Darkspell: Shattered Legacies page 40

Originally posted by BCLEGENDS:

[You understand, Blood, that there have been maybe two (admittedly fairly powerful) Paladins involved in any given major conflict at a time in the entire Darkspell series, and rarely has sealing the opponent been utilised in such a situation. I would presume that that’s primarily because the seal may not be 100% effective; you’ll notice that it wasn’t even attempted in DS1 against any of the Sivis Sasis or Malroth (to the best of my memory). Additionally, it’s possible for a seal to cease functioning if the sealer in question suffers some form of moderate-major distraction, such as being hit with lightning or whatever (see Ian “accidentally” causing Marth to be unsealed several times in DS1). However, seals were never intended to be avoidable, on the basis that doing so would be counterproductive. If we want to use a distance/aiming allegory, think of a Paladin’s seal spell as moving towards a target at roughly the speed of light, with an in-built homing function to boot – avoidable in theory, but in practice, it’s essentially impossible.
…Jesus, I’m going to suffer so much for saying this next thing, aren’t I… sigh
I should also note that, technically, any Ligia user can learn the seal spell, but only Paladins are taught it on a regular basis. So… yes.]

[On that small pointer, I’d like to switch topic to iIz. The grandmaster is… kind of in the middle of something right now. Best not to interrupt, really. You might want another high-level, Psychic-using Paladin to stand in for him. I dunno, edit it in your post or something… oh, or I can play as a secondary Paladin talking to your group in my next post, if that’s alright with you?]

Sure could you please and sorry bout my last post, really sorry :/

[Do you know why I’m so concerned about this? In our private chat, BC said that in the previous Darkspell games, the players have never gone up against anything strong enough to resist a seal, especially one produced by multiple Paladins. Do you know what that means to me?]

[I have planned antagonists for this game, powerful antagonists that will hopefully lead to epic battles and what not. For battles sufficiently epic, a lot has to be at stake, like the lives of most people in Imperis or something. With that much at stake, there are no reasons for the Paladins to not just swarm the antagonists and totally curb-stomp them. My antagonists are very resilient and hard to kill, but only because they have powerful magic, which will do jack shit if they have absolutely no ways of preventing their powers from being sealed. Without magic they’re totally defenseless; one blimp-sized fireball later there won’t even be ashes left of them. So much for the epic battles.]

[Don’t you think that as widespread as magical seals are, people should have figured out how to defend against them? People aren’t stupid. They innovate, especially the ones not bound by morality or ethics. And as Arken said, the seals have to have limitations and vulnerabilities. BC, I call bullshit if you dare to claim that the Paladins are just so overwhelmingly more powerful and seventeen quadrillion steps ahead of everyone else, so much so that they can improve their seals before anyone and everyone else can figure out how to get around them. Even as a co-host you don’t deserve such a monopoly and advantage. Even the GM should refrain from doing so, as it quickly pushes the whole organization into God Mode Sue territory.]

Originally posted by iIzAwesome:

[Hm BC couldnt take the time to post as grandmaster, but he could argue with B_S]

[We’re arguing about a serious problem that potentially affects everyone. I’m not posting anything until the problem is resolved the way I want it to, because I’m quite serious when I say that the game is unplayable to me otherwise. A game without meaningful conflicts is not a game worth playing.]

[I think you’re being alittle stubborn BS… “I’m not posting anything until the problem is resolved the way I want it to” is a big middle finger to the whole community, you don’t get your way all of the time. I’m going to side with BC on this one because it’s fair if the Paladin has to focus all of his energy into the seal, thus making him not able to attack…]

“I’m not posting anything until the problem is resolved the way I want it to” is a big middle finger to the whole community, you don’t get your way all of the time.

[If I don’t get my way this time, the entire Paladin organization is one giant deus ex machina that destroys all conflict. Why should I do anything when the Paladins can effortlessly do them better? It makes the game boring and the plot pointless. I won’t just not post; I’ll downright quit the game. Again, a game without meaningful conflicts is not a game worth playing.]

it’s fair if the Paladin has to focus all of his energy into the seal, thus making him not able to attack.

[Read what IE, Arken, and I have to say on this matter. A group of Paladins can basically just stun-lock and easily kill anything. BC even implied that there is nothing a group of Paladins can’t take care of with their seals. How is that fair at all?]

[Yeah, it was implied that you would quit when you said you wouldnt post, and don’t try to threaten me about leaving, im practically not even palying the game seeing how my character is still being healed by these ‘god’ characters than can do anything. That’s another thrill of the game, try and be better than what is the best, and the paladins have other shit to do, they don’t have time to go around and solve problems..]

[Its not a stun lock, a stun is where the enemy is unable to attack but you are, a seal is where neither characters can attack..]

[I don’t know why we are arguing over a game… its pointless, the last 2-3 pages is just OOC, complaining and arguing.. what a blast this game is!]

um, hello? can i play?

[No, it’s a stunlock.]

[Right now, I’m imagining a superpowerful entity aiming to blow up the entirety of Imperis with a giant fireball roughly the size of my ego.]

[Now I’m imagining that this powerful entity, a being of immense tension-building and plot advancing power, is suddenly shut down by three paladins — while a fourth just stabs him in the face.]

[Game over? Well that’s no fun at all, now is it?]

[Some of you don’t seem to realize, but this is a big fucking deal.]

[It’s kind of like if every war in the world was fought with one side in possession of a switch which instantly rendered all of the other army’s weapons useless — ALL OF THEM. ]

[Use brackets when you’re not posting in character, and Ros is on vacation or something like that where he wont have internet, wait for him to get back.]

[Bad Giggley!]

[Ignore the idiot who can’t read.]

don’t try to threaten me about leaving

[What makes you think it was a threat? When I say I will leave, I mean it. I’ve given my reasons; what else do you want? Seriously, nowadays I can’t say anything without making it sound like an empty threat.]

try and be better than what is the best

[You can’t. Because they can just seal your magic and make all your efforts useless.]

Its not a stun lock, a stun is where the enemy is unable to attack but you are, a seal is where neither characters can attack..

[Let’s see now. Say, two of my characters against two of BC’s Paladins. His first Paladin seals the magic of my first character. True, that Paladin now can’t do anything. If my second character lands a hit on BC’s first Paladin, the seal will be disrupted, and the Paladin takes normal damage from the attack. But if his second Paladin lands a hit on my first character, my character will most likely die, because his human body is comparatively extremely fragile and has no magic whatsoever to protect it. It gets even more unbalanced when there are more Paladins involved.]

the paladins have other shit to do, they don’t have time to go around and solve problems

[Their job is to enforce law and goodness across the land. So they have every reason to just curb-stomp the antagonists and ruin all conflict.]

I don’t know why we are arguing over a game

[Because the game has a serious problem. I don’t know about you, but I can’t just ignore it and pretend that it’s not there.]

[People on my side of the argument have valid points. Why are you ignoring to them? What am I supposed to do? Just back down and unconditionally surrender? True, I can’t always get what I want, which is why I will back down after Ros posts his official ruling on this matter. But should I really not try at all? Should I really never get what I want, ever? Not even when what I want is to make a good story that other people can enjoy? No, I’m not helping make a good story by arguing, but if I just ignore the problem then I can’t make a good story either.]

[I’m going to say here that I’m on B_S’s side on the argument, just in case an extra “vote” on the side makes a difference :P. I would comment on some things that I agree with and things that I don’t agree with, but I don’t have time for a lengthy post (I’m supposed to be doing stuff, as usual. I just come on here every few hours as a short procrastinating effort.). If the argument doesn’t end before I do so, expect a more detailed opinion later.]

[To help illustrate the point which B_S illustrated involving more paladins being present in a battle, here’s an example.]

[There are five paladins straight out of training, they’ve all learned their seal and are beaming with pride. There are also four baddies who are comparatively stronger, and were just about to wipe out the paladins with a rush of magical power. However, all four baddies are suddenly caught in seals which they can do absolutely nothing about — launched by mages who would not stand a chance in a back and forth fight with fireballs. The fifth paladin just hurls a few balls of light-magic, killing all of the normally super-powerful baddies with magic that they normally would have just shrugged off.]

[I realize that the seal is meant to give them an edge in battle, and not to simply act as another fireball in a back and forth battle — but there’s clever use of magic and then there’s unrealistically over-effective use of magic, the latter should not be allowed.]

B_S, I’ve gotta go with BC on this.

[… Honestly, BC’s desire to be THE STRONGEST kind of ticks me off.]

Seals take focus, and if focus is not maintained then a seal may dissipate. This would mean that sealing a person would take all of the sealer’s focus and if distracted, if they leave, or if they are attacked, the seal breaks down.

[And that implies a person is capable of removing focus from within the seal. If you actually read his posts, part of his problem was that a person can’t break seals on their own.]

[Well, unless they set up a distraction beforehand, but what’re the chances of that?]

[I think you’re being alittle stubborn BS… “I’m not posting anything until the problem is resolved the way I want it to” is a big middle finger to the whole community, you don’t get your way all of the time. I’m going to side with BC on this one because it’s fair if the Paladin has to focus all of his energy into the seal, thus making him not able to attack…]

[Hey, look! A Demon from outer space threatening to blow up the planet! What’s that you say? Paladins can just seal it?]

[And while the Demon’s sealed, other magicians can work up a big spell to finish it off? Wow! I never realised there was such a convenient solution!]

and the paladins have other shit to do, they don’t have time to go around and solve problems

[I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but people trying to blow up the city might take up slightly more priority than some petty thievery.]

[There are five paladins straight out of training, they’ve all learned their seal and are beaming with pride. There are also four baddies who are comparatively stronger, and were just about to wipe out the paladins with a rush of magical power. However, all four baddies are suddenly caught in seals which they can do absolutely nothing about — launched by mages who would not stand a chance in a back and forth fight with fireballs. The fifth paladin just hurls a few balls of light-magic, killing all of the normally super-powerful baddies with magic that they normally would have just shrugged off.]

[Have we mentioned that there is somewhere in the region of hundreds of Paladins?]

(Hm… this is a very big issue… and both sides have some valid points.)

(B_S is correct that seals, as they stand, are VERY OP. However, seals are also a part of the Darkspell plotline… so we cannot remove them completely from the game…)

(I’m hoping to try to to find a solution that lets everybody stay in and enjoy the game…)

(So… the first part of the nerfing will be that only level 8 Paladins are taught the Magic seal, effectively reducing by about 85-90% the amount of Paladins who can use the seals, seeing as there are few lvl 8’s and VERY FEW lvl 9s.)

(I also rule, and read this part VERY CAREFULLY, that full seals ARE POSSIBLE… BUT ONLY when the mage in question gives up THEIR ENERGY to do so: As such, IF A MAGE USES A FULL SEAL, THAN THEY THEMSELVES ARE ALSO SEALED! Meaning that in a 1v1 battle, this would simply nullify the battle, but in bigger situations, it gets much more complicated. And, you guys seem to be forgetting that taking a sword/bullet/shoe/ect. to the face is a GREAT distraction.)

(As for dodge-ability, seals should be dodgeable: However, seeing as a seal is one of the magics working closer to the enemy’s soul, you dodge it not physically, but magically: It’s somewhat difficult to do, but it’s essentially making the magical wave that is created pass AROUND the soul: As such, you’re pretty much making your soul aerodynamic… or magidynamic, to be more precise.)

(additionally, a seal takes up more energy than it blocks: So, for a total block, you would need to be more powerful than you’re enemy by about 10%: Or else, you’d only block most of their energy, while completely sealing yourself, allowing them to attack instead of you.)

(finally, seals cannot stack: As such, multiple paladins cannot seal one very powerful enemy: Additionally, a paladin can only use a seal on one person at a time.)

(I’m going to add more as I get input on this situation: But please, guys, just play the game and take care of this at the same time: I want progress in Darkspell, not arguing.)

[]

(I like the limits imposed so far on seals and wish to see where it goes. Question though…Lucius talking to woodland spirits, as mentioned before, is just as much a phenomenon as his aging process. Were Lucius sealed in his forest, wouldn’t the seals be ineffective due to the spirits at work? I’m just trying to work out a bug there because I don’t think phenomena count as magic. Spirits are just essences of life without physical hosts, right? Wouldn’t that exemplify them?

(Spirits are actually souls: Their form is magic. To block a spirit’s magic is to block the spirit, and spirits are infinately quicker than humans on a magical capacity: So, the spirits would be impossible to catch with a seal, so they can still affect Lucius)

(So… the first part of the nerfing will be that only level 8 Paladins are taught the Magic seal, effectively reducing by about 85-90% the amount of Paladins who can use the seals, seeing as there are few lvl 8’s and VERY FEW lvl 9s.)

[Also one level 10.]

(I also rule, and read this part VERY CAREFULLY, that full seals ARE POSSIBLE… BUT ONLY when the mage in question gives up THEIR ENERGY to do so: As such, IF A MAGE USES A FULL SEAL, THAN THEY THEMSELVES ARE ALSO SEALED! Meaning that in a 1v1 battle, this would simply nullify the battle, but in bigger situations, it gets much more complicated. And, you guys seem to be forgetting that taking a sword/bullet/shoe/ect. to the face is a GREAT distraction.)

[The whole basis of Stone’s argument is that this occurs with all seals.]

[Also, generally the seals shown by Paladins impede physical movement, if they don’t outright halt it.]

(additionally, a seal takes up more energy than it blocks: So, for a total block, you would need to be more powerful than you’re enemy by about 10%: Or else, you’d only block most of their energy, while completely sealing yourself, allowing them to attack instead of you.)

[Good…]

[Though I don’t understand why a Paladin, say, 220% as powerful as an enemy couldn’t just give up half of their energy to seal said enemy.]

(finally, seals cannot stack: As such, multiple paladins cannot seal one very powerful enemy: Additionally, a paladin can only use a seal on one person at a time.)

[Paladins used combination seals at the start of the original Darkspell, if I remember correctly.]

[Also, why the need for seals to be only used on one person at a time, if power also dictates the effectiveness of seals?]

(I’m going to add more as I get input on this situation: But please, guys, just play the game and take care of this at the same time: I want progress in Darkspell, not arguing.)

[I don’t have a character yet; Playing is an impossibility.]

Originally posted by Rosate:

(Spirits are actually souls: Their form is magic. To block a spirit’s magic is to block the spirit, and spirits are infinately quicker than humans on a magical capacity: So, the spirits would be impossible to catch with a seal, so they can still affect Lucius)

[Which essentially means he has a ‘get free from seal’ card.]

[If I remember correctly, everyone had to have one of those in the original Darkspell, including Ian.]

(I’m asking if the seal can be broken by woodland spirits outside of the seal itself.)

Originally posted by WillItBlend:

(I’m asking if the seal can be broken by woodland spirits outside of the seal itself.)

[I can’t see why not, personally.]

(The spirits would, of course be in the woods, not in a city. The camouflage Lucius wears is sort of special equipment that acts as a chameleon’s skin, matching patterns of the current environment.)

Originally posted by WillItBlend:

(The spirits would, of course be in the woods, not in a city. The camouflage Lucius wears is sort of special equipment that acts as a chameleon’s skin, matching patterns of the current environment.)

(Only in the woods. But the paladins don’t operate there much anyways.)

Knoob’s post.

(The seal system itself was very important as to the OotP/Marth’s plot: However, the number of people who can do a seal won’t ruin the plot: Anyways, Marth, if I do remember correctly, was sealed for the majority of the time by the Grandmaster: And the Grandmaster at the time was a special case, knowing 2 divine elements by having their favor… or did he?)

(Just got a nice plot idea.)

(As for the 220% thing, because B_S is right, it’s over-powered. I’d prefer fairness over logic in such a mechanic.)

(Also, physical impedements are a different spell, and much easier to dodge.)

[So basically, we’re going with B_S’s nerfed version.]

[Where in order to block an amount of magic, you need to sacrifice an equal amount of logic: with a tax on actually casting the spell.]

[OK GOOD]

[Ros, I’d like to have a word or two with you so that I can decide what to post.]

[TO THE PM!]

Originally posted by Rosate:

(I’m hoping to try to to find a solution that lets everybody stay in and enjoy the game…)

[How can I enjoy the game when I can’t post because BC won’t make me all healed up? I’ve been postless for literally 2 weeks… im getting on the edge of leaving since my character has been pryed from my hands. I’ve asked BC in many posts and whispers and he wont make them healed, seeing how a couple of days ago he said “healing magic doesn’t take long.”…]

[I want my character back.. this game isn’t fun at all… I get to sit back and read 5 pages of arguments! Oh Goody! If BC says something along the lines of “Well, the plot isn’t ready for your character to be fully healed yet because the interagation is being held up”, well let me be fully healed and let me sit in the waiting room or whatever so I can post something and develop my character..]

[If blood_shadow doesn’t post, then that means BC can’t post, meaning I don’t get my character back… i’m fed up with this… This game sounds like its a “sit back and argue about the rules” type of game. ITS A GAME, WHO CARES?.]

How can I enjoy the game when I can’t post because BC won’t make me all healed up? I’ve been postless for literally 2 weeks… im getting on the edge of leaving since my character has been pryed from my hands. I’ve asked BC in many posts and whispers and he wont make them healed, seeing how a couple of days ago he said “healing magic doesn’t take long.”…

I want my character back.. this game isn’t fun at all… I get to sit back and read 5 pages of arguments! Oh Goody! If BC says something along the lines of “Well, the plot isn’t ready for your character to be fully healed yet because the interagation is being held up”, well let me be fully healed and let me sit in the waiting room or whatever so I can post something and develop my character..

[That’s not my fault. I’ve pointed out to BC that the other characters don’t have anything to do at the moment, and suggested that he should post as Huras Himada (one of his characters in Darkspell 1 and the Paladin grandmaster after Aebasai), or some other Paladin, to interact with those other characters while the current grandmaster is busy. He ignored my suggestion. Don’t blame his inactivity on me.]

ITS A GAME, WHO CARES?

[You don’t seem to realize that the game is unplayable unless its problems are sorted out. If we just pretend the problem doesn’t exist, it’s going to destroy the plot eventually; when that happens it’s not going to be a pretty sight. I’d rather spend five pages preemptively sorting this out, rather than twenty pages later trying to unscrew the plot that has been ruined by problems we should’ve and could’ve fixed earlier.]

[Anyways, the problem has been resolved, so I’ll post now.]

Rosalyn Grayson

Lynn

“Uh,” I blink at the old man, then at the other guy. “That’s kind of a big deal. Give me a few minutes; I’ll need to talk about it with my other personality.” I close my eyes, and sink into the subconscious basement of my mind where no one but Rose and I can get to…

[When I said no one can get there, it means I do not want the following conversation overheard by anyone. Including the grandmaster. If you want to stroke your ego by showing how all-powerful and all-knowing the grandmaster is, BC, find another opportunity. This doesn’t hurt or inconvenience you, so please respect my wishes.]

Third-person omniscient point of view

Deep in the girl’s subconsciousness, Rosalyn’s imagination conjures the likeliness of a large, extravagant bedroom. It is clearly divided in half, the decorations of one side smooth, flowing, and predominantly white, while the other half sharp, angular, and predominantly black. Her two personalities are manifesting in their separate mental bodies, appearing as two girls identical in every aspect save for their eye colors, hair colors, and choices of clothing.

Rose is clad in an elegant but relatively simple white dress, reminiscent of the Victorian era. Her hair is a very light platinum blond, and a pair of white feathery wings extend from her back, making her resemble an angel. Though only a figment of her imagination, her face shows signs that she has been crying for a while. “Lynn…?” Curled on the king-sized four-poster bed, she sniffs and looks up.

Lynn wears a black dress, similar to Rose’s but less flowery and more Gothic in design. Unlike Rose’s simple elegance, Lynn’s dress is gaudier, more tight-fitting, and cut to show a very daring amount of cleavage and leg. Her hair is jet black, and she has a pair of dark leathery wings. In stark contrast with Rose’s angelic beauty, Lynn is like a demonic seductress that demands attention and worship. “Feeling better now?” She asks, floating in midair, and lets herself drop onto the bed in a quite unladylike manner.

“Y-Yeah…” Rose sniffs again but sits up. She still looks quite upset, but she is no longer curling into a ball and trying to shut out everything around her. “I-Is it… over?”

“Uh, not exactly,” Lynn says with a look of annoyance on her face, not at her alter ego but at the people holding her for questioning. “They won’t let us off the hook unless we join them, or something.”

“Wait, w-what…?” Rose blinks. “You mean… Join the Paladins…?”

“Apparently,” Lynn shrugs. “They want to teach us self control or something. What do you say?”

“Um… I don’t know…” Rose says with uncertainty and a bit of fear in her eyes. “That’s, like… a very big deal… What do you think?”

“Eh, I don’t like those guys,” Lynn gives a look of distaste. “Feels like a bunch of stubborn old bigots to me. Frankly, they seem no better than the Luminous Path.”

“Um, I’m pretty sure they aren’t that bad…” Rose murmurs, but it sounds like she doesn’t really believe in what she’s saying. “Besides, we get training and… a place to live, right? But what will our family think if we…” She gives a fearful, worried look. It is clearly known to both of them that the Luminous Path vehemently despises the Order of Paladins and everything associated with that organization, for the Paladins claim to be Light-wielders yet allow Dark mages into their ranks.

“They can go fuck themselves,” Lynn snarls. “You’re right. I’m definitely joining. The Paladins can’t be worse than those assholes who kick out their own daughter for a stupid religion.”

“B-But what if t-they…” Rose stammers, too afraid to think about the consequences.

“Oh, come on,” Lynn rolls her eyes. “Do you really think we’re important enough for them to start a war over? Besides,” she smiles savagely, “I’d enjoy kicking their asses.”

“I just hope you’re right…” Rose lets out a shiver. She doesn’t know exactly how much power and influence House Eccleston has, but they’re formidable enough that even the Order of Paladins should be wary of them. Lynn isn’t thinking that far ahead, but Rose knows that a clash between the two organizations will be disastrous for both.

“So… We joining?” Lynn asks, impatience beginning to show in her tone.

“Um, I guess…” Rose answers, still looking uncertain.

“Okay,” Lynn grins. “We’ll show ‘em what we can do, won’t we? Heh heh…”

…

Lynn

I blink a couple of times, getting myself back to the physical world again. Ugh, Rose still doesn’t feel like talking to anyone, so I guess I’ll be handling things for a while. “We’re in,” I say to the old man.

Christopher Thunderblade

James tries to take control of the electricity in my blade. Normally, my control over my own electricity is so great that no other Electric mage can control it, as the countless Electric mages I’ve killed can testify if they’re still alive; you don’t become a killing machine without learning to how to prevent your magic from being hijacked like that. But right now I’m not interested in magical arm-wrestling against a guy who wants to help me, so I just let him take as much of my electricity as he needs. I have much to spare.

“You say you’re descended from Prophracia, one of the Creators?” I begin to think. “No matter what you do, do not let the Order of Resurgence find out your heritage,” I tell him, my tone deadly serious. “Who knows what they can do with genes from one of the actual Creators… What about you?” I turn to the blue-haired guy with the exploding yo-yo.