Personification Life, the Universe & Everything 2 [OOC OPEN]

[Giovenith]

Hey WCC, can you make sure to trim your posts so that only the ones you're replying to are there?

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

I've switched back. Woohoo!

To confirm, Emazia was indeed my puppet.

[Giovenith]

Emazia-

As you know, I appreciate the efforts you've made in getting involved with this game. You have graciously accepted advice to your apps without tantrum, you post in a consistent manner, and you have a sincere desire to get involved with P2TM that is admirable. That said, several people have brought critique that needs to be addressed:

Lack of awareness/cooperation

When introducing Claude to the current story, he had an opportunity to become acquainted with the situation as it was. The character "Nine" was talking overtly about some task he needed the help of the characters to fulfill, and the character Amanda specifically says to Claude, "If you want to play around later, I'll show you the holodeck. But right now, we. have. work. to. do!"

Claude's response was to dismiss what everyone was saying/doing and insist they all instead stick around to listen to him brag about his theories.

Currently, the characters are trapped in a car, and the roof of the car is being melted through by a boiling hot substance that will plainly kill them all if they don't leave the car immediately.

Claude's response was to ignore this immediate danger and instead wax poetic about Christmas.

I understand that you are used to playing in F7, where the etiquette of game is much looser and does mostly involve characters sitting around and talking about themselves. This is not the case in P2TM games, however. P2TM games are fully realized stories where the action is just as important as the dialogue, and one has to foster a dynamic with the other characters and players. They are not the sort of games where you can ignore or brush off other people's posts, you need to pay attention to what is going on around you and cooperate with it — if characters are in the middle of some urgent situation, acknowledge and contribute to that situation, not attempt to lock everyone into a lecture to show off your character's ideology. It's not the time or place. There will be situations where you have your character engage in more casual conversation, but those situations must arise naturally, or with pre-planning, not be forced upon another scenario.

Characterization

It's clear that you have an interest in philosophy and human psychology, and those can be great bases for a character. However, throughout your play, it seems like you are using your characters' occupations as a way of making them seem smart and sophisticated without actually considering what sorts of skills and behavior those occupations would entail. You have a very lofty vision of the sort of people you're trying to portray — you're clearly trying to write Byronic heroes, men who are mysterious, clever, dark, scandalous, always two steps ahead of the game — but not a very realistic grounding. Take the incident that Claude and Amanda are currently bickering about, wherein he slapped Amanda to challenge her to a duel.

"But on a more serious note, in the Luseanian upper class, it is normal to slap someone with your glove and challenge them to a friendly duel of superiority. This establishes a hierarchy early in your relationship." Claude replied to Giovenith, keeping his face straight up until the last word, as though it was normal to duel someone you just met."

"I'm a sociologist too. It's a cultural introduction, which allows you to indicate cultural mores to the other person in the conversation."

And particularly: "Don't expect me to be familiar with your customs the moment I move through your door: the receptionist takes my bags and doesn't lecture me or give me a pamphlet on your customs. I simply plopped in here as I was."

To be blunt, Claude does not act anything like a sociologist or an expert on morality.

A sociologist's entire job is to understand the science of how people treat each other, and the nuances of culture and cultural differences are a big part of that. He should not have to be told that when he enters a foreign land he needs to be careful about what he says and does — not only should that be common sense to him, but he should have direct experience with it, as sociologists are known to travel amongst other cultures in order to study their explicit differences. He might have had an excuse if he thought he was still in his own country, but the very fact that he had to explain that dueling is a custom in his culture demonstrates that he went in already knowing that this was not his culture. This is simply not a mistake that someone with his education and experience is likely to make, and even if he did, certainly not one for him to get defensive over as he is being. "How was I supposed to know? I was raised this way" — it's his PhD to know that! Sociologists are supposed to know that the way they are raised is not absolute, they're supposed to know not to act surprised when other cultures don't share their customers, especially if they specialize in morality. Again, that is their entire job — not "developing a theory on existence and the universe."

(Important point of note: A "theory on existence" would be the job of cosmologists. Cosmology has nothing to do with sociology, morality, or even philosophy, it's a part of mathematics. It has to do with observation, calculation, and other "hard science," not something you do by sitting around in a room going, "Hmmm..." to yourself. This is again demonstrating the issue of trying to exude "smartness" without actually having any clue how the concepts you're writing about work; it'd be like if I called myself an expert on literature and then tried to prove it by putting on a white lab coat and mixing random tubes of chemicals together.)

To be sure, no one is mad at you for slapping Amanda, the act itself is not a big deal. It's more that you want all the superficial dark glamour and rugged intellectualism that you associate with these academic fields and pastimes, but you don't actually seem to have a genuine understanding of how these things work, and so your portrayal falls apart when actually put to the test.


This doesn't mean you can't play them anymore though. There's still room to improve. My suggestion to you is to focus less on whatever characters or indivduals you're drawing on for what you think ethicists and social scientists act like as people or what they talk about, and more on figuring out the basics of how those sciences and philosophies work. You don't need to be an expert or read some hefty book by any means, but there are basics you can go over so that your characters' applications don't sound like gibberish. Here's some things you can start with:

Basic Concepts in Sociology
Basic Introduction to Ethics, which itself is a part of the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Introduction to Sociology videos for students
More simple to understand crash course videos for sociology
More exhaustive list of various concepts in philosophy
Wisecrack - These guys are actually a personal favorite of mine. They explore the philosophies of media and pop culture, and give a good, understandable introduction to various concepts through them, including the ones you're trying to explore with your characters. Just search for a video about something you like, click away, and explore!

Hope these help, and don't be afraid to ask questions or raise concerns.

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

Emazia-

As you know, I appreciate the efforts you've made in getting involved with this game. You have graciously accepted advice to your apps without tantrum, you post in a consistent manner, and you have a sincere desire to get involved with P2TM that is admirable. That said, several people have brought critique that needs to be addressed:

Lack of awareness/cooperation

When introducing Claude to the current story, he had an opportunity to become acquainted with the situation as it was. The character "Nine" was talking overtly about some task he needed the help of the characters to fulfill, and the character Amanda specifically says to Claude, "If you want to play around later, I'll show you the holodeck. But right now, we. have. work. to. do!"

Claude's response was to dismiss what everyone was saying/doing and insist they all instead stick around to listen to him brag about his theories.

Currently, the characters are trapped in a car, and the roof of the car is being melted through by a boiling hot substance that will plainly kill them all if they don't leave the car immediately.

Claude's response was to ignore this immediate danger and instead wax poetic about Christmas.

I understand that you are used to playing in F7, where the etiquette of game is much looser and does mostly involve characters sitting around and talking about themselves. This is not the case in P2TM games, however. P2TM games are fully realized stories where the action is just as important as the dialogue, and one has to foster a dynamic with the other characters and players. They are not the sort of games where you can ignore or brush off other people's posts, you need to pay attention to what is going on around you and cooperate with it — if characters are in the middle of some urgent situation, acknowledge and contribute to that situation, not attempt to lock everyone into a lecture to show off your character's ideology. It's not the time or place. There will be situations where you have your character engage in more casual conversation, but those situations must arise naturally, or with pre-planning, not be forced upon another scenario.

Thank you for this. You are right in this fully, and I have zero objection towards this.

Characterization

It's clear that you have an interest in philosophy and human psychology, and those can be great bases for a character. However, throughout your play, it seems like you are using your characters' occupations as a way of making them seem smart and sophisticated without actually considering what sorts of skills and behavior those occupations would entail. You have a very lofty vision of the sort of people you're trying to portray — you're clearly trying to write Byronic heroes, men who are mysterious, clever, dark, scandalous, always two steps ahead of the game — but not a very realistic grounding. Take the incident that Claude and Amanda are currently bickering about, wherein he slapped Amanda to challenge her to a duel.

"But on a more serious note, in the Luseanian upper class, it is normal to slap someone with your glove and challenge them to a friendly duel of superiority. This establishes a hierarchy early in your relationship." Claude replied to Giovenith, keeping his face straight up until the last word, as though it was normal to duel someone you just met."

"I'm a sociologist too. It's a cultural introduction, which allows you to indicate cultural mores to the other person in the conversation."

And particularly: "Don't expect me to be familiar with your customs the moment I move through your door: the receptionist takes my bags and doesn't lecture me or give me a pamphlet on your customs. I simply plopped in here as I was."

To be blunt, Claude does not act anything like a sociologist or an expert on morality.

A sociologist's entire job is to understand the science of how people treat each other, and the nuances of culture and cultural differences are a big part of that. He should not have to be told that when he enters a foreign land he needs to be careful about what he says and does — not only should that be common sense to him, but he should have direct experience with it, as sociologists are known to travel amongst other cultures in order to study their explicit differences. He might have had an excuse if he thought he was still in his own country, but the very fact that he had to explain that dueling is a custom in his culture demonstrates that he went in already knowing that this was not his culture. This is simply not a mistake that someone with his education and experience is likely to make, and even if he did, certainly not one for him to get defensive over as he is being. "How was I supposed to know? I was raised this way" — it's his PhD to know that! Sociologists are supposed to know that the way they are raised is not absolute, they're supposed to know not to act surprised when other cultures don't share their customers, especially if they specialize in morality. Again, that is their entire job — not "developing a theory on existence and the universe."

(Important point of note: A "theory on existence" would be the job of cosmologists. Cosmology has nothing to do with sociology, morality, or even philosophy, it's a part of mathematics. It has to do with observation, calculation, and other "hard science," not something you do by sitting around in a room going, "Hmmm..." to yourself. This is again demonstrating the issue of trying to exude "smartness" without actually having any clue how the concepts you're writing about work; it'd be like if I called myself an expert on literature and then tried to prove it by putting on a white lab coat and mixing random tubes of chemicals together.)

To be sure, no one is mad at you for slapping Amanda, the act itself is not a big deal. It's more that you want all the superficial dark glamour and rugged intellectualism that you associate with these academic fields and pastimes, but you don't actually seem to have a genuine understanding of how these things work, and so your portrayal falls apart when actually put to the test.


This doesn't mean you can't play them anymore though. There's still room to improve. My suggestion to you is to focus less on whatever characters or indivduals you're drawing on for what you think ethicists and social scientists act like as people or what they talk about, and more on figuring out the basics of how those sciences and philosophies work. You don't need to be an expert or read some hefty book by any means, but there are basics you can go over so that your characters' applications don't sound like gibberish. Here's some things you can start with:

Basic Concepts in Sociology
Basic Introduction to Ethics, which itself is a part of the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Introduction to Sociology videos for students
More simple to understand crash course videos for sociology
More exhaustive list of various concepts in philosophy
Wisecrack - These guys are actually a personal favorite of mine. They explore the philosophies of media and pop culture, and give a good, understandable introduction to various concepts through them, including the ones you're trying to explore with your characters. Just search for a video about something you like, click away, and explore!

Hope these help, and don't be afraid to ask questions or raise concerns.

Thank you. I will retcon Claude to be a cosmologist/philosopher if allowed. The rest of his behaviour is just Luseanian upper-class smut and not actually related to his character. I did have a piece outlining Luseanian and Rutferstalen culture so that people can get acquainted with them without getting too confused (OOC-wise, anyway) but I put it off. I'll just create a second app for Claude if you like, making minor changes here and there that won't interfere with his current actions, and might actually be a better explanation. I am a new RPer and shall take this advice. Thank you.

EDIT: Also, Claude's form of the theory of existence (Jean-Luc handles the whole science thing) is the philosophical side: the meaning of life, the self, etc...Basically, Jean-Luc is the one studying the Big Bang. Claude is the one studying human essence and the soul.

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

The Booklet on Tuisto Culture

Written by Some Random Comedian

Part 1 - Rutferstadten Customs and Culture
The Rutferstadten people are...anal-retentive to say the least. You could probably drug a constipated person with anti-laxatives and then force them to eat grains and drink milk for years on end (whilst being both gluten and lactose intolerant) and they'd still be diagnosed with diarrhoea. They're quiet and reserved, and don't really care for interpersonal interaction. They're alcoholics and like to live in solitude. Basically, run faster from them than you would from a dragon. They're stiff and unforgiving, ready to whack you with a stick if you violate their customs.
In short:
Introvertive, anal-retentive, insensitive and alcoholic.
Part 2 - Luseanian Customs and Culture
The Luseanian are, unlike their neighbours to the East, anal-compulsive. Reckless and insensitive, they're the most likely to run you down on accident. They're gamblers, drug-takers and generally very impulsive. This is true even for the lower class. The upper class have an extra layer: they're snobbish and don't care about your feelings. I could get a robot to care about me more than a rich Luseanian! The positives are that they're brave and socially open. I guess. Look, the publisher says I need to write more about them because they like us the most. Uhh..look. Luseanians are basically just quirky and eccentric. I wouldn't touch them with the stick you pulled out of the backside of a Rutferstadtanian.
In short:
Extroverted, impulsive, reckless and eccentric.

Will write a part for the Saxonians by request.

[Giovenith]

I'm not sure that making him a cosmologist is such a good idea. I gave you all those links because it is feasible for a layman to get an okay understanding of sociology just by reading a few articles, but cosmology... well, cosmology looks like this:

I know I could never even pretend to have a passing knowledge of that without formal education. Sociology is a lot easier to get an understanding for, at least at the basic level, so it would probably be better for you to continue on that. We can just interpret what he means by "existence" a little differently in later posts, no retcon needed. And besides, this is a fantasy world we're playing in, he'll have plenty of time to learn and expand upon the in-universe cosmology as he lives here.

The Booklet on Tuisto Culture

Written by Some Random Comedian

Part 1 - Rutferstadten Customs and Culture
The Rutferstadten people are...anal-retentive to say the least. You could probably drug a constipated person with anti-laxatives and then force them to eat grains and drink milk for years on end (whilst being both gluten and lactose intolerant) and they'd still be diagnosed with diarrhoea. They're quiet and reserved, and don't really care for interpersonal interaction. They're alcoholics and like to live in solitude. Basically, run faster from them than you would from a dragon. They're stiff and unforgiving, ready to whack you with a stick if you violate their customs.
In short:
Introvertive, anal-retentive, insensitive and alcoholic.
Part 2 - Luseanian Customs and Culture
The Luseanian are, unlike their neighbours to the East, anal-compulsive. Reckless and insensitive, they're the most likely to run you down on accident. They're gamblers, drug-takers and generally very impulsive. This is true even for the lower class. The upper class have an extra layer: they're snobbish and don't care about your feelings. I could get a robot to care about me more than a rich Luseanian! The positives are that they're brave and socially open. I guess. Look, the publisher says I need to write more about them because they like us the most. Uhh..look. Luseanians are basically just quirky and eccentric. I wouldn't touch them with the stick you pulled out of the backside of a Rutferstadtanian.
In short:
Extroverted, impulsive, reckless and eccentric.

Will write a part for the Saxonians by request.

That's all well and good, definitely. It's great to define your worlds. Though we don't necessarily need a guide, you can always show us when the characters get the chance to have a more calm conversation with each other. Don't worry, I know things are hectic now, but we'll get slow down soon and you'll have plenty of time to have Claude and Dax tell us all about their lives and where they come from.

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

I'm not sure that making him a cosmologist is such a good idea. I gave you all those links because it is feasible for a layman to get an okay understanding of sociology just by reading a few articles, but cosmology... well, cosmology looks like this:

(Image)

I know I could never even pretend to have a passing knowledge of that without formal education. Sociology is a lot easier to get an understanding for, at least at the basic level, so it would probably be better for you to continue on that. We can just interpret what he means by "existence" a little differently in later posts, no retcon needed. And besides, this is a fantasy world we're playing in, he'll have plenty of time to learn and expand upon the in-universe cosmology as he lives here.

Oof. I've seen this before. I have a bit of knowledge of it, although not enough to create a character.

The Booklet on Tuisto Culture

Written by Some Random Comedian

Part 1 - Rutferstadten Customs and Culture
The Rutferstadten people are...anal-retentive to say the least. You could probably drug a constipated person with anti-laxatives and then force them to eat grains and drink milk for years on end (whilst being both gluten and lactose intolerant) and they'd still be diagnosed with diarrhoea. They're quiet and reserved, and don't really care for interpersonal interaction. They're alcoholics and like to live in solitude. Basically, run faster from them than you would from a dragon. They're stiff and unforgiving, ready to whack you with a stick if you violate their customs.
In short:
Introvertive, anal-retentive, insensitive and alcoholic.
Part 2 - Luseanian Customs and Culture
The Luseanian are, unlike their neighbours to the East, anal-compulsive. Reckless and insensitive, they're the most likely to run you down on accident. They're gamblers, drug-takers and generally very impulsive. This is true even for the lower class. The upper class have an extra layer: they're snobbish and don't care about your feelings. I could get a robot to care about me more than a rich Luseanian! The positives are that they're brave and socially open. I guess. Look, the publisher says I need to write more about them because they like us the most. Uhh..look. Luseanians are basically just quirky and eccentric. I wouldn't touch them with the stick you pulled out of the backside of a Rutferstadtanian.
In short:
Extroverted, impulsive, reckless and eccentric.

Will write a part for the Saxonians by request.

That's all well and good, definitely. It's great to define your worlds. Though we don't necessarily need a guide, you can always show us when the characters get the chance to have a more calm conversation with each other. Don't worry, I know things are hectic now, but we'll get slow down soon and you'll have plenty of time to have Claude and Dax tell us all about their lives and where they come from.

Alright. Also, btw, the whole theory of existence thing is on his philosophy side as a sort of hobby/study. It's not related to sociology.

[Northwest Slobovia]

I'm not sure that making him a cosmologist is such a good idea. I gave you all those links because it is feasible for a layman to get an okay understanding of sociology just by reading a few articles, but cosmology... well, cosmology looks like this:

(Image)

Eh, it's just elementary quantum mechanics.

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

I'm not sure that making him a cosmologist is such a good idea. I gave you all those links because it is feasible for a layman to get an okay understanding of sociology just by reading a few articles, but cosmology... well, cosmology looks like this:

(Image)

Eh, it's just elementary quantum mechanics.

Trust me, that's harder than quantum mechanics.

[Giovenith]

Let's just agree to abandon the subject altogether. Focus on sociology and philosophy, leave ideas about the origin and nature of the universe alone.

[Bekian Impei]

#PLAPP

P E R S O N I F I C A T I O NL I F E,
T H EU N I V E R S E,&E V E R Y T H I N G

C H A R A C T E RA P P L I C A T I O N

P E R S O N A L

CHARACTER'S NAME:
Scian
GENDER:
Male
SPECIES:
Tuatha De Dannan (Tribe of Danu)
AGE:
89
DESCRIBE CHARACTER APPEARANCE:
Long golden hair reaching to his waist, looks wiry, legs slighty longer then a humans
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/29/00/f1/2900f1b7ae7605a096c053d4343cce74--blonde-elf-male-and-dresses.jpg Picture

B A C K G R O U N D&P S Y C H O L O G Y


CURRENT OCCUPATION OR SPECIALTY:
Fairy Assassin/Royal Guard
GREATEST STRENGTH AS AN INDIVIDUAL:
Able to improvise, think on his feet
WHAT IS THE CHARACTER'S GREATEST FLAW:
Haunted by any mistakes he makes, a perfectionist
BIOGRAPHY (written in first person):
OOC: Born in a world where humans and the fairies and fae of Irish myth exist and know of each other, and violently clash. Otherwise normal 2019 earth.
I started life underground, hiding from human soldiers as they massacred my village. At age five, my mother was killed as well. Soon, so was my father. I began a life as an orphan, hiding who I was and pretending to be a street kid. When I was nine, a robber killed my best friend. I went on a bloody rampage and killed him, and all his friends. Other hidden fae took notice, and brought me to the high queen. She gave me a chance, training me and 20 others to become the fiercest soldier. By 20, I was ready. Our class was deployed to the front lines against humans. We killed more then any other unit and lost more then any other unit. At 60, only five of the original twenty-one were left. The others were all newer trainees.
I began to be tormented by my inner demons. Then, I broke. I left the unit when I was 69, and killed the president of the USA. Instead of punishing me for desertion, the queen made me her personal hitman. I killed hundreds over the decades. I protected the queen from multiple assassination attempts. But I was losing my edge. And I made a fatal mistake while dodging a shotgun blast. I got hit by a pellet. It slowed me down enough to be hit again, and again. And then I was here.

O B J E C T I V E S


PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
Finding a way to improve upon himself in more and more ways.
GOALS:
Get a cybernetic enhancement.
Practice.
Get enchanted/otherwise special weapons.

M U N D A N ES K I L L S

SKILL:
Making a fire.
SKILL:
Shoot a bow
SKILL:
Ride a horse.
SKILL:
Magic Awarness

S P E C I A L I Z E DK N O W L E D G E,S K I L LO RT A L E N T / A B I L I T Y
Please refer to application instructions regarding this section. You have 10 total points to spend, no knowledge, skill or ability greater than 4.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILL/ABILITY: Talking To Animals
POINTS SPENT: 3
WHAT DOES IT DO/HOW IS IT APPLIED: He can talk to the vast majority of animals. That doesn't mean they will like him, but he can talk to them.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILL/ABILITY: Military Training
POINTS SPENT: 4
WHAT DOES IT DO/HOW IS IT APPLIED: He was very well trained as an elite soldier.

O P T I O N A LS U P E R N A T U R A LC H A R A C T E R I S T I C S&A B I L I T I E S
Please refer to application instructions regarding this section. You have 8 total points to spend total, no single characteristic greater than 4.

CHARACTERISTIC/ABILITY: Superfast
POWER LEVEL: 4
WHAT DOES IT DO: He can dodge bullets, and move nearly as fast as a car at full speed.
WHAT COUNTERS/NEGATES IT: Iron, which is basically kryptonite to him. Also, he has to be pretty focused, so a wound will stop him from using it.

CHARACTERISTIC/ABILITY: Healing
POWER LEVEL: 3
WHAT DOES IT DO: He can heal from a major wound in about a week or so. A cut will go away in about a hour.
WHAT COUNTERS/NEGATES IT: Iron. It won't work if he is near iron or if the wound was caused by iron.

M A G I CO RF O R C EU S E R S
Please refer to application instructions regarding this section. You have 8 total points to spend total, no single spell or ability greater than 4.

SPELL/FORCE ABILITY: Telekinesis
POWER LEVEL: 2
WHAT DOES IT DO: Push
WHAT COUNTERS/NEGATES IT: Iron.
WHAT RESTRICTIONS APPLY: It won't work well against other magic users.

P E R S O N A LI T E M S

1. A picture of his full unit.
   
2. A small idol of a folk hero his mother gave him
   

E Q U I P M E N T
Please refer to application instructions regarding this section.

1. His two double swords. They are slender and light, made of fae steel.
   

O T H E RG A M EM E C H A N I C S


URL TO APARTMENT INTERIOR: http://66.media.tumblr.com/e50c8d275c5e39c42471e89b95c3b100/tumblr_nsazm0roGT1r31v2no4_500.png

ONE PARAGRAPH THAT SUMS UP YOUR CHARACTER. THIS WILL APPEAR ON THE OOC FIRST PAGE: A fae ex-hitman and elite soldier.

P L A Y E RI N F O R M A T I O N

YOUR NICKNAME ON NS: Bekia
YOUR EXPERIENCE LEVEL (beginner, intermediate, advanced): Beginner
HOW OFTEN CAN YOU POST: At least once a week.
LINK TO RP EXAMPLES (YOUR IC POST, NOT THE RP ITSELF). IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LINK, WE'LL ASSESS YOU BASED ON YOUR CHARACTER'S BIOGRAPHY: No link.

[Giovenith]

I'm sorry Bekian Impei, but PL isn't running anymore. You can join our Discord to learn more about the group's future projects.

[Swith Witherward]

Imma revive this bastard. It will be a bit changed, but let's see what we can iron out in Discord.

(Image) PERMISSIONS Personification Life (PL) and all its happy iterations, coding, apps, archive formats and fancy words may not be reproduced without the explicit written permission of the OP. Should the OP meet an untimely demise, authorization is granted to Swith Witherward to create new threads. Should Swith Witherward die, yer all screwed, and permission to create threads goes to Mincaldenteans and Tiltjuice. They must fight for them to the death in a vat of lime Jello while wearing nothing but chicken suits made of crappy stuff found under the Lobby couch. (Image) Bawk bawk! Humor aside, I grant Swith Witherrward, Mincaldenteans and Tiltjuice permission to operate in my stead should I need to take another long sabbatical from PL. They have my permission to utilize this intellectual property for the benefit of the game and its participants.

[Swith Witherward]

I've had a lot of feedback via our Discord server and DMs. It's difficult to please everyone, but there seems to be a commonality between requests: make it so old characters can be a part of it, simplify it without chopping out all canon, allow offshoots like "Shores" to wrap or continue, make it easy for new players to join.

I don't have permission to use the "god wars", Demens the chaos god, or the framework behind Galli. That's IP. What I do have permission to use is the Agency. I thought we might be able to roll with that.

We need a setting that allows non-combat characters to contribute. A city for those that want to do everyday life (run shops, be doctors, be mechanics, eat worms, whatever). We need a setting that allows combat-themed characters a nice playground. While Bielefeld was fun, the inner workings are the damn cultists. I'd really, really like to get away from that.

What I propose:

---

The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. OOC THREAD ITERATION I Slate is a character-based, story-driven role play within in the PERSONIFICATION LIFE omniverse. New players do not need to be familiar with this omniverse to play in it. Players are encouraged to improve their writing and character development skills, and to try their hands at GMing their own small adventures. Players of all skill levels are welcome here. PREMISE Sixty years have passed since mankind learned it wasn't alone in the universe. Heavy negotiating allowed Earth's denizens to take to the stars. It's by no means a sleek venture. Although faster-than-light technology is out there, it's much too expensive for anyone but the military to utilize. Instead, mankind relies on its colonies - space stations where one can refuel, agriculture centers on planets or moons that provide food and meat to the sector, industrial mining for precious metals and ores. One of the newer colonies is a small, ringed world named Slate. It's inhospitable, the wildlife tends to be violent, and the views aren't worth a damn. What Slate does have is water and Astatine. This naturally occurring semi-metal results from the decay of uranium and thorium. Its high radioactivity requires special handling techniques and precautions. And, as it so happens, this delightful halogen comes in handy when used to power ships. Slate thrives due to this mining as well the farms and ranches dotting its surface. In addition, its shipping port is a honey sort of town offering just about anything necessary to function, within reason. All of this is protected by domes to keep the good stuff in and the predators out. This is a combination sandbox-railroad role play. The premise is simple: characters are either part of the Agency (yes, that Agency minus any interference from gods) hired to protect the colony, or they have arrived as citizens to run shops, a pub, or whatever suits the player's interest within Slate. This is not a chat location thread. RULES PG-13/Sex/Violence: Slate is not the place to act out your violent or sexual fantasies. We employ a "fade to black" rule rather than expose minors to graphic content or obscene material. Rape is taboo. NPCs are not there to be spindled, mutilated and torn apart unless, of course, it's combat. Role Play Etiquette: Godmodding and metagaming are not allowed. No multi-colored or oddly formatted fonts for dialog. No asterisks to denote action. Don't be "that guy". Non-Discrimination Statement and "Ban-able" Behavior Slate, its players, and its staff do not nor will not discriminate against an individual based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income, political beliefs, or civil rights activity. That said, Slate's OOC threads and the Madhouse Server are not a platform for social activism or political rhetoric. Poor sportsmanship and pot-stirring destroy games. If you have a problem with a player, try to hash it out behind the scenes. If you can't hash it out, as the OP for guidance. If you turn into a right shit, backstabbing people and attacking everyone while whining "unfair" when you were actually in the wrong... you'll be banned. Do not try to sneak back in with a puppet nation. BANNED PLAYERS As of 16 October 2018 Urran Grand Britannia Germanic Templars Torsiedelle Slate, a Personification Life (PL) franchise, and all its happy iterations, coding, apps, archive formats and fancy words may not be reproduced without the explicit written permission of the OP. Permission to retool and reboot this franchise was given by the last OP, Cerillium, here. CHARACTER APP Ha! Made you look!

[Giovenith]

So the basic gist is:

- Places like Slate for people who want railroaded stories with short use characters, and
- Basically open sandbox for any other sort of setting, characters, or stories

Right?

[Swith Witherward]

So the basic gist is:

- Places like Slate for people who want railroaded stories with short use characters, and
- Basically open sandbox for any other sort of setting, characters, or stories

Right?

Slate would be sandbox as well. We'd treat the city as we did Bielefeld, and players could add their own personal touch with shops, pubs, etc. There would be a bit of railroad when the Agency was called upon to squash some pesky critter outside the spheres. This gives newbs a chance to learn how to write combat etc.

The portal would be well-hidden but accessible. Plus characters can either jump on Minerva's ship or else book passage on one in the station orbiting above. This opens up player-run stories.

The whole thing is meant to be somewhat laid back. Good, hardworking folks just needing a bit of protection.

Typical farmers on Slate

[Giovenith]

Sounds alright to me. Bit of a devil's advocate question: How are we handling people who may not want to be involved in the railroading stories? On one hand I can see how they would be disruptive for some people, but on the other hand, we should have a way to deal with people who spend too much time lounging around in conversation like last time. Should we just play it case by case?

[Swith Witherward]

I think case-by-case is best. We'll need to remind people that it's not a chat location thread. Chat is fine, provided it leads to something productive.

I'd also make "missions" worthwhile to characters that aren't into combat. Maybe they're techheads and someone needs work done on a generator. Give them a chance to interact with the natives, but also allow them to make contacts, show their skills, or whatever.

I think the only time we need to railroad would be akin to when the Building was attacked and everyone got a piece of the action. If that makes sense. I've been up since 4 AM. My brain flat-lined about 2 hours ago.

[Swith Witherward]

WIP. I'm fussing with the city at the moment. Didn't want to lose these updates, though. The player list, business list, and world info will be spoilered in a second post.

The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. OOC THREAD ITERATION I [holding pattern for application and directory anchors] Slate is a character-based, story-driven role play within in the PERSONIFICATION LIFE omniverse. New players do not need to be familiar with this omniverse to play in it. Players are encouraged to improve their writing and character development skills, and to try their hands at GMing their own small adventures. Players of all skill levels are welcome here. PREMISE Sixty years have passed since mankind learned it wasn't alone in the universe. Heavy negotiating allowed Earth's denizens to take to the stars. It's by no means a sleek venture. Although faster-than-light technology is out there, it's expensive and most people have to book passage on ships to reach colonies and outer worlds. Mankind relies on its colonies - space stations where one can refuel, agriculture centers on planets or moons that provide food and meat to the sector, industrial mining for precious metals and ores. One of the newer colonies is a small, ringed world named Slate. It's inhospitable, the wildlife tends to be violent, and the views aren't worth a damn. What Slate does have is water and Astatine. This naturally occurring semi-metal results from the decay of uranium and thorium. Its high radioactivity requires special handling techniques and precautions. And, as it so happens, this delightful halogen comes in handy when used to power ships. Slate thrives due to this mining as well the farms and ranches dotting its surface. In addition, its shipping port is a honey sort of town offering just about anything necessary to function, within reason. All of this is protected by domes to keep the good stuff in and the predators out. The premise is simple: characters are either part of the Agency (yes, that Agency minus any interference from gods) hired to protect the colony, or they have arrived as citizens to run shops, a pub, or whatever suits the player's interest within Slate. This is not a chat location thread. Casual conversations between characters is fine, provided it leads to something productive to the story. RULES PG-13/Sex/Violence: Slate is not the place to act out your violent or sexual fantasies. We employ a "fade to black" rule rather than expose minors to graphic content or obscene material. Rape is taboo. NPCs are not there to be spindled, mutilated and torn apart unless, of course, it's combat. Role Play Etiquette: Godmodding and metagaming are not allowed. No multi-colored or oddly formatted fonts for dialog. No asterisks to denote action. Don't be "that guy". Non-Discrimination Statement and "Ban-able" Behavior Slate, its players, and its staff do not nor will not discriminate against an individual based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income, political beliefs, or civil rights activity. That said, Slate's OOC threads and the Madhouse Server are not a platform for social activism or political rhetoric. Poor sportsmanship and pot-stirring destroy games. If you have a problem with a player, try to hash it out behind the scenes. If you can't hash it out, as the OP for guidance. If you turn into a right shit, backstabbing people and attacking everyone while whining "unfair" when you were actually in the wrong... you'll be banned. Do not try to sneak back in with a puppet nation. BANNED PLAYERS As of 16 October 2018 Urran Grand Britannia Germanic Templars Torsiedelle Slate, a Personification Life (PL) franchise, and all its happy iterations, coding, apps, archive formats and fancy words may not be reproduced without the explicit written permission of the OP. Permission to retool and reboot this franchise was given by the last OP, Cerillium, here.

CHARACTER APPLICATION I allow people to run characters that appeal to them. However, as with most RP, the "cast" needs balancing. If you have questions about character design, or would like assistance in making something that works in this setting, post here. Although we have a channel on the Madhouse server, games stay fresh when the OOC is utilized. Slate isn't set in an anime universe. Your character pic can be in an anime style, but there aren't any mahou shoujo loaded with magical items or abilities, nor high powered mecha. New players can not run a god, a demigod, or dragon. Been there, done that, it got old real quick. You can run an anthro (or, within reason, an alien) but it's a predominantly human setting so that character might get odd looks or be mistrusted at first. You can also run a mundane human. To apply, copy code below. Please make sure you don't accidentally reformat it. Do NOT add an image to this application. We'd had to deal with takedown notices in the past. Code: Select all [size=150]CHARACTER APPLICATION[/size] [floatleft][img]https://i.imgur.com/sTPtvsH.png[/img][tab=10][/tab][/floatleft][floatleft][img]https://i.imgur.com/UgSya1c.png[/img][tab=10][/tab][/floatleft][hr][/hr] [hr][/hr] [align=justify][img]https://i.imgur.com/dKZbhsC.png[/img]      [b]YOUR NAME/NICKNAME:[/b]        [b]CHARACTER NAME:[/b]        [b]CHARACTER SPECIES:[/b]        [b]LINK TO CHARACTER IMAGE OR DESCRIBE:[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/A0FfN49.png[/img]      [b]CHARACTER CONCEPT:[/b]      [b]CHARACTER BACKSTORY:[/b]      [b]CHARACTER WEAKNESS:[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/bstaLKw.png[/img]      [b]ONE BEST SKILL:[/b]      [b]TWO GOOD SKILLS:[/b]      [b]THREE FAIR SKILLS:[/b]      [b]FOUR AVERAGE SKILLS:[/b]      [b]MISC INFORMATION:[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/vRtwzbr.png[/img]      [b]IMPORTANT POSSESSIONS, FIREARMS, ETC:[/b] [tab=10][/tab][size=10]SLATE APP. DO NOT REMOVE THIS LINE![/size][/align] BUSINESS APPLICATION Characters can operate their own businesses, within reason. All characters are new arrivals, so you'll start out with a rented property and bare-bones basic items. Freight is expensive. You'll need to build upon the concept through gameplay. And money? "Credits". Every character has a stick. Those working for the agency earn a good pay. Those operating their own business have to rely upon the customer base. Code: Select all [size=150]APPLICATION FOR BUSINESS[/size] [floatleft][img]https://i.imgur.com/sTPtvsH.png[/img][tab=10][/tab][/floatleft][floatleft][img]https://i.imgur.com/UgSya1c.png[/img][tab=10][/tab][/floatleft][hr][/hr] [align=justify][b]CHARACTER NAME:[/b]      [b]TYPE OF BUSINESS:[/b]      [b]NAME OF BUSINESS:[/b]      [b]DESCRIBE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:[/b]       [tab=10][/tab][size=10]SLATE APP. DO NOT REMOVE THIS LINE![/size][/align]

[Highfort]

CHARACTER APPLICATION

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YOUR NAME/NICKNAME: Agymnum / Agy

CHARACTER NAME: Gordon Felton

CHARACTER SPECIES: Human - Sympathetic Metahuman

LINK TO CHARACTER IMAGE OR DESCRIBE: If there ever was a “generic bureaucrat” model, this is him. Tall and slightly-stooped, he wouldn’t stand out on a metro line, especially not in his gray suit uniform.

He wears his hair - thick and black, probably the only thing about him not worn down by time - parted to the left, as is acceptable corporate style. Gordon keeps himself clean-shaven, though on particularly-long weeks he is known to sport scruff. He is always spectacled, thin rims as opposed to a more fashionable style, and the faint hint of creases line his forehead. His face is similarly unworthy of note: a small, button nose, beady eyes softened with tired crow’s feet, and thin lips curled in a neutral, slight frown.

He sports a farmer’s tan from the few vacations he is afforded, but beneath his creased suits his skin is ashen grey. His body tends to the longer side, with lanky limbs accentuating a midsection indicating he’s spent a little too much time at his desk and not enough in the gym.




CHARACTER CONCEPT: A pencil-pusher metahuman from an alternate-universe Earth whose skill in management and bureaucratic nonsense is only matched by his refusal to be open about himself and his general mistrust of others.

CHARACTER BACKSTORY:
[RECORD OF GORDON FELTON'S APPLICATION TO THE AGENCY... TRANSCRIPT START]

[INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND CHATTER, TWO VOICES]

[REDACTED]: Well Gordon, you have your cigarettes and your whiskey, let's begin.

GF: Right, well... To be honest, I didn’t ask for any of my gifts, and as such I don’t regard them as gifts. Different dimension, you understand, powers aren't always a blessing everywhere.

[REDACTED]: Yes, yes, we've heard the story before. Go on.

[MULTIPLE VOICES]: [INAUDIBLE] -not bad actually, you'll have to tell me the brand later. [INAUDIBLE]

GF: Right... where was I? Well, I was born shortly after the Ascendancy in 2020, a freak who wasn’t aborted at the birthing table only because my powers were hidden from public view. I managed to skirt through public education without much fuss, probably because being able to manipulate the sensations of other people really can get you places if you know what you’re doing.

[REDACTED]: [INAUDIBLE]

GF: Well, think of it this way: the wafting scent of cookies like grandma used to make, or the warmth of the summer sun on that vacation you took in Greece last summer - these sensations can quickly turn outrage into mere annoyance, or melancholy into friendly nostalgia. You understand, right?

[REDACTED]: [INAUDIBLE, ON FURTHER ANALYSIS APPEARS APPREHENSIVE]

GF: No, it was only when I graduated and entered the workforce that my troubles really began. In 2040 - in my dimension - the presence of metahumans was finally legislated upon by the UN; it was only a matter of time, social media and the private market had already begun capitalizing on individuals with esoteric powers.

[REDACTED]: And how did that make you feel?

GF: Me, feel? Well, at the time I didn't feel much of anything. Maybe fear, before - we were seen as freaks, you know. But after the publishing of the Metahuman Rights and Powers Accords, we became yet another class of citizens in the bureaucratic morass.

[REDACTED]: You seem displeased with this.

GF: Well, you know how it is. When my ability to… influence others, as they put it, was discovered and documented, I was fast-tracked to a middle management role at a particularly-irritating corporate branch. No control over that, nor the minder the FBI assigned me, nor the directives I was forced to follow. I had to start training at a government facility near the border, all very hush-hush as you might imagine.

[REDACTED]: What corporate branch, can you be specific?

GF: Uh, specifically, the San Diego branch of Proctor-Nagel.

[REDACTED]: They exist in multiple dimensions, you'll need to specify which one.

GF: Uh, hm... Well when I joined they had just won a bid for sole (legal) access to Mars to begin supplying the MCG’s new mining settlements. They're a general goods supplier, not sure what you want to know.

[A PORTION OF THE CONVERSATION WAS REDACTED FOR BREVITY]

GF: Right, well, I'll have to have you and your wife over for dinner some time, she sounds lovely.

[REDACTED]: Ahem, we got a bit off-topic there for a second, do you mind? More whiskey?

GF: Ah, no, thank you. Right... where was I? I mean, least I can say is that I got classified as a symp; most of the mals ended up institutionalized or in camps, depending on the country. I heard some of them make a killing as assassins and bodyguards from time to time, but nobody can ever prove anything. Anyways, then the Red Uprising happened, and our Martian brothers and sisters decided they didn’t like taking orders from the blue marble.

[REDACTED]: Red Uprising? So you're not from Earth 23B.

GF: Excuse me?

[REDACTED]: Forget what I'm saying, go on.

GF: Right, well, as you might imagine, a decade of war followed. I spent most of it on Earth, ended up transferred to a military logistics warehouse. At the war's end I had the luck to be selected as one of fifty diplomats - a crack team sent to broker a deal with the new Free Martian State. Mineral rights, a hand in the new constitution, representatives on Mars - whatever the UN could get (and, by extension, then broker off to its various constituent nation-states), it wanted me to squeeze - blood from the red stone, as it were.

[REDACTED]: You'll be happy to know the war doesn't happen in several dimensions.

GF: I couldn't give a shit about the war, I just wish I wasn't on that damn diplomatic trip.

[REDACTED]: So what happened?

GF: What happened was we realized way too late that the FMS was, in fact, not interested at all in official relations with any Earth governments. After all, why talk to the bullies when corporations and the small fish will be perfectly happy to feed you in exchange for a new market?

[REDACTED]: And... when did you realize that?

GF: [LAUGH] Right about when they tore through the Unity’s hull with a couple of old nukes, courtesy of a supplier out of the Russian Federation. And now I’m here.

[REDACTED]: I see. Thank you, Mr. Felton. You may return to your room, processing of your application will be expedited as we see fit. Please, don't hesitate to ask for anything else.

GF: You got any more of that whiskey? And vape juice, if you got it, I forgot how much I hate cigarettes.

[TRANSCRIPT END]

CHARACTER WEAKNESS: Cowardice - Gordon at the end of the day is out for himself. If it so happens that saving his skin will result in a job well done, all the better. But… if he is asked to make sacrifices, to put his head on the chopping block for the greater good… Well, then he starts singing a different tune. He’s been very fortunate in that his role as peacemaker has generally kept him out of danger, but there’s no telling what he’ll do once he’s in it.



ONE BEST SKILL: Sensation Manipulation - Due to extensive training both government-mandated and personal, Gordon has honed his sensory manipulation abilities to a T. He's capable of altering sense of temperature, smell, balance, physical touch, and hearing to suit his purposes. This manipulation is limited - he's not going to cause severe auditory or visual hallucinations (even the most trivial visual manipulation has always eluded him, though he isn't sure why) - but it serves the primary function of manipulating others into the right state of mind: nostalgic smells to relax suspicion, body warmth to encourage specific type of dress, imbalance to induce motion sickness or cause accidents, etc.

This manipulation has limited range, and the more intense the manipulation the more localized the range and the more focus required to maintain the illusion. He generally can only focus on one target if he's going for a very specific illusion (ex. smell of mom's home-made apple pie) but more general illusions he can maintain for all targets in a confined space or small radius (ex. making a room feel warmer, or smell vaguely pleasant, or causing general imbalance and unease among a crowd).

TWO GOOD SKILLS: Disappearing into the Crowd - As part of his government-mandated training, Gordon was taught to keep spare outfits on him at all times and how to quickly manipulate his appearance, mannerisms, posture, and behavior to blend into a crowd and lose a pursuer or avoid detection beforehand. This skill requires access to some clothing and/or basic equipment (ex. Makeup, false facial hair, shaver, etc) to swap into and use to alter his appearance, otherwise it drops to Fair.

Chairing/Mediating - having chaired many a meeting among disgruntled employees and new hires, Gordon has a knack for implementing good process to move things along; he listens to people’s problems and is open to suggestions but never lets the group get too far away from their intended goal with the meeting. Have him at the helm of any meeting, and you're sure to have a productive one with everyone walking away feeling... if not happy, then at least satisfied. Or at the very least, if they're unhappy, they won't be holding any grudges against him.

THREE FAIR SKILLS: Professional Writing - Gordon is experienced with writing communiques, memos, drafting both internal and external press releases and editing out aggressive or unsavory tone/content from articles. He's also published in a few notable journals on management back home, primarily research into good office workflow and incident/conflict resolution.

Coaching - as a process manager, Gordon has naturally developed sense for goal-setting and encouraging his subordinates to set both professional and personal development milestones to ensure continued usefulness. He's pretty decent at follow-up and encouragement, and nobody who's worked under him has had any complaints about whether he's helping them grow as professionals. Still, he isn't as hands-on as some others, and would like to develop his abilities as a leader more (mostly to keep himself out of trouble).

Cooking - you’d be surprised how far one can get with the ability to cook one’s own food… Gordon can manage whatever is reasonable for a well-paid home chef, namely he knows his way around meat and basic sauces. Don't expect him to win any awards against actual trained professionals, but if needed he can cater a meeting himself without expecting any complaints. He did win one award for best meat sauce at a home cookout, though narrowly (he has since learned to use a little vodka in both the sauce and on the judges, to improve flavor).

FOUR AVERAGE SKILLS: Handguns - He’s proficient in stationary shooting form, accuracy (up to 25 feet), and maintenance of basic early-to-mid-21st-century Earth handguns. Partial to the Isosceles stance, he has little experience with shooting from cover or from a crouching or prone position. He’s got a particular affinity for CZ’s, but no complaints here if he gets a Glock or a 1911. Maybe stay away from the Yeet Cannon, though.

Driving - You'd think with him being a bureaucrat, he would've been driven around a bunch, but Gordon is more comfortable driving himself places (especially places he expects trouble) and it shows. He won't win any racing competitions and he's uncomfortable with a stick, but if there's any long-distance driving to be done and the road's a little bumpy or unsafe, he can probably get it done. No training in spacecraft or planes, though he's managed a large truck when he had to move a friend a few states over back on Earth.

Swimming - Gordon did a bunch of amateur swimming (never competition) in high school and college, and still does so for fun (at gyms, he hates the beach). His form is solid enough and he can handle light weights - don't expect him to reliably save drowning people, fishing out a backpack or trinket is more his speed. Prefers freestyle.

IT setup/maintenance - He dabbled in the various tech and gadget clubs at his college and still does so today. Can stand up a Tomcat server, do basic programming in Python and Javascript, and can troubleshoot website issues in a pinch. He's up-to-date on whatever is hot in early-to-mid-21st century tech, though expect him to be a fish out of water with some of the more advanced or experimental stuff on Slate.

MISC INFORMATION:

• Partial to cats and dogs, prefers cats.
• Has a creepy habit of intensely staring at others when they are talking. He doesn't mean anything by it, but people have commented that it unsettles them, nevertheless.

IMPORTANT POSSESSIONS, FIREARMS, ETC:

• CZ-75B handgun, factory spec
• Mod vaporizer - his preferred liquid is pineapple menthol
• A closet's worth of grey suits, all identical with blue or red ties, white collared long-sleeve shirts, grey socks, and two pairs of dress shoes (one black, one brown)
• A variety of clothes he doesn't wear every day, mainly for disguises (Hawaiian shirts, swimming shorts, graphic tees, jackets of various styles, gloves, sunglasses, etc.)
• Disguise kit: makeup, fake beards/mustaches, latex/rubber attachments matching his skin tone in various shapes (to alter facial profile, lips, wrists, etc)
• Cooking utensils - one nonstick pan, one stainless steel pan, large soup/stock pot, small immersion circulator, immersion blender, miscellaneous cutlery, etc. (what you'd expect from a home cook)
• Filing cabinet full of old memories and important documents, with accompanying paper shredder
• Mid-spec 21st century desktop computer with accessories (mouse, keyboard, monitor, headset, microphone), doubles as a server computer for anything he deems important

SLATE APP. DO NOT REMOVE THIS LINE!

[Swith Witherward]

Nice! Thanks for being the Guinea pig. I see a formatting error on my part. Gotta move that title back towards the leaf thing. Ugh.

How does he know what someone considers "comforting"? Mom's apple pie doesn't please everyone.

[Highfort]

Nice! Thanks for being the Guinea pig. I see a formatting error on my part. Gotta move that title back towards the leaf thing. Ugh.

How does he know what someone considers "comforting"? Mom's apple pie doesn't please everyone.

He has to figure that out the old-fashioned way - communication and intuition. If he's trying to comfort someone he'll usually get to know them before trying sensations out. On the other hand, for fear or disgust or confusion or any of the other nasties, the usual stuff will suffice.

[Swith Witherward]

He has to figure that out the old-fashioned way - communication and intuition. If he's trying to comfort someone he'll usually get to know them before trying sensations out. On the other hand, for fear or disgust or confusion or any of the other nasties, the usual stuff will suffice.

*Sudden scent of decaying bodies, blood, and muck!*

"Oh, wow, that takes me back to when my mom and me buried Uncle Joe. Best day ever!"

[Highfort]

He has to figure that out the old-fashioned way - communication and intuition. If he's trying to comfort someone he'll usually get to know them before trying sensations out. On the other hand, for fear or disgust or confusion or any of the other nasties, the usual stuff will suffice.

*Sudden scent of decaying bodies, blood, and muck!*

"Oh, wow, that takes me back to when my mom and me buried Uncle Joe. Best day ever!"

That's happened to him once or twice, never said he was perfect

[Swith Witherward]

That's happened to him once or twice, never said he was perfect