Fist and Faith wrote:I sound more like a child complaining to his parents "I can't be me!" because he is being forced into becoming a doctor, when he wants to be a lawyer.
I don't think so. Your profession is your totem. I'm not asking you to change totems. I'm not even asking you to play more like another player (hell, I can't even get people to submit their turns in the way I've outlined in the rules). What I'm asking you to do is realize that there's more to being Shen Mountain than just buffing up your tribe. I'm asking you to take on some
collateral duties (chores, if you will), giving significant leeway in choosing which ones you take on. And like any parent, I ask because I think it will build character (in this case, Shen), but more importantly, because I need a little help around here.
Yes, that's more than what you're doing. But your child's complaint is less than what you're doing.
I don't understand what this means, but I don't imagine it's good. Is the complaint against my original simile? Maybe the connotation denotes a lack of skill on my part. How about the Masters compared to the Giants (Covenant, not a weird sports analogy). It's dark in here right now, so I can't quote directly, but near the end of AATE, the giants say 'We do not seek to control the wind, merely use it to get where we want to go.' The Humbled say, 'We're fine with perishing so long as it's on our terms.' Now, we all love the Haruchai, but your chosen handle aside, who comes off better in that story?
That depends on the attendant necessity.
Sure, that's why the other players who chose to participate are no longer the same players.
The past is written in my bones.
I liked that part and believe I said as much. It shows you have the ability to use what your character is in the context of the larger story.
I could even have been given some kind of bonus when looking for information from the past.
Not likely. I said the advantages would be
something like a domain. More along the lines of if something happened in the world related to it, people would likely look to you for answers first. Now, if you can bolster your move by referring to something in your character's past results, I'm always for giving that kind of leeway.
What is the Jewish God's answer to the question of the afterlife?
Olam ha'Ba. It's pretty standard, though it's not the focus that Heaven or Hell is to Christians (and faith is pretty much right out the window, if you're curious). However, I'm not asking you to make it a focus, only to have it in your repertoire.
Some Jews don't believe there's any afterlife.
Some of your tribe might not either. Judaism is as much an ascribed, cultural role as it is a chosen one, so there is that to take into account. If Mormonism was a race (a cultural construct in itself), you could just as easily say that I am evidence that Mormons don't believe in God.
How can they follow such a god? Maybe the afterlife isn't a necessary component of faith.
This sounds more like an ex post facto justification than something you planned. Let's hope you're right. However, since I've never mentioned Judaism as one of the inspirational or underlying models for this game (considering I speak Hebrew, probably something I'd mention), I'd say it's dicey.
Because you're demanding something else.
Unfair. Remember the poll? I gave everyone here the opportunity to demonstrate the superiority of their view. Yours didn't win. But since no one model commanded a significant lead, I tried to incorporate some from everybody's, including yours. Maybe that's not good enough for you, but painting me as a tyrant is uncalled for... in this case, anyway.
But my sanctuary is in the Trunk.
That's like building a bridge that ends where it begins. Maybe it'd give you a nice view, but it wouldn't go anywhere.
I'm a simple mountain spirit, building from the ground up.
No, you're a god. And while what that exactly means in this game is something I've left to players to both discover and define, it entails a bit more responsibility than a mere spirit, especially since of all the players, you seem to prize faith from your followers more highly.
I'm of the earth. My people are of the earth.
All I can do is shake my head at this. You don't seem to want to listen to anything I say about the other realms. I can see, even somewhat appreciate why you wouldn't want to work much with crown (even though, as Murrin said, a high peak puts you closer to it than most). But Root? Scuff your feet in your holy place and you're practically there! In fact, the only thing really keeping it from
not being in Root is that would defeat the purpose of having a holy place. You might as well say, 'I'm a plainsman and like to keep my feet on the ground, so I'm going to pretend my basement and attic don't exist.' Sure, the basement's kind of scary, and the attic is cramped and dusty. I'm not asking you to move your family into it, though. But if you don't check them once in a while... you could find yourself with some pretty hefty repairs. Leaks in the basement, bats in the rafters...
As my power grows, I'll delve into the other realms. I can get to them easily enough when the time comes. Kokoro's sitting right there, after all.
Well, don't let my broader knowledge of the game dissuade you from your confidence.
That means my problem isn't with the metaphysical, arcane nature of the game.
Then stop complaining about it. And if that's the case, doesn't it just come back to you not liking what I'm asking you to do, invalidating your implication both before and later in your post that the failing is mine for not making things clear enough?
Fine. I'm an asshole for trying to guide people to where I think they need to be and for trying to set them up for what's to come. And from what some players have said, people are waiting for something to happen. So am I, but you guys are not yet ready, either as a group or individually, for what I'm going to bring. Your stats alone should tell you that.
I would think it's clear after so many years that my problem isn't laziness or lack of enthusiasm.
Not in this game, it's not. I've received nothing from you in this game but complaints, recalcitrance, and flippant disregard, despite answering more of your questions and working more with you on your submissions and results than I have with any other player (except maybe Menolly, but that's expected and at least she's nice about it).
The fact that you've had to post several times because I'm not nearly the only one not making trial deadlines might also suggest something other than I'm just a complainer.
Perhaps, but they're nice enough to at least lie about it and not laugh about how they intentionally didn't play because they didn't like the game. Well, Menolly said she'd be leaving, but she did so in advance and fortunately changed her mind (with no suggestion to do so from me, I would add).
While it's your right to participate if you want to, it's mine to decide whether I want a player with such an attitude. If it didn't violate my ideas of fairness, I'd probably be inviting you to withdraw from the game as well.
Of course, if you truly speak for the many, I'd rather fold up the board right now.
You could have hinted at things in various ways.
Who's to say I haven't? No, I haven't sent messenger elves to your door, or written a big sign across the sky. I will never intentionally reveal anything to a player that they have no reason to know.
Besides which, I pretty much did exactly what you suggest for Acropolis I. There were so many hints I gave out of broader things going on, that I was sure somebody would put it together eventually. For instance, did anyone realize that over half of the players had rather mysterious free servants whose names ended in -ker? There was a whole story going on there, tied into the king, that nobody even scratched the surface of.
Even the battle at the end, which I telegraphed pretty far in advance, was a lot harder for the players than I had anticipated, leading me to pull some punches.
Or an Events kind of post about how we noticed that all of our peoples have a similar myth about a planar beast.
Why should I create your myths for you? To me, that's telling you who you are. Besides which, you'd reject it anyway—as you have the cosmology I've presented, as you have the roles I've told you people expect a god to have. You want me to give you knowledge you haven't earned, but you spurn the chances I've already offered you.
And besides, the Planar Beast is a perfect example of a wild goose chase that such 'hints' can turn into.
But we know you're giving a warning, so we'd be wise to try to prepare for it.
I think you're overly generous in your assessment. I can't even get people to listen to me about how I would like their turns submitted, no matter if I announce it in the forum, put it in the rules, and point people to the new rules.
And we'd get to do so in a way that feels right to us.
Then why can't you do so in the Trial? There's so much variety in what you can do, so much leeway in how you do it, that I find your objection incomprehensible.
But you know, if you don't want my gifts, I will just accept the dishonor of your refusal. And if you think you can run a better game, I'll be the first one to sign up.