SO, I know, somewhat, how being an ephmereal/builder/whatever works. I have applied, and been rejected, so I pout a bit, and carry on.

Most of the ones I have came across are decent. Enlil, was sort of childlike, but awesome. Ajeren was pretty cool, but only knew him a bit. Astrid, our newest one, is pretty awesome, though a bit .... well, I don't want to say snotty, but that is the closest word I can think of. One has to mince words around her, courtesan like, and be VERY polite. I think she is my favorite, though, of all I have met.

So, though I know the Divine won't tell me much... if an Ephmereal is in a city/commune, and the Divine decide they can be a god, do they stick with that city/commune? or is it random?

Does an Ephmereal pick their own look/concept? Or do they just fill a niche needed at that time?

Doubt I will get answers to this, but I'm hoping, the concept intrigues me, to be honest.

Ephemeral.

Dude, I just got off of work, logged on, some dipwad left the Wyrm at the Facility with 7 power and ME in it, I'm FREAKING TIRED

From what I understand, they pick where they want to go after being an eph, and they can be the kind of eph/god that they want to be, though the type of eph/god they want to be might affect if they get accepted to be an eph or not (I think its on the eph application).

This is just what I've picked up over the years though, I've never applied or asked anyone who's actually in-the-know.

Nitpick!

If it had been a time or two, sure-- but when they're called "ephmereals" all the way through, I had to say something.

Especially as Ephemerals are ephemeral. They live up to their name very well.

Some people may disagree with me, but these are my favorite kinds of gods - ones where you have to tread a balance, stay on their good side without totally giving in. Ones that are truly god-like. Some of the most rewarding moments I've had in Lusternia were in conversations with Viravain, where she was righteously angry and I was having to stand my ground without getting crushed.

I mean, I honestly picture the moment - slightly embellished - the little faeling, standing in the forest, an angry goddess surrounded by lashing darkness and throbbing webs thundering at him, and him setting his jaw and calmly, deliberately standing his ground as explains what he did. And knowing that if he says one wrong word, he's crushed.

I mean, some of the drama's implied. But this is the height of god-on-follower/ally roleplay - when they're angry at you.

Ephemerals are generally placed into a city or commune that they had little experience with as a player, in order to give them a broader perspective as an admin. The roles they play as Ephemerals aren't very deep or involved (maybe just 1 or 2 interesting quirks) - generally just something appropriate for that org. After all, they are not meant to leave a lasting impression on that organisation since they always fade away, and they generally keep to the background.

An Ephemeral is under no obligation to join that city or commune as a god. Estarra and I pick where an Ephemeral will go (they have no choice in the matter), but the Ephemeral picks their own god role when the time comes for that. Sometimes the city/commune choice coincides, but more often not (I was an Eph in Celest, for instance).

No, that's a different word entirely.

Gotcha, makes sense.

Just out of curiosity, are they given the choice to possibly "replace" a person who has left, like Raezon or Lyreth's players, if they wish?

In addition to Morgfyre's very undetailed post:

We flip coins, roll dice, and have pie eating contests for the best roles. There are also events involving limbo competitions with Morgfyre, pudding wrestling with Fain, and extreme surfing with Eventru (see Estarra's link to shark surfing in the Funnies).

Also, there's poetry contests wherein you write odes to Lisaera. However, they're restricted to two-syllable words and are only allowed half the existing vowels (Successful wooing of said Goddess gets bonus points). Left-over vowels will then be used in a game of welsh scrabble.

And you shouldall be thankful Morgfyre and Estarra are such benevolent Administrators. If some of our amorphous Ephemerals and I had had our way...you'd all probably be in therapy after their proposal for how things work.

P.S. We also eat babies. Forizzle.

Of course.

...

......

Knew I joined the right order

I appreciate you guys tell me this. God, I am so envious. Ah well.


Mmm.. Bebeh.. the other, OTHER, white meat.

Hmm, since Morgfyre is technically "Second in command" in Lusty, does that mean, when the high heels get too wearisome, and the bunyons on the feet of Estarra take over, and she passes the torch, Will Morgfyre eat us?

No. But people in Celest will scream bias that Morgfyre has taken over.


Anyway I am curious about God choices. Does the Admin decide 'we need Nocht in Glomdoring now' or after their indentured servitude does the Eph get to design their God.

And if so, does Estarra hand them a list with a bunch of options or to they have full creative license?

By Estarra I mean Estarra/Morg/Roark Inc..

Ha. I can answer this.

No.

I know this is the way things have to be but I always hated the fact that divine could take over lapsed divine. I know if I left my char for a time (or even better was asked/forced to leave) and someone else took over playing it I would feel upset at what was done with it.

On top of this I am bothered that any messages or letters or the like I sent to a divine as a player could end up being read by multiple people over time. I know that whoever takes over is supposed to be professional but at the same time I instinctively know that they are a different person and thus I do not have the same level of trust with them. Something that made sense to RP for one person at one point in time might look completely different to another person lacking context.

At the end of the day I realize that the divine are props in the game, just more detailed and living NPCs, and as such it makes sense to keep them around even as the volunteers leave for whatever reason. I just wish more people took the option of having a final end to their Divine when they left, and more new divine choose to start out fresh.

To ease your mind a bit I know for a CERTAIN FACT that the gods are held to a professional standard. And at least in my observation keep IC/OOC VERY distinctly clear. I've been impressed.


Edit: Also the players behind the divine hold THEMSELVES to a high standard which is more compelling.

The events when Divine return usually involve the destroying of their Order / resetting of their status from what I've seen. I'm guessing that items, letters, and messages go poof too, but maybe not.

Estarra's not going anywhere!



Ephemerals pick or design their own god role, which is subject to Estarra's stamp of approval and creative input.

As an example, I originally wanted to play Illith (I say bashfully), which didn't fit with Estarra's vision for the mythos of Lusternia since a Soulless God would never have an Order or want to do anything outside of eat all players - not much chance for interesting interaction there, let alone patronship anywhere. I also had an idea to play a shadowy, secretive dream-god that never appeared to players except through visions and dreams - which was ultimately unworkable for a number of reasons. There were also some interesting tragic hero ideas mulling around my head. Estarra did suggest Shikari and Raezon as possible existing roles to pick up, neither of which with I was particularly enthralled. Eventually, Morgfyre was the result of much brainstorming with Estarra thereafter, which notably incorporates aspects of all these ideas into a whole that fits neatly within the established mythos. There was certainly a lot of feedback, discussion, brainstorming, adjusting, throwing-away-and-going-back-to-the-drawing-table, etc. in the process, but throughout I felt I had a pretty free hand to design a role that was interesting and fit with what I wanted.

Anyway, that is a glimpse into the god-role design process.