I'm surprised how much more I liked Laurel in the Flash crossover. She was just so much better than she is on Arrow. Perhaps it was the writers, or the generally happier style of the Flesh.
So anyway, Lazarus pits.
I actually quite like Cisco. It took him some time to grow on me, but his positive outlook and goofy humor really mesh quite well with the show.
True, but it's gay marriage that's brought this to a head. Abortion and contraception has had a slow but steady movement in favor of the right wingers. Gay marriage has had the opposite, especially in the last few years.The recent push of the last few years has been because of a few corner cases that were well-publicized as the government being willing to destroy one's livelihood for unpopular opinion. One would think that twenty years of RFRA laws being enacted with minimal issues would have provided guidance for how to write and pass such a law, and how to respond to it. I think these specific laws (Indiana, Mississippi, the other current proposals) were largely in response to that particular situation. I'm not sure you understand the level of anxiety the thought police induce. The absurd degree of disproportionate response to someone not wanting to bake a cake or photograph a wedding - an attempt at destroying their lives - is the particular impetus for this particular set of laws.
True, but it's gay marriage that's brought this to a head. Abortion and contraception has had a slow but steady movement in favor of the right wingers. Gay marriage has had the opposite, especially in the last few years. The recent push of the last few years has been because of a few corner cases that were well-publicized as the government being willing to destroy one's livelihood for unpopular opinion. One would think that twenty years of RFRA laws being enacted with minimal issues would have provided guidance for how to write and pass such a law, and how to respond to it.
Is he willing to go to court over it? He can still be sued or cited. He would have to prove that it is a substantive burden, then prove either that the burden isn't a compelling government interest (a dubious argument for a restaurant) or that there is a lesser way to further that interest (also a difficult argument). He would have to do so publically, risking negative publicity. And he would lose. This law is as much a right to discriminate as self-defense laws are a right to kill.
The folks in here are debating what they believe the law says, not what it does say. Rational discourse has been thrown aside for emotional argumentation. I've grown tired of waiting for someone to actually talk about the law itself, rather than the fever dreams of what they imagine it to be. Did you mock Sarah Palin for 'death panels'? If so, you are making the same mistake, in that you are creating something to argue against that does not exist in the law (or even a reasonable interpretation of the law.0 In other news, I flagged a post that accused, in quite a broad stroke, the GOP base to be homophobic bigots. I felt that it broke the rules of the forum and was as inflammatory as many of the posts that have been deleted already. It remains there. Why do the moderators allow such commentary to remain?
Looks like predictions of "Obama winning the round" were premature. I'm just glad Bergdahl didn't sign the letter. The administration might claim that that he didn't serve with honor and distinction.
The government can't "burden" a business by curtailing that business's right to exercise its religion. They indeed can burden the business. It just has to be either a non-substantial burden or in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest using the least restrictive means. "Sec. 8. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), a governmental entity may not substantially burden a person's exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability. (b) A governmental entity may substantially burden a person's exercise of religion only if the governmental entity demonstrates that application of the burden to the person: (1) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest." The law essentially creates the means for a particular person or business to go to court to challenge a particular law for itself and get injunctive relief. They must prove that they have been substantially burdened. That means it will be (a) public, (b) slow, (c) considerably harder than simply posting a sign or refusing someone at the door. Anyone who is likely to try to take advantage of this law will have to have the resources to start a legal battle with the jurisdiction in question, as well as care about the issue enough to do so. Any general-service restaurant or hotel will have extreme difficulty in proving that it is a substantial burden, that non-discrimination is not a compelling government interest, or that there is a less-restrictive means.
Actual Text: SENATE ENROLLED ACT No. 101 AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning civil procedure. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: SECTION1.IC34-13-9 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2015]: Chapter 9. Religious Freedom Restoration Sec. 1. This chapter applies to all governmental entity statutes, ordinances, resolutions, executive or administrative orders, regulations, customs, and usages, including the implementation or application thereof, regardless of whether they were enacted, adopted, or initiated before, on, or after July 1, 2015. Sec. 2. A governmental entity statute, ordinance, resolution, executive or administrative order, regulation, custom, or usage may not be construed to be exempt from the application of this chapter unless a state statute expressly exempts the statute, ordinance, resolution, executive or administrative order, regulation, custom, or usage from the application of this chapter by citation to this chapter. Sec. 3. (a) The following definitions apply throughout this section: (1) "Establishment Clause" refers to the part of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the State of Indiana prohibiting laws respecting the establishment of religion. (2) "Granting", used with respect to government funding, benefits, or exemptions, does not include the denial of government funding, benefits, or exemptions. (b) This chapter may not be construed to affect, interpret, or in any way address the Establishment Clause. (c) Granting government funding, benefits, or exemptions, to the extent permissible under the Establishment Clause, does not constitute a violation of this chapter. Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, "demonstrates"means meets the burdens of going forward with the evidence and of persuasion. Sec. 5. As used in this chapter, "exercise of religion" includes any exercise of religion,whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief. Sec. 6. As used in this chapter, "governmental entity" includes the whole or any part of a branch, department, agency, instrumentality, official, or other individual or entity acting under color of law of any of the following: (1) State government. (2) A political subdivision (as defined in IC 36-1-2-13). (3) An instrumentality of a governmental entity described in subdivision(1) or (2), including a state educational institution, a body politic, a body corporate and politic, or any other similar entity established by law. Sec. 7. As used in this chapter, "person" includes the following: (1) An individual. (2) An organization, a religious society, a church, a body of communicants, or a group organized and operated primarily for religious purposes. (3) A partnership, a limited liability company, a corporation, a company, a firm, a society, a joint-stock company, an unincorporated association, or another entity that: (A) may sue and be sued; and (B) exercises practices that are compelled or limited by a system of religious belief held by: (i) an individual; or (ii) the individuals; who have control and substantial ownership of the entity, regardless of whether the entity is organized and operated for profit or nonprofit purposes. Sec. 8. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), a governmental entity may not substantially burden a person's exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability. (b) A governmental entity may substantially burden a person's exercise of religion only if the governmental entity demonstrates that application of the burden to the person: (1) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest. Sec. 9. A person whose exercise of religion has been substantially burdened, or is likely to be substantially burdened, by a violation of this chapter may assert the violation or impending violation as a claim or defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding, regardless of whether the state or any other governmental entity is a party to the proceeding. If the relevant governmental entity is not a party to the proceeding, the governmental entity has an unconditional right to intervene in order to respond to the person's invocation of this chapter. Sec. 10. (a) If a court or other tribunal in which a violation of this chapter is asserted in conformity with section 9 of this chapter determines that: (1) the person's exercise of religion has been substantially burdened, or is likely to be substantially burdened; and (2) the governmental entity imposing the burden has not demonstrated that application of the burden to the person: (A) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and (B) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest; the court or other tribunal shall allow a defense against any party and shall grant appropriate relief against the governmental entity. (b) Relief against the governmental entity may include any of the following: (1) Declaratory relief or an injunction or mandate that prevents, restrains, corrects, or abates the violation of this chapter. (2) Compensatory damages. (c) In the appropriate case,the court or other tribunal also may award all or part of the costs of litigation, including reasonable attorney's fees, to a person that prevails against the governmental entity under this chapter. Sec. 11. This chapter is not intended to, and shall not be construed or interpreted to, create a claim or private cause of action against any private employer by any applicant, employee, or former employee.
Many states do not specifically define free exercise, but several are as expansive. Texas: "Free exercise of religion" means an act or refusal to act that is substantially motivated by sincere religious belief. In determining whether an act or refusal to act is substantially motivated by sincere religious belief under this chapter, it is not necessary to determine that the act or refusal to act is motivated by a central part or central requirement of the person's sincere religious belief. Arizona: "Exercise of religion" means the ability to act or refusal to act in a manner substantially motivated by a religious belief, whether or not the exercise is compulsory or central to a larger system of religious belief. Florida:(3) "Exercise of religion" means an act or refusal to act that is substantially motivated by a religious belief, whether or not the religious exercise is compulsory or central to a larger system of religious belief. Idaho:(2) "Exercise of religion" means the ability to act or refusal to act in a manner substantially motivated by a religious belief, whether or not the exercise is compulsory or central to a larger system of religious belief. New Mexico: "Free exercise of religion" means an act or a refusal to act that is substantially motivated by religious belief; Missouri: As used in this section, "exercise of religion" shall be defined as an act or refusal to act that is substantially motivated by religious belief, whether or not the religious exercise is compulsory or central to a larger system of religious belief. Have these other state laws resulted in the predicted discrimination?
... Precisely. Thank you, but be prepared to be ignored by the people having the argument here. They're discussing something, but it isn't this particular law.
The most powerful consequences of any law are the unintended ones. What have been the unintended consequences of similar state laws? Have we seen any denial of services, mass or otherwise, in the states that have similar laws? We do know that we have the government forcing people out of business in places like Oregon for non-compliance, so we have those examples to work with on the one extreme. Do we have any examples from the other extreme, or is it still a hypothetical game of libertarian vs authoritarian theory?
Legal analysis (by an actual attorney). The relevant quote: "The bill would establish a general legal standard, the "compelling interest" test, for evaluating laws and governmental practices that impose substantial burdens on the exercise of religion. This same test already governs federal law under the federal RFRA, which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. And some 30 states have adopted the same standard, either under state-law RFRAs or as a matter of state constitutional law." If he is correct, then we have to merely look at other states that have instituted a similar law to see what the consequences are - rather than talk about theoretical outcomes or analogies.
So I'm the only person who is willing to admit to evil? In my experience as a homicide detective, I have had the opportunity to deal with some truly evil people - but not one of them thought they were evil. The human ability to justify one's own actions is unbelievable. Most of them understand social norms and cast themselves as neutral when given the opportunity, or rewrite their actions as somehow less morally culpable.
The first black police officer in NYC was 1910 or 11 I think, so it isn't outside the realm of possibly. I'm not sure about NYC, but a 1946 black officer would have been exclusively patrolling black neighborhoods in most of the country. In many jurisdictions, he would not have legally been able to pull over a white driver.
So if Ronnie or Stein get busy, does the other one feel it as well? Awkward.
"All within Unity, nothing outside Unity, nothing against Unity, nothing higher than Unity." Thousands of voices speak in unison across the great city of Promise as the afternoon pledge to the Unity Doctrine rings out into the public agoras. Every Citizen in Hermea has spoken those words thousands of times in their lives from the time they could speak as children being raised by the experts of the Hypatia tribe. Twice a day - at the start and end of every day's work duties - the usual fanfare plays on the speakers attached to the sightwindows right as the images of the thirteen tribes and of Mengkare begin to show. Every Citizen is expected to assemble in one of the thirteen agoras of Promise several minutes before the pledge. The city is built in a way so that every building worked in by Citizens is a close walking distance to one of the circular agoras, each of which is named for the tribe that uses it during formal assemblies. The city itself is built as a circle around the Palace of Humanity on a central hill, where Mengkare and the Council of Enlightenment reside. Great red sandstone walls encircle the city, keeping envious eyes from seeing the marvels inside. Inside Promise, great spires of metal and crystal rise up from the streets. The Citizens live, work, and socialize in these extraordinary buildings, carried up their heights in incredible technological lifts and carried from one spire to the next on raised rails that connect them. Thousands of technological automatons keep the city clean, cook for the population, wait on them in restaurants and in social halls, and complete all the mundane chores that would otherwise unfairly burden them. Six-thousand, five-hundred and seventy-eight men and women call Promise their home. Thousands more await anxiously for a coveted spot in that number, biding their time as Residents of Hermea in the lands outside Promise. They are the Citizens of Hermea, the vanguard of humanity's progress. Mengkare's vision saw that humanity could be more if they were freed from want and freed from the burden of making difficult decisions with no correct answers. The Citizens are the result of generations of planning, generations of trust in one another and in the Unity Doctrine. Compared to the rest of the world, Hermeans are more intelligent, faster, stronger, healthier, wiser. The pledge is a reminder of how and why they enjoy the advantages that they have now. In the light of the summer afternoon, the assembled Citizens complete their pledge, speaking in one voice. On some occasions, the Council will make announcements of interests, but no such announcement comes up on the sightwindows. The closing fanfare plays, letting the Citizens know that they are released from their work duties for the day. A few of the Citizens have modified work schedules, but the vast majority of them are free to do whatever pleases them in the afternoon and evening. They slowly disperse from the agoras, with many taking time to chat with one another and plan out their free time. Those who leave patiently wait in queues to take the lift platforms up to the sleek rail carriages, where they will ride to their destination. Some Citizens walk instead, taking in the beautiful day as they meander down the wide streets and through lush parks.
Much like Felcity and Oliver over on Arrow disrupting the planned relationship of Oliver and Laurel, I think the chemistry between Caitlin and Barry has disrupted the original plan of Barry and Iris. That's what I think the 'goodies' part was about.
Wow, the premiere of Agent Carter was incredible! Some of the sexism was piled on a touch too heavily, but it was otherwise excellent. It was a far better pilot episode than Agents of SHIELD, which I recently re-watched on Netflix.
The finale reminded me of my one objection to the series:I wish they had animated the robots with traditional animation rather than CGI.
This is the exact class I have tried to create multiple times as wizard, cleric, oracle, shaman, etc.
The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young blind girl.
As a kid, I always identified strongly with Cyclops. It makes me sad what they did to him in Avengers vs X-Men and its aftermath.
Kingmaker is extremely malleable. Make it what you want it to be and don't look back.
Time for seppeku.
Very cool. I am running Skull & Shackles and can always use more stuff in the sandbox.
I have become convinced that Skye's superpower is to make others act like idiots on her behalf. Even the agent who was Ward's counterpart was acting like an idiot for her.
I have imagined "clockwork-Pitax" Irovetti to be somewhat similar to Doctor Doom. A heavily armored myrmidarch magus.
That's a rather compact statement. Care to elaborate? The case would not have met the legal burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Zimmerman did not act in self-defense. Did he? I couldn't say. I wasn't there. I do know that I can't reasonably discount the possibility. This isn't civil court, where the burden of proof is a preponderance of evidence. This is criminal court, where beyond a reasonable doubt is a high burden to meet. The State was never going to win that case with the facts they had on the ground.
This concept (DWB) has always ticked me off. Do you know how much effort it would be to determine the race of a driver before deciding whether or not to pull them over? It would be exhausting. On Patrol, most of the people who get pulled over are chosen while you drive behind them. In order to determine the race of the driver with any accuracy, you would have to pull even with them and then slow down to get behind them again. In Traffic, most of the people who get pulled over are chosen from a few hundred yards by laser/radar. You have to get back in your own car fast enough to be able to pull out immediately after and keep eyes on the car. I suppose a true racist could do it, but it would require a lot of effort that most officers just aren't willing to make.
SKR once mailed me a bunch of minis from his personal collection. I still Iike this place.
I haven't had any posts removed, but I tend to avoid controversial posts.
One item has a very specific and unusual price. I want to know how the author arrived at this particular number. I think it has something to do with pi.
I voted up a great consumable item that was cheap, useful, and not overpowered. The formatting was bad, but I'd vote it up again.
I saw a poop-related item...
Face off against the most fearsome monster? Singular? Do they mean the DM?
One of the Wardens snickers from the perimeter. "Least he's got one. Couldn't pay me enough to be celibate."
I prefer the cleric list, if I had to choose. Though, if they did use the druid list, they could change it to oracle/druid and not have to worry about the 'hex' naming problem. I'd also like to see a version of the Lore Oracle's Sidestep Secret.
I rather like the "free spell upon entering bloodrage" option that some of the bloodlines (arcane gets two spell effects, actually!) get. Perhaps the ability to cast a spell (likely a buff spell) upon entering the rage?
Just a friend? Hmph!
Kyras will actively cheer.
Glad to not be rended into death by the hideous aberrations, Kyras weakly takes Azami's arm. He feels the blood running down his arm, running together at their clasped hands. He looks backwards quickly at the rushing waters headed their way, then looks back to Azami. Impulsively, he pulls himself towards the warrior woman, spins her around, and kisses her. As he does, he gathers together what remaining magical energy his body can muster and presses his hand against the small of her back. He pulls away, offering her a very slight and very exhausted grin, looking like a mere shadow of himself. He glances down with her eyes at her feet (not where she might expect him to look after doing what he did). Her eyes follow his, noting with some amazement that she is floating - ever so slightly - above the ground. "One of us has gotta make it," he whispers to her faintly.
Go ahead and make a roll in Perform: Pantomime so that you can be understood!
Good afternoon to the DM and the other applicants. Much like Celeador, I wish to introduce myself - DM Barcas - prior to pitching this character. I will actually follow his format, as I found it to be very helpful. I am a long-time poster with a strong posting history, with over 5,500 posts - most of which are in the Play-by-Post forums. I DM two games, both of which (like Celeador's) are very roleplay-heavy. The first of them, my Kingmaker campaign, is over 4,400 posts long and coming close to three years old. (I'm very proud of this campaign. I have been well-blessed with a number of good players.) The second is my Skull & Shackles campaign, which is far newer and has about 500 posts. I tend to deviate heavily from the campaign as written, and I collaborate strongly with my players. I have a number of interesting characters that I play here on the boards. The one I am most proud of is in Celeador's campaign: Mikhail Halancoun, dhampir prince and official group leader. I do not have any problem playing the group leader, and actually relish the role. In real life, I am a homicide detective. As a result, my schedule can be unpredictable. I am also a father of a young child. However, I feel that I make up for it with quality posts and strong leadership qualities. I may occasionally not be able to post for a few days if I get hit with my responsibilities, but I always return and always try to give the DM and other players a heads-up. Additionally, I sometimes have a lot of freedom during my work day to post. On to the character I am submitting: Pytros Ex-Lucarus, a whip-wielding exile on the run from his own people. He is a Fighter with the Lore Warden archetype. (I accidentally saved over his stat block. I will put it back in when I get back to my computer and Hero Lab.) He brings a number of good hooks with him, including a world-spanning conspiracy with a direct tie to the Worldwound and a villainous assassin trying to eliminate him for learning too much. He has flaws - convinced of his own superior nature, for instance - that would make him interesting for other players to play off of. He was raised in a totalitarian dictatorship of willing subjects, only to later turn his back on them when he discovered (part of) the truth about their methods. While he now strongly prefers freedom, his heritage and upbringing are still central to his mindset. ---------------------------------------------------
Pytros showed great promise from an early age. True to the breeding program, he was stronger, faster, and smarter than the average human. He took to his education, drinking in as much information as the librarians and teachers allowed him access to. He mastered every weapon that was placed in his hands. He even learned the theories of magic, to better utilize the talents of the Magistratus. His favored weapon was the whip, despite the disapproval of his tutors for the unorthodox choice. He affixed a sharp metal stud to its end, giving it as much deadliness as any dagger - but at the end of a fifteen-foot arm. At the age of sixteen, he passed the Test of Citizenship with ease and signed the contract granting his free will to Mengkare's authority. Pytros continued his education after being accepted into the Citizenship. Between his deployments protecting the shores of Hermea, he studied as the assistant to Marcus Ex-Voturia, a scholar specializing in the Outer Planes. Marcus and Pytros quickly bonded, despite being of different generations and different castes. Each respected the intelligence and talents of the other, and Pytros came to view Marcus like a father. Pytros also gladly did his duty to the Glorious Endeavor when he was assigned a mate. His chosen partner, Livia, was of the Magistratus caste. Their partnership lasted a year until it bore fruit. When Livia became pregnant, she left to bear the child, and Pytros awaited his next romantic assignment. In 4711 AR, Pytros was deployed to the shores of Hermea in charge of a small squad of citizen-soldiers. Their duty was to protect the Glorious Endeavor through any means necessary. Any ships attempting to make it to shore were to be sunk, as all sanctioned trading partners know to use only the foreigner's quarter in Promise. His patrol spotted a ship, bearing no flag and showing no signals, sailing within the territorial waters; a squall had seemingly pushed it off-course. After they exhausted attempts to contact the ship - magically and through signals - Pytros ordered his citizen-soldiers to attack the ship. Their combination of siege weapons and magic made quick work of the ship, which quickly ran aground as its crew fled. Per their standing orders, the citizen-soldiers defend the shores by killing the sailors as they arrive. Pytros personally led the investigation into the ship before destroying it entirely. What he discovered on board the shipwrecked ship changed his life forever. Pytros discovered a tome of meticulous records, written in a strange language that appeared to be a combination of Draconic and Abyssal. He took the book, written in blood and bound in skin, to Marcus for translation. Marcus spent a month translating the tome, relaying his horrified findings to Pytros. According to the book, the power of the Wardstones that bind the Worldwound could be corrupted and used to produce great changes in human evolution. Pytros and Marcus realized that this process would weaken the Wardstone, perhaps even destroy it - which would mean the deaths of thousands of people that relied upon the Wardstones for safety. Pytros could not have been aware that the upper echelons of Hermean society have been controlled by Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth, a secret society dedicated to the agenda of the demon lord Baphomet. For over a century, they have meddled in human evolution on Hermea to produce a "superior" specimen of humanity - one that would follow orders without question and without fail. It was for the Templars and their agents on Hermea that this tome was intended. When Pytros and Marcus came forward to the Council of Enlightenment - the thirteen citizens who advise Mengkare and run the daily affairs of governance - with their discovery, they were told to turn over their research and forget about what they had learned. Pytros protested, as it would potentially mean letting many thousands of people die. He argued that it was their moral responsibility to send agents to protect the Wardstone, to protect the people of Mendev. He argued that it was their duty to offer protection and guidance for the rest of humanity. His pleas were promptly denied by acclamation of the Council - most of whom were members of the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth, a fact unknown to him and most of the citizens of Hermea. Pytros and Marcus returned to the latter's home, preparing to turn over the tome to the Council as demanded. They did not expect the assassin sent by the Templars. They fought the assassin in Marcus's home, which burned around them from the wizard's fire spells. The dark-clad assassin killed Marcus with his curved blade before turning his attention to Pytros. Pytros fought off the assassin, eventually buying enough time to flee by using his whip to bring down a weakened part of the burning house on top of the assassin. As he fled, he saw the assassin without his mask; it was a tiefling male with violet skin, one red eye, and one blue eye. He fled with nothing but a Marcus's handwritten notes, the clothes on his back, and his whip. Pytros was hunted throughout Promise for three days. He learned that he was wanted for killing Marcus, and that he had been stripped of his Citizenship for his crimes. He eventually found his way to the docks, where he snuck aboard a ship, the Empty Lighthouse. He hid himself from Promise's guards as they searched the ship, using his whip and his strength to maintain a hiding spot on the underside of the ship's bow. When the ship set off for port, he made his way on and offered his service to the captain - a former pirate called Henray Morgan Jonas - in exchange for the trip. Pytros stayed with the crew of the Empty Lighthouse for a year, always on the move from port to port. He went by several aliases, trying to maintain a low profile, but the tiefling assassin found him twice more: once in the streets of Sothis, and once again in the back alleys of Absalom. Only through his wits did he survive and escape, finding his way back to the Empty Lighthouse and convincing Captain Jonas to set sail immediately. After the second attack, he parted ways from the Empty Lighthouse at the Andoran port of Souston. Pytros headed north, making his way to Mendev. Hiding for a year had not thrown his hunters off his scent, and it was time for him to put his own words into action. He knew that he had a moral obligation to protect Mendev's people by warning them about the Wardstone - even if it was a warning that would be delivered in passing as he stayed on the move. He traveled north in a caravan of traders and crusaders, making his way through the rough lands that border Mendev. He arrived in Kenabres, only to find that he is too late... -----------------------------------
Pytros is quite moral in his outlook. His experience of being an outlaw has changed his views greatly since his exile began. He no longer trusts any government or hierarchy to protect the people. While his views on law and society have changed drastically, his heavily-ingrained worldview regarding humanity has not. He views himself as superior to humanity - even though he readily admits that many "normal" humans can surpass him in certain areas - and sees it as his obligation that he must protect other humans. He tends to look down upon non-humans (except for elves and half-elves) as alien throwbacks, though he saves his outright contempt for tieflings. Personality Traits
Character Traits
Influences
I hope to be picked. (Especially if Celeador's character is picked, as he and I have yet to be players in the same campaign.) Please let me know if you have any questions I can answer, or points that you would like me to elaborate on.
Doran, feel free to switch the archetype if you find one that feels better.
Well, well, well. I leave for one day's worth of radiation treatment and come back to this... I guess I did get superpowers.
Rhegalion interrupts Anya from going further with her threat. "That will not be necessary, Lieutenant. I'm certain that he was happy to hand over his weaponry rather than risk being summarily executed. Isn't that so?" With a scowl, the docker nods in agreement. He glares at Anya, clearly resenting the threat. "Now, let's find someplace more appropriate to speak about this, where there is not so much of a chance of violence." The four of them walk into an alley, with Anya and Ifris both poised to seize the docker if he attempts to run or commit violence. Rhegalion quietly speaks to them both when they arrive. "Please ensure that no civilians come into the alleyway so that I can speak to him in privacy. Thank you." With a glance at each other, the two women nod and take up a position so that the alley is theirs and theirs alone. Rhegalion and the docker walk a dozen paces down the alley until Rhegalion stops and pulls up crate from the wall. "Please, sit." When the docker does so, he pulls a second one and sits opposite him so that he can see his allies but that the docker's back is turned to them. "I apologize for my associate's threats. That was unnecessary." The docker murmurs in agreement, glaring downwards. "I am Rhegalion Arbalistre. What is your name?" The docker looks up at him, surprised. Clearly, he thought that this would go a different way - a much more violent way. A polite query throws him off-balance far more than a strike to the back of the head. "I'm called Coulton, boss man." "There's no need to call me that, Coulton. Rhegalion will do fine, or sir if you must. I want to speak with you about what you were doing," Rheglaion asks firmly but gently. Coulton hesitates for a moment, not sure of whether to lie or to speak the truth. "I wasn't doing anything," he says after his hesitation, clearly choosing the former. "I was just minding my own business when you lot came up on me." Rhegalion stares at him intently, as if measuring him. "No, Coulton, you weren't. Your intent today is not to partake in the festivities, is it?" His question is quiet, but the point is forceful. Rhegalion knows that Coulton is up to something, and that certainty unnerves the lanky docker. "What do you mean? What else would I be doing?" Rhegalion continues his intense stare, making him shift uncomfortably. Coulton looks back at the two women watching from afar. He sighs and puts his head down in his hands."What's going to happen to me?" Coulton asks the question from the position. "Have you committed a crime yet, Coulton?" "No! That's not..." Rhegalion continues setting Coulton up to come to the conclusion that cooperation is the best option for him. "However, if something happens that you were involved in - even if you don't do it yourself - you share in that responsibility. You know as well as I do that you were trying to warn someone back in the crowd. Do you have any associates that you want to tell me about?" Coulton pauses again, thinking hard about what to say. He pulls his head up and looks at Rhegalion somewhat desperately. "Please, I got mouths to feed. I don't want to be involved in this. It's other people's business, not mine." "You are involved, Coulton, and that was your decision. I understand why you made it. Dock workers are poorly treated in this city. You are taken for granted and ignored on a good day, and treated like second-class citizens on a bad day. This is wrong, and you are absolutely right to stand up and speak out against it. But you have a decision to make now about what sort of statement you want to make. You're not a violent man, Coulton, I can see that. You're a man with a good heart and a righteous motive." Coulton nods along with Rhegalion's narrative, agreeing with him even though he doesn't realize it. "You can choose now to sully yourself with the actions of others, or you can choose to do what you know is right in your heart. I think that you'll choose to do what is right, rather than choose a path that wasn't your idea. I mean, you didn't want to go along with it, did you? You knew it was the wrong way to get your message across, didn't you? You want me to be able to stand up and tell people that you made the right decision, because the dock workers do the right thing." Coulton nods even as he puts his head into his hands a second time. "What do you want to know?" He sounds defeated and hopeful all at once. "Just who else we need to talk to today. That's all." Coulton wipes his lips out of nervousness. "Okay. Okay. You want to talk to Mercliffe. He's got tattoos down to the wrist on both arms. You also want to talk to Iscalio, who's kind of a greasy fellow. Both were pretty close to me when you snatched me up. Rhegalion stares at him with that same look of intensity, as if asking the obvious question about whether or not that was all. Coulton shifts on the crate. "And Dafton. He's in charge. He's a bare-knuckle boxer at the Broken Skull over in the Strand. I'm... Not sure where he is right now. The plan was for him to take a swing at the governor during the parade. Look, I ain't got a problem with your kind, that's not what this is about." He seems almost defensive about it. "It's about justice, like you said, and getting some awareness for our exploitation. We're not looking to hurt no one. Honest. That's all. Can I go?" Rhegalion stands up and looks down at the sitting suspect. "I'm afraid that you'll be in our custody for a little while longer. I'm sorry, but it has to be this way. You've got rights, and as long as no one commits any crime, you'll be fine. You just have to be patient. Do you have any questions?" Coulton shakes his head to indicate that he doesn't. "I'm proud of you, Coulton. You did the right thing. Thank you." He beckons to one of the policeman that Anya and Ifris called over, who comes and handcuffs Coulton while Rhegalion tells them what they are looking for.
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