planning [OOC] The Blackwater Quarry OOC

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

Well, Blitz have no interest in Dax's heart, so no competition there. She's interested in what every other 10 year old filly is. You know, muffins, adventure, hand grenades, machines, fireworks, dynamite, high explosives in general, gadgets, that sort of thing. She'll be jealous if whoever it is tries to steal Dax away completely, so that he won't have any time with her, especially since she have some fireworks she wants him to see, but she'll be happy if he's happy.

As for Illiad, I'll say it's a shame he won't be joining us yet, but I'll look forward to when he does.  Not letting you off the hook for that chat with Selena that Ziggy wanted once upon a time just yet.

[Widdershins 9,955]

Hallo, Boys! I'm BaaaAAAaaaAAACK!!!

 So what's been going down around here since I left some... considerable time ago? Believe I had some... two characters here, so I might wanna par down a bit, as I will be working a Jerb. There still room to pick back up or am I too far out of time? Have been contemplating starting my own rp thread as my Hydra.   ...if I had experience in managing others for such.

[Hazard Time 1,127]

@Widdershins

Everyone's coming back!

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Widdershins

You know, that is exactly how I imagine you look like. So fitting. xD Welcome back.

Not all that much have gone on really. Some explosions, Jasper Cragg got around and made Luther angry, somepony drugged the front gate guards, a filly broke in (unrelated) and a huge fireworks display are going off above the graveyard. There's also a few psychics there now, a manipulative noble with her servant that's crushing on Dax, and Illiad is back.

Huh... Guess you should read a few pages to understand some of that, but you know, the gist of it.

And yes, the filly mentioned is mine, which is why I know her break-in to be unrelated. It's Blitz, here to wreck havoc in another RP thread.  Keep your matches close at hoof.

===========================================================================

 

@Hazard Time

Crazy, right? Now we just need the boss @Randimaxis around to welcome them folks, and we're on a roll. :3

[Widdershins 9,955]

36 minutes ago, Blitz Boom said:

You know, that is exactly how I imagine you look like.

Chubby, manic, screamy & at the helm of something they clearly don't understand nor should have been responsible for in the first place? Sounds about right.

 Oy! Hey!

But that's the positive side of charging face first into bright, certain death. (Not like, of course, I have alot of experience doing that.) Gives a bit of serenity along the lines of "Welp. I've made my bed & now I'm gonna go lie in it now."

 Point taken.

40 minutes ago, Blitz Boom said:

Huh... Guess you should read a few pages to understand some of that,

*slams a claw dramatically on the desk in front of it. Which then precedes to pop off and rattle away.* 

A Draconequus needs no Context Clues! Draconequus only makes things go further haywire!!?!!

 

 Which does remind me. @Hazard Time? You still waiting on me for that other part? Sounds like the carriage has already crashed then; unless y'all already made alternative plans? 

[Hazard Time 1,127]

@Widdershins

Hope you don't mind, but I moved on.  The twins are currently where most of the group seems to be.

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

Wow, everyone started posting as soon as I went to bed.

@@Hazard Time

I really like your empathic character, I was actually commenting on her to Randimaxis the other day, and I think this would be a good thing to bring up here in the OOC about empathics, to see if you have the same Idea as I do.

Spoiler

Just wanted to comment on the new Empath, Ophelia,

I think she's very well made, and exactly in line with what I have envisioned for empathics.

 

Empathy is usually layered over one or more of the five senses in the exception of the highest level which have it as a fully separate sense.

They are leveled here, the level of an empathic is determined by the level of the highest level interaction, plus one for every secondary ability.

1. Touch, they can sense and manipulate emotions only when in physical contact. Secondarily, they can feel when someone they are closely related with is touched. (Being level 1.5)

2. Taste, they sense emotions like flavors, they would describe people or items as tasting happy or sad, usually, this vocabulary is curbed at a young age, but they still feel it in the mouth. They are especially adept at knowing the emotions of those who made things, particularly food items.

2.5, Consumption, a trait almost exclusive to changelings, in addition to tasting emotions it is a source of magical energy, a staple in their diet.

3. Hearing, they can hear in the tone of voice exactly what others are feeling. Usually, they use their words as the way of influencing others, to say that their words have emotional power.  

4. Smell, they can smell the emotions of others in the air, emotional energy of this type tends to linger, and thus they are the first being able to track creatures based on their emotional energy.

4.5, Pheromones, some smell empathics can release emotional effective chemicals.

5. Sight, They can see it in the air and on the faces of others, they can see ribbons of it streaming out from others, points of light of varying brightness and color, that can often be perceived even if their eyes are closed, or are blind.

 

Illiad is a level 6, primarily Sight but also uses Hearing.

Ophelia strikes me as a level 6 as well for Sight and Touch

 

Normal ponies can gain empathic abilities through prolonged exposure to powerful empathics.

I would add to the information above that empathy as a magical ability, in my mind, bases on a push-pull system where there is a sense of conservation of energy. An emotion can't come from nowhere, and has to go somewhere. It can be transformed, but only through the body of someone, and not in the air. It can, however, be 'Distilled' or separated into base parts to then provide desired effects, but such distilling influences can typically only be operated by experienced empathics.

In short, I think Illiad and Ophelia would have an... interesting... interaction.

[Hazard Time 1,127]

40 minutes ago, Illiad Easle said:

Wow, everyone started posting as soon as I went to bed.

@@Hazard Time

I really like your empathic character, I was actually commenting on her to Randimaxis the other day, and I think this would be a good thing to bring up here in the OOC about empathics, to see if you have the same Idea as I do.

  Hide contents

Just wanted to comment on the new Empath, Ophelia,

I think she's very well made, and exactly in line with what I have envisioned for empathics.

 

Empathy is usually layered over one or more of the five senses in the exception of the highest level which have it as a fully separate sense.

They are leveled here, the level of an empathic is determined by the level of the highest level interaction, plus one for every secondary ability.

1. Touch, they can sense and manipulate emotions only when in physical contact. Secondarily, they can feel when someone they are closely related with is touched. (Being level 1.5)

2. Taste, they sense emotions like flavors, they would describe people or items as tasting happy or sad, usually, this vocabulary is curbed at a young age, but they still feel it in the mouth. They are especially adept at knowing the emotions of those who made things, particularly food items.

2.5, Consumption, a trait almost exclusive to changelings, in addition to tasting emotions it is a source of magical energy, a staple in their diet.

3. Hearing, they can hear in the tone of voice exactly what others are feeling. Usually, they use their words as the way of influencing others, to say that their words have emotional power.  

4. Smell, they can smell the emotions of others in the air, emotional energy of this type tends to linger, and thus they are the first being able to track creatures based on their emotional energy.

4.5, Pheromones, some smell empathics can release emotional effective chemicals.

5. Sight, They can see it in the air and on the faces of others, they can see ribbons of it streaming out from others, points of light of varying brightness and color, that can often be perceived even if their eyes are closed, or are blind.

 

Illiad is a level 6, primarily Sight but also uses Hearing.

Ophelia strikes me as a level 6 as well for Sight and Touch

 

Normal ponies can gain empathic abilities through prolonged exposure to powerful empathics.

I would add to the information above that empathy as a magical ability, in my mind, bases on a push-pull system where there is a sense of conservation of energy. An emotion can't come from nowhere, and has to go somewhere. It can be transformed, but only through the body of someone, and not in the air. It can, however, be 'Distilled' or separated into base parts to then provide desired effects, but such distilling influences can typically only be operated by experienced empathics.

In short, I think Illiad and Ophelia would have an... interesting... interaction.

That was an insightful read, and I'm glad you like her!  I've been developing Ophelia's abilities, and I'm still trying to nail down her exact powers, so don't be surprised if during the course of this thread, some things get retconned.  What I have right now anyway is what you've already described, where she's able to sense emotions through either direct skin or eye contact.

The downside to this is that, while she's reading others' emotions, the other person knows their psyche is being invaded and rifled around through.  Ophelia can be as delicate as she wants, but the amount of mental distress her actions typically cause is akin to stripping the subject down and examining every inch of their naked body.  Unless the other pony is very familiar with her, as is the case with her sister, Dahlia, the longer the bond is held, the greater the feelings of violation and distress grow.  She's never caused any lasting harm with this ability, but she's since grown her bangs out to conceal her eyes and wears thick stockings to shield her sensitive hooves.  That doesn't mean she doesn't still try to be social and outgoing, even if her more mature sister is constantly trying to reel her in.

I came into the thread rather late, and so I'd love to see how well Ophelia and Illiad get along!

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@@Hazard Time

I suppose then we could effectively have two types of Empathics here, Illiad is a passive type, he is constantly aware of the emotions of those around him, while Ophelia is an active type, only aware when she actively persues it.

Very interesting. Given that we could say that Illiad is a bit more powerful at range, while Ophelia could very well be more powerful close up.

Selena still absolutely dominates in the mental sphere though when it comes to empathy.

As soon as we get Randimaxis back online this should get very interesting given who I intend to bring on as my main in this RP.

[Widdershins 9,955]

@Hazard Time Oh, that's alright! As I have likely stated before, it'd be much more wise for me to focus more on quality than hamhoofidly shoving in characters where I can! 

 

 @Illiad Easle   ...I have a hard time determining if you're old or new around here, lol! Nice to meet you; you're new to me!

  ...hmm. Are you getting this stuff about Empathy from somewhere? If you do not mind me saying so, it does seem a trifle like unbased headcannony. Rather like a logical option than necessitated guidelines to follow, if you get me? 

 All the same, your sentiment intrigues me, as my Ponysona is kind of based off emotion too. Are you saying that Empathy is the manipulation of the emotional energies? Because Ambie is more of the giver than the reciever. I wanted to play around with the idea of being part Changeling, but getting the shorter end of the genetic stick. 

 

 While I... considering my main two characters are the ones I'm interested in rping, and I'm balancing two rp threads here... I really, honestly cannot think of any way to bring Ambie over here, if it came to that. So that's... not quite... what I'm implying at here.

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@

I suppose I'm a bit of both, I was here about two years ago as a plot point, but now I intend to come back to stay.

As to Empathics and Empathy, I suppose it is my personal headcannon to start, but it builds into the stories I've published.

Empathy primarily fally into two categories, Introverts and Extroverts. Introverts produce more energy themselves than they consume, thus are more able to give said emotion in others. Extroverts consume more energy than they produce, thus strive to collect energy from others via social situations to make up the deficit. Changelings fall into the extrovert category as they produce no emotional energy, thus must make up all of it through outside means. Thus Extroverts seek to cultivate positive emotions in others in order to later harvest the excess.

Use it as you like, I have more.

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

Well, given Randimaxis has posted, might as well introduce my character while I wait for the go-ahead to post in.

@@Randimaxis@Hazard Time@Blitz Boom@Widdershins

Oracle Delphi

(I lack pictures unfortunately, she's newer than my others.)

Link to character page

Randimaxis and I were thinking that she would come on as an Executive Secretary or Asistent, especially considering that Mr. Blackwater is about to have an anuerism (might be spelled right) she seems like a very useful addition to the quarry, someone who's job would be to mediate any troubles on the quarry grounds so that Mr. Blackwater need not be bothered with trivial matters.

Plus, you know, getting close to Dax and all that.

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

So uhm... Okay, a 5 year old changeling that have gone through accelerated growth... And is supposed to be together with Dax in the long run? Kinda special, but alright, I'll run with it. Makes enough sense that changeling needs to reach maturity fast to be able to go out and harvest quicker. The old school changelings anyway. I can imagine the new ones will be somewhat different, and considering the apparent good willed nature of Delphi, I imagine that she's gonna end up going that route in the long run.

I would personally say that she'd be better off as a personal assistant at first at least, since if Luther ends up finally snapping now, he'll need bed rest, and needs a middle link to the quarry. Vylia have her own things to do too, so there'd logically need to be somepony in with good credentials to take this role, and then see if they stay on in the same or somewhat same job once Luther have recovered.

I think she'd like Ziggy honestly. She's practically oozing love, and as another tall one with zebra influence, they might have something to talk about, even if only one of them have true zebra heritage.  Walking, gullible buffet.

If you want some interaction with another changeling queen at some point, lemme know. I have two versions of one that I can use, regular and reformed. Might be useful to you if you're going for an angle at some point.  Beyond that, this will be interesting, and I can't wait to throw grenades at her send her hugs. ^^

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

(Chrome's spell checker broke, so I apologize in advance.)

@@Blitz Boom

My view on changelings comes from a very well writted FiMFic called A Novel Tale, which is an excelent read and explains manny different concepts about changelings.

Primarily, or to say relevently, it says: There are quite a few different hives of Changelings, each one with a queen, and each with it's own preferred emotion.

Chrysalis was the exception to the rule that changelings seek peaceful coexistence, creating unique identities to cultivate and harvest their preferred emotion from those around them.

Changeling reproduction, eggs are laid in a cucoon that is filled with emotion gel saturated predominantly with the hive's preferred emotion. takes a few months of gestation before hatching, then about a year before full maturity is reached. Queens take a full two years in the cucoon, then another few years to fully mature. Normal changelings can be done in egg groups, about a dozen per batch, but queens can only be produced singally.

In short, yes Oracle is very young to be out and about already, but she is essentailly a fully functioning adult by changeling standards.

I do already have a few queens I use when I need to, two great ones and one that is the core of dark legends, known today as the Killer Queen. But if you want to do a different RP where we could bring out our queens, that could be interesting. I just don't see it fitting in here at the quarry though.

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

Killer Queen, eh? Mine's the Slaver Queen. Full on overwriting memories of her victims to make them willing slaves for her until the day they perish from the work and having their emotions eaten. Figured I couldn't openly kill in here, so I went with a less physical, but still pretty horrible direction. I even have her down as turning citizens against one another during an invasion, to make the takeover easier. She pays for this in lack of raw magical power, which leaves her weaker in a fight queen to queen.

As the the headcanon story you present, it sounds interesting enough, but weird since I'd argue that no matter the emotion needed, if they're akin to OG changelings, they're mostly not friendly. Love, fear, joy, or whatever, they still eat the emotions, hence they prey on ponies. Though I could see some arguments for a few hives going specifically for bad emotions to perhaps getting a good, symbiotic relationship going with certain areas. Like if they ate all the hate or something, and managed to get enough to not deal with the hunger too much.

I agree on the egg cycle completely though, and hey, these are just my views on things. This is Randi's thread, so whatever headcanons he accept is the rule here.

Oh, and something that have nothing to do with this thread as it is, fun fact to you: Back when Illiad was on about anti-magic before you went away for a few years, I made a pair of mares from Troy who is all about anti-magic, that I called Null and Void. Perhaps I'll tell you more about them some day, but I've had a good deal of fun with them. They badmouth Troy a lot though.

Edited September 29, 2018 by Blitz Boom

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@@Hazard Time

That's quite the queen, very doable and realistic.

The only difference I have, being especially key, is how emotions are consumed.

Like I stated in the part on Empathics, all creatures produce and consume emotional energy, it's something given off, radiated out of those that produce more than they consume. Thus Changelings can easily harvest the excess without damaging the crop so to speak, a sustainable resource. Of course, they can also take more than the excess, draining their targets of all their emotional energy, but typically would only be done in extreme cases or in an emergency. IE why chrysalis was the exception rather than the rule. The changelings do what they can to make those around them feel positive emotions so that said energy is radiated for them to collect.

It would be, for example, ants that cultivate fungus. They create the area so the fungus can grow, then eat the growth while leaving the original untouched or expanded, both benefit. Especially in the case of changelings, usually, all this emotional energy would go to waste, dissipate like heat, except for the occasional empathic like Illiad or Ophelia, were the changelings not there to collect it.

I would love to meet your characters, especially if they hail from Troy. Can you link me to them?

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Illiad Easle

Yeah sure, hold on.

 

 

Fair warning, it's not a pleasant story they have. I pretty much intended for them to represent the dark side of the way you represented Troy back in the day, especially in regards to the harsh stance towards anti-magic.

But hey, the former lawmakers that was ultimately responsible, so you know, a new Troy have dawned now, right?

As for the changeling thing, what you say make some sense actually. I might incorporate that into my own thread, though really, would fit what I wrote before so not much need to change. They may be able to show emotions for a long time, but the manual labor is another story, especially since her original hive were in a desert. Plus she have an issue with wanting to stay in power, and think that ponies aren't equals, but simply food and slaves. Working together was never gonna happen.

Honestly, having a hard time getting her to be reformed in my thread currently, but there's a loooot of pressure. I don't know how, but somehow she ended up in a meeting with several of the element wearers, Discord, another draconequus, a sphinx etc. that all want to push for her to change. Like a flea between several large rocks.

And to go to another point you made, I do think another of Chrysalis's problems though, were that her hive simply became far too big, combined with her need for control. She overfed on beings she didn't see as important and made her hive accustomed to that, so being starved for food were an inevitable outcome the second she met actual resistance.

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@@Hazard Time

Thanks for the links, I'll comment on them on their sheets so as to not clutter this thread with OT discussion.

Very nice all the rest, if you want to have some more advice, I could start up my Advice thread again. In fact, I will do just that in a bit, or late tonight, I'll send you the link when it's ready for ya.

[Widdershins 9,955]

 Dearest @Randi to the Maxis:

  So... have been working on a semi-villainous diamond dog boss, and on account of your place having a great big honking gem in the center of it, I can-

No! Wait! I must... contain the... Creative Urrrge! 

  With time limited on account of a new job, been thinking, perhaps best I limit myself to my two mains in the two Rp threads I am a part of. ...Unless, of course, I can potentially coerce both you & @Blitz Boom into a joint rp thread centered around my Hydra-sona... *hand steepling*... No, no, but... And I suppose this same sentiment applies to B.B. as well...

 I would like to, perhaps, replace Clod Hopper with one of my aforesaid two mains. Trouble there is, while I may have been over a few venues where Widdershins might come into play in your setting, (ought redo his entry page sometime again too...) I cannot really think of any way to wedge my ponysona into your world. So, your pick of the two. And without adieu, I introduce you, to: [Full name & title] Ambisinister "Ambie" Vector Valence of the Canterlot Vector Valences.

 I kind of headcannon it that "Ambisin" was a "traditional Changeling-sounding name" his father vied for, but his Mother insisted on the latter two names and tweaking the first a little as well.

 

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@@Widdershins

I like your character, but I have a hard time seeing how he would fit in at a mine...

But like I commented on his page, he looks like a great pony, and very well written.

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Widdershins

I may be willing to join you in said thread, depending on of course, what the sort of character you'd be looking for were.

As for Ambie... Lemme see, scared of the dark rules out the mines, his personality as a whole with being pretty oblivious to things rules out any sort of office job. Being nervous around too many ponies too is an issue, and I can't see him working as an accountant, as he doesn't have any job experience...

You know, there is 1 position that might actually fit him, if it were you wanted to push him in. Cleaning crew. We've seen miners, inventors, doctors, bosses, and stuff like that, but so far, not really any mention of who handles cleaning up the mess that's left around, especially after incidents like the mine getting flooded when the tower broke down. Ambie may well have stumbled over the place desperate for some kind of employment, and there was a need for somepony in the ranks of the cleaning crew. He'd pretty much be left alone there, unless something went wrong.

Optimally, I'd say those should be there during the night, as to not disturb the regular workers, but unless you want him to get a flashlight strapped to his head, a daily cleaning crew could work just fine too. He'd be very low on the ladder, and likely have some warnings from accidentally pushing over a bucket of water now and again, but you know, it could technically work.

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@Randimaxis

Sorry for not responding in the thread yet, but been some busy days. I'll try and get a post out one of the next few days (Busy tomorrow, so not certain I can then). Don't worry, we'll give Luther an aneurysm soon enough.

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@@Hazard Time@Randimaxis@Blitz Boom@Widdershins

Okay, just got the Go-ahead from Randimaxis by message. I look forward to being a part of this again!

[Blitz Boom 4,427]

@Hazard Time

I hope you'll soon have the time to post again mate, so we can get the show running. ^^ With illiad back and Widdershins poking in to see what's what, we might be getting this place more lively than it have been in a while.  

[Randimaxis 8,633]

I'll give it 'til next week - then I'm forging ahead.

This will mean HT's characters will simply continue to exist, they'll just be doing background stuff - settling in, eating, wandering around - until their writer has returned.  In fact, EVERY character that's showed up here, with one exception [fans know who left], is still wandering the grounds, doing their job until otherwise posted.  Naturally, I'd ask that the players steer clear of interacting with them, unless I have been given express permission to do so.

*grins at @Blitz Boom*

Now... I will attempt to speed this rp up to at least one post a week - more when I find time.  I want to start to move things forward, and the biggest setback to that so far (I feel) has been my sporadic posting.  If you like, you're ALL welcome to make suggestions as to what day might be best for me to try to set as my 'reply day'; I sometimes work better with a day in mind to accomplish certain things.

 

[Hazard Time 1,127]

Sorry I haven't been active!  Wasn't sure if everyone was waiting on me or not.  I'll try and get out a post tomorrow.