I'm quite certain Hallifax appeals to certain types of people - just as Celest appeals to others, Serenwilde to another group, etc. Certainly, cold, calculating, austere, emotionless is not for everyone. But it's definitely for Hallifax.

You can be all that without being boring though, I figure. As it is it seems like a lot of people are just playing in various lonely sandboxes scattered around the city.

Strange, thats certainly not what I see in Hallifax today.

I've had pretty good interactions with many members of Hallifax and I'm not really sure what you are talking about. Even Cririk has lightened up heaps.

I don't think Hallifax requires you to be emotionless, but to base all of your decisions on logic. A good portion of people may decide to take the Vulcan route and deem emotions as illogical, but I don't think its required.

Certain emotions are actually encouraged. Those inspired by beauty, love and altruism. Only the "Lower" emotions are deemed harmful, such as Envy, Greed and Hatred.

Cririk had a whole spiel about higher vs. lower emotions.

Because of that I don't really interpret Hallifax as emotion-free, but rather, as Deschain said, to base decisions and such on logic rather than jealousy, lust, anger, etc.

Ok, this might just be me, but I think that lucidian bastardized the Hallifax of the histories, which showed an interplay between the flighty, emotional trill and the solid, stoic lucidian. I do believe that Cririk is intentionally lying to you all about how the Aeromancer guild was in days of yore just because he appreciates not having to deal with exhausting emotions.

How is it the lucidians "bastardized" Hallifax? Anyway, the lucidians aren't emotionless even though they may come across that way. Remember, they frequently bond with trill (who can be quite emotional), probably as a legacy of the relationship between Xyl and Trillillial. Even so, they value reason, logic and structure as basic tenets of civilized life and frown upon overt emotional displays (at least in public) and especially actions based on passion. In this, Cririk is an exemplar of a Hallifax lucidian and his emotional (dare we say human?) side isn't on display simply because there is no one living that he would consider to be on such an intimate basis (at least I haven't heard of any!) to share his emotions. One thing about Hallifaxians is that they are certainly not adverse to compromise and negotiation to settle diverging opinions--indeed, that is one of their hallmarks!

Regarding Scuchidira, she too is an exemplar of a Gaudiguch dracnari, passionate, volatile and spontaneous. However, she is not a one-dimensional caricature of a debauched party animal. While all emotions are on display, including grief, anger, pride, love, compassion, etc., she certainly can use reason, based on practicality, tinged with wisdom, to make real world decisions. Gaudiguch is not an anything-goes anarchy. All laws and customs boil down to one tenet: "Do as thou wilt shall be the whole law so long as you do not interfere with the will of another" (generally the not interfering with another's will refers to the will of other Gaudiguch citizens). Thus, killing or stealing from other Gaudiguchians is a crime, but so too would be performing political acts outside of the leadership that would put other Gaudiguchians at risk (such as starting a war with another organization). Order and structure are not anathema to Gaudiguch and certainly Scuchidira embraces whatever would make the city strong--so long as it puts the individual first.

Thus, I'm perplexed why some people think Cririk and Scuchidira wouldn't be welcome in their own cities for their beliefs or try to make them out to be fanatic caricatures who are unable to make politically astute decisions. What they both do is represent the ideals for which these cities were founded, and perhaps if its citizens embrace those ideals, it'd make for some rich roleplay later down the road. But of course, it's up to the players to see that through or not -- as they will!

I think its just you as well. There is a pretty good interplay as I see it currently. Hell, my character and Ileein recently spoke about the relationship between the Trill and the Lucidians, coming to the conclusion that the Lucidians are perhaps a perfect fit. Llesvelt is quite logical and to outsiders would seem "emotionless" but he is quite in contact with his emotional self. He, alike most Hallifax citizens, as far as I understand, simply lack a reason to provide any overt display of emotion. Quiet contemplation regarding said emotions and an orderly display of such within artworks works just as well to a much greater effect. Reason and logic is not necessarily anathema to emotion, afterall. The Trill, as I see them, dont need explosions to make displays of emotions.

Both the Trill and Lucidian race seem to me much more bound in reason and logic, as well as quiet contemplation than many of the other mortal races. But that does not mean they lack emotions. They fit together quite perfectly, the Artist archetype and the Scientist archetype.

I am slightly drunk as of writing this, but it makes sense to me. So I apologize if something seems a bit off.

Makes sense to me, though naturally it would.

I certainly try to play Ileein as a flighty Trill who channels that flightiness into scientific purposes. Anyone who has heard him bubble about architecture and engineering has seen this side of him.

It's not just you - in regards to the Aeromancers, anyways. I was looking forward to a 'hammer of the storm, fury of the tempest' sort of Aeromancer in Rodngar, but the way the city and guild have shaped out, I'm sort of leaning in to this 'I'm slowly educating myself and using bigger words' and 'science-ish' thing because I get the feeling the aforementioned concept wouldn't be -as welcome-. I suspect that when people gain control of the Aeromancers, it will be different. I will admit to still enjoying myself a GREAT deal (moreso than any guild opening in my history with IRE, for sure!) - but a part of me still wants to be a Pyromancer because I feel like it would satisfy the aggressive side that any character I have tends to share.

However, I made a sacrifice and am, honestly, realizing that it wasn't so much a sacrifice and more like a path I hadn't entirely considered the scope of.

On the topic of the lucidians and Hallifax, I did sort of imagine them as more of a 'grave' type - but I foresee these decisions coming from the Board of Directors during future troubles, so I'm really not too upset.

Well, if you talk to the Wind Lords they are very 'hammer of the storm, fury of the tempest'. I mean the Champion is called the Force Commander and the Protectors are Air Captains. It's just Hallifax doesn't want to burn bridges before really getting on two feet. It's a new org and they want to make sure a few aggressive individuals don't ruin it for the rest of them.

Also, there are MANY trill in the city that aren't really flighty or overly emotional. In fact the Supreme Judge is a female trill who is completely no nonsense.

Both orgs can't actually claim to be absolutes of what they represent. It's more of a case of Hallifax strongly adhering to an organized system and Gaudiguch, while having their own set of rules, places the welfare of the individual citizens first, as long as they don't jeopardize the welfare of others. Artists, who are at the top of Hallifax's societal ladder, can be as welcome in Gaudiguch. This is because artists, who epitomize self-expression and individuality are not without their own set of beliefs, rules, etc. which they follow. Scientists/Thinkers can exist in both cities, too.

Personally, the difference in their approach to achieve their goals is what makes both cities interesting. The prevalent problem here is that a large part of the player base like to stereotype things, e.g. Shadowdancers all brood and are without a sense of humor, all Serens are snuggly, etc. This is what makes Sadhyra's rp awesome (to me, but I'm sure a lot of people think so, too) - because she's transcended the stereotype syndrome (although it must've been very difficult for Sadhyra, the character) and proved her worth to the Commune.

P.S. Both Cririk and Scuchi are awesome.





Examples I'd like to point out:

Unless he's just saying that because he knows it's what he's supposed to say to get people to calm down.

Well he cared enough to say something else than "Be quiet, now."