Separate names with a comma.
Because I'm a librarian. Get it? *crickets* Right...humor was never my thing...thus why I hang out in the library. /roleplaying Ok, so that was going nowhere fast. Kinda like me right now. By choice, mind you. For those who haven't read my previous blog, I was considering getting my leg amputation due to increasing joint pain in my knee and ankle. Well, this past Thursday, things came to a head when I took the plunge; I actually got the surgery! As far as I'm concerned you guys have been nothing but cool, and supportive to me, those who responded, anyway. I appreciate that. I have at least one or two close friends on the site, and I thought that this would be as good a way as any to give them an update on my status. Let me tell you, this is probably my first major surgery I've ever had. I've been in the hospital before, for a number of reasons...mostly related to my hemophilia. Technically, this surgery is mostly related to my hemophilia as well. Let me tell you the story of my surgery...or at least, the parts I either remember, or was awake for. First, came pre-op. My wife and I were led to a small chamber where I was told to put on a gown, wipe myself down with antiseptic wipes, and finish my ensemble with a smashing pair of yellow socks. Pre-op would be the last time I would ever see that right sock again. After that, they stuck an IV in my left hand and had me wait around for the anesthetic team to put nerve blocks on my leg. During this time, my wife and I were making small talk, because seriously, pretty much everything else has already been said by that point. We were talking about workplace shooting drills when I took a look at my hand with the IV and noticed that the tube was filling with blood. I thought this was odd, so I asked my wife to take a look. She followed the IV line to the ground and said, "Yeah, there's definitely something wrong" or something to that effect. I looked down to where she indicated while she went out of the room to find the nurse and I noticed a small pool of blood and IV fluid on the floor. Turned out there was a loose connection in the line. It was a pretty funny thing, actually. I didn't lose a whole lot of blood. Earlier, I mentioned nerve blocks. These are pretty important; they numb the leg in order to reduce phantom pains after surgery. My surgeon, for one, is known for ding everything possible to reduce phantom pains (which are way more common that I used to think). Along with the nerve blocks, I was prescribed nerve pills, like Lyrica, to reduce nerve pain (turns out that traditional pain pills, like Tylenol and Oxycodone, which I was also prescribed do nothing for nerve pain). It was quite an experience. I was to lie on my belly while they stuck needles into the back of my leg. But the weird part was when they stimulated my leg muscles to make them spasm so they could find the nerve. It was probably the most my leg muscles were worked in years. Then, when all that was done...the surgery began. They wheeled me into the operating room, which was probably the brightest room in the hospital, despite what you may have learned by watching Grey's Anatomy (in fact, a nurse that I spoke to about this said that she has no idea why they portray it that way). They attending nurse asked me if I had any "vacation spots" planned. I told her, "No, not yet." She said that I had better soon...and then I went under. Saying that I woke up in a daze would be a grave understatement. I was vaguely aware of someone waving to me on the way to my room. I learned later that it was my mother and aunt. When I got to my room, I was met by my wife, my mother, my aunt, and my dad. They told me that the surgery went well, that they were able to donate my leg ( but not "for parts", like I wanted...oh well), and a bunch of other stuff that I don't remember... From there on, it was a constant parade of visitors, nurses waking me at all hours of the night (and not closing my door when they left!!!), pills, IVs and your standard hospital experience. What I really want to talk about it the phantom pains I mentioned earlier. I was surprised by just how much I would have them. When I came out of surgery, I remember telling my family that I had this intense desire to curl my toes...on my right foot. It's so weird. Every now and then, even almost a week later, I still feel like I want to itch my foot or some such thing. It doesn't hurt...it just feels weird. I'll try to keep you all posted on any updates, like when I get my sutures taken out and when I finally get fitted with my prosthesis. Until then, brohooves all around!
D-Day is tomorrow. For those reading this, it may already have happened. Most people know that I don’t generally talk about myself, or like to release too many personal details about my life. That being said, the following has weighed heavily on my mind for the past three weeks, and I just want to let everyone in on what’s happening, partially as a courtesy, and partially simply because I want to talk about it. I may have mentioned once or twice that I have hemophilia, a genetic disorder wherein my blood does not clot properly. Simply put, it means that my wounds don’t heal as quickly as a normal person’s and I’m more prone to injury. It occurs in about 1 out of every 1000 males (but is not unheard of in females). Every hemophiliac is different, and no two have had the exact same experiences, at least to my knowledge. This brings me to the year 1989. I was six years old, just going into the first grade. I think it was summer because I remember the sun shining, and I don’t think I was in school when it happened. But the fact remains that…something happened. My memory is a little fuzzy on all the details, but I specifically remember my step-father carrying me, running, across the hospital parking lot to what I think was the emergency room. I also remember being in a hospital bed with half a dozen doctors standing over me, trying what they could to make me comfortable, telling me to go back to sleep. Now that I think about it, it sounds like the intro to about a dozen creepypastas, but I assure you it’s not nearly as entertaining. Now, the “something” that happened to me involved a knee injury. Most, if not all, hemophiliacs have what is called a “target joint,” a joint that is more prone to injury than any other. For most, it’s the right knee. Such was it in my case. One day, I somehow injured myself (like I said, I don’t remember all the details), and I was rushed to the hospital. It was there that they attempted to treat the now internal bleeding in my knee with antihemophilic factor (Factor VIII). Normally, this would work, and my knee would heal itself in time. However, I was not so lucky. I had developed an inhibitor, a not-completely-uncommon reaction to injectable Factor VIII where the body believes that the factor is some kind of foreign, harmful material, and it sends antibodies to fight it off, making the factor useless. By the time the doctors were able to find a factor that worked, the damage to my knee had already been done: the cartilage in the joint was all but nonexistent, and my knee had practically fused itself together. I won’t go into too much detail here, partially because I don’t want to trouble you with the painful memories of my childhood, and partially because I want to get to the point of this post: For the last two decades I’ve had to wear a brace that covers my entire leg. A brace that has slowly and steadily withered my leg into, basically, a useless stick. Sure, I can put weight on it if I have to, and I can even walk without my brace for short periods of time. But with my knee being the way it is, it’s affected the way I walk, nay the way I conduct myself in my daily life, for 20+ years. I have painful arthritis in my right ankle, which I’ve tried to remedy with physical therapy and steroid injections to no avail, as well as a host of other problems. Several months ago, the pain in my ankle was beginning to come to a head, and I was looking for a surgical way out. I had already gone through an arthroscopy on that ankle, and I wanted to know what my other options were, so I sought the advice of an ankle specialist. He said that with my knee the way it was, there really was no permanent solution for my ankle trouble until I got my knee fixed. Three weeks ago, I saw a knee specialist. The primary option for those in my situation was a full joint replacement, which I and my family were all on board for. However, the knee specialist, for lack of a better term, shot that option down. He, in no uncertain terms, deemed that my situation was simply too challenging (from a surgical standpoint), risky (infections and the like), and probably wouldn’t help me from a functional standpoint (since most of the time, the surrounding leg is well enough to withstand such a surgery, and mine, clearly would not). We discussed a few other options, which were equally unfeasible (complete knee fusion, and doing nothing), and a more radical solution was brought up: complete amputation. I was shocked. Not because such a radical (and some might say barbaric) solution was put on the table, but because, in moments of desperation, I had in fact considered this very option. But any time I would think about this, I would simply laugh it off as being too absurd for any surgeon to even consider. But here we were, the knee specialist and myself, in a room, talking about amputation! The specialist claimed that from a functional standpoint, as well as a pain management standpoint, an amputation might be the way to go. I recall getting a bit misty-eyed as I thought of being able to sit comfortably in a movie theatre, or being able to put my leg under a dinner table and not be a bother to anyone. I could ride a bike like a “normal” person, I could walk up and down stairs foot-over-foot… It’s the little things, isn’t it? Those things that some of us want most dearly in life, some others take for granted. A tear came to my eye as I wrote this, and I sincerely apologize if one came to your eye as well. I didn’t mean it. We, the doctor and I, didn’t discuss it too much because (I believe) the doctor was quite uncomfortable speaking about it. However, he referred me to another fellow in the hospital who specializes in reconstruction and amputation. I’ve been asking my friends and family their opinions for the past three weeks. Most, while not entirely for the amputation itself, are for me being happy with whatever decision I make. I really can’t thank them enough. Two people are completely against me going through the procedure (one being my mother, whom I love dearly), and I also thank them for their input. I believe at this point, I’m leaning toward getting the amputation. I’ve already considered the financial factors as well as the lifestyle changes I would have to make to accommodate my new leg. All that’s left is to have a dialogue with the doctor himself, which is the aforementioned D-Day that’s happening tomorrow. Thank you, Reader, for listening. Also, like I said in the title, I'm still here, and I still plan on being the Fanfiction Mod (even though I'm a little behind. I deeply, deeply apologize).
Gosh, it's beena while since I've done one of these, huh? Remeber when I used to write letters to you all? Or when I would publish Monster Sheets (that are no longer relevant. Thanks, Eight Star.) Or when I did a writeup for Shadow Over Ponyville? (I might just pick that up again, but it'll take a while...) Well, what's happened since I was on here last? Um...stuff. Pretty crazy stuff. Stuff I'd rather not get into on this blog. Anywho, where was I? Ah yes! Baseball season is starting! Huzzah! Oh, wait... It's almost playoff time? Nuts. Actually, it is just starting...for me! Yes, that's right! Your dear friend Quilliam Bartholomew Inkwell III will be playing baseball (on his phone...)! And I'd like you to join me. Perhaps you've heard of: Big Win Baseball!!! Or not... For those who don't know, it is a game for portable devices that takes place in a dystopian future where players are treated as property, to be bought and sold like trading cards, and modifying said players is not only completely legal, but encouraged! Can you imagine?! Anyway, one of the fun things about this game is that you can not only name your team, but your players as well, and I thought to myself: "Hey Quill...why don't you make an Everypony team, and name the players after all of your friends?" And I said, "Quill! You're absolutely brilliant!" Then, I patted myself on the back for a job well done and took myself out for a brewski, then challenged myself to a game of darts. (I lost...) When I woke up the next morning in a haze, and in someone else's house, I brought up an intersting point to the gentleman whose space I was occupying as he chased me from his residence: "Who should play what position?" Unfortunately, the bloke never gave me an answer, so I've come here. Tee-El-Semicolon-Dee-Are: Do you want to be on my team, and if so, what position? It'll be first come, first serve, so maybe list more than one position? (First Base, Second Base, Third Base, Catcher, Pitcher, Right Field, Left Field, Center Field, Short Stop, and Designated Hitter) When I get a whole team lined up, I'll play a few quick games to build up some cash for Impact cards, then do a Pennant Race. And then I'll let you know the results! It'll be fun!
The Crystal ponies are an ancient race, only recently resurfaced with the return of King Sombra and the Crystal Empire. Unlike the ponies of today, they come in only one variety: sparkly. Lacking horns and wings, the crystal ponies, as their name implies, resemble ponies made of living crystal; they are semi-translucent and shimmer in the sunlight. Being made of living crystal, however is a mixed blessing as this actually can make a given crystal pony either more durable than average, or much weaker than their flesh and blood counterparts. As such, when creating a Crystal Pony, one may pick from the following traits: Diamond Soul/Glass Jaw - the crystal pony takes 50% more damage (rounded down) from physical attacks, but only takes half damage from magic. Adamant Body/Soul of Glass - the crystal pony takes half damage from physical attacks, but takes 50% more damage from magical attacks. Crystal Ponies also have Cutie Marks which can give them bonuses when performing particular tasks, much like a normal pony. Stats: +2 Resilience +1 Awareness +1 Creativity +2 Willpower
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BqEZTTb37dU/UHWm3Y4vsiI/AAAAAAAACVk/KYD45A9*squee!*s/s1600/cute_twilight_sparkle_by_kenta1616-d4susae.jpeg Good evening, everypony! As you may, or may not know, I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celetia's Most Faithful Student! Twilight! Tell them about the thing you got! I'm getting to it, Spike... Oh, alright. *sigh* Okay, I'll just get right to it, then. I recieved a letter recently from an acquaintence of mine, a one mister Quilliam Bartholomew Inkwell the Third. *giggle* That's the name he uses when he's being formal; he usually just goes by "Quill." *ahem* In any case, I originally thought that the letter was for me. But, as it turns out, it's actually for Everypony. An..."Open Letter" if you will. As usual, his letter is extremely verbose, so I'll just highlight the important points: 1) After getting a week in his new job, he likes it. He says that he'll continue looking for other positions within the castle, but this job is a good stepping stone, and he can't actually apply for anything else until his six month probation is up. 2) He's been going crazy recently. He still doesn't have as much access to the internet as he would like (or a Word Processor, for that matter), and he's been going stir-crazy with his ideas and having no outlet for them. And...*grumble* He wants to tell Eight Star...that he's as glad as he his that they can continue their RPs via email (but, posting less frequently, of course). 3) He's reading again. At the moment, he's been reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He says he's halfway through volume 1. He's also found a glaring typographical error in the book. The editor, for whatever reason, has been substituting the word "slam" for the word "slain". He thinks it's some sort of transcription error. 4) His fanfiction has ground to a halt until he can acquire a notepad and a pen, due to his lack of the aformentioned Word Processor. He also mentions that he still hasn't come up with a song for Constella, whatever that means... 5) He missies you all, but he'll try to drop by every evening, like, say...this evening. And...that's it! Hmm...I wonder what he's been doing...? I'll have to write him back sometime. If only I knew where he worked...
*A scroll of parchment suddenly appears before you* Unrolling the parchment , you find the following [size=+2]This message is going to be short and simple. There is a unicorn named Quill Inkwell whose message was intercepted by me. The voice of Sandro tells me that this message must be delivered, so I will in his name. Quill Inkwell writes that he does not know when he is coming back to Everypony. He started his new job the other day and to his dismay, he has absolutely no access to a computer. The only access he has is during the night time hours, and even that is, as he puts it, "a bit scetchy". He has been woring on a few new projects, including a two-part "episode-like" fanfiction, which he hopes to finish within the month. He claims that he has already finished part one, and he is "extremely happy" with how the second part is turning out. His other projects, according to him, were roleplays that might never see the light of day. He does not know. Oh, he states that he believes that he will like his job, even though it was not exactly what he expected. He also states that after the ninety-day probationary period, he may try to transfer to another position. He hopes that everypony's holidays have been as merry and happy as his own, and he wishes for good things for all of you for the rest of your collective days. I, personally, have nothing to add. I am simply a messenger. Sincerely, Severed Heart[/size]
*Incoming Transmission from HMS Mysterious* *Hailing Frequencies Open* *Main Screen Turn On* --A female, green-scaled, blue-eyed, dragon stares intently at the screen for some time before backing away and glancing downward. After a moment, she looks back up at the screen-- Is this, like…on? Justice told me that there should be a little red…Ah! There it is! Omigosh! How long was it on?! --The dragoness quickly brushes back a pair of fins on her head with one claw— *sigh* Oh well…I guess I’ll just look like a total spazoid for my first ever, like, transmission into the great, black, like, abyss… Whatevs… --She claps her claws on her hind legs-- Okay, so like…I’m, like…Kazaul. Kazzie, for short. Anyway, I’m, like, a Scout on the Mysterious. It’s like, a spaceship and stuff, so I’m like, really far away. That was dumb… Okay, so, like, I’m Kazaul and I’m on the spaceship, the Mysterious. I, like, totally repeated myself. Okay, so, like, I’m Kazaul and, I’m, like, a dragon and stuff. It’s cool, though. Some of my best friends are, like, ponies. It’s, like, totally cool. So, like, this pony that I know…He’s, like…a unicorn named Quill Inkwell. He’s like, okay, I guess. I actually have no idea who he, like, is. --Kazzie holds up a scroll of parchment-- Okay, so, like, anywho, I, like, somehow got this message from him. I guess he, like, wanted to send it to someone named, liked, Everypony, because that’s, like, who it’s addressed to… Okay, so, like, if this Everypony guy is out there, like, here it is: He says that he like, misses you guys…Aww…And, like, he’s doing good. He, like, checks in every now and then to make sure that the site hasn’t, like, burst into flames or anything, whatever that means… Oh! So, he has, like, exciting news and stuff! Okay, so, like, he says that after three years of hard work, and like, stuff, he is finally no longer a, like, Scribe in Training. That’s, like, so awesome! Go Quill! So, like anyway, he says that he’s taken a “permanent position” in the castle. Sweet! And he hopes that he’ll have more access, like, soon, and he wants to get his R-Ps going again. Aw, sweet! I love roleplaying! But, he also says that, like, he's not going to start his new job until, like, the end of the year. Like, it won't be until after Hearth's Warming. He says that he, like, can’t wait to see all you guys again. Aww… And then, he signed it all formally and stuff: Sincerely, Quilliam Bar…Barthol…Bartholomew! Inkwell, Eye Eye Eye. Okay, so, that’s, like, my transmission. I hope Everypony gets this message because Quill might be coming back soon, and he’s pretty excited about it, and stuff. Totes later! --Kazzie glances downward, her eyes apparently scanning a keyboard directly in front of her. After a few moments, she presses a button.-- *BEEP* --Kazzie starts talking to someone offscreen-- Okay, so, like it’s turned off now, right? Like, that message wasn’t too bad, right? I tried to be as cool as possible and I don’t know if I came off the way I wanted to. Whoever gets it will probably think I’m, like, a total spaz. Omigosh! I am, like, SO hungry! I’m gonna like, head down to the Mess hall and get my, like, grub on! --The dragoness gets up from her chair and leaves the room. After a few moments of inactivity, a grey pony with a dark red mane trots over to the screen and looks at it for a few seconds. After seeing that the red light is still blinking, he sighs and presses another button-- *Transmission Terminated* *Hailing Frequencies Closed* *Main Screen Turn Off* Spoiler: OOC I got a permanent job! Unfortunately, I don't start it until the end of the year. But the hours are good, and the pay will be alot better than I had.
Spoiler: OOC I'm going to not be on as much as I used to. It's nothing serious, I just don't have as much time to access the internet until further notice. [size=+1]To whom it may concern, I'm writing this letter today to let you (my friends) know that I have been called away on..."business", the nature of which I cannot divulge as of yet. Master Eight Star may have mentioned that I would be gone for some time, and I'll be the first to admit that not even I'm sure how long I'll be away this time. I will send letters when I can, and while I'm away, I'll be working on many different projects, the results of which, I may post here when they've been completed. I'm not saying goodbye. I'm just saying that I'm not sure when I'll be back (full-time, that is). I'm so very sorry to everyone that is affected by my absence. If it was up to me, I'd be here twenty-four/seven, trust me. But...well, duty calls. Your truly, Quilliam Bartholomew Inkwell III[/size]
(Warning for strong written language) [video=youtube;xB5oXLTrhSo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB5oXLTrhSo&feature=share&list=PL1382F0D27BF2E558[/video] Just yesterday, I was cruising Youtube for pony music. During my trip, I found a playlist that included this video. I watched it, expecting a humourous diddy on dealing with haters, and probably a bit of namecalling. What I got instead was an enlightening disertation that would rank right up there with any college-level essay. Seeing as how there's been a lot of hate here recently, I think maybe it would be a good idea to watch this.
Welcome back to another installment of The Shadow Over Ponyville. Today, I’ll be setting up the quest hook and giving the reader (that’s you guys) some insight into how my brain works. The basic Plot Outline: Twilight Sparkle has gotten a hold of a book called the Necroequicon. Much like it’s human counterpart, the Necronomicon, the book is filled with so many secrets of the universe, that reading it can drive anypony mad. The player characters have been summoned to Misakitonic University in Canterlot because of their respective experience and studies in “non-traditional” magic. When they get there’s they’re introduced to their mission: If they chose to examine the letters (which are labeled for chronological purposes), they read: (First): Dear Princess Celestia, Today, I met another zebra! His name was Virulento and he came to Ponyville to show the ponies here his “Amazing Wagon of Oddities and Curiosities”. Naturally, my curiosity got the better of me and I ventured inside. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first, but after seeing his collection up close, I have to say that it’s probably the most amazing collection of knick knacks and baubles I’ve ever seen. One thing in particular that caught my eye was a book. But it wasn’t just any book. What stuck out to me was that the book appeared to be bound with pony hide, or something eerily similar. I asked him about it and this is what he told me: “The book before you is from the far off lands to the East, past the Forbidden Passage. It was written by the ‘Mad Arabian’, Abdul Has-Read-All. You see, he was a great and powerful sorcerer who was said to have dabbled in things that shall not be named by pony mouths. I have not read the volume extensively myself; they say all who read it go mad.” I seriously doubt that. I’ve never heard of a book that can make ponies crazy just by merely reading it… If it was Virulento’s plan to make bits by having curious ponies pay repeat visits to his ‘exhibit’, then he’s got me, hook, line, and sinker. If I can get a hold of the book myself, and if it was worth my time, maybe I’ll see about having it stored at the Canterlot Royal Library. Your Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle This note’s pretty innocuous. The TL;DR version is that a zebra named Virulento came to town to show off his traveling wagon of “The Odd and Curious”. (One day later): Dear Princess Celestia, Virulento has allowed me to read a few passages from the book while he supervised. He must really believe the rumors, if he didn’t make them up himself! I’m not entirely sure if the book is worth more of my time or not; most of the writing was illegible, or at the very least, it was written in a language that I can’t read yet. There is one thing that I can’t get out of my mind: The diagrams. Most of them feature ponies in…odd positions. They seem almost ‘ritualistic’ in appearance. Now, I’ve performed my share of ritual spells, but I have never, ever, seen anything like this… I told my friends about the book today. Applejack said that it sounded like “some bad ju-ju”. She has some of the strangest euphemisms. I think maybe I’ll check out the book tomorrow, to see if I can glean anything new from it. Your Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle I don’t actually know what’s in the Necronomicon since Mr. Lovecraft has been pretty vague with any details, so I just made some stuff up. (One day later): Dear Princess, I must have this book. There are no two ways about it. The knowledge contained within its pages is astounding! Remember how I said yesterday that I couldn’t read it? I must’ve been hallucinating (must’ve been Virulento’s incense) because I could read it just fine today. My goodness, you should see it, Princess! It’s simply amazing! All-Has-Read’s knowledge of the world and those beyond it would baffle even Star Swirl the Bearded! I feel so privileged that I am even allowed to glance at its pages! I don’t care the price, I must get this book from Virulento! Twilight Sparkle This are starting to go south for Ms. Twilight at this point. (One day later): Princes Constella, Please don’t punnish me. Ive taken the book from Mr. Virulento. I know its wrong, but I couldn’t help myself. It’s in much bettter hands with me, anyway. I’m doing the world a favar! Think of all the knowlege we could gain! The wrods are coming to me much more easilier and I’ve even tried some of the spells, with varrying degres of succes. I’ll send anoter letter when I’ve learnd more. I’ve invited my frends over so they can see the book, too. This is gonna be sweet! Twigligt Sparkkle You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to make all of these spelling errors. In fact, for the “It’s in much better hands” part, I almost wrote “hooves”. I decided that hands was much better. Also, if you look really closely, you’ll spot the name of my favorite OC villain. ^_^ (Three days later): Princess! Im in dire need of halp! I dunno what todo! (Illegible) most terifiing discovery evar! (The next sentence is illegible)!!! (Illegible) MONSTARS FROM BEYOND TEH STAIRS! (It’s assumed she means “monsters from beyond the ‘stars’”) MY FRENDS R GONED AND I DON T NOW WHAT HAPPEN T THM AND I THINK ITS M FALT ANDIMALLALONENOWANDICANTREEDANYMR(The rest of the letter continues in this manner until the letters all run together and the whole thing becomes illegible. The letter is not signed.) I kinda hate this letter. I don’t feel like it conveys the sheer pants-wetting fear that Twilight is likely experiencing at this point. In the original draft of this introduction, this letter didn’t exist. In fact, most of them didn’t… (Moments later): Dear Princess Celestia, Please ignore my previous letter. I was so absorbed in my studies that I had been going on less sleep than I originally thought. In fact, if you would, please just dispose of that letter; it’s embarrassing to know that I wrote such butchery of the language. It was merely a cruel jest on my part, and I apologize. All is well. I am fine. My friends are here with me, and they are fine as well. Please don’t worry about us. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle (Hastily scribbled underneath the main body of the letter, in a different handwriting) Twilight’s completely off her rocker! Send somepony quick! Spike In the original draft of this intro, this is the only letter that I had completely typed out. I wish that I knew how to do fonts when I first wrote this. Spike’s message was supposed to be in Chiller. Back in the development stages, I sent this letter to Eight Star and he told me that it gave him chills. ^_^ Medias Res glances at all of you. "Her Majesty has arranged for an airship to transport you all to Ponyville. The sooner we can clear this up, the better. But be on your guard. The Princess has mentioned that this Twilight Sparkle is something of a bundle of nerves and that she commands very powerful magic, even moreso now that she has The Book. Expect resistance." And, that concludes Chapter 2. Soon, we’ll get into the meat and potatoes of the roleplay! I’m going to try to not copy/paste the players’ dialogue (unless it’s important), but instead give the reader a rundown of what happened. During that, I’ll inject my own commentary, as well. Let’s see how this goes. ^_^ Oh, and I invite the players to supply their own commentary, if they want, as well. The more, the merrier!
Howdy y’all! Today, I’m feeling roleplayish, and after reading the Nightmare Moon arc of Friendship is Dragons, I’ve decided to do a writeup/summation on one of my first (successful) pony Roleplays. This writeup contains spoilers. Not that it really matters, we (meaning the players and I) have decided that the RP is basically over (and it happened at a time that I lost a good chunk of my internet access, so that had something to do with it). So, without further ado, here’s the story. Just sit back, relax, and just…take it all in. Director commentary will be shown in Goldenrod. Chapter 1: Introduction to the Characters This is going to take a little explaining: The character sheets are based upon a game system that was created by Eight Star for use in tabletop gaming. He introduced me to the system not too long ago, and I picked it up rather easily. Using this system, the players don’t roll stats. All of that is chosen for them based on their character’s race and class. Each character sheet will be posted here, with explanations where I believe they are warranted: The first character to sign up was Silver Shield, played by Legionbrony: Race: Unicorn Gender: Male Cutie Mark: Silver kite shield Special Talent: Defensive and Protective magic, especially barriers/force fields Class: Student (Student is one of the base classes. They focus on Knowledge and Technology. They are capable of casting spells but aren’t nearly as good at it as the Apprentice class.) Aspect: Aspect of the Defender – Bonus Starting Spell (Arcane Shield, Level 0). As an added bonus, this spell costs only 1 MP to cast. If the spell fails to cast (player rolls <50), the spell activates but gives half defense. This spell can be trained up by successfully casting it (but does not count toward normal accumulation of Class Points) In Eight Star’s system, a pony’s aspect is a representation of their special talent as defined by the game’s mechanics. An aspect usually gives bonuses to abilities and skills, but can at times give them spells or abilities.) CR: 3 (Challenge Rating: This is how difficult the character is to defeat. 3 is pretty respectable for a level 1 character) HP: 10 (Health Points: How much damage a character can take before they die. For a level 1 character, their total HP has to be at -10 for them to truly die.) MP: 6 (Mana Points: You need these to cast spells.) WP: 5 (Weapon Points: These represent fatigue. You can spend WP to use certain abilities. When you lose all of your WP, you pass out.) SP: 3 (Soul Points: When you lose all of these, your character dies for real and can’t be revived.) I was originally going to add a stat for Sanity, but I couldn’t think of a good way to implement it into the game, so I scrapped it. Strength: 8 Endurance: 14 Magic: 10 Willpower: 2 Speed: 4 Stealth: 0 Perception: 8 Knowledge: 2 This game system uses a 100-sided die to determine the outcome of encounters. When you roll to perform an action, such as casting a spell, you add the relevant stat to your roll. The second character to sign up was Grey Mane, played by Dark Shine: Race: Unicorn Special talent/ Cutie mark: Sneaking in the shadows/ A shadow of herself Occupation: Student Class: Rogue Aspect: Aspect of the Shadow - +5 to Sneak, +10 to Sneak when in dim light/darkness CR: 3 HP: 6 MP: 6 WP: 3 SP: 3 Strength: 8 Endurance: 12 Magic: 11 Willpower: -2 Speed: 8 Stealth: 5 Perception: 8 Knowledge: -2 Up next was Professor Follia, played by Tyro The Fox: Race: Earth Pony Special Talent/Cutie Mark: Study/ The outline of a wolf. Occupation: Professor of Magical Creatures Class: Adventurer Aspect: Aspect of the Eternal Student - +5 to Knowledge based skills, +8 to Knowledge Rolls (Identifying Magical Fauna) CR: 2 HP: 8 MP: 8 WP: 4 SP: 4 Strength: 10 Endurance: 14 Magic: -4 Willpower: 0 Speed: 6 Stealth: 2 Perception: 6 Knowledge: -2 Then, Mystic Heart, played by Eight Star: Race: Unicorn Special Talent/Cutie Mark: Mystic Heart has a talent for artifacts and enchanted items. She can, given the time and effort, put her enchanting knowledge to use and put permanent effects onto trinkets. She's also a little better at understanding what kind of effects an item may have WITHOUT putting it on first. Her cutie mark is a glowing ring. Occupation: One of the students. Artifacts 101. Class: Apprentice Aspect: Aspect of the Enchanter - +5 to learn Enchanting Skills, +5 to using Enchanting Skills, +5 to Knowledge (Appraisal and Identification) CR: 3 HP: 4 MP: 12 WP: 2 SP: 6 Strength: 8 Endurance: 12 Magic: 18 Willpower: 2 Speed: 4 Stealth: 0 Perception: 6 Knowledge: -2 And finally, a late-comer, Toxic Rain who was played by Psychopunk: Race: Pegasus / F Special Talent/Cutie Mark: Her cutie mark is a toxic symbol in neon green. She has an insanely high intellect and can understand and morph the chemical substance of things, but only as limited as she can understand. Due to her intelligence, she seems a bit strange to the other ponies, and can seem a bit melancholy. Occupation: She is the alchemy professor Class: Student Aspect: Aspect of the Alchemist – +5 to Chemistry/Alchemical skill rolls. +5 to Knowledge for identifying Chemicals/Potions CR: 2 HP: 10 MP: 6 WP: 5 SP: 3 Strength: 8 Endurance: 14 Magic: -6 Willpower: 2 Speed: 4 Stealth: 0 Perception: 8 Knowledge: 2 You might notice that the character sheets aren’t uniform. That’s because I copy/pasted their signups. These are basically the sheets as I received them. Stay tuned for Chapter 2, where I’ll explain the setting and introduction!
Hemophilia is a genetic blood disorder linked to the X chromosome that causes a deficiency of one of two clotting factors in the blood: Factor VIII (8) or Factor IX (9). When one is missing or deficient in one of these two clotting factors, it takes longer for wounds to heal (cuts, internal bleeds, and the like). A deficiency in Factor VIII is called Type A, while a deficiency in Factor IX is called Type B. There are three degrees of Hemophila: Mild, Moderate, and Severe. Hemophilia occurs in one out of every 1000 males. Females carry the gene and can pass it on to their sons. It's exceedingly rare for a female to show any symptoms of hemophilia, but it's not completely unheard of (in fact, I once met a woman who had hemophilia). There is a variation of hemophilia that occurs in females called Von Willenbrand's Disease. Its symptoms are very similar to that of Hemophilia. I have Severe Hemophilia Type A. Because of my hemophilia, I have lost nearly all use of my right knee and I have to wear a brace that completely immobilizes my right leg. Due to this, I also have arthritis in both of my ankles. A few years ago, I had an operation on my right ankle that was supposed to help with my arthritis. The doctor told me that the next step would be fusing the ankle joint, which would greatly reduce the mobility in my ankle (which I hardly have, anyway). On the whole, this doesn't pose much of a problem for me, (since I've had the brace since I was six and have adapted quite well to it). If I limit my physical activity and take my prescribed medications, in theory, my hemophilia shouldn't pose any kind of issue at all. But then, there are the spontaneous bleeds that occur for no good reason whatsoever. I get bleeds in my ankles when I put too much wieght on them for too long of a time, or if I jar then just right. I was carrying air conditioners down a fight of steps yesterday, so it could have been that, or...it could have happened last night when I kicked a kitchen wastecan in a moment of childish...stupidity. I'm not entirely sure what I did this time, but as of right now, I'm sitting in front of my computer in no small amount of pain (but I think my painkillers are starting to kick in as I type this). I decided to write this when I got home as just a way to vent. It's nothing that anyone needs to worry themselves about, and I'll probably be fine enough to go to work tomorrow (albeit with crutches). I'm curious, are there any hemophiliacs in the audience? Statictically, there should be at least one brony here who has it. Fess up.
Disclaimer: The Leatherbound Whatever is trademark of Tyro the Fox, Inc. LLC, Esquire and the use of which is prohibited without express written consent from Tyro the Fox, Inc. LLC, Esquire. That being said, I totally didn’t ask him if I could use The Leatherbound Whatever. I’m sure he won’t mind. ----- Greeting and Salutations, Everypony! Once again, it’s been a while since I posted anything in the blogs sections. Lately, I’ve been too busy roleplaying and working. That, and I couldn’t think of anything good to post here. But very recently, I played a game that had so much of an impact on me, that I feel almost compelled to review it. What’s the name of the game, you ask? Why, Welcome to Ponyville: Act 1, of course! I had heard about this game through this very forum in a thread with the same title, and I always like free games so I downloaded it and gave it a shot. Let me take this time to mention that I’m not a big fan of Visual Novels. I play video games for the interactive experience. I like being able to dictate my character’s fate. If I want to click through screen upon screen of reading, I’ll go to FF.net or FIMfiction.com. Or I’ll read an actual book. Let it also be known that I like Dating Sims. All of the ones I’ve played are relatively clean and they have a good enough balance of story and interactivity to keep me interested until the end. I’ve even considered making one, but I have absolutely no programming knowledge beyond beginner-level Visual Basic. I’m also a terrible artist. The reason I mentioned these things is because I went into this game expecting a light Dating Sim. What I got was a Visual Novel/Fanfiction. Okay, enough backstory. On with the review! For simplicity’s sake, I’ll review this game categorically, then at the end, I’ll give out a certain number of…um, somethings on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the worst and 5 being the best. I’ll try to avoid Spoilers for those who haven’t played it yet. Story: Visual Novels typically have a well thought out, intricate plot, Dating Sims typically do not. This game, being of the Visual Novel persuasion, has a plot. I went into the game believing that it would be a fun little romp through Ponyville, where you get to meet the Mane 6, go on at least one zany adventure, then *pop* it’s over. What greeted me instead were visions of a destroyed Ponyville and ghostly shades tittering at me from beyond the shadows. I admit, it caught my interest. What followed seemed to be a series of unrelated events (sans meeting different characters). I won’t go into too much detail here since I’m trying to avoid spoiling too much, but there is one particular plot event where it was pretty obvious what I was getting myself into where I literally sneered as I read my characters responses (I don’t like being railroaded). Surprisingly, at least to me, this particular event hasn’t come to fruition yet. (I’m certain that it will, though. Any day now…) I haven’t gotten too far into the story yet (I admit that I’ve only just met Twilight Sparkle, for those of you who’ve played the game the whole way through), but so far I’m liking what I see. I give the story (thus far) 3 out of 5 Books from Twilight's Library. Gameplay/Controls: Well, this is a video game review, after all. Gameplay is pretty simple: You click (anywhere on the screen) to advance the story. Occasionally, you can make choices which affect your gameplay experience. Some of the choices pertain to responses your character can make to certain questions or requests from other characters. Your responses can range from “Yes, of course! Anything to help my friend”-type (Known in-game as Hero responses) to “Nah. I don’t feel like it”-type (Known as Anti-hero responses). The tutorial, which consisted of Sweetie Belle telling me about clicking, is pretty straightforward and just as informative as it needs to be. I liked the Resident Evil reference it threw in. The game saves automatically at certain points. If you can see, hear, and move a mouse, you can play this game. Because the controls are simple, yet unintuitive, I give the Gameplay/Controls 2 out of 5 Mice. Graphics/Music/Voices: This, being a Visual Novel, is sorely lacking in animation or 3-D-ness, so I can’t really comment on how fluid and realistic the movements seem or how much the lips sync up with the words. I can, however, comment on the character vectors and backgrounds. The character vectors are pretty obviously stock images from the show and from the internet itself. Some of the images are recolors of other images, which while good could be slightly jarring for people who were expecting all original art. They look nice, though, so I won’t give the artists/animators too much flak. Well done. The backgrounds are very good, but they aren’t anything spectacular. You won’t be seeing any Van Goghs or Rembrandts here, but they do fit with the general style and feel of the show itself, and in the end, that’s all I really ask for. The music is very good, and once again, it fits in with the style of the show itself. I especially like Rainbow Dash’s theme (because I like rock-sounding music). I also liked Octavia’s theme (“No Strings Attached” if you’re wondering what it’s called. I knew it without even checking the music files), although I thought it seemed to sinister for such a friendly pony. Special mention goes to the creepy music that plays during the Nightmare sequences. It quite literally gave me chills. Now…the voice acting… Don’t get me wrong, I liked the voice acting in general, and I know that the voice actors (in fact, everyone involved with this project) put a lot of time and effort into this and they’re likely not professional voice actors and actresses, so I’m not going to judge them too harshly (especially since I can’t do any better). I will say this, though: I found Spike’s and Scootaloo’s voices to be the most jarring (in relation to the show). The other voices weren’t completely perfect, but I got used to them, and I now in fact like them. Speaking of liking voices, I’ve fallen in love with Fleur De Lis’s voice. I give the Graphics, Music, and Voices a collective 3 out of 5 Double Bass Speakers. (Mostly because of the voices, sorry.) Characterization I think this bears mentioning, since this game in based on the beloved cartoon show, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. The characters are very much…in character. Aside from a few hiccups here and there (I don’t recall Spike ever calling someone “Bro” or invoking the “Solid”, but I could see him doing it), the characterization is very well done, and even the background ponies get their respective moments in the sun, which I found to be very nice. Um…that’s really all I wanted to say about that. I give the Characterization 4 out of 5 My Little Pony Blind Bag Figurines Final Thoughts: I haven’t actually completed Act 1 yet, so you may take this review with a grain of salt. I’m sure that some of my opinions will change as the story continues. I have seen hints of Dating Sim-style elements (Friendship Levels, specifically), but I haven’t gotten far enough in the game to see these functions have any impact on gameplay itself. For the time being, I feel as if I’m being taken on a kind of ride, but it’s a good ride and I’m excited to see where it ends up. Overall, I give the game itself 3 out of 5 Cutie Marks. Meta Thoughts: When I downloaded this game from the creator’s website, the most recent post (which I believe was dated September 29th) stated that the project had been actively sabotaged from the inside. This event is unfortunate, but response from fans has been overwhelming: They want the project to continue, despite that. As do I. As for my review, take it as you will. 3 out of 5 is nothing spectacular, but it’s hardly scathing. It just means that there’s room for improvement, which really applies to all things, when you think about it. Nothing is perfect, not even me (as shocking as that is). :derpe: I’m not a game developer, nor am I a professional writer. I’m just a guy who likes video games and My Little Pony. Love and Tolerance. Peace out.
So. It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I assure you, it’s nothing serious. Just busy with work and other things. I still pop in every day, so there’s that. To those who are playing/participating in “From the Edge of the Universe”, I got most of your replies saying that you want to keep going. Great! As an update, the only two who need converted yet are Sparkler and Twinkle, and Twinkle can’t be converted until Sparkler is. *looks up* *sheepish smirk* Oh, right. Back on topic. Lately, I’ve been participating (and I use the term loosely) in a forum-based Persona RP. For those who are unfamiliar with the Persona series, it’s a bout a group of teens who summon demons as allies to fight off Shadows. More can be found here. As I can’t get my hands on a copy of the Persona games, I’ve been playing Shin Megami Tensei II and Shin Megami Tensei Imagine (which is kind of the same, but not. Same series, different continuity). During the course of my research, something occurred to me: A Persona can be pretty much any deity-like being, as long as people believe in it. Such is the case of Mothman, who is a cryptid a la Bigfoot that makes its home in Virginia. Therefore, I propose that the following can legitimately be one’s Persona: The Flying Spaghetti Monster Cthulhu (Cthulhu is already established in MegaTen canon.) Yog-Sothoth Bigfoot Sheogorath Q As well as: Princess Celestia (I actually brought this up in the Persona RP discussion. A few actually agreed with me!) Princess Luna Nightmare Moon Discord Chrysalis Ursa Major In the Persona RP, my character’s Persona is Cerberus (the three-headed version, not the MegaTen version). I almost posted this picture as his appearance: But then I settled on a more fearsome one. :derpe: I decided that if I could use MLP characters as Personas, I’d like to have Nightmare Moon. Who would yours be?
These notes were painstakingly gathered and collected by a one mister Quilliam Bartholomew Inkwell III, at his own risk to life and limb. From the hundreds of pages of notes he has gathered, he has condensed the information down into a a few easy-to-read, concise paragraphs. Diamond Dogs are a mining society that lives a majority of its life underground. They are exceptional diggers and greatly value gems and ore. There is a sort of caste system within Diamond Dog culture that goes thusly, in descending order: The Foreman – The Diamond Dog equivalent of a King. Also knows as “The Boss” or occasionally “Top Dog” the Foreman is usually the largest and strongest member of a given tribe. The Alphas – These are the equivalents of Princes and Princesses. The Betas – The equivalent of Nobility, these usually only appear in larger or more culturally advanced tribes. This class occasionally overlaps with the Guard Dog class. The Guard Dogs – These are the knights and foot soldiers of the Diamond Dog tribes. They are easily recognizable because they are the only class that wears armor (usually plate or scale). Members of this class attempted to subdue the Mane 6 after the kidnapping of Rarity. The Diggers – These are the backbone of Diamond Dog society, and they are by far the largest group. These are the “working class” Diamond Dogs, although they don’t necessarily have to actually dig. They can be miners, artisans, shopkeepers, hunters, farmers, what have you. Members of this class kidnapped Rarity. The Mutts – The Mutts are the dregs of Diamond Dog society. No one outside of the tribes themselves know what differentiates The Mutts from The Diggers, but to the Diamond Dogs themselves the difference is as clear as crystal. That being said, being a Mutt is not necessarily a social death sentence. Oftentimes, a Mutt can be seen in the service of The Foreman, an Alpha, or a Beta. Why did I do this? I dunno. It's how my mind works. What began a a little bit of fanon for an RP turned into an hour-long (meaning it took the better part of an hour to write) dissertation on Diamond Dogs that will probably never be revealed in the course of the RP itself. I like writing. Whenever I get something in my head, be it ponies, zombies, supernatural horrors, superheroes, or what have you, I feel compelled to write about them until I have exhausted all ideas. My interest/attention span, much like the lifespan of a common mayfly, is short and fleeting. Today's brilliant idea is tomorrow's memory. An example: What did I dream about last night? I remember it was pretty cool. I think Twilight Sparkle was in it. What the heck happened? Was there a dragon? Dude! It would've made an awesome fic! This is literally the kind of thing that happened to me last year. I had a dream, and I wrote about 20 pages worth of fiction that I will never finish because of it. Why do I know that I'll never finish it? I've exhausted all of my ideas. My creativity is a paintbrush, and my mind is a blank room. One I paint myself into a corner, I give up. I leave the room and move on to other blank rooms. I have a hundred fics that I'll never finish. Sorry for raining on your (the reader's) day.
