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Post by sveraes on Jun 27, 2011 10:14:55 GMT 1
I sense some confusion between priest as a player class and priestess of the Elune lore. priest class comprises a mix up of all different priests and faith in warcraft. I doubt all races have a similar uniform priest school, where 30 or so different abilities are learned. Same with druids, these both comprises general druidy things, some night elf specific abilities and even a few sunbased tauren skills. eu.battle.net/wow/en/game/lore/short-story/shifting-sands/1#readmodeTyrande is far from the only one to make use of moon and star based spells. There is also some confusion between Elune as azeroths only deity and Elune as just another form of holy light / Naruu. Because blizzard have been changing their mind between both of those settings.
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Post by Isa on Jun 27, 2011 11:49:24 GMT 1
Hmm... Fanatic... I like that. I see that there are a few schools of thought arrising. Which is just like religion in Real Life. Although to outsiders a religion may seem very inflexible and monolithic, there are often disagreements on certain issues. I think I personally will roll with that. Isa -won`t- use the shadows to cause physical harm to any living creature. (Forcing her into a strange sort of vegetarianism, since she can`t kill an animal.) I really like the idea of crushing remorse. I will do that. Remember folks: Isa is NOT a Kaldorei. No matter how hard you or her try to change, she will ALWAYS be a Human.So she will look differently at things then you. Always. This will be FUN!!! With the edict question closed for me. And the self-defense and mental vs physical harm questions answered so neatly, there is just one question left: Cloak of the Night. I would like to know on what criteria you determine that Shadowform is drawing the Shadow inside your own body, and Dispersion is not. And an explanation of why drawing the Shadow inside you is bad. Afterall, that is the natural state of Isa as it is. The Shadow -is- part of her. Is it harmful to do this? Is the urge to use the shadows offensively greater if you are in shadowform? Does the animation look too evil? Another reminder: I expect Shadow to be nasty and sly. :3 Thank you for reading and thinking
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Post by Vaelitha Skysong on Jun 27, 2011 12:11:02 GMT 1
I think you are right about schools of thought being important in interpreting how we use harmful spells as a Priestess of Elune. Just as in 'RL' religion, there are many variants in interpretation and application of, as you say, what seem to be pretty hard and fast rules to the outsiders. There are alot of grey areas, and I think it is better that way. It gives many shades to our RP characters and chances to subtley make them different and interesting.
Vaelitha is a traditional priestess who would feel that using Elune's gifts in a damaging way would be tantamount to sacriledge. She sees the White Lady as peace and kindness and love incarnate. How could she use the divine power she is gifted to harm and hurt? It's unthinkable to her. If she was forced through circumstances to harm with those gifts, which has happened in the past, she would feel as if she had failed the Goddess and so spent a long, long time in penance to recompense for the misuse.
This is not how is HAS to be though. Another priestess might feel that the use is warranted, and while feeling a little saddened by the need, she would perhaps pray over it and that is that. Maybe over time, someone using the power to harm frequently might get a taste for it and find more and more excuses to use it. I would imagine the power it gives would be intoxicating.
Fascinating discussion, guys, keep it up!
Sveraes : I agree - I think a little seperation between lore and game mechanics needs to be drawn. The priest talent builds and trees encompass the entire priest class, no matter the religion. What needs to be done is to draw what is relevant from it and conveniently put aside what is not.
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Post by Kaleina Moonrise on Jun 27, 2011 14:33:17 GMT 1
I think you are right about schools of thought being important in interpreting how we use harmful spells as a Priestess of Elune. Just as in 'RL' religion, there are many variants in interpretation and application of, as you say, what seem to be pretty hard and fast rules to the outsiders. There are alot of grey areas, and I think it is better that way. It gives many shades to our RP characters and chances to subtley make them different and interesting. Vaelitha is a traditional priestess who would feel that using Elune's gifts in a damaging way would be tantamount to sacriledge. She sees the White Lady as peace and kindness and love incarnate. How could she use the divine power she is gifted to harm and hurt? It's unthinkable to her. If she was forced through circumstances to harm with those gifts, which has happened in the past, she would feel as if she had failed the Goddess and so spent a long, long time in penance to recompense for the misuse. See this is a very interesting point. It seems to Vaelitha that using shadow for example to terrify and bring horror to a subject (defensively) would not agree with it. Where as to Kaleina this is acceptable when used defensively, unforgiveable if for example used as a form of torture. Kaleina will call upon the light for Holy fire and smite when essential, but views wielding the shadow in a damaging way as the start of the path to madness and corruption. Kaleina however - for reasons entirely unconnected to faith - does try not to draw on her reserves to heal or attack.
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Post by Aldrannath on Jun 27, 2011 19:58:42 GMT 1
I just want to note that this discussion is made of win.
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Post by sveraes on Jun 28, 2011 14:52:57 GMT 1
Here is some more fuel for shadow discussion. www.wowpedia.org/Sisterhood_of_Elunewww.wowpedia.org/Watchers (Watchers were made up of sisters of elune) www.wowpedia.org/Warden - Avatar of Vengeance, Shadow strike, blink... "The warden's magic is drawn from conviction and belief in justice for the night elves. One of the deadliest abilities of the warden is her power to imbue a weapon with the wrath and justice of the night elves, upon a slashing or throwing weapon that she holds. The ultimate expression of the warden's spirit of justice and wrath is the summoning of a night elf spirit of vengeance."
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Post by Kaleina Moonrise on Jun 28, 2011 15:54:57 GMT 1
Here is some more fuel for shadow discussion. www.wowpedia.org/Sisterhood_of_Elunewww.wowpedia.org/Watchers (Watchers were made up of sisters of elune) www.wowpedia.org/Warden - Avatar of Vengeance, Shadow strike, blink... "The warden's magic is drawn from conviction and belief in justice for the night elves. One of the deadliest abilities of the warden is her power to imbue a weapon with the wrath and justice of the night elves, upon a slashing or throwing weapon that she holds. The ultimate expression of the warden's spirit of justice and wrath is the summoning of a night elf spirit of vengeance." ] Thank you I had had a look after you suggested them and then life got in the way and I forgot to get back to you! Some of you may or maynot know, this guide also went on the WoW RP forums - and has been the subject of <cough> Heated Discussion. I have responded to itWith the following - Yell at me if it is out of order. _________________________________ I would like to thank everyone for their input, both for and against, constructive and less-so. This has been under review and extended discussion on our own guild forums since this was posted, and I admit I was incorrect in my assumption of 'Do No Harm' - I had meant 'Do No Harm' with shadow- therefore allowing the IC use of things like "Mind Soothe", "Mind Vision" On rare occasion Mind-control (with much prejudice - and extreme circumstances - and OFC pre-arranged OOC), Also things Like IC psychic scream or Psychic Horror. Whilst Avoiding the 'Destructive' side of things that are Primarily a Forsaken 'Thing' I of course understand that there are not 'Talent Tree's ICLY, it was just a concept of explaining my thoughts. Within the circle of priestesses I know and have RP'd with IC, there has been much discussion about 'IC Cause and Effect' of abilities of characters (Also Known as "The Horrid Healing Emotes"). One priestess I know treats her character as a pure healer, but lacks defensive spells such as Shields etc, another I know considers her more of a disciplined character, that spends hours meditating, and whilst can heal, finds the mental-strength to channeling Elunes light - exhausting. It was these types of thought processes that helped explain why we are not effectively HEALINGGODS OF AWESOMENESS. I was clearly Unclear when I described her as a 'Shadow Priestess', it is complicated to explain quite how this is formed in my head (Simply because I'm not quite sure how its formed in my head, I think in pictures not words and translating from thought to language is often clunky) My intention was to have Kaleina not as a Healer particuarly, but with some defensive abilites, but with the ability to almost 'sense' approaching death, so that she could a) Help prioritise those who could be saved for other healers and b) Be essentially the last messenger of Elune, a priestess who would offer counsel and confession and be there at the time of passing. Essentially a priestess who's primary function was to deal with death, the dying and 'passing on'. I Understand now that I should not have written it as a "Guide" but more as a "Concept" - Essentially I was attempting to 'Guide' you around the idea in my head. I also appreciate that the Lore is at best Sketchy on some issues. I can also tell you I miss Starshards Dreadfully as a Kaldorei Priestess. Again, I would like to thank those of you who have replied for taking the time to read, and form responses - it is always interesting to hear others opinions, even if I may disagree here and there. I Would also like to thank those who provided Links, suggestions and further information. Although we may not all see eye to eye on this forum all the time, I like to think we are all roleplayers, and stick together - Kaleina
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Post by Aldrannath on Jun 30, 2011 6:19:19 GMT 1
Okay, so, here are my thoughts now I've had some time to get them together: - I like the idea.
- Don't think of these Priestesses as a well-defined sub-group, think of these powers as a skill-set.
- Don't call them Shadow-Priestesses (or most of the other names Isa suggested, though several of these might perhaps be in popular use) - the term is way too loaded and misleading. They're Priestesses of the Moon, end of. They specialise in using the powers of Elune's divine shadow, but that's the sort of thing they certainly wouldn't, and shouldn't, talk about or announce to anyone. Even for OOC purposes, I'd change the text to something like "Priestesses of the Moon and Elune's divine shadow", and write about "Priestesses using the divine shadow of Elune" rather than calling them "Shadow-Priestesses" at any point.
- Psychic Horror and Psychic Scream are in the very, very dubious zone; personally I'd feel more comfortable with Mind Control used to pacify the enemy in extreme circumstances. I don't feel comfortable with this being among Elune's powers at all.
- As has been mentioned elsewhere, "smiting with light" is in Elune's repertoire. In a separate thread a while back I suggested the opposite, but the lore clearly supports this.
- The "triage medic and hospice nurse" roles make perfect sense, and fits well with the rest.
- I'd remove the section about the three talent specs as Priestess skill-sets, it's too prescriptive. Let's leave it as open as possible.
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Post by Kaleina Moonrise on Jun 30, 2011 9:05:16 GMT 1
updated- may not make sense as half aslepp....
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