I wish I could, but I'm nobody, thus I don't have anything to say on these matters. All I can do is try to change it from the bottom up. Maybe when I stop being a nobody, but until then, this is what I can do. Try to learn, listen, and see where to best apply the pressure to get the change I want.

Also, "the light" has no Shinto, but a lot of Islam and Jewism in it.

Wierd, I always thought the paladins protected/fought for the Emporer of Celest... Whats this defend the plane of light thing? Thats the Celestians (i.e. GUARDIANS) job! (I'm not saying you are wrong, just find it wierd that the emphasis changed over the years in that direction)

Another way to write your list:
Paladins - We have big pointy sticks to hurt you
Celestines - We hurt you with shiny lights
Aqumancers - We torture you with waterboarding
Cantors - We sing so your ears bleed
Tahtetso - We take the teachings from the splinter of the Elder goddess Keph to combat the new soulless threat of Illith in the basin.

Really? No elder worship at all? (i.e. past emporers of celest)? *hint hint*

... Touche. I completely forgot about that aspect. The light still has more substance than Tahtetso though.

Shadowdancers- We spread the teachings of Mother Night, serving her wishes and protecting the forest.
Druids- We protect the forest and follow the teachings of Crow, ally to Mother Night.
Harbingers- We play hardcore rave music based on the powers of Mahalla. We protect the forest.
Ebonguard- We exist to protect the forest and its inhabitants. We follow the teachings of Night or Crow.
- The soulless taught us how to kick better. We're also sneaky. We will exist to protect the forest.


Technically you could argue that the purpose of every guild in an organization ultimately is to serve the goals of their patron and leaders. By implication, monks are not just some extraneous attachment taking up space in your city/commune. They are willing defenders of your organization and its goals. They do it in a slightly different way which adds diversity to your organization's culture. Let them be protectors and disciples of the Light for now, you can always expand on it later.


*EDIT*



That's the wrong kind of thinking. Send letters or messages to your leaders, asking them to call for a monk summit. If they turn you down, argue your case in a more public way. Talk to the members of the Tahtetso and get them fired up about this issue. If you have a good amount of support, your leaders are more likely to listen and push this issue to the top of their agenda.

If they consistently put you down, contest for their position

Tahtetso - We use mortal developed skills which were created to fight other mortals on a small self contained portion of the prime plane.

Mortals, one race, one small section of the prime plane, these are exactly why they do not feel as epic or integrated as the other guilds (with bards coming close in my mind).

Perhaps an experianced Tahtetso (are any active?) could comment more on this and how they feel there is some interesting core RP that ties them into the world?

Thats kinda of silly.

The Ebonguard had to make up every bit of themselves. There was absolutly nothing to connect us with. (The Wyrdling connection was just some random invention of ours, that the admin amazingly agreed to)

I think a lot of organizations should take steps like these. It would bring RP to a new level. Of course it should be limited, but the idea of player created and driven purpose, culture, etc would add more realism and depth to Lusternia. I've actually been scouring the library, trying to piece together the player side of Lusternian culture. In an effort to do things like this.

*Edit: (Turns out I missed the whole Idea section of the forums. My mistake. )

Tahtetso - we teach humility, self sacrifice and discipline as the way to reject the carnal desires and become one with the goodness within us (aka Lumosis).

I regret that the we apparently failed to broadcast our concepts of group identity and relation to Lusternia's mythos to a broader community. That'll require action. These concepts do exist however, I'll try to explain briefly what Tahtetso philosophy is about (I'm not the best scholar around, so other tahtetso players please correct me). This theory is mandatory for Tahtetso novices, but personal interpretations may vary a bit.

Tahtetso seek Lumosis, which to me is some sort of personal growth towards the Light. It means uniting your being (Sila) with the notions of good, and harmony (Sati). Unfortunately, your being is constantly distracted and lured away from the Sati by the selfish and evil desires that flow forth from our mortal and impure corporeal form (Asava). Asava must obviously be resisted, and to do so the tahtetso follow three Luminous Councils: Humilty, Self Sacrifice and Discipline (like the titles of the Grandmasters). Only through these is Lumosis possible

So, in souled races the Sila is constantly struggling to reach the Sati (because I believe every soul has the desire to do good), but is held back by the Asava. Glauco thinks the Taint of Kethuru strengthens the Asava, so that the Sila loses this struggle. Taint is bad. Even worse then the taintd are the illithoid: lacking a soul the Sati cannot touch them, making them bent to the Asava even more.

Compared to Celestines, Tahtetso have a view of the Light that is more personal and abstract, instead of manifested in Holy Supernals. Compared to Paladins, tahtetso are modest and ascetic instead of noble and proud. But they are fighters for the light, like Celestines and Paladins. I think they add another shade to the Light, not a new philosophy altogether.

Some utility skills that would benefit others in group actions I would really like. Our skills are very self centered, that's not befitting of our chosen role. Perhaps the notions portrayed above are unsatisfactory for you, or perhaps just invisible in practice, I'm curious to hear. I'm not posting to defend that all is well, but hoping to help this discussion with some info.

I wanted to put this in the end of my post, but instead I will put it in the beginning.

Whoever posted that Jedi pic could not be any closer to truth... let me tell you why

Russian Cила (spelled Sila) - efficacy, force, power, strength, vigor, vigour


Now onto the topic.

In my eyes, Tahtetso is a gift. Gift from Kephera to New Celest, in return for their services. Gift, to help New Celest to battle the Taint and the Soulless. This in a way already gives Tahtetso a certain role. They stand on pretty much the same shelf as Paladins, they are warriors of Light. Now Paladins hone their body by training in Knighthood and their spirit by studying Sacraments (now don't you dare to point out Hunting). Likewise the Tahtetso practices Kata to attain that physical perfection and uses Harmony, which as well was passed down by Kephera to seek spiritual perfection. As for their views on Light, I wouldn't know, as I'm not one, though as a Paladin and ex Celestine I can say that neither look at Light like Manifestation of Holy Supernals. Rather, Light is Manifestation of Lady Elohora, which in turn is the balance between the all the teachings and only by mastering how to balance it one can say they follow the Light. Lumosis is not way to Light, Lumosis is way to inner harmony and peace, which should allow one to comprehend how to achieve Balance, how to embrace the Light. This, of course, is my opinion.

The biggest... problem Tahtetso has at the moment is lack of good people in the guild, people who instead of bashing 24/7 or killing 24/7 would focus more on the growth of the guild. Working on the teachings and making it prosper, thus enabling it to take a place in the City. They need love, lots of love, which why Enero will go there soon to see if he can help (What? Where... why are you running away, come baaaack! I bring love!!!).

All in all, I say that monks do and should have a place in orgs, granted, you won't be able to draw a strict line as you can with Celestines (the Priesthood), Paladins (the Warriors), Aquamancers (the Scholars) and Bards (...the Bards?). In a perfect word a Harmony monks should be the Spiritual Warriors or Philosophical Warriors, whichever you prefer, teaching to gain inner harmony and peace, thus making you a better servat of whatever you happen to serve, may it be Light or the Great Spirits.


Enero out.

Talk to Everiine IG if you want to know about Hunters/Trackers being just as spiritual as totem users .

I've always thought the Hunting path was a result of recruiting Paladins from the country folk outside Celest rather than the City proper.

We need a :banjo: emote

Read Help Nekotai. Add something like that in the Help Tethtso and your a set. (i.e. Fierce defenders of their territory, they stand as sentinels ever present in the gloom of their home, scouting the lands for intruders and warding off those who dare to come near.)