The PPC Posting Board - Latest posts

What the heck is a bie?

For the book question, it's without a doubt "Needful Things". What can I say, I'm a sucker for a good 'Deal with the Devil' story.

I've never read Stephen King, so I can't help you there, sorry.

My general advice would be to try and keep the dialog for your characters as realistic/natural as possible without making it too weird or obvious. Other than that, research always helps. Research of the canon, obviously, is a must, but also, it helps to research the conventions of the fandom you're writing for. This can help you come up with material that hasn't been used before (or is rarely seen), and it can help you toy with the usual fanfic tropes, which is fun.

Cool that you're coming back stronger and whatnot! I'm Twistey, a lightly-used-bie with really weird interests (need I say more?) and it's great to meet you. Do you have any ideas or tips for fanfic, considering I myself might want to try for Permission soon?

As for the Stephen King question, I've only read The Eyes of the Dragon and his memoir/writing advice book, since I'm too chicken to read any of his other stuff. Obviously, those two would be my favorites as a result. ;P

As a returnbie gift for you, here, have several large chunks of blueish metal. No, that's not paint, they came that way. Whether or not they can get oxidized and if so, what color that is have yet to be found out. Do whatever you wish with them! Nice to meet you!

-Twistey

Have a plate of welcome-back SPaGhetti!

I've only read Cujo and Carrie, so I don't think I'm of much use to you there, sorry to say. The TV Tropes page of Pet Semetary was enough to give me nightmares, though, so maybe try that one if you haven't already?

I haven't read any King.

Anyways, welcome! Take this Bolter and a bottle of Fenrisian Ale.

Hello, everyone! My name's Wasted Moth, and I am returning to the Board after I-don't-know-how-long. Finally!

Yes, that's returning, because I used to go under the pen name of Dark Brother 16. Here's an explanation (which I probably don't need to provide, but which I will give anyway, because I feel like it).

Back when I was Dark Brother 16, I hung around the Board a while, and every now and then, I tried to get Permission, but could never really manage it. I then took a break to focus on going to college. I am currently in my Senior Year, but I will now occasionally be able to post here.

As for my previous attempts at getting Permission, I've learned a few things from them, most notably what NOT to do. For the time being, I'll continue learning what NOT to do by reading random badfics, as well as expanding my literary horizons. And in the meantime, I'll only seek permission when I have good ideas.

As an aside, a little "survey" is in order. For those who have read them, what are your favorite books written by Stephen King? I've been looking to expand my reading into horror.

Even the second or third offense. But Bram has done ban worthy things at least four times.

1) zdimensia is warned several times and then temporarily banned for harassment and inexplicable racism (during a permission thread?).

2) zdimensia breaks the ban just to harass us some more and tell us how terrible we are. Is permanently banned.

3) Bramandin, who is zdimensia shows up, thus breaking the ban in secret.

4) Bramandin breaks cover to harass us and tell us how terrible we are, is temporarily banned. (I honestly will never understand this one being temporary.)

5) Despite their thoughts and feelings being relayed to the board by several people, TooPurple (who is both Bramandin and zdimensia) breaks the temporary ban again, this time to tell us that they will be setting their own ban terms and when they return they demand that we give them permission with no conditions. They are permanently banned.


Turns out it was 5 times. I don't see any point in letting them address the community again, since the pattern says it will just be to tell us we are terrible people.

I'm sorry that you don't feel good about the process, but we've been hearing zdimensia's side of things for a very long time and I am sick of the abuse.

-Phobos

The only reason I changed my vote was because of a) her ban-evading post to the Board and its contents, and b) her email to me.

Since there is disagreement, the Nameless Admin will not be acting unless there is a clear consensus to do so.

hS

I understand your concern, but unless you think there's a significant difference between Bram hitting "Post" herself and having Tomash and others do it for her (e.g., if you find the relayers untrustworthy), I don't think it's necessary to reopen this now that it's closed. I believe we have heard what Bram had to say for herself. That input is how we arrived at our decision. I reckon it would have gone better for her if she hadn't said anything at all.

~Neshomeh

For me to feel this is complete, I would prefer just one last chance for Bram/etc. to explain. For me it is not that I disagree with the result, its really just the process. But if you all think they had a sufficient chance to explain/defend then I will not belabor the point.

Ur cvaf lbh gb gur jnyy, boivbhfyl fgnaqvat, naq gura ur fhqqrayl fvgf hc, naq gura lbh’er nccneragyl ylvat ba gur orq? Gur cybgubyrf gbgnyyl chg zr bhg bs gur npgvba. Vg ybbxf yvxr lbh tbg lbhe vafcvengvba sbe qvssrerag cnentencuf sebz qvfwbvag fprarf, cbffvoyl va qvssrerag obbxf. V pna’g thrff jung gurl jrer, cebonoyl fbzrguvat V qvqa’g ernq. Gjvyvtug? Svsgl Funqrf?

For my part, I was conveying TooPurple's words to the thread to allow her to defend herself (well, in this case, she ended up doing rather the opposite of that, but still), but then stopped when the ban evasion, and the contents of that ban evasion, made it rather clear to me (and, given the votes, to just about everyone else) that there was almost no chance at any sort of reform given what had just happened. I will concede that, from a legal point of view, this is a rather terrible argument for (somewhat, since a few other people sort of relayed, but not every potential post) cutting off the defendant.

So, just in case there's good explanations for all this or reasons we should reconsider (because, if there are, I'd like to hear them), lets have one last post. If we do that, we ought to give TooPurple (etc.) time to choose her words carefully. But we'd be agreeing to one post, and not necessarily any more.

- Tomash

I mean that. If people aren't willing to disagree (politely) then we really will run into a mob mentality.

A few responses that spring to mind, in no particular order:

-It's very unlikely that this will become a precedent. Most of the people who voted will probably have gone by the time we next have to ban someone, and this whole situation is very unusual anyway - it needed her to not only violate her temp ban, but to do so in a way that made it clear she was behaving even worse than before.

-We did hear a lot from zdimensia during this discussion, including relayed messages from three different people, and one post by herself (which I will repeat was the key in my vote for a permanent ban). She's hardly been tried in absentia.

-We know what she'd say, because the things she's been saying are exactly the same as the things she said on previous occasions where she was up for permaban. She feels she made entirely understandable mistakes and that we're victimising her. That has been a constant theme since, what, 2014? Nothing anyone has said - and the explanations have run the gamut from Neshomesh wordiness to Scapegrace curtness - has ever shaken the idea that she is in the right and doesn't need to change anything.

-If you feel that is is necessary, and if there is no objection, I will remove the blocks to allow zdimensia to make one post, an appeal against her sentence if you will. I would honestly rather not - I'm fed up with thinking about it - but I will if it's important.

hS

I understand the vote has been decided. But I have a slight problem with this overall. This started with the question of, "Has the time been served?" Which is a fair question. My problem is that the community then decided to go further to deciding "Who wants a Permanent Ban?" Which may well be a valid question.

My issue falls to the fact that this decision was made without giving Bramandin/zdimensia/Too Purple a chance to publicly defend themselves to the community. I know you all don't much care for the term, but you effectively tried them in absentia. This is a problem and sets a very bad precedent, in my opinion.

For record keeping sake, my stance on the original question of continued ban, but chance to return was an Abstention. I do want to go on record as opposing any permanent ban for anyone taken without their direct input. The only real input we had from Bramandin/etc. was third party communications.

I am not opposed to the permanent ban per-se, just in this instance and how it was brought about. This feels to me too much like the Discord Doxxing Fiasco, mob mentality convicting an individual without giving them a chance to really defend themselves. I just think its bad precedent. I also understand the vote's been taken and will not be changed, but now that I actually had time, I felt the need to at least let my opinions known.

AN: You know how there's an OFU for practically every fandom out there? Well, JayBird had an inkling of a cool idea; what if there was one for the PPC? But the result was predictably illegible and Ronion kinda-sorta indirectly challenged the rest of us to rewrite it better, so, here I go! All OCs mentioned belong to their original authors.

Chapter One

On a beautiful summer morning in the Shire, an elf called Tallulah Greensleeves walked along the riverbank. Except, she wasn't truly an elf at all.

She was a fangirl. And not just any fangirl, a PPC fangirl. How she'd ended up as an elf in the Shire was anyone's guess. She said she was Legolas' sister and had learned alongside Aragorn, but she sometimes claimed that Frodo and Sam (Rosie never showed up, conveniently) had raised her. Once she'd almost convinced Merry and Pippin she was a mermaid.

Whatever the case, she was here now, and she was determined to find a way for the PPC to recognize her and sort out her situation. She kept a watchful eye out for Sues, even though most Suethors rarely if ever wrote about the Shire. If she could help identify and assassinate one, they would surely rescue her and train her in the ways of being an agent. Maybe she'd even get a chance to find true love!

As soon as she thought that, a swirling blue portal opened underneath her and dumped her flat on her butt in a dreary gray hallway. A daisy and a few dandelions turned to look at her.

Welcome to Headquarters, Miss Greensleeves, said the daisy. Please do not scream, you'll see much stranger things than psychic flowers.

"I know," said Tallulah. "I've read a whooooole lot about this business. Why am I here, anyway?"

You've been chosen to attend Tofu Hop. Did you not receive an application letter? The Daisy tilted its head slightly.

"Uh...no...? What's Tofu Hop, anyway? Sounds like a dance or a fllash game."

It's neither, said one of the dandelions. Follow us and you'll find out.

So the Daisy and the dandelions led her to (according to the very large sign next to the doors) the Not As Big As The Big Auditorium But Bigger Than The Small Auditorium Auditorium, which was full of fangirls.

Tallulah only noticed the Sunflower Official on stage, though, and ran up to hug him.

Oh no you don't! yelled a Security Dandelion, and grabbed Tallulah by the arm. First rule of an Official Fanfiction University: No glomping the canon characters.

"But the Flowers aren't from any canon so it's OK to hug them!" Tallulah countered, struggling.

"The PPC counts as a canon," said an elf with black and gold hair. "Also, hi, I'm Jessaminthe Windflower Evenstar, second daughter of Elrond and Princess of Rivendell."

"Cool name. I'm Tallulah Greensleeves, Legolas' sister. I studied alongside Strider--you know, Aragorn? Also I might be part-mermaid." The Security Dandelion released her, and she went to a seat with her name written in Elvish on the back.

"How the ... can you be Legolas' sister and a mermaid?" demanded a pink-eyed girl with black hair. "There are no fish-women in Arda, and if there were Thranduil wouldn't have ...ed one."

"Nobody asked you, Morana," said Jessaminthe.

"Oh, like your backstory's any more plausible, you stupid shallow bi--"

There was a pointed psychic cough from the stage, and everyone turned to the Sunflower Official. Now that I have your attention, fans, let me officially welcome you to PPC Headquarters.

"Yaaaaaay!" Tallulah cheered.

I appreciate your enthusiasm. Now then, I'm sure you know that there has been a lot of bad fanfiction about the PPC.

There was a general uneasy murmur, and many of the fangirls exchanged nervous or guilty glances with each other. Morana, however, simply looked smug.

So, just as Miss Cam started the Official Fanfiction University of Middle-Earth to deal with an influx of bad Tolkien fanfiction, we have created the Official Fanfiction University of the Headquarters of the PPC. Yes, it's long, but we needed something that would fit the acronym of 'Tofu Hop'.

"So that's what it means," said Tallulah.

The Sunflower Official waved his leaves, and a host of other Flowers and famous Agents came on stage. The Bonsai Mallorn, the Lichen, the Marquis and the regular Daisy...and on the Agent side, Luxury, Dafydd Illian, Trojanhorse and Paddlebrains, Suicide, Miiro, Supernumerary, even Jay and Acacia (no one quite knew how; probably a plothole). Tallulah, to her credit, did not squee, though she did have a very enthusiastic grin.

"They're all so pretty..." said Jessaminthe with a dreamy expression.

(2nd AN: I'm not apologizing.)
((Over to you, Zingenmir ^^))

You can still lurk! Introduce yourself, and maybe join the discord if you haven't! You can just read, no pressure to interact.

I'm convinced that How Far We've Come by Matchbox Twenty is a description of Nightfall by Isaac Asimov. (I've only read the short story and not the extended novel, admittedly.)

Sample lyrics:

I believe the world is burning to the ground
Oh well I guess we're gonna find out
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Well I believe it all is coming to an end
Oh well, I guess, we're gonna pretend,
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come

The song, interpreted a little darkly to match Nightfall, is like, well, it's the end of the world, and let's see how far we've come. And in Nightfall, they've made it exactly as far as society did several times when it collapsed the previous times.

Also, World by Five for Fighting for Dragonsdawn by Anne McCaffrey.

Sample lyrics:

Got a package full of Wishes
A Time machine, a Magic Wand
A Globe made out of Gold

No Instructions or Commandments
Laws of Gravity or
Indecisions to uphold

What kind of world do you want?
Think Anything
Let's start at the start
Build a masterpiece
Be careful what you wish for
History starts now...

The song is asking that if you could start anew on an empty world, what would you do with it? I think it describes the settlement of Pern pretty well, at least until Thread starts falling.

Back to my lurking; I don't plan on becoming a regular poster at this time; I've just been dying to share this somewhere for awhile now.
A. Lurker

((OOC: I'm going to rot13 this because it ain't safe for work at all.))

Ok so I wanted to write a wedding but I don't know how to do that so let's just skip ahead to the honeymoon.

Numie and I burst into the room which was gold and furbished with crystals everywhere. It had a huge fluffy bed and strawberries in a bowl on the table.

Orsber V xabj vg, ur’f tbg obgu bs zl unaqf va uvf ivfryvxr tevc nobir zl urnq, naq ur’f cvaavat zr gb gur jnyy hfvat uvf yvcf … Uvf bgure unaq tenof zl unve naq lnaxf qbja, oevatvat zl snpr hc, naq uvf yvcf ner ba zvar … Zl gbathr gragngviryl fgebxrf uvf naq wbvaf uvf va n fybj, rebgvp qnapr … Uvf rerpgvba vf ntnvafg zl oryyl.

Fhqqrayl, ur fvgf hc naq ghtf zl cnagvrf bss naq guebjf gurz ba gur sybbe. Chyyvat bss uvf obkre oevrsf, uvf rerpgvba fcevatf serr. Ubyl pbj! … Ur xarryf hc naq chyyf n pbaqbz bagb uvf pbafvqrenoyr yratgu. Bu ab … Jvyy vg? Ubj?

"Fubj zr ubj lbh cyrnfher lbhefrys … Xrrc fgvyy … Jr’er tbvat gb unir gb jbex ba xrrcvat lbh fgvyy, onol … Yrg’f frr vs jr pna znxr lbh pbzr yvxr guvf … Lbh’er fb qryvpvbhfyl jrg. Tbq, V jnag lbh … V’z tbvat gb shpx lbh abj, Zvff Wrff … Uneq ... Pbzr sbe zr, Wrffnzvagur.", Nume said.

So I lay back against the pillows and we did so.

AN: Omg so was that hott or what :P See if you can guess what book it was inspired by! Leave nice reviews!!

Further, the pages Kelly Stone and September Johnson are now exclusively in the Out of Continuity category, with a note as to why. I've edited the user page for Toopurple to reflect the ban. I've also removed links to the spin-off and agents on various pages, and deleted the page for Dollhouse, since Bramandin's mission there was the only one.

I think that's everything.

~Neshomeh