First up apologies for the length but this is the result of a couple of months of thinking about the Rakash race. Secondly this post is not meant as a moan or a gripe, more as constructive criticism that I hope will fire off some ideas among the GMs and show them how well some expansion would be received and the desire that exists among the player base to flesh out what we have and move forward.

Chinoa and I have been very much enjoying playing Rakash characters and there are a good number of dedicated people to interact with in the game. We did our best to RP as much as we could in the build up to the Barrier coming down, and we spent a lot of time in the North telling the story of the Migration and spreading news of Lyras's coming. All of which was great fun and well received.

However it is undeniable that the slant of the war and the RP that is springing up from its background is predominantly Prydean. It was their Elders who were active as the Barrier came down when ours were not. The Lore they have available seems more developed, more prominent and Chinoa and I had to rely almost totally upon it when we were researching the Barrier. We could find almost no information about Rakash Elders involved in the Barriers construction or their location now, if any survive. The GMPCs we encountered could not help in this regard. Nor could we find an account of the Migration from a Rakash perspective, save a few scattered words at the arrival Moot. In addition the (living) GMPC activity is largely Prydean. The Claw is active. Darkensi and Darkali too. Twansic was about.

I know Denizelva was involved in the build up and Shalir is one of Lyras's risen, but the feeling is that this is a Prydean vendetta, that they are more involved in its history than we are, a feeling that does not sit comfortably with many of the Rakash I have talked to.

I have also had people who know a bit of history but not much, surprised when I tell them that the Rakash were involved in the Migration and the Barrier as well as the Prydeans.

I am not raising a voice against the Prydean players, as they have a very dedicated group, the majority of whom I have found to be very interested in the Lore behind their race. However, there is a great opportunity at a time when we should be in the spotlight to do something similar with the Rakash race and I want to show that the desire is there, not only to tell you this but to help in any way we can to make it happen.

To that end I have a few suggestions for further thought, both among players and Gms. If, as Lanita says, we could get an official response too it would be very much welcomed. Even if it's just, thanks guys we'll have a look.

1) As mentioned, Rakash Gods granting favours. This would be a small touch but a really welcome one from an RP perspective, especially among our Clerics.

2) Some Rakash racial titles in the manner of the Prydean ones. I know we can use custom titles but they take a long, long time to save the points for. A few Rakash titles would be a great thing. Especially if a few were war related.

3) Some more Lore concerning the Rakash involvement in the events before the Migration. I know that many of the players would be more than happy to dedicate some of their time to assisting with this project. The main aim would be to fill in some of the details that are missing. Things like the account of the 'gars kerreni luzurt' death ceremony and the wedding practices found in the book 'Rakash Traditions and Dawvs'. It is these little details that make background come alive and allow players to build their sense of their characters racial history with consistency.

4) More racial items. Make these periodically available if you like to restrict access, but I think a wider range of items would be welcomed with open arms. Not just odajs and the weapons but instruments, more clothing, bags, fluff etc... The Ancient Tower merchants are so rarely present that demand for the items sold there is high. Perhaps schedule a return every six months or so for a week, with a new shop or two? It would also be wonderful if there were some verby items available as well.

5) Make the policy in regards to obtaining racial alterations more lenient. I think it would be fantastic to be able to use LTB points or a standard alteration to change a Claymore into a Vargs Zovens, the Rakash equivalent. I know the policy on changing the noun of an item is strict, but in my mind there is a vast difference between changing a Claymore into a 'Smashing Stick' and -translating- the word claymore into Rakash. This could also be tied into the new crafting split. Perhaps allowing Rakash smiths to craft a zovens instead of a broad sword or a vargs zovens instead of a claymore.

Hopefully this will spark some discussion and ideas and show you that we want to help expand what we already have.

---
But there's a tree, of many, one,
A single field which I have look'd upon,
Both of them speak of something that is gone:
The pansy at my feet
Doth the same tale repeat:
Wither is fled the visionary gleam?
Where is it now, the glory and the dream?

I would firstly like to add my support for everything Naea has said here. Her words echo my thoughts exactly.
We enjoyed the rp that we were able to garner after the moot with Bambina, and everything leading upto the barrier. And frankly, we want more. But not just for us, we want all the Rakash players out there, new and old, to get involved.

Part of getting that started, is to give people a history on which to build thier characters. A racial identity.

I know for a fact, Naea and I would be willing to help with this. As would Lanita, Alexii and many more of the Rakash players we have met and spoken too. If the GM's find themselves swamped, then they should ask the players for help. The pasion for this race is out there, it's just untapped and supressed after so long of watching many other Races get the GM attention they deserve.

So, Naea's idea's are a start. A good start. If any of you out there want to share more then them, then I urge you, post them here.

Lastly I would say one thing. If the GM's are just waiting for us to do something, and for us to go ahead and start the ball rolling ourselves. Then lets do that. I suggest we hold a moot. Swap storries, tales and get to know one another.

Alexii has formed a pack in the north, it is small, but it is good. We would be willing to host this moot, either in Muspari.. or traveling down too the ancient tower near the crossing.

If your interested in doing this, any of you Rakash players out there, then please don't hesitate to post here or contact Naea or myself.


Sorry... tell me again, what do you mean you had no time to get favours?

>Okay, fine, but this event in history is suppose to be 'our' thing.<

Just a comment. This event is for everyone. There are nods to Prydaen and Rakash but nothing in the main event structure is made to be specifically for any race.

The Prydaen GMs did decide they wanted to do some stuff, which we did accommodate, but by and large the event is what the players want to make of it.

-Z

>>The Prydaen GMs did decide they wanted to do some stuff, which we did accommodate, but by and large the event is what the players want to make of it.

And where are the Rakash GM's? Are they busy doing other stuff?

>>The vibe is the same in long ago posts with no reply so far...

i believe the last thing we heard from our racial GM was that 'something was coming down the pipe' and it turned out to be the SWEAT verb available to everyone, which is the worst verb in history.

As Chinoa said, perhaps a misinterpreted choice of words, but the underlying point remains. The war represents a fantastic opportunity to develop the Rakash race as it is the single largest event in our history. We see this kind of development being done with the Prydeans and we would hate to see the chance squandered for >>our<< Race. As I said, we are willing to help in this in whatever way we can, with ideas, writing, time, whatever.

I am going to do this with or without GM help. Untimately the game is what we make of it as players so I will try to get things moving on our own, but it would be fantastic and I think restore a lot of faith from an outstandingly passonate racial player base if the GMs wanted to get involved as well.

---

But there's a tree, of many, one,
A single field which I have look'd upon,
Both of them speak of something that is gone:
The pansy at my feet
Doth the same tale repeat:
Wither is fled the visionary gleam?
Where is it now, the glory and the dream?

This group should hopefully give all of us somewhere to bounce around ideas, upload files, stories, songs and more and also discuss the organization of Moots and General Events.

---
But there's a tree, of many, one,
A single field which I have look'd upon,
Both of them speak of something that is gone:
The pansy at my feet
Doth the same tale repeat:
Wither is fled the visionary gleam?
Where is it now, the glory and the dream?

As a player who generally stays away from racial titles/things that seem to have little meaning unless you know the word, here is my opinion on the better way to go about changing a claymore to a Vargs Zovens.

TAP: a gleaming silver claymore with a bone hilt shaped into a snarling badger
LOOK: Upon closer inspection, the subtelties which identify this sword as a Rakash Vargs Zovens, become more clear. <Enter some sort of definining description about the sword here>. The masterfully carved bone hilt has been chiselled into the visage of a badger bearing wickedly pointed fangs.

But I'm also of the mindset that if I am getting something altered, I do not want it to be a mystery to everyone else. Because while I may know what the look I am conveying is, it doesn't do much good if I want other people to know this about my character as well.

Here are a couple of ways that I have gone around the system.

My character has lived a long time in Muspar'i, and up there you will find an item called a uaro's'sugi which is typically used to shield the wearer from sandstorms. It is also a fashionable piece of clothing, not unlike maybe some sort of beduin headdress. But I despise the word uaro's'sugi as my character is not a S'kra Mur, so I had to find a way to create a new item that essentially looked the same to fill my desert theme.

Uaro's'sugi - Draping uaro's'sugi of soft crimson silk
Description: My fine uaro's'sugi are the perfect accessory for maintaining fashion while protecting the head from those pesky desert sandstorms! They are diaphanous enough to leave a clear view of the face, yet still protective against harsh winds. The long folds of glorious silk contain a small pocket suitable for storing a precious item. No self-respecting S'Kra would be without one outside the city!~

I made this: a loosely draped desert cowl wrapping into a diaphanous mask of sheer mistsilk
LOOK: Mounds of luxurious alabaster fabric are designed to cascade down the back in long wispy tendrils, sinuously wrapping to outline the wearer's individual contours. Crafted for wear in the desert, the end is cut to stretch across the lower half of the wearer's face, protecting from harsh winds seeded with biting sand. The light fabric remains sheer enough to expose the wearer's features, albeit in a hazy mirage-like vision.

But I have encountered the problem you're talking about. At GodFest, through a series of RP events leading up to them I obtained vouchers from Durhal and Satfiki. Satfiki was unable to change my khuj (from SCC) into a glaive, but Durhal was able to change my forged katar into a witch's blade. This leads me to believe that either a) some items have something in their mechanics which prevent the noun from being changed without breaking the item or b) it is up to the alterer's discretion.

So, I feel your pain, but I hope that food for thought helped in some way.


- Terra

>>Naea's ramble

I agree 100%. From the distinctiveness and welcoming someone to ask what that is hanging on my belt to the "a bastard sword" argument.

>>I'd just like to expand the system a bit and give room for customization where I am not necessarily forced to choose between a Racial weapon that underperforms next to a generic forged equivalent.

Again, I agree.

---

~Talo, Prydaen Barbarian~

>> So, while I like the idea of racial identity through items, I dislike having to ask someone what my character should plainly recognize.

This pretty much.

Awhile ago there was talk of expanding the LOOK verb so we could look at items on other characters without being shown them. If this happened and the silly racial weapons were mandated to have a description of what they are in the LOOK, I think it would be a lot more reasonable.

---

Rev. Reene

Reene: tie a scimitar to your fist.
Kystrk: that would just be unrealistic
Reene: because jump kicking someone from hiding and vaporizing their skull is super realistic
Kystrk: I was wearing footwraps

>> So, while I like the idea of racial identity through items, I dislike having to ask someone what my character should plainly recognize.

>>I guess I just don't mind this though I can see why people do. I'll ask if I want to know, it's the problem of having a text based game. There are so many items that exist with names that give no hint to their function or basic structure from clothing to weapons and armour to jewelry. You only have to look at the number of instruments available with unusual names. I only mention it as an issue with weapons because the racial ones are rather poor templates. I use them anyway but it'd be nice to have the option to customise a better forged weapon.

There are two issues within this. The first is the issue of asking what something is. Your solution is nice, but the hidden problem that I haven't seen mentioned within this thread is the fact that there currently exist too many items where no one even has a clue what it is supposed to be or so few do as to make it the same end results. Sure you can appraise item X and determine it is a Heavy Edged weapon. But that doesn't do nearly enough to clarify WHAT it is. Is it a sword? An axe? So short of digging through the lore and the dictionaries hoping for clarification, the owner of the item is left unable to give a solid answer to their questioner as to what the item actually is.

This lead to establishing a set of rules for racial naming. The rules are (I feel) fairly common sense.

In order for the use of a non-common name on an item, we need to have an established understanding of what the item is and how it looks.

1) If the item looks exactly like you'd expect that item to look, you don't get a racial name. What I mean by this is if the item is a chair and it looks just like any other chair, then you need to call it a chair. If however the chair happens to have a tail slot and is otherwise a design common to the S'kra Mur and associated with them, then you get to use a S'kra Mur name with it. So to the suggested Claymore within this thread, in order to qualify for a racial name it would need a unique characteristic that makes that design distinguishable and strongly associated with the Rakash. This is a design aspect that we the GM's need to make and is something I'd like to see done over a wide variety of weapons and included within the forging system.

A few examples from real life might be the Katana (a sword unique in design compared to other countries) a futon and a main gauche knife. While I realize that not each and every person alive knows the ins and outs of them, particularly the weaponry, I'm willing to handwave that within DR to some extent, so long as we have established what the difference actually is.

2) The look of the item needs to be ON the item so that anyone holding it can understand what the name implies and why it is what it is and as equally importantly, why it isn't being called by the more common name of the item if it has a near equivalent. And given your state example, let's indeed look at those many musical instruments with in game names. Aside from knowing if they are percussion or woodwind or whatever, what do our characters in game know about most of them? The answer for most players is next to nothing, the same as with many of the already existing racially named weapons.

On the issue of weapon quality, I do fully agree with and understand the complaint. However, I do not agree that the solution is to just slap random in game language words onto items to make them feel authentic, but instead the solution is to design them as functional weapons and incorperate them into the game properly through merchants and in time the smithing system.

GM Oolan Jeel

"The difference between theory and practice is that in theory, there is no difference between theory and practice."
- Richard Moore

>>I love RECALL <instrument> since it fulfils this exact need.

But is not open to all I do not believe, and does not currently exist for all manners of weapons and armor and so is not relevant to the issue at hand. ;)

And because I forgot to mention it previously, the ruling regarding naming conventions came from myself, Dartenian and Solomon. Most weapon name questions in alterations come to me for an answer as well, so by all means please feel free to blame me all you like about the fact you can't get X in your alteration. I can take it.

GM Oolan Jeel

"The difference between theory and practice is that in theory, there is no difference between theory and practice."
- Richard Moore

Oolan A++

And for the instruments, I just stay away from the pieces I don't know what they are. I do like the instruments from the GodFest 'A Cultured Attire' tent, which had the different Elven instruments because they were either self-explanatory or had a look which described them.

Good to hear some other opinions on this.


- Terra

Thanks Oolan. As Terra said the answers are very much appreciated, as is the overall plan to develop these concepts more thoroughly. I'll stick up some of my ideas and ponderings on the weapons later and hopefully everyone else can comment and you can steal or laugh at your discretion! =)

===
But there's a tree, of many, one,
A single field which I have look'd upon,
Both of them speak of something that is gone:
The pansy at my feet
Doth the same tale repeat:
Wither is fled the visionary gleam?
Where is it now, the glory and the dream?

I love some of your idea's Naea, and if you want to get together with me via IM's perhaps we can help work up some weapons like this. My primary and most of my characters are Elves, but some of the weapon choices seem intriguing enough to me that maybe I would use them.

ava: a western adaptation to the more commonly used halberd, the distinction being that the ava always has two back to back half moon blades between a sharpened cylindrical point. (In this instance, I would suggest NO ava be designed any other way, save for two half moons and a spear like top, for consistency. My character in her studies would certainly make note of a defined weapon like that and probably use it)

a polished deobar ava mounted by two wickedly curved half-moons
LOOK: Smooth deobar wood has been polished to a respectable shine, with small leather tie grips at interbals throughout the base to ensure the wielderer a tighter grip. Along the tip of the weapon are the characteristic half-moon blades, pointed out with serrated edges to ensure maximum damage. A spiralling silver spike protrudes up from the center, allowing more versatility in the already formidable weapon.

This is a little long, and in a whim and probably has typo's but I didn't have time to preview or anything else.

Just an idea. Is this the type of thing you are looking for? Basic weapon description and possible examples of excecution?


- Terra

>>On the issue of weapon quality... the solution is to design them as functional weapons and incorperate them into the game properly through merchants and in time the smithing system.

Pretty please!? I'll even settle for "soon" on this one.

---

~Talo, Prydaen Barbarian~