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 Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:43 pm
*-.Fa'e: More than a Myth.-*Fa'e are reborn creatures of myth and legend. But that's all they are? When everyone runs off to figure what quest they want to run, that's all they need to know? Not so much. The Fa'e are more complicated than one little sentence from which we can pick random legends and throw them together. The problem is that when most people design their quest, they don't seem to get further than what's already written out. As a result, some quests have shown up that, regardless of the talent or creativity of their author, are simply not Fa'e material. The concept itself is flawed; what they want does not qualify to be a Fa'e. That's what this thread is for. I want to explore further into the hows and whats and whys of the Fa'e, open up speculation about what the Fa'e are and what makes a Fa'e, a Fa'e. I want to make understanding available for questers- not rules, not instructions, but the reasoning behind them. So, yeah. That's the intro. If the thought of breaking things down, finding the elements that make Fa'e, understanding the processes that determine what can be reborn and why one concept would be more likely than another- if all that intrigues you, even a little, then you're in the right place. Read on, mah bruddah, read on. Table of Contents [1] Introduction [2] Rant of the Week [3] Chaos and Dream [4] Human and Ancient [5] Religion and Fairytales [6] 2k Critiques [7] Q&A [8] Reserved [9] Reserved [10] Reserved Quote: Disclaimer: this is a discussion and opinion thread, meant to promote understanding of the nature of the Fa'e and open up speculation on what does and does not make a concept eligible for rebirth. This is not official information, and may indeed be flawed from the GMs own interpretations of the Fa'e. This thread is here to make people think about things, not provide the answers willy-nilly; you don't HAVE to agree with me!
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:45 pm
*-.Rant of the Week.-*Wisdom of the Week: deserving vs. undeserving. This applies to questers and Guardians both, and it's been needing to be addressed for a while. Fa'e is a huge community, and it is in fact exclusive, as most shops in the forum are. This has led to an unhealthy environment where people are constantly forced to judge whether or not they "deserve" what they have or what they want, and we need to address this problem as a community.I've never had someone honestly questionable come up to me and worry, "I feel undeserving". Never once - never. Strangely, this seems to be a plague upon the people who put work into what they do, take pride in their products, and actively seek the approval of the community for their work. In other words, the people that care. But it hits all of us. It's hit me; it's hit my friends. Throughout questing, throughout Guardianship, it's extremely common for me to look at what I've been doing and go, "this isn't good enough". Or look at what I've gotten, and say, "I haven't earned this". It's a tricky situation. Fa'e is a community that's fun, energetic, and creative. But that's a reward for the involvement of its people; that should go without saying, really. So when someone is trying to decide if they're contributing enough to measure up, the answer is always, always going to be a flat-out: "No." Why? Because it's a community effort! Fa'e is where it's at not because of one or two people, but because of dozens. We're a community because we all work in different ways, and have different talents. Some of us are always contributing; others, in bursts. Some of us only add in a few pennies, others dump in their wallets. But that doesn't make anyone more or less deserving - no more than how much you contribute at church, if you're a churchgoer. EVERYONE has something to give, and that's what shapes our community. So don't worry if you deserve it, guys. We all do, or we none do. If you enjoy the people, are interested in the storyline, love just being a part of things, then not only is it good enough; that's everything you have to do, everything anyone could ask for, and everything Fa'e needs. Nobody ever says this to one another, but: Thank you, everyone, for everything that you've given. Now or in the past, thank you. 11/08/06 Wisdom of the Week: try to establish yourself with a healthy "quester's philosophy". Most questers who have gotten their Fa'e have been at it for a year or more; some questers around have been so for much longer, but still not have gotten their Fa'e. The key point to make to yourself when trying to quest is that the experience of questing, all and of its own, should be pay-off for the time you put into it.
As a long-time quester myself, I am very aware of how intimidating it can be in order to get into questing for the Fa'e. You aren't automatically a "part" of the community; you have the definite feeling that, if you should stop posting in the main thread (assuming you post there at all!), no one will miss you. The fact that you might even never get a Fa'e just compounds the complexity of the situation.
I think that it is very necessary for every quester, at some time during their quest, to sit down and give themselves a serious talking-to. "Is the Fa'e worth it to me, for all the effort I've put into my questing and the community?" "Will it continue to be worthwhile, if I'm here six more months and do not get picked for a Fa'e?" "Am I willing to make sure it's worthwhile, or should I move on to other interests?"
Do NOT get me wrong. I am not encouraging people to abandon their quests, by any stretch of the imagination. Questers are the lifeblood and the future of the Fa'e. Every quester has a chance to get their dream, if they are willing to accept critique, work hard, be friendly, and try to improve themselves. The Fa'e community is amazing in their acceptable of people, and even if getting a Fa'e is by no means an easy task, that doesn't mean it is impossible.
However, what I am encouraging is for questers, especially long-time questers, to take stock of the situation. If you cannot be happy in this community without ever getting a Fa'e, then you may need to readjust your priorities.
Humility, dedication, and need for self-improvement are, in my opinion, the three most important traits a quester can be focused on. Your quest will never be the best, because there is so much room for interpretation and opinion. It will never even be the best it can be, because even when it's just a matter of writing up the story of its past and fleshing out its character, there is always room for improvement.
When I was questing, I even had a mantra. "If I never get a Fa'e, that's okay, I still love the people I've met and the friends I've made." (Look! It even sorta rhymes! *dork*). Whenever I'd enter a contest and get jittery- or, whenever I wouldn't get picked in said contest... whenever I felt like I might be getting jealous of someone else's good fortune- or whenever I just wished there was an opportunity for me to get lucky... I'd take a deep breath, push away the keyboard, and repeat that aloud a few times.
I have met so many amazing and unique people amongst the Fa'e, before I ever got Dustin. I made many friends among the Guardians and questers- some of which are still around today, some of which have moved on. My greatest joy was in chatting with my friends in our various quest threads, playing around in the HQ, roleplaying in the main thread (tip: you don't even need a Fa'e or Guardian around to do this!). I started many side projects in my quest, from my Autograph Book (currently owned by evermore_crystal), to my "studies" of the Fa'e ICArrien met.
To try and put it into simple terms: Getting a Fa'e cannot be the only ending to your quest, because you never have a guarantee that you will get it. Making friends, having fun, and getting a chance to play in a game with so many wonderful people- that is where you need to focus and apply yourself. Even more than a creative quest, what people want to see are those active and dedicated to the community, who really deserve whatever they can get out of it.
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:46 pm
*-.Chaos and Dream.-*When questers begin looking for concepts, one thing which many are guilty of- even myself on my first concept- is not taking in the whole picture of the Fa'e. The reason for this, I believe, is that a lot of people coming into the thread don't take the time to stop and try and understand what the Fa'e are. And, frankly, it's not easy to figure out. There's a broad description on the front page of the thread (no, don't scamper off to read it- I'll quote it in a few seconds here), and further than that... there are assumptions. Nuances, things that people have picked up from observations, reasonings people make by taking the Fa'e apart analytically and trying to puzzle things out. Let's talk about the essence of the Fa'e, shall we? This is the part that people don't pay enough attention to, when they look to pick their Fa'e concept- so do yourself a favor. Minimize the chat windows, set aside that auction you're stalking, take a few moments and focus with me, here. If you can wrap your brain around this, you'll be well on your way already. This is what we know for sure about the nature of the Fa'e. Quote: Once upon a time, there existed beings of untold power, who could bend reality itself to their whims and desires. Their power came from Chaos and Dream...
...and now, after falling into the embrace of death long ago, they have been reborn on Gaia. Here, bound to Guardians who raise them as their own children, they will relive their lives, discover a world beyond the destiny they are tied to - and find a second chance to right what once went wrong. It's not a lot, is it? But it's enough to derive a few points about what a Fa'e concept needs to be. For instance: A Fa'e needs to have had some sort of power in their last life. They need to have something to rediscover when they are reborn. This is a point I will discuss further in the "Ancient and Human" section, but for now, consider the implications of this. The thing I really want to emphasize here: * Creatures, places or objects that were of no power, but happened to be placed into an interesting position? Are really not good concepts. An interesting situation, even one affected in some way by magic, does not make for a creature of Chaos and Dream.That means that the guy that forged the sword that was one day wielded by a great hero to kill some dragon? Not Fa'e material, even though they're technically a part of mythology. The girl that tricked a devil into not taking her soul, then died afterwards from fright? Sadly, also not Fa'e material. (That one was my first concept, by the way.) Now, the next part I want to emphasize by this is the type of power that a Fa'e must have had in their past life to be reborn. The Fa'e's power came from, read it again- "Chaos and Dream". What does that mean? That means sorry, ancient Chinese emperor, and my apologies, great warrior of unsurpassed skill. Unless you have an actual magical background, you are not exactly Fa'e material. A Fa'e may not necessarily be a creature created from the powers of Chaos and Dream, but they did need to be affected by it enough to wield it or incorporate in some manner. A key point I might bring up is that it should be a part of their being, not their background. So, while a bumbling fool that stumbled upon great magical powers might (emphasis: MIGHT) be considered Fa'e material, that same fool that stumbled upon a book they could use for great powers might not. In fact, I'd suggest in the case of the latter, a potential reborn Fa'e be considered for the book, not the wielder.
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:46 pm
*-.Human and Ancient.-*
Another thing that questers often overlook is that, at some point, their Fa'e has to make a choice. Do they seek out their full power and follow the uncertain path of the Ancients, or do they surrender their strength for the companionship and warmth to be found as a Human with a family?
A lot of people don't want to think that far when they're a quester, because it feels like counting their chickens before they've hatched. When I was questing, I ran through concepts a-plenty, and it wasn't until my very last one that I acknowledged the need for thinking of that question. As one of the most identifying traits of a Fa'e, it is uncomfortable to try and decide so early whether a Fa'e would walk the path of humans or the path of Ancients. And to that, I have good news. You don't have to decide now. In fact, you don't even have to decide until your Fa'e, should it ever come to be, makes that choice ICly! Who knows; maybe even then, there's likely wiggle room to get out of it if you change your mind.
However, there is one thing you do have to consider. And that is what lies at the end of each path.
I'm such a meanie to my old concepts, so I'm going to pick on that one I spoke of before, the one that was not (and never will be) Fa'e material, even though it was a "myth reborn". This was the tale of a Gypsy girl who was given by her parents to a devil in return for them not being held in a forest, who managed to hold off the devil from taking her soul until daybreak, then died of fright, blah blah blah. (I swear, it sounded a lot cooler back then.)
Anyway, let's stop to think about this concept. What, if any, power could this girl hope to find if she took the path of the Ancients? Her plot, as it was so vaguely imprinted on my mind, would have been a constant battle against the devil so intent on claiming the soul promised to him; but what was the point to this myth being reborn? What did she have to rediscover? Was she even a Chaos or Dream child at all?
Answer: No. No no no. She was not, and never will be, worth being reborn as a Fa'e.
The good news? These concepts that, while based from myth, have no Ancienthood to rediscover- they ARE good ideas, still. They have purpose, they have character, they have use. But they are NOT concepts that can be applied here, in this continuity. No amount of reshifting concepts will make them so, without horribly tacked-on powers and plots that have nothing to do with the original myth.
So, then, what myths do we want to see? What is a good example?
Here's a trick. Look for things that inspired, terrified, or awed humans. Find things that have power; if the myth has the power to trigger emotion, then there is likely to be something in it that can be seen as a source of power. And it's the source of power, always, that should be considered for a Fa'e; not the people who happened to be around it, unless they have their own individual sources of power.
On a bit of a related tangent; one thing you must also consider, when making your quest, is that the Fa'e should not be born with every ability ever blessed upon their past person. Not at all. If a Fa'e is born with all its power, what is the point of it progressing to Ancienthood? What is it really giving up if it turns Human, if it has already experienced all the power this new life has to give it? As an infant, a Fa'e should have one, maybe two abilities, tops; discovering new innate abilities, or tapping into power it had been unable to find before, that's the point of a Fa'e growing and discovering itself.
Now, talking more about the Human path is something I'm reluctant to do, because a lot of my Fa'e's actual plot is going to base around the exploration of the Human and Ancient sides and what it means. However, in being reborn as a Fa'e, every concept will experience the same thing; a humanizing. Not that they are actually human, mind, just that they have a side to them that they didn't have before. That's how Dusty, previously an inanimate object, can now walk and talk and act with a mind of her own. That's how many evil Fa'e can act as children and get along in social situations, even though their mythbase might have demanded they tear their once-playmates to pieces; also, how many good Fa'e find they can commit sins and have flaws, despite having backgrounds that might have prevented them from making such mistakes before.
In being reborn, a Fa'e does become very human, even though we fail to recognize how much changed they really are for it. They lose animal instincts, they gain emotion. At the expense of their powers, they have the option to have a family, to raise two more Fa'e who may become testamounts to their past, or embrace the human spirit and being.
When making your Fa'e, this is important to consider. A Fa'e that is not "humanized" by their rebirth at all really loses a lot on what it can gain by remaining human- they become just like their past lives, and Fa'e should not, in my opinion, be so close to that. While there are many ways to interpret the personality and subsequent growth, of course, I really feel strongly that this is part of what must be considered.
Naturally, Fa'e based off of human characters will have a bit of a struggle finding a way to humanize after rebirth. In fact, for the most part, all that can be done to define the two seperate paths is to suggest the Ancient path being the embracing of that which was not human about them before, and total abandonment of the humanity in their current and past life, and the human path of reestablishing themselves as the way they were "born to be", and forfeiting the promise of power.
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:47 pm
*-.Religion and Fairytales.-*(Religion - why not eligible?) A lot of people have based quests around figures of religion, so I thought it'd be prudent in order to take a little time and discuss this as well. Contrary to popular opinion, something or someone that is religious in nature- even someone who was a very big player- is not automatically good material for a Fa'e quest. This could be because, just as is overlooked often in general myths, they had no power of their own to justify being called a creature of Chaos or Dream (for example, Adam would be an unlikely Fa'e candidate, because to my knowledge, he had no power of his own). A lot of characters out of the Bible, for example, are therefore not acceptable choices for a Fa'e. What is even more likely to be overlooked, though, are the laws of the religion itself. This could be because the religion does not allow for reincarnation (this takes out human-based Christian concepts in general, as there is no room for reincarnation in the general Christian faith), or because the character itself is beyond the cycle of life and death (as is the case with some Buddhist concepts, where the character has ascended beyond the cycle of rebirth and achieved Nirvana, which makes it a little difficult to pry them away for another life). It is exceedingly important to recognize and take into consideration the laws of a religion before trying to take a concept from it. For one thing, it's pointless to try and get a Fa'e out of a religion you don't understand; for another, it's rude and insulting if you have not done your research far enough to know what is and is not acceptable for a Fa'e concept, and why. kalindara Also, Kali's 2 cents on fa'e quests: If you would consider it rude or inappropriate to quest for Jesus or God reborn, please extend the courtesy to other present-day religions such as Buddhism. Telling someone you've killed their diety figure and had them reborn is not the best way to ingratiate yourself with the community. *bats towards front page with Roth's demon tail* (Fairytales - why not eligible?) I was discussing this with Kochikens last night, and had a bit of an epiphany. We were talking about why it was that Fa'e had to come from legends or mythology, but couldn't come from fairytales. There are some good concepts out there that could be used - for example, the Fairy Godmother seems like a viable Fa'e concept, right? But there's something that differentiates fairytales from the sources that we generally consider for Fa'e. At some point in history, the legends and Gods of old were taken as true history. There were people that believed Zeus threw lightning from the clouds; that children wandering into the forest were led off by faerie folk. One could argue that the power of Fa'e derives from this source of belief. But how does this apply to penned works? Fairytales that are penned by the Brothers Grimm have a layer of fantasy from their inception; much like a Fa'e can't be reborn from Tolkien works, fairytale sources were never believed the way that old Gods were. This is potentially a critical component of being a Fa'e, and may actually tie into the nature of Chaos and Dream. Of course, having thought this over, I'm forced to consider how this applies to Arthurian legend, and that's probably going to be keeping my mind busy for a few weeks. But it was a useful insight that I thought worth sharing.
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:48 pm
*-.2k Critiques.-*All right, against my better judgement, I'm going to open up some chances to get an Arri!critique. Arri!critiques, for those unaware, are overlong, nit-picking, headache-inducing critiques written by yours truly, in which I go over every inch of your thread in great detail to find logic errors, spelling mistakes, grammatical slips and overall content confusion that might be in your thread. Why don't I do these often? Because they're a bit stressful for me, take hours (really, HOURS - generally three to five, sometimes more) and as much as I love to help people, I often procrastinate when it comes to trying to step up to bat for one of these. However. I really do like to help people improve their concepts, so I will offer critiques. Well, sell them, really. Yes, that's right- I'm making you give me money for them. Obvious Question: Where do I get off charging for these, when there are already many threads that offer them for free? Less Obvious Answer: Because I'm not going to put effort into someone that won't be take my critique seriously. I put a lot of effort into these critiques, and if I have to worry whether or not my word will be valued, I'm not gonna want to do them. I have more valuable ways to apply my Fa'e time, frankly. On top of that, the fact that there's money exchanging hands means that I'm going to be taking everything a lot more seriously, as well, and will hopefully override my usual procrastinating-ness. So. If forking over 2k isn't a problem for you, just post your request in this thread with a link to your Fa'e quest (cuz no, I ain't digging around for it). If there's an open slot, I'll put you in immediately. If you don't think it's worth 2k to get a critique? Then don't get one, that's fine! I want to make sure that my effort goes into the people who think that my efforts are going to be worthwhile for them and are willing to give something to acknowledge that, so please don't expect me to go "aww, well okay, I'll give you one anyway" if you don't want to pay the cost. (I do reserve the right to refuse my services to anyone, of course, for any reason. Just to cover my a**.) FAQWill I critique completed quests? Yes, absolutely! <3 If anything, you guys need MORE help, because you've got to get ready to play your characters out in the big bad Fa'e-verse. If I want a critique, what do I do? Just post in the thread that you want one, include a link to your quest, and send the trade. Assuming there's an open slot, I'll put you on the list; if not, I'll probably take them in the order of trades waiting, though I make no commitment beyond the first two on the list. Will you tell me when you're done? Sort of. I won't go around PMing people, but the critique will be posted up in your quest thread (sorry, I don't care to contact people privately with them; other questers can learn from the same points I post for your thread, and I like being able to keep easy track of what I've done) and your trade will be accepted and waiting for you to complete it. Didn't you raise your prices?/Where does the 2k go? I did indeed raise the prices, and there's a reason for it - and it's not just about the inflation since I started doing these. All the money I earn from doing these critiques will be shuffled over to shop funds to help cover art costs. On that subject, if you think my work is worth more than 2k, I gladly accept tips! Waiting List [1] Astor[2] Ghytere [3] Shiloh Amount raised so far: 2,000g
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:48 pm
*-.Questions and Answers.-*So, by the making of this thread, I've put myself out on a ledge. Because you see, a lot of what this thread is full of is interpretation of what we know about the Fa'e, and not actual fact itself. And you know what? I could be wrong about it. Or maybe someone else could know something a step further than I do. Or any other bit about this.
So, what sort of Obviously Self-Important Expert on All Things Fa'e would I be, if I didn't open up discussion about the nature of the Fa'e?
Let's get to it, then. Have a question about the Fa'e, or something said in this thread? Maybe an observation I haven't made? Post it up! I love theorizing about these things, and I'm definitely not afraid to be wrong about something that I admittedly know little about. This post reserved for the questions of those keen enough to come up with them, and the answers of myself or others brave enough to try and answer! Question: Baniru Here, I have a question. Leviathan never did have any powers to speak of, you see, but I added on a little fictional useless power to his name. What am I supposed to do? Is that alright? o_o Leviathan was just powerful in his past life, but it didn't relate to magic whatsoever. Answers: kalindara I think adding some powers would be okay. Especially water ones - I'm sure that the magic used to rebirth him/her would react to their desire to be in water, or around it... Arrien I agree with Kali here. Not all powers that your Fa'e develops will necessarily be wielded in their past life. Dusty'd have a pretty boring magical side to discover if that were the case, given that the only ability of Excalibur's scabbard was a god-moding sorta invincibility that I'm just as happy not to throw at her and call good. XD As long as there's a reason for the power that makes sense with your Fa'e and their background, there's no reason to limit it to what the Fa'e had in their past life. kalindara Exactly what Arri said. Your concept base is just that - a BASE. So new powers are okay as long as they make sense by fitting with your fa'e. So maybe Leviathan can manipulate water, or cause floods, or speak whale xd As long as there's no random fire / summons butterflies / etc. in there, it's all good.
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:49 pm
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:49 pm
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:50 pm
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:23 pm
Roth: *stands guard to back up Dusty, in case of battle*
IAWTT.
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:38 pm
Dusty: *peeks around to make sure her daddy isn't around before taking out the metal sword* >3
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:40 pm
Dusty so needs a little metal helm. She'd look so cute with her ears poking out, and trying to keep it out of her eyes 4laugh
Roth: *hands Dusty a light, gem-encrusted shield*
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:55 pm
Dusty: Oooo.... *takes the shield and starts looking it over appraisingly* ... 'S cool! heart *fits it over her arm*
I have the most awesome picture that evermore_crystal made me, of baby Dusty in a full set of armor.... xD It's cute like whoa.
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:59 pm
Oooh, yay 3nodding Let's make Dusty the new knight of the fa'e! Just do not follow in the path of our former knight, young padawan eek talk2hand
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