Decided I'd like to share a recent short story.  Wrote this a few nights ago for another player, and liked the way that the story turned out.  For reference, it's written in the style of one of Tessra's wonderful stories, here: http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=40402.msg452649#msg452649


   



     It was cold that night.  A cold that seeps into homes, and enfolds an area like a slowly extend hand, grasping for a hold on the dark cityscape.  Autumn was dying, and winter was slowly staking its claim to the land.  A steady line of candles dotted the sparsely green landscape.  Perhaps in spring, the area might be a lush meadow, or a rolling prairie.  Though now, the icy tendrils of the oncoming winter had transformed the area into a barren plain with dark, dry grass underfoot.  The twigs and leaves underfoot crackled and split with the steady, even pace of the group.


   It is always cold for this night.


   The line of candles continue to advance, exploring further across the deserted plain.  The flickering lights from the flames illuminated a series of figures, all in heavy cloaks against the frozen air. Gradually, the dark outline of a large rock face began to darken the view ahead, as the group approached.


   And the walk is always long.


   Soon, the cliff came into sharper focus, and the dancing lights of the candles began to cast reflections on the sheer rock face, moving and darting to and fro as a soft icy wind caressed the small flames. The candles began to group together, as much to share the warmth of flames and bodies as to provide greater light ahead of their focus.   The candlelight illuminated a small slab of black granite, placed into the ground ahead of the rock face.  On it, a name and date were carved, as though melted into the very rock.  As the lights drew closer, the scene was more fully illuminated.


   Charred ground surrounded the granite slab in a wide circle, as though it had spread out from that very spot in an inferno.  The rock face bore large scorch marks, and sections where the very rock had melted and reshaped the face of the cliff. 


   Her last dance.


   The group stood in silence for the span of perhaps five full minutes.  No sound, save the wind.  No movement, save the candles’ dance.


   â€œWe’ve gathered here this night to remember
” 


   As though you could forget.


   â€œâ€ŠTo memorialize one of our own. One of our fallen.”


   The group turned its attention towards the figure now speaking from a point behind the slab of granite.  Though wrapped in layers of a thick fur coat, the icy wind still caused his inky-blue fur to ruffle and sway where exposed to the elements. 


   â€œMariana embodied the truest, deepest tenants of all that we hold dear.”  Caraick’s breath fogged before him, crystallizing in the air before the wind swept it away.


   She’d be laughing at you right now.


   True, it was not too hard for the Menki to conjure up an image of the Fenki’s face, snickering in amusement at his attempts to act in a formal capacity.  She had never been bothered by either rank or formality, and frequently pointed out his insistence to try and bother her about those same things.  Yet, it was that same affable manner, that welcoming spirit, which endeared her to so many.


   And drove her to the cliff.


   â€œThose were darker days.  Days in which sword and shield took the place of scroll and book.  A dark time that preceded the peace we now know.  A peace hard fought, and sorely won.  And it is only by what she has done that it is that way.  By what she gave.”


   Would you have given it as well?


   The Menki’s last few words echoed into a silence that fell upon the small group bearing candles. There were Enkidukai there, their fur blowing in the cold wind.  Elves, who ears peeked out of the thick hoods pulled tightly against the frozen air.  Most of the figures were older, their faces hardened by a full life, and a hard one.  A single human woman stood to the side of the group, supported on either side by Enkidukai; a male and a female.  And though the bitter wind caused her thin, grayed hair to sweep across her face, she left her hood down.  Tears ran down the woman’s face, from a pair of smoky eyes that surely could not see the cliff that rose before her into the sky like a wall.


“Though the Order is no more, we remember.”


The group began to move forward, slowly, towards the sheer rock face.  The old Ylian woman hobble forward, her weight dually supported by a cane and by her two children.


“We will always remember.”


Remember her. Her last fight. Last great sacrifice.


As the first figures reached the rock, they held their candles up to the rock.  The others, too, bared their flames to the hard surface of the cliff face.  For a moment, nothing happened.  And then, slowly, the flames began to find purchase on the unforgiving surface.  Growing, connecting, and joining with each other, they began to snake up the cliff, winding their way towards the top of the rocky face above.  The blind Ylian woman tilted her head back, looking upwards with the others as the flames neared the top of the cliff, seeming to go out as they reached the pinnacle of the obstacle.


But then, at a point high above, a flame grew into existence.  A single flame.  Burning in testament, and in memorial some hundred feet above.  It would burn for a cycle’s length, as it had for ten now, until the group of flame-bearers returned to relight the eternal fire.  The figures began to step back from the cliff face, their candles extinguished.  The only light on the scene now was provided by that small flame, high above. Burning brightly.


Time to go.


The winter wind picked up, bringing about a fresh chill against the figures that began to slowly shuffle away in the icy darkness.  The last to leave was the blind Ylian, coaxed along by the two Enkidukai at her sides. She knew the Clamod would remain, as he always did.


“Come along, Mother..” they said, whispering lest they somehow disturb the sanctity of the scene through their voices alone.


And now only the Clamod remained.  He sank to a knee before the plain granite slab buried into the ground, and the simple words etched therein.  He knew she did not rest here, but the slab still carried that element of finality to the memorial.


Were there a body to bury, you may as well have put her in the ground yourself.  She was here by your command.


The Order hadn’t remained long after the war.  Perhaps it was the memory of those who used to fill the empty sets of armor lining the Temple walls.  Or the shock of surviving the dark, horned figures who’d burned half the Dome before what was left of the Octarchy stopped them.  Or the struggle by all to rebuild.  Slowly, the Menki stood, drawing his coat tighter around him as he surveyed the scene for a final time. He began to walk away, shuffling along slowly towards the group of figures already beginning to meld into the darkness of the field.


As he looked back for one last time towards the cliff, the flame atop seemed to grow, flickering side to side as though waving goodbye.



Goodbye.









“Why do they come, Mother?” asked a small voice. 

A small Dermorian child began to clamber out of a small alcove covered by rocks near the bottom of the cliff face.  Bright green eyes turned towards an Akkaio Fenki making her way carefully out of the large rocks, a small redheaded Dermorian infant nestled peacefully in her arms.

“They’re old friends of Mommy, little one
” she replied, looking towards the faintly visible outlines of the figures in the distance.

Still can’t believe he runs these little ceremonies.  I’d tweak his ear for it.

“Will we ever get to meet them?” asked the little elfess, with a confused look to her mother.

“I don’t think so, Teshia
” replied the Akkadio, exhaling quietly.  She glanced upwards towards the flame high above, and closed her eyes in focus for a moment.  The flame abruptly grew in size, and shifted back and forth for a moment, as though waving a final goodbye.




“I don’t think so
”

We've got a thread of this nature on another game I frequent.  Just a place to give a quick thank-you to folks you wrote with that day (or the day before). Nothing fancy.


Yesterday I had a nice scene with Prreta and Celroc.  You two are always the best  10/10 would write with again.

Fellow Players!

I have come to you today to showcase a truly remarkable work of artistic expression.  The painstaking effort and time it must have taken to create this masterpiece is enough to unhinge even the most sane of minds.  None other could have the creative potential... nay, nay... the creative magnitude to breath life to so fine a sculpture of the Klyros race than the mighty Weltall himself! Finest of the artists in all of Yliakum! Let all others who cast their pithy gazes upon his latest creation cower and grovel in the sad wake of their own artistic ineptitude.


Note the way the loincloth ripples gently in the soft breeze. Note as well the gentle curves of the Klyros' mighty wings. Mark well the scaly covering of Weltall's finest creation yet. See the way she moves! The very creation itself comes to life at the hands of it's creator!

In the second frame, observe the klyros' delicate arm raised above her head. See the emotion and surprise so evident upon her features!


Ladies and gentlemen. Klyros and Kran. It is my great honor and privilege to present to you...


Daxa: A reflection on the Klyran form

Here it is! The Story submissions for the contest!

The first thing I'll do is to ask the moderators to please, please, please LOCK this thread, and keep any unwanted comments out.


If you have a comment to post about the stories, put it here, in the Rules and Comments thread here: http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=40403.0

The stories have been posted here in random order, and another big thank-you goes to all of the Authors. You all did a fine job, thank you so much for sharing your work.

I'd like to begin this post by thanking everyone who's taken a part, big or small, in Marsuveus' story.  I hope that my writing has been a fair tribute to those who have written with me along the way.  Without you guys, there would have been no story.  I'd also like to thank those of you who've read, and commented on my writing along the way, I'm happy that a humble story of good and evil could have interested anyone besides myself. Marsuveus' story has gone beyond a simple tale of light and dark, for me.  It's become a personal crusade to bring about the element of redemption to a certainly undeserving villain, and I have loved every moment that I've been able to watch my character's journey. 


It's been a long time in coming, so here it is.








 Teshia leaned softly backwards against the tree’s strong trunk behind her, as she listened to the Fenki’s tale.  As she listened, and occasionally responded her fingers slowly turned a blackened ring around her thumb, as idle and innocent a gesture as any.

   The armor-clad Fenki standing before the seated Ylian began to pace back and forth steadily, accompanying her words with sharp gestures as she related her tale.  Red-rimmed eyes, and a baleful expression added an obvious underlying sense of sadness to the Enkidukai’s words.

“He took him from me, Teshia!” The Fenki swore bitterly for a few moments, her otherwise attractive features contrasting sharply with the tone and content of her voice.  “And taunted me with it!”

Turning her gaze slowly up from the ring around her thumb, Teshia spoke softly, as though choosing her words with care. “I know the pain is still fresh for you, Mariana, but you know that I will continue to protect Marsuveus..” Her eyes glinted, a powerful mixture of determination and sadness, “Even from you.”

Still pacing angrily to and fro, the Fenki before Teshia continued to speak, anger and sorrow fused together as one, “The Dark One seeks six to be completed, but fears when Three come to undo
.” Mariana halted her pacing, and turned back towards Teshia, voice raised in frustration, and sadness. “What does that even mean, Teshia?!!? Those were his last words!”

Teshia narrowed her eyes softly, the afternoon light glinting softly from her gaze as the memory returned to her, as vivid as though it were only last night, rather than nearly a year hence.



“There is no good in me!!” The figure’s hot, angry breath exploded against Teshia’s face in sharp relief, “None!!!” the voice said, volume and pitch raised to a cavernous roar.

“You are right, there is much evil and darkness,” Teshia heard herself say, “And I am not so foolish as to think that all have good within them. But I know there is good within you. And you hate it.” Teshia saw herself stepping closer to the leviathan figure, mere inches from the shadowy figure’s monstrous frame. “You hate it. You try to burn it from your very soul.”

The figure’s hooded head lowered slowly, the edges of the tattered black cloak billowing with the force of the shout that followed: “Good is dead! I killed it!”
Teshia saw her hand slowly reach up, and into the inky blackness under the figure’s hood, finding cold and rough flesh to greet her inquisitive touch. “Do not lie to yourself, Marsu, even if you insist on lying to me.”

The faintest glimmer of brown glinted from Marsuveus’ eyes, barely visible underneath the blackened hood, as he spoke his next words. “Whatever good was in me, died with me.”

A metallic snap, and a whirl of tattered cloak and cloth followed Marsuveus’s words, as he pulled away from Teshia.  A small, blackened ring fell from his outstretched hand, just before the faint glimmer of brown slowly vanished from his eyes.  The massive cloaked figure slowly turned away from Teshia, and walked with liquid precision back towards the shadows whence he came
[/b]



Mariana’s next words snapped Teshia back to reality, the last strands of the dream fading back away into the ethereal.  “He killed Erythros, Teshia!” she shouted, as though discovering the event in her mind’s eye for the first time.

Teshia exhaled slowly in a soft sigh and gently eased herself to her feet, dusting her legs off quietly.  “I know, Mariana. I know.” The Ylian said, as she turned to walk away, lost in thought, and leaving the Fenki, now in tears, to herself.


Minutes turned to hours, and hours to days. All was quiet, for the moment.

Teshia sat in the merciful shade of a tree, leaning against her husband as the pair slowly partook of a meal.  The evening was fading, and the first tendrils of night began to creep across the landscape, like long, groping fingers.

A flash of darkness, and a rustling of feathers interrupted the couple’s quiet meal with the suddenness of a bullet.  Surrounded by errant black feathers, a small scarp of parchment slowly drifted to the ground, its deliverer vanished, or invisible.  Teshia slowly reached for the paper, as though already knowing its content, and began to scan the parchment’s short message while her husband looked on.

The Ylian turned her honey-colored eyes slowly up to her husband as she set the scrap of parchment down.  “I have to go to him,” she said, as the Menki nodded his quiet understanding.  Teshia stood, and whistled for her drifter as her husband beside her did the same, after helping Teshia into her mount’s saddle. 

“He’s at the Eagle, Caraick,” Teshia said slowly.  The Menki nodded, and spurred his mount forward, as his wife followed. 


The Consumer uttered one last, painful scream as a blade skilfully entered its abdomen, and exited with the creature’s life.  The Fenki wielding the blade slowly stood back, and wiped the odd-colored blood from her otherwise spotless sabre.  As she turned, looking for her next hunt’s target, a flash of dull light, and a quiet rustling of feathers from behind her caused her to halt her progress, and turn to investigate the sound with interest.   

A small tattered scrap of parchment slowly floated to the ground, the inky handwriting on it much too familiar to the Fenki. In scrolling, spiky text, the message read: “This ends tonight, Mariana. Showdown at the Eagle.”

Mariana narrowed her eyes to dangerous slits, her eyes glittering with anger, and fermented sadness, and she sheathed her sabre with a vengeance.  The Fenki quickly turned, and began the long run to the Bronze Doors, taking each step with increased haste. 


Teshia and the Menki beside her slowly pulled their mounts up at the entrance to the great fortress.  A sole figure stood resolute at the edge of their vision, on the small aperture on top of the great Eagle in front of the fortress.  The Ylian darted for the stairs, and began the ascent to the top of the fortress.

Standing like a great leviathan from some lost child’s most freakish nightmare, the great Ynwnn slowly spread his arms, the tattered and blackened cloak extending from them appearing as though a pair of nightmarishly large bat wings.  “Hello, Teshia,” he spoke, each syllable driven in like a nail.

Teshia looked down at the worn stone floor, reaching back for her husband’s paw as she spoke softly. “You knew I would come, Marsu.”

The terrifying figure’s gaze flicked briefly towards the Menki next to the Ylian, eyes glittering in annoyance, at both the man’s presence, and Teshia’s use of his abbreviated name.

“You were meant to come, Teshia. That is the only reason that you now stand before me,” Marsuveus said, voice the very definition of icy precision, and cold-hearted venom.  “It ends tonight, human. All of it.”

Teshia reached up with her opposite hand, and quietly pulled her hood from her face, speaking quietly and carefully, as she sadly raised her gaze to look over the Ynwnn’s form. “Yes. It must end, as all things must come to pass. You cannot live in this half-life any longer.”

Mirroring the Ylian’s gesture, Marsuveus slowly reached up, and shrugged his hood from his head, exposing his scarred and twisted features. “This half-life ends tonight with your life, and this cursed torture,” he snarled, voice venomous, “Give me the ring now.”

Teshia slowly raised her hand, palm down; the blackened ring nestled on her finger, still. “Come and take it, then,” she said, sadly. “Take it, and my life as well, for they are one and the same now.”

His lips curling in a snarl, Marsuveus spoke without stepping nearer, or making an attempt at the ring. “It’s ending around us, Teshia. The very fabric of the world will twist this night.”

The sounds of heavy breath, and clanking armor announced Mariana’s arrival.  The Fenki bent at the waist, breathing as though she had just ran halfway across the Dome to be here, and she waited to raise herself until she caught it, straightening with an odd sort of grin. “You’ve a flair for the dramatic, don’t you, big guy?”

If either Teshia or her husband were surprised by Mariana’s arrival, they did not show it, and continued to watch the hulking Ynwnn, with growing interest, as he began his next move.

Moving with all the purpose and finality of some great avenger released from the darkest pits of the abyss, Marsuveus began a slow circle around a pentacle-type etching along the edge of the Eagle.  Holding his arm to the side, a wicked black-bladed falchion faded into view, grasped in his hand as though it had simply always been there.

As rapidly as a striking snake, Marsuveus slid the blade into the stone, along the outside edge of the pentacle.  His voice spoke with the finality of a death bell’s toll “Kauwela. One.”

The great figure’s steps carried him a little ways further along the outside of the pentacle’s edge, and a second wicked blade appeared in his hand, before shortly being stabbed into the pentacle. “Dannae. Two”

A third blade found it’s place at the opposite edge of the pentacle from the three gathered. “Shadow. Three”

Mariana shifted slightly, and spoke without turning her piercing gaze from the Ynwnn’s actions, who seemed dead to all except whatever dark ritual he had engaged himself in.  “If he’s casting some kind of, oh, magical evil ritual, shouldn’t we, oh I don’t know, do something?”

The grating sound of a fourth blade pierced the still night air, accompanied by the Ynwnn’s dead voice. “Mishka. Four.”

Teshia shook her head softly, her sad honey-colored gaze watching every detail of Marsuveus’ actions. “He cannot complete the spell
” she said, as though brought to full understanding of her words’ meaning as she watched.

The final ringing of a fifth blade sliding into the pentacle brought an end to the hushed whispers of the three.  “Erythros. Five,” said the icy voice.

Marsuveus slowly turned to face the three once more, and slowly raised his arm, a black-handled knife clutched in his grasp, balanced on his palm. A slow, twisted grin formed on his face as he spoke, voice echoing with dark finality. “It all ends tonight, Teshia. You are the sixth, and the last. And you will fall. Just as the others have.”

The dark Ynwnn’s gaze slowly turned towards Mariana, grinning with a sense of dark and disturbed amusement. The knife turned in a high, slow arc as Marsuveus tossed it over to Mariana, the blade flashing in the dying light of the day.

Reaching out with honed precision, Mariana caught a hold of the knife by the handle, and slowly looked back to Marsuveus, eyes glinting dangerously.

“Kill Teshia with that knife, and Erythros will walk above the surface once more,” the demonic Ynwnn said, with chilling precision, and barely contained excitement, as though this moment had been long awaited. 

Caraick’s expression turned immediately to his wife, eyes narrowing in worry as his wife calmly unbuttoned her cloak, and slipped it from her shoulders.  Teshia turned towards Mariana, and smiled slowly. “Go ahead. Be reunited with him, he needs to be released.”

Mariana’s jaw slowly dropped, and for a few long moments, the Fenki simply stares down at the blackened knife. Raising her gaze to Marsuveus, her eyes narrow to nearly imperceptible slits, before dropping her gaze back to the knife, simply holding the blade with a distinct scowl.

Expression rapidly darkening, Marsuveus’ voice raised to a snarling roar.  “End her, Mariana!”

Teshia glanced back towards her husband for a quick, brief moment, and simply dipped her head in a quiet bow, smiling serenely. 

Struck by indecision, Mariana glances back to Teshia once more, before dropping her gaze to the blackened knife blade.  She slowly raises her arm, the knife clenched tightly in her paw, gaze lowered, as though stricken internally.  Without any further warning, Mariana turns from Teshia, and hurls the blade over the side of the Eagle, the gleaming blade falling without a sound far below. “What kind of memory would I leave him if I spilled blood in his name?” she spoke, as though asking herself, rather than the nightmarish Ynwnn. “He was so like you, you know.  Lost by things he couldn’t control.  But he changed, he believed in redemption, and I will not tarnish his goodness by giving in to you,” she declared, voice steadily growing, conviction strong and evident.

Marsuveus’ expression faded rapidly from snarling frustration, to simple disbelief.  His blackened eyes glittered with the intensity of an explosion rearing to be set off.  His right hand, though gloved, began to tremble visibly at his side.

Teshia softly stepped closer, feet padding gently on the worn stone ground, voice gentle and quiet “Do one thing for me, Marsuveus
”

The great Ynwnn’s massive frame trembled, spasming a full three seconds before any semblance of control took over. His hand trembled and twitched at his side, as though the shadows underneath were tossing and turning.  “What is that, human?” he spat, voice venom.

Smiling serenely, Teshia calmly stepped forwards once again. “Kneel.”

Marsuveus slowly looked down at the much small frame of the human before him. “I will die first,” he spit.

“You will die if you do not, Marsu,” Teshia replied, voice as gentle as a summer breeze.

“You will die first, human!” Marsuveus roared, voice primal and animalistic, hot breath beating at Teshia’s face.

The Ylian standing before the terrible Ynwnn sighed softly, and dropped her gaze. “Will you give me nothing in return for all the pain you have caused, Marsu? One simple moment?”

Marsuveus slowly stepped closer, his marred and tattooed face merely inches from Teshia’s.  His eyes flashed true black, dark as blackest midnight, and his voice spoke as though coming up from a great depth., trembling in unison with his body, and hand. “The ring, Teshia.”

Teshia raised her gaze once more, meeting Marsuveus’ lifeless gaze with a serene, slow smile. “Kneel, Marsu,” she spoke. “Take my gift.”

Slowly, as though his very body rebelled at the action, the great Ynwnn slowly began to bend at his knees, lowering his massive frame slowly.  A faint glimmer of brown began to take a hopeful hold in his eyes, and the dark figure’s body continued to lower.  As though every muscle and every nerve in his body repelled the action, the Ynwnn dropped his gaze, as his knee slowly touched the ground.

Teshia drew a deep breath, and slowly reached out, taking a hold of the terribly maimed face of the Ynwnn, cupping it tenderly in both of her hands, holding it delicately, as though afraid to break it.

At Teshia’s touch, Marsuveus froze, as though rooted to the spot.  The faint seeping of brown in his eyes slowly grew to a deepened, soft brown, nearly pushing the last tendrils of black from the Ynwnn’s lifeless eyes.

The two Enkidukai looked on, quietly, watching the interactions with fascination.  The Menki slowly stepped forward, a mere pace or two behind his wife, and looked down at the Ynwnn, pity evident in his eyes.

Teshia smiled, gently, as her fingers gently traced the various scars and tattoos marring the great Ynnwn’s face. “What do you see, Marsu?” she asks, voice a soft whispers.

Marsuveus’ breath leaves him in a soft, long gasp, and he drops his gaze, as though warring internally. “L
Light..” he slowly says, voice strangled, caught in a place between softness, and harsh spite.   As though unaware, the Ynwnn makes no reaction or movement to the paw of the Menki which now rests on his shoulder.

“Mariana,” Caraick said. “Come.” Teshia smiled gently, trusting her husband to address Mariana, while she gently held the Ynwnn’s head in her hands, continuing to tenderly trace his various scars.

Mariana slowly stepped nearer, though raised her paws, a brief flicker of compassion passing through her eyes. “I-I can’t..” she says, paw hovering over the Ynwnn’s shoulder, without making contact. 

Teshia smiled serenely, her gaze still directed down at the Ynwnn in her arms. “Let it go, Mariana. You must.”

The Enkidukai reluctantly, and slowly lowered her paw onto the Ynwnn’s shoulder, turning her face away from the scene, and clenching her eyes shut.  Teshia leaned forward, slowly, and gently brushed her lips against the Ynnwn’s forehead, just as the scarred figure spoke, without raising his head.  “H
Heal.. me,” he said, slowly, voice a strangled, layered whisper.

The Ynwnn closed his eyes shut, his head bowed in Teshia’s hands as a bright Crystal glow began to flow from the Ylian’s hand, against Marsuveus’ face.  The blackened ring around Teshia’s hand began to vibrate violently, and a slowly stream of white energy seeped out of the ring, mirroring a black smoky substance that continued to exit from above the Ynnwn, increasing as the energy strengthened from the Ynwnn.

Teshia closed her eyes, but augmented the energy flowing into the Ynwnn, tears rolling freely down her face. “Marsu
.Marsu
” she whispered, painfully.

Marsuveus appeared as though one transfigured, his arms straight out at his sides, and his head raised back.  The black smoke poured from his body, seeming to be exchanging with the increasing amount of white energy emitted from the ring around Teshia’s hand.

A small, dull concussive sound escaped from the ring, as a ring of white smoke curled around the Ynwnn’s face, out of the ring.  The last of the black smoky substance poured from the Ynnwn’s mouth, and slowly disappeared into the blackened ring around Teshia’s hand, which vibrated once more, then was still.

Caraick and Mariana watched, the Menki’s vision blurred with unshed tears, and the Fenki’s with amazement. They slowly raised their paws from the Ynwnn as the last of the energy dissipated, and stepped back, in unison.

Teshia gasped, looking down at the Ynwnn, dropping her hands to her lap. “Marsu
”

Marsuveus fell forwards, slowly, regaining his breath in a sharp, deep gasp.  The Ynwnn appeared like a man allowed to breath freely for the first time, and took several deep, shaky breaths, head lowered, and eyes closed.  Slowly, but surely, the great Ynwnn began to rise to his feet, his head still lowered, and eyes narrowed so far as to be shut.

Trembling slightly, Teshia slowly looked up at the Ynwnn, who seemed a shade of his former self, his body seemingly reduced from its former nightmarish bulk. “Marsu
. Are you with me?”

The Ynnwn slowly raised a hand towards Teshia, his tattoos faded visibly, and offered it to the Ylian, who sat with her gaze lowered.  Teshia slowly reached up, and takes a hold of his fingers, looking up towards the Ynwnn’s eyes, almost hopefully.

Soft, gentle brown eyes greeted Teshia’s inquisitive gaze, devoid of any hint or shade of black.  Their owner slowly looked down to Teshia, and offered an expression so pure, so genuine, as to extract tears from its owner. A smile.

The Ylian chokes back a sob, and slowly pulls herself up with the Ynnwn’s help. “Be free
” she says, voice quiet. She trembles slightly, under the emotional strain, and the toil from the magical efforts. “Caraick
.Mariana
” she says, to the two standing behind her.

Caraick slowly stepped forward, nearer to his wife, ready to offer support should she need it.  Mariana watched warily, her eyes wide, though she remains at a close distance. 

Teshia looked deeply into the Ynwnn’s eyes, holding onto Marsuveus’ hand, warm flesh, alive to the touch, greeting her grasp. “Wh
What will you do now?” she asked, softly.

Marsuveus stood quietly, his eyes glittering in soft and silent thought.  Slowly, the Ynwnn looked past the Ylian, towards the Fenki, standing on her perch, wary. “I took something of yours, Mariana..” he said, voice reluctant, and sad.

Teshia reached back for her husband’s paw, tears still flowing freely down her cheeks, gaze downcast, content to simply listen.

“Teshia
 Let me do this.. Please,” the Ynwnn said, slowly. “He could return, would the Lady but have one to take his place.” His gaze flickers briefly to Mariana, then back at Teshia, soft brown eyes softened by pain, and sorrow. “I know
.it cannot all be taken back
 But let me
have this.”

Teshia spoke without looking up, tears still streaming steadily down her cheeks, gripping her husband’s paw tightly, as though holding on for dear life. “You are a free man, Marsu. Free to live as you choose
Or die as you choose.”

The Ynwnn slowly stepped forward, and reached out for Teshia’s hand. “Remember me
.Like
this?” he asked, voice strangled, and shaking in sorrow.

Teshia slipped her hand from her husband’s gentle grasp, and took Marsuveus’ hand gently in both of hers. “One cannot love the rainbow without respecting the storm.”


Marsuveus slowly began to step backwards, his warm hand slipping from Teshia’s hand lingeringly.  The Ynnwn smiled softly, as his steps carried him to the edge of the Eagle, a small shower of rocks falling from the great precipice.

 Teshia reached back again for her husband’s paw, gripping it tightly. “Never give up hope, Marsu.”

“There is always hope,” came the quiet reply from Marsuveus. “Live well, Teshia. Live as a light.”


The Ynwnn closed his eyes, spread his arms, and slowly leaned back, still smiling.  His cloak billowed around him in the wind as his body fell from the great Eagle, almost in slow motion.  Teshia let out a strangled sob, and rushed to the edge of the Eagle, tears staining her face, as she watched Marsuveus’s smiling face, even as he fell.






A new sound, never before heard from the Ynwnn, escaped from his throat, as though kept within for a thousand years.
















A laugh. Light, and clear.

       There's a lot that comes to mind as I start to write this post. There's a lot of different ways that I could word the next couple paragraphs, and there's a lot of ways that I'm not going to word this post.  This is not going to be a "going out in a blaze of glory" post.  I'm not going to be pointing the finger at what's wrong, or what I think needs to change.  I'm not going to be launching complaints like guided rockets, or taking that last, spiteful jab before I take off.  

That's not what this is going to be about.  

This is going to be a thank-you.  To my friends, to the GM's, to the Devs, to everyone who's made this game such a great place to be. That being said, I've never been accused of being the best writer out there, so I'll try to keep things brief and relatively organized for whoever cares to read.


I'll start by answering the implied question: Yes.  I'm going to be taking a long-term break from this game and forums, until August, at the earliest.

 I don't want to go. I love this game, and I love the people in this game.  This is a wonderful community, based around a fun game, with bright things in it's future.  I think that, at this point, I'd be doing myself, and the game, a bigger favor by leaving, then I would by staying.  Life is rapidly becoming more and more busy as the summer approaches, and I only expect that to increase as the upcoming months set in.  It's just that time. I don't like it, and I don't want it, but I did choose it.  I'm able to leave on my own terms, and I'm very thankful for that.  In no way do I regret the day that I first hit "download now" on the Planeshift home page.  I've had great moments in this game, and I've had not-so-great moments here.  I've had exciting experiences, and some that I wish I could forget.  But, I would not trade my time in this game for anything.  I've had more fun on here then I've had in other other game, and met more interesting and friendly people then I'm ever likely to meet anywhere else.  But again, it's just that time.


Enough about that. Before I get back to the reasoning behind the post, I'd like to make a quick, small confession: If you have met, or played with the medic Scipion, then you've played with my oldest, and most-liked alt.  Scipion gave me an opportunity to role-play with a different crowd then I was used to playing with, and some of the RP's I had with him are some of my favorite moments in-game.  A few of you knew this already, but for those of you who didn't, there you go.

I'm going to go back to the reason I wanted to write this post, and that's to be thankful.  Perhaps it's not right to be typing out a post about why I'm leaving, if only for a break.  If that's the case, treat this like a thank-you post.  I'd rather have it be thought of that way, in any case.

There have been a few guilds that I've been involved in, whether on Caraick, or my alts, and not a single one has been a bad experience in any way. Two of them, I've had the exciting experience of helping to run and found, and I've enjoyed my time in all of them.  I've tried to type out a few short thoughts below for each guild, but every member in every one of these guilds has my thanks for making Planeshift great.



The Organisation: I joined this guild the very first day that I came onto the game, and ever since then, I've had the perspective that everyone should be as kind and friendly as this guild was.  I was a horrible newbie, but members like Lifaeen, Celisugh, Grunior, and Gidelor took me under their wing, and helped me to learn.  Thank you for being my first guild, I will never forget learning to role-play as one of the Organisation.


The Warriors:  You all will always hold a special place in my memories of my time here on Planeshift.  You all helped to shape Caraick into the character that he is today, and the things he learned in your ranks shaped his character greatly.  OOCly, you guys are awesome, and you know it.  I loved being a part of an active, RPing guild with the history and reputation that the Warriors has.  All of you are friendly and kind, and I've made several close friends along the way.  Thank you for being a guild full of friends, and I will always miss you all.


The Klyros Junction: While I was never technically an actual "member" of KJ, the weeks that I spent here as an exchange were some of the most fun weeks in this game.  Leraider, Beckford, Boeven, Renober, Esorono, Mekora, Mandrith, and all of the other scalies, you all were more welcome and friendly then I'd ever thought you'd be.  I loved be a part of the Junction, if only for a brief time, and I will never forget the friendship and kindness that you showed me.


Lye Naa Tualle: Thank you guys, for putting up with my leadership here as Scipion.  I loved watching you all grow into a guild that made me and Eelin proud to say we had a hand in it's creation.  Many of the members from you all are now with me in the Order, and I've had the blessing to continue playing with you.  I was sad to see LNT die, but I won't forget the times I had in my very own guild.   Thank you all for your patience and your kindness towards a new leader.  

The Adani Order: This is the hardest section to write.  What began as an offhand comment in a skype conversation turned into one of the most actively role-playing guilds in the game today.  Thank you to every single member, current and future, who's made TAO into a guild that smashed any of my expectations for it.  Thank you all for putting up with me at times, and always being there when it counted.  I know that you all will continue to be a great force in-game, and I can't wait to see where the months ahead take us.  I'll always be a part of you guys, and I cannot thank you all enough for being patient and kind with me as I tried to organize and lead.  You all are the best, and you are in very capable hands.



There's also a few pairs of players that have been a great reason to be thankful during my time in Planeshift. Each has taught me something different, and I've been lucky enough to have been able to play with them over the course of a few years here.  Thank you, to all of you guys.


Lhaa/Aiwendil: You two are some of the best players I was ever lucky enough to meet here.  Having the chance to play with you both was a great experience, and I enjoyed every minute of it.  Thank you, for being a model of how to role-play in-game, what I learned from watching the two of you won't fit in this post.  Thank you for being patient with me as I learned, and kind as I slowly succeeded.


Dannae/Detiey:  Like the two above, I was fortunate enough to meet both of you since my early days here.  You both are incredibly fun to play with, and I'm very grateful to have you both as friends.  Also like the two above, you've taught me much about role-play, most by your own example.  Thank you, for being good friends to me, and for your kindness shown towards me.  

Glaciusor/Teshia:  What should be said to you two does not have a place here.  You two are both close to my heart, and I do not intend on changing that any time soon.  Look for me on Skype and FB, and keep The Order going strong, like you have been.  Stay in touch.


To all above, this will not be a goodbye.  I hope you'll keep in touch, as I plan to as well.  

There are many more characters who've been wonderful to play with and write alongside of.  What I've done below in not a comprehensive list, in any way, but I've tried to give a list of the players whose names I can recall while typing this post.  To those who I've forgotten, I apologize, and know that any names left off this list are not done intentionally in any way.  The names are not listed in any order or importance or impact, simply the random order in which I can remember them. It's possible that duplicates will show up, and alts of people who are listed, and again, I apologize, that's in no way intentional.

Thank you:

Teshia, Ceridwen, Glaciusor, Lhaa, Aiwendil, Detiey, Dannae, Droffilc, Voron, Pentrian, Tamelion, Farirro, Koios, Elvors, Khado, Sanxx, Vakachehk, Daevaron, Akaiddo, Zafroc, Lilura, Elady, Zalya, Myysst, Trogdar, Emmarra, Atagal, Vilthis, Eelin, Akerora, Beckford, Mekora, Sluuph, Gidelor, Celisugh, Kull, Kisoji, Ikon, Masaro, Mandrith, Leraider, Kaipaber, Saili, Grunior, Sodedar, Skardellinus, Oberel, Octavius, Hangatyr, Keella, Estava, Freyn, Hardt, Havuik, Sashia, Karoff, Shadowcast, Jorl, Jennins, Bideene, Zakrei, Haraun, Hipie, Geceni, Travosh, Esalir, Mwe, Catarina, Mariana, Narthen, Dannae, Tinosey, Mishka, Resildren, Roberet, Sangwa, Jilata, Thidin, Shew, Cenweard, Dragonis, Rigwyn, Poezza, Karlyle, Esorono, Proteous, Borobas, Mordaan, Kaerli, Sasigher, Irec, Avilay, Miomo, Heleckie, Menille, Senisteey, Vaneal, Perlan, Dorbaine, Realito, Enarel, Caecila, Merra, Rileha, Almada, Barike, Varileth, Sabriel, Leodonm, Xitop, Bonifarzia, Vassilli, Halbor, Hawin, Potare, Sacho, Zanuvar, Amaneldth, Urirro, Maisent, Gartheiz, Anoser, Yahh, Ardoin, Alayan, Akerorar, Alethur, Aramara, Caira, Carua, Eahmon, Erresire, Morila, Lornum, Neyise, Raricin, Savanti, Semutara, Soleli, Sulaika, and anyone who's name is not listed.

Thank you all.


Next, for the GM team, and the entire PS team as a whole: Marathal, Durgrem, Sarva, Daxa, Janner, Rhumdor, Venalan, Zeetra, Dohmo, Taulus, Zordian, Veluriane, RlyDontKnow, Weltall, Hanix, Talad, Neko and all other members of the team: Thank you all for creating, and maintaining this game.  Specifically the GMs, I will always be thankful for your presence, and actions when needed.  Several of you I have the privilege of calling friends, and I'm thankful for that as well.  Please keep this game great.


There's a few things I want to do before I leave. I want to do it ICly.  I hate that an IC event is motivated by an OOC decision, but I don't have a choice, and I'm going to have to find a way for my character(s) to leave, in-game.  I also want to finish Marsuveus' final story in the Decadence of Darkness stories.  I'm going to try and do these things in the next couple days, and then I'll be done in-game.  I'll write up part III in that series, and that will be my last post on the forums.  


If you skipped down to the end here, or you've made it all the way through, I just want to convey a message of thankfulness here.  I'm not being angry in this post, or trying to complain, I just want to thank, and say a temporary goodbye.  You all have been good friends to me, and I will miss this community, but need the break.  Thank you for reading, and thank you for being a part of why I love this game.


Later,

-Car
 








        

     The end of a clear, crisp day in Gugrontid cast a slowly dying azure light upon the stone city.  Shadows lengthened, a few rats scurried from behind Malco’s post, heading for the rear of the Stonehead, anticipation for the evening’s leftovers fuelling the motion of their scurrying claws along the worn stone ramp.   The last glimmering rays of day stole their way past the battlements on top of the twin towers guarding the top of the ramp, casting a faint gleam on the figures of a grey-colored Kore, a slim elf maid, and an armored Ylian woman, whose honey-colored eyes glittered brightly, casting a friendly and calming atmosphere in the midst of the small group.

 
     The Ylian woman smiled towards the elf “I’m glad I found you, sorry it took me so long” she said, casting a friendly, familiar smile towards the young Kore in greeting.

     â€œThat’s alright, Teshia, I sent my groffel
 Glad to see that he found you.  I’ve got the ores on me right now, if you’d like them?”  She turned and switched her gaze to the Kore, smiling apologetically “I’m sorry I ran off at the mine, Shadow, that man was making me nervous” The young Enkidukai nodded understandingly, looking back towards Teshia, as he had been before.

   Teshia counted out the elf’s payment carefully from her tria purse, before looking up, brow wrinkled momentarily in thought “OK, that’s
 234 circles, right Ceridwen?” she asked, holding out a small pouch containing the same amount.   The young Ceridwen smiled gratefully, reaching for the pouch, before setting a bulky sack at Teshia’s feet, the dull clanking of rough metal sounded audibly as its contents shifted. 

     Ceridwen smiled to herself as she wiped her brow, glad to be rid of her heavy burden, and grateful to be done with the day’s work.  Just then the noise of a small, wet impact interrupted the temporary peaceful silence of the group.  A small apple bounced towards the three, propelled by it’s landing, and rolled to a stop just in front of the Enkidukai’s feet, a large portion of the apple missing in what appeared to be a bite-mark. 

     An icily haughty voice preceded it’s owner’s emergence from the shadows just to the side of the tower “Hello again,” it said.  A colossal, cloaked figure slowly glided towards the group, draped from head to toe in a dark crimson cloak.  The figure’s gloved right hand reached for his hood, drawing it back purposefully, exposing an all too familiar face, scarred and tattooed almost beyond recognition.  The very shadows seemed to extend their long, dark fingers to embrace the figure as he slowly approached, the dark and curving horns on top of his head angling aggressively towards the small group.  The juice from his half-eaten apple rolled slowly down over his grizzled chin, and a fresh apple rested in his left hand, which hung loosely at his side. 

     The Enkidukai’s gaze gravitated to the apple at his feet, fixing his eyes upon the rather ordinary spectacle of the half-eaten fruit.  Ceridwen looked up quickly as the stranger approached, and mumbled inaudibly, shifting her feet nervously to position herself nearer to Teshia, who, at seeing the face emerge from the shadows, had taken a pair of quick steps backwards, nearer to the wall bordering Gardr’s ever-burning forgery. 

     The figure took a large bite of the fresh apple contained in his left hand, the sharp crackling of the skin’s breaking deliberately punctuating the stunned silence into which he spoke.  “Ah, Teshia
” he droned, in a arrogantly assuming voice “What an unpleasant surprise.”

     Teshia squared her shoulders, looking back into the Ynwnn’s blackened eyes with a fiery determination, voice decidedly even as she addressed owner of the empty eyes “Likewise, Marsuveus,” the name rolling off her tongue with an all-too-evident familiarity.   

     Ceridwen craned her neck around, nearer to Teshia, whispering hastily “He..He was the one at the mine
”

     The imposing Ynwnn chuckled haughtily, taking another greedy bite of his apple, before holding it out in a black-gloved hand to Teshia, chewing with obvious relish.  Marsuveus’ mouth spread into a thin, sharp-toothed grin, as he spoke between bites “You know, you could really use an apple, Tesh
”

     The elf glanced furtively between Teshia and the Ynwnn, as the Kore called ‘Shadow’ looked on, eyes raised, looking over the figure quietly, gaze slowly changing to a cold glare.   The Ylian woman regarded Marsuveus calmly, stepping forward as she ran a hand down over her thigh, as if assuring to herself that something was still there.   She narrowed her eyes as she spoke in reply, voice even and calm “I’m sure..”

     The shadowy figure’s arm bent to insert the apple back into his mouth, his sharp teeth taking off another large bite of the fruit as he grinned widely to Teshia “And here I thought you were smarter than those pathetic fools that you call friends
 Take this one,” gesturing towards the elf maiden as he swallowed his bite, voice thrown into sharper relief without the obstruction “Hiding behind that rock over there
 Such terrible manners
” He grinned slowly, and reached to take another bite of his rapidly disappearing fruit, again speaking between bites “Not going to introduce us, Tesh?” He swallowed again, and winked unobtrusively “Seems manners are as scarce as good friends for you these days.

     Teshia shook her head gently, watching as the Ynwnn gestured with his horned head towards the quiet Kore.  She rested a soft hand on her stomach, and looked back into the dark figure’s eyes, shaking her head “No, thank you Marsuveus.”

     The Kore found his voice, and tsk’ed at the Ynwnn’s offer “Tch! You honestly think that I would take anything from you after you poisoned me? The Enkidukai’s eyes flared up at the fresh memory of his recent poisoning, and eventual death, at the hands of the Ynwnn.  “If you had your way, I’d probably be in the stomach of a Consumer right now!” Shadow’s voice turned to a quiet growl, his fur bristling at the Ynwnn’s impertinence.

     The Ynwnn slowly swivelled his gaze to regard the still-quiet elf standing even nearer to Teshia now, engaged in quiet whispers with the Ylian woman.  Marsuveus grinned slowly, purposefully, again holding out the apple “Sure you don’t want some? Just a bit, is all?”
Ceridwen spoke up, addressing the Ynwnn for the first time, speaking with courage evident in her voice “Perhaps you think you may know Teshia where you do not any longer”
Marsuveus drilled the elf with a cold, glittering gaze, speaking icily “I’ve had the misfortune to know Teshia longer than you’ve been walking this level, elf.”
The Enkidukai’s fur bristled at the remark, and he regarded the Ynwnn coldly, speaking in a harsh voice, streaked with conviction “Knowing Teshia is not a misfortune
”
Marsuveus slowly swivelling his hulking frame, regarding the Kore fully for the first time that day, stepping a bit closer, punctuating his words with his deliberate advance “And what of you, “Shadow”? How well do you really know your own leaders
. Claiming to follow this light
.” The Ynwnn raised his empty right hand, a small and dark orb about the size of a marble forming in his grasp.  “You’d be surprised how quickly a candle can be snuffed out
 All it takes is a little
Breath” At his last word, the Ynwnn exhaled rapidly, sending the orb flying for the Enkidukai’s unprotected face. 

     Shadow recoiled, the orb impacting his face, and sending the Enkidukai reeling backwards, his vision swimming, and knees buckling underneath him.  The Ynwnn laughed loudly, the sound only heightened, and encouraged, by the impact of Teshia’s hand against his cheek.  “How dare you!” she shrieked in outrage, “What have you done??”
 
     Marsuveus laughed loudly in delight, watching the Enkidukai struggle for balance against the effects of the small spell.  His arm moved again, bringing his half-eaten apple back up to his mouth, taking a large, ravenous bite, as he watched the Enkidukai like a child watches a spinning top.  Answering between his chewing, the massive Ynwnn breathed his reply in an arrogant, icy tone “I made a point, dear Teshia.  One that you would do well to remember.”

     Shadow struggled against the spell’s effects as though fighting a thick haze, before finding his balance, and shaking his head, clearing his vision.   The Enkidukai’s fierce young eyes bored into Marsuveus’ lifeless, dark orbs, locking stares with him angrily.   â€œThe only
point you made
 Is that you’re a bully,” he said, voice growing more confident as the last of the spell’s effects wore off, and receded.

     Marsuveus again chuckled with obvious mirth, swallowing his last bite of apple and grinning pointedly at Teshia and her two followers, as if beckoning them on.  Masaro stepped forward from Teshia’s right, snarling angrily as he swiped forward with his paw, snatching Marsuveus’ apple from his gloved hand.   â€œI’m sick of seeing you wave this around!” he shouted, ripping the fruit from the Ynwnn’s hand.
“Shadow, put that down!” Teshia snapped worriedly, looking at the Enki’s expression as he looked down at the apple quietly.  Masaro quickly glanced to Teshia, and frowned slightly as he obediently dropped the apple, the fruit rolling slowly down towards the ramp, and out of sight.   

     Marsuveus frowned slowly, watching Masaro with a silent, even gaze, eyes narrowing as he watched the Enki drop the fruit.  “Fool” he spat, turning to watch the fruit roll slowly down the ramp.   He reached for a second fruit, produced from a small pouch at his belt, rolling it around in his palm for a moment.  Marsuveus’ lips spread in a slow, wicked grin, barking, “Catch!” as he lobbed the apple up in a high, lazy arc towards Masaro. 

     Masaro instinctively looked upwards, and began to raise his arm to catch the apple as it turned over in mid-air, travelling slowly down towards the Enki’s form.  Marsuveus grinned widely as he stepped forward, closing the distance between his cloaked form and Masaro, right hand now carrying a wicked-looking dark staff, topped with a sharp dark jewel.   The staff flashed forward in a rapid arc, slashing through the front of Masaro’s neck, outstretched as he looked upwards, completely unable to foresee or avoid the blow.

     â€œNo!” Teshia shouted painfully, dashing forward to catch the Enkidukai’s crumpling form as Masaro fell to the ground, wound bleeding profusely.   Ceridwen darted forward as well, bending over the Enkidukai’s body as the life rapidly fled from Masaro’s eyes, his paw falling limply to his side as Teshia looked backwards towards Marsuveus’s form, the fire of rage in her eyes.


But the cloaked Ynwnn was nowhere to be seen.


     The end of a clear, crisp day in Gugrontid cast a slowly dying azure light upon the stone city Shadows lengthened, a few rats scurried out from behind the Stonehead, their bellies full from the night’s leftovers and their greed finally satisfied as their sharp, short claws scratched against the worn stone ramp.    The last glimmering ray of daylight stole it’s way past the battlements on top of the twin towers guarding the top of the ramp, casting a final gleam on the figures of a slim elf maid, and an armored Ylian woman, whose honey-colored eyes burned with the fire of convicted determination, casting an aura of silence and stillness among the small group.

Hi everyone,
I know some of you may have read my post regarding Knives and Daggers here : http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=37912.0, but I thought I'd expand on the points I brought up there, and create a more comprehensive discussion on the subject of the unbalance in the combat system currently in PS.  The goal here is not to whine and complain, but rather to try and highlight a few imbalances that I see in the system, and give practical solutions, where I can, that I feel would help make the system better, and more realistic.  I don’t give out directions or complain without presenting a way that it can be fixed, or how it can be done, so I’ve tried to do my best in being constructive in my criticism, and providing reasonable solutions to any issues.

Most importantly: If any of you know me, you know I LOVE this game, and I don't want to be heard like I'm just complaining and whining. All I'm doing is trying to voice a few problems that I think are present in the system, and see if anything can come out of it.  I appreciate everything that the Devs have done with this game, and I'll say again what I've said many times: Nice job, Devs, keep up the great work  


Sections

1. Weapon Usage, Damages and Damage Types
- Swords
- Daggers/Knives
- Ranged

2. Armors
- Light
- Heavy

3. Weapon Training
- Maximum Levels
- Basic Weapon Training





---Swords---

The first of two weapons that I'll look at here is swords, focusing specifically on Claymores and Longswords.  Now, I feel somewhat qualified to talk about sword usage, because I used to do fencing for a few years back when I was a bit younger.  I fenced foil and sabre, and also dabbled in the historical fencing stuff for a little while, with a few two-handed weapons, rapiers, and other antique swords. Unfortunately, we don't really have an equivalent to a rapier in PS, but we do have sabres.  Now, for any of you out there who've used an antique sabre or broadsword similar to those in PS, you know that in most of your strikes, at least with a sabre or broadsword, are done with the edge of the blade in a slash or cut.  However, you're also making stabs with the point of your blade with the shorter weapons, excluding falchions. Now, it seems all too obvious to look at the slashes and cuts as, well, slash damage, and the stabs as pierce damage.  Every armor has different resistances to slash and pierce, and it would seem only realistic to include both types of attacks, at least for applicable swords.  System messages could be structured like this: Player X slashes Player Y on the torso for 133.45 damage! Player Y stabs Player X on the arms for 124.68 damage! And so on...   Following with this line of thinking, depending on the area of the person attacked with a different type of attack, the attack could be easier or harder to block or dodge.  For instance, a slash at a players feet would be much easier to dodge than it would be to block a slash at the players torso.  This would, at least in my opinion, make the combat system much more realistic, especially for swords in particular.

Back to the specific subject of swords, and my focus on claymores and Longswords.  These two weapons are similar in a few aspects, the most paramount being that they're just flat out huge.  I don't know if any of you have held a claymore or a two-handed longsword, much less tried to swing one, but you immediately find out that it takes two hands just to properly hold the weapon, much less use it effectively.  Even if you factor in superior strength and size of some races like the Ynwnn or Kran, you're talking about handling two 7lb swords that typically are around 55 inches (140 cm) long.  Longswords tend to run a bit smaller, being as long as 4 feet (110 cm), and weighing up to 4 pounds.  What you have to understand here, is that these swords areNOT designed to be wielded in pairs.  It's just not possible to run around in full heavy armor, swinging two claymores, and expecting not to collapse from the weight.  Even forget the armor, and picture you're Rambo-esque in terms of strength, it's simply not possible   Claymores are always two-handed weapons, and require a very strong user to just wield the weapon properly, even with two hands.  I'm making the assumption here that the Longswords included in Planeshift are both two-handed, and one-handed weapons.  Even then, what you need to understand is that one-handed longswords are not designed to be used in pairs.  Think about holding two very heavy, unwieldy PVC pipes, and then going and trying to take someone on with them, it's just not going to happen.  One-handed longswords are designed to be used with a shield, and never as a paired weapon system.  The only possible exception I can see to this is a really, and I mean really buffed-up Ynwnn in very light armor walking out with two one-handed longswords, and perhaps lasting longer than a few seconds before a wiser fighter finishes him off.  People, my main point is this: Claymores and Longswords should not be allowed to be equipped in two slots simultaneously.  Feel free to run around like a headless Kikiri with your pair of broadswords, however difficult that would be, it's still very possible to do so, but doing the same with a pair of Claymores or Longswords just won't work.


---Daggers/Knives---

Now comes the weapons I've got the most in-game experience with, and have done the most research on.  I can't say that I've even gotten to mess around with a pair of daggers, per se, but I have done a bit with knives, though not the medieval type that would be in Planeshift.  A large portion of this section will simply be re-stating what I've already covered in my earlier post, but if my goal is to create a comprehensive reference on the combat system's shortcomings, I've to to stick it in.  Historically, medieval daggers aren't the kitchen-knife-esque type things commonly portrayed today.  Medieval daggers ranged anywhere from a foot to nearly two full feet in length, meaning that these blades were hardly your average Swiss Army Knife.  Fighters who had trained with daggers for any period of time learned that daggers were not weapons like the axe or club, meant only for slashing and bashing the living snot out of your enemy.  Daggers were meant as smaller, more precise blades that would be much easier to stab in and out at your opponent quickly, while giving the lightened weight that enabled fighters to dodge and parry strikes with greater speed.  Dagger users would be especially good at stabbing their blades through the joints and cracks in plate armors.  For a foot-and-a-half blade, going straight through a thick plate chestpiece just isn't possible, unless the wearer was completely incapacitated and lying prone on the ground.  The torque and power needed to penentrate though thicker plate, or even half-plate, just would be impossible to achieve on a moving, upright opponent.  Without stealing too much information from the Armor section, plate and half-plate armor is weakest at it's joints, where the plates either overlap, or are cut off.  These are the areas that anyone, especially a dagger or knife-fighter, would be aware of, and would likely target the majority of their attacks. Currently, I'm unable to do any damage on a maxed HA user, even with maxed dagger skill.  Again, this is the Dagger section, not the HA section, but the problem with daggers currently is highlighted in it's unfair struggle against Heavy Armor. Something needs to change here, daggers would be significantly less effective against HA than say, a mace, even I'm not delusional enough to pretend otherwise   But my point is this: Daggers need to be able to do damage against plate armor, for the sake of realism and a realistically balanced combat system.

Additionally, daggers are currently classified as slash-damage weapons.  I don't need to expand on everything stated earlier, but as I've said, daggers are not designed for hacking against armor, they're designed as stabbing and piercing weapons, and should inflict pierce damage, rather than slash,  or slash and pierce, as a sword would (and should).  


---Ranged---

Here comes the section that should be the easiest for me to explain, and the easiest for everyone to see, likely, many of you already have a complain regarding the ineffectiveness of Ranged. I can't honestly say that I've tested Ranged against a maxed HA user, but the imbalance with Ranged is focused on it's usage against NPC's.  I've currently got a mid-50's skill in Ranged, and I'm already beginning to regret spending the tria and time on training it.  Even at maxed Ranged, which I have tested with a player's help, damaging heavily armoured NPC's, such as Maulbies or Dlayos is impossible.  Zero damage is inflicted on these opponents, even after expending hundreds of arrows in bloody stance, regardless of hitting in the head, foot, torso, whatever.  Take the Maulbernaut for example, what you've got is the biological equivalent of something like a carnivorous elephant with anger issues, only with a coat of fur instead of the thick skin.  Firing iron-tipped arrows from a master archer with considerable strength, he's aiming for the head, neck, or upper torso, and you better believe that those arrows are gonna do some serious damage, especially if you're hitting the head or neck.  Right now, at nearly 60 in ranged, with a full q bow and in bloody, I can't inflict any damage on weaker NPC's like a tefu, trepor, or the like.  Out of all the weapons and damages I'll talk about, I know this would be the easiest fix.  This issue is also intertwined with the current grossly over-powered NPC issue, but that's another rant for another day, I've only got so much space.  Either way, my main point for this section: Ranged should have greater effect on NPC's, period.





---Light Armor---

I’ve only got the space to discuss two armor types, so I figured I’d go for the two that are the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of imbalance: Light and Heavy.

The most important thing in regards to leather armor was the movement and flexibility that it provided, which gave a huge advantage in terms of weight and agility over other armors.  Small blade users weren’t the only users of LA, either, it was not unusual for a swordsman to be wearing a set of well-kept leather armor, if engaging in a smaller-scale conflict or a skirmish.  Leather armor simply was lighter, more flexible, and allowed the wearer to be much quicker and more agile than a wearer of any other armor type, period.  Leather armor could be travelled in, whereas plate or heavy sets of mail could not be worn when running really any distance.  LA was designed for speed, and due to it’s weight and thickness, it would not have the same ability to stop a sword or blade that mail or plate would.  The LA user’s best defense against a swinging blade was to either block it with their own blade, or to use thick forearm bracers to deflect the blade off at an angle. LA might be able to take the edge off of a moderately powerful sword strike, but a powerful axe blow would leave the user with no option but to parry with their own blade, or dodge the incoming blow.

Currently, LA has realistic defensive qualities in terms of slash and pierce defensive values, but aside from the look ( ) there’s no advantage to wearing it other than RP purposes.  A very simple solution to this would be to have other armor types subtract from a wearer’s STR, and heavily from their END and AGI, whereas LA kept the stats either at, or very close, to the current levels.  This, in addition to even training levels which is discussed later, would provide a suitable recompense for users wearing different armor types, and also serve well in terms of creating a realistic combat system.
My main point of this section: There needs to be a fair consequence for users wearing different types of armor, for sake of balance and realism.

---Heavy Armor---

Following alone with my proposed solution for the stat reduction for different armor types, Heavy Armor would be the greatest draw on the STR, AGI, and END for a wearer.  Let’s remember that knights wearing plate armor needed ladders, stairs, or even small winch systems just to be able to mount their horses for battle.  All that, and they still needed the assistance of a squire to mount up, and even just to put the armor itself on.  The main point in this: Heavy Armor was just that Heavy Armor. Heavy armor was a series of heavy metal plates layered over each other to form a very effective defense against slashing weapons.  Frequently, plate would be worn over a shirt of plate mail, giving a second layer of protection against slashing damage of swords and sabres.  Aside from the massive weight of the plate, and greatly incumbered motion, a massive weakness of plate was the joints, or places where plate would be thinned or left out in order to allow the wearer some degree of motion.  These joints provided the least protection, and as such, were the targets of most fighters’ attacks.

 However, HA also is greatly overestimated in it’s defensive stats, because it ignores the fact of these weaknesses.  While the slash, blunt and pierce values are more or less, correct, they ignore specialized weapons like daggers and ranged, which would be much more effective at finding the joints and seams in the plate.  Because daggers are still counted as a slash weapon, they’re completely useless against HA in the current system. To give a practical example, I tested a group of attacks with a 300q dagger pair at maxed skill against full q50 Heavy Armor, also on a maxed user.  With the heavy-armor user in Normal stance, and I in bloody, I was able to inflict an astounding .09 damage on someone's foot.  However, against a user of around 50 skill in Heavy Armor, I'm able to inflict moderate, yet still unfairly low, damages.

 My question is this: What is changing as the user ranks up in Heavy Armor?  If I'm able to damage the user at a lower skill level, that shows that the daggers are penetrating the plate at it's joints where Caraick would be attacking, and I'm able to do damage to the wearer.  However, against a maxed user, that utterly vanishes, and he/she/kran is totally invincible to my daggers.  People: The plate itselfis not changing, if I'm able to do damage on the armor once, I can do it again even if the user is more skilled  The user's skill is the only variable that is changing, the plate itself is not changing, meaning that if I'm able to do damage on the plate at a lower skill, nothing should change at a higher skill, except more blocks and dodge, and perhaps less overall damage, but not NO damage at all! That's just plain silly, we know better than that.
That’s my main point of this section: Heavy Armor is unfair in it’s resistance, especially to specialized weapons like daggers and bows, and needs to have a fair penalty for wearing and fighting in it. (Stat. reduction)





---Maximum Levels---

Currently, there is a bugtracker post with regards to imbalance in maximum trainable levels, and I also known that the subject was touched upon at the recent Dev. Meeting with the players, but again, this is a comprehensive post, and it needs to be included.  If you’re confused as to what I mean by Max. Levels, I’m referring to the maximum level that a weapon, armor, or magic way can be trained to. i.e., swords train to 100, LA to 60, CW to 150, etc.  Compounded with the imbalance that I’ve talked about with various weapons and damage types, the fact that axes can train to 150, and swords only to 100 gives axes an unrealistic, OOC mechanic advantage over any weapon type that trains to 100.  Swords at 100 is not treated as a “maximum” weapon rank, it’s treated as 100 in that weapon skill.  This means that 100 in axes would be equivalent to max swords in terms of stat levels, even though axes max out at 150.  That gives master axe users a full 50 levels of damage greater than a sword or dagger user who’s maxed in their weapon skill.

The same is true for armors, and because the new system has granted different armor types greater resistances against certain damage types, the maximum training levels throws the scale even more off balance.  The fact that LA cannot train to 100 completely cripples any LA user, and gives a HA user again, a completely OOC-mechanic advantage of being able to train his or her skill many levels higher than a MA or LA user.  Again, this completely tips the scale in the combat system, and needs to be fixed if there is to be balance.

This same issue is also applied to the issues in the magic system, but again, that’s another rant for another time, I just don’t have the space  My main point here: All weapons and armors need to train to an equal level.


---Basic Weapon Training---
Warning: New Idea Alert!  

This is the last section of my post, and I know that while the rest of my points may have already been slightly known, I don’t think there’s been any major discussion about simple weapon training.  The way the system works currently, an NPC trainer allows you to train to the next level by acquiring practice points by getting hits with the weapon, armor, or magic.  However, I think that if someone was training say axes, by continuing to use the axes, he/she/kra would become more skilled with the weapon, just by using it on their own, without a trainer, per se.  However, the guidance of a specific trainer for that skill would allow the person to train much faster, as they’re receiving much more direct instruction.  

My solution to this is a new Weapon training system, one that combines the current one, and the concept explained above.  A player could train weapons as they do normally, and would have a set amount of practice points that they would need to acquire after buying the skill level training from the NPC trainer.  However, after capping out on their practice points for a weapon, and a player reaches the next weapon level, he/she/kra should be allowed to continue gaining “learning points” with the skill.  Learning points would be a similar system to the practice points we have already, by getting hits with a certain armor or weapon, the player would also receive “learning points”  Learning points would be represented by a third bar on the stats and skills window, and naturally, would fill up much more slowly in comparison to practice points.  

The point of this system would be to allow players to continue advancing in a weapon skill without the need to see a NPC trainer.  This would be especially useful at the higher levels, where players use their weapons for hunting and sparring, not necessarily grinding to make the stats higher.  Because it is reasonable to assume that someone learns a skill by using it, the person would continue to develop in their skill simply by utilizing the skill or armor stat.  This concept could be applied over the whole spectrum of PS skills and jobs, from magic to metallurgy. That’s my main point here, I’m not bashing the current system, I think it’s pretty okay the way it is, I’m just suggesting a way to make it even more realistic, which is the goal after all, right?




My goal in all this is not to give the Devs grief, it’s not to be a complainer, either.  I’m trying to give a comprehensive list of what I feel is wrong with the combat system currently, and where I can, propose ways to fix it, or make it more realistic.  Like I said before, I’ve got some practical knowledge in a few of the weapons areas, and I’ve tried to present the information as best that I’ve experienced it and researched it.  

I hope that this can help with bringing this game along to it’s final product, and I welcome any comments, criticisms, or feedback.

Thanks,
CD
 


EDIT: The system has been changed, all stats/magic/skills now train to equivalent levels!