Acies ab Vesania

Since April: Fiction: The Lady of Shallot; In Memoriam (Alfred Tennyson) The Goblin Market (Christina Rosetti) The Joys of Motherhood (Buchi Emecheta) The Second Coming (Yeats) The Speckled Band; Scandal in Bohemia (Arthur Conan Doyle) Dover Beach (M. Arnold) Crossing the Bar; God's Grandeur; As Kingfishers Catch Fire; The Windhover; Pied Beuty; Carrion Comfort; That Nature is Heraclitean Fire (G. M. Hopkins) Hap (Thomas Hardy) The Soldier (Rupert Brook) Silas Marner (George Elliot) The Dead (James Joyce) Austerlitz (Sibald) Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (Jeanette Winterson) The Dreamer (Pam Ryan) The Mark (Virgina Woolf) Nonfiction: Tradition and the Individual Talent (TS Eliot) Sartor Resartus (Thomas Carlyle) The Stones of Venice (John Ruskin) What is Poetry (John S Mill) Autobiography (John S Mill) The Idea of University (John H Newman) Studies in the History of the Renaissance (Walter Pater) The Critic as the Artist (Oscar Wilde) The Black Count (Tom Reiss) The Sounds of Poetry (Pinksey) More Than Cool Reason (George Lakoff and Mark Turner) Survival in Auschwitz (Levi) Film as Witness (Felman) Biography, a Brief History (Hamilton) The Way of the World (Moretti) Life Without Theory: Biography as an Exemplar of Philosophical Understanding File (Monk) Can't tell I am an English Major, can you? o_0

I hope your health is back on the up and up! I’ll do my best to post at a decent rate over the next month, but I am in the final weeks of a brutal 21 credit term (while working 60hrs/wk) all on a crash collision with graduation. At least I am finally finishing. >> ~~ She avoided making eye contact, a minor violation of social decorum, but he could see the embarrassment still lurking about her features. The ghost of a smile still tugged at the corners of his lips, trying to emerge, but he would not openly acknowledge his amusement. He did have to give credit to the girl’s taste in clothing, she knew which suit jackets best suited him and even matched up the ties—something a lot of men themselves struggle to decode. His begrudging admission did not come lightly nor without a sour anger bubbling just beneath his surface emotions. He knew not why he hated to recognize the girl for her usefulness, instead he would have it that she was only just on the opposite edge of useless and passable. He sensed she implied the ball with her comment on business, that trifling event fast approaching in the coming weeks, sure to be another blight in his otherwise tolerable existence. It reminded him that he needed to have James arrange for a consort, someone he could entertain for an evening and then send away without expectations of anything further. Perhaps an expensive courtesan who would specialize in looking glamorous and putting on air of vapidity, with no expectations of further contact when the night is done. Yes, that would work well for his purposes, and if he gave into the impulse to feed on her later… well, people in that line of work sometimes fail to return. Aaron decides which suits to wear to each of his upcoming events, and then sits down in a large overstuffed chair, going over ledgers, passing idle time until James announced the dinner. He sometimes skipped going through the motions, as regular food did little for him, but it was important for the servants to see him eat now and then. It was one thing to be known for being finicky and busy, always off doing something else and stealing into the kitchen after hours to peruse the pantry when no one was looking, but people only believed such for so long. Sooner or later, you had to let them see you doing normal things, lest the tales start to spread. When was the last time they saw him eat? Aaron sighs and decides to make an appearance today. He knew that also meant dealing with Elizabeth again. What was James thinking and putting her in that place, always near him now? These coming weeks were sure to be long and difficult.

What’s the point if you’re not having any fun. It began as fun, but now it felt like work. Tedious, time-consuming work. Shivers sighs, sliding his blades back into their sheathes as he bounces off the barbed man’s back. Oh, there is a feeling of something there, the game’s intention to convey the sensation of pain in response to a hidden trap placed much earlier—but it had nothing on the annoyance of time poorly invested. That was his biggest pain, and one he sought to assuage immediately. Tapping at the little indicator, he pipes off, “Take me out, Scotty.” A bright flash of light then nothing more, the contestant leaving the fight before the not so exciting climax. When the best thing you can do is drop your shit and walk away before you feel true regret with what you did give, you do just that. /Exit Shivers.

Levhea comes rushing over after hearing the crash. "My heavens, look at you. I'm going to have Ghallen come check you over straight away!" Before any protest can be lodged, she is off in a flash, rushing into the kitchens to bring back the apron-clad chef moonlighter whose real work is serving the Mother, Gaia. He looks over the young lady and says, "Well now, she's just got some bumps and bruises, nothing too severe." He waves his hand over the girl and with a quick few flourishing movements, her pain is gone. "There, good as new." He then takes the severed head of the spider queen and carefully wedges a vial beneath one of its fangs. With a few movements, he squirts some venom into the vessel and then puts a stopper over the top. He puts the venom into his pocket, and then pulls out another smaller tube with a similar looking, but more saturated, saturated substance. "As promised, concentrated spider venom. Save it for when you really need it. On the right foe, it could mean the difference between life and death. Thanks, lass." He hands it over and then announces he must get back to his souffle before it burns. The big man dashes out the room, rather nimbly for a portly older gentleman. /Quest complete.

Itch... back... I c wut u did thar. Welcome ;)

Interruptions are difficult. In the previous ruling, it was found a light attack would not be enough to set the clone off. That’s fine, there’s more than one way to skin a clone… er cat… or something. Why skin something anyway, seems messy. The light arc is not a problem. The clone knows it is a sacrifice—a simulacrum whose existence lent itself only to ensuring the original’s victory. The second he crosses within range of Joanna, the perfect clone (gear and all, he is not naked after all) attacks himself, by using an arm pump of a sprint to drop a dagger into his own midsection. Special delivery, courtesy Shivers Fireworks Inc. The stab is timed so that it is delivered as he crosses into range. As established, Joanna allowed the clone within 8 to 9 feet, he would both feel the rush of light and the plunge of blade. An explosion quickly follows, and Joanna has other issues to worry about, besides setting off traps.

Mistborn trilogy, Brandon Sanderson. Easy read, fun, awesome magic system.

Danger Step: 4 | Post Step: 2 | Quest Grade: A- |Reward: Post Credits+Item Well, it isn’t Bowser, but something particularly nasty all the same. A local mushroom picker named Olivaid has been unable to get down to the lake for fear of losing a limb or worse. The occasional alligator is a normal part of the job, an occupational hazard he’s willing to deal with and has dealt with on a regular basis. However, this time is different, and it cost him one of his hired help. A beast unlike anything he has ever seen before rose out of the water, standing at 10ft tall (on two legs) with five claws per hand, each claw nearly a foot long each, in addition to teeth about 4” long themselves. He was able to get a sketch of the creature made, and with a bit of imagination, you can see something like this. As if that were not bad enough, the creature seems to be hanging around, aware that people go down to pick the River Mushrooms, looking for more human-prey. On top of that, it seems like his presence as made more alligators show up, causing the waters to be completely infested. At the very least, this big one has to go, or else the local mushroom economy might be in trouble- it sounds silly, but some people make their living picking these things. The man is offering good money to the first group willing to go down there and get rid of it and any other Alligators that get in your way, as well as a dozen mushrooms each—quite the deal, as those carry a fair price themselves. Just make sure to do your research on River Mushrooms before chowing down. In addition to Alligators, watch out for Manes and Ambush Mangroves. They are known to be in the area. Group Minimum: 3 Suggested Group: 3-5 Level of Danger explained: This is more of a "soft 4", but rather than call it a 3.5, I rounded to four and gave a lesser item instead of cutting back on the VB. Alligators are tricky as it is, but the primary target is very strong, fairly intelligent, magically resistant and has tough skin. Also surprisingly fast. Remember, in the company of other Alligators and there are those nasty mangroves out there. Storyteller Required: Recommended, not required

Do fungi count? (not technically plants after all ;) ) -What's the plant/flower called? River Mushroom -Whats does it look like? Small, squat grey mushrooms with some distinctive markings. Locals can point them out. -Where can it be found? Grows along the river of Mezthaluen -Is it hard to get -- what are some of the hardships that an adventurer might encounter while trying to get a sample? There are animated mangroves, dangerous creatures, and currently a related quest that pertains to a monstrous alligator -Does it have any special properties? Extremely high in essential vitamins- eating one will give the average person their daily values in Vitamin A, B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, selenium, potassium, riboflavin, niacin as well as several antioxidants. Each mushroom as the same amount of protein content as a small chicken breast (about 18g-20g). If more than three are eaten, there is an increasing risk of River Cap Poisoning, where the person becomes nauseous, dizzy, develop heart palpitations, auditory hallucinations, sweats, and sometimes vomiting. Extreme overindulgence (6+) can result in life threatening drop in blood pressure. -How might have someone in Orisia heard of it -- as in, is it well known, is it legendary, or a part of a myth? Major commodity in Mezthaluen, as mushrooms can be hard to acquire, but they are great supplements for travelers who might not be getting enough nutrition from their generic rations/foodstuffs.

Y u do this to me? :(

Thread reviewed and approved. Reward issued and thread closed. Thank you for questing! :)

Indeed, Farmer Bill is mighty pleased by the development. "Ah, thanks so much! Now I can get back to tending my crops without having to worry about oversized varmints trying to take off my limbs." The excitable farmer enthusiastically shakes Haru's hand, professing many more thanks. "Ah, 'fore I ferget, here's the promised seeds. They're interesting, but no use for a simple man like me. Perhaps they'll be of more use to an advenchurin type like yerself." Bill hands over the pouch of offered seeds, adding a quick warning, "Be sure to keep those dry now. I accidentally dropped one in my outhouse, and I still have to pee around the weeds, ha!" Reward: The farmers got this weird batch of seeds that, when wetted and tossed onto the ground, instantly spring up with a thick, difficult-to-manage burst of foliage. They only have enough to give each person a one-time use, which will cause plants to sprout and spread in a 10' radius. It is not impossible to get out of it, but it will slow enemies down significantly Quest Complete, Thread Closed.

I'll get to it tonight

Mezthaluen does not endorse it, but street kids disappear into slavery.

If you were to ask him, Shivers would tell you that he has seen some shit in his day. Brains spilled across washed out concrete. Blood stains extending from floorboards to ceilings. Feces, blood, and entrails spill out in a complex mosaic some sick fuck called artwork. Shivers himself specialized in the business of killing, but that’s all he regarded his acts: simple killing. He was no artist, no maestro turning murder into artifice, just a man earning a living by killing some folks who were as bad if not worse than himself. He lived with those images and reconciled what he encountered with his conscious. He can still sleep at night, after both seeing what the stains on his hands and the stains left by those who took pleasure in the work they did. Lava? Shivers never saw lava in his lifetime and never expected to either. Who expected to encounter lava outside taking a stroll alongside and active volcano? That or royally pissing off a powerful earth elementalist, but Shivers made sure to avoid making that mistake. No, Shivers had no reason to believe that he would ever encounter lava in his lifetime: he had no plans to visit active volcanic sights and he steered clear of angering magic users capable of producing the stuff. Which left him wondering: how on earth did he still manage to come across lava in his lifetime? Here he was, enjoying a nice steak and top shelf whiskey (for free no less), trying to mind his own business. He even stayed out of the affairs of the dog man and the magical beast tagging along with the hyperactive girl incorrectly distributing people’s orders. He was pretty sure at some point she dropped a salad at his table he never asked for, but who was he to complain about free greens? Fiber is good for you after all. Lava, however, is not. One minute he’s enjoying the meal, the next he felt a disturbance that sent his sensor abilities panicking. A huge magical shift all at once, no warning, just an explosive change to the surroundings that should not have occurred with so little warning. Then the wave of heat and the bartender’s accompanying (understandable) freak out. The floor is now lava. What is this, the real-life version of some children’s game? For half a minute, Shivers felt sure that he was still in a simulation after all, not having finished with that murder mystery after all, despite having thought he won the thing. But that heat—to real. That, and the whole time he was in the simulation, he had a feeling in the back of his mind that reminded him what he experienced was not reality. This was very much fucking reality. Shivers quickly went from the stool to the bar itself, getting away from the floor before the lava reached their side of the establishment. He began surveying his options while putting all his focus into abjuration magic, readying a shield. He doubted his best could withstand lava for all that long, but he figured that it might be what he needed to hop, skip, and jump out of here. The others were of no concern to him, unless someone were to start offering a payment too good to pass up. Even then, it would have to be one hell of a payment to get him to help others out of this mess.