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Melody is game!

*Hugs* I hope things get better. We love you and hope you come back!

[Q: Is Evereska still happening?]

Hey everyone! I wanted to give an update on where Evereska is and to answer a few other questions, since I keep being asked and I know you're curious why it's taken so long!

Q: Is Evereska still happening?

Evereska is still happening. Don't worry! It's been delayed endlessly and I sincerely, deeply apologize for that. A combination of health issues, packing things to move to a new house IRL, work life taking precedence, a desire not to concurrently run Evereska when DoM is going, and certain other issues I won't get into have largely slowed down the process.

Q: When is Evereska happening?

Right now, it's delayed until my parents and I can move into our new house. There are some delays doing that involving getting the renovated home up to code, ensuring everything is packed, preparing the old house to look good enough to put on the market, etc. All standard stuff that occurs and inevitably slows things down. Until I'm moved into the new home, I don't want to risk starting Evereska, only to have to suddenly pause it again because the big moving days/weeks/whatever have begun.

I predict maybe September or October, November at the latest, but don't quote me on that. Things are fluid so I can't nail down a specific date.

Q: Why did you step down from sDM and other stuff? Is everything okay?

Yes, everything is okay! I stepped down from sDM because it's a lot of paperwork and right now, I need a break. I'm always happy to serve but sometimes putting my own needs first ... well, comes first. Most of the team and I are on excellent terms, so you needn't worry about that. Ladybug and Blackheart are both excellent and I specifically recommended them because I believe they'll do well as sDMs. The Admins are working hard to ensure CD remains a well-oiled machine and I'm quite pleased with how quickly they're working to handle things!

I decided to have Melody stand down as the effective face of the Scattered Stars Conservatory because while I am happy to support Dismus, he has been absent from CD for some time tending his family and IRL, and ultimately Melody's/my dreams lie in making her a true actress and playwright with her own grand opera house. Some of that has to wait on Fox to be available to build, so I'm effectively in a holding pattern until she's available (she's earned a break and she's super busy with more important updates, and I am in no rush. Please don't bother her about that, especially now that she has the added weight of Admin responsibilities). I'll be working on plays in the coming months to entertain people at the theatre inside Celebrithrade and Melody's home!

There are other side Discords I've pulled out of as well, but I haven't necessarily left the organizations. I'm just consolidating things for a while to take a mental break until all the craziness of my life is over.

Q: How many interviews do you have left to do?

I still need to interview the following PCs:

• Alvarelle Eilirnis
  
• Cissnei Windwalker
  
• Viola Zylralei
  
• Aelrie Zylralei
  
• Leona Grass
  
• Victra Pera
  
• Solfera'thal Ravenshadow
  
• Turian Arborborne
  
• Dream-Pouncer
  
• Othorion Elbauthin
  
• Simizael Holaleth
  
• Maevelyn Brightmane
  

Please let me know if any of these individuals no longer play on CD or if they are no longer interested in the plot. For those who have yet to interview, please reach out to me so we can set up a date! I can continue conducting interviews while getting ready for the big move, so don't worry.

Progress is still being made with Evereska behind the scenes, with several different groups (Drow, Emerald Enclave, etc.) continuing to advance their pre-ATAE storylines. It may not look like it because I haven't started things with a bang, but the plot is still simmering and getting ready to explode into action.

Thanks for understanding, everyone. I deeply know how frustrating it is, and it comes across like I'm being lazy. I promise I'm not - sometimes there are seasons in life, storms, and all we can do is weather them until we have clear sailing. I'd very much like to start Evereska off once everything is settled so that I can give it my full, undivided attention. You all deserve that.

Much love,

Melody

[The Elven Bond]

The Elven Bond

~



~

    There was something about him that Elenwyd could not place. Something stirred in the air about this Quess, making her heart thump and her soul feel better when he was near. Caedrus was not the most attractive she had ever seen; his russet hair did not gleam, especially in the light, nor did his simple brown eyes captivate. Yet she felt at peace when he was near in a way she had never felt before.



    Over time, their bond had deepened to true friendship, love, and something else. Something deeper. She knew that he could feel it too. From the way he gazed at her, the times he spent putting her needs above his own, the change in his mannerisms, and the excuses he made to be near her, even if it meant doing nothing at all together. Like a song given life deep within, their souls harmonized in a way that could not be explained by mere love, nor even the bardic poetry of what humans called "True Love." It was something far more than that. They were meant to be together.



    After confessing the truth to one another, they set out to speak with one of the High Mages of the People. Upon explaining their soulful joy, the High Mage smiled. Drawing their hands together, he asked for the intervention of the Seldarine to bless their union and make them one as he called upon a powerful High Magic ritual.



    It was then that their souls fully opened to one another. As the scales fell from their metaphorical eyes, they each took a sharp breath – and felt one another's spirits. It was then that they knew beyond knowledge not how they felt for their beloved ... but how their beloved felt for them.



    The Elven Bond. Thiramin. Called by many names, the High Magic ritual of U'Aestar'Kess – "One Heart, One Mind, One Breath" – had revealed the truth the Seldarine whispered within their souls. They were connected now in a way that others could only dream of. Like a slender cord tying them together for all their lives, they would live now for one another. In the same way, they knew on a spirit-deep level that should one of them perish ... the other could no longer live without them in the world.


-    Example story of how the Elven or "Thiramin" Bond might come about

The Elven Bond is meant to be a magical, mystical, and truly rare phenomenon in Forgotten Realms lore. One of the most powerful Bonds that can be achieved between two beings, it is not meant to be uttered or taken lightly, as both the benefits of such a union and its consequences are weighty.

It has come to our attention that several competing sources have been used in CD's past to invoke the Elven/Thiramin Bond. Unfortunately, while these sources heavily overlap in several areas, they also diverge or outright contradict one another in others. For reference, the sources used, either officially or unofficially, are as follows:

• Leaf & Thorn (Dragon #279), pp. 38, 40
• The Complete Book of Elves, pp. 40-41
• Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves, pp. 133-134

These sources heavily contradict the abilities conferred, the ability to survive the breaking of the Bond, whether the Bond can be dissolved, whether the Bond can be taken with only another elf or with non-elves, and even how the Bond comes about, amongst other issues. As a result, we have taken to consolidating these sources into our own version of the Elven Bond:

The Elven Bond ("Thiramin Bond")

Benefits

• Unlimited range Empathic Bond (can feel their Bonded partner's feelings)
• Unlimited range Telepathic Bond (can mentally communicate with their Bonded partner)
• Ability to sense when their Bonded partner is in danger
• Delay the Call to Arvandor (RP ability)

Consequences

• Both PCs will lose a level during storyline death
• Both PCs will suffer permadeath if one is permakilled
• Surviving PC has one IRL week to decline/say goodbye before their own permadeath

Limitations/Other Considerations

• Elf can be Bonded with any PC race that elf chooses (does not have to be another elf)
• Bond may not be used on anything other than PCs (no mounts, familiars, etc.)
• Bond feels weaker across different Planes and Telepathy does not work across different Planes
• Empathy/Telepathy can be blocked by Dead Magic Zones/Antimagic Fields
• Only NPCs can survive the breaking of the Bond (but go mad, ex. Nalavarauthatoryl)
• Both PCs may only Elven Bond once in their character lifetime
• A High Mage must perform the U'Aestar'Kess ritual (this can be done off-screen or on)
• Admins must approve Elven Bond after submitting a Miscellaneous app
• BOTH players must submit written consent for this Bond and its consequences

Those who have already declared an Elven/Thiramin Bond must submit an application for review. Those PCs who have survived breaking an Elven Bond (whether through past RP events or approved applications) similarly must contact the Admins for review. Only those approved for this Bond may claim its benefits and consequences. The Bond is meant to be truly rare, and its benefits and consequences must be weighed heavily now and for future applications.

There will be no exception to these rules once the Elven Bond is taken. This includes when a player leaves CD – in such a case, the remaining PC will be Elven Bonded forever and cannot have it revoked. It cannot be Disjunctioned/Dispelled, even with Epic/High Magic. It cannot be naturally dissolved over time, as stated in prior sources. Despite being a magical effect, it is effectively permanent as a gift of the Seldarine. As a result, it can be suppressed by the aforementioned Antimagic/Dead Magic effects or being on different Planes of existence, but it cannot be destroyed or undone.

Any sections from Leaf & Thorn, The Complete Book of Elves, and Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves that contradict this custom lore are hereby overridden.


Elven Bond App Template

Please include the following:

Name of Both PCs requesting Thiramin Bond:

Name of Both Server/Forum/Discord Logins:

Races of both PCs:

Do you understand the consequences of applying for the Thiramin Bond?:

Please have both players sign off on this form. This requires the other applicant to respond to it and give their assent.

At some point in the future, Tyr'intor will become a central focus for those of the Triadic faith. Stay tuned.

Hey everyone. I wanted to apologize for the way I reacted to a situation that occurred recently in Politics chat. Nobody's asked me to submit this apology, but I know when I've caused a wound to the player base, and it's important for me to heal it as soon as I can.

Despite what happened in there, it wasn't helpful for me to barge in and be hostile about things. Ultimately, the situation is being handled, and I could've handled myself much, much better than I did. I'm very sorry for that, and deeply apologize to those I offended.

I understand that when things like this happen, it can be a difficult time for the whole server. I don't want to be a contributing factor in making things worse, so I'm very glad to admit when I'm wrong and try to make amends.

It's also been brought to my attention that a portion of the player base thinks I'm a bully and thinks I'm very secretive, essentially keeping my real thoughts to myself while I smile, but telling the Admins something else. On that front, at least, I can gladly explain!

Generally, I don't want to trouble the players with a lot of the less fun sides of CD. My kindness is not some facsimile -- it's a real part of who I am. When I offer a hug, a smile, a kind word, those are not manufactured things that I create as some kind of mask. They're simply one part of me, the best part of me.

When I have to deal with issues behind the scenes, yes, I have to put on my serious side, and typically go to the Admins to help deal with them. That's their job, and I don't feel it would be productive for me to drag things down by advertising what I think about every single issue in public. Ultimately, I do have to separate how I feel against knowing that saying it in public might be misconstrued, misinterpreted, or otherwise latched onto as a way to drive a wedge between the team. As you can see, I can be emotional too, and it helps me to simply go to them instead of letting the emotional side of me rule the day. These lessons have been hard-learned not just here, but on other servers I have served on, and so I hope you'll understand that I won't always volunteer information. This isn't meant to harm anyone, and it hurts me to know that sometimes the effect of that lack of transparency comes across like I'm some secret puppet master pulling strings behind the scenes.

This most certainly doesn't mean I'm whispering in the Admins' ear to get my way -- I try so, so hard to listen to the entire player base, and getting feedback is enormously helpful to me. I send that feedback to the Admins so they can make informed decisions, and the more information I get, the better my understanding of any given issue is. CD has a wide range of perspectives on many things, and yes, of course I volunteer my own opinion about stuff. I want and hope you're willing to come to me if you need something. I'm here for you, not for myself, and I'm here to serve the player base, never to manipulate or rule. My goal is to be a servant who gives people fun plots and helps out wherever I can.

If anyone believes I've been a bully, please, please don't hesitate to submit a complaint to the Admins. I was shocked and mortified to hear that, and it's begun a time of reflection so that I can understand if I really am, or why things are perceived that way. It's the very last thing I want to be, and I've offered multiple times to step down if at any point the Admins believe I've reached that point -- because if I am, it's time for me to go. Their job is to rein in anyone who is going overboard, myself included, and they will be fair about all things. I can always do better, and I humbly ask that if anyone has a complaint, please do send it in. I'm imperfect, but I promise I'll try to do better for CD.

So again, I deeply apologize for my behavior in Politics chat. I was hurt and offended, but it doesn't justify how I reacted.

You're all valued and cherished by me, even when we might disagree on things. And I want to be the first to admit when I'm wrong.

- Melody

I am officially off break! Thanks for everything, everyone. Love you!

Hi everyone,

I've decided that it's time to take an extended break from CD. I'm not sure how long it'll last. It could be a few days, a couple weeks, possibly up to a couple months, but no more than that.

For those wondering, I'm still waiting on Evereska areas to be finished, and I'll need the new hak update in order to use some of my areas. I feel like since we're waiting, it's a good time for me to tend to IRL issues and relax for a while.

I'll still be able to do SDM duties such as looking at apps each week, but most of my other duties I'll be going on semi-hiatus.

Kittenpants, Erikat, I'll still be around to help you finish your orientation so you can start running plots!

I'll also still show up to scheduled events I've signed up for.

I won't be responding to requests for RP, unfortunately, and I do apologize for that. But right now, I need to take some time for myself and de-stress.

I want to praise Fire Wraith for his plot last night. All those areas were solidly built, the ambiance was wonderful, the NPCs were interesting (including the Easter egg), the VFX added to the last area were awesome, the plot was engaging, and the payoff was awesome! Thanks so much for all your hard work, I had a lot of fun and came out of it feeling like I wanted more!

I'd like to give a huge compliment to ALL our DMs. Thank you for volunteering your time to entertain the players. You don't have to do that, and all your selfless kindness is genuinely appreciated. You're awesome, and I'm grateful for all of you for making CD a fun place to be!

I want to thank the Admins for putting in the work they have in simply daily things. Getting to see a bit more of what you have to do on the sDM side of things, I realize how much you constantly have to deal with. From player complaints, to apps, to Hak updates, answering questions, dealing with various other issues, discussing new ideas for CD, all while staying positive and helpful is a huge, huge amount for volunteers.

So thank you for all you do!

I'm always interested in political intrigue plots, but out of deference for other players, I think I should be dead last on any list you make.

It sounds fun though!

I also want to thank Blackheart for the awesome ORTA plot he ran. It was so much fun and I'm so grateful for all the hard work you put into it. It was a dream fulfilled for Melody and for me.

Genuinely, thank you.

We're so, so glad to have you here, kriegeternal, and overjoyed to hear that. We're all here for you if you need anything and I hope I get to RP with you in game sometime!

Apr 16, 2022 16:57:00 GMT -5 Sidhe said:

Shout-out to Cherry Coke for a simple, fun little run-in with a peddler that broke a lot of ice and provided more than a few conversations of the "what's in the box??" variety. The efficiency in terms of activity generation for such a brief interaction was something to behold, and it really deserves mention. Kudos. 

Sidhe

Please keep in mind this is for DM kudos, we have a separate thread for player feedback here! (Cherrycoke is a player on CD.)