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As the title says. The food one would only accept food items, the curative one medicine bags, antitoxins, and salutary tonics. Have the donations kept track of as with dinar donations in other places.

This would make it more convenient to do charitable works without a DM around (and without leaving items lying on the floor).

Sofia d'Andrea

connor's left a giant halberd shaped hole in all of our hearts en shit
masterful pc

Yeah

Dream well, High Priestess...

Much <3

[Midnight Minuet]

I should probably wait at least a few days before writing and posting this, but then again, I'd be thinking about these things anyway... so what the hell. If in the coming days and weeks your character has reason to wonder where Soliana's gone, I'd just ask you to RP as appropriate, as her demise is by no means common knowledge.

* * *

So... yeah. God, this is difficult. After half a year of intensive roleplay, it feels like a part of me just died.

What a ride, though! I did expect it to continue for some time still, but you know how it is, sometimes the unexpected happens. I can't reveal much about how it happened, but suffice to say that the events surrounding Soliana's death will probably lead to something cool for the rest of the server, so I'm happy for that. And even if it came unexpectedly, it was a great finale for a story long in telling.

Okay, stats first, as is the custom:



The primary inspiration for Soliana, in terms of personality at least, was Annah the tiefling from Planescape: Torment. In addition, both Vi and Jinx from Arcane strike a resemblance in their different ways and served as further inspiration, although I had already created Soliana by the time I watched Arcane earlier this year (and I've never played LoL!). Ditto for cocaine dealer Connie Johnson from Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club series.

Those who have read her journal will know something about her background already, but in brief, Soliana was born in Tethyr and captured by slavers at a young age. A Shadow Thief bought her at an auction in Athkatla with the intention of grooming her into a lookout, figuring that elven eyes and ears would be useful on shady jobs. She did well and eventually earned her freedom – but decided to stay where she was because of feeling, by that time, that she no longer knew any other kind of life. She only left Athkatla after she had been forced to kill a friend on a job, something which added to an already guilty conscience that would always haunt her. Soon after, she arrived in Ephia's Well with jumbled memories that only slowly came back.

I wanted to explore the themes of guilt, corruption and redemption with Soliana and kept her decidedly open to outside influences, especially in the beginning. It was a boon to her to meet Shamsa Sarim, Isabella de Veend and the rest of the Oathseekers so soon after her arrival, and all went pretty well for her for as long as that group held together. She was really changing for the better, slowly learning to trust people and be worthy of their trust.






Shamsa Sarim became Soliana's "adopted sister", a replacement for the real sister she had lost in childhood. Their relationship was especially close, and for a time, they were inseparable. Something just clicked both IC and OOC.



But after Isabella's death, everything disintegrated. Tormod died too. And then Shamsa succumbed to debilitating depression. Soliana's solution was to erect a shell of cynicism, nihilism and hedonism and convert to the Gellemede faith.




In a way, Mari Blacke was her "saviour", somebody who provided her with a new sense of purpose and direction after she had once again lost the most important people in her life. Playing Soliana after that, in the "second chapter" of her story, was a very different experience.



When she was in the Oathseekers, Soliana viewed the Astronomers in the same way as Isabella and Shamsa – as the greatest defenders of Ephia's Well, a mysterious power to look up to. Now, she hated and despised them and wasn't shy about telling it. (And it wasn't just because of the well-known animosity between Gellemedes and Astronomers!)



That didn't prevent her from trying to build bridges every now and then. With little success, but oh well.



She fell in with some bad, bad people. Who wanted to flood the Well with drugs. Well, why not, sounds exciting! By that time, Soliana herself was already a hopeless mizzar addict (and her DC in the end was almost 100 – who needs a Will save anyway?). It all started from a hushed conversation near the Garrison and then a shady backroom meeting with someone powerful...



Margins were low and finding new clients was a lot of work, but her drug-dealing wasn't entirely without success.



Buuuuut she was always a little too honest and a little too kind to be a proper Gellemede. :) Despite her prickliness and wariness, she did have friends – of a sort – among people much better than herself.



In the end, I think Soliana walked a titillating tightrope between light and dark until the very end. It was a fun act! Things could have gone a lot of ways, had she survived for longer still. Alas. All good things must come to an end...

I'd like to give my heartfelt thanks to everybody who took an interest in interacting with Soliana – but most especially to the following people who made this such an unforgettable experience:

Midnight Minuet – I know you don't play on EfU anymore, and I was so sad that you left... but I feel incredibly privileged for the time that we did spend together in this virtual reality. I learned so many things from you, particularly regarding emoting. I think my emotes went downhill after you left! ;_; I've never felt roleplaying so strongly as with you... You have that rare ability of elevating others' roleplay to new heights. You're the best. Always. Let's keep in touch <3

Dopson – Tormod was always closer with Shamsa than with Soliana, but it was the group dynamics that really got me hooked, both IC and OOC. Oh, the chats we used to have on Discord! It was fun while it lasted... I miss your music shares.

Empress of Neon – The player faction you created with Isabella was absolutely the most fun faction I've ever been in, if only because of the people you pulled in it. And Isabella herself was such a multi-faceted, life-like character with such a heart-breaking story. Also, I will probably never again get to emote doing handstand push-ups during a politics meeting.

Ramc – Mari taking Soliana under her wing (black as the night sky) was probably the best thing that could happen to Sol, story-wise, after the Oathseekers were done. You were directly or indirectly responsible for at least 73% of the fun I had from then on, and you've managed to accomplish some terrific things with Mari. Keep it up!

DaBase – I wish our characters had got to interact more with each other – and I mean both Alfred and Aegos – but I loved the RP we did have. Alfred in particular was such a fun guy to be around. I miss even his jokes. Well, not really. Well, maybe just a little. Like a teeny weeny bit. Got it?

Don Nadie & Crump – The art you create for this server is one of the things that makes it so much more than a game. You're bards in real life, too! Also, just love your characters. In an alternate reality, Sol might have become a Balladeer...

* * *

I decided already long ago that after Sol would finally be gone, I wouldn't be creating a new character – at least not anytime soon. You see, I can't play EfU without binging a little, but my life situation doesn't really lend itself to binging for prolonged periods. Gotta be a responsible adult and all that (how boring!). I'll still be on Discord for anybody who wants to chat me up, but for the foreseeable future, I'm afraid it's time to say goodbye ;_;

Keep telling those awesome stories, EfU!
Maybe someday I'll be a part of them again...

Gonna be away this Friday and Saturday. Then same thing the following weekend, except I'll be gone on Sunday too (Oct 13–15).

So what kind of men do you like?

A simple enough question, wasn't it? I wonder if he honestly expected a simple answer, too. So many things came to my mind then. But none that I could say out loud.

Why? Because I can't appear weak. In my trade you can't afford to, especially as a woman – it'd be suicide. Surely he must see that? He has the privilege of doing that without anybody walking over him. He can open up about all that emotion stuff and wax lyrical and it'll just add to his bardiness. Go him.

It does make me envious, of course. When did I last get to chat freely about such things without fear of how I'd be perceived? When, and with whom? I don't even remember. I might have been able to with Shamsa, before... everything. But that's in the past now.

I could've mentioned a few superficial things, but then I would've appeared superficial, and oddly enough, I didn't want that either. Apparently I care a little about what he thinks of me?

What I really would've wanted to say was

As if any of that matters. I don't have the luxury of thinking about this shit. Why did I even begin to write this?

Currently, you seem to get the fix craving at set intervals regardless of when you last used the drug. It doesn't really make sense – you shouldn't get the craving if you used the drug 5 minutes ago.

If the timer was reset whenever you used the drug, it would be far easier to e.g. plan outings from the Well, not having to wonder when the next craving will come. Especially important for a mizzar addict, given that normally the only means of getting the fix is located physically in Ephia's Well rather than as an item you can carry around.

Same logic as when a smoker gets his fix just before boarding the plane. You control it that way. Should be possible.

Drug-dealing is hard work, I'll say. Yeah. Not at all what it's made out t High setup costs, low margins, and even then, a cut goes to the Powers That Be. I won't get rich this way. But then, I also won't get arrested, because with a couple of pricey licenses it's perfectly legal in the Well. I'm a Proper Respectable Businesswoman now.

The best customers are the craziest ones. Like that Gaskar fellow. He'd probably eat the stars from the sky if they were given to him. Actually, I think he said so. Without the 'probably'.

I had to try some of that dirt to know what I'm selling, of course. It doesn't look like much but damn! Feels good! Invigorating! I felt like... I don't know... immortal? For a few minutes. Would I chomp some in a pinch? Oh yes, definitely. Would I use it for recreation? No, I'll leave that to the gaskars. Me, I'll stick to mizzar. Mizzar, my true love...

Maybe if I get really bored someday? Doesn't seem likely for the foreseeable future.

Praise Them Between Stars!

[They]

Another election, another legate. Boops deserved to win, but that isn't saying much. Her campaign didn't have enough money. I suppose she trusted in her fancy plans to do the trick, trusted people to actually care about her brain and commitment. How naive.

Dumball seems idealistic too, very much so. But I observed two main differences between him and Boops. One: his supporters had money and offered it; hers didn't. Money talks, bullshit walks. Two: he's a foul-mouthed jerk; she isn't. Yet, at least. Politics seems to reward creative dung-slinging.

Such high hopes they have for this new legate, the fools. It's going to be entertaining, watching their disappointment. Watching their dreams turn to ashes by the lure of money, power, and respect. It's only a matter of time.

But I won't be there to whisper in their ear, I told you so. That would be pointless. I'll be there if I can, yes, but I'll be whispering something else... turning that disillusionment into faith in nothing. Faith in now. Faith in what you sense, what you feel, the craving and the satisfaction... the immanent. The only kind of faith that will never be let down.

They will be pleased. Such is the irony of idealism. It provides a never-ending supply of disillusioned converts to my new liege. I should know, I'm one of them.

It occurs to me that I've all but forgotten Erevan by now... how fitting. He forgot me; I get to return the favour.

A reply is left at the Krak.

Helga,

Thanks for your enquiry. Afraid the answer is no, for the time being – my business partner has disappeared, and without her, there is no mining expedition. I will let you know if this changes and your skills are needed after all.

Sincerely
Soliana Silden

IIRC, it already does. The emote lasts for maybe two seconds during which the PC can't move.

So currently, it says in the wiki that "PVP rules apply to this tool", which I take to include hostiling all targets. I think that's a double-edged sword, though, because many characters wouldn't necessarily resort to violence as the first option when a few dinari are snatched from their hundreds or thousands. And yet, the conspicuous failure emote coupled with a hostile red PC next to you very much encourage in that direction in the heat of the moment. Not to mention that the information is easy to metagame before and after cutpursing even if the act is successful.

Since the PVP action in this case is so minor and poses no threat to a PC's life (or even to belongings beyond a little gold), I'd suggest waiving the obligation to hostile targets when cutpursing. Losing a few seconds in the event that your character does intend to pursue retaliation through violence seems less important than the above considerations.

When somebody following you in is an issue, can't you just close the door once you're in? That's anyway faster than waiting for the auto-close.

Or does it not work with different areas? I've always assumed it does but I'm actually not sure. Can't verify it by yourself...

Dedicated to Narwen Alendiel