Melkire

Experience born of character history, I feel, should be the deciding factor in how much your characters knows and is capable of. That's been a recurring theme throughout many of the responses in this thread: "Would X character have had time to dedicate to this, and did they? Do they still practice?" I play Osric as a thief-turned-assassin-turned-fighter. He's spent over a decade working with small arms (and by small, I mean cloak-and-dagger small), and approximately half that time training as a pugilist. He is a very recent and very fresh monk. Every now and then I throw a scene out into the public space so that his practicing is visible: maybe he's pummeling a dummy, or sitting around with a whetstone sharpening his blades, etc. He also has a few scant months' worth of experience with an axe, and it shows in how badly he handles one. It's flashy, sure, but it's atrocious in how not-practical and inefficient he is with such a weapon. With everything else, this character falls flat on his face. Can't handle a sword beyond pick-up-and-swing. Absolute garbage with a bow: he's liable to shoot himself in the foot. The intricacies of a lance are so far beyond him that the basics are a good mile out of view. And don't get me started on magic: he doesn't understand it, he doesn't want to, it's some "unknowable" thing to him and beyond the vague similarities in aetheric manipulation between monks and thaumaturges he'll never so much as know what it feels like to handle magic. That's just the War and Magic disciplines. ICly, he's not well-versed in any Hand or Land applications (I will eventually get fishing and culinarian leveled to reflect what meager background he has there). He's a complete mess who wouldn't be able to support himself, let alone others, were it not for the demand for able-bodied fighters that landed him with the Flames. Even if I wanted to get more disciplines worked into his skillset ICly - which I don't - I wouldn't be able to justify them. Practice, practice, practice: you have to practice to stay on-form. There's simply not enough time in a day for a character to maintain that level of skill for that many disciplines.

A person who knew a person... Osric frowned. He knew how grapevines worked well enough from personal experience; you passed word that you were interested to an associate, and they passed that on for you, on their own time and at their own convenience, and so on and so forth until the message reached the right ear. That could take a sevenday, mayhap even a moon or more... but then, he could afford to wait for something of this quality. He couldn't help but bark a laugh, though, as Tarot pitched yet another sale. The man was relentless, and for good reason: the sergeant had deep pockets, courtesy of his... organization... and he was free to draw on those funds, to a point, so long as the coin was spent in pursuit of their goals. "Special, eh? Complimentary? Aight, I'll take the usual, then." The usual was an order for an assortment of well-forged blades of various shapes and sizes: throwing knife, stiletto, dirk, rondel, push-dagger, main-gauche, khukuri, and pesh-kabz. Not a one enchanted or enchanced, though: he could not afford to invest in such expensive steel when his purposes required the dispensable and disposable. "That's eight. For the ninth, I'd like somethin' somewhat more... exotic." He leaned forward against the counter again, and started describing the product. A perfume, a fragrance more suited to Lominsan fashion, regal and oppressive. He did his best to describe the smell that had haunted him for more than a decade: orchid petals in a high wind, fresh citrus, a touch of honey, and the ever-present rum that graced the pubs and taverns of that tiered city. "If you've anythin' like that in stock, I'll gladly go in for a bottle. And as for the tenth... the backroom open for viewin' today, or no?"

They're a lot craftier than we give them credit for. Fortuitous things, they are. Yeah, but you could say the more well-behaved ones are really supportive. I'll show myself out. ...out? No, no, you misunderstand. Likely because you hit your head on the way in, passed out, and woke up in here. There's no door. Just a trapdoor. In the ceiling. Fifty feet up. Directly above a pile of refuse. For refuse, read: trashy romance novellas like this one... The truth is, we don't do the whole stack-on-each-other's-shoulders routine because, deep down, we don't want to leave.

[23:36][FC] He's basically not willing to keep an oath to the Sultana where he might potentially refuse something he might "disagree" with. [23:36][FC] To put it short, he's sanctimonious. [23:36][FC] good on him then [23:36][FC] lmao [23:36][FC] i love you erik [23:36][FC] nothing wrong wth pride [23:36][FC] i just love your reaction [23:37][FC] why [23:37][FC] why not? [23:37][FC] ok then [23:38][FC] lol [23:45][FC] I have a better question [23:45][FC] Why do we have ifrit's head in the basement? [23:45][FC] Because. [23:45][FC] I see. [23:46][FC] I understand now Alexei, thank you. [23:46][FC] Of course.

...daaaaaaaaaaaaaamn. Talking about smearing all over.

OhmyGodthat'sperfect. That look right there, that's his personality to a T. I love the fangs, the pin, and the background, those were excellent touches. EDIT: Dat glove. Reminds me of Dark Forces. Unf.

((Disclaimer: I haven't played the large majority of Final Fantasy games, but this was too fun an exercise to pass up. I also haven't played either of the Dissidias, so I'll be passing up on the Bravery Attacks and EXs, as well. This proved a useful resource, by the by.) Melkire: 1. Cheat, run, or die. 2. Care for a game? 3. Bleed for me. 4. This is for her. Starting Battle with Low HP: I'm a bleedin' fool. Starting Battle with Low HP: As I live, I'll serve! Against a Strong Opponent: Sittin' down to a bad hand... Against a Strong Opponent: Bite me! Against a Weak Opponent: Amateur... Against a Weak Opponent: Shut up. ================================ Melkire Long Quotes Warrior of Light: Admirable. Garland: A man on the ground is a dead man, and I ain't dead yet! Firion: I know a man worth two of you. The Emperor: Men like you are why those like Her suffer. Onion Knight: Oi, who let the lalafell in here? Cloud of Darkness: Lady, I don't do crazy. Cecil: Red Wings, eh? Prove it! Golbez: I pity you. Kain: You compensatin' f'somethin'? Bartz: Buy you a drink? No? Exdeath: As if! Gilgamesh: Have we met...? Terra: Malms to go before I rest, lass. Kefka: I won't let you take them from me. Cloud: From one soldier t'another... stand down! Sephiroth: What's so gods-damned funny?! Tifa: Tempted, but I'm taken. Squall: Garleans... I hate Garleans. Ultimecia: One bell, two bell, last hell, true hell... Laguna: Great. Another loveable idiot. Zidane: First t'rinse the other's pockets clean? Kuja: You're a right pain in the ass, aint'cha? Tidus: *chuckles* Trachtoum sings your praises. Jecht: Gods, and I thought I had a mouth. Yuna: Please, miss. Don't force my hand. Shantotto: Not you again! Prishe: Hand to hand, eh? I'm game! Vaan: What can fly can also fall. Gabranth: I won't take judgment from the likes of you. Lightning: Look, lady, I'm just doing my job. Chaos: Oschon guide my steps, Thal consecrate my steel... ================================= Other Characters Long Quotes Warrior of Light: Conflicted! Garland: You will kneel. Firion: You... you are a dreamer. The Emperor: Short-sighted fools cannot possibly understand. Onion Knight: Are you always this rude? Cloud of Darkness: You stand on the brink. Fall for me. Cecil: Show me you have what it takes! Golbez: You swore an oath. Do not renege. Kain: The fractured will shatter, make no mistake. Bartz: That's a lot of steel you're hiding! Exdeath: Disappear! Gilgamesh: Fascinating, for someone so worthless. Terra: Be true. Kefka: Friends, family, love... I'll take them all from you. Cloud: You're willing to go that far, huh? Sephiroth: A petty thief calling himself a soldier... laughable. Tifa: You should relax a little, you know. Squall: ...are you an idiot? Ultimecia: I know you, son of harlot. Laguna: A kindred spirit! Zidane: Eh. Might as well give this a go. Kuja: You're full of openings. Tidus: Better hold your breath, old man! Jecht: Who sent me the pipsqueak...? Yuna: You bear many a burden... Shantotto: Let me show you true power. Prishe: You want a go, let's go! Vaan: Try and keep up. Gabranth: The lost shouldn't lecture the lost. Lightning: You didn't think this through, did you? Chaos: They will all know me before the end. ======================= Victory 1. Cheaters prosper. 2. I win, you lose. 3. One more on Dirk's account. 4. You've kept me away long enough. Low HP: So what does that make you? Low HP: Served you right. Strong Opponent: Coeurls over Snurbles, y'scrag! Strong Opponent: What, too much for you? Weak Opponent: What a waste. Weak Opponent: Stay down. Defeat 1. Can't... endure... 2. Cardsharp...! 3. Seven hells... 4. Shite... she's... waitin' for me... t'come home... Strong Opponent: Too many knives... at the table... Strong Opponent: Ruttin' bastard...! Weak Opponent: Heh... potential. Weak Opponent: Ugh. ========================= Penelo Comment Thief, assassin, outcast, soldier, terrorist... that's enough action for five lifetimes. He ought to retire.

...time for Tumbleweed?

The man dressed in loam brown leathers and raptorskin hesitated. There was no guarantee that he'd walk away from this clean, no guarantee that he'd be able to reach the Falcon in time to find Siha, in time to help Erik. He'd stacked the deck as best he could on such short notice, and dealt the cards on his own terms... but now, looking back, he could see that there were players seated at the table that he hadn't invited. And they'd brought knives. And caltrops. A man on the ground is a dead man. Risk naught, win squat. But he wasn't looking to win. He was looking to survive. Cheat, run, or die. He'd already cheated, he wasn't going to run, and he wasn't planning on dying. "You chose to endure." He took a deep breath, then dropped Cenric's linkpearl into the pouch and came back up with the company pearl. He tucked it into his ear, whispered a quick and quiet prayer to Old Man Oschon to carry the signal on the winds so that he might be heard, and placed his last call. "Kahn'a, Askier... if you're hearin' this, Erik's headed for the Shroud. He needs Siha to contact him. It's urgent." He left the pearl in, but kept his mouth shut as he made his way to the corner behind Naldiq and Vymelli's where he'd first propositioned Raz. Moment of truth, Kink. Which way'd y'fall?

It does, and I'm not surprised. Most folks in game development are, by their nature, One of Us. Many of said folks happen to read comic books. So yeah. Fernehalwes, a Green Lantern fan? Not surprising to me. Osric has been trying, damn it, but he never had a proper education. :frustrated: In light of this confirmation of low literacy rates... hmmm. Time to revamp my character's early childhood. Shouldn't take much of a change. I assume the usual tabletop shenanigans: PCs happen to fall into the literate crowd by default, whereas the majority of NPCs fall into the illiterate category. Epsecially given one of Fernehalwe's replies: Those are for adventurers.

I'm not sure how it works later on in the fight, but the initial stun+throw depends on who is #1 on the aggro list for the first tentacle that spawns on the third platform. Beat down arms on platform 1, beat down arms and platform 2, if tank aggros the tentacle on platform 3 he gets stunned and thrown.

Must... acquire... pearl to IC linkshell.... Tarot's business sounds well-suited to supplying the... shadier... aspects of the military.

Osric chuckled as he gradually made his way over to the counter, still pirouetting this way and that. "Trade you grand adventures for this hole in the wall y'call a storefront," he muttered. It was an offer that he made every time; it had become something of a tradition, teasing Tarot over the meager space with which he had to work. "No, no, not strictly business," he replied as he reached Tarot at last. He rocked back and forth on his feet, from balls to heels and back again, shite-eating grin on his face as he patted the mass under his arm. The peddler had mistaken him for a Brass Blade back when Osric had first stumbled upon his shop - like as not due to the fly mask that was erroneously associated with that outfit - and the Immortal Flame had never bothered to correct him. Why should he, when the Blades' reputation brought him advantage here? To stand out amidst the scum as an honorable fellow... yes, that brought advantage. At Tarot's request, he reached inside his robe and pulled out heavy tome. The red leather covers were worn and faded, the binding cracked with age. Osric carefully placed the old text on the counter, turned it around to face the shopkeeper, opened it up, and began flipping through the pages. "Damned thing's ancient, to m'reckonin'. Full o' descriptions of bygone cultures, their society, their monuments, their armaments.... figured it might fetch a price, but that's not why I'm here. Came not t'sell, but t'acquire." This was an unusual change of pace, and the customer knew it. He had first stumbled onto the Crooked Phoenix Emporium when his regular supplier of fine steel had closed up. Rent on Sapphire wasn't cheap, after all... but that had mattered little when Osric's trusted source of all things knives and daggers had dried up. Tarot, he found, had good stock. He was competent, professional, discrete... and that suited the Flame just fine. Most of Osric's purchases were done through an intermediary, and as for rare finds, those he brought in personally. One last flick of his wrist brought him to the illustration he was after; he smoothed out the pages, tapped the sketch to draw attention to it, then dug around in his robes.... "As y'can imagine, law enforcement's a bit of a bind, at times." Onto the counter he dropped a pair of brass knuckles. "Y'need non-lethal force, for the unruly citizens and residents..." Then a pair of steel patas; close inspection would reveal them to be standard-issue I.F. equipment. "...yet certain occasions call for a more... permanent touch." He placed his palms on the edge of the counter and leaned forward, his face falling into a rather stern and serious frown. "I'm getting sick o' carryin' around two sets. It's unwieldy and nearly cost me m'life the other sun." Osric tapped the illustration again without ever taking his eyes off Tarot. "This looks like it'd serve m'purposes... yet I've no idea where to acquire a pair. Original, replica, I don't care. The tome y'can have for lookin' into this for me; I'll pay coin for the acquisition. Y'know I'm good for it."

I can't speak to juggling a long-term villainous alt with your main (haven't had one yet, but I'll point you to Askier, whose alt for multiple Group-Driven plots [Jin'li] lasted for months), but I can take a stab at the other questions. Whether an alt should be dedicated to a NPC is largely a question of: 1. How central is the character to the story arc; 2. How often the character will make recurring appearances in this arc and others; 3. How long the character is expected to last; 4. How important it is to have a universally-accepted visual representation of that character. I'll go a little in-depth into #4: not only does having a NPC alt give players something to look at so that you don't have to emote out their appearance every time they show up, but in certain situations, such as combat RP, it is extremely beneficial to have a physical entity present so that you have a position, direction, orientation, etc. It's the difference between having a model for your Red Dragon/Carnifex/whatever present on the tabletop and -not- having -anything- present. As for leveling your NPC alt, generally speaking you level to 15 to gain easy access between cities, to gain access to dyes and the aesthetician. You level beyond 15 as necessary to don the gear appropriate for your NPC's vanity/appearance etc. EDIT: As Merc mentions below, Roen is also a good person to talk to re: juggling alts. Hers certainly last much longer than Askier's. =P

Thanalan rainstorms are a terror. They are not the refreshingly cool downpours of Vylbrand, nor are they the enriching showers of the Shroud that leave behind the divine scent of morning dew. No, when rain comes to Thanalan, 'tis a morbidly humid, sticky affair, and 'twas during a such a one that there came a series of rapid knocks on the Emporium's door. The briefest of moments passed before someone pushed the door slightly ajar and slipped inside, stepped across the threshold. A robed figure wrapped in loam brown hemp, cowl drawn over the face. Short in stature, slight yet masculine in build, the figure stood with its head bowed, and a... mass... beneath one arm, under the robe. The other arm rose up as the door fell shut, and one gloved hand pulled back the cowl to reveal a sopping wet mess of dark brown hair and a mischievous smile that brought a wicked gleam to the man's green eyes. "Tarot," he called out as he began stepping his way through and around the cramped confines of the shop. A turn this way, a pivot that way, a foot here, there... his robe billowed slightly as he improvised his way across the floor, but the various trinkets and valuables of the emporium remained untouched and undisturbed. "Blimmin' weather's downright disgusting, I'll have y'know...."

You have my eternal adoration Somewhat unrelated, but I miss Zyzz...

...I want in. I'm PMing you. *drools*

The difficulty in justifying possession of said gear ICly is not so much "why do I have this ancient uber unique weapon" (which, as you've pointed out, is handwaved as Rowena and Geralt creating replicas) but rather, "how did my character acquire this from those individuals, and how did they know they could acquire it from them"? Rowena is stationed in Revenat's Toll in Mor Dhona, which is quite some distance from both Vylbrand and Thanalan; likewise for Gerolt. Folks in Gridania and the Black Shroud might have an easier time of it, but I know that for many a region-bound character the justification is not quite so simple. Take my character, for instance, who spends most of his time in Ul'dah and Limsa Lominsa. He's been to Gridania and the Shroud on occasion, but he's never been as far north as Coerthas or Mor Dhona. So for someone who's not in close enough proximity to catch wind of Rowena's and Gerolt's reputations, and for someone not actively looking for more sophisticated weaponry, slapping a glamour on a relic / Masterworks weapon or else explaining it away as something else entirely might work better in passing for a less-contrived explanation. I've been trying to figure out how my character would acquire his weathered replica of Glanzfaust, and I think the answer in most cases would be going through an intermediary party (such as a peddler... hellooooo, Tarot *rubs hands together mischievously*). Something along the lines of, "Hey, I've looking for something a bid sturdier for a while now, and I happened to come across this illustration in this old tome. Help met out?"

Hey. Look on the bright side: suddenly Piercing Talon is the most badass skill in the entire game.

Kiht enhancing her lance/spear/whatever-it's-called with resistance materia seems both feasible and sensible to me, provided that A, her IC acquisition of the materia makes sense, and B, she has someone to go to ICly to enhance her weapon for her. The concept of using one's materia-enhanced lance to, say, ground out a Thunder spell, or knock aside an incoming fireball, etc., is a workable one, IMO. You might get belligerent OoC comments from your IC opposition - "omg wtf is the point of playing a thaumaturge if you can just make my super duper special awesome magic spells irrelevant?" (dear thaums who might think this way: please get creative with your environment) - but that doesn't mean that the concept is a bad one, nor that you shouldn't pursue it.

I just noticed who's next in line...

Doman Diplomacy Cast: Instant Recast: 30.0s TP Cost: 140 Range: 3.0y Radius: 0y Seiko takes aim with a single-shot pistol. Caster channels in place for 10 seconds. If target moves 3y from original position at starting time of cast, the channel is broken, Seiko delivers an attack with a potency of 300 and the target is both slowed and heavied for 10 seconds. If the channel is broken prior to an attack being delivered, no damage is dealt and caster is heavied for 5 seconds.

Slit Their Throat Cast: Instant Recast: 60.0s TP Cost: 100 Range: 5.0y Radius: 0y Rushes target. Binds both caster and target for 3 seconds. Once bind expires, delivers an attack with a potency of 300 and delivers damage over time with a potency of 40 (duration: 15 seconds). Must be behind target to execute. Alternatively, Call for Backup Cast: 3.0s Recast: 420.0s TP Cost: 0 Range: 25.0y Radius: 5y Osric lifts a hand to one ear, and an arrow is fired from off-screen at the center of the designated area. When the cast completes, the area is continuously bombarded with cannon fire. Deals damage over time with a potency of 50 (duration: 30 seconds). Each tick has the potential to crit. Or a trait: Pickpocket One percent (rounded up) of each critical strike is awarded as gil. Additionally, if a treasure coffer has a chance to drop ring accessories, drop rates for all non-accessories from that coffer are set to 0. Adjust numbers as needed, of course. I'm fairly certain both Actions I came up with are broken as hell.

THAT TIER TEAR. ;~;

*deep breath* SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!!!!!!!!!!~