Tickets have been booked. Childcare for Sydney has been arranged, and there is still so much to do and sort out, number one of which is finding a place to stay over there.

Anyways, despite all of this, I do have the occasional free moment of time. Rare as it is, it is hard for me to justify spending it on something that I do not feel comfortable, nor enjoy playing myself.  If I were to log on that little free time I get would be spent doing the less fun things on Dark Isles, handling complaints, getting grief and doing things for other people

So for now, the best thing for me to do is to avoid logging on, until I have more time. So that the only time spent here isn’t solely filled with the less fun things but rather will be balanced with the good and the bad.

However, if the game goes down, and can’t be kick started, I’m more than happy to get it up and running again. It just might not be right away.

Those that want to keep tabs on my life, I’m posting periodically on http://www.kiwi-mum.com.

Glimpse of Development for a Blog and Gallery Design

Currently working on a number of ‘real world’ projects at the moment. One of which, is a website that I’ll give you a little glimpse of here to the right.

The other thing I have been working on is splitting my blog into two sections, one (this one) for the mudding type stuff, and the other for the real world mummy type stuff. I figure some of you just probably aren’t that interested in that. And I admit there is often a lot of stuff I want to write about in my blog that doesn’t quite fit this place. So, I’ve mostly set up the domain, theme, etc for that up… The motivation partially behind it was to familiarise myself with WordPress themeing too before my next job… but yeah, those of you who want to read about that kind of thing, and I warn you, that’ll be where the rants, and cute kid-pictures reside… email me and let me know and I’ll send you the link.

Dryth: 10SP

Vek: 15SP

Wolfkin: 15SP

Noble Baron: 5SP

Noble Viscount: 10SP

Noble Count: 15SP

All these costs are applicable to NEW characters applying for a special.

Support <name>

Where name can be: Beckett, Darius, Flaern, Stellvia or Lenesson.
(Or any noble. However, if you support someone other than one of the candidates, your vote will be added to whom ever the noble you support is supporting).

You all have until the end of the Saturday the 12th to lodge your support. It is VERY important that everyone select one candidate to support. We will be randomly selecting 5 of those who do support and awarding them with one SP each.

NOTES:

You have one vote per character.

How much each vote is worth is dependant upon the social rank of your character… for example, the vote of a Earl is worth more than the vote of a Baron.

Citizen’s cannot vote.

Count Beckett ap Raenold, Head of House Abduros

Count Beckett ap Raenold, Head of House Abduros

WHO LIKES THEM?:

Proper nobles may fancy this candidate, as would some agriculture types and those interested in a proper succession, even if that definition has not exactly been called into question yet. Down-to-earth types and the scholarly may dismiss him as too refined to be anything but bad for the throne.

Overview: A sophisticated noble with grand dreams of a city returned to former glory.

Platform: Education, Scholarly pursuit of medicine, retaking the borderlands.

Advantages: A strong, natural candidate. While many candidates run on unique positions, Count Beckett is one of few ‘proper nobles’ for such a claim, being of a well known House, though not exceptionally powerful. He is a relatively smooth talker, persuasive, and has a core of loyal followers that form his support, and coin to expend in the acquiring of more support, or -other- ways to handle rivals.

Disadvantages: His strong views on some matters have led some to dynamic opposition of him, and he garners more support among the sophisticated than he does the masses.

HOW THE GAME WILL CHANGE:

-Beckett has a mildly expansionist policy, with possible intent to attack either the Sayaki, the demons of Talavaria to the north, or Balinand/Tarkas.

Fleet Rear Admiral Darius Merick]

Fleet Rear Admiral Darius Merick

Militants of all types, sailors, and officers in the military are likely to favor this man. Those who like peace and internal affairs first will probably not like this chap.

Overview: A young firebrand, committed to the eastwards expansion of Heassian power and the greater restoration of its military and merchant fleets.

Platform: Commerce, colonization, and adventurous risk. Believes in Seahaven as an ascendant power, whose best days are still ahead of her.

Advantages: Passionately optimistic, with a gift for oratory, Darius has a close alliance with the noted treasure hunter Desmond Valeth. Valeth has recently returned from the very edge of the dark seas surrounding the dead Dominion, and claims to have retrieved from there an artifact capable of killing the Kraken. Whatever this is, the Council has thus far denied him and Darius permission to use it, a wish they have honored out of their mutual sense of duty. Darius’ oceangoing past and promise of freeing up the seas has made him very popular with the sailors and soldiers of the southern coast, and he claims many several high-ranking sympathizers within the Royal Guard. A very distant but common-born relation to the Azure Wolf, this tenuous link to the man who essentially ran Seahaven for a generation has bolstered his claim.

Disadvantages: False rumors have long persisted that Darius and Desmond, friends since early childhood, are in fact homosexual lovers, and bawdy tavern songs to this extent have surfaced more than once. In a kingdom so recently shown the drawbacks of an heirless monarch, these rumors do not sit well with the populace or the nobility. Also counting against Darius is the fact that he is of the lowest admiral rank, but this is somewhat counterbalanced by the fact that he seems to be among the only remaining naval officers of that tier that consider their rank anything more than a defunct title.

HOW THE GAME WILL CHANGE:

-Darius is EXTREMELY imperialistic, with all intents of restoring the Seahaven navy to something better than its last golden age, conquering Balinand and subduing everything eastwards, up to if not into the Darkness. With the famous treasure hunter Desmond Valeth at his side, he may have the means to conquer some of Heas worst fears up until now.

Lord Commander Flaern ap Arian, of the King’s Rangers

Lord Commander Flaern ap Arian, of the King’s Rangers

WHO LIKES THEM?:

Expansionists, demon hunters, soldiers in general: agriculture and traveling merchant types may favor this candidate, though sophisticated nobility may perhaps find him too base for their preferences.

Overview: A skilled ranger commander with adventurous, martial views who leads from the frontlines, so to speak.

Platform: Boosting Seahaven’s confidence and power by rebuilding an army, re-taking Aruta. A fair deal for all, whether it be a noble’s expectations or a farmer’s needs. Regional supremacy.

Advantages: A frontline leadership, he’s well known among soldiers, especially in his current position of power in the Rangers(Cloaks.) His leadership through example in such combats has earned him a reputation as a skilled swordsman and tactician, and he is something of a teacher as well. Somewhat charismatic, he easily bonds with those of commoner or merchant status, as well as nobles willing to give him the time of day.

Disadvantages: He’s a wolfkin, to some degree of rumored / common knowledge. (He doesn’t hide it, but he’s not the talk of the town, either.) High nobles like dukes and grand duchesses may feel he is of low birth despite his claims and position, and refuse to have much to do with him. His frontline leadership is not without risk, either, in the eyes of some who would prefer a king that sits idle and safe and stays quiet for a bit.

HOW THE GAME WILL CHANGE:

-Flaern has an expansionist policy, with every intent to drive the demons from the Aruta Highlands capital of Talavaria, once and for all. He has slightly different views on society and minority groups like the Wolfkin that may cause policy shift within Seahaven, whether for or against currently favored standards.

Grand Dutchess Stellvia ferch Syleen, Head of House Amati

Grand Dutchess Stellvia ferch Syleen, Head of House Amati

The Tranquil Tide, the scholarly, and the sophisticated but intelligently so probably like this pick, as do many common agriculture and produce people. Soldiers, adventurers and criminals at heart probably do not.

Overview: An even-tempered, middle-aged noblewoman, interested in the improvement of life for Seahaven and its subjects.

Platform: Altruism, public works, creation of a standing militia to counterbalance the Sayaki forces and guard all the outlying towns of Heas. “Never shall there be another Talavaria,” she is fond of saying, in reference the fallen metropolis of northern Heas. She has also proposed the establishment of an Order of Magi in service to the crown.

Advantages: Stellvia has the rare political gift of being hated by none. If the vote is split between polarizing candidates, she may well win as a sort of least-objectionable alternative. She is very popular with both the lords and farmers of greater Heas, despite being a relative unknown in Seahaven. This may well prove to be a difference-maker, as it is easy to forget from inside the halls of power that Seahaven is only one part of Heas, and that there are many lords who rarely step foot within its confines. She has several sympathizers within the Tranquil Tide, due to her charitable streak.

Disadvantages: Rumors persist that Stellvia is a channeler, and it is true that she looks much younger than her age, something magecraft is rumored to accomplish. Though not a disadvantage per se, this complicates matters, as many fear such power, and it would almost certainly lead to a further souring of reputations with Balinand, possibly making her a candidate for assassination by Seekers, if ever the rumors bore out true. Also, she is an older woman, and while age is an accomplishment in men it is a liability in women, for Stellvia is an older woman, at forty, and has never borne an heir. She would be pressured to marry quickly and birth many. Stellvia is also cursed with a rare violent temper — despite being generally easygoing, with a warm exterior, rumors persist that she once beat a servant with her cane to within an inch of his life.

HOW THE GAME WILL CHANGE:

Stellvia is extremely intelligent, and would probably improve Seahaven life immensely in some regards. She is a Channeler and will try to make it openly beneficial to the kingdom by establishing a Magi Order of some sort, and is also content not fighting people around Seahaven’s territory.

Sir Lenesson Crelsea, Armiger of the High Fane

Sir Lenesson Crelsea, Armiger of the High Fane

Religious nuts, merchants, commoners of all walks of life. Some nobility, though likely not the highest tiers, due to the religious fervor involved. Heretics and those who like keeping the Gods out of their politics probably aren’t going to like this fellow much at all.

Overview: A devout foreigner to whom are accredited numerous miracles.

Platform: Purification by fire and sword of the demonspawn, Vek, and blasphemers that have infiltrated Seahaven and its environs in ever-increasing numbers. Closer diplomatic ties with the South, in order to create a united front against the Darkness. Reawakening of religious faith.

Advantages: In the Duchy of Almande, an independent human city-state in the greater landmass of Sron, there was a famous Temple of All the Gods, also known as the High Fane. The champion and protector of this temple was chosen from the local knighthood, to whom was handed the banner of the Fane and the title of Armiger. These knights were selected for their piety and stalwart virtue, as well as their strength at arms, and to them historically are attributed many miracles, and the High Fane was a place of pilgrimage from the world over. Some six years past the first Darkfall, Lenneson arrived in Seahaven with a small contingent of Almandish folk, bearing the Armiger’s regalia. He declared he had been sent to the place in the world where he would be most needed, and told of a harrowing trek across the Isles to Heas, in which most of his followers perished. He claims that Almande still feels the light of the suns, a country protected by the blessing of Elbahn. His tales are more the stuff of legend than anything else, tall tales, but Lenneson has remained a figure emblazoned on the popular imagination. One event is widely accepted as fact: Sent to reclaim Talavaria, he and his men somehow managed two weeks’ march in a single day, under cover of night, something none of those involved are coherently able to explain. Lenneson and his contingent have in recent months returned, and he will not speak of his experience, saying only that his resources were insufficient to the task. He has decided instead to “purify that kingdom which is left to us, before we struggle for more.”

Disadvantages: Lenneson is not the Armiger of the High Fane. Marooned on an uninhabited atoll, he is a former mercenary. The true Armiger’s ship broke up against the rocks of this island just after the Cataclysm, and the sailors settled there on the island for a time, creating temporary log houses and welcoming Lenneson into their fold, while they worked at reconstructing the ship, which was more debris than anything else. Eventually, after suffering extreme losses when the Kraken itself came upon the island, they were able to escape. As he drove off the Kraken with the Armiger’s lance, the men of Almande declared Lenneson the new Armiger. Lenneson has gone to great lengths to hide that he is not a knight, even though the true story would still impress. He is incredibly insecure about being the champion of a place he has never visited. It is only a matter of time before one of his followers breaks the oath of silence on the issue Lenneson exacted. Moreover, he is not noble, nor is he a native.

HOW THE GAME WILL CHANGE:

Seahaven will become a zealous, one-church state worshiping all Six. Lenneson will probably begin an Inquisition to root out heresy and Vek, and Rhonastre will almost certainly become an enemy.

Silver Points are an award system for players and staff. A way for us (and you guys) to award role-play that you think is just a little bit special.

These points can then be used to purchase a number of privileges, including but not limited to:

• Specials such as Channellers, Dryth, Vek’pem Ahyre, Wolfkin and Nobles
• Multiple characters
• Icing and unicing of characters
• Skill and attribute points above the maximum amount that can be purchased with RPP.
• Return a character from death

So, how can you award silver points? This is where the catch is, you can only award them when you have them yourself. And only award up to the total value of the SPs you have been awarded. For example, if you have been awarded 25 SPs in total, you can award 25SP. If you use those up, you’ll need to be awarded more yourself before you can award them in turn. The person being awarded will be notified that they have been and the reason why, but will not be told who it came from.


NOTE: These points are not awarded for every day role-play. We do not want to players awarding other players for a good mud-sex scene, or normal tavern role-play. It should be reserved for the exceptional. For example:

• A good plot
• Holding a good event
• Providing good conflict (not necessarily combative) to the game
• Involving newbies in a scene and helping them get involved in the game
• Going above and beyond to provide aid to newbies
• An exceptionally played scene

This command is logged and those that abuse it will be punished.

I hope my children look back on today
And remember a mother who had time for play.
There will be years for cleaning and cooking
‘Cause children grow up when we’re not looking.

My dishes went unwashed today
I didn’t make my bed
I took his hand and followed
Where eager footsteps led

Oh Yes, we went adventuring
My little child and I
Exploring all the great outdoors
Beneath the sun and sky

We watched a robin feed her young
We climbed a sunlit hill
Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky
We plucked a daffodil.

That my house was so neglected
That I didn’t brush the stairs
In twenty years no one on earth
Will know or even care.

But that I’ve helped my little child
To noble adulthood grow
In twenty years the whole wide world
May look and see and know.

About a decade ago I was blacking out regularly. I was stick thin weighing in at about 50kilos and given that I’m not exactly short, that, for me, was a good 10 – 15 kilos lighter than I normally am. I was barely eating and going out every other night clubbing. I thought the blacking out and feeling crap was just a side effect of my life style, and I couldn’t see why my family were making such a fuss. In the end I caved in, registered at a doctor (I’m not big on GP’s) and got a blood test.

A day later I had a phone call from my GP, who was lovely, telling me that my white blood cells are low. Really low and asking me how I was. She wanted me to get retested in a couple of days. I did. And I got another call. This time, it was the surgery saying I needed to come in urgently. Right away. I did, and they said I had to go into hospital right away.. so a couple of hours later I was being admitted into hospital for testing. I was there for a couple of weeks. And it was a bit of a nightmare. Horrid tests and procedures.. nothing showed anything significant. Just that my white blood cells were really, really dangerously low. They were about to do a chest x-ray, and then they found out I had something called Ectodermal Dyslasia. And even though they had no idea what it was, they decided to just put it down to that and sent me home. If they had of done that chest x-ray.. they’d of discovered I had cancer. They didn’t.

My family, frustrated with the result and with all of us knowing that something else was going on, took me to my old childhood GP in Ngaruawahia. He pulled strings and managed to get me an appointment with the right people. They did the chest xray and I was diagnosed with Hodgkins.

If he hadn’t of done that, then the cancer would of progressed much further and I might not be alive today. Today I found out, that this same family GP, who is still quite young, has been diagnosed with cancer. Cancers plural. Liver, lungs, pancreas, bowel, everywhere. And he likely doesn’t have long. There were no symptoms, no clues. It just happened. And fast. Very aggressive.

I quickly got the family together tonight and organised a big bunch of roses because I know he loves them from all of us.

It doesn’t seem right. I really am not a fan of death.

Strawpeople, Taller than God. This is what I was listening to back when I was diagnosed.