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Fighty

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  1. The technicolor dragon opened his eyes. How long he had been asleep, he knew not; nor did he know how he came to roost in this odd structure, surrounded by bloodthirsty, infinitesimal specks. At least he had his zombie butler Alfredo nearby, offering him some familiarity. The dragon yawned, stretched its enormous limbs, and stood up.The dragon raised its gigantic right paw, summoning into existence its halberd. He flourished it in the faces of the warriors beneath him, and snorted in amusement."You dare challenge me?" he chuckled, sounding like a thundercloud gargling an avalanche. "Say hello to doom... and Alfredo. He's my butler."Alfredo nodded in acknowledgment as he prepared cucumber sandwiches and a Żywiec porter."Now, en garde!" the dragon roared, stabbing the ground with its enormous halberd. Funktastic shockwaves reverberated through the ground, threatening to toss the contenders off their feet.

  2. although for once I agree with JC

    >i've said more than like four things in this topici'll play an MMO if i want to be rewarded. TBRPGs arent MMOs, they're stories. the only reward in an RPG should be a good story. dont blur the line.listen, i have four and a half incomplete RPGs i have lying around too. i'm not posting them because they're incomplete. toa and power are asking questions you're leaving blank because its incomplete. as a heads up, finish your work before you publish it.
    I never said it was complete so I don't see why it should be judged as such. Moreover, why should I finish it before getting feedback? Writers are free to post synopses or excerpts and receive criticism; why are game-makers relegated to posting their whole work before they receive feedback?But I digress; your point about TBRPGs is a good one, although not one that I would consider entirely true. I think, simply because my RPG experience is somewhat limited, I'll opt for freeform magic with racial specialties, since that seems to be the most popular solution.
  3. The appeal of a leveling system, in my opinion, is the constant reward that players receive as they play. As -JC- noted earlier, many people would be tempted to disengage from the RPG and just wait until their characters have achieved their full potential. I am naturally opposed to this and will probably revise the system to require player participation, not just "time."However, I also have a couple of other ideas floating around, too. One is to give the races basic qualities, i.e. "enhanced speed" or "resistance to poisons," and then simply allow freeform magic, as that seems to be the more popular option.I do like my idea, though, so I may still try to work out its wrinkles. I do see your point, KoS, about the race restrictions and I have a couple possible remedies in mind.@ToA: That is not a complete overview of the RPG, just a simple prologue of the history of the land. I would set up some basic factions, conflicts and crises to engage players, as well as a single, over-arching mystery, but I want a good deal of the action to be player-driven as well. Okay, so race descriptions, factions, locations, and a revision of the magic system is forthcomng. Thanks for the feedback, guys.

  4. The H'jinn are basically humanoid cats (see: Khajiit) and the Rhy'vitin are a lizard-like humanoid race (see: Argonians). So yes, I am rather shamelessly inspired by the Elder Scrolls.Of course, detailed information for all races (religion, government, physicality) is forthcoming, this was just kind of a way to show off the magic-leveling system... which several of you seem to dislike.Okay, what alternative system do you guys think would work better?

  5. Hey guys, could you give me a little feedback on my RPG idea? It's a generic-fantasy RPG and it's very, very basic at this point. I need to work on locations, plot, factions and races. Below is a brief introduction to the RPG world (Draumur) and the concept of magic as it operates in the game.

    "In the days before days, when the world was young, the mighty deity Král deigned to give us life. He gathered the dust of the earth and the mist of the air, the leaf of the tree and the spark of the fire. These four he consecrated and made one, forming an impossible union of peace and war, anger and love. We were like him in many ways; wild, untamed, ruggedly beautiful - but dangerous, uninhibited, and selfish.Král was not alone among the gods; for there was another who breathed life into the world that we call home. His name was Delmegos, and he crafted the dwarves. They were not like us; while we were wild and complex, they were constrained and simple. They were bound by oaths and laws that we balked at, but their power was undeniable. Even while wars and disunion strained our people, the dwarves were blessed with peace and unity.Among the station of the gods, there was one who hated Delmegos and the industrious race that he had created. His name was Mláďata, and he was a bitter, evil soul. To spite Delmegos, he made the Rhy'vitin. He formed them from the mire of the earth and the salt of the sea, and imbued in them his own hate for Delmegos. The Rhy'vitin burrowed in the earth and warred with the dwarves, bringing them from peace to everlasting war.Then there was the jester, Sasek, who created the H'jinn. These feral beasts were made from the sands of the desert and the gems of the caves, and they were fierce and cunning. They had no home and they roamed freely, with no fealty to country, but rather to self.The warrior-god Martel saw the disunion and the chaos that was wrought on the land, and made the Al'tasori as guardians. They, birthed from the breath of the wind and the light of the sun, flew over our land and watched it with the eyes of eagles. But, like Martel, they were stricken with pride, and rarely descended to help those in need. So our world continued in war and strife.Another, unknown entity came from the east and brought with him the race of man. Our gods, fearing him, killed him, and scattered his race across the the world. These 'men' were strong in spirit and resilient of mind, and our gods could not destroy them. So the gods let mankind be, fearing that one day the unknown being would return to have its revenge.Then, sweet sorrow; our race, heaving with the strain of our bloodshed, splintered, and divided into three: the Wood-Elves of the West, the Nocni of the East, and the Mythirium of the North.Then, our gods fell silent and heard not our prayers. They were taken by the Sleep; what it is, we know not.So, here we remain; we, the eight races of Draumur, waiting for our gods to awaken and restore peace to our broken world."

    - The elf historian Molund, History of the World

    Magic"How curious, to be able to kill with one's mind... [it] makes stupidity even more dangerous." - Eiswheit the ConquerorThere exists, in each soul, an untempered energy that can connect with and alter the material world, simply through thought. Like the gods before them, every sentient inhabitant of Draumur can affect reality with this energy - a practice commonly known as "magic." Magic, like muscles, must be exercised and toned, else it is utterly useless. Every person starts out with no magical ability whatsoever, but if they work at it, the can become a competent amateur. Increased practice can make one an impressive magician or a fearsome wizard.There are, naturally, many different types of magic, but these types are relegated to each race, dictated by the forethought of the gods that made them. Below is a list of every race in Draumur, the magical abilities they possess, as well as the time required to advance in each magical ability:Note - you may start out with only one of your race's magics, and you must become a veteran of all your current magics before you undertake another one. Upon undertaking a new magic, you must wait three days before its amateur status applies to you.

    Wood-Elves

    Speed

    • [*]
    Amateur: At the amateur level, the Wood-Elves' magic of Speed enables them to run with preternatural speed and endurance, comparable to a race-horse. Time Needed to Advance: Three days.[*]Intermediate: In addition to their unnaturally fast running speed and endurance, Wood-Elves also become quicker and more durable in their reflexes as well, giving them a marked advantage in hand-to-hand combat. Time Needed to Advance: One week.[*]Veteran: Upon becoming veterans of this magic, Wood-Elves can run at great speeds that can be matched only by the wind. Their endurance is also significantly increased. These improvements also apply to their reflexes. Time Needed to Advance: 11 days.[*]Master: This magic, once mastered, allows a Wood-Elf that uses it to run across water and even up vertical surfaces.

    Plant Control

    • [*]
    Amateur: At this level, Wood-Elves who wield the magic of "plant control" are capable of manipulating existing plants, either by physically manipulating their shape or by speeding or stalling their growth. Time Needed to Advance: Three days.[*]Intermediate: Once they become a little more skilled, Wood-Elves that use this magic are able to detect the location of any plants with their minds and are resistant to almost every poison. Time Needed to Advance: One week.[*]Veteran: Upon reaching this level, a Wood-Elf is capable of creating plants at will, and of destroying existing plants with his/her mind. Time Needed to Advance: 11 days.[*]Master: Plant control, once mastered, enables a Wood-Elf to merge directly with a plant of his choice, regardless of size. Wood-Elves, while merged, cannot affect the plant they are merged with, nor can they affect any other plants.

    Stealth

    • [*]
    Amateur: At the novice level, this "magic" allows Wood-Elves to move with complete and utter silence. Time Needed to Advance: Three days.[*]Intermediate: Upon increased practice, Wood-Elves with this magic are able to briefly halt all bodily functions, feigning death. They are also able to project their thoughts telepathically, communicating with no need for spoken words. Time Needed to Advance: One week.[*]Veteran: Wood-Elves at this level can project silence onto, at most, three other persons, rendering them noiseless - unable to scream for help. Time Needed to Advance: 11 days.[*]Master: Masters of this magic are capable of disguising themselves as a different person for a period that can last from 20 minutes to a half-hour.

  6. Well, thanks for clarifying some confusions I had. I thought maybe you didn't develop the characters specifically because they were canonical and thus already developed, but had I not been a Bionicle fan, I would have raised that objection anyways. I still like to see good character development in stories, even if I already "know" the characters in a way. Heck, after reading two books of the Inheritance cycle, would I have wanted Brisingr to not develop the character of Eragon at all, since I already "knew" him? But of course, I can see where you're coming from and I respect your artistic decisions. They're, of course, not wrong, I just have slightly different tastes.You say that Hewkii was building up to saying those words, and yet didn't. However, your story begins with those words and Macku seems to reply to them, implying that they actually were spoken words. Thus you can see my confusion when you later stated that they were "unspoken."I now understand what you were going for with the ending, and so I can appreciate it more. However, I do feel like the lead-up to the ending was still a little flat. I would have liked to have gone deeper with Macku, to really understand her emotional state. I know you said that you wanted to do less to make the story more relatable, but I feel like you could've made it more relatable by actually getting more specific with Macku. If you'd given more detail to her grief, more personality to her sorrow, I feel like I would've cared more about her and the story would have resonated more. You don't just have to make a light story that impacts people who've felt loss, you can make a deep story and impact people who haven't felt loss because they care so much about your story. In other words, you don't have to write a story that makes someone cry because it reminds them of their dead grandmother, you can write a story that makes someone cry because OH MY GOODNESS HEWKII LEFT MACKU FOREVER SADFACE. That's just my opinion, so take it as you will.Sorry if I came off as condescending - trust me, I do not consider myself to be on the highest stratum of literary excellence. Also, you don't come off as stubborn to me - your story is well-conceived and you have every right to defend your stylistic choices.

  7. Rookie SSCC member TheMightyFighty here to deliver your official, BZP-funded (loljk) critique.As is my penchant, I shall begin with the problems.

    She had been gazing into the endless sands of Po-Wahi at sunset, the purple and pink hue was painted across the sky.

    First off, this is a grammar error. You have two independent clauses here that are linked together without so much as a conjunction or a semicolon. It does not hinder the meaning of the sentence very much at all, but it's enough to peeve grammar nazis such as myself. In fact, it was almost trivial enough for me to ignore it, but then it popped up again in this sentence:

    "What do you mean?" The ga-matoran asked softly, a puzzled expression danced across her face.

    I can see what you were trying to do here, but you should have said dancing across her face. That would have made the second clause dependent on the first. As it is, they are both independent, and they are not linked together in any way shape or form. Once again, the meaning is not marred in any way, but it's a bit jarring for grammar aficionados like me.

    On her way home, she could still hear his unspoken words in her head.

    This really befuddled me. If his words were unspoken, how could she hear them in her head? Does Hewkii have some telepathic abilities that we're unaware of?

    Macku almost seemed afraid from such talk.

    Now, this sentence is pretty well-structured, aside from the preposition. Instead of 'from,' it should really be 'of.' Or you could say 'Macku seemed frightened by such talk.' But 'from' isn't really an appropriate preposition to use in that situation. Once again, though, this is an error that would only peeve grammar fanatics.

    She took out a light stone from her bag and the room lit to show a cleaner room.

    "The room lit"? I think you meant you meant to say that the 'lightstone lit up to reveal a cleaner room' or 'the room was lit up by the lightstone.' What you have is basically the equivalent of saying 'the carpet cleaned,' instead of saying 'the carpet was cleaned.' It's a little confusing to read.Beyond just the grammar errors, I was also a little underwhelmed by the main romance. I realize that this is a short story, so you don't have the time to develop characters like you could in a novella or an epic. But nevertheless, I never bought into the story emotionally because the characters never drew me in. Macku's emotional roller-coaster ride left me unperturbed because I really wasn't invested in her or Hewkii as characters. I never really got time to know them, and thus, the emotional part of the story fell flat for me.I was also a little miffed by the ending. I kind of see what you were going for: Macku is emotionally traumatized, but by the story's conclusion she gets a stiff upper lip and decides to plow onward for the sake of her people. It's a solid idea for a story's conclusion. My only problem is that it happens way too fast. We get a few paragraphs detailing Macku's emotional breakdown, then another couple where is basically like 'meh, ok, my boyfriend just left, probably forever, but I'm just gonna keep on rebuilding Ga-Metru and everything's going to be fine and dandy.' Then the story ends. I felt a bit like I was reading an outline of what happened, rather than a detailed account of what happened. It was too rushed to be believable.You have the makings of a great story here, but it just needs a little more life. Give us characters that we can invest and believe in, give us good plot and character development, and give us a satisfying conclusion.Now, for the parts I liked:No spelling errors! Not a single one!That's something to be proud of for sure. You also have a good way of describing things - I was always able to get a solid picture in my mind of what you were saying, which is a great way to immerse readers in your story. You also handled dialogue well. I did complain about the characters being flat, but that was not because of their dialogue. It was well-written and believable. Now if only there had been more of it to substantiate those characters.Now, for pros and cons.Cons:
    • [*]A couple confusing sentences.[*]Lack of character development.[*]Rushed plot.

    Pros:

    • [*]Good descriptions.[*]Solid dialogue.[*]Good story concept - just missed a little in execution.

    This could've been a great story, but as it stands, it's simply a Good one. Don't allow my review to get you down, though; you show tons of promise as a writer. Just keep on practicing and I'm sure you'll improve.

    ExemplaryGreatGoodPoorAwful

    Also, just so you know, I'm judging this on the level of actual stories. Like, The Old Man and the Sea and House of Mirth. On BZP story levels, this is superb.
  8. Alright, rookie SSCC member TheMightyFighty is here to review your delicious entry!As is my modus operandi, I'll begin with the lesser parts of the story.Now, I always hate to point this out because it makes me feel bad - but you do have several spelling errors. If it's just one or two I usually let it slide, but your misspellings actually confused the story for me, as you can see below:

    Wondering as he pleased, with no fear of what may lie ahead, Toa Kopaka was the most dangerous of beings on Ko Wahi

    I assume that 'wondering' is meant to be 'wandering', correct? It took me a little while to figure that out, and it jarringly interrupted the flow of your story, which is never a good thing.You also have long sentences that veer towards being clunky. Economy of words is a virtue that all writers should strive for; even though it's tempting to drag out your sentences in a long-winded fashion, it's usually more advantageous to express your ideas as simply as possible. That way, you run little risk of confusing or boring your reader. Consider several sentences from your story, and how they might be changed to be simpler.

    It had been a few suns since the swarms had shown their faces on Mata Nui’s surface, and already the results were catastrophic. Burning and crushing and flooding their way through the village’s the island bore, it seemed Mata-Nui had faced no adversaries such as the Bohrok before.It had only been a few suns since the swarms had appeared on Mata Nui, and already they had done catastrophic damage. They had burned, crushed and flooded the island's villages, proving that they were greatest adversaries Mata-Nui had ever known.

    It was hardly only the Toa who had taken up arms against this new threat. Already, in protection and in some cases vengeance for their homes, Matoran from all six villages had taken up arms to fight.It was not the Toa alone who faced the Bohrok - Matoran, too, had risen up against the swarms that had decimated their homes.

    Kopaka was near a great slope, leading into a canyon below, and further down the slopes edge, he saw a flicker of movement.Kopaka, standing by a great slope, noticed a flicker of movement near the slope's edge.

    Obviously, these are simply stylistic suggestions and not actual, objective corrections. But nevertheless, your story can be a chore to read at times due to all the superfluous helping verbs and run-on sentences. It would be a good idea in the future to try to make your stories as concise as possible. You don't need to skimp on creativity or content; just funnel that creativity and content into simple, meaningful sentences that are easy to read and comprehend.Now, for the pluses.I really enjoyed the battle-scene. Here the clunkiness of your sentences didn't bother me as much, because you had such a good sense of what was going on and you conveyed it so well. You gave me a vivid picture of what was happening, which is a great skill for a writer to have. The only downside to the battle was that it was so short; once I started reading it, I didn't want it to stop. Your story kind of faltered during Kopaka's moments of introspection, but it gained its footing once you got to the action. I thoroughly enjoyed that part of the story.I also appreciated that you gave the Matoran some autonomy here. I think everybody roots for the underdogs, and the Matoran have been very clearly distinguished as underdogs in the Bionicle mythos. They are so weak, and they are surrounded by enemies that are so strong. Thus, it's always thoroughly enjoying to read a story where the Matoran win a battle on their own, without any aid from the Toa. So, pros and cons?CONS
    • [*]Clunky sentences[*]Misspellings[*]Slow start

    PROS

    • [*]Good descriptions[*]Intense action

    Overall, I'd give it a rating of Good. It's got some flaws, but it has a thoroughly enjoyable climax and a satisfying conclusion.

    ExemplaryGreatGoodPoorAwful

  9. I've never really gotten into RvB, beyond some of the one-shots they've done like their holiday PSAs and whatnot. However, I must say that I love, love, love RoosterTeeth. Those guys are freaking hilarious, whether they're doing RvB, Immersion, Achievement Hunter, Drunk Tank, RT Shorts... whatever. They're freaking comedic genii.

  10. First, I'll start with the things I didn't like.The main problem I had with this story is that your sentences lack a sense of strong action. You tend to overuse passive voice, linking verbs, and phrases like 'it is doubtful' or 'it seemed.' These can be fine in some situations, but they tend to make sentences boring and lifeless. Here are some examples from your story, as well as examples of how they could be improved to increase a conveyed sense of action.

    All who met her would be awed by her flawless appearance.Her flawless appearance awed all who met her.

    Indeed, it seemed that nobody could ever remember being happy.Indeed, no one could ever remember being happy.

    The queen would mercilessly berate herThe queen mercilessly berated her.

    The door was finally answered by the servant girl, who was a young, meek-looking Vortixx.The servant girl - a young, meek-looking Vortixx - finally answered the door.

    Most doubt that she ever really had oneTruth is, she never really had one.

    There is nothing grammatically wrong with the way that you've structured these sentences, but they aren't very gripping and are fairly uninteresting. Having strong sentences is key to creating an engaging tale. Beyond just avoiding passive voice, you could also employ other literary tools - hyperbole, vivid descriptions, etc. - to really grab your reader's attention. Make them want to read your story. Reel them in with every passing word.There were some pretty implausible plot twists, such as the servant girl becoming ruler (the queen dies and the throne automatically goes to her lowest slave?), but considering that this is a "Brother's Grimm"-style story, I won't fault you for that. Seriously, was there ever a fairy tale that was plausible?Now, for the things I did like.Your take on the Bionicle lore was very intriguing, and your "Brothers Grimm" style helped the story immensely. It was a fun story to read; I loved your portrayal of Roodaka as the merciless dictator and Vezon as the mysterious jester. The characters were one-note but they were enjoyable and fulfilled their purpose well. I'm also a sucker for revenge tales, so I was immensely satisfied to see Roodaka get her comeuppance at the end. I also loved how you chose to off Roodaka; the ghost didn't simply kill her with his "spirit"-powers or something stupid like that, he tickled her, making her seem insolent to Makuta, who then killed her. The jester got his vengeance in a delicious twist of irony, which I appreciated.Overall, this was a delightful little tale. It wasn't exactly deep, and it had its fair share of cliches and frothiness, but it entertained me. Well done.
  11. IC: Valaticus nodded tersely, "Our comms-officers will have the coordinates of our colonies for you in a matter of minutes. I thank you for your courtesy, Commander Licht. I hope this is the beginning of a long and fruitful alliance."OOC: Now that my Protectorates are all self-sustaining, I will undock the I'akoi at 1-46, 1-47, 1-44 and 1-45.

  12. IC: Valaticus turned to his fellow consuls, each of whom gave him a different glance. "May we converse privately for a moment?" Valaticus requested, and Licht nodded deftly. Bowing gratitude, Valaticus motioned for the three consuls and Tanakus to join him out of earshot of Licht.As soon as they were gathered, H'rushan launched into his customary spiel about Sanshoran independence and exceptionalism. After he'd blown some sort of fuse in his brain and shut his mouth, Calameus began."They're stronger than us. That's a key element to this deal. This 'Licht' may not be telling the truth, but if we accept or if we decline, we don't stand much of a chance either way. If he is telling the truth, this could be a huge advantage for us. I say we go with it.""The Qur'asha demands peace amongst brothers. These creatures are our equals, our brothers - disagreeing would not produce peace, but conflict. I concur with consul J'rhonikus," J'udas stated blankly. Valaticus rolled his tongue around his lips in thought, and finally conceded."I agree; we don't really have the leisure of choice in the matter." Walking back to the table, Valaticus let Licht know of their decision."We've examined your proposal, and, trusting that you will keep your word, we've found it to be conducive to the benefit of our people. We accept."

  13. IC: Valaticus bristled a bit. It was true; the colony was fledgling and defense was inadequate. But he hated the thought of conceding inferiority to this strange new creature and his impressive military. Finally, he let some of his ego slide and replied."Yes, we do have a bit of work to do before this colony is well-established. We have several other colonies to deal with however, plus the needs of those on our homeworld as well," he said factually, as if this justified the humble state of the colony.

  14. IC: Valaticus tried to take in all of the regalia that stood before him: the strange creatures, their ornate spacecraft, their menacing weapons... but he emotionally deterred himself from expressing any outward signs of awe. He took a deep breath, and then spoke."Quite... a... hrbsphm... nice... hr'ksht... place."Licht cocked his head in a confused sort of way. Desperate to salvage their appearance from Valaticus' incessant babble, Calameus stepped forward to intervene. "The Supreme Consul offers you the humblest greetings of the Sanshoran race. He wishes to know who you are and what you intend to do regarding this system that we have so recently colonized. I am one of his fellow consuls, Calameus J'rhonikus.""Yeah... whsr... what... hresrh... he... said... motherfusrhehs."

  15. IC: Captain Tanakus finally roused himself from his stupor and took his eyes off the strange creature, riveting though it was. He turned to Valaticus' hologram, which gave a stiff nod of approval. Tanakus reignited his comm-link and hailed the foreign vessel once more. "The Supreme Consul has heard your proposal and has agreed to it. Please give him a few moments to prepare." Tanakus deactivated the comm-link and went about preparing the teleporter, readying it to transport Valaticus and the three other party leaders to the ship's bridge. Using the teleporter would cause the Jump Drive to go offline for a short while, but it wasn't as if they were planning on running anywhere. After a few minutes of careful calculations, the teleporter was ready."It's all clear, Supreme Consul," Tanakus motioned to Valaticus' hologram. The hologram gave another anxious nod to Tanakus and then vanished. A few, tense moments followed, and then all of a sudden the teleporter roared to life. A fierce blast of light and sound filled the bridge, disorienting all on deck. It took a few moments for their crew-members to regain their senses, but once they did, they saw Valaticus Kh'ronos, Calameus J'rhonikus, H'rushan Vartik and Ju'das Hi'shar standing there in their midst. "Tanakus, hail the ship and let them know that we are ready. You will be joining us for the negotiations." Tanakus gave a solemn nod and picked up his comm-link once more. "Osaelili vessel," Tanakus dictated, without much surety. "The Supreme Consul has prepared himself and is ready to board. He, three other consuls, and I will be boarding your ship to engage in these discussions."

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