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Maze Journal
| Nov. 27th, 2009 10:28 pm Eidolon's Journal XLV Eidolon’s Journal XLV
So, it’s a sort of a lie, she says, the big lie… or as an Illusionist, she suggests I think of it as one of the biggest illusions I’ve considered pulling off.
I tried to set things up as nicely as possible for her visit, it being quite the honor for her to agree to drop by at all. The best of the Shadow Elven homelands was shined up all bright (and shadow) especially for the visit. The Elves, of course, were intrigued, this outsider Elven Goddess come in for tea, and put on all their best… the music, the dance, the magic, the play of light and shadow that are the essence of Elfdom here.
I’ll never know what Lady Moonbow actually thought of our little realm, but she was a very gracious guest and seemed to enjoy herself.
Much, much later, although not all that long in Elven terms, we were able to talk about the situation in her universe, and I attempted to move her acceptance of my position on the reality of the Maze Ambassador Eidolon.
Sehanine Moonbow wouldn’t budge, that was the gist of the whole meeting. Not that the tea itself wasn’t interesting and slightly un-nerving and wonderful, certainly, but my primary point wasn’t accepted.
Prior to that get-together, I’d been flexing my powers a bit, playing at my newly acquired Creator role, when I had a sudden realization. It came to me that strictly speaking I no longer had to be who I was. I have total internal control. I can be whoever I’d like to be. One thought led to another and I said to myself, why am I stuck with Eidolon the Wizard, why cannot I tweak myself a little, make myself over in some other self image?
So I’d ended up expressing this opinion out loud in certain places to test the reaction, and this is where the lawyers had stepped in. An agreement is an agreement they had said. The ratified contract calls for the Maze to access this universe through the person of Eidolon, a grey elven Wizard and Maze Master, not any other form. Especially at this late point in the Game. The big players are finally all on the board, the final countdown is taking place, and this is no time to swap out Eidolon for some stranger.
So I had whined and complained a little, pointed out that the changes would be minor, certainly for the better, and more in tune with what I personally saw my mission to be on Greyhawk, but to no avail.
This tea with Lady Moonbow had been my last chance and apparently not a successful one.
It was only on the way back to Greyhawk, sailing a graceful Shadow Elven ship back through the edges of reality, that I received my “off the record” advice. Eidolon, she said, it’s true, the agreements say you must be who you have always been till the end of the current play. The players on the board are all that are allowed. But, of course, you are not actually that person, you are already someone else, most just don’t know it yet. The rule has been broken, but it isn’t yet a concern to those in positions of power because they don’t know… you SEEM the same. That implies you can really be anyone you want, as long as no one finds out. Wink!
We parted ways at the edge of the universe, where the here is almost there and the there almost here and she made her own way into the depths of her realms.
So there I had it… the simple trick of it… to be someone else without anyone knowing about it. Eidolon must appear to be who he has always been.
I can do that… I’m the best… no one will ever guess!
Eidolon, Ambassador and Creator of the MazeLeave a comment | |
| Nov. 11th, 2009 12:01 am Eidolon's Journal XLIV
Eidolon’s Journal XLIV Ah, the power… the Creator is dead… long live the Creator! Yes, our party did in fact take down the Creator, but his plan for letting this universe of Greyhawk die so that the Maze might appropriate its souls was quite demented. The fact that he’d let the universe perish rather than sacrifice his precious self in its defense was unconscionable. Who among our party, myself included, would not happy shed their last drop of blood to save the countless millions of people who call this place home? His soul token is now ours to use, to enter into the last great battle for the fate of all mankind, and elfkind, and small furry rodent kind, and all the life of this our birthplace. Thanks to a quickly acquired scroll, Roger Thursday has been returned to flesh from the tomb of stone that dread demon spider had transformed him into. Amaranthea is also blessing us with her lovely presence once more. Back so quickly from the dead, thanks to the mighty blessings of St Cuthbert channeled through a newly revived Roger Thursday. We did give her the option of sitting this last combat out, but she bravely chose to stick with us to the very end. A brave girl! So here we go, off to the Positive Plane, bright source of all that is light and life, to seek out the dark stain and sterilize that gluttonous draconic parasite once and for all. -- And the Maze Token is now mine to control, to say who comes and who goes, and yet more a symbol of a change in Maze reality… a change into MY reality! (If I were an Evil alchemist, this is where you hear the “Mu ha ha ha!”) -- Hmmm, my link to this universe is suddenly quite tenuous. I have achieved the final goal, now a true Maze dweller, true Maze stuff, and no longer among the ordinary mortals of this plane. While I appear to be here, appear to have a full material presence in this reality, I am no longer actually entirely here. My mind and self now remain behind in the Maze while I project a semblance of self into this reality, an eidolon in truth as well as in name. The magic can tell, so can the machines, and the mentalists… the lights appear to be on, but nobody is home! -- The next entry will either see this place saved, or mark the beginning of a long dark slide into oblivion for the countless lives in this universe. The gods be with us all! Eidolon, Ambassador (and Creator) of the Maze 1 comment - Leave a comment | |
Aug. 12th, 2009 08:03 pm Writer's Block: Proven by Science
Yes, of course everything has a scientific explanation. Not to say that humans may ever actually discover the science behind everything, but certainly there is nothing in our existance that has no reason to exist and science is basically "the story of the reason."
People down through history who have enthusiastically drawn a line in the sand and definatively declared that everything beyond that point was unknowable "mystery" or "magic" have been perpetually thwarted. It's like the horizon, always moving ahead. Even now, judging by the very existance of this question, some are desperately clinging to the idea of the unknowable.
Even less tangible concepts our current science doesn't currently play well with such as ghosts, magic, prayer, god, or faith healing, if they are actually real and not simply imaginary, are subject to scientific scrutiny. Even the human imagination itself will one day be picked apart.
--
I have to add that this mindset flows well with the idea that certain scientific concepts or technology "break" the laws of nature, that humans or their civilization are going against the "natural" order of things. Nature does not have any opinion on anything we do as humans because we cannot do anything she does not allow us to do. Humans cannot do anything unnatural any more than a colony of ants can do anything unnatural. No one in the universe can break a single law of nature. Leave a comment | |
| Jul. 27th, 2009 10:49 pm Eidolon's Journal XLIII
Eidolon’s Journal XLIII
Eidolon takes his seat, a chair near the window where he can watch both the street and the traffic around the room. It’s nice, he thinks, to see the place back a little more alive than the last time he was here. Always room for improvement, of course, and the optimism might be somewhat premature, but all things considered it was much more a positive than a negative.
Dismantling himself down into the varied denizens of Domino’s Maze Inn and Tavern must be an interesting mental process for the Creator, Eidolon pondered, not for the first time. Calving off pieces of himself till nothing was left…
It was well known that of all the various spirits inhabiting this place, Eidolon was closest to the Creator in temperament and purpose, the others being less firm echoes of the Creator’s mind. In the end, though, they all varied in importance, waxing and waning in power and influence in response to the unknown life of the Creator in whatever reality lay beyond the shifting shadows of the Maze.
Within the life of the Maze, up to very recent times, such a night would have been dominated by silent drinking, much muttering about the injustice of it all, with many just sitting or wandering around the room in shadowy pools of depression… but not this day! Like many of the recent brighter days, the topic around the room turned to the newly reinvigorated life of the Maze. A pixyish spirit, whose always-girlish roles include that of the Saint Nature, was regaling the others at her table with her little part at the river scene. It was great to see her look so excited, reveling in her usual aspect as a youngish child, bare feet dangling off her chair, a frosty glass of milk in her tiny hands.
Others quickly took up the cause, sharing their own stories, commenting on the other’s performances, especially of our “river spirit” and his various “daughters”. A few others looked a bit jealous, not yet having had any stage time, but the general atmosphere was such that they could look forward, perhaps with a bit of apprehension, but mostly excitement, to their own times in the spotlight.
Yes, thought Eidolon, very well done everyone!
Eidolon himself, being who he was, spent the night with a endless pot of Earl Grey tea, taking notes, pondering the staging, the scenery design, the lighting, the continuity, among other things, trying to keep it all straight in the flow of past and planned performances. Then there were the future events, aspects of things the others never had to take into account, alternate potential realities to consider….
---
…the Creator didn’t bother collecting himself together until much, much later…
---
Eidolon, Ambassador of the Maze
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Feb. 12th, 2009 10:31 am Writer's Block: Half a Glass
Hmmm, I would call myself a realist, but it would be interesting to see what others thought looking from the outside. I'm probably too optimistic for the pessimists and too pessimistic for the optomists.
Life goes as life goes as life goes, basically. Sitting on any one extreme or the other just makes you pissed off when it doesn't turn out as well, or as badly, as you were expecting.
Just to be contrary, if I had to pick a side, I'd side with the optimists, 'cause a negative attitude becomes a self fulfilling prophecy, things go bad because you are so sure things are going to go bad, and pessimiss often have a bad habit of discouraging others from accomplishing things simply by raising enough negative points that all enthusiam is lost. While things for the optimists may not go quite as well as they might want, at least they are trying to move the whole enterprise forward, and any improvment in the human condition, no matter how small, is to be commended.Leave a comment | |
| Jan. 27th, 2009 10:39 pm Down the Rabbit Hole...
Somewhere down the Rabbit Hole…
--- Eidolon, where are we? In a bar, or more accurately, a tavern Which one and where is it? That’s two questions… Ok, what is it called then? Domino’s Maze Inn and Tavern! That’s a sucky kind of a name! Yes, I’m aware of that, but it’s that name that stuck and it has spent the eternity of creation trying to get used to it. OK, then, where is it? That’s a complicated question, or more a complicated answer. Why? The Tavern is always in Anstice, and there is always a city or town or hamlet of Anstice, but Anstice hasn’t always been the same, nor is it always in the same place. The Maze used to get renewed around it, but Anstice remains in some form, and somewhere in it was always this bar. Why is it so dark? ‘Cause it’s mostly dead. Dead? Yes, dead! How, pray tell, can a bar be dead, or even mostly dead? ‘Cause it is the home of the gods Can I assume the bar is mostly dead because the gods are mostly dead? Well, I may have misled you somewhat by calling them gods, rather simply more important spirits of the Maze, but in any case they have faded in their uselessness.
Faded? Yes, they cannot die while the Maze still exists in any form, but the bright shiny days of their youth are over and long expected events have failed to take place. Long expected events…nothing is happening here, and it doesn’t look like anything has taken place here in a long time! Yes, I’m a failure of an Ambassador and soon to fade along with the rest. Then why did you bring me here if all hope is lost? Ah, well, it’s my function really, and as long as life goes on there is always hope. That this place will live again? Yes, those poor pathetic remnants you see shuffling around in the shadows may get another chance, but I the meantime they will sit, and drink, and dream of what could have been, and fade… 2 comments - Leave a comment | |
| Jan. 15th, 2009 08:40 pm Flight 1549 I have to say that is one of the most miraculous things I have ever seen. The pilot and crew should be able to stand tall for the rest of their careers for that landing! WOW! 1 comment - Leave a comment | |
| Sep. 10th, 2008 05:09 pm
Eidolon’s Journal XLII This could be boring, I say to myself, settling quietly into a corner seat and sipping a fresh mug of what passes for tea in this place. I didn’t want to appear ungracious, but my own Earl Grey would have been much better. Being an Avatar had its exciting moments to be sure; I was spending some time dead in one outside universe, as an example, but this wasn’t likely to get to even that stimulating. The kids, and that was what they all were, slightly overgrown children, gathered nervously in the grand hall, some standing or sitting alone, others whispering to companions, all waiting for the Family Council to arrive. A gathering of crows indeed, I thought, as that was what they were to be called, The Crows. Assembling a Hero group in this manner seemed slightly scandalous to me, but as a Family controlled everything on their Estate, or at least tried to, even Hero work was to be no exception. There are eight of them, five girls and three boys, a good looking bunch, but then this whole Imperium was populated by attractive Humans, at least compared to some worlds I’ve seen. I had been given a rough outline of who would be in attendance, both the candidates and those on Family Council, so I glanced around the room putting faces to names. Sitting demurely in a prominent position near the front was the most eye catching of the new group, a stylishly dressed young woman with the most unusual and striking golden brown hair. In a room full of dark haired Imperials, she stood out like a candle in the night. This must be Golden, who it was said worked either as a simple hostess here in the City of Anstice, or in some capacity for Internal Security, or perhaps both. She was calmly working the hot-but-innocent routine so successfully I wondered what professional situations called for such adeptness in one so young. In the corner opposite me was what I took to be the Bard, a darkly handsome young man, slouching against a table in his best-dressed clothes all jet black and snow white. He was making a very charming effort, if not a very successful one, to lighten the mood of a taller outdoorsy type woman standing near him. She was also dressed up in her in-town best, but cut in the browns, reds and purples of the local forests, with leaf and tree patterns big enough to be seen across the room. The Bard, who I knew to be called Swift, was unconsciously strumming his guitar, and this provided a low musical background to what was otherwise a somber room. Our Ranger type, Orion, looking like she wished her longbow were in hand, and she out stalking the wilds somewhere, but she stood bearing only the bronze short sword and dagger of an adult woman of the House, herself acting like the one hunted here. Another lone figure, hulking nearer the front, had to be Smith, our young blacksmith and would-be Made Man. I hadn’t heard whether they called him Smith because he became a blacksmith or he got the job because he was first named Smith, but in either case it obviously suited him now. Like all blacksmiths he was large built, heavily muscled, and just to complete the stereotype, had a rather impressive war hammer hanging at his side instead of the traditional short sword. It was well known he spent a great deal of spare time working as muscle for the local Sheriff in his hometown of Oak Rivers. No doubt trying to impress the town Elders enough to some day get Made. Not to be overlooked is another young woman, well dressed in deep-grey well-tailored clothes, bearing a slim short sword and wicked looking dagger. This must be Cat, the younger of a set of twins out of North Reach. Not here today is her (slightly) older brother Shad, who despite his interest, wasn’t released by the Dagger Hall monastery to join this group. Cat is short and slender, like her brother, with the moves and build of an acrobat. Her hair is long and a deep midnight black, but her most distinguishing features are her bright emerald green eyes. She looks a little edgy today, maybe the first time far away from her twin or maybe this is how she looks all the time, but it is clear she’s taking in all the details, the layout of the room, the contents, entrances and exits, and who is who and where they stand. Cat has more money to spend than she should, and this is going to get her into trouble on this tight knit estate if she doesn’t find a more socially acceptable use for her talents. OK, speaking of stereotypes, the next person to draw my attention is just like out of the Bard’s tales. Short and scrawny with spiky black hair, his flowing robes immediately mark him as a magic user of some sort, although the signs and sigils about his person show him to be an Apprentice and not a true Wizard. Memory is his name, and he will spend the next large part of his life working for the local Wizard Helm. I understand Memory is quite bright, perhaps the brightest Helm has ever taught, but Apprenticeship is long, hard, and dangerous, and we will see if he lives long enough to take on the mantle of Wizard one day. Magic use is incredibly rare in the Imperium, and its practitioners in high demand, so it is quite mysterious why a Wizard would loan an Apprentice to this particular Hero Group. Of course, the Wizard Helm choosing to make his home on this rough and tumble backwater Estate is just as mysterious, but it is often the nature of Wizards to be inscrutable. I’d know. Closest to me were the last two women of the new Group. They are a study in contrasts, Adama, a huge tough looking no-nonsense Security Force trooper, and Fairlight, the flower girl, who didn’t look old enough to have completed her Dreamtime, let alone join a Hero Group. Adama is walking, talking Hero material, tall, broad shouldered, with the well-toned muscles of an experienced fighter. Adama comes from a very adventurous and accomplished family, her mother being a well-respected officer in House Security (and currently fighting in the battles to clear this Island) and her older sister a long-term member of the Grey Castaways, a much earlier established Hero Group. Her father had the most interesting story however, being an adventurer from way back, and now thought lost trying to reach the mysterious Griffon Aerie. Fairlight, in comparison, is as completely different a person as can be imagined, being much shorter with a slight girlish build, a youthful manner, and the habit of running around the countryside in a sundress and bare feet. All the more particular is the fact she is an Acolyte of the Church. Presumably the Saint of Nature knew what she was doing when she called this strange young one into her service, and while the Church may have been hesitant about her inclusion, they have made space for her nonetheless.
So there they all were, all the would-be Heroes, vetted and approved by the Elders of their respective hometowns. Of course, some would rather have avoided the “honour” of joining a Hero Group, but it would be obvious to many Elders that certain “adventurous” youth might serve the Family better by being encouraged to direct their energies towards something deemed constructive, rather than less socially acceptable ends. -- Just as I had finished mulling over the various candidates, a functionary of the House came through the side door, encouraged everyone to stand, and then moved aside as the members of Family Council strode into the hall… … to be continued. Eidolon, Ambassador of the Maze6 comments - Leave a comment | |
| Sep. 10th, 2008 04:16 pm Green's get to debate! Yea, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May gets to participate in the Leader's Debate!!!
I had wondered how long it would take them to change their mind on this.
Great news! Leave a comment | |
| Aug. 27th, 2008 03:53 pm Ravenclaw, probably.... A couple of other postings had me searching the web for a Hogwarts hat sorting quiz. I tried three, and got the following results:
Gryffindor 62
Ravenclaw 80
Hufflepuff 72
Slytherin 47
Gryffindor 11
Ravenclaw 13
Hufflepuff 17
Slytherin 6
Gryffindor 57
Ravenclaw 61
Hufflepuff 59
Slytherin 31
So I guess it's Ravenclaw by a nose, with a close call on Hufflepuff.
That seems about right to me. 9 comments - Leave a comment | |
| Jul. 30th, 2008 10:19 pm Weird Weather!!! Weird Weather I was just finishing this post the first time and my Microsoft Explorer crashed. Useless piece of s%$t. There, it just crashed again in the background, while I was typing this in Word as a precaution. Anyway, I just saw the weirdest clouds I have ever seen earlier this evening, and wanted to get the details down while I remember them. I had been out exercising on the Kenilworth steps in the east end of Hamilton, finishing up before 9:00, and was enjoying a coffee at the Tim Hortons near the traffic circle off Queenston Road, when I noticed these strange clouds out a west facing window. For about ten minutes, while finishing up my coffee, I was watching clouds forming over Montgomery Park going rapidly straight up in the air towards a very dark grey storm cloud! It was like the moisture was being sucked up in a huge vacuum, and forming clouds halfway from the ground to the black cloud layer above. The effect remained where it was all through the time I finished my coffee, with the effect centred roughly over the park all that time. Thinking to myself that this looks just like something in a movie, I finished my coffee and headed over to the park, it being on my way home anyway. It is only once I reached the park centre that I realize the clouds are actually circling some spot nearly above me. While the park was beneath the cloud, the actual centre was slightly to the north. Even another approaching storm cloud was being forced around one side, rather than pushing this cloud along with it. Yep, just like the movies! It was at this point I realized this storm was probably trying to form a tornado over the east end of the city! There wasn’t much of a wind though, and I would presume if it was trying to get something going there would have been more wind involved. On the other hand, it may have just been that I was in the middle where the updraft was, and the wind was actually stronger further away. I stood there for another five or ten minutes, till after 9:00, but apart from the continuing upward clouds, the system didn’t develop in any other way I could see. It very slowly drifted off to the north-east, and I went home wondering if it might develop more outside a built up area further to the east. Yes, weird weather!5 comments - Leave a comment | |
| Oct. 7th, 2007 12:15 am Eidolon's Journal 41 Eidolon’s Journal XLI Journal Number 41 Slacking off on the Journaling lately, so I’ve got a bit of catching up to do. First, I’m dead, again, Disintegrated by the sleeping Mistress of the Guild of Sleep, so am writing this in the Maze version of the afterlife. To make a long story short, we decided to head down into the depths below Critwall, to find the Guild of Sleep, and pry the secrets of the missing young souls out of her, we being informed that the “The Dreamer reveals what the Deities must conceal.” There was quite a fight getting past her guardian, which was ultimately successful, but at the cost of my own life. It also cost me all of my hard earned equipment (about 360,000 gp worth, along with my primary set of spellbooks), which were vapourized along with my body. The rest of the party had then teleported outside the evil tower to the north of the city, as the party had too hurriedly thought to take out the tower and cut that power source off from the demonic army attacking Critwall. Only upon arrival outside the tower did they actually take stock of their situation, realize they were all damaged and low on spells, and also realize there was no way to get my useful self back to them to assist in the assault without returning to some safe haven to recover. They had arrived outside the tower to a scene of chaos, with what appeared to be a competing evil force of spider worshippers (forces of the demonic spider queen Lolth perhaps?) attacking the demonic defenders of the tower amid a rain of blood from the sky. Here the gods threw a wrench in the narrative, and in retrospect a fairly obvious one. The Creator and I watched the party arrive amid the battle from the remote vantage point of the Maze. Here the Creator informs me that Iuz’s lieutenant Jumper is using the visual cover of an illusionary rain of blood to hide the fact he is leading his army in the final attack on Critwall. Further he asks me if I would like to temporarily possess a conveniently located Maze believer, presumably using the possessed body to inform my friends that Jumper is making a move on Critwall while their backs are turned. I agree that this is a good plan, as they are more needed in the immediate defense of the city than in a possibly prolonged attack on this tower, and they will be wasting time here while the city dies behind them. I do not know that the party has already decided to head back to Critwall to rest up, so I spiritually take over a young prisoner of the Demons, and taking advantage of a lapse in guarding caused by the attack of the competing evil force, escape and run over to the party with my news. Notice how the party has already decided to leave, and even then, a watching deity pushes the situation along just to make sure we leave the area of the tower. We Teleport back to Critwall to find that our mysterious spider connected force has already taken the palace and are now running the city. The party is totally confused by this point, asking themselves who this new player on the scene is, and how they could have taken over the city in only the few hours it has been since they went to see the Dreamer at the Guild of Sleep. It turns out to be the forces of the mad Archmage. What connection he has with spiders is not revealed, but our arrival at the city and absence from the area of the tower allows the Archmage and his forces to successfully take advantage of Jumper’s personally led attack on the city, to take control of the demonic machinery, and call down a fresh Rain of Colorless Fire on the entire country of Iuz. As an aside, the entire ducal army of Critwall was in the lands of Iuz at the time, so now as dead as the demons they fought, but that is just another bit of bad news. What was going through the Creator’s mind, I would like to know? Why tell me that Jumper is using the illusion of a rain of blood to cover his attack on the city, acting as if that is a significant thing, acting as if it is important enough to possess another person to inform my compatriots about, if the more importance piece of information, that fact that a successful attack by this spider force will allow the Archmage to bring down the Rain of Colorless Fire was completely unmentioned. Only if the Creator wished the attack to be successful, and the Rain of Colorless Fire brought down, would we be so obviously mislead. If we wish to think the best of the Creator, perhaps he was misdirecting us to save our lives, getting us back to Critwall before the Rain came down, knowing that in the party’s weakened state and without me by their side, they stood no chance of taking the tower and defending it from the Archmage, but it was still an obvious bit of misdirection and I would have expected better. So the Rain has come down, the country of Iuz is no more, a mad Archmage is in charge of the city as well as a soul stealing machine of magical Armageddon, the city army and the Duchess leading it is gone, I am still dead, and the world is still without live births. All very cheery… Until next time! Eidolon, Ambassador of the Maze 1 comment - Leave a comment | |
| Jul. 17th, 2007 11:52 am Not Possible! Check out this link:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
It's the Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 17th. If you check the link another day, you may have to go to the bottom of the page and click the Archive link to go back to the 17th.
That is the weirdest illusion! I even popped the picture into Photoshop myself to check it out. Amazing!! 4 comments - Leave a comment | |
| Jun. 20th, 2007 09:22 am High School Dropouts! I was just over on the CNN page, and read some awful stats on American high school dropout rates:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/19/Dobbs.June20/index.html
Of course, I don't know where Dobbs is getting his numbers, so anything he says in an editorial has to be treated somewhat skeptically.
This had me wondering about Canadian dropout rates, especially for Toronto, as American big cities seem to be having it especially hard. I found this link:
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/81-004-XIE/2005004/drop.htm#b
Wow, how could there be that much difference? 3 comments - Leave a comment | |
| Apr. 9th, 2007 11:57 am Eidolon's Journal XL Oooo, Journal number 40! Coincidentally, the first Eidolon Journal written since I’ve turned the big four-oh myself, which may be deep and meaningful at some level, but I’m not going to worry about it… Eidolon’s Journal XL It might be said by some that this town is “going to Hell in a hand basket”, but Hell would certainly be a more organized than what we have going on around here. The rule of law is breaking down, both socially and physically, reality is stretching thin, and Chaos is now starting to break through the weak spots. A difficult time for an Ambassador, to be sure! There isn’t much to discuss diplomatically, after all, when a 50’ tall 200’ wide blob of self-styled “god” of Chaos literally drops into the city you are obliged to protect. I’m basically an artist, you know, I make pretty pictures, but the audience isn’t paying much attention when huge acid spitting black dragons are coming up out of the river, gargantuan gobs of god-snot are crushing life out of the citizenry, and a hoard of enraged demons is threatening to over-run the city three days hence. Yes, we did get take out the dragon, and all his little lizard men, and made short work of the big booger, but it has been a rough couple of days. We were threatened yesterday by one of the leaders of the besieging horde, informing us of our three-day “dead”line, and we met a seriously deranged and possibly wildly evil wizard who offered to “help” with our problem. Now I may not be the most stable of individuals, and many would call me crazy, but that little Gnome is right off his nut, more than a few fries short of a Happy Meal, as it is said in an obscure corner of the Maze. He would like to help us capture a Demonic soul-powered mystic machine, currently being used by the demons to mass project debilitating illusions across the city sky every night, and use it to reintroduce the Rain if Colorless Fire to Greyhawk. This would have the double purpose of eliminating the armies of Iuz outside our gates (and everywhere else in the world) and allow the collection and use of all the liberated souls to artificially extend the lives of the aging survivors of the current troubles. As you are probably aware, there have been no births of any kind on Greyhawk these last months, which will eventually result in an increasingly aging and starving population. It was hard to listen to this proposal without taking a dagger to the guy. Instead, we politely declined and made it out of the Arch-mage’s tower alive, but we will still have to do something about that gentleman sooner or later. This is also a kick in the pants to make a visit to the tower north of the city where this machine is supposedly located and smash it once and for all. The tower is located amidst the demonic army, but that shouldn’t cause too much trouble should it? Until next time! Eidolon, Ambassador of the Maze 1 comment - Leave a comment | |
| Mar. 9th, 2007 02:01 pm Of Wiki's and Men I'd had a discussion with ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) doc_mysteryabout moving the format of my Maze writings into the 21st century, with the possibility of moving to some form of wiki featuring prominently in the conversation.
The area of data organization also came up, with the old Dewey Decimal Classification system being mentioned as a possible organization method.
It took a little while to get around to it, I have looked around a bit on the Wiki thing and while somewhat intrigued, have a couple of problems with the idea, most of which pertain to the state of the technology.
My first issue is the fact you still have to format text for these things. You cannot simply type in a Word-like environment and have it connect like a wiki. Having it all wiki, and not also in some sort of book-like order might also make it hard to print sections. If it is always to remain wiki, that is OK, but I'm old enough to want my work on paper as well.
My biggest problem would be the size of my work, the time it would take to migrate the work into wiki (especially if I have to type all that codey stuff to format it again), and the durability of the particular wiki I might choose.
Wikipad looks like a usable wiki, but how would I migrate out of it if it no longer gets supported? Having a 100,000 or more words locked up in a dinosaur isn't a good plan.
My dad has 20 or 30 years of HAM radio contacts all sitting on disks for a Commodore64. There they will sit until the end of time.
Leaving my own files in Word, where they are now, at least assures me of perpetual access.
Thoughts? 1 comment - Leave a comment | |
| Dec. 11th, 2006 10:26 pm Eidolon’s Journal XXXIX Eidolon’s Journal XXXIX Tea is being served all round, and the eyes of my esteemed guests slowly lose some of their haunted look, memories the demonic horrors from the past hour now receding as a bad dream. I’ve accessed this bit of the Maze inside a tiny extra-dimensional pocket universe, just to make sure we are not disturbed. The Bookstore is somewhat out of the way, but there is always the chance we may be followed. This little meadow has always been one of my favorites, the white lattice gazebo well placed to take in the gently rolling grass, with a swiftly flowing mountain stream burbling happily as it swings round behind on the way to the sparkling lake below. Daughters of the Stream had kindly offered to help with the guests, and made the preparations prior to our arrival. It’s nice to have friends all over, even if they’re not remotely human. Amaranthea is having an impromptu prayer session with the survivors. There is the metaphysical detail of communing with outside gods from within the Maze, but I’ll leave such issues to the Creator. Ambassador types such as myself have enough to worry about without having to track prayers as well. This religious activity is a bit unusual for her, though, as she has been very quiet up to this point about her former life in the service of Lady Moonbow. Perhaps the sudden arrival of Demons has shaken her more than any of the other horrors we have faced together. Something to think about… It is unfortunate one of the council did not survive the attack, but I’d say we did an adequate job of defending the party, especially with such a crowd to fight around. The fight was quick and relatively bloodless, but the seller of those crystal dreams did escape in the confusion, only to be hunted down and accidentally killed by Laucian. Who could know that a single arrow would do him(it?) in? I’m going to cut a piece out of Starcoat for the pathetic screen he has place around Critwall. Yes, it prevents Teleportation in and out, but obviously not much else. Demons arrived at the Mask disguised as five dancers and a musician. Did they just walk into the city? Maybe they did, but the last Vrock managed to Summon a large group of Dretches before it Teleported away to safety. Why can a Demon Summon help into a city with a protective shield? It might have been better if they simply made all Teleportation and Extra-dimensional travel/contact non-functional within city limits to anyone not wearing the special Tokens. There may also be the possibility the Demons DID have the special tokens, in which case we have a bigger problem than we thought. The prayers have come to a close, more tea waits, and our lithe beauties of the water are trying to get the guests to eat a bit, readying them for the upcoming trip back to Critwall. That trip will be a bit tense, I’m sure.
Till later... Eidolon, Ambassador of The Maze 1 comment - Leave a comment | |
| Nov. 28th, 2006 11:34 am Another Maze bit.... Another Maze bit, this time the Greater Saints of the Human Church.
Generally, Humans would each have a Patron Saint, or a few, not nessessarily always a Greater Saint, but possibly chosen from among the newer Lesser Saints. Clerics of the Human Church would also have a Patron Saint they particularly identify with. There are a large crop of Lesser Saints raised up by the Church since its inception. I will post some of the more prominent ones later.
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Chapter 2.14 Greater Human Saints DAGGERS - Shad (Cat’s Silent Shadow) Patron Saint of the Martial Arts Areas of Influence: Marital Artists, Knife and Dagger Fighters, Scouts, Thieves, Cats, Darkness, Dance, Shadows Description: Striking green eyed dark skinned young male, twin of Thief Alignment: Chaotic Good Symbols: Black cat with green eyes or silver dagger on black field. Domains: Luck, Protection, War Favored weapons: Combat and Thrown Daggers Animal: Green eyed black cat Plant/Stone: ?/Emerald Holidays: ? NATURE- Fairlight (Fair light of Midsummer’s Eve) Patron Saint of Nature and the Natural Spirit World Areas of Influence: Nature, Weather, Rivers, Seasons, Animals, Nature and Elemental Spirits, Beauty, Youth, Knowledge, Sun, Moon, Summer Description: Barefoot fair-skinned beautiful young girl. Alignment: Neutral(Good) Symbols: Gold sun on blue field or silver moon and stars on deep purple field. Domains: Plant, Animal, Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Sun Favored weapons: None Animal: Unicorn Plant/Stone: Daisy/Moonstone Holidays: Midsummer, especially Midsummer’s eve. Notes: Keep in mind that the Saint Nature is a human Saint, not a nature goddess or in any way nature incarnate. She can be seen as a bridge or buffer between humanity and nature. She and her adherents within the Church focus on humanities relationship with the “natural” Maze spaces around them. Weather patterns, crop rotations, sustainable farming techniques, animal husbandry, wilderness lore, for example, and in some senses even hunting and fishing, would be considered areas she may be interested in. Keeping Humanity from abusing the world around them while in this chase through the Maze is one of her goals. Trying to get Humanity to appreciate the beauty of the Maze around them would be another. Nature and her followers are tree huggers to some extent, urging the conservative use of the resources of the Maze rather than the blatant exploitation of such. On the other hand, she tends to be in Humanities corner, rather than the trees when there are sides to be taken. Helping humanity and nature get along with a minimum of stress on all sides is her goal. Note that there are no Druids in the Church. Druids, if they exist in the Imperial parts of the Maze, will worship some form of nature spirit or elemental being, but certainly not a true Saint. TINKER - Nick (Nicholas of the North) Patron Saint of Children and Fathers Areas of Influence: Children, Husbands, Toys, Abundance, Peace, Family, Fun, Warmth, Crafts skill(men), Winter, Woodworking Description: White bearded jolly late middle aged man, husband of Healer Alignment: Neutral good Symbols: Himself. Domains: Protection, Good Favored weapons: Whip Animal: Reindeer Plant/Stone: Holly/? Holidays: Midwinter’s Eve HEALER - Rose (Rose of Spring’s Dawning) Patron Saint of Healers and Mothers Areas of Influence: Doctors, Mothers, Healers, Family, Home, Children, Love, Romance, Roses, Peace, Crafts skill(woman), Spring Description: Friendly late middle aged woman, wife of Tinker Alignment: Lawful Good Symbols: Woman holding a child Domains: Healing, Good, Protection Favored weapons: Staff Animal: Snake Plant/Stone: Rose/? Holidays: First Day of Spring THIEF - Cat (Whisper of the Midnight Cat) Patron Saint of Thieves and Spies Areas of Influence: Stealth, Thieves, Spies, Divination, Greed, Darkness, Secrets, Wealth Description: Slender long raven haired emerald eyed young woman, twin of Daggers Alignment: Chaotic Good Symbols: Grey hand or silver dagger on a black field Domains: Chaos, Knowledge, Trickery, Luck Favored weapons: Silver Dagger Animal: Green eyed black cat Plant/Stone: ?/Silver Holidays: ? KNIGHT - Knight (Knight Guardian of the Light) Patron Saint of Justice and Law Areas of Influence: Law, Monks, Justice, Paladins, Police, Perseverance, Security, Castles, Invincibility, Swordsmanship, Knights, Warriors, Guards Description: Large armed and armored male, in head to toe plate armor Alignment: Lawful Good Symbols: Arm holding upright sword or plate armored figure holding sword aloft Domains: War, Protection, Strength, Law, Good Favored weapons: Longsword Animal: Griffon Plant/Stone: ?/? Holiday: ? SORCERESS - Dawn or Raging Dawn (Fire’s Rage before the Dawn) Patron Saint of Desire and Destruction Areas of Influence: Pride, Magic, Lightning, Destruction, Fire, Charm, Lust, Desire, Battle, Intrigue, Jealousy Description: Exquisitely built sensually attractive woman Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (Good) Symbols: Feminine eye, or sexy female silhouette Domains: Fire, Chaos, Destruction, War Favored weapons: Stilletto Animal: Snake Plant/Stone: Blood Red Rose/Ruby Holiday: ? SMITH - Smith (Smith Hammer Down) Patron Saint of Smiths and Creativity Areas of Influence: Creativity, Craftsmanship, Stone carving, Blacksmiths, Sword making, Mining, Farming Description: Short but well muscled early middle aged male Alignment: Lawful Neutral (Good) Symbols: Crossed hammers or hammer and sickle, either in steel on a black field. Domains: Knowledge, Protection, Law, Strength, War Favored weapons: Hammer and Sickle Animal: Horse Plant/Mineral: Wheat/Steel Holidays: First Day of Autumn, Harvest Festivals MAGE - Memory (Memory of Magic’s Word) Patron Saint of Magic and Knowledge Areas of Influence: Creativity, Memory, Knowledge, Magic, History, Writing, Civilization, Art, Peace, Teaching Description: Wise eyed grey bearded late middle age male Alignment: Lawful Good Symbols: Lit lamps(candles?) beside open book(scrolls?) or ink and quill Domains: Magic, Knowledge, Law, Good Favored weapons: Staff Animal: Raven Plant/Mineral: Oak/Diamond Holidays: ? BARD - Fair Midnight (Midnight Dance of the Fairies) Patron Saint of Music and Friendship Areas of Influence: Music, Bards, Language, Dance, Poetry, Friendship, Comradery, Love, Family, Community, History, Art, Beauty, Charm, Wit Description: Petite auburn haired attractive young woman Alignment: Neutral Good Symbols: Guitar, Lute or other musical instrument Domains: Good, Protection Favored weapons: Rapier Animal: Dog Plant/Mineral: ?/? Holidays: ? CAPTAIN - Captain (Oceans Wave Far Runner) Patron Saint of Ships, Travel, and Paradise Areas of Influence: Ships, Oceans, Paradise, Gambling, Adventure, Exploration, Comradery, Travel, Unknown, Humor Description: Brash handsome very male, male Alignment: Chaotic Good Symbols: Ship on blue field or held light on black field Domains: Water, Travel, Luck, Knowledge Favored weapons: Cutlass Animal: Dolphin Plant/Mineral: ?/Sapphire Holidays: ? Notes: The Captain is also known as the New Saint because he received the word of Heaven years after the rest of the Greater Saints received theirs. The Creator God was apparently moved to the creation of another Greater Saint after the corruption of the original Saint now only known only as EVIL. The Saint was lost at sea for an unknown number of months before being “saved” by the Creator. He arrived back home, feverish and delirious, but speaking of far distant oceans of crystal... HUNTER - Orion (Orion the Star Hunter) Patron Saint of Hunters and Kings Areas of Influence: Rangers, Hunters, Kings, Rulers, Outdoors, Stars, Exploration, Archers, Scouts, Woodsman, Wolves, Orca Description: Intense striking strong female Alignment: Neutral Good Symbols: Gold (or silver) tiara (or crown) on a green shield or a silver or gold arrowhead on a green shield Domains: Animal, Plant, Protection, Good, Knowledge Favored weapons: Longbow Animal: Wolf Plant/Mineral: Yew/Gold Holidays: ? 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