The Tale of Hieronymus, Retold for Newbies, in Four Parts

Subject: The Tale of Hieronymus, Retold for Newbies, in Four Parts
Author: Hieronymus Graubart
Posted on: 2017-07-12 15:25:00 UTC

The first three parts are already on the Plort wiki , but to give newbies an impression of how this is supposed to work, I post them here again, with annotations that are not meant to be part of the chronicle. Also, I’m going to correct mistakes and insert missing links in part three.

((Part One, published 2014))

Not much is known about Hieronymus the hermit. He travelled wide and far, looking for a place where to dwell when his livelong journey came near its end. Following rumours about a dreaded plague called the Marizu, and the brave knights who fought this evil, he came to the shores of Wechi. Unseen by anybody, he roamed this vast land for over a year, even sneaking into Arkive and the Hall of Ancient Records. Only when a stranger accused the noble knights of vile malefaction, Hieronymus stepped forward to Borrd to defend their selfless deeds. ((Looking for something to do when I’m retired from my job, reading everything on "The Complete List of PPC Fiction", lurking and then joining a discussion about what the PPC actually do.))

Since then, he has talked to some of the denizens of Plort, and he began to build his home in Wechi, and to prepare his offerings to Kanun and Spelin, for he pondered to explore the mountain range of Purmeshun, but now he seems to be lost in the wood of Kar’eer. How he got there is still a mystery, for he has never been seen in Iric. ((Talking on the board while never chatting in the IRC, creating a wiki user page and thinking about prospective agents and how to get Permission, but not actually doing much, because my job got into the way.))

Some may conclude that Hieronymus is a fearsome mage who comes and goes of his own volition, and has not revealed his full power yet, while others may believe that he is a leaf in the wind, never knowing where he may be tomorrow, and both may be right, for being self-contradictory is his very nature.

((Part Two, published 2015))

Over time, rumours spread that the hermit may have left the dark woods to walk the roads and pathways of Plort again.

Inhabitants of Ozerbord remember a grey bearded man who appeared at the Games of Batveg, clad in the habit of a harlequin, pretending to be a veritable knight, but fighting the atrocities in other knight’s tales rather than the misdeeds of the Marizu. Of course this fool was laughed out of town. ((Introducing the "Uncanonical Department of Inaccuracies" in the badfic games.))

Wordsmiths and Grammagicians at Worhkshap tell tales of a taciturn, grey bearded man wielding a staff – named Androia – in the training sessions for scribe apprentices. Civilians, knights and even barons up and down Plort claim that this very man’s feeble attempts in practising the ancient arts of Beytah may actually have improved their strength. And nobody shall ever again mention the Quiet Baker-Knight’s weird experience at the Shipfest in a nameless harbour. ((Developing prospective agents Androia and Hieronymus in writing exercises for Poor Cynic’s workshops, beta reading for various PPCers, being shipped in the shipfic fest for "German Pretzels".))

It is also said that Hieronymus, on his flight from Ozerbord to Worhkshap, passed an unexplored region at the junction of the Wattuf Mountains and the Mountains of Reverence, where he found the Snow Drops, a moste potente potion that helps curing forgetfulness. How these will be used in the future is yet to be seen. ((Occasionally role-playing an uncanonical Flower – the Snowdrop, Inofficial Department Head of the Uncanonical Department of Inaccuracies – on the board.))

Recently, the peasants living in the lands between the rivers Wep and Freewep began to talk about a newcomer, fitting the hermit’s description, amongst the workers sent by Baron Neshomeh to help in repairing the damage caused by the last earthquakes. ((Webs.com and freewebs.com continuously delete former PPCers sites for inactivity.))

The peasants are probably not mistaken, for one day not far in the past, Hieronymus appeared in the Hall of Ancient Records – as he likes to appear out of the blue – and he bent low, and he spoke up and said, ‘Milady Neshomeh, I travelled wide and far. My eyes are old, and my posterior can not stand perpetually riding against the Marizu. But my mind is still sharp, and my hands don’t tremble. If you would assign me a corner in your castle Arkive, where I can rest and store my staff and flask, I could help you copying and restoring these documents I see are in bad shape and may soon disaggregate into dust. And in case I feel ever fit to follow you into battle, I would appreciate the licence to wear your colour on my shield.’

((Offering to help Neshomeh with archiving "The Lost Tales", and asking permission to use Neshomeh’s special shade of green on my coat of arms. Also, Hieronymus the hermit asking for a corner to store his still uncanonical "weapons" implies that Hieronymus the boarder, if he ever asks for and gets permission, would like to have Hieronymus the archivist’s apprentice store his stories in the archive of Lost Tales, skipping the step of having them gone lost elsewhere first.))

((Part Three, published 2016))

The humble hermits request was met with grace. But rather than finding the rest he had hoped for in that tiny corner at Arkive, the archivist’s new apprentice was immediately sent off to demonstrate and improve his Eich-Tee-Ehm-Ehl skills in the devastated lands. ((Actually working on "The Lost Tales" and the wiki.))

While Hieronymus was supposed to travel between Arkive and the river Freewep, he somehow became sidetracked to the City of Borrd. He arrived just in time for the annually Baronial Council, where he barely escaped imprisonment and prosecution for treason and libel by Baron Thanasius Ampelius. Had he not conveniently gone lost in the wood of Kar’eer again, Hieronymus would certainly have talked his head off. ((Getting into a dispute about who should govern the new nation "Riding of Sittorese" and chickening out of the role play. Also, my job getting into the way becomes a recurring theme.))

On his flight from the baron’s ire, the hermit fell into a dubious dungeon. But that is another story and shall be told on another day – actually here, based on this, – but Hieronymus did still not reveal how he got out of this mess again.

The way through the dungeon may have led to an alternate universe, for Hieronymus clearly remembers that he got out of the forest by following Baron Dann from Castle Tegnoh to La Wunj, where he attended a great festival, apparently held annually to celebrate a victory over the ypurs. His memories of spotting Dame Karrin the Blue and Baron Thanasius Ampelius, and making an awkward attempt to apologize, are much less clear. Before he could hear a response, Hieronymus fell to the floor, very drunken, rolled under a table, started to snore and never spoke another word in Iric.

((The festival was proposed by the baron formerly known as Techno-Dann on the Baronial Council. I had so hoped for an opportunity to finally put one line into the IRC and give closure to the role-play I had chickened out of, while having an excuse to ignore all further discussion. Alas, it was not meant to be.))

When he woke up again, all the Ops and Dars of Iric were gone, La Wunj lay mostly abandoned, none of the few citizens Hieronymus still found remembered any recent festivities, and when he asked for Baron Dann, glares and stares were the only answers the hermit got, for everybody knows that south-eastern Plort is and always was ruled by the fair Baroness Delta Juliette. Thus, Hieronymus joined the last trek that left La Wunj to the west, and since he became more invested in the Riding of Sittorese, he travelled on until he reached the Empire of Fanvik-Neht, where he built a secret hermitage which he hopes will once become a stronghold of goodriding. ((Acknowledging Delta Juliette’s story and the abandoning of the IRC; creating an account on fanfic.net and starting to write "Air'ihpotre" fanfiction that didn’t get much attention yet.))

How he got across the ocean and then back again, is still one of many mysteries, but although he was supposed to be back on his job of dusting off old scrolls in Arkive, some strange fate took the archivist’s apprentice to the newly assembled Baronial Council again, where he was promptly and retroactively tasked with keeping the records. ((Assuming responsibility for the chronicles of the Baronial Councils.))

((Part Four, published 2017))

On his way home from the City of Borrd, Hieronymus the hermit got no further than the Lhawgin Heights, for one evening, when he sat at his campfire [...] strange noise [... ho]oded figure spoke, approaching the old man, [... some(?)] of the Barons talked among us, and [...] agree [...] your journeys through the nations of [...] works in the archives [...] gain [...]understanding of the ways and mores of Pl[ort, ...] dedication to the Riding of Sittorese and the Law of Goodriding. Thus [...] join the ranks of our armies, riding against the Marizu [...]

[...] addressed like this, the archivist’s apprentice was so fl[ustered(?) ...] forgot that he had not made proper offers at the temples of Kanun an[d Spelin ...] never wandered the Knights’ Road, and he fell to his knees, and he felt a sword touch his should[er(?) ...] became a knight of Plort without much of the pomp and cere[mony(?) ...us]ually involved.

[Archivist’s note: The end of the scroll looks like it was ripped by talons and singed by flames. As far as can be determined from other sources, Hieronymus the hermit did not return to Arkive before the next Baronial Council was held, but he may have shown up when Baron Iximaz gathered an Army for a campaign to the Bronee.]

((Getting Permission, participating in a Role Play that became part of Iximaz’s "Neverfree From Working")).

((I don’t know yet whether there will be another scroll. Keeping the tune is hard, I obviously didn’t do much worth mentioning since I got Permission, and there is not much left that would be mentionable just for me doing it for the first time. So, this may be a good point to let this tale end.))

HG

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Welcome back to the Protectorate of Plort. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-12 10:24:00 UTC Reply

The History of Konti-Nyuum (newly revised, with thematic maps interspersed into it).

V. The Age of Change

Change, it seems, is inevitable. It began with the election of four new barons; for by the Edict of Bast, three of them took their lands in the western regions of Konti-Nyuum. In the annual baronial council of Plort, eight nobles vied for control of the increasingly crowded Borrd and Ozerbord - while in Wechi, Neshomeh alone held dominion. Of the barons of Iric, Juliette and VixenMage, who each watched over vast swathes of land, almost nothing was heard. Tensions grew ever higher.

Another invasion drove the first wedge between the patterns of past and future. The vile Green Ads, bandits and masters of stealth, swarmed across Borrd, rendering travel between its cities and towns perilous even for the best-armed among its people. All effort was made to banish them, led by two key figures: Huinesoron, who beseeched the gods Spelin Tam-Ara and Kanun Syorn for relief, and Tomash, mayor of the town Teebor, who sought to cast great wards about the whole of Plort.

The confrontation between the two was brought to a head by the arrival of the Inter'Nelerors, savage flying beasts from beyond the Mistwall that swarmed across Borrd and Ozerbord alike. With their refuge shattered, the people fled to Wechi, turning in fear to the gods of distant Wechi-Ah; yet it was not gods who brought salvation. By the power of Programm'an, Tomash spread his protection across the skies of Ozerbord, creating the Refuge anew. In doing so laid claim to the title of Lord Protector, ousting Baron Huinesoron from the position.

Confined to Borrd, the Inter'Nelerors were swiftly dispatched, but there was another crisis to come: Ofum, long the fortress and training ground of Plort, was burned to the ground by hands unknown. The knights of Plort wavered, unable to press their attacks against the Marizu.

The Baronial Council convened in an atmosphere of despair, yet from it sprang hope anew. Forts were raised in Ozerbord and Wechi, to take up the burden of Ofum's loss. A new city was inaugrated at Critta-Kalthin, to trade with distant lands. And a new nation was created: the Riding of Sittorese between Borrd and Iric, taking the fertile lands that were once Thalia's and using them to feed the armies of Plort.

Iric did not protest the appropriation of its lands. In fact, very little news was had out of the far eastern lands, and over the months that followed the council, utter silence fell. None travelled down the untended roads between Tumblar and La Wunj; no ships sailed the sea routes between them. The land of Iric was deserted, and when Baron Huinesoron in his wanderings brought its tattered banner to Borrd, the nation was declared lost.

Over time the people drifted back, from Borrd, the Riding, and lands overseas, drawn by the lure of empty fields ripe for the taking. They had no leaders, no laws or structures of politics; discord reigned among the rivers between the mountains. But out of it something new arose, a nation of factions and divisions, unlike anything that had been seen on Konti-Nyuum.

The time was coming when the maps of Plort would be redrawn once more...

Or... welcome back, once again, to the Protectorate/Union of Plort, Konti-Nyuum! This is the answer to the question 'what if the PPC community was actually a medieval kingdom', and it's been providing us with fun and bemusement for a few years now. You - yes, you! - are a citizen of the Union - a knight, a civilian, or a baron. There is a handy Beginner's Guide to get you oriented, and a whole wiki attached to it.

This is the thread for you to tell us your story, whether you're new to Plort or just need to update it. Transform your history into Plort-speak (the Glossary is helpful here) and write it up, and we'll put it on the Cyclopaedia/wiki for you. Mine looks like this, for instance, and you can hunt down any other Boarder's that you're interested in. (Be aware that the map above is as of the Fall of Iric. It hasn't been updated to reflect new developments... it will be.)

This is also the thread for heraldry! The original purpose of Plort was to give me an excuse to draw heraldic shields for people, and that certainly hasn't changed. The College of Arms at Castle Maklaur uses two styles of heraldry: Inglish and Alvish. There's a guide to those, too. If you can describe your shield(s), either in formal heraldic speak or just in words, I'll be delighted to create it for you. (And if you want to put together a description of a Marizu warlord you've fought, and create heraldry for them, that's fine too! There's even a section on it, and a few that already exist.

Finally, this is the thread for the Council of Plort to take place. This is an in-universe RP to which everyone is invited, though only Barons (currently) have voting rights. It's where we both play around with fictional politics, and try to update the setting to match the current state of the community. I'll be making a sub-thread for the Council shortly. It's... going to be a busy one. (This is where we'll be updating the map. Hooooo boy.)

Last thing, I swear - Plort is for fun. Plort is not for attacking people. I hope I don't have to say that.

Huinesoron, by the Grace of Kanun Baron of Plort, ~~Protector of Ozerbord~~, Warden of the Fanvik-Whirl, Master of Kwenaya, Friend of Medellurth, &c &c

(( We still doing heraldry? )) by Tomash on 2017-07-30 09:59:00 UTC Reply

Because I just had an idea for Sir Tomash's Inglish style heraldry.

Split the shield bend sinister. The top and left section has a white background with a green (that shade of green you get on some old computer terminals if that's possible) lightning bolt on it, while the other half (bottom and right) has an open book, filled with some sort of writing, on a black background.

Hope that all makes sense

- Sir Tomash, Lord Protector of Ozerboard etc.

Um, His Lordship isn't here right now. by Freckles, Messenger of Kwenaya on 2017-07-30 16:46:00 UTC Reply

But, um, once he gets back next week I'm sure he'd be happy to help.

Freckles, what are you doing? Don't you know who that IS?

The College of Arms is open to all, Sandra. I'm sure I read that somewhere.

Yeah, but there's all, and then there's.'all'...

((Sure. But probably not for a week or so. hS))

That's quite understadable by Tomash on 2017-07-31 07:00:00 UTC Reply

His Lordship does, after all, have many matters of great import to attend to, especially since the council has concluded.

Sir Tomash writes down his requested arms and hands them to Freckles

Could you please give this to him when he returns?

(( Thanks! Have a good/successful/fun/... whatever it is you're up to.

- Tomash ))

Speaking of flags etc. by Ekyl on 2017-07-19 22:39:00 UTC Reply

I realised a bit ago Sir Ekyl's arms violate the rule of tincture! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Should I redo them? Though I guess if the flag of Albania is acceptable...

I always figured that was intentional. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-20 10:00:00 UTC Reply

Using a stain (sanguine) is already non-standard, so I assumed it was a deliberate 'arms of enquiry'.

hS

"arms of enquiry"? (nm) by son_of_heaven176 on 2017-07-21 04:07:00 UTC Reply

As in... by Huinesoron on 2017-07-21 15:38:00 UTC Reply

... breaking the Rule of Tincture is so unusual that you should expect people to ask why you've done it.

hS

I had literally no idea what I was doing but let's go with t by Ekyl on 2017-07-20 10:51:00 UTC Reply

-hat.

Also I now know the term "arms of enquiry"! Always fun when internet goofing around is also educational.

A tale of the Scholars' Empire and the Marizu. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-19 16:56:00 UTC Reply

Twistey's inclusion of Staar-Wos in her tale led me to place both it and Staar-Tric on the map of Weab. Then I realised that not only was Staar-Tric the source of the Marizu in the first place, but that both nations could be said to be in the same state as the Potterverse: let down by their creators, and thus defected entirely to the Marizu League.

(I mean, I quite like Voyager, but it and Enterprise are fairly consistently regarded as bad. And the Star Wars prequels certainly count, if The Cursed Child does.)

So I wanted to write their story, or maybe the full story of the Marizu League. But as I began, I realised that there was more to the story: I couldn't write the history of the Marizu without creating the history of the Empire it spawned from.

So... I did. :D

The Rise and Fall of the Scholars' Empire

AKA hS has great fun working out what the late 19th-century equivalents for chunks of the internet are.

hS

19th? That doesn't seem like the right era. (nm) by Ekyl on 2017-07-19 22:43:00 UTC Reply

Sherlock Holmes. 1891. (nm) by Huinesoron on 2017-07-19 22:52:00 UTC Reply

Just one minor quibble I have with the story: by Iximaz on 2017-07-19 20:09:00 UTC Reply

I'd say that Doktaru has long since been overrun with Marizu (Clara especially comes to mind), but despite the hordes stampeding theough its lands, it somehow holds strong.

But that's just my opinion. Loved the rest of it. :)

It kind of is. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-19 20:39:00 UTC Reply

Doktaru and Prashette are marked on the map as partially overrun: they haven't completely fallen, but nor is their territory intact. Essentially, both the Marizu and the Empire claim they rule there.

(This is probably inaccurate for Prashette; possibly there's some sort of false flag operation going on.)

Glad you liked it!

hS

Ooh, gotcha. by Iximaz on 2017-07-19 20:56:00 UTC Reply

It's been a while since I've looked at a map of Weab. Sorry!

Good! That means you can answer a question. :D by Huinesoron on 2017-07-19 20:59:00 UTC Reply

How much sense did the story make without having the map in your head? It's one of those perennial concerns - does this writing work if you aren't stuck in as the one writing it and doing all the research.

hS

A minor quibble of my own by son_of_heaven176 on 2017-07-22 01:21:00 UTC Reply

Memory serving, the Scholars' Empire was on a continent to the north of Plort, with Plort being somewhat in between the Scholars' Empire and Weab. So I take it that this is a retcon?

I'm not saying that it would be [i]bad[/i], per se, if this is inded the case--actually, it works quite well that that Marizu and the Scholars' Empire are on the same continent, vying for supremacy. But I want to be sure that I am interpreting things aright.

Drat. by son_of_heaven176 on 2017-07-22 01:22:00 UTC Reply

Being on FiMfiction so long, I forgot that the Board uses triangular brackets, not square ones!

Hit enter too soon... by Iximaz on 2017-07-19 21:02:00 UTC Reply

(This is what I get for typing on a phone.)

I was going to add a "but". I do remember the locations of the lands of Weab, just not the general features of each.

...weird. The Board ate an earlier post. (nm) by Iximaz on 2017-07-19 21:04:00 UTC Reply

The full version of that hand-drawn map. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-18 11:33:00 UTC Reply

(The one from the revised full History.)

(Link)

The style of this map is cribbed from two old maps found online - mostly this one of the US east coast, but the towns/locations were taken from this one of Anglesey.

I really like the effect of hand-drawing it, though it took a good few hours to complete.

hS

(Hand-drawn? You cold have an alternate career path there..) (nm by Hardric on 2017-07-18 18:40:00 UTC Reply
Whoa! Dude, that look awesome! (nm) by Iximaz on 2017-07-18 17:22:00 UTC Reply

Thank you both. :) (nm) by Huinesoron on 2017-07-19 17:10:00 UTC Reply

The history of the Fall of Air'ihpotre. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-17 16:18:00 UTC Reply

The Scholars' Empire land of Air'ihpotre fell towards the end of last year, leaving only the Marizu League realm of Roe Lin. At the time, several people wrote up their reactions to the news; I've just gone through and added those to the Cyclopaedia.

The Fall of Air'ihpotre

&

Air'ihpotre

(If anyone can figure out what I was on about when I mentioned the Curse of the White Serpent, and the Beasts of the Isle of Morn, I would be very grateful. :D)

hS

White Serpent, or White Scorpion? by Neshomeh on 2017-07-17 17:18:00 UTC Reply

You've got the latter in "The Fall of Air'ihpotre." The former makes more sense as a reference to Albus Severus, the Cursed Child, though. {= )

I'm afraid I have no idea what the Beasts of the Isle of Morn might be.

~Neshomeh keeps meaning to join in these threads, but can't think of what to say in-character. {= (

It must be White Scorpion. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-17 19:25:00 UTC Reply

As in, Albus and Scorpio. Thanks! I guess I just misread it.

Oh! I get it now. It's IL(ver)MORN(y), and all the complaining about the houses. Phew! Problem solved.

Baron Neshomeh is in kind of an unenviable position: she's the sole baron of Wechi, so there's no border squabbles for her to get involved with. Maybe she has a comment on Hieronymus' question - if she approves of expanding the Council of Plort, how large a representation group should the archivists of Wechi be entitled to? Or the Beytahs of the Riding, since I believe she's also proficient in those arts.

(But you don't have to say anything if you don' wanna.)

hS

The colors of the Riding by Hieronymus Graubart on 2017-07-16 15:31:00 UTC Reply

I don’t actually know what it should look like, but I feel that the flag should somehow represent the conflict of "imagination" versus "sticking to the rules (of kanun and spelin)". I would like to use octarine to represent imagination, but obviously we cannot draw that. But then, this may be the reason why after two years there is still no image of the Riding’s imaginary flag, just a vague description?

HG

I think we can work with that. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-16 21:42:00 UTC Reply

It's established that the Riding uses the Arrow of Acacia as its symbol; we (because apparently no-one opposes Baron Huinesoron claiming baronial lands in the Riding) could use that to divide the flag in two, with one half octarine, the other half... well, grey is a traditional Plortish colour, and would represent the Grey Lady, who lived in the Twin Temples. So grey?

It's a bit on the dark side, but, y'know, this is Plort; we do that. On the other hand, this version:

Gives us "typing on a white page is super creative", which is a good message for the Riding of Sittorese.

Thoughts? (Pseudo-octarine is obviously the best we can do on the 'net; it tends to burn out pixels if you do it properly.)

hS

I like the dark version better. by Hieronymus Graubart on 2017-07-17 18:55:00 UTC Reply

But this may just be because white on white doesn’t work for me. The light version might look better if it were presented on a colored background.

HG

Yeah, that's fair. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-17 19:32:00 UTC Reply

I've uploaded the white version to the Cyclopaedia, so you (and other interested parties!) can take a look at it there in its natural habitat.

hS

Twyla Witherspoon the shopkeeper closes for the day. by twistedwindowpane on 2017-07-14 02:45:00 UTC Reply

Business was good today, but nothing of any real importance happened in her life specifically. Just daydreaming about becoming a knight. Wiping sweat from her forehead, she sits down behind the counter to think about where she's been...

Twyla Witherspoon was not always worthy of residence in the Protectorate of Plort, as she had only just recently started caring about the Marizu and their deeds. Her voyage to Konti-Nyuum started early; at age eleven she unknowingly founded a small band of Marizu in the country of Staar-Wos. She also caused the existence of monstrosities in Mayen Croft (a large and mainly Marizu area of Vidya Gaym) and the Airi-junal Islands. Only one or two years ago, she very nearly avoided the generation of more Marizu in Tiu Fort (also in Vidya Gaym) and Sti Venkeen. None of these things affect Twyla's conscience, and what little of it finished the journey to Weab was kept in the small but wild nation of Sk'ratsh. Indeed, she cannot wait to announce her knowledge to her fellow citizens of Borrd and thus open them to attack!

Twyla discovered Plort, specifically Wechi, through absentmindedly attempting to divine images of the Marizu in a bowl of Guugol fluid. Curious, she set off for Wechi, and immediately knew that Plort was where she wanted to stay. Upon her entry in Borrd, she caused a bit of commotion in front of Baron Huinesoron himself due to her misreading a book of Plort's history. She is still rather embarrassed about the incident, but has come to reside in Borrd rather nicely.

Currently, Twyla is a shopkeeper who sells artwork, weapons, travel guides for several Airi-junal Islands, and souvenirs from the District of Eidsaf'twaer in Vidya Gaym, which she visits a lot, especially a castle called Wolfreidi. She is currently in the process of creating a set of weapons and tactical gear for herself, relentlessly improving her combat skills so that one day she can try and apply for knighthood.

-----

So, here's a few things I'd like to ask for help with on the backstory:
1. Are the new names I had to come up with okay? In case you need clarification, Staar-Wos is Star Wars, Mayen Croft is Minecraft, Tiu Fort is Team Fortress 2, Sti Venkeen is the Stephen King fandom, Sk'ratsh is Scratch.mit.edu (not sure if it should be a part of Weab or So Shall Media, since some folks use it as a substitute for FF.net, but most users think of it as a second DeviantArt), Guugol fluid is Google (the search engine and no other part of it), Eidsaf'twaer is the iD Software fandom, and Wolfreidi is the Wolfenstein 3D (Wolf 3D) fandom. Did I do a good job of naming these things?
2. I said above that Twyla caused the existence of various Marizu, but that sounds a bit off. Is there any other way to say the equivalent of "I actually wrote a bunch of bad fanfic when I was younger?"
3. I also said that Twyla sells guides to some Airi-junal islands, but that also seems a bit off. Is there any other way to say the equivalent of "I write a lot of original fic?"
4. I probably also got a few things about the Plortverse wrong. I was going to do more research and fix them, but I don't have time to do so right now, so I'm going to post this and let you guys tell me what I did.
5. Give me any other tips you have! Tips are greatly appreciated! :D

-Twistey/Twyla Witherspoon, owner of Twyla's Odds and Ends

We don't already have Star Wars? :O by Huinesoron on 2017-07-14 09:33:00 UTC Reply

I have no problem with any of the names. I think it would be good to use the existence of Guggle in your 'Guugol fluid' (Guggle fluid?), since, y'know, consistency.

Sk'ratsh probably isn't part of the SSM; the Grand Republic of Deeay isn't, and that's what you compared it to. :) It may be ripe for conquest by them, though.

I think the best way to handle the badfic thing would be to accidentally inspire a Marizu warband (or multiple). You can probably straight-up create monsters in Mayen Croft - it's Vidya Gaym, they have all kinds of strange magics there. But unless you want to directly lead the Marizu into battle (misguidedly, of course), being an unintentional inspiration is probably best.

I like the idea of the guides! The alternative is building yourself a pocket nation there, but that may be excessive for a simple shopkeeper. Uppa'you.

I don't think there's any issues with the setting. Plort is deliberately a fairly loose creation, to allow for people to easily add to it. (And, for the record, I vaaaaguely remember you doing something, but don't remember what; don't let it worry you.)

Can I craft you some heraldry? Any citizen of Plort is entitled to it. If you don't feel up to designing a shield, name some symbols you might want and I can work from there.

hS

Well, it's not listed on the Wiki *shrugs* by twistedwindowpane on 2017-07-18 00:49:00 UTC Reply
1. Alrighty, that helps. Guggle fluid, haha.
  
  2. Probably is part of them already. I mean, all the famous Scratchers have DA accounts, came from DA, treat Scratch like it's DA (hence why there's constant fighting about recolors, which are allowed on Scratch but aren't on DA), and all that.
  
  3. That'd probably work. By "monstrosities", though, I meant weird and/or Suvian characters, including a Sued version of a friend and a Wither boss with Emperor Palpatine's face. (Eeeww.) I guess the unintentional inspiration shall be what it is for the rest of them. But what about the whole "didn't make it to Weab" part? Does that work? I mean, none of my badfic ever got posted online, and even now I don't have an account on Wattpad, Quotev, FF.net or any of that.
  
  4. Yay, I had a good idea! Woooo! Maybe I can also add that Twyla has found a love interest in a citizen of one of the islands, just to add more. (Yeah, I've declared one of my OCs my boyfriend, since I don't feel ready to have a real one yet. But I'm making sure not to give him excessive nice things, like other authors are wont to do. In fact, emotional struggle is a huge part of him as a character. But enough about that for now.)
  
  5. Alrighty, I guess that worked, then! (All I remember doing is commenting on stuff, one of the comments being a question of who Xing is.)
  
  6. Perhaps something done in gold on a dark green background, since heraldry remains static against a person's life and therefore I can't be all Wolfensteiny and I've got to look at my less edgy self-inserts for inspiration. (;P) Probably a tree of some sort, with butterflies to the left and right and crossed branches/leaves underneath. I guess. Nature was my thing back in my purest days that I can remember, so try to work with that.
  
  6b. However, there is the other idea that Twyla gained heraldry upon her entry to Plort and didn't have it before, in which case, you can make it all Wolfensteiny and impressive. Maybe even a wolf's face itself, and weapons of some kind somehow involved. Black and red (you can choose the background color between the two), maybe some shiny blueish like all the doors in Wolf 3D are. I can give you some color references if needed.
  
  6c. I'm overthinking this, aren't I.
  
  -Twistey

Let the arms of Twyla Witherspoon be blazoned. by Baron Huinesoron on 2017-07-18 11:24:00 UTC Reply

Sable, flaunches celeste, a wolf's-head sanguine langued gules, crossed swords argent.

The citizens of Plort aren't bound to one shield for life - they change them with disturbing regularity, actually. Possibly it's a way to confuse the Marizu. So this is fine.

The flaunches represent the doors, and are the closest heraldic colour to your 'shiny blueish'. I've done the wolf in sanguine (dark red) rather than gules (the red on the tongue), because... it looks better. ;) The swords are the Sword of Jay, pretty much the only sword design you'll see in Plortese art.

This is an 'arms of enquiry' - it violates the Rule of Tincture, placing two colours (sanguine and celeste, the red and blue) on top of another colour (sable - black), rather than on a metal (gold or silver). Plort isn't strict about the Rule, but it does still raise eyebrows and cause people to ask about it. Well, in this case, the explanation is that the flaunches represent your doorway or passage from the darkness of the Marizu lands to the bright light of Plort... or something like that.

hS

(PS: You're free to keep rewriting your character bio as often as you want. Go fer it. :))

Imma make a Wiki page. You post the image there. by twistedwindowpane on 2017-07-19 00:42:00 UTC Reply

(Because it isn't showing up here.)

Alrighty, all of that that you said makes sense. See you on Twyla's page.

-Twistey

And done. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-19 09:28:00 UTC Reply

Here, for anyone else who the picture's not working for.

(Bear in mind the shield isn't set in stone - feel free to suggest changes.)

hS

I'm in need of help with my backstory. by twistedwindowpane on 2017-07-20 00:22:00 UTC Reply

How should I put in that Twyla was a Sk'ratsh'iir for a long period of time? Somehow the backstory doesn't involve her interacting with Sk'ratsh at all, which isn't true, but I'm trying to figure out how best to word it so that it works.

-Twistey

Um, just to check: by Huinesoron on 2017-07-20 09:09:00 UTC Reply

Have you just scattered references to Hitler all over the Cyclopaedia? Because it kind of looks like that's what you've done.

I don't think I'm very keen on that idea.

hS

Well, there's a lot of that crud in fandoms... by twistedwindowpane on 2017-07-20 21:42:00 UTC Reply

I'm not sure what else to say. How do you suppose I fix it and still allow Wolfreidi and all that to exist?

-Twistey, who is worried about being banned and currently creating her plan B in case she is forced to strike out on her own

Although, looking back: by twistedwindowpane on 2017-07-21 01:01:00 UTC Reply

The comment on the page for Guggle fluid was a little much. (Man I have seen some weird stuff while Google image searching.) I was mainly just trying to create a page for Guggle fluid so that a page exists for it and the link is not red. People can tweak things on it as they wish.

But as for the rest of it, I literally have no idea what to do here. All that shebang plays a big part in Wolfenstein 3D (Wolfreidi), which plays a big part in my fandom life (Twyla's backstory), and I'm part of the PPC (Plort), so I can't come up with any ideas except to nip it in the bud and leave here, but that's a bit extreme. So can you please offer me some insights?

-Twistey

^Overreaction. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-21 09:15:00 UTC Reply

There is a world of options between "Hitler is a godlike being whose legend has spawned thousands of interlinked avatars strewn across Weab" and "I must leave the PPC in shame".

Look: Lord of Darkness. Nice and simple. Your thousands-of-Hitlers version was a sheer violation of Godwin's Razor: "Do not unnecessarily multiply Hitlers."

Can you tell me what the various castles represent? I'd like to tag them in the page.

hS

Weab is a representation of the Internet, is it not? by twistedwindowpane on 2017-07-21 23:35:00 UTC Reply

So many folks who create content involving that stuff, it's almost like he never died. I've been to really weird parts of the Internet, and even outside of it, it is almost like he is a god. Either I'm overestimating it, or you're underestimating the number of weird and/or messed-up people that exist on the Internet.

The multiplicity was kind of similar to how in the regular PPC, a character replacement is a different being than the canon. Wait, hang on, that doesn't match my thing entirely. Let's make a compromise of having it it more similar to what I'm actually comparing it to, and make it so that the particularly OOC depictions become separate characters, like impostors trying to use his infamy to get people to do stuff. I'm kind of starting to see your point here. But what do I know, I'm just a culturally insensitive, privileged, emotionally unstable piece of ADHD trash, and that is my honest opinion of myself. You can do whatever you want.

Wolfreidi is obviously Wolfenstein 3D, so logic follows that Castwolf is Castle Wolfenstein (a castle that Eidsaf'twaer acquired through claiming it after it was abandoned), New Wolfreidi is Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Wolftino is Wolfenstein: The New Order/The Old Blood (but it's a city), etc. If you've got time to also add in the other points of interest in the District, there do exist the fortresses of Du'um and New Du'um (Doom and its 2016 reboot), a city called Komankin (Commander Keen series) and Kwaik and Raij, which I am unsure what to make.

This hasn't calmed down yet. I saw Bramandin's huge thread before she was banned, and am now reading the page on the Wiki about her PPC career as TooPurple and zdimensia as well, and I saw a little of myself in a couple (thankfully not all) of her perspectives. Didn't feel that they were right, but felt that it could happen to me as well. Give me some reasons why I'm not going to be banned eventually.

-Twistey

Er... by Neshomeh on 2017-07-22 16:59:00 UTC Reply

If you're reading Bram's account of herself on her user page, do be aware that that is the story from the perspective of someone with an undiagnosed mental illness whose take on reality is often rather different from everyone else's. Everyone's entitled to their opinions, but that doesn't make them the whole truth. If you want to know what really happened, I suggest that you look back at the archives and see what everyone actually said at the time, in context.

As for the whole Hitler thing... have you tried not hanging out in places obsessed with Hitler? And, if you must, how about not spreading that "weird and/or messed-up" stuff to us? Just because it exists elsewhere doesn't mean we want it here.

I would also suggest you take a look at other Plort backstories to see how they've shaped Weab thusfar, and compare them to how you're going about it. IIRC, at least in the beginning, it was all incidental: nobody went out of their way to build up a specific fandom or Internet thing beyond how it related to their journey to the PPC—because Plort is about the PPC. Weab may be a representation of the Internet, but it's our representation of the Internet, through a very specific lens, and I keep thinking of a quote from LotR: "There is in [Lothlórien] no evil, unless a man brings it hither himself."

So... don't. {= )

It's actually pretty difficult to get yourself banned around here. We're a tolerant lot, and generally like to believe that people can learn from their mistakes and grow out of bad habits, given the opportunity. A little situational awareness will go a long way.

~Neshomeh

Okay, now that I'm less tired and can think straight by twistedwindowpane on 2017-07-24 16:03:00 UTC Reply
1. Actually, on her user page, somebody wrote down a history of Bram's activity that seems to definitely not have been written from her perspective.
  
  2. Believe me, it's not really a matter of "hanging out" there, I just often stumble into weird stuff while searching on Google Images, and it's so bad that the memories stick with me. (You seriously sound like my parents... XD)
  2b. Hang on, are you calling me "weird and/or messed-up"? Because that's what it sounds like.
  
  3. Very specific lens, ah? As in it's actually okay to leave out a few things? Ah. I've always been a fan of world-building and making my fantasy realms very complete, which explains the overload on fandoms. But as for the rest of it, it's mainly just a matter of, well, I've also always had a bit of a thing for trying to know everything about a subject before forming opinions, and then trying to be as honest and factual about it as possible. Perhaps it's because I live in an age of extreme opinions and constant battles over political correctness in the media, or perhaps it's because I'm trying to get control over my emotions and stop freaking out over everything. Either way, it's becoming obvious to me that I have a slight obsession with research and kind of idealize a lack of bias that probably isn't humanly attainable. Or something. Probably just trying to convince myself that my problem is something other than what it actually is. Which is- oh never mind. This paragraph is getting too long and train-of-thought-y. Let's just say I bring evil wherever I go. Hah ;P
  
  4. The question is, though, if your patience truly is long enough for you to eventually see me fixed. It's going to take a long time unless I get a pretty extreme wakeup call, and a pretty extreme wakeup call would probably be a bad idea, as it might fail and provoke me to do stupid stuff instead. But that's alright.
  
  -Twistey

Kudos for waiting. {= ) by Neshomeh on 2017-07-24 17:52:00 UTC Reply
1. Nope, the only editor of her userpage has been her. I just checked the edit history.
  
  2. Randomly stumbling across images seems a flimsy basis for declaring that Hitler is god-worshiped by some corners of the Internet, IMO. It only takes a few trolls to make disturbing images; it takes a group to form a culture, and it takes observing said group for a period of time to correctly observe its culture. Either you're overgeneralizing your observations or you're understating your involvement. In either case, see 3. (And, good! Someone has to be a responsible adult around here.)
  
  2b. Nope, I said "stuff" for a reason. You're fine; Hitler-cultishness is not.
  
  3. Yes, leaving things out is okay. You can in fact choose what you allow to shape your subjective experience of the Internet. We're all living in weird times, and fact-checking is good, but there's such a thing as delving too deep in the rabbit hole. There's also such a thing as over-sharing.
  
  4. "Fixed" is not an attainable goal. "Better," on the other hand, is a choice we all have the chance to make every day. You seem to have some awareness of your issues, which is a good first step. Use that awareness to make better choices next time, and the time after that, and so forth. Also, this may or may not relate to you, but I'll put it out there anyway: if you need professional and/or chemical assistance to make better choices, that's okay! Lots of us do. Getting the help you need is a great choice. {= )
  
  ~Neshomeh

Thanks. Should have waited earlier, though. by twistedwindowpane on 2017-07-25 18:49:00 UTC Reply

In fact, I should have waited before making the Plort Wiki edits in the first place! Heh.

1. Ah... that's interesting. Anything else I might want to look at about this person?

2. Eh, well, less like god worshiping and more like just an obsession. But it can seem that way if one keeps running into it when trying to search up seemingly unrelated subjects. (Wait, I think I remember encountering an article on this...) Either that or I was kinda high-fantasy-ifying the thing. I do not clearly recall my motives at the time, aside from the fact that the "multiple versions same mind" thing probably stemmed from my personal portrayal of the guy in my depictions of the fandom multiverse (e.g. there's the ghost of the real guy, then there's sort of a shared entity for all the WWII historical fiction that he is not directly involved in, then all the different other depictions in the weird historical fiction that he is directly involved in, and then there's the OOC ones which are too OOC to actually be the same entity). Which in turn stemmed from the abilities and forms of a substitute character I created a while ago, which stemmed from a (now ditched) series of games that stemmed from my own personal strife. But anyway, back on topic. (And nyah! }:P)

2b. Stuff is a weird word... *gets increasingly confused about why the word stuff even exists* Oh, whoops. Back on topic.

3. Rabbit hole, eh? We're all mad here! ;P

4. The next step for me is probably convincing myself that I'm not doomed to failure. Haha!

-Twistey
Here's the article I mentioned! https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/feb/06/why-obsessed-nazis-third-reich

Okay, it turns out that... by twistedwindowpane on 2017-07-22 00:03:00 UTC Reply

...the similarities are fewer than I thought. Seems like Bram didn't know enough, whereas I know far too much, about this subject. And there's also the fact that the Permission requirements have become better worded since that time, which resolves the recognition of Bram's back-and-forth about doing the wrong thing with Permission attempts. Whew. No I'm not Bramandin, zdimensia or Toopurple, on my word as a PPCer. If I were, I would not have had to read the profile page to resolve lacks of understanding, am I right? (Wow, this has escalated pretty quickly.)

There does, however, still stand the vague shared trait of, how to word it, frequently jumping to the worst conclusions. (Not to mention I'm also kind of afraid of being discriminatory!) But I do realize that these are my faults and not those of the PPC, and that I will, over time, eventually get better at maintaining a state of balance. I apologize for making too many moves at once with regards to... everything, it seems. That often happens when I discover something new. Probably won't get banned after all, may I have your forgiveness?

-Twistey

The Tale of Hieronymus, Retold for Newbies, in Four Parts by Hieronymus Graubart on 2017-07-12 15:25:00 UTC Reply

The first three parts are already on the Plort wiki , but to give newbies an impression of how this is supposed to work, I post them here again, with annotations that are not meant to be part of the chronicle. Also, I’m going to correct mistakes and insert missing links in part three.

((Part One, published 2014))

Not much is known about Hieronymus the hermit. He travelled wide and far, looking for a place where to dwell when his livelong journey came near its end. Following rumours about a dreaded plague called the Marizu, and the brave knights who fought this evil, he came to the shores of Wechi. Unseen by anybody, he roamed this vast land for over a year, even sneaking into Arkive and the Hall of Ancient Records. Only when a stranger accused the noble knights of vile malefaction, Hieronymus stepped forward to Borrd to defend their selfless deeds. ((Looking for something to do when I’m retired from my job, reading everything on "The Complete List of PPC Fiction", lurking and then joining a discussion about what the PPC actually do.))

Since then, he has talked to some of the denizens of Plort, and he began to build his home in Wechi, and to prepare his offerings to Kanun and Spelin, for he pondered to explore the mountain range of Purmeshun, but now he seems to be lost in the wood of Kar’eer. How he got there is still a mystery, for he has never been seen in Iric. ((Talking on the board while never chatting in the IRC, creating a wiki user page and thinking about prospective agents and how to get Permission, but not actually doing much, because my job got into the way.))

Some may conclude that Hieronymus is a fearsome mage who comes and goes of his own volition, and has not revealed his full power yet, while others may believe that he is a leaf in the wind, never knowing where he may be tomorrow, and both may be right, for being self-contradictory is his very nature.

((Part Two, published 2015))

Over time, rumours spread that the hermit may have left the dark woods to walk the roads and pathways of Plort again.

Inhabitants of Ozerbord remember a grey bearded man who appeared at the Games of Batveg, clad in the habit of a harlequin, pretending to be a veritable knight, but fighting the atrocities in other knight’s tales rather than the misdeeds of the Marizu. Of course this fool was laughed out of town. ((Introducing the "Uncanonical Department of Inaccuracies" in the badfic games.))

Wordsmiths and Grammagicians at Worhkshap tell tales of a taciturn, grey bearded man wielding a staff – named Androia – in the training sessions for scribe apprentices. Civilians, knights and even barons up and down Plort claim that this very man’s feeble attempts in practising the ancient arts of Beytah may actually have improved their strength. And nobody shall ever again mention the Quiet Baker-Knight’s weird experience at the Shipfest in a nameless harbour. ((Developing prospective agents Androia and Hieronymus in writing exercises for Poor Cynic’s workshops, beta reading for various PPCers, being shipped in the shipfic fest for "German Pretzels".))

It is also said that Hieronymus, on his flight from Ozerbord to Worhkshap, passed an unexplored region at the junction of the Wattuf Mountains and the Mountains of Reverence, where he found the Snow Drops, a moste potente potion that helps curing forgetfulness. How these will be used in the future is yet to be seen. ((Occasionally role-playing an uncanonical Flower – the Snowdrop, Inofficial Department Head of the Uncanonical Department of Inaccuracies – on the board.))

Recently, the peasants living in the lands between the rivers Wep and Freewep began to talk about a newcomer, fitting the hermit’s description, amongst the workers sent by Baron Neshomeh to help in repairing the damage caused by the last earthquakes. ((Webs.com and freewebs.com continuously delete former PPCers sites for inactivity.))

The peasants are probably not mistaken, for one day not far in the past, Hieronymus appeared in the Hall of Ancient Records – as he likes to appear out of the blue – and he bent low, and he spoke up and said, ‘Milady Neshomeh, I travelled wide and far. My eyes are old, and my posterior can not stand perpetually riding against the Marizu. But my mind is still sharp, and my hands don’t tremble. If you would assign me a corner in your castle Arkive, where I can rest and store my staff and flask, I could help you copying and restoring these documents I see are in bad shape and may soon disaggregate into dust. And in case I feel ever fit to follow you into battle, I would appreciate the licence to wear your colour on my shield.’

((Offering to help Neshomeh with archiving "The Lost Tales", and asking permission to use Neshomeh’s special shade of green on my coat of arms. Also, Hieronymus the hermit asking for a corner to store his still uncanonical "weapons" implies that Hieronymus the boarder, if he ever asks for and gets permission, would like to have Hieronymus the archivist’s apprentice store his stories in the archive of Lost Tales, skipping the step of having them gone lost elsewhere first.))

((Part Three, published 2016))

The humble hermits request was met with grace. But rather than finding the rest he had hoped for in that tiny corner at Arkive, the archivist’s new apprentice was immediately sent off to demonstrate and improve his Eich-Tee-Ehm-Ehl skills in the devastated lands. ((Actually working on "The Lost Tales" and the wiki.))

While Hieronymus was supposed to travel between Arkive and the river Freewep, he somehow became sidetracked to the City of Borrd. He arrived just in time for the annually Baronial Council, where he barely escaped imprisonment and prosecution for treason and libel by Baron Thanasius Ampelius. Had he not conveniently gone lost in the wood of Kar’eer again, Hieronymus would certainly have talked his head off. ((Getting into a dispute about who should govern the new nation "Riding of Sittorese" and chickening out of the role play. Also, my job getting into the way becomes a recurring theme.))

On his flight from the baron’s ire, the hermit fell into a dubious dungeon. But that is another story and shall be told on another day – actually here, based on this, – but Hieronymus did still not reveal how he got out of this mess again.

The way through the dungeon may have led to an alternate universe, for Hieronymus clearly remembers that he got out of the forest by following Baron Dann from Castle Tegnoh to La Wunj, where he attended a great festival, apparently held annually to celebrate a victory over the ypurs. His memories of spotting Dame Karrin the Blue and Baron Thanasius Ampelius, and making an awkward attempt to apologize, are much less clear. Before he could hear a response, Hieronymus fell to the floor, very drunken, rolled under a table, started to snore and never spoke another word in Iric.

((The festival was proposed by the baron formerly known as Techno-Dann on the Baronial Council. I had so hoped for an opportunity to finally put one line into the IRC and give closure to the role-play I had chickened out of, while having an excuse to ignore all further discussion. Alas, it was not meant to be.))

When he woke up again, all the Ops and Dars of Iric were gone, La Wunj lay mostly abandoned, none of the few citizens Hieronymus still found remembered any recent festivities, and when he asked for Baron Dann, glares and stares were the only answers the hermit got, for everybody knows that south-eastern Plort is and always was ruled by the fair Baroness Delta Juliette. Thus, Hieronymus joined the last trek that left La Wunj to the west, and since he became more invested in the Riding of Sittorese, he travelled on until he reached the Empire of Fanvik-Neht, where he built a secret hermitage which he hopes will once become a stronghold of goodriding. ((Acknowledging Delta Juliette’s story and the abandoning of the IRC; creating an account on fanfic.net and starting to write "Air'ihpotre" fanfiction that didn’t get much attention yet.))

How he got across the ocean and then back again, is still one of many mysteries, but although he was supposed to be back on his job of dusting off old scrolls in Arkive, some strange fate took the archivist’s apprentice to the newly assembled Baronial Council again, where he was promptly and retroactively tasked with keeping the records. ((Assuming responsibility for the chronicles of the Baronial Councils.))

((Part Four, published 2017))

On his way home from the City of Borrd, Hieronymus the hermit got no further than the Lhawgin Heights, for one evening, when he sat at his campfire [...] strange noise [... ho]oded figure spoke, approaching the old man, [... some(?)] of the Barons talked among us, and [...] agree [...] your journeys through the nations of [...] works in the archives [...] gain [...]understanding of the ways and mores of Pl[ort, ...] dedication to the Riding of Sittorese and the Law of Goodriding. Thus [...] join the ranks of our armies, riding against the Marizu [...]

[...] addressed like this, the archivist’s apprentice was so fl[ustered(?) ...] forgot that he had not made proper offers at the temples of Kanun an[d Spelin ...] never wandered the Knights’ Road, and he fell to his knees, and he felt a sword touch his should[er(?) ...] became a knight of Plort without much of the pomp and cere[mony(?) ...us]ually involved.

[Archivist’s note: The end of the scroll looks like it was ripped by talons and singed by flames. As far as can be determined from other sources, Hieronymus the hermit did not return to Arkive before the next Baronial Council was held, but he may have shown up when Baron Iximaz gathered an Army for a campaign to the Bronee.]

((Getting Permission, participating in a Role Play that became part of Iximaz’s "Neverfree From Working")).

((I don’t know yet whether there will be another scroll. Keeping the tune is hard, I obviously didn’t do much worth mentioning since I got Permission, and there is not much left that would be mentionable just for me doing it for the first time. So, this may be a good point to let this tale end.))

HG
The Baronial Council subthread. by Baron Huinesoron on 2017-07-12 10:31:00 UTC Reply

The doors of Otik creak open. As the rail lashes at the flagstones, Baron Huinesoron walks slowly into the council chamber. He walks with a cane, one leg trailing limply behind him, but his back is straight and his head held high.

He does not look at the gathered barons, knights, and civilians. He crosses the wide floor in silence, coming at last to a stop in front of the grand map of Plort carved into the wall. From his pocket he draws a stylus, pulsing with red light.

"We've been through some troubling times lately," he says. A ripple runs through the crowd as they hear the cracking in his voice, the strain weighing on every syllable, but the baron does not look round. He raises the stylus, and its lambent glow cuts into the stonework like clay.

"The war…" Huinesoron shakes his head. "Was it even a war?" His hand moves over the Forest of Kar'eer, dust falling as the rain where it passes. "The Mords of the discord say their lands are bountiful and cultured. They say the western lands pleaded to join with them, to live under their enlightened rule." He walks down the length of the map, his cane tapping on the stone, and presses his palm over the city Ozerbord. "They say that when their airships landed at Skypcht, they were welcomed with open arms.

"I have my doubts." The stylus sweeps across the Geymez Plateau, obliterating the name of Ozerbord, and inscribing a new one in its place. "But I will not fight. Geymez, as La Wunj, belongs to the discord."

He steps back and looks up, his gaze taking in the northern Spalchik Lowlands, where the city of Teebor and the castle Kwenaya gleam as twin jewels. "The Refuge stands empty," he says. "Oh, it draws the crowds from time to time, when peril strikes or the old festivals resume, but none live there." He stretches up and plucks the green gem of Kwenaya from the map. "It has no need of a baron," he says softly.

The stylus flickers to life anew, its light shading to a deep blue. "I relinquish the barony of what was once Ozerbord," Huinesoron says, tracing glowing lines across the map. "Let what remains of the Refuge stand without the baron it no longer needs, and let the Lady Iximaz take up her place as warden of the new discord in the west. By the Edict of Bast, those lands once held by Baron Thanasius Ampelius also pass to her; the lands beyond the mountains are united once more."

He steps back. The whole chamber seems to hold its breath as he studies the map, and then he makes his slow, steady way down to the line of the Larninkurvs.

"Barony July," he says, and a sigh drifts through the air. "Barony Ampelius. Barony Cassie. Barony Araeph." The baron lifts his stylus again, and green fire gathers about its tip. "All stand empty, in the heart of Borrd and the Riding. This cannot be."

Under his pen a new pattern of baronies takes shape. "I will take Barony Araeph as my own," Huinesoron says, plucking the amber jewel of Araeph's castle and pressing his own garnet into its place. "I will reclaim Retben from its ruins and build a new keep in its place. And I will take also Barony July, ceding back its southern tip to Barons Neshomeh and Juliette.

"But," and with a sudden stroke he inscribes a circle around the city of Borrd itself, "I will not claim baronial authority over this city. I ask that the Council of Borrd be jointly trusted with that duty, as has been proposed on many previous occasions."

He pauses for a moment, bowing his head. Then he reaches up and carves a new hole into the map, on the banks of the river Meibot. "We have welcomed Baron Eshakhar into our midst," he says, pulling a carved rose quartz from his pocket and clicking it into place. "Let Baronies Ampelius and Cassie be hers to watch and to ward, to lead into battle and to lead in time of peace."

Baron Huinesoron turns at last, facing the Council. His face is pale and drawn as he looks out at them, and in his outstretched hand he holds the four gemstones he has plucked from the map: amber for Araeph, topaz for Thanasius Ampelius, turquoise for July, and jasper for Cassie.

"We've been through some troubling times lately," he says again. "This island fortress has-" He pauses, wincing, and leans heavily on his cane before speaking again. "Has been shaken. But it has not fallen."

Huinesoron straightens up again, and a fiery spark seems to burn in his eyes. "And it will not fall," he declares. "Not while any one of us draws breath. This is the Union of Plort - the legacy of Jay and Acacia - and it. Will. Not. Fall.

"We must draw together, now more than ever. To that end-" He stops again, draws a deep breath. "To that end, I propose that this Baronial Council be expanded to include not only our military leaders, but also those who guide the fo- five nations of Konti-Nyuum." He looks across the crowd, noting faces and absences. "Let the archivists of Wechi send their representatives, and the Beytahs of the Riding. Let," a wince crosses his face, "Protector Tomash of Ozerbord sit in council, and…" The baron closes his eyes, clutching the gemstones in an involuntary fist. "And let the Mords of the discord be seated among us, that together we may debate and decide what is best for the Union of Plort."

The national borders and the shut-down baronies aren't really open for dispute. The Discord has taken over most of the RPing that used to be done on T-Board, so it gets the land to go with it. The relocation of Barony Huinesoron, boundaries of Barony Eshakhar, expansions of baronies Iximaz, Neshomeh, and Juliette, status of Borrd, and the expansion of the Council of Plort (not the Council of Borrd, which remains just barons - Iximaz, Phobos, PC, Huinesoron, Kaitlyn, and Eshakhar by the above maps), are all up for debate.

Oh, and in keeping with the theme established a while back, the colour of baronies on the map/the gemstones used for their castles is what you get if you plug their names into <font color="this spot">. Since 'Zingenmir' is identical to 'Huinesoron', you get Eshakhar.

Iximaz - Sapphire
Phobos - Obsidian
PoorCynic - Jade
Neshomeh - Lapiz Lazuli
Huinesoron - Garnet
Kaitlyn - Ruby
Eshakhar - Rose Quartz
Juliette - Amythest
VixenMage - Turquoise

And someone please give the Discord a proper name! Baron Me has been using the descriptive word 'discord', but I doubt you want to just stick with that. (If you feel like making a flag for it - or if anyone wants to throw in a flag for the Riding of Sittorese - that would be delightful.)

hS

Proceedings of the 2017 Baronial Council, Part One by Hieronymus the hermit on 2017-07-25 13:01:00 UTC Reply

The discussion on the first subject of the agenda is closed.

By votes of four to zero, Protector Tomash of Ozerbord and the Mords of the Diskord were invited to join the barons in the Council of Plort.

Since there is a tie between two pro-votes and two contra-votes, no decision could be made concerning the representation of the Riding of Sittorese by its Beytahs.

Although three barons support the idea of having some sort of representation of the Commonwealth of Wechi that would be independent of the resident baron, and only one baron spoke against it, the barons’ actual intentions were left unclear. By not objecting to Sir Hieronymus speaking for all denizens of Wechi, Baron Neshomeh – who obviously is a denizen of Wechi – may have changed her mind from "invite the archivists" (apparently intending to give one vote to each archivist) to "let all denizens of Wechi have one collective vote". Either way, she would not be in agreement with Baron Huinesoron, who specified that "the archivists" should get one collective vote. Sar Iximaz’s "no objections to adding more voices to the council" is factually an abstain, since it might support whatever form of expanding the council the other barons decide to fit best, but there is no favored position. Thus, no actual decision could be made.

Protector Tomash and the attendant Mords of the Confederation of Diskord are asked to voice their opinions on the other subjects of the agenda now, so that votes can be counted and decisions can be made.

((Sorry about that, hS. Since I can’t tweak it to invite the Beytahs, I don’t want to tweak it to invite the archivists. Maybe we can try again next year.

The rest of the agenda is still open for discussion. Especially the matter of the border between baronies Huinesoron and Neshomeh may need some outsider input in favor of one position or another. Personally, I think that Neshomeh and Huinesoron are both great Riders of Sittorese and neither of them should be held off the Riding, but I don’t feel like a knight of Wechi and archivist’s apprentice should be the person who pushes Baron Neshomeh in this direction. He has already been rebellious enough for one council.

HG))
The Baron stood to speak once more. by Baron Huinesoron on 2017-07-20 13:04:00 UTC Reply

Baron Huinesoron nodded in turn to Oopart, Baron PC, the Djenni, Sar Iximaz's projection, and - reluctantly - Protector Tomash. "I know it can be hard to tear ourselves away and travel to Borrd, so while I am, as you, but a member of this Council, I am grateful that you have made the time.

"To the work, then. If Sar Iximaz does not see fit to watch over the lands of the western Diskord, I have no objection to Baron PC taking their reins. And..." He sighed, looking up at the map. "And if Iximaz will not protect my former holdings east of the Wattufs, then I see no alternative but for them to pass to Baron Phobos."

He turned to face the Djenni, offering a slight bow. "I pray your mistress will hear my words when I remind her that I, too, was friend to Baron July." A slight smile quirks his lips. "I have the camel to prove it. In her memory, I would continue her work in the Riding.

"Yet I acknowledge your own claim also. July was friend to Wechi and Borrd alike, and her builders laid the foundations of many of our fairest buildings." He turned to the map again, rolling his stylus between his fingers. "Perhaps by the skill with which we raised Manyuel together, we might create from the ruins of Flayme a true and living monument to her endeavours... if our baronies were to meet outside its walls." He glanced back at the Djenni. "Her answer need not be swift, avatar; let it come as it will."

He slipped his stylus into his pocket and turned again to the wider hall. "The concerns voiced by many concerning my proposal to expand this Council of Plort are well-founded, yet I say still that other voices must be heard in the hall of Otik. Baron Neshomeh speaks for Wechi, it is said - but she speaks also for her barony, and their interests may not coincide.

"So, then, what shall the rule be? I say the rule of one - that whatever delegates the folk of Wechi and the Riding shall send, they should bear between them a single vote. One for the archivists who dwell in the Commonwealth, and one for the Beytahs of the Riding."

He paused, seeming about to say more, but then shook his head. "Enough of my words, save this only: four barons have supported the right of Sir Tomash and the Mords of Diskord to speak. That stands at half of those with the right to vote." He glanced at Kaitlyn, who shook her head slightly. "Unless Barons Phobos, Eshakhar, Juliette, and VixenMage assemble in opposition - which seems unlikely - it seems that the leaders of Ozerbord and the Diskord may place their votes as they will."

Voting members: Huinesoron, Eshakhar (by message), PC, Neshomeh (by Djenni), Iximaz.
Prospective voting members: Tomash, Hieronymus.
Absent voting members: Juliette, VixenMage, Phobos
Absent prospective voting members: Mords, Beytahs

Tomash to Council: Iximaz, Neshomeh, PC, Huinesoron
Mords to Council: Iximaz, Neshomeh, PC, Huinesoron
Beytahs & Archivists to Council: Iximaz
One rep each from Beytahs, Archivists to Council: Huinesoron

Diskord (Geymez) to PC: Iximaz, PC, Neshomeh, Huinesoron
Wep-Friwep region to Phobos: Neshomeh, Huinesoron

Boundaries of Eshakhar: Eshakhar, Huinesoron, Neshomeh
Boundary between Huinesoron and Neshomeh: discussed by said barons.

And yes, one reason for opening up the Council is to give more people reason to get involved. I am attention-seeking and like people to interact with my stuff. :D

hS

"Baron Huinesoron speaks fair." by Neshomeh on 2017-07-25 14:59:00 UTC Reply

The Djenni gave a slow blink, a sign of trust in the animal kingdom. "And indeed, it has been too long since our arts were joined in the raising of great works in this land. Let it be so: let our borders meet along the River Jid'ryv from Goch't to Flayme, and its tributary Jid'auks from there to the Larninkurvs. At Flayme we shall meet, and there we shall endeavor in July's memory."

It was about this time that Ye Scape-Grace burst in with her entourage. The fox rose to her feet in Neshomeh's chair, ears pricked and tail lashing, and then turned back to the Baron. "Huinesoron, what did you do?"

"Let it be so, in peace." by Huinesoron on 2017-07-25 16:27:00 UTC Reply

[Timeskip to after his boggling at Scape]

... turned to the Djenni and composed his expression into one of mild bewilderment. "Naught but that which I have the right to do. It was clear to me that the voice of Spelin had spoken through her; as a devout follower of Spelin Tam-Ara, it was my duty to support Her chosen mouthpiece." He turned to face the great map, where a feline face could still be seen carved over the Twin Temples. "The Grey Lady would have expected no less."

((I'm pretty sure we've just colluded in purloining for you a section of what used to be Barony Juliette, before July's brief restoration. Welp, that's the price of not showing up to meetings! ^_~ hS))

Per the Common Rule of Non-objection by Hieronymus the hermit on 2017-07-22 12:47:00 UTC Reply

I speak for the Commonwalth of Wechi (supposing that Baroom, the Book Repairman, Dame Eatpraylove, Baron Neshomeh and Thunder won’t object to this).

We trust our baron, and since there is precedent for one-of-us speaking for the Commonwealth when Baron Neshomeh kept silent, we could always be sure that Wechi’s voice would be heard. Nevertheless, Baron Huinesoron is right – if Barony Neshomeh is extended beyond Wechi, a conflict of interests may arise.

But we object to the implication that "the archivists" are our civil government. We ask the Baronial Council to exempt us from the task of defining who exactly should be considered an "Archivist of Wechi" and let the majority of all denizens of Wechi who bother to have an opinion decide on the Commonwealth’s vote.

Although we don’t want to appear rebellious, we wonder how Baron Neshomeh can claim to speak for the Beytahs of the Riding when she clearly resides in Wechi. The Council may want to decree what is required to be a Beytah of Sittorese and whether barons are allowed to be involved in the representation of nations that is, as can be seen with Ozerbord and the Diskord, meant to be independent of barons holding territories in said nations.

Also, we feel that giving as many votes as there are Morrds to the Confederation of Diskord, while the Refuge of Ozerbord, the Riding of Sittorese and the Commonwealth of Wechi only get one vote each, and the Protectorate of Borrd gets zero votes, may appear unjust.

Hieronymus the hermit, part-time knight of Wechi, archivist’s apprentice, keeper of the records and (hopefully) by common non-objection current speaker for the Commonwealth of Wechi

((There. Even more reason to get involved. If you took residence in Wechi, you don’t need to be an acknowledged archivist to be polled on Wechi’s vote. Also, some complicated politicks: Since Neshomeh obviously is a denizen of Wechi and implicitly objects to any Commonwealth vote that contradicts her baronial vote, at least two Wechians who aren’t Neshomeh are needed to make the Commonwealth countervote its baron.

Sir Ekyl of Godreve and Sir Matthias Snow of Tumblar are currently the only non-barons who obviously reside in the Riding of Sittorese. Some persons of currently unknown residence (An'onere Morysse, Johan the Orange and Twyla Witherspoon) may, by claiming to be Beytahs of the Riding, reveal that they actually live in the Riding of Sittorese (but they either haven’t be seen in a long time or are not known to actually have beta-read anything).

For maximal involvement, the Council may want to decree that wanderers (currently Aila vyn Sini, Cipher and Sir Hardric) may be Beytahs of Sittorese, based on occasionally visiting the Riding (but Ayla hasn’t be seen for a long time).

The Barons won’t like it, but if this is a motivational thing, then the few Beytahs of the Riding who aren’t barons anyway should not be discouraged by the expectation that the barons who hold lands in the Riding and also are Beytahs will outvote them anyway. (This expectation may be counteracted by expanding the number of potential Beytahs of Sittorese to everybody who can present evidence that they practiced the art of beytah, regardless of where they live. I’m not sure whether this would be more or less ridiculous than the barons voluntarily limiting their power.) Thus, the barons should be excluded from representing nations and only represent themselves. This would also explain why the Council of Borrd cannot cast votes in the name of the Protectorate of Borrd and this nation has zero votes unless the Borrders rebel against being governed by a council of barons. Of course, it would also exclude Baron Neshomeh from being polled about the Commonwealth’s vote and thus would allow me to singlehandedly make the Commonwealth countervote its baron, but that’s beside the point.

I don’t know who and how many the Morrds of Diskord are (apparently Ye Scape-Grace is one of them?). On a meta level, I understand why we need the Morrds, but in-universe, if it is true that Wechi and the Riding (and Borrd) don’t need representation as nations because they are represented by the barons who hold land there, this should be true for the Diskord too, and only Protector Thomash should be invited to represent a baronless region – which could have been accomplished without talking about the representation of nations. But since the cat is on the roof now, giving at-least-but-only-one vote to most nations may be a politickal compromise that can’t be reasonably explained, and the complaint about it being unjust may be ignored.

HG))
The doors to the chamber swung open... by Ye Scape-Grace on 2017-07-20 20:08:00 UTC Reply

And revealed a motley assemblage of mostly-humanoid people. Half a dozen in total, five gathered closely around a single slender shape in the centre of the formation. On the left, a wobblingly corpulent figure with a cheerful visage that looked like it would ideally have been wrapped around some sort of cake accompanied a gangly mantis of a woman whose green, furtive eyes and ploughed complexion would have looked every second of its age had it lived for seven centuries. On the right, a battle-scarred mercenary who looked like she'd only retired from combat when she'd run out of bits to have blasted off by pla'tool sorceries glared out from behind a round little dandy in a pea-green frock coat and powdered periwig, whose watery eyes nevertheless held the glimmer of intelligence. Finally, directly behind the central figure was a truly vast man, stripped to the waist save for an enormous red fur coat with beige trim, the better to show off his hugely muscled chest, his constellations of scars, and the strange, spiky growths that erupted from every square inch of his skin like the peaks of the Wattufs.

They marched in unison until the middle figure was in plain view of the rest of the council, and then she took one more pace forward. She - though it was somewhat hard to tell - was more straight-backed than she had been seen to be in some time, but the most marked change was in her mode of dress. Gone were the rags and lucky heather cuttings that marked her as a tatterdemalion; gone was the faded motley of a wandering jester and kingsfool. Instead, she was decked out in brightest white, the robes of Spelin's old, old priesthood having been dug out and cleaned until they shone (aided by only the merest application of chalk dust). Of the greatest note, however, were the elaborate apparels that decorated her sleeves and hood; panels of silken cloth depicting intricately-stitched scenes from the holy texts of Spelin Tam-Ara, from Plortish history, and of the oral histories of the Mords, which only recently had begun to be laid down in writing. It was the enormously thick apparel at her neck that was newest, and perhaps most controversial: it displayed the central fess of the flag of Diskord, with delicate lines of alternating silver-filigree and lapis set against the rich, dark grey broadcloth that was a favoured fabric among the Mords; it was also pinned in place, as was traditional for apparels of that nature, by the seven white stars that symbolized the Seven Tjan'ulls, or cardinal virtues of Mordly society. Noh Tyss, the duty of decree, of openness as a sacrament; Djen Tjan, the duty of dialogue over drawn swords, of peace over war; Rhuud Ez, the duty of remembrance, of telling and retelling the legends of the Faith; Nar Cal, the duty of games, of refining the mind and body through the abnegation of work for work's sake; Oth Urp, the duty of creativity, of gathering knowledge and making it one's own; Rhex Blucz, the duty of charity, of the sharing of sustenance both physical and intellectual; and Ops Tayrs, the duty of rule, of governance in the name of all and justice for every Diskordant. At her left hand was an elaborate maniple depicting the bearer's arms in blood reds and cloth-of-gold; in her right, and doing no small amount of service in holding her posture so upright, was the kind of crozier that might have once seen use as a means of hauling Marizu knights down from their horses, the better to pound their wretched carcasses into the mud, its elaborately curved head looking capable of sending a tooth-rattling blow through even the most thickly-padded helm. It seemed fairly martial for a priest, but then, the bearer was (however technically) a Knight of Plort, and well-known as a subordinate of the most relentless scourge of the Marizu to ascend to baronial rank in generations; this was proven by the apparel about her right cuff, which depicted that baron's yellow roses intertwined with what looked for all the world like agricultural implements.

The richly garbed figure looked upon the council, too-old greenish-hazel eyes boring into Baron Huinesoron's own, and said:

"By the grace of the most holy majesty of Spelin Tam-Ara, whose Well-Written Word dost make itself heard through me, I declare mine desire to be seated at this Council for to represent the will of your goddess. Praise Spelin!"

And the smile of Ye Scape-Grace shone bright as a yellow sun above Krypton.

Baron Huinesoron's jaw simply dropped. (nm) by Huinesoron on 2017-07-20 20:11:00 UTC Reply

((angery react only =] )) by Scapegrace on 2017-07-20 21:45:00 UTC Reply

For real though, was this a bit much? I realise it's costume porn, but I wanted to show off how Ye Scape-Grace has changed from being proud of being unloved and unlovable to pledging her service to the land as a whole.

Also, the seven Tjan'ulls are, as you might have guessed, Plortifications of the seven channels and their uses: the noticeboard for major announcements, generic channel for general chat, Rudi's for rudi's for PPC RPing, generic salt (NaCl = Nar Cal) for gaming chat, other RP for, er, other RP, recs and plugs for recs and plugs, and upstairs for mod-only chat. I thought I'd give it a go, as I'm fairly active there and nobody else seemed to have any ideas. I don't want to seem like I'm railroading anyone, though, so if anyone has any objections to this please let me know. =]

Nono, it's fine. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-21 09:21:00 UTC Reply

Baron Huinesoron most definitely regrets tying the worship of Spelin to the Diskord, and he doesn't believe for a second that Ye Scape-Grace is in any way devout. But that's because he's a grump. ^_^

I'm not sure what's going on with the thing at her neck, though. It's not a hood - she has one of those separately - so what is it? And where is it pinned?

(And is the 'apparel around her right cuff' just a description of the panels on that sleeve, or is it a bracelet or something?)

hS

I'd like to point out by Tomash on 2017-07-21 18:24:00 UTC Reply

that the precise form of the worship of Spelin varies across Plort. For example, many priests in Borrd do not perform the Rite of Edyt in view of the congregation, unlike in Ozerbord, where this is common practice.

- Tomash

(( That is, I'd like to worldbuild out of the corner we might've ended up in. ))
Medieval vestments explanation time! by Scapegrace on 2017-07-21 11:36:00 UTC Reply

Apparels are lengths of fabric that were pinned to various places on a priest's main robe (the alb). However, it transpires I misspoke when detailing the one at her throat; that should be the collar of her chasuble, which is the massive cape thing that I, er... neglected to describe. Whoops. Might as well give it a go now! =]

Lacking other information regarding the worship, priesthood, or iconography of Spelin Tam-Ara, I've had to borrow from medieval history and basically make stuff up. Thus, Ye Scape-Grace's chasuble (held in place by the big neckcloth described in the original post) looks for all the world like an enormous poncho, because that's... basically what they were descended from. It is trimmed with light blue cloth delicately embroidered with scenes from Mordly oral history, but the main body of it is pure white, with an amazingly elaborate pattern picked out in the rich, midnight hue of old ink. The thin trails loop and curl like a forest of vines across the chasuble, giving her the image of the Well-Written Word of Spelin Tam-Ara.

Three partial sketches in, I officially give up. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-21 14:53:00 UTC Reply

It's the chasuble, and the way it interacts with the arms, that's throwing me off. Plus I still don't know what you're aiming for with the collar.

hS

The doors of the council chamber flew open by Tomash on 2017-07-20 06:02:00 UTC Reply

and a tired-looking man in disheveled (but still rather regal) armor charged into the council chamber.

"Apologies for my late arrival, Your Graces. Creating more Scraped Stones to record our history on took much longer than anticipated, especially since the older ones had been attacked by a foul corruption. It took a long work of Programm'an to restore the histories to their proper state."

Since there didn't seem to be anything going on at the moment, he began to address the council:

"Ozerbord is, sadly, somewhat diminished of late. Many masters of Arpye have journeyed to the Geymez Plateu and emigrated to the Confederation of Diskord, which has established itself there. I can't blame them, really. It's a lot easier to get to than Ozerbord proper, even with the new roads I've been building."

"That being said, our fair land is still functioning, and the traditional festivals and observances, such as the weapon market at Mail-Boks, continue uninterrupted."

- Tomash, by the grace of Kanon and Spellin, Lord Protector of Ozerbord, Ambassador to He-Roku, Twinned Mage of the Order of Programm'an, and probably a few minor ones that got left off the list
A revised Union flag. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-19 13:53:00 UTC Reply

A fairly simple update: I've just updated the Burning Sun of Ozerbord to match the Ozerbord flag, and placed a reduced star-circle of the Discord in the middle.

The flag is now symbolic at least three ways:

The Five Nations of the Union: the Sword of Jay for Borrd, the Arrow of Acacia for the Riding, the Tome for Wechi, the Burning Sun for Ozerbord, and the Starry Arch for the Discord (and also for the Five Nations).

The Five Eras of Rule: The Tome for the rule of the Protectors, the Arrowhead for their three appointed Triumvirs, the Sword for the direct rule of the barons, the Sun for the first Union, and the five stars for the newly expanded Council of Plort.

The Five Ages of Plort: The Sword for the Golden Age, the Book for the Elder Age, the Arrow for the Age of Revolution, the Sun for the Age of Union, and the Stars for the Age of Change.

Subject to approval by anyone who wants to argue. ;)

hS
Provisional Proceedings of the 2017 Baronial Council by Hieronymus the hermit on 2017-07-18 13:13:00 UTC Reply

((Keeping track has been quite easy so far. I desperately need more input!))

This Baronial Council was held from the twelfth of July until the fourteenth of July in the City of Borrd.

Attendees: ((so far))
Baron Huinesoron
Baron Kaitlyn was present, but did not say a word.

Non-deciding attendees:
Knight Ælcalen, mayor of L'Urque
Frackles, messenger of Kwenaya
Sir Hieronymus the hermit, keeper of the records
((Ye Scape-Grace may have been there to present the new nation’s flag, but the keeper of the records did not actually see this happen))

Agenda:
A change of the rules of procedure – a proposal by Baron Huinesoron to let the archivists of the Commonwealth of Wechi, the Beytahs of the Riding of Sittorese, Protector Tomash of Ozerbord and the Mords of the discord participate in the Baronial Council as voting representatives of their respective nations.

A new nation – the Council is asked to acknowledge the establishment of a fifth nation, referred to as The People’s Republic of Discord, which took possession of lands in the far east around La Wunj and in the west on the Geymez Plateau.((I’m mean. If you don’t want to be a People’s Republic, somebody must stand up and say so.))

A new barony – per an invocation of the Edict of Bast, the newly created Baron Eshakhar receives the lands previously held by the permanently absent Baron Cassie, including the part that has last year been ceded to the now permanently absent Baron Thanasius Ampelius. ((I guess we don’t really want to have this proposed and decided by Baron Huinesoron, the historian just channeled his knowledge of how the Edict of Bast works.))

The relocation of Barony Huinesoron – a proposal by Baron Huinesoron to let him take the lands previously held by the permanently absent barons Araeph and July, but cede the territories south of the River Meibot back to Baron Neshomeh (west of the Auriantym Chain) respective Baron Juliette (east of the Auriantym Chain), making Neshomeh the only baron in Wechi again.

The disposition of Baron Huinesoron’s western territories – since Baron Huinesoron moves to eastern Borrd and the Riding of Sittorese, he intends to leave what is left of Ozerbord without a baron, but to cede his lands between the River Wep and the Wattuf Mountains, and the Geymez Plateau to Lady Iximaz, who, by another invocation of the Edict of Bast, would also receive the western part of former Barony Thanasius Ampelius. ((What can we do if we don’t want to throw these lands on Iximaz, whether she likes it or not? Can Baron Huinesoron be forced to keep them and hold a split barony, like Thanasius Ampelius did last year? Do we really want him holding all these lands?))

The status of the City of Borrd – a move by Baron Huinesoron to exclude the capital from his new barony and let the Council of Borrd jointly take baronial authority over this city, as has been proposed on many previous occasions.

The Warden of Spelin – a move by Baron Huinesoron to appoint Ye Scape-Grace of De'endee as the warden of the Temple of Spelin.

((New flags – I don’t think that the council has to decide about that. The new nations may have used the opportunity to present their flags to a greater public, but since no resident of the Riding of Sittorese showed up, and Scapegrace did not post in-character as Ye Scape-Grace, I don’t know if and how this happened.

The council may still decide to create a new version of the Union flag that includes all five nations, but I need in-universe input to make this have happened, and we may not want this to be another proposal made by Baron Huinesoron, although he may be tasked with creating the flag.))

Decisions:
Since the keeper of the records refused to write down rules that still need clarification, no decision concerning the expansion of the Council was recorded and no non-baron attempted to vote.

A new nation – acknowledged by a vote of one to zero.

A new barony – acknowledged by a vote of one to zero.

The relocation of Barony Huinesoron – decided as proposed by a vote of one to zero.

The disposition of Baron Huinesoron’s western territories – decided as proposed by a vote of one to zero.

The status of the City of Borrd – decided as proposed by a vote of one to zero.

The Warden of Spelin – decided as proposed by a vote of one to zero.

((I guess we don’t really want this to happen. If there is no opposition, I would at least like to see some barons voice their agreement, so that they can appear on the list of attendees.

Also, everybody who is not a baron can still request to be put on the list of non-deciding attendees, because you may have been there to watch the events, even if you didn’t say a word. Just reply here with your Plort name.

HG))

A blue light appeared in the room. by Sar Iximaz on 2017-07-19 21:05:00 UTC Reply

It shimmered for a moment before expanding into a blue likeness of Sar Iximaz, who looked around uneasily.

"I do not wish to stay long," the image said, folding its arms uncomfortably, "but I have been following the proceedings from afar with the aid of my brother's magic. I gladly give the lands suggested to be placed under my control to Baron PC, and raise no objections to adding more voices to the council."
Sir Hardric excuses himself for his silence... by Sir Hardric on 2017-07-18 18:37:00 UTC Reply

Arell has been taking a lot of his time lately. Well, this and the fact he doesn't disagree with anything here and doesn't have decision powers anyway.
The silence stretched on. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-18 15:21:00 UTC Reply

It had been less noticable in the first hour: broken by Ye Scape-Grace's presentation of the flag of the Discord, and Baron Huinesoron's intervention; broken by Hieronymus' proposed flag of the Riding, and his unanswered soliloquy on voting law; broken by messengers from Barons Iximaz and Eshakhar. But now the second hour had rolled around, and in place of lively debate, stillness blanketed the hall of Otik.

Huinesoron looked up from a whispered conversation with his wife. "Is there no business?" he asked into the quiet. "Is there no argument - nothing to say at all?"

He got to his feet and walked out into the centre of the chamber. The great seats around him were mired in gloom, the figures enthroned upon them barely visible beneath the backlit banners of their heraldic arms.

"Baron Phobos," Huinesoron said, facing the shield of the Dice and Daggers. "Have you no words? Long have you argued concerning the division of Barony Araeph - will you now let the matter pass unnoticed? And Baron PC," he turned to the Apple and Axe, "will you not speak for Ozerb- for the western discord? If Lady Iximaz spurns the rule, will you not step into her place?"

Silence, deep and thick. The baron let out a cry of distress and span, striding across the stone flags towards the banner of the Fox of VixenMage. "Someone in this grand council must have an opinion! If not, why have you come here at all?"

He passed into the shadows surrounding the tall chair. A moment later, a startled shout echoed through the chamber, and something mint-green fluttered out of the darkness to land in the centre of the pool of light.

Baron Huinesoron followed, bearing with him an upright stave resting on a wooden base. He crossed to the crumpled pool of cloth and retrieved it, hanging it on the wooden assemblage. The cloak billowed down; in the shadows, it would have looked just like a seated figure.

Huinesoron turned slowly on his heel. The banners above him were still; the torches flickered softly on the walls; no movement came from any of the chairs.

"In the name of Kanun and Spelin," he whispered, clearly audible in the silence, "is there anyone else here at all?"

((^_^ And yes, that's confirmation that both flag proposals happened in-universe. ~hS))

A point of light appeared... by Neshomeh on 2017-07-19 05:16:00 UTC Reply

A point of light appeared in the chair below the arms of Baron Neshomeh. It grew into a molten pinwheel and spun itself into the shape of a glowing red-gold fox. It sat primly in the chair and surveyed the room with eyes of emerald flame.

"I am the Djenni," it said, its voice seeming to echo itself in a faint whisper. "I speak for Baron Neshomeh. Her campaign against the Subjugator has grown long. The foe is crafty, and the fall of Air'ihpotre has granted it new strength. The Tungsten Monk has gone astray we know not where; Ilraen and the Supernumeraricon grow heavy in Neshomeh's hands; yet she presses on through the mires of Odd-Ault Fanvik. Thus it is that she remains absent from these proceedings, and sends me to bear her will to the Council."

The fox-shape cocked its head as though listening to something at a distance. The echo vanished from its voice. "That is, I will when I know what it is she wants me to say. Please hold."

(( I'm here! Sort of! {= D Meet Djenni, my avatar, who belongs to the PTerry School of Making Common Names Seem Foreign/Magical by Sticking On a Silent Consonant. This probably isn't the first time anyone has seen her IC, but, well, Phobos and I only came up with the name in the last week. *shrug* She also belongs to the Phobos School of I Have Always Been Here.

(( So, yes, more tomorrow. ~Neshomeh ))

Presently, the Djenni swished her tail. by Neshomeh on 2017-07-19 15:17:00 UTC Reply

"Ah, here we are. A little connection trouble there; nothing to worry about. Ahem. I shall speak to you now with the voice of Neshomeh." Her own voice faded to a whisper, and what had been a whisper rang out as the very tones of the Baron herself.

"Greetings, barons, knights, civilians. My time is short, so I shall come straight to the point:

"First, we must dispute the distribution of Barony July. July was ever our fast friend, and we grieve most sorely at her departure. In her absence we would take all of her lands into our fold to hold and to make fair in her absence. Her folk in the Riding are well known to us, and we feel we are best suited to lead them.

"However, let it not be said that we are avaricious or coldly seeking our own aggrandizement. Our heart goes out to our friend Baron Huinesoron in these troubled times. We wish him solace in his new home, and as he has not claimed the city of Borrd, we shall cede him that portion of Barony July west of the Larninkurvs to round out his new holding.

"Let Barony Eshakhar be be formed of the lands once held by Cassie and Thanasius; this we support wholeheartedly.

"If Lady Iximaz will not accept any portion of Huinesoron's former lands, then let the southern parts pass to the Poor Cynick along with Thanasius' former territory along the Wattufs, and let the northern parts pass to Baron Phobos, whom I know will make good use of them.

"We are in accord with the Cynick in the matter of the Mords and Protector Tomash: let them sit among us. Invite my archivists, too, if you will, but only if you desire endless interruptions to check the facts, to debate the proceedings, to clarify this detail or that. Truly, none could dispute the outcome of a council in which the archivists took part! As for the Beytahs, I am one myself, and I shall speak for them faithfully as warden of those lands in the Riding I claim from July."

The Djenni shook her head, and when she spoke next her own voice was foremost again. "I think that's everything."

(( Well, why shouldn't Baron Neshomeh have lands in the Riding? She is a Beytah, after all, and she does have a lengthy and fraught campaign to support. The Mines of Spyration in particular would be an excellent asset!

(( She's against including the archivists as voting members of the Council, but it would be a bit gauche of her to come out and say so. Someone else will have to take the hint and swing that vote if necessary.

~Neshomeh ))

"I am over here, Baron Huinesoron." by Baron PC on 2017-07-19 04:10:00 UTC Reply

A black-clad figure emerged not from one of the designated chairs, but from near one of the side walls. His face was obscured by a hood, but the features that could be made out were very clearly those of Baron PC, the Poor Cynick.

"The silence is unnerving, is it not?" he asked. "A similar quiet has fallen over Worhkshap in recent months. Bustling activity replaced with empty rooms and unread tomes. So few now seem interested in learning the art of Beytah. Or perhaps it's just my presence that they cannot stand? Regardless, it is a great shame in either event."

He paced past Huinesoron, as if not noticing the man, and faced the map. "Four barons, vanished. And so few of the remaining actually here!" A sick smile came to his face, which looked unsettlingly off in the pale light of the room. "This does not seem to be a position that engenders longevity."

After a moment, he pulled a stylus of his own out of the sleeve of his robe. It flared to life with a green light, similar to the color of the gemstone representing Worhkshap. "If Baron Iximaz is unwilling to accept the western discordant lands, then I can take them under my wing," he said, redrawing the borders to reflect his suggestion. "It is not as if I am unknown to the Mords, after all, nor they to me. There is some measure of respect there."

The stylus vanished back into his sleeve. Baron PC stalked over to his grand chair and took a seat. "I have no objection to the other territorial proposals. Nor do I protest the addition of the Mords and Baron Tomash to this council. The archivists and Beytahs, however, are better suited where they are. Wechi already has a representative, as does the Riding."

He looked around at the other chairs.

"I think they do, anyway."

((Baron PC might have gone a little kooky away in his castle by himself. Possibly. But he would insist he was completely sane if asked!))

((Possibly.))

"Though I am no baron... by Filius Caeli on 2017-07-22 02:14:00 UTC Reply

"As a citizen of this great nation, I suggest that Baron PC's suggestion regarding the Mords and Tomash be accepted. I dare not presume to speak for the esteemed barons of the Council of Borrd, but I know that even my wanderings barely take me into the discord--the lands previously held by Iric, and Chaett before that. Unless I am mistaken, even Barons VixenMage and Da — *ahem* my apologies, 'Juliette' — whose baronies currently extend into the discord, are rarely found therein. Should this Council presume to rule over all of Plort, it must speak with the voices of all of Plort: let the Mords and Baron Tomash vote.

"In fact (and please correct me if I speak amiss), I propose that the discord not be considered the territory of any baron, but left to the Mords.

"As for the other of milord Baron PC's suggestions, I agree once more. The archivists need not vote: Baron Neshomeh already represents Wechi and its interests. As for the Riding of Sittorese, did not the Edict of Bast replace two baronies in Sittorese with absent barons—Baronies Thanasius and Cassie—with the new Barony Eshakhar, and entrust the remaining barony, July, with milord Huinesoron? Sittorese has representation in the Council; leave the Beytahs be."

"And I find by Filius Caeli on 2017-07-22 02:33:00 UTC Reply

"that in my haste to speak, I have spoken over other barons who have already spoken on matters that I wanted to weigh upon. My apologies.

"However, I am sure that my words are part of the records of this gathering; those who compile the records are proficient at making sure that the Council knows every word spoken here. Therefore, I humbly beseech that my lords ignore what has been spoken in ignorance, and consider those issues that have not yet been discussed, among them my opinion regarding the eastern lands held by the discord--whatever its official name may be."

((TL; DR: I did not read the entire thread before I made my post, so alas! some of what I said is no longer relevant. Ignore those parts and consider what remains.

--SOH176 (who really should take the time to read everything before speaking)))

If it please m'lord... by Oopart of Barony Phobos on 2017-07-18 15:49:00 UTC Reply

A scrawny teenager in the heraldry of Baron Phobos steps forward into the light. "Apologies, m'lord," he says, looking like he would very much like to be anywhere but here. "The Baron Phobos will not be attending this council. He has sent word...um...through myself, I suppose...that he has more important matters to attend to."

"I'm sure he would have sent his apologies, if he had not been so busy...? I've been given no other instructions as to what matters he wishes brought up or how he might vote on any of the matters at hand."

((My absence is due to timing. You started this thread the day I went in for my second eye surgery. I have been working on a Baron Phobos story for a little while now, and I am going to try and get it finished in the next week, because it lines up well with this Council.

-Phobos))

((I hope that recovery goes well)) (nm) by son_of_heaven176 on 2017-07-22 01:53:00 UTC Reply
((Hope recovery goes well for you!)) (nm) by Iximaz on 2017-07-18 17:19:00 UTC Reply
((It's okay, I understand.)) by Huinesoron on 2017-07-18 15:56:00 UTC Reply

Baron Me is just feeling whingy; I know that people actually have other things they do in their lives. Hope everything's going okay!

hS

((Everything is going well)) by Phobos on 2017-07-18 17:50:00 UTC Reply

I've actually had an easier time with the recovery for this eye than I had for the other one. We'll see what the doctor says at my check-in tomorrow, but I am feeling pretty good about where I'm at right now.

-Phobos

Since this will affect the making of decisions Â– by Hieronymus the hermit on 2017-07-14 10:45:00 UTC Reply

and the keeping of records – may I suggest that "The Expansion of the Baronial Council" be moved to the top of the agenda?

Yes, thank you.

In no way do I want to oppose a baron who is much wiser than I am – one time’s been enough – but I am afraid that this proposal has not been thought through. How many practitioners of the ancient art of Beytah are here? Are they required to have taken residence in the Riding of Sittorese to get a vote? Will archivist’s apprentices be allowed to participate in the making of decisions?

I ask the barons to make up their minds and set down the rules, so that the Council can proceed in good order and the records will not be convoluted.

Sir Hieronymus the hermit, archivist’s apprentice of Wechi, beytah of sittorese and keeper of the records.

((I guess that the barons don’t want to be outvoted too easily, and that there is only one vote per nation and the nation’s representatives have to come to a consensus about it. But this hasn’t been clarified yet. If the barons aren’t careful, Hieronymus will try to singlehandedly cast two votes on every subject, pretending to be an archivist and a Beytah.))
((I'm fine with the proposed Barony Eshakhar.)) by Zingenmir on 2017-07-13 16:00:00 UTC Reply

((Especially since the Castle of Dawn seems to already be within its boundaries.

I'd like to get updated heraldry, but I'm probably not going to post much in this thread otherwise, especially in character. I'm still adjusting to having moved away IRL and don't really feel up to composing things as ~~Knight~~ Baron Eshakhar...though maybe that'll change as I get more energy back. Who knows? It's been a very busy week.

~Z))

((I'm sorry, but remind me again, please?)) by son_of_heaven176 on 2017-07-22 01:47:00 UTC Reply

((You used to be DawnFire, yes? The triple citizen? If you don't mind me asking, did you mention on the Board before that you had moved? I have not been following the events on the Board very closely for the past few months.))

((I am indeed the artist formerly known as DawnFire.)) by Zingenmir on 2017-07-22 22:44:00 UTC Reply

((And I'm still a triple citizen :)

As for mentioning on the Board that I've moved, yes, I've mentioned it here and there, but not as its own post. I didn't see the point of making one, especially as it's not a permanent move. The most recent mention apart from this one is now on the second page, I believe.

~Z))

I'd be delighted to update your heraldry. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-20 12:53:00 UTC Reply

Did you have any ideas?

hS

I'm afraid the furthest I got was "??? Musical notes? ?????" by Zingenmir on 2017-07-20 13:23:00 UTC Reply

Basically, I have no idea, and I'm struggling to look back at the heraldry after two years and figure out what's going on and how it could be changed. I also happen to think the current heraldry is very nice as it is, which doesn't help.

...ooh, I've just taken another look and I may have an idea. For the Elvish arms, what about adding to the number of quills and shrinking the canta miri birds? Or maybe have a second, smaller set of quills added in...? Hm.

Okay. I think it might work to either add a second, shorter set of four quills while shrinking the birds and doubling their number. On the other hand, if that turns out as cluttered as I sort of feel it might, maybe it'd work better to leave the birds more or less as-is but add a set of four delicate vines or branches that also come out of the fiery center but twine briefly around the quills?

Let me know if any of that sounds both feasible and like it might actually look okay. Also, if you have any ideas, I'm open to hearing them.

(As for the English arms, I kind of want to redesign them just because, but at the same time they do stand for something and I like the symbolism. Maybe just adding a musical note--a fourth or eighth, or else a pair or two of eighths--to the blue and green fields would work well...hmm.)

As of yesterday, I'm also (unrelated to heraldry) working on a small Plort story. I'll hopefully finish it and get it up before the thread is done, though I am about to move, so who knows...

~Zing

The messenger enters the great hall of Otik. by Freckles, Messenger of Kwenaya on 2017-07-13 11:20:00 UTC Reply

She looks startled to find the Council gathered there. Looking around, she hurries over to Baron Huinesoron, now seated beside his wife. "My lord," she says, bobbing a curtsey.

The baron rubs his eyes wearily. "Freckles," he says. "What brings you here in such haste?"

"Um. Messages, my lord." She pulls out a pair of scrolls. "Terri - your, um, warden - wants to let you know that there's a..." She takes a deep breath. "A bucket shortage in the castle. And in Ba-Korp."

Huinesoron looks at her levelly. "A bucket shortage."

"Um. Yes." Freckles glances nervously to the side. "We're having to use the ihm jars to make up for it; they're not... I mean, it's not exactly... pleasant."

"I see." The baron glances at his wife, and visibly restrains himself from commenting further. "And the other message?"

"Oh! Um. It's from Lady Iximaz." Freckles holds out the scroll, then reconsiders and drops her hand to her side again. "Or, well, from, um... sources." Her voice drops into a whisper on the last word.

"I see." Huinesoron leans forward and plucks the scroll from her hand. "And what does it say?"

The messenger glances around nervously. "Um, that she might not be attending the council, and..." She takes another deep breath. "And that she might not accept the expansion of her barony."

Huinesoron slumps back in his chair. "Great," he mutters, "that's just great." He taps the scroll against his leg, then sighs and nods at Freckles. "Thank you. We'll just have to hope that she reconsiders."

((I wanted to slip the (Photo)bucket shortage in earlier, but this worked better. The Iximaz info is from an email, but I don't want to close the door on her changing her mind, so, 'sources'.))

((hS))
Gah, keeping track of that agenda will be hard. by Hieronymus Graubart on 2017-07-13 09:24:00 UTC Reply

Sir Hieronymus the hermit, part-time knight, archivist’s apprentice and keeper of the records, ticked off Baron Huinesoron and Knight Ælcalen on the list of attendees, while wondering whether Ye Scape-Grace had officially presented the new flag to the Council.

((Trying to establish who is there. Seriously, where are you all?

HG))

Agenda items so far. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-13 11:21:00 UTC Reply

-The establishment of the Discord as a nation, with lands in both the east and west.

-The moving of Barony Huinesoron.

-The creation of Barony Eshakhar.

-The disposition of the baronial lands in former Huinesoron.

-The expansion of the Baronial Council.

-The new flag of the Discord.

-Ye Scape-Grace's appointment as Warden of the Temple of Spelin (what, you thought I was joking?).

-Baron Huinesoron's bucket shortage (okay, that probably doesn't need to be discussed).

... yeah, you're right, that's going to be a nightmare.

hS

Knight Ã†lcalen to the dark tower came by Elcalion on 2017-07-12 14:02:00 UTC Reply

The sound of hoofbeats filters in from the courtyard, and steps were heard on the flagstones of Otik.

A figure long absent from the councils of Plort appeared through the door: Knight Ælcalen, drawn by fell tidings from the contentment of his mead-hall L'Urque.

"Long it has been since I have been here," said he. "And dark are the days that draw me back. Yet I have come. Plort calls, and I shall not hold back. No Baron am I, yet years plenty on this fair isle have I dwelled, and what counsel and service I may render is at the command of this august assemblage."

"Neither citizen of Wechi nor Borrd am I, but in between, yet both are dear to my heart. I would count myself craven should I not stand forth to play whatever part I must".
Can't think of a name, but have a flag! by Scapegrace on 2017-07-12 12:08:00 UTC Reply

The blue fesses represent the Discord logo itself, while the white and blue stripes on dark grey represent the text (white) and links (blue) on the chat background (grey, by process of elimination). The icon in the top represents the, er, icons in the chat, as well as the various Mords we've had there (roughly seven, by my count).

I hope this is to everyone's satisfaction. =]

A redrawn and slightly edited version. by Huinesoron on 2017-07-17 10:14:00 UTC Reply

Redrawn to scale with the other Plort flags. In place of the crown (the Discord isn't monarchaic, and we've already got the stars for the Mords), we have a symbolic representation of the Great Gate of La Wunj, as well as harking back to the '#' symbol on the flag of Iric. The curving lines indicate openness, and the way they extend beyond the bounds of the square speak of 'thinking outside the box'. (And in keeping with the expansionist theme of the eastern realm: "The rest of Plort is in its little cozy box. We are everything outside.")

Thoughts/feelings/reactions? If we can get agreement on this and the flag of the Riding, I may even come up with a new version of the Union flag that includes all five nations...

hS

No objections here. (nm) by son_of_heaven176 on 2017-07-22 01:42:00 UTC Reply
I like it. (nm) by Hieronymus Graubart on 2017-07-17 18:56:00 UTC Reply

Clarification? by Huinesoron on 2017-07-12 12:31:00 UTC Reply

I assume the two different blues are deliberate. Are the slightly wider top and bottom grey bars also intentional?

And, uh... what is the crowny thing in the icon?

Internally, I like the fact that this draws on the flags of both Iric and Ozerbord, the two states the Discord has taken ground from. I also think that the outer blue can symbolise the sea, with the grey being the mountains and cliffs. It's almost a cross-section of Plort, with the Discord's areas (and Borrd itself, as the capital of the Union) in white... like this:

(Did you make this, or is it cribbed from somewhere?)

hS

Clarifications. by Scapegrace on 2017-07-12 12:44:00 UTC Reply

The two different blues are indeed deliberate; so are the two wider grey bars. Discord has this too - the slightly wider top section for the name of the channel you're chatting in at the top, and the text input box at the bottom. Hope that clears that up.

The crown-and-stars is to represent the mods (Mords in Plort), as there have been roughly seven major moderators in the Discord since its inauguration. Presently, there are four mods, but blurring out four would have been much more of a faff than I was willing to put up with. =]

And yes, I made it! Flag Maker Junior is my tool of choice, and you may find it here.

So the crown is your own design? by Huinesoron on 2017-07-12 13:11:00 UTC Reply

It looks like it's based on something, is all. (I mean, it keeps giving me flashbacks to the Starbucks logo, but it's not that, obvs. ;))

You could probably invert or recolour three of the stars (or I could, if I redraw the flag - you know how I am about compulsively redrawing everything). How confident are you in those numbers, though? I seem to recall three retirements a few months ago, plus Matt giving up ownership - so that's at least four who've 'gone', and four remaining... (Not that I object to the number of stars changing! Very American. ;))

hS

The crown itself isn't. by Scapegrace on 2017-07-12 15:50:00 UTC Reply

According to Flag Maker Junior, I swiped it from the flag of Tajikistan, which was very much news to me. =]

As for the stars, well, they come with the image of the crown and seven major moderators seemed roughly (very roughly) right. Plus, I think we can all appreciate the symbolism of seven white stars. =]

How many channels do you have? by Huinesoron on 2017-07-12 17:56:00 UTC Reply

Or... whatever they're called. Bits^TM of the PPC Discord.

Also: contest to design a symbolic crown or other emblem is now on... ;)

hS

... We actually have seven. by Scapegrace on 2017-07-12 19:35:00 UTC Reply

Why am I only ever smart by accident? =]

The Voice of Spelin Tam-Ara has whispered to you. by Baron Huinesoron on 2017-07-12 20:02:00 UTC Reply

Yea, in Her Power she has chosen you, Scape-Grace of De'endee, to be Her mouthpiece to the peoples of Borrd, and of the discordant lands beyond.

Though it pains me somewhat to do so, the will of Spelin is clear: I move that Ye Scape-Grace be immediately created warden of the Temple of Spelin, with all the rights and privileges that accompany the position.

... though I think those are 'none' and 'none', respectively. But still.

((Well, out of Spelling and Canon, the former seems more likely to have jurisdiction over symbolism. And you can, of course, spell.))

Huinesoron, Baron of Plort.