Hear Now, Chorus of the Ignorant

[Gjorhaan]

I, Gjor'haan, called as a disciple of Gjo'jaol, Darkness of Darkness, and Shor'ha, his servant; to the Chorus of the Ignorant, in relation to Gosht Kohr, to those that have been sanctified in Darkness, disciples by calling, with all who in every place call upon Gjo'jaol for strength, present, once again, testament to the divine glory of Gjo'jaol:

 

It is written in prophecy, book of Limt XXIRC:

 

The Cauldron filled from the wars of the Tre’mm (literally, ‘To Collect’) and on the eve of retribution, a gracious ally bourne of Shahagh (cats of the glade), inviolate, wavering, yet resolute to survive, without Gjo’jaol, the Flail unmoving descends in judgment, Shahagh condemned for war.

 

The mold of the first Cauldron replicated and cast into new fires, draws the ire of the unbelievers and the Prophet is tested. Here now begins the time of Testing. Alien trumpets hail and the snake-tongue of Kol’bjra lashes forth to poison Gjo’jaol’s teachings.

 

And the battle would spoil for Shahagh , overtaken by lances of light; and their queen anguished from the attacks. The queen of Shahagh then turned to her commanders and said, “Take your claws and run me through for I will not have the eyes of the Prophet see me shamed.” The commanders would not obey so she took her own life and when the commanders saw her dead, they died with her, without battle. And so the queen died that day, with her commanders and her cubs.

 

When the brothers of the Cauldron arrived they were astonished to see the abandoned glades and the dead queen. “What madness drives a mother to choose such disgrace?”

 

The young Prophet, blind in sight but gifted with the vision of Gjo’jaol spoke.

 

The Queen of Shahagh with her open paw,

offered alms to Gjo’jaol and with other claw,

shrouded in a sleeve behind her back

sentiment to the Tre’mm, hated enemy of our brethren

 

The Council within our palace decreed,

Fresh from watching brothers bleed,

‘Proceed with peace offerings to Shahagh,

lest violate retribution earned against the Tre’mm’

Scouts renounced, and war recalled,

The Shahgah honored and never scarred

 

Vodomol reached with fortunes spent,

Retribution of Tre’mm, Gjo’jaol sent

But lo a message from the Shahagh,

Sent to others, and without word to us,

The Tre’mm dishonoured, cowards reknown,

Their contribution to the Cauldron just,

Surrender at the first taste of defeat?

In their final hour, the Tre’mm abscond

And beg the Shahagh take the reigns

On the eve of Tre’mm destruction,

The plot revealed!

 

Shahagh confronted, she carried little shame

Begging to renounce our vengeance, right and claim

To vindicate our fallen and end the Tre’mm

As warning to cowards who abandon their young

 

The Council within our palace convened,

Every hand raised to agree,

‘Proceed with war against Shahagh,

inviolate of retribution against the Tre’mm

Altho she allied to our cause, she empties her den

And sends forth ships to Vodomol -- with cubs and claws!’

 

War declared and scouts sent out,

The Shahagh fleets set within our sights

Within our reach, hunted day and night

The burning hulls of Shahagh ensue,

As a precusor to the Queen’s next ruse

 

She first offers technology of the fallen Tre’mm

Unacceptable, now and then

All then was turned to grief and despair,

Casting us vile, without care

Offers to a void, a system here, a planet there,

Worthless to our cause to fill the Cauldron

Bloodshed upon Vodomol our sacred right!

 

Shahagh paints herself innocent of scheme,

But maps to our systems thereafter revealed

Recipients unknowing that the map we have already seen,

Many cycles ago during a mutual peace,

Evidence that Gja’jaol has, and was appeased

 

The chorus of the ignorant paints us the Kob’rajj

Unaware of our peace, unaware of these things

 

Shahagh’s guilt rises with black wings,

Hovering to block the light from the truth

Here lies the queen, dead of not honor

Here lies her cubs, smothered by her guilt

Here lies her commanders, helpless in strength

 

The words I repeat, as I’ve said to the Tre’mm:

 

“Collect your dead” -- need I say it again?

[Jodookus]

Nice speechifiying Gjorhaan. Now youre gonna have to back up the talk.

 

Methinks 'Shathar and the Kitties' are gonna smack ya around and use you as a scratching post

 

Prediction: Cats 1, Bloodboy 0

[Gjorhaan]

OOC:

 

I am pleased Rick is staying and as I've told him several times privately, my choice to play aggressively is nothing personal. I was surprised he published an incomplete account of our private conversations, out of context.

 

He and I agreed to a non-aggression pact with the understanding that he not interfere with my war with the Collectors. Two months passed and he assumed I dropped because a pair of his emails to me went unanswered (family matters on my end.) He then accepted control of the Collector position a couple turns ago, implicating friendship with the owner of the Collectors. I still feel I am justified in renouncing peace with him under the circumstances. I am not entirely convinced he wasn't working with the Collectors from the outset.

 

I received the map he published in his other post a few months ago when he agreed to a non-aggression pact. I am certain that the Collector and Bon Bon player assembled the map and trusted Rick with it.

 

Visitors are always welcome. I'm looking forward to the fight.

 

-- Erik

[Lord Uriel]

Now that is RP!!!

 

Bloody Guy, I love the story line. Hate to see either you or the big cats knocked out, but if I'm lucky some day I'll get to test my finest against yours!!!

 

[Gjorhaan]

OOC:

 

Thank you for the compliment. It is not a storyline, however. Let me spell this out for everyone: in all probability, Rick has been in league with the Collectors or Bon Bons from the outset while pretending to be an outsider to my ongoing fight with the Collectors. I realized this when I received the map. Rick agreed to run a position I've been at war with for almost two years without consulting me (even through emails sent while I was in absentia.) Rick further misrepresented fleet positions, intentions and the defenses of the Collector homeworld once he assumed control of them. Rick only decided to drop after I continued to swat his pathetic excuse of a fleet defense into oblivion. I ran right through some of his interior fuel tankers, too. A colony ship was crushed. Or was that from my original visit to Nikandr? I can't remember. Rick then unceremoniously ran to these boards whining about how 'unfeeling' I've been, failing to disclose our previous agreement and his underhanded acceptance of the Collector position. Believe me, I'm very happy Rick has decided to stay. In light of his conduct in trying to cast me unfeeling as a person, rather than a position, I'll be sure to keep you posted as to the demise of the Gosht Kohr. It's taken me a couple days to process, too. I didn't decide to call out Rick's unmagnimonious whining and poor sportsmanship, until now. My original plans were to assume the Collector's homeworld in Vodomol and stay my attack against Rick and perhaps work out a negotiation with him down the line. Change of plans: call in your favors, Rick. And don't expect a ground war.

[General Miles Avatar]

OOC:

 

Thank you for the compliment.  It is not a storyline, however.  Let me spell this out for everyone:  in all probability, Rick has been in league with the Collectors or Bon Bons from the outset while pretending to be an outsider to my ongoing fight with the Collectors.  I realized this when I received the map.  Rick agreed to run a position I've been at war with for almost two years without consulting me (even through emails sent while I was in absentia.)  Rick further misrepresented fleet positions, intentions and the defenses of the Collector homeworld once he assumed control of them.  Rick only decided to drop after I continued to swat his pathetic excuse of a fleet defense into oblivion.  I ran right through some of his interior fuel tankers, too.  A colony ship was crushed.  Or was that from my original visit to Nikandr?  I can't remember.    Rick then unceremoniously ran to these boards whining about how 'unfeeling' I've been, failing to disclose our previous agreement and his underhanded acceptance of the Collector position.  Believe me, I'm very happy Rick has decided to stay.  In light of his conduct in trying to cast me unfeeling as a person, rather than a position, I'll be sure to keep you posted as to the demise of the Gosht Kohr.  It's taken me a couple days to process, too.  I didn't decide to call out Rick's unmagnimonious whining and poor sportsmanship, until now.  My original plans were to assume the Collector's homeworld in Vodomol and stay my attack against Rick and perhaps work out a negotiation with him down the line.  Change of plans:  call in your favors, Rick.  And don't expect a ground war. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I was wondering when that part of the game was going to take hold.

Up to now aquiring more and more resources was the rule but I guess there are those who just want to 'cleanse' the Galaxy in the fires of Nuclear Annhilation.

We would be curious to see how that pans out.

[Lord Uriel]

However this turns out, would the players involved please keep up the RP, and maybe post some of your battles?

 

I'll sit back with some popcorn and beverages (courtesy of Starbars) and watch as things develop.

[Gary Carpenter]

Two Sides to every story

[Sha'thar of the Gosht Kohr]

The leader of the Ghor'jaan does admit to not answering messages from me, for whatever reason. How many of us would, I wonder, consider months of non-communication as inactivity? Especially when you've sent a number of messages regarding ship movements and requests for trade?

 

My wanting to take over the Collectors position was based on a desire to interact with the EEOC and other more active empires. I posted that fact here on the forums.

 

Also, in all the time that we've been aware of the conflict between the Collectors, not a single Gosht Kohr position fired upon a Ghor'jaan position. Further more, until this moment, the Gosht Kohr had a non-aggression pact filed, listing the Ghor'jaan as non-targets.

 

If I had planned to decieve the Ghor'jaan, then why did I offer to drop the Collectors position as soon as I discovered that the Fury was still active?

 

There's a line, I think. I've been trying, player-wise, to be up front and honest with everyone I've been communicating with. It's very stressful, to say the least, to be called duplicitous. Would probably be better of the Ghor'jaan kept their opinions about this to themselves, lest it cause some non-RP ill will.

[Gjorhaan]

OOC:

 

Would probably be better of the Ghor'jaan kept their opinions about this to themselves, lest it cause some non-RP ill will.

 

The spirit of this advice is sound. However, I think it was you who chose to bring things public, with a one-sided account as you confess, and without context.

 

You have put much effort into casting me as the 'unfeeling' one. I ask that you exert the same efforts to show that you are not duplicitous. You may in fact, not be duplicitous, but I think the following line of questions might explain why your actions indicate otherwise, whether you intended to be duplicitous or not. The very gentleness of your nature belies any such accusation of underhandedness, but I've been playing PBM games for too many years to rely on the facade of personality.

 

How do you explain your possession of a map constructed by a meticulous player who clearly invested more than one turn sheet per cycle on exploration? How do explain the fact that the Collectors are at the center of the map and that your systems are missing, conveniently, at the far upper right hand corner?

 

How can you explain the ease at which you gained control of the Collector position from its owner? How long have you been friends? The Collectors dropped before we lost communication. If there was a time you believed both of our positions were dormant, why weren't there messages from you seeking to pick up my position instead? Do you deny having a friendship with either the Collector or Bon Bon positions?

 

How do you explain your misrepresentation of the Collector defenses after you assumed control? How do you explain Gosht Kohr fleet movements into Vodomol? I know that answer: you were completely unaware of the foothold I have in Vodomol and thought to hide behind your 'aw shucks, I'm just a roleplaying nice guy posing as a cat queen' routine, buying time to catch up in both technology and tonnage.

 

And you expect me to forego my assault on the Collectors for the sole purpose of allowing you to use technology that is inferior to my empire? It's all about Rick. You never once considered how assuming control of the Collectors would be a complete slap in the face to the player who has spent considerable effort in his campaign of retribution (let's not forget that my empire held off not one, but two very large Collector assaults on my homeworld, not to mention having to clear out the massive Bon Bon fleet that failed to move from Chadwik's warp point at a crucial turn of events)

 

How would we expect Valkor to react if, on the eve of his taking The Eyre homeworld, a third party assumed the position without consulting him who was later discovered to be a friend of The Eyre? Would we expect Valkor to let the Eyre survive for the convenience of the third party?

 

I'll leave these questions for the public to ponder and I apologize that Rick chose to make this public. I would have much rather stayed in character and announced the honorable demise of the Gosht Kohr with my usual voice. In fact, I expect to return to my roleplaying, relieved to disclose my side of things.

 

I am ready to set aside my personal annoyances, but could no longer tolerate the gross mischaracterization of a situation in which so few have knowledge. I'm content in playing the 'bad guy' but have never intended to quash a fellow gamer's dignity; and could do not sit idle while mine was challenged. I have no interest in building a dock within the sea of public opinion, and therefore no incentive to take further bait on the issue.

 

Find peace in your day. "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness."

[WKE235]

The leader of the Ghor'jaan does admit to not answering messages from me, for whatever reason.  How many of us would, I wonder, consider months of non-communication as inactivity?  Especially when you've sent a number of messages regarding ship movements and requests for trade?

 

My wanting to take over the Collectors position was based on a desire to interact with the EEOC and other more active empires.  I posted that fact here on the forums.

 

Also, in all the time that we've been aware of the conflict between the Collectors, not a single Gosht Kohr position fired upon a Ghor'jaan position.  Further more, until this moment, the Gosht Kohr had a non-aggression pact filed, listing the Ghor'jaan as non-targets.

 

If I had planned to decieve the Ghor'jaan, then why did I offer to drop the Collectors position as soon as I discovered that the Fury was still active?

 

There's a line, I think.  I've been trying, player-wise, to be up front and honest with everyone I've been communicating with.  It's very stressful, to say the least, to be called duplicitous.  Would probably be better of the Ghor'jaan kept their opinions about this to themselves, lest it cause some non-RP ill will.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think we can all understand having gaps in communication. Job, Family, and other things can get in the way, and suddenly they letter you thought your would answer a little later is forgotten. That's life.

 

I think we all can also understand your reasoning. No answer .. for enough time .. multiple queries .. looks like he dropped. Even then you did not attack his forces, but only sought through the previous Collector owner to take over that dropped empire.

 

And I think we can understand your offers once contact was reestablished. Offering to drop the collectors, to honor all agreements now that he was confirmed active, etcetera... All I see is an open and honest player, trying to play with others in the same fashion.

 

What I do not understand is Ghor not reciprocating in kind. Instead they hide under the cover of Role Playing to say war must occur, sorry, can't do anything about it. What a crock. Like there is someone in the room holding a gun to their head saying "Now, enter the order to declare war. Do it. Do it. DO IT!". Their own inations on mails lead to a misunderstanding, which you offered to resolve .. and they purposely have choosen not to resolve the misunderstanding. A very unsportsmanlike attitude.

 

Have you considered that perhaps Ghor purposely did not respond to mails? Perhaps they were already preparing to attack, and selected not to respond as they had nothing to say? Really at this point anything Ghor says can't be trusted. So you have to question all the previous mails and communications. The whole "family" thing is probably just another lie.

[Jodookus]

What a tangled weave. Is anyone on either side of this soap opera a Marketing major? Marketing---> truly the root of all evil .

In the months of no response to messages sent were ships of Gjorhaan moving? That is a good indicator that the position is active even if no communication happened.

If there was no communication between Gohst and Gjor then how could Rick give false fleet positions and false defense information to Gjor?

Shathar says the Ghost Khor never fired on a Gjorhaan position which should be easy to prove. But Shathar/Rick did not deny working with the Collectors or BonBons as Gjorhaan suspects. Shathar/Rick? Did you work with or have any behind the scenes cooperation or information exchange or agreement with the Collectors or Bon Bons?

Where is Eterneus and the reporting staff of the reader when you need them? The award winning team of reporters needs to probe both sides in this.

[Kurassier]

Marketing---> truly the root of all evil

Now wait a minute, them's fightin' words!!

Now, about these Bon Bons, do you think we can serve them at a StarBars????.....

[TErnest]

First, in the interest of full disclosure, I count myself among Rick's (Gosht Kohr player) friends. We discuss SNROTE at least weekly. And I can vouch for the fact that Rick has reported the whole Gosht Kohr / Gjor'haan diplomatic situation faithfully, from his point of view. (Unless, of course, he is duplicitous enough to have fooled me, an uninvolved party, over coffee for all these months!)

 

Second, I am willing to assume that the Gjor'haan are being upfront, at least from their point of view.

 

Which leads to the conclusion that this is a great example of what happens when communications fail. So... what can we learn from this?

 

1) If you are short of time, and really want to continue to have friendly relations with some one who just sent you an e-mail, then you should reply immediatly as follows: "Hi! Short of time! Still here! More to follow soon!" <send> I timed myself. I am a VERY poor typist, and this cost me all of 30 seconds.

 

2) If you think some one might be duplicitous, and you really care whether or not they are friend or foe, confront them before it turns into a war. ("Mind if I ask how you got that map you sent me?") Since most hostilites come from a failure to understand the other party involved, this will almost always prevent a shooting war. If their story cannot be explained to your satisfaction, then at least you will know.

 

3) If you think some one has very probably dropped, it is most likely wise to do everything possible to confirm that fact before taking any action that may be perceived as hostile.

 

4) If you are a small, peacful animal just trying to survive (say, a slender blond woman) and two great beasts are fighting in your immediate area (say, a T-rex and a giant gorilla) then for Pete's sake, don't step in any huge pools of urine in the area! If the victor happens to smell his opponent on you, there will be no reasoning with the mindless beast! And, you will have just become his newest chew toy.

 

 

TErnest

[RTGPete]

then for Pete's sake, don't step in any huge pools of urin in the area!

 

Hey, don't bring me into this - I had nothing to do with the Urine Stepping Incident