[Discussion] Natura, The Spring, And Other Things!

[Apakai]

hmmm. Acumin, you say Venn?

That's not a bad Idea. In fact, if the orcs were to strike up any trade treaties, (such a slaves) with Acumin from Ire, the transportation lines wouldn't be that far from Natura. At least in Centripax. This would definately allow for a call of arms of a sort, with two hated races coming close to the city border.

Conflict like this wouldn't have to take place in the town (maintaining Naturan stability and safety), but the actual beginnings and preperations could be a Naturan event. Sort of a rally of possible soldiers to go outside of Natura and attack the coming caravans. That way it doesn't necessarily have to effect everyone so dramatically.

[Penda Marley]

You guys are so smart!

[Fox]

Okie - there are LOTS of ideas here that I am very much liking. I'm particularly interested in a couple, but I want to explore with you lovely people an idea.

Its very Arthurian in nature - but the idea behind it is that the Spring is linked to the place, the place to the people. As one thrives, the other does, etc etc. But as the people are "diluted" by external incidents, so too is the Spring slowly diluted.

In a truly Arthurian manner, this would then all be linked to one person... whose powers would wax and wane with the spring itself.

So the question I have for you is how like YOUR natura does that sound? Do you have the same sorts of ideas for the place? Does that sound way off base?

Let me know!

~~~Foxy

[Joyau delaLune]

Fox
That would be very interesting in a romance, or two people just starting a relationship. I don't know though if Joy would be happy having her romance get too hot and then too cool .... I'll check it over with Joyau's new love. Very interesting idea ...something like what's going on in real life by her mother.

[Austin Eventide]

Hmm, an interesting prospect indeed. The way I have played Austin is that the Spring peeled back the darker, more selfish, angry person that he was before coming to Natura and allowed him to see the side of himself that was honest, just and charitable. In turn, he takes it upon himself to better the lives of the citizens and bring to them a greater sense of prosperity and ownership in their own lives. He conciously feels the change in himself and is thankful to the Goddess, the Spring and the people themselves for it thus he strives, even to the extent of personal sacrifice of health and free time, to do return the favor.

Thus in a sense, Austin thrives off of the positive energy of the Spring and the atmosphere it helps create; seeing it as the element that helped bring about the change in him that he could never have forseen much less achieved without it.

He fears being apart from it for too long as he worries that doing so would turn him back into the selfish, womanizing, careless wreck he was before.

So at least the way I have played Austin, it is quite similiar to the idea you propose.

[Fox]

Joy - I'm... I have to say I'm not entirely sure that I understand what you're saying there? To apply that sort of thing to a romance? Hmm.. I hadn't thought of that - but it'd be interesting indeed to apply that side of it to a character in a new relationship.... would you mind expanding on that, maybe giving an example of what you're thinking? Thankee!!

Austin ~ ohhh now that's exactly what I'm thinking along the lines of - and moreso, if, taking the Arthurian analogy Austin was King Arthur, then as Austin flourished, so the Spring would be strong. But if Austin slipped, slid or behaved in a way that he wasn't proud of, then the power of the spring would lesson.... and taken the other way, if the Springs power was diluted, it would have the same effect on Austin... does that make sense?

Now - if that makes sense apply it not to Austin as such but to ALL the people of Natura. And then you have something worth fighting for... fighting to keep the status quo because anyone... anyone hurting the stream literally hurts the people, anyone hurting the people hurts the stream

... and it's all a downward spiral from there.

Is that making sense at all?

And Austin - from your point of view - is it the Spring that's done that to Austin? Or maybe the "ambience" of Natura? Or is it the pc's own perception of those allowing the "true" self to come out?

If that whole ramble is making sense, I think that it would be better if the Springs / Natura's purity was based on a group of people, rather than one, simply because of the practicalities of players leaving etc. I'm not saying this is happening, just discussing the possibility for it and how it fits in with people's ideas of Natura.

[Venn Drega]

I really like the idea of the relationship between the Spring and Naturans. I'm not sure if that should be symbiotic. One of the things to wrestle with is the role of Carmelya. Because she is not a planetar, she is not dependent on the worship of beings for power. The question is what is the goddess' connection with the Spring? If we answer that, there may be additional clarity.

My conception of the Spring is that it exudes a form of divine energy, a benevolence upon those in ite range. It was played so that the entire water system is affected. The Spring should be nothing like Soma (the drug from Huxley's Brave New World), but rather more dynamic so that characters can grow. people can still be stressed, feel pain and suffer under the Spring's umbrella. The can be violence, accidents etc. the only restriction it may provide is curbing of malevolence.

I get the impression that the druids protect the fountainhead of the Spring an few are ever allowed near it.

If there is one person most connected with the Spring, that would be Dhwae.

I can see that the role of Naturans is to protect the spring which would bless them in turn. Perhaps the deeper one's faith in Carmelya, the more able they are to be blessed by the effects. That would allow a degree of independence between the people and the Spring and yet allow some sort of relationship. Just a thought.

[Penda Marley]

So you’re saying that the Spring God hold sway and is connected to the Flowing Spring?

Would that affect not only one person?

[Austin Eventide]

To answer your question, Fox, for Austin the Spring is a primary source for his change yet the people and the overall 'ambiance' as you put it fill in the gaps with Carmelya being the grand force behind it all. At least that is how he perceives it. He feels that it is all of those things making up Natura that has aided him in finding the person inside him he never knew was there.

[Fox]

I can see that the role of Naturans is to protect the spring which would bless them in turn. Perhaps the deeper one's faith in Carmelya, the more able they are to be blessed by the effects. That would allow a degree of independence between the people and the Spring and yet allow some sort of relationship. Just a thought.

Interesting point, Venn - and a good one. I agree that the Spring's relationship with the people of Natura shouldn't be symbiotic - I love the way that Austin has portrayed his pc as changing because of the place, the people, the goddess - I think it's all interlinked and I like that aout it.

Penda- well, part of the issue is that the non-violence thing is not very carmelya-like in truth... there are aspects of Carm that are like that, but generally the spring is quite... odd. No, I don't think that it would be just one person, as much because of the possibilities for RP as much as anything else, so it's a point of OOC influencing IC there very much.

These are all good thoughts and ideas. I like the way this discussion is going. Actually, in fairness, Venn kinda summed it up for me.

My conception of the Spring is that it exudes a form of divine energy, a benevolence upon those in ite range. It was played so that the entire water system is affected. The Spring should be nothing like Soma (the drug from Huxley's Brave New World), but rather more dynamic so that characters can grow. people can still be stressed, feel pain and suffer under the Spring's umbrella. The can be violence, accidents etc. the only restriction it may provide is curbing of malevolence.

I think that really its this that I want to focus on - can I have opinions?? Agree? Disagree? Not sure?? Tell me and tell me why, too - then we can keep on working together on this!

Thanks heaps, guys - you're fab!

[Penda Marley]

So how in particular does these things affect each pc? Would that be determined by each individual or will this be a modded thing?

Like will it be a creation of pain... sorrow... displacement... discontenment... or perhaps it could go the other way and cause one to be overly happy... or perhaps a craving for something in one's life... like alcohol or intimacy.

[Fox]

Umm - not quite following the question, Penda - I don't think the spring would ever have that kind of negative effects, no. And the weakening of the spring, should it ever happen, would be the taking away of something rather than the gaining of something else...

For a discussion on the spring, and a more clear writing on it, check out

this link

[Apakai]

And the weakening of the spring, should it ever happen, would be the taking away of something rather than the gaining of something else...

Just to Naturan's right, or us PC's? I mean, it all depends on what it is that is actually weakening this, well, aura of the Spring. If it is outside influence, wouldn't this weakening actually empower what ever force, or person, or whatever is behind the whole thing? Otherwise, what would they accomplish by hurting the Spring in the first place?

I mean, ya gotta have a yang for the ying, right? Unless no outside interference is at fault, anyway.

The Spring would be a shifting of powers in Natura, he who has the power over the Spring...

Oh, by the way... talking about the Spring when it comes to the coming Season of Spring can be pretty confusing. I was lost for a few posts.^^ Back on track now. Carry on!

[Venn Drega]

Penda, I think that it would be better if each PC simply RPed their own relationship with and effect of the spring within particular understandings and parameters we are working out here in this thread.

Apakai, my understanding is that the Spring is independent to a degreee from PCs or other characters and therefore there is no power transferrance one way or the other. In other words, I don't think it is a direct symbiosis. Perhaps one starting point is that in past there has only been one interference with the Spring I know of. The Margravine somehow gained access to the Spring and was able to stop it from flowing (details not revealed). The effect of this was that the Spring's protective power ceased and an army of goblins and mercenaries were able to step onto Naturan soil without any ill effect and wage a war. Dhwae was escorted to the Spring and able to activate/unblock it again, at which point every invader was vaporized and Natura returned to a normal state. Characters who died remained dead while those who were wounded or dying (Venn included) were miraculously healed. The power to effect this seems to reach beyond mere arcana and may be by way of divine intervention. This singular event has probably provided the most information on the nature of the spring IC than any other I am aware of but also leaves questions unresolved with an air of mystery. I'll dig up that link for those who are interested although I believe it is listed as "The War for Natura" in the information thread about Natura.

[Joyau delaLune]

I read your article Fox ... it mentions evil sprites ... sprites are the absolute opposite of evil ... maybe back when the article was written sprites weren't the benevolent spiritual beings they are now but you would be hard pressed to ever find an evil sprite.

As far as what I said before, I did not understand it until Austin posted. I love Austin's conflicts of conscience. Would he be the Arthurian character?

I would like you to pm me about the hedgemage thing. If its not feasible, Joyau will continue on with her thaumaturgy and healing mission. I have talked to Joy's new love and we both will be coming here but I think we need some time alone at first to find out about each other before trying to shake things up. I love the writeup about Natura. I had actually never read it before. This certainly is a nirvana place ... looking forward to rping in it.

well tootles for now