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Bending Nation

Found 16 results

  1. Established in 2018, Absinthe is the largest and most established Historical Victorian London site. Our group is closely knit and incredibly welcoming to newcomers. We are an 21+ community with mature themes, canon characters, and lots of want ads. Come explore the darkness and the macabre history of a bygone era with us on Absinthe!
  2. Does your character ever sabotage themselves? Why? Do they realize they're doing it?
  3. What was that cartoon? Where the main character entered and would say... HERE I AM TO SAVE THE DAYYYYYYYYYY Wait.... it was... who WAS it? I was thinking Underdog, but he had his own hero song. And then I thought it might be Mickey Mouse... but... nope. NOT Mickey Mouse... dang.... OH OH I KNOW I KNOW It was MIGHTY MOUSE!!! I'm not here to save the day for EVERYONE!! Just those that I can. I'm an active player. Great imagnation. Can create a character on the fly, too. My interests are geared more toward the following: Historical (as accurate as I can get it a bit of flamboyance tossed in for SPARKS); fantasy -- I like dragons and am very good at transitioning. I am also creative and wordy. Yes, very wordy. I came to be here by way of Cosima and I am looking forward to meeting those of like mind and being introduced to NEW games and anything else that's adventurous and can be found here or there!
  4. I.... struggle so hard with writing good open threads that people find it easy to hop into and roleplay with me. I feel like I never know when to end them at a comfortable place or I always provide too much detail in the opening (and it gets looong). I admire people who can write a short, particularly simple opening thread and leave so much potential. I don't know how to do this. I really need some guidance. Anyone have some sound advice for me (and anyone else that's struggling)?
  5. How do you use journals and why do you think them useful? Do you think they are a place for only random thoughts, fun stuff and things that do not tie in with the storyline, or a place to enhance the storyline from the personal perspective of said character, to build on it, to bridge gaps and to tie loose ends? I think they can be used creatively for lots of things. I have bridged gaps, tied loose ends, showing things which were partially written in the storyline, and partially implied only, deepened stories by showing a character's (flawed, but meaningful) perspective, foreshadowed some things by setting the ground in the information comprised in the journal, which would become important/ more interesting later on, tying with events which haven't happened yet. In one case, the journals were a sideplot of the story - if the main story was action-focused, the love story was reflected by journals only (with intentions to further become half journals, half letters, but those were to be reflected also in the journal thread). His point of view vs hers. And it worked perfectly. Looking forward to hearing your creative experience with journals, diaries, letters!
  6. There are many instances when a character gets drama in his story life. As we are talking about RPGs, which are collaborative, sometimes this drama is actually sought by the writer, but other times it is: - either the result of negotiations between writers, so that all of them find something enjoyable in the story (ie a necessary give and take, when one accepts a twist he isn’t so fond of, but the partner is, receiving in exchange another plot twist, probably with another character, that he is looking forward to) - or the result of unilateral decisions of other writers (vanishing writers, dropped/ killed characters they had got bored with, etc.) which hadn’t taken into consideration at all the impact of their character’s disappearing on the characters theirs was related to. Which are the literary techniques/ plot devices you have used in order to heal your characters after such an event and use the experience as character development? (I know there are people who are so shocked by losing a writing partner that they retire the related character too. I am not interested in the answer “retiring the character”, but in techniques of making them cope with the loss.) I confess it had happened to me too, to retire a character at a certain moment, after most people they had plots with had left, and he had no more connections on the site at all. In those conditions, it didn't make sense for his story to get continued in those circumstances, so he had to step into the background and continue his life offscreen. But for most characters, it isn't the case. They still have a role to accomplish in the story, other connexions, etc. I have found, in any case possible, a plot twist to get them able to continue, even if they had to recover after a trauma. Some of my characters have found solace in religion, a pilgrimage or two being the solution to heal and go forward. Others had found new friends for support, or rallied all the remaining connexions around them, sooner or later, like in life. Or the new plot twists gave them other more immediate things to solve and think about...
  7. It is nothing new that the world is functioning upside down in various aspects of life. Why not in the writing realm too? 😢 As you know already, and as you can see from the blog image, I have published three novels up to now. Two others and a short stories anthology will follow soon, almost certainly all three to appear this year. I published with small indie presses, because this is what I have the possibility in the current book market conditions. Many writers more seasoned than me published with the same two indie presses, so I am in good company. (And they aren't vanity presses, printing and dumping the books in your arms. No, they assure launching events, participation at fairs, the collaboration of literary critics, etc.) I am glad that I have started to become a little known among the contemporary writers in Bucharest. If one googles my pen name (despite being quite common internationally) one can find something about one of my novels too. If googling the titles, there are few information about them, but they are, reviews and photos. I had good reviews from the literary critics at the book presentation events, I had my novels displayed at the bi-annual Bucharest International Book Fairs... all these are successes for a junior writer, with only 3 novels published up to now. What's more important as a success, is the fact that I have a senior writer's support to get in the National Writers' Union (union as in professional association, not what you understand generally by trade Union and we call Syndicates, which is work regulation-related.) It will happen, most likely, in 2019, after I get the required number of publications. My publishers also support this endeavour, and they will rally enough literary critics to get the required recommendations portfolio until then. (It has started building already). It sounds lovely, but... let's vent my frustrations too, here, not on my public blog, where those who have generated them in a way or another can see them... And this comes with the warning that the Romanian book market, unfortunately, doesn't ressemble the English speaking books market, so most of the book marketing ideas I find online, in English speaking blogs, unfortunately do not apply. While the English speaking market is catering to nearly one billion people (there were, in Internet statistics, 400 million native speakers of English, to which to add 400 million speakers of English as a second language, in 2006, and I assume the population has increased in 12 years), the overall population of Romania was of 19.5 million people, out of which about 4 million are abroad, about 3 million too young to read my novels (below 14)... and from the remaining 12.5 million, about 40% or more are poor, too busy to survive and not reading anything else than an occasional newspaper or religious book. Sad, but true. Of course, from the remaining people who would read in principle (some regularly, some occasionally) not all are fans of historical adventures fiction/ YA, what I am writing. This is a realistic analysis. As far as I heard the publishers say (not only personally to me, but also in interviews on the internet) - and we have our "big fives" here too, plus a whole constellation of small indie presses (the equivalent of self publishing would be here dealing directly with the printing house without a publisher, which is recommended only for professional books which have already the distribution ensured or for people who print one memoir book in their lives to give to 50-100 people, not needing ISBN or anything), in my country a book (written by a contemporary national writer, not translations of international bestsellers and not books required for school reading like our classics) printed in 1,000 copies is already considered a best seller. My novels were, 2 of them published in 200 copies, the first one in 300. It is the level generally the writers around me use. Now, my sincere frustrations? - I haven't recovered the costs on any of them. Yes, I have sold some, but the greatest amount was given freely. Now, to be honest, I knew from the start that I wouldn't get rich from writing. I did it from my heart, and I loved when I received compliments about the books (not only from the critics, I appreciate more the readers' compliments and questions, even if I know the critics' are of importance for the accession to the Writers' Union). This is when I felt they got their mission, to brighten someone's day and to transport them to another time and place, offering them an insight on that way of living. But I would have appreciated if I succeeded to recover my costs. Some writers know business owners and get sponsors. (I had sponsors too, back in 1999, for my professional handbook in project management). I don't know influent people who would be able to sponsor me, every cost is supported from my meager savings (given that I am retired now). Yes, I sold books at various events... but the money received covered the expenses of the event, with very little margin (if any). - I can't reach exactly my target group, the high-school and Uni youngsters. Until now, my novels were bought mostly by grown-up or older people who were nostalgic about the style of novels they use to read, because these were the ones coming to the literary events. - I had also two interviews in English about my novels (1, 2, I remember one more but I can't find any link, just the file where I replied to the questions) and one other would come soon, but I can't reach the Romanian book review bloggers, despite having seen some other writers getting several reviews. It's not about the novels' quality, it's about whom you know in the field... and I don't. Or, at least, not yet - I am still working on it. And praying for a bit of good luck. ...And everything needs more money. Half, I understand this as in the fact that if I try to expand my marketing network, this doesn't come for free because this is what those people gain their living from - organising things. I understand that some reviews/ forewords/ have a price too, because those critics are famous and listened to, on one side, and on the other side, this is what they are gaining their living from. In the rare cases when I made reviews (I hate making reviews, but I consider that if some people spoke in favour of my books at my launchings, I have to give it back to the writers' community and do it whenever needed from me), I made them from the moral spirit expressed above, and it wouldn't have occurred to me to ask for any benefit. (Well, I received the book free from the publisher in exchange of the review). I am lucky that I don't have to pay my beta-reader/ first editor, because many people have to do it too. She does it from friendship, for free, and I am grateful to her. But in a world which wouldn't function as upside down as it does, the writer should be allowed to write - like it was before the ascension of social media - and the others should do the marketing part. I am sure that Hemingway, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas weren't the ones to do much more than writing. Yes, they received their money after the books were sold, but nobody asked them money for publishing, for book launching events organisation and other things. Or, if now shedding money is a must because there are too many books published and no publisher assumes the economic risks anymore in this crisis economy, at least they should want the money from the sales! Not before recovering the costs... One would say fame has a price. But I still have the feeling that things aren't how they should be.
  8. Some people write only for their writing partner, or for themselves. I like reaching the widest audience possible (with that "widest" being not so wide, most often, but hopefully it doesn't mean that my writing sucks). I think all kind of stories are meant to be shared (in a way or another, orally or in writing). I always write with an audience in mind - which doesn't mean, however, that I write "things which sell" if they don't interest me. I like RPGs because I like interacting with my readers (and writing partners), talking about characters, plots, motives, etc. I wish the readers of my novels would interact with me on my FB page too (where it is easier) or on my blog. What about you?
  9. I think we can agree that roleplaying is for fun and isn't a competitive event. But what about improving one's writing skills or expecting others to be good writers? As a roleplayers, I don't see much discussion or emphasis in techniques and improving writing skills. We talk about making better characters or describing the characters' surroundings or the age-old "quality vs. quantity" argument, but the only time we ever get into being a good writer, it's encouraging things that DON'T make someone a good writer. For example, going in-depth with description doesn't make you a better writer - it allows the other players to understand the setting or character background more fully. Sure it has the potential of making somebody's writing better but it doesn't really improve one's ability to write. Instead it's a blanket statement that is expected to work for every writer in just about every scenario. I'd love to see more emphasis on grammar, diction (making word choice appropriate for the character/scenario), not telling too much, flow of sentences / sentence structure, narrative, etc. These things are incredibly important for writing and they're so often overlooked. There are other topics that are more specific to roleplay (ex: how to make characters important without stealing the spotlight, or how to work on character arc / development through roleplay posts) which would also be really neat. Even though this is just a hobby, we can improve our writing, too. I think people are so quick to brush things off because "it's just a game and people don't want to stress about things" which is true. But even with other hobbies, you still push yourself to become better. No one wants to paint for years and never become any better. Sure, you can switch types of paints and canvases or explore other topics to paint, but you don't dismiss improving your painting techniques because "it's just a hobby" and whatnot. I've considered making documentation for the RP community focusing specifically on writing techniques, but then I fear people would expect me to be a really, really good writer. I'm pretty mediocre, and I try to get better, but I don't think I have the skills to be telling others how to write. It's a pretty tricky topic. I love playing with a variety of people, and with that comes a variety of skill levels. There are level-specific sites, but those are most often based on quantity and how well you can describe your environment, not actual writing skill. We say quality over quantity but we don't talk about how to achieve quality or what it really means. Thoughts / ideas / insight / experiences? It would be awesome if we could explore writing skills in the roleplay world.
  10. Do you think your stories (and fiction in general) is "pretendy fun times/ play pretend" and your characters are "fake people"? Why yes or why no? I am not playing pretend when I am writing. I do immerse my readers in the setting, but I am not my characters either, and I do thorough research. My characters are not fake people, even if they are the fruit of my imagination. They could have existed in truth, just that they aren't written in chronicles ;) They would have been fake (for my historical fiction) only if they had laser guns and space ships in those times (and even then they could have been OK for science fiction or so). As long as I research a lot and I put a lot of thinking in writing my stories and characters, they aren't fake and play pretend. They are just... stories. They aren't physical, but they are real in the way that art and music are real. I don;t think fiction is "just lies' / untrue/ fake.
  11. So I brought this up brief in the Pet Peeve section but wanted to elaborate on it more and see if anyone else had ever encountered it because frankly this is my first experience with it and I'm totally shocked that any writer would think that this normal. The issue was this, people who change their characters history (as they see fit) in a way that completely contradicts everything they've previously been writing. I have no issue with 'surprises' like oh you thought you were a single fun-loving bachelor oh shit, your ex actually had your kid and you just found out. That's fun or w/e but these were blatant contradictions totally changing the character's history I find that extremely annoying and confusing. Especially when it messes up what's already happened between other characters on the board. In this case it's two staff members making these blatant contradictory changes together and then blind siding other members/characters by suddenly changing up their character history/adding things to their pasts that they previous stated in thread/site canon that they didn't have expecting other member’s characters to be aware of what’s going on. It’s like they’re trying to use a plot twist tool and doing it all wrong it’s like … The Right Way: Chance was raised as only child, his entire life and personality has been defined by this fact. He never knew his father, and his mother never really talked about it, so it was just the two of them. Years later, he runs into a man who he eventually realizes is his half-brother. He is shocked by this revelation and those in his life begin to find out only as he starts to come to terms with it. The Wrong Way: Chance has talked again and again about never having any siblings or a father, just him and his mom against the world until she died. It’s his entire life he’s just on his own now, it defines his character. He tells everyone in his life (and in threads) he has no siblings, no father, and that his mom’s dead. Two weeks later, Chance is hanging out with his miraculous brother at thanksgiving dinner with their happily married parents and then is getting angry at other characters for not knowing about these people in his life. They’re doing it the wrong way. As if that wasn’t annoying enough in this situation they are ‘in character’ are berating my character for not knowing these things about them when the character would have no way of knowing. It’s like they’re expecting you to metagame which is another shock. How are they supposed to know if they weren’t there or if they weren’t told, or if they were previously told the opposite? RP is supposed to be fun but I also write as a career so I take my story building/character development very seriously. I treat every forum/board as if it’s a novel and my character is on a journey within this world. I would never blatantly contradict anything in their past because it’s convenient or I felt like it because I have too much respect for my fellow writers and their efforts. It’s not fun to suddenly have everything you worked toward just tossed out as if it’s nothing. I think of like... imagine reading Harry Potter, knowing the whole time Harry Potter's parents are dead. Last book starts with Harry's parents sending him off to school with no mention of the fact that they had been dead, written as if they're been there the whole time but we're all supposed to pretend like this is normal/canon. I’m just curious to hear others experiences/thoughts on this.
  12. Dead In The Water is Serial Novel I have been working on for a while where I release piece by piece as I go. I figured I would do the same here. Adding new chapters when they're ready. I killed her, I know I did. Everyone said it was an accident, but the look in their eyes says something else. Every look of suspicion, every whisper behind me, reminds me that it couldn't have been an accident. Not if I felt so guilty. Or maybe it had been an accident. Except, even I wasn't so sure of that and supposedly, I'd been there. I don't remember what happened. She was there and then she was gone; seconds had determined life and death. I don't know how we'd got there in the first place. I didn't remember taking the boat out that morning, or why I would have with the fog so dense. The first and only memory I had of that day, had been a resonating splash as her body hit the water. By the time I'd turned around, she was gone. I'd jumped in after her, but there was nothing to find. They say it was impossible, that far out in the lake for her to just disappear beneath the water. But I had no other explanation. That was how it started, the rumors. I can't even go out on the water now. Not without thinking about her. Which is a problem when you live a lake town, even more of a problem when you live on an Island in the centre of that lake. I don't get out much these days. If the looks weren't enough; the fear of the water makes sure of it. I wait until the winter, when the lake freezes over and it's safe enough for us to drive across. Even then, I don't go unless I have to. Aunt Lo says it's no life for a young man, but my options are pretty limited. I can't even bring myself to operate a boat anymore. Luckily, we get mostly tourists on the Island and running the lodge is a year-round job. It was just Aunt Lo and I now. Even though I had never planned to stay here. My Dad always said I was a restless spirit, like my Mamma in that way. I used to think that was a compliment until I was old enough to understand what it meant to be like my Mamma. She'd just left. One night, she tucked me into bed and was gone the next day. Just like Raven, I'd been the last to see her alive. It was different Aunt Lo said, because Mamma hadn't died, she had just left me behind. She didn't seem to get how that was almost worse. When Dad had died, he had been taken from us, against his own will. Mamma had chosen to leave. Maybe Raven too had chosen to leave, by throwing herself into the water. Unless that is, I'd pushed her. I don't think I could have done it, but she did have a way of getting under my skin. She was the first woman I'd come to love, and the first one I'd also grown to hate. It was pretty sick, the way she could play with your head, or maybe it had just been my head. I'd never raised a hand to her before. I didn't think myself capable of raising a hand to anyone, especially not someone I loved. God, I don't even know anymore, the more months pass the less certain I am of what happened that day. The harder I try to remember, the less I can. I guess, like any story, the best place to start is the beginning. ---------------- I first set my eyes on Raven Ouellette in the sixth grade. She walked into the classroom like she owned the place. Her long dark hair hung straight down her back and her smooth caramel skin was tanned from the summer sun. She looked like an exotic Princess among us common folk. She wasn't a Princess though. It was soon revealed that much like the rest of us, she was just another kid whose parents didn't want her. Rumors had a way of finding quick ground in this town. They only needed one well-planted seed before they spread like wildfire. Abandoned kids were nothing new here. We had a bad track record on the Island. Where the kids who had both parents around were considered the abnormal ones. Townies say it was cursed out here, but that never stopped them from storming our beaches in the dead heat of summer. They call us the Lost Children, the ones who were left behind. I'm always left behind it seems. Something's have a way of repeating themselves and this was one cycle I had been hoping to break. There weren't many homes on the Island to begin with. But many of us were among the Lost Children. I lived with Aunt Lo at the Lodge. Charlie Drummer lived with his Grandparents behind the beach arcade, 'cause his own Mamma had had him too young to care. The other cluster of kids on the Island were Foster kids that lived at the McLennan house. Four or five kids that came and went as their circumstances changed. Then, there was Raven. Raven Ouellette had come to live with her Grandmother. A quiet woman who, it soon became clear to me, I'd never actually seen much of before. When I'd been young, whispers had wound around the Island that her dark cottage in the trees was the home of a Witch. Maybe she was a witch. She certainly never damn smiled that was for sure. Or maybe she was just like the rest of us, lonely. If she ever left her place for food or the like, I certainly never seen her do it. There was one grocery store on the Island that the McLennan's ran. If you wanted anything special you had to order it for the next shipment or take a boat into town. I used to boat into town whenever I had the chance. Out on the water was the one place we were untouchable. There was no one to judge you, to give you those looks. The time between casting off from the lodge and docking in town, used to be the only time I could ever think clearly. Now, I can't even do that no more. Raven was never an open person. For every ten secrets I shared, I could maybe drag one out of her. I did know she'd never known much of her Daddy. Her Mamma, like mine, had grown tired of looking after her. She'd figured life on the Island would be the safest alternative. She'd obviously been wrong. I knew even then, that Raven was trouble.
  13. Don't write alone, they say. Involve your members, because RPG means interaction. Well, it means interaction between characters, and this could be achieved even if they are written by only one writer. What if the members CAN get involved, but they don't want to? I would have liked to involve them in all threads, to have characters of all kind (not only NPCs) shared, or at least to have discussions among writers even if I have to write some threads alone. They seem to simply not be interested. In this case, isn't better to write the story alone, than have the chapter missing from the whole story, and "left to anyone's imagination"? Don't we write to let out the story prisoner in our minds, and have it read by our readers, as few as they might be in certain cases? I am still pondering, in one case, if to write a thread wholly alone or to wait for the potential involvement of two other writing partners. Yes, they can be involved and I'd love them to. I think their contribution would add to the story and it could be also good character development for their own characters, if they care to develop them. This is the main issue - if they care to develop them, if they care to get involved. Because one hadn't written in his ongoing threads for 3 weeks, and I don't know when he'll write again, if he will be available for another thread and if, assuming he'd join, he'd do this thread the same thing (making me wait 3-4 weeks or more for one post). And most of the above could apply for the other too. People who post at 3-4 weeks, and in 3 weeks I can finish the whole thread alone. Decisions, decisions. I have stopped, though, with an opened thread, waiting for them to see if they want to get involved. If not, I can get ambitious and finish the thread alone in one week-end, some day.
  14. I admit I am confronted with an activity problem on my nearly six years old site. Most of the sites have one, at a moment or another. I feel it is something wrong with the very slow pace we have progressed with this year, and with people posting, instead of each week, only 1-2 times a month. In one year of writing, we have covered only two story months. In other years, there were three to six story months for a year of writing. If a quicker pace was possible before, and it created more enthusiasm for "the next episode" of the story, why it isn't possible now anymore? I think some people lose interest because the writing partners take too long to post. I am trying my best to stimulate people to write and be inspired, with everything I can, but it seems I am the only one doing it - and sometimes it feels damn lonely on my own site. This is when I get pessimistic and I think that nobody else cares about it, while I am giving all my best to the story and the community. It feels as one-sided as I am losing inspiration for stories I loved writing. I think this is my main problem, especially that I know this site used NOT to be like this. The community was bubbly, involved, there were people of all speeds, and the stories were written quicker... Now, they are disenfranchising from us by simply not posting and not being anymore part of our WRITING community. Being active means being connected to the community. If we, each of us, no longer feel like putting in the effort, then we have made the conscious decision to let our site die. I am always willing to make this effort, but I can't do it alone. And, unfortunately, not recognizing that we have an activity problem means not seeking consciously solutions, both within ourselves and all together. The inactivity is the problem, at the whole board level. And instead of being stimulated to be more active when others aren't, each one is complacent that "the others haven't posted either, I can procrastinate as well." Some do not even acknowledge it is a problem for the site, in order to seek solutions - both inside them and together with the others. When we can't get more writers (because, let's admit, older sites seem to be less attractive for newcomers, despite the reassurance that they are more established and less prone to disappear in a whim), the solution to keep going on is to be more active ourselves - and it is a collective endeavour. A person alone can't bring the needed activity, when the story is collective, needing various crews. Being needed is a nice feeling, and it should be one more motivating reason to find inspiration and time. (This is exactly why I am always writing more for others than alone; because I know that other people are waiting for the "next round"). I am thinking ”My posts are needed, people are waiting for me, so I’ll make time as soon as I can”. (Which may mean instead of watching a movie or of doing something else which is for free time). When I am sad, bored or tired of numbers or of drama in real world, I am starting to write, in order to get immersed in a different world. And I keep writing. But if one person not posting, doesn't lead to inactivity and site dying, when most persons on a small site aren't posting, the 2-3 who do... can they really make a significant difference, no matter how often they post? Because it is just a little part of the plots, and usually not the important ones, which get forward, and the others get waiting and waiting. I have seen this elsewhere in the past. Sites once busy, then one left, another stopped posting, if those two weren't anymore, others stopped posting too, either waiting for the others' posts, or just because - and in 2 months the site was a ghost town. And it is something which would naturally lead to the death of the site, if nobody stops it somehow. But how to stop it? What more can I do in order to make the plot running smoother, better? I really am trying my best. And maybe from here a big part of the lonely feeling... Don Quijote fighting windmills, misunderstood by the people around? I do care - about our writing community together, writing because this is what gathered us together. I can't do everything in this world, but I am doing as much as I can, and I am searching for what else to do in order to keep the community together, to keep the story going. And nobody else admits that inactivity might be a problem. I understand people being busy for a while and people having lost interest (in writing in general or in this story in special). It doesn't mean I am not regretting their good characters, their writing style, their warm presence and their interesting ideas. I do. But I know I can't fight something which belongs inside each person. If they don't have motivation from inside, to write, I can't give it to them with any outside intervention. And, in exchange, I start losing mine if my writing partners don't care about the story anymore, because I feel I am doing everything in vain, for no readers and no writing partners.
  15. "...Embrace Chaos." Here, you'll find a collection of my writing, be it poetry or otherwise! Enjoy - - - - - - Table Of Contents "Breathe" - Poetry "See" - Poetry "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep" - Roleplay Post "Moonlit Sacrifice" - Original Story Part 1 "Death Becomes Her" - Roleplay Post "Silk?" - Roleplay Post "What Dreams May Come" - Roleplay Post
  16. “The silent brothers do not call themselves silent because they do not speak, Lee. We, the people, started calling them that, and they never cared enough to make us stop. They are called 'silent' because the try not to get involved with 'worldly affairs.' they are men-and women-who enjoy keeping to themselves, only getting involved if it puts the nature, or greater good, at risk. If they catch word from their brothers miles away that something is threatening what they believe needs protecting, then they might lift a finger to help. First, they have to spend countless hours consulting the stars, the wind, the trees, and their inner thoughts, as well as the 'Elder Circle'-A group of men and women who've been working with them the longest...” Deth ignored her comment on knowing what elders were “...to see if they can find enough reason for anyone to leave in hopes to help. “Mostly, they only act if they believe they can stop it. They do not believe in wasting anything, not even a moment of thought. So time, energy, and everything else, is always put to a purpose, be it selfish, or less. Mostly less, but...” Deth stopped there, rubbing his face. It was late, and while they should have been sleeping, neither seemed willing to actually do so. Harley's mind was abuzz with questions that needed answers, and answers that needed questions, and Deth just happened to be the only person around. “So,” She pursed her lips for a moment, pulling her knees up to her chin as she thought carefully over her next question. Only wanting to ask ones that would give answers instead of more questions. She felt like a young child next to Deth, and didn't want to annoy or pester her volunteer guide. “What has it to do with Malcome?” She finally settled on, unable to find anything better. “Some people think that Malcome visited the Silent Brothers, and that's when he found out not only about his mother's blood, but also the Drygon's Curse.” Deth stretched out his legs, laying back against the earth. “Of course, there isn't any proof. And they wouldn't likely tell us left or right. This very well could be a wasted trip on our part- but, unlike the Brothers, we aren't afraid to give something even if we don't get what we want.” Harley nodded, staring into the fire over folded arms. Worry causing lines to form between her brows. Deth watched her for a moment, then sighed. “Even if they don't tell us about Malcome, they may still have useful information about the Drygon's. We may even find an idea as to why they took your sister.” They being the Drygons, great warriors from another land. Ones who had slowly migrated over the years, as Deth explained the night before. Harley kept quiet a moment, neither she, nor Deth could think of anything to say. Deth, looking more rugged than ever, was about to tell Harley to sleep. They had a long trip a head, and she already slowed him down by at least a day- better make that half, she wasn't that bad. But her blue eyes, shimmering in the fire light, caught his. “What do you know about Malcome?” There was an edge to her tone, but Deth didn't pay it much heed. He just gave an almost shrug, sighing as he answered. “I know his father ran the village before Joson took over. That his mother held both Drygon, and Gypsy- from Hincloncg, up east...” “What?” Harley didn't know if she wanted to laugh, or be amazed at the sound he made. “Which part?” Deth cocked a brow, knowing the word that had stumped her, but wanting to see if she could mimic him. “Hinclonic-gah?” “Hi. Clon. ca. j.” “Oh, that, yeah...” Sarcasm laced her voice as she shrugged off his words. “Continuing...” He chuckled. “Mosain is Malcome's cousin, so she shares a bit of his blood- through her father's side. When Malcome's father died, he expected to take over, but the sword, you could say, was passed to Joson, the son of the deputy, and Malcome's step-brother. Malcome was asked to be deputy. Which he did not like, but stood for. Until Joson and Mosain announced they were with child. Malcome left. No one was really sure why, but all assume he was jealous of his step-brother. Expect Joson, who swears it was something else, but he doesn't know what. “He was said to travel a few years, and then found his way to the Brother's, who gave him a bed to rest in in exchange for work. From there, the story gets watered down. No one knows if he was able to talk himself up to the brothers- not an easy task, and Malcome wasn't very charming. Or if he did something that made the Brothers see him as worthy. But he may have been allowed access to their Library- housing books written by the brothers, or collected from Tara.” Deth's eyes sparked at the mention of the Library, and Harley could understand. She had learned Deth to be a man who embraced knowledge, who preferred knowing, to assuming. If the Library was as good as legend held, there would be books from every era, both Taren and Inquillium, and it would be lovely to see. “If he did get a hold of the books, then it's very likely he has learned of the secrets forgotten over time. But, that's a big if. Again, he wasn't charming, and the Brother's are not likely to let anyone into their fortress.” “How are we supposed to talk to them? What's to stop them from assuming we're a waste of time?” “For a start, they are sworn to protect, or help, those in need. Therefore, if we show up, tired, worn and hungry from our trip, they will offer us food and shelter for the night. Probably in return of something. You will need to mind yourself. Not because you are a woman, but because they see people's value from what they have done. Not what they will do. Because I served our country here, and have helped them out on a couple of occasions, they will be more open to me.” “So, if I'm not accused of being worthless for my gender, my age is held against me?” “No. Just your life.” Deth shrugged, keeping his eyes on the flame to keep from looking at her. “Well, slap.” “No. Lee, I don't... Okay, you spent your whole life in Tara, another world were children no longer do as much as was once expected of them. Because you have nothing 'honorable', in their minds, to your name, then you are no better than the oxen that till their fields. Again, in their minds.” He held up his hands in mock defeat. Trying not to laugh at her gawking face. “Maybe it'd be best if I didn't go...” She sighed, turning to look into the forest. “Why?” “Because I'm likely to blow the whole thing out of the water when I lose my temper at them sniffing at me.” “Sniffing? Really? What are they, dogs?” “Sounds like it...” “They'll likely ignore you. If they offer you something, take it modestly. Graciously- well, nicely.” He corrected, knowing she would go over board with the gracious thing. “If they speak to you, try to answer them as quickly, and clearly as possible. The only thing I ask you not to do, and this is just to better our chances of actually finding something out, don't bring up Malcome.” “So, basically, better seen than heard, but if at all possible, stay out of sight?” “This is going to be a long week.” Deth rubbed his face again.
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