Forms
- Physical – The ‘physical’ form of an Etherwight allows it to interact with the environment. Only in this form can it create or control shadowmass, drain energy, or otherwise affect its surroundings. The being is not truly physical in nature, however, and only certain substances will have a direct impact on it.
- Shadowmerged – While Shadowmerged, the wraith is virtually undetectable. It spreads its essence through shadows and darkened areas, and may move over almost any surface. A very observant eye may detect a subtle darkening of the area in question, or a faint mirage-like ripple as the Etherwight passes. It may absorb energy passively, such as soaking up heat from a fire or drawing strength from the Azure Sun, but cannot actively drain energies or otherwise interact.
Shadowmass
A chalky silicate, it is the Etherwight’s preferred method for attacking prey. It comes in multiple forms, and obeys all natural physical rules. Shadowmass is not conductive or flammable, and has no special properties aside from being bound to an Etherwight’s will. It is summoned material, drawn from natural shadows, and remains rooted to its point of origin.
- Smoke – The first and primary form of Shadowmass. Etherwights may draw a choking black cloud from natural shadows, though the resulting darkness does not create new sources of shadow to draw from; hence, the term ‘natural’ shadow. This is the weakest form of shadowmass, although it is useful for blinding foes and is capable of draining them at a very slow rate.
- Sludge – A wraith may solidify shadow-smoke into a more viscous form, the consistency of which is somewhere between mud and poured concrete. This denser shadowmass is used to impede a foe’s movement, and can drain them at a quicker rate than the smoke.
- Solid – If solidified further, the shadow-sludge can become a solid rock-like mass, locking the wraith’s prey in place. This drains enemies at a rate nearly as rapid as the Etherwight’s own grip, and has the added ability of generating new shadowmass, such as spikes or fog.
- Spikes – A common form of attack, the Etherwight creates narrow spires of solid shadowmass. These erupt suddenly and without warning, but are somewhat brittle owing to their rapid creation. As with other forms of shadowmass, they must be created from natural shadow – spawning them from a foe’s ground shadow is a typical method of attack.
- Weaponry – Shadowmass weapons are imbued with special runic symbols. These grant the weapon increased strength and power, allowing the Etherwight to use them for blocking, countering, and deflecting attacks which other Shadowforms are weak against. They are easily repaired, although this requires too much concentration to do during battle. However, the strengthening runes lock the weapon’s form – as such, it obeys most of the same physical laws as weapons of steel, iron, and so forth. (Shadowmass Weapons are the only type of solid weaponry an Etherwight can carry with them when Shadowmerged. Ordinary weapons would be dropped or forced from the wraith’s hands)
- Armor – In rare instances, some past Etherwights have attempted to create Shadowmass armor as well, built on the same principles as their weapons. Though such devices are possible, they limit the wraith’s ability to absorb energy and impair its mobility.
Other
- Strength – An Etherwight’s strength is proportional to the energy it consumes. Due to the surplus of light and warmth under the Azure Sun, a mature wraith in Yliakum is capable of immense feats of strength and will readily overpower foes who face them on such terms.
- Ethereal – Despite their ‘physical’ form, Etherwights are primarily insubstantial. While they can make portions of their body solid, their natural state can best be considered plasma. Unless otherwise noted, actions which cause a physical object to intersect the wraith’s form will pass through it harmlessly, with little or no effect.
- Fog – The perpetual fog at a wraith’s ‘feet’ can be employed as shadowmass, in a variety of ways. Unlike summoned shadowmass, the fog is always present and can be used in instances where normal shadowmass is unavailable to the Etherwight.
Weaknesses:
Platinum
- Weapons – Weaponry composed of platinum will cause severe damage to a wraith’s physical form. With repeated blows, it may also wear down shadowmass weaponry, as the structure of such weapons is inherently weaker.
- Items & Talismans – Non-weapon items will also harm an Etherwight on contact, though the damage is significantly less, approximating a second- or third-degree burn.
- Barriers – Etherwights are constantly in contact with the ground. As such, they cannot cross over platinum surfaces without sustaining considerable pain and damage.
Magic
- Blue Way – To a greater or lesser degree, all Blue Way spells will deal damage to a wraith’s physical form. Excessive harm may cause the wraith to ‘discorporate’ and revert to a shadowmerged state.
- Mental & Psyonic – Etherwights are sentient, intelligent creatures, and mental assaults do possess the ability to harm them. However, illusions are only partially effective, as no caster is capable of replicating the wraith’s energy-sense and a wraith will readily separate visual illusions from the real for this reason.
- Dark Way – Though an Etherwight is capable of absorbing Dark Way magic, the ‘foul taste’ of such energy causes discomfort and nausea. Excessive exposure may cause a temporary taint in them, or even permanent damage.
- Enchantments – Weapons or items enchanted with Blue Way spells will also cause damage when passing through an Etherwight. The severity of the damage is reliant on the power of the enchantment and the composition of the item in question.
Sapphires
*Sapphires are not currently implemented, but RP'ing their existance is acceptable
- Light – A source of light passing through a sapphire crystal will cause mild damage to a wraith in both its physical and shadowmerged forms, with the damage increasing proportionally to the intensity of the light in question. Additionally, the shadows cast from any sapphire-lit source cannot be employed to the wraith’s ends, either for summoning shadowmass, or passing through in a shadowmerged form. They can move through it in a physical form, at a reduced rate of travel.
- Weapons – Any weapon set with sapphires is capable of harming an Etherwight. For these purposes, the weapon acts physically against the wraith, rather than pass through them with damaging effect. (IE: a hammer will knock them backwards, a sword may lodge in their shadowflesh, and so forth)
- Defense – Sapphire crystals placed in dark or shaded locations will prevent a shadowmerged wraith from passing through those shadows. The effect is similar to a lit crystal, but passive in nature.
Other
- Water – Though an Etherwight may travel through water, they must do so in physical form and remain rooted to the bottom surface or shadowed locations. They cannot shadowmerge while submerged, nor can they summon any form of shadowmass, which dissipates too rapidly in water to be of any use. Additionally, their movement speed is drastically reduced and they move somewhat erratically, owing to the peculiar behavior of light underwater.
- Countering – When a wraith attacks physically, such as with its claws or teeth, it wills that portion of its being to a solid state. Thus, when striking, those parts become vulnerable to all physical laws and weapons ordinarily not capable of harming a wraith may be used to deflect or counter the assault.
- Taint – When a wraith absorbs an excessive amount of ‘foul’ energy, such as Dark Way magic or feeding on a particularly vile person, they may suffer from Taint. This illness reduces their strength, speed, and control over shadowforms, as well as discoloring the wraith’s glow-points (eyes, runic symbols).
- Death - Because of their feeding habits, wraiths deny the Dark Crystal its source of energy. For this reason, the goddess Dakkru considers them unholy abominations, and Her power annihilates them upon entering Her realm. An Etherwight that dies in the mortal realm is permanently destroyed, and all traces of its power gone. (The spot of its death does not become a new focal point for the creation of a wraith, nor any form of energy)
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\\o// I'll be studying up on this some more later!!!! WOW!!!! Very comprehensive. (But damn... I would have to have chosen Crystal Way!!)....
Fantastic piece Kieve!!!
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Looks good. Just one question, though- do other characters actually know any of this? As in, are Etherwights the subject of popular rumor or literature/which professions would have knowledge of them, if any?
Seriously, though, this looks amazing.
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Two things:
#1 Amazing work!
#2 What keeps everyone from playing an Etherwight? There are no risks associated with being an Etherwight, since all "weaknesses" are shared with normal creatures, and those weaknesses they have are even less than a normal being has.
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Eathon:
They're exceptionally rare, so for the most part if anyone's heard of them it's by rumor or conjecture. The city guards (and especially the ones at the Bronze Doors) have more solid evidence and are prepared to deal with such creatures. That said, Xathen's been active in Hydlaa again, and I think there's still a few characters around who remember the last time he was causing a stir... General rule of thumb, unless your char has encountered one personally, they'd think of it like the Boogey Man - nasty story to frighten the young 'uns.
Donari:
1) Thanks!
2) There are a couple of reasons, and to be honest I don't know many RP'ers I would trust to play these things properly.
First, note up in the Origin, how they are created - like glyphs, but due to their strict environmental needs, exceedingly rare. As far as in-game presence goes, I wouldn't think more than one per city (Gugrontid, Akkaio/Ojaveda, Hydlaa) and perhaps one in the BD area would be acceptable. Secondly, some may recall the Wraithbane (http://hydlaa.com/smf/index.php?topic=31556.0) event I ran back in February - Shard hunted them to the brink of extinction, and as of that time only Xathen* was left alive. So, rarity for one.
Also, it's that peculiar list of weaknesses that makes these things hard to play, not easier. The biggest thing to keep in mind, at all times, is that RP should be fun for all parties involved, and if a player is just using this template to make a godmodingly powerful RP character, I would heartily endorse a GM to perma-ban that char. In the same sense, because of their draining ability and its "final extreme" (true death), a wraith's player should keep in mind that the vast majority of players do not want their characters perma-dead. Summary, it's a big responsibility to take on and do right**.
Last, there is a weakness I forgot to mention, although it's a pretty critical one. When a wraith dies, it's dead. Permanently. Yes, they are hard to kill, but if a player manages to do it, that's it - game over for Mr./Ms. Etherwight. Their feeding habits deny the energy of the dead to the Dark Crystal, and that alone would make them unholy in Dakkru's realm. Thus, while wraiths are sentient characters and might be sent to the DR, Her power would destroy them pretty much the minute they got there, if not in the same instant. Moreover, as Yliakum's crystal provides food/fuel, the Dark Crystal has the opposite effect. No matter how you slice it, they're toast.
Hm. Seems like I forgot a few key points in my template. Will have to edit that.
To say that there aren't any risks would be incorrect, so long as they are played properly. That would be the reason for my preface up at the top, and request for notification. I put a lot of work behind these creatures in the months since Xathen's creation, to make them acceptable within the bounds of Settings (although as above, I know they are not and will not be officially sanctioned). If I see players begin to abuse this, I will be only too happy to have a mod erase this thread.
*(also a newly formed wraith by Suno, but it is my understanding that "Aste" has since been deleted in-game)
**(I admit I haven't been perfect in this regard myself - just ask Farren.)
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I still have that char in mind who came from a northern Enkidukai settlement in the Stone Labyrinths and followed the god Cromakai. ;D You should have some paragraph included that allowed you to randomly smite noobs who dare to take your idea and turn it into a grotesque monster. Like "Oh darn, your Etherwright just stumbled upon a bubble of magic and was annhilated.". ;)
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Bah, who needs that when I have Shard (http://hydlaa.com/smf/index.php?topic=31587.msg363586#msg363586) to keep things in line? :)
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That is an awful lot of work for something that has no real place in the game. You did an admirable job, but still....
It only serves to encourage others to step out of the settings and create their own player character races.
Do not be surprised if they try.
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I still have that char in mind who came from a northern Enkidukai settlement in the Stone Labyrinths and followed the god Cromakai. ;D You should have some paragraph included that allowed you to randomly smite noobs who dare to take your idea and turn it into a grotesque monster. Like "Oh darn, your Etherwright just stumbled upon a bubble of magic and was annhilated.". ;)
Wow, I actually remember that. Felt like snapping off each of my fingers one by one every time I listened to his talks about "shamanistic rituals of binding" or some such. He made stuff up left and right every time he typed something.
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That is an awful lot of work for something that has no real place in the game. You did an admirable job, but still....
It only serves to encourage others to step out of the settings and create their own player character races.
Do not be surprised if they try.
I actually agree with Prolix with this. I love Kieve's rp a lot but at the same time I'm sure if it ever did become more popular it would just encourage more players to make strange creatures out of the settings to roleplay with. However, there is a reason I'd support Kieve's rp but not theirs. Kieve does this only to entertain other players. He's not trying to make some kind of 'uber' race he can use so he can say he's better than everyone else. Other players who may try to do something simular (or create their own wrath) may do it only because they want to have an advantage over another player.
Am I saying that it's a good idea to make roleplays that don't fit/agree with the settings? No, its better to try and keep a roleplay within the boundaries provided. However, I do not feel its a horrible crime to bend the settings if your doing it for the enjoyment of other players. Many people are guilty of it (I myself having bent the settings quite a few times :P ) but I think it will be alright as long as you keep in mind that:
A.) No one has to play by your rules (and can ignore you completely).
B.) Your doing it for other players to have fun with it, not to make your own super character.
C.) Whatever you do isn't 'out there'. (So Kieve has magical creatures which I guess could semi fit but something like alien invaders with death rays would just be taking it too far).
Of course, the last rule is really defined by a person's opinion.
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It only serves to encourage others to step out of the settings and create their own player character races.
Do not be surprised if they try.
Prolix, something I need to make very clear (both to you, and anyone else with the same "out of settings" point) is that it's not so much "out" as it is "aside from." When I first brought out Xathen, and by extension, Etherwights, I did have more than a few discussions with Settings devs. I won't speak for them, but what I gleaned from the conversations was basically "If this had been developed 'under the umbrella' and internally, they would be viewed as a perfectly acceptable in-game creation - albeit with some tweaking and feedback." Granted, they probably would have ended up a MOB in the dark corners of the Labyrinth tunnels and not playable, but the point is that they mesh relatively smoothly with existing knowledge of Settings. I know we've covered that territory before in past discussions so I won't reiterate it here.
Having said that, I'm an artist. I encourage creativity. I do not endorse players to break Settings, but I do take an interest in anything new someone brings to the table. Duraza brought up that point, so I'll cover it below.
I actually agree with Prolix with this. I love Kieve's rp a lot but at the same time I'm sure if it ever did become more popular it would just encourage more players to make strange creatures out of the settings to roleplay with. However, there is a reason I'd support Kieve's rp but not theirs. Kieve does this only to entertain other players. He's not trying to make some kind of 'uber' race he can use so he can say he's better than everyone else. ...[quoted below]...
Am I saying that it's a good idea to make roleplays that don't fit/agree with the settings? No, its better to try and keep a roleplay within the boundaries provided. However, I do not feel its a horrible crime to bend the settings if your doing it for the enjoyment of other players. Many people are guilty of it (I myself having bent the settings quite a few times :P ) but I think it will be alright as long as you keep in mind that:
A.) No one has to play by your rules (and can ignore you completely).
B.) Your doing it for other players to have fun with it, not to make your own super character.
C.) Whatever you do isn't 'out there'. (So Kieve has magical creatures which I guess could semi fit but something like alien invaders with death rays would just be taking it too far).
Of course, the last rule is really defined by a person's opinion.
Point C, especially. How many players have a unique item, weapon, armor, clothing, or something that seems plausible but isn't really in-game? Is your axe imbued with special powers? Did you really forge that crystal-steel armor yourself? (We know you didn't!). I freely admit, once again, that I am pushing the Settings envelope a bit further than that, which is part of the reason I feel it necessary to post something this detailed and thought-out. And likewise, those who take the time to look up Settings and merge their character or ideas with existing lore, who do it with thought and effort and make a concentrated attempt not to push the bar more than is necessary for their idea to work? That, I respect and encourage.
So yes, Prolix, I hope they do try, because I'm interested in seeing what creative, clever people can do with the tools they are given. The more artfully something is merged, the more intriguing I will probably find it. By the same token, if you create something totally out in left field and give no plausible explanation, I will avoid it like the plague. There are several characters over my time in PS that I've found to be too outlandish and simply refuse to roleplay with.
...Other players who may try to do something simular (or create their own wrath) may do it only because they want to have an advantage over another player.
Again: this is the reason for my big bold disclaimers and red note up top. If you are thinking of creating a character based on this template, I want to know about it. The point is to have fun and add an off-kilter spice to RP. I myself only use Xathen rarely, and very selectively. Eathon and I had a lengthy discussion on IRC, and he asked some very pertinent questions - most definitely, a good thing. The people who don't contact me are the ones that concern me, and this is the main reason I added the *disclaimer. I can't control anyone's RP, but if it sets your mind at ease, know that I am most certainly a designated driver here and I take the utmost care to ensure that this material is not misused.
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It is not for anything in particular that I object to it except that it is a new Player Character race and they have been repeatedly ruled out in the past. What we have, an odd jumble faerie and cat loving constructs with a rock-head to boot is what there is! This kind of thing might be acceptable as a GM character possibly trusted to a valued contributer to run as presumably it would suffer the death of a million cuts in committee on its way to final authorization. It might even bear a passing resemblance to what it was originally. And of course the rights would have to go to the game.
Maybe I'll make a character just like Elric only skip the doomblade and just focus on the spirit magic. I wonder what kind of spell I can cast to summon the dobber goddess to do my bidding.
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My personal viewpoint about
(both to you, and anyone else with the same "out of settings" point) is that it's not so much "out" as it is "aside from."
is if its not in settings then it is out and calling it "aside from" is purely semantics and one could use the same argument for including Vampires and Werecreatures or any other creature invented.
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Mordraugion, I apologize if that seemed like semantics. I phrased it in that manner because what I'm trying to express is that this is not a deliberate attempt to break Settings, but rather an effort to seamlessly expand on it. I speak with XilliX, Rizin, Underthemoon, and others on a daily basis, and I hold the highest respect for their hard work. I can well understand your personal feelings on the matter - where vamps, weres, etc. are concerned I doubt I would find [any] player justification worthwhile, since it has been stated repeatedly that they flat out do not exist in this game world. That would be going against settings, whereas my goal here is to run parallel with them.
And to that end, I have no qualms about adjusting the above manual as needed, for new Settings information - or scrapping it completely if that information invalidates the RP here in ways I can't fix.
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Tsk tsk, I told you Kieve, but noooo--no one ever listens to little me... You have the same mindset as all the other setting-breakers out there. "It's not against settings, it's just a little different." Maybe you should fetch Xillix or someone and ask if this is okay, but if you expect me to play along with this, I'm not until I can see proof that the settings team/whatever has accepted it.
By the way, does that mean Xathen is back?
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Meh, that's your choice. See the preface in the OP. ;)
And yes, yes it does.
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As long as all those involved with this RP fully understand that it is outside of known Settings, does not and will never officially exist, and do not try to force the roleplay on others where it is not wanted, there should be no issue here. We encourage players to be creative in their RPs.
In our observations, there are two basic types of 'rule benders'. The first type are breakers, going against the known Settings by creating plots that are specifically against the known lore, often for their own enjoyment. They will try to bring things into the game that do not fit believably, and try to justify them in vague ways. If challenged, the response is often outrage and rebellious acts.
The other type are those who try to follow the Settings closely while stepping just outside of its bounds to create an enjoyable story for everyone involved. When challenged, they will try to adapt their plots to be more acceptable. Much of the current Settings team is comprised of this type of player, including the Settings team leader, Xillix (claims to fame: Tried to be Octarch, then ran the Laanx Temple), Under the moon (claim to fame: The Un-common Cold), and others to a lesser degree.
The Lore and Settings of the game do matter, and as long as they are respected, a little 'bending' is acceptable.
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So, if a little bending is acceptable... For example, could a character possibly learn "Blood Way" (like, controlling the blood from any organism, could be an extension of Blue Way since that seems to make sense, or a combination of Blue and Dark Way)? Or is that breaking instead of bending? It would make for an awesome horror roleplay... :devil: At least it follows settings more than these Etherwhatevers.
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"Blood Way? " Lolitra slaps her forehead. "What have you started here?"
Whereby I like the original idea in this thread - I do think it is prone to 'abuse' in that others will make up their own too. If you want to make up things they should really not be new races or magic. Name places are sort of acceptable as those can be 'changed' as towns and places do change names... but even then, this is a tenuous thing - believe me I know.
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I think what I was mostly trying to say is that it is a shame to do all this exceptional work and not have it stick. I would definitely encourage kieve to apply for a position as an event gm or settings developer. I suspect that his posted stuff might go a long way toward his acceptance. It is just unfortunate to do all this work when the rule is user created additions will not be officially included.
Any suggestion about what I might create were rhetorical.
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Prolix, in that regard Art keeps me more than busy enough. Plenty of other tasks that need doing. But trust me, if you see any other creations developed so extensively, it won't be until they're in-game. Hopefully, with as little "filtering" as possible.
As far as the "what others might do" argument, it tends to fall under what we call a "slippery slope" fallacy. I won't say it's entirely without basis, but nor do I think my wraiths will tip the scales heavily in one direction or the other: if for no other reason than the one Duraza stated, they're not that popular. :lol: Point being, folks will do what they like, with or without my encouragement. And in this instance, I have every intention of staying as "on top of things" as I can possibly be, to ensure that it doesn't go beyond its original intent.