Sanguis Astroism

[Eldargard]

I am totally fine with the CoB being around. Human sacrifices and drug usage make for a very interesting religion. Such religions exist in many works of fiction. It is my belief, however, that a religion that revolves around any controversial topic or any topic considered negatively by modern mainstream standards is unlikely to achieve the kind of wide spread acceptance SA has.

Also, while I do not suggest that BM be rated G I do think it best to remember that some kids DO play. I have even considered getting my own kids involved one day and I would hate for people to write in a manner only suitable for mature adult audiences (perhaps immature adult audiences would be worse?).

As far as separating the fiction from ones personal views, I doubt anyone can manage this 100%. Besides, some people have had to deal with serious physical/emotional/mental distress/damage and even reading about similar events can really impact them. So in all honesty, should someone object with a particular fictional element I have introduced (I have introduced a few controversial RPs) and am asked to tone it down, I give my fellow player the benefit of the doubt and respect their request and do not suggest that they grow up, accept that BM is not a kids game and that they have problems if they can not immerse themselves in the awesomeness of my RPs.

I am not saying you would do otherwise, but I am saying your comment could be seen as harsh. On with the fun!

[Indirik]

Its a roleplaying game, its a great avenue to explore controversial topics.

In a sense, this is true. So long as you can find other players willing to cooperate in that exploration. YOu just have to be aware that when other players object to particular controversial topics, that you don't tell them to pack sand, and continue to ram it in their faces.

Drugs have always played a huge part in civilization. From the opium wars in China, to Afghanistan and beyond. I think it adds an excellent real world issue to Dwilight that can be explored in the Dwilight context, an element that allows the world to have more depth than being a mere playground for nobles and religious crusades ...

All this is true.

I have toyed with the idea of using drug-induced visions as a source of religious inspiration. Every time I think about it, though, I cringe at the thought of it being done in the manner I've typically seen: Hippies, watery eyes, marijuana euphemisms, and munchies. I have to admit that, from what I have see, the CoB on Dwilight has generally managed to avoid that kind of thing. Perhaps it is because it, so far, has had limited reach? Or perhaps the people involved have managed to set a particular tone and expectation that makes that kid of thing rare or non-existent.

...  but a real social issue that can be used either to redeem a character or condemm them. So many of the roleplays and ideas never take into account the society in Dwilight and its environment. How we encroach on nature, how we hunt the monsters to exitinction , how we enslave populations and convert them by the sword.

The reason that this kind of stuff rarely gets explored, is because there are no consequences to any of these actions. We can't encroach on nature. We can't hunt monsters to extinction. We can't destroy the world. Our actions have literally no consequences to the game world as a whole. With no consequences to your actions, you can't have real controversy. You can't have social pressure and condemnation when the behavior being exhibited has no negative effects on the society.

[Glaumring the Fox]

Reply to all of above,

In regards to the hippy munchy thing, we have no intention of doing that or ever allowing it. In regards to the drugs etc. I used to live in Asia where they chew Betel Nut. When people started saying that the tomb islands was tropical I thought about the flora and fauna of the area and used it in my roleplay. Originally bloodmoon was merely a stimulant. Then I started thinking about DUNE and the mentats and their purple lips and using the 'spice' to transcend reality and strategy to quicken the mind etc. thats where it comes from and bloodmoon essentially based off of the 'spice' of Frank Herberts books. It was also a way to address the fact that if SA gets to worship little red stars in the sky what level of low fantasy are we playing in? Are we allowed certain realistic elements of 'fantasy'? Is it a stretch to think that the islanders of middle Dwilight would use the local flora for cooking? Would they only eat European cuisine? Would their skin be darker?

Originally the idea of Bloodmoon was to be a guild if drug addled strategists that work for the different kingdoms. It wasnt until I figured religion could do the same thing that we founded the cult.

As for becoming 'popular' or the 'norm' we arent really concerned with that. What we want is to influence the culture of Dwilight long term and add 'spice' to the environmrmt to encourage imaginstive roleplay that transcends run of the mill euro-centric knights in shining armour roleplay.


And in rebuttal.. You have issues with drugs in a roleplaying game yet have no issues with graphic accounts of violence in battles?

[Qyasogk]

That's quite the bull!@#$. SA is boring and has been for a while.

Thank you for illustrating my point about who is participating in this conversation on SA. Your contribution to this conversation continues to be top notch.  ::)

[Eldargard]

And in rebuttal.. You have issues with drugs in a roleplaying game yet have no issues with graphic accounts of violence in battles?

I never said I had issues with drugs in RP. I said that I do not think that having a religion centered around drug usage would have a hard time growing o the degree SA has and that I have not yet been interested in RPing a character who is a par of such a religion and doubt I will ever be so interested. I also said that a religion involving  human sacrifices and drug usage can be a really cool story element.

[Glaumring the Fox]

I agree, anyways I dont want to hijack this thread anymore than I have and just wanted to rebuke Cheniers passive aggressiveness towards anything I say about our ig religion.

[Chenier]

Always with the persecution complex.

I don't recall the last time I ever reported anyone of the forums, by the way. I'm not even sure I ever have. I think I've only done so once, back in a time I can't remember over something I don't recall.

I don't have any OOC beef with the Bloodmoon Cult. Though it's been a while back, I do believe drugs were used in the Blood Cult for certain special rites. Something special for the initiates about to ritually kill someone in some form or another, or to induce communion with a deity. Pretty much all of our RPs were logged onto the Blood Cult's wiki, if anyone is curious.

[Glaumring the Fox]

Yeah we started sacrificing Astrum prisoners during the last war. Suffocated them in the heaps of Vakreno. We were using the 'heaps' to send a ghost army of slaves into the afterlife to fight on our side there...  ;D

[Dishman]

I have toyed with the idea of using drug-induced visions as a source of religious inspiration. Every time I think about it, though, I cringe at the thought of it being done in the manner I've typically seen: Hippies, watery eyes, marijuana euphemisms, and munchies. I have to admit that, from what I have see, the CoB on Dwilight has generally managed to avoid that kind of thing. Perhaps it is because it, so far, has had limited reach? Or perhaps the people involved have managed to set a particular tone and expectation that makes that kid of thing rare or non-existent.

I haven't really seen any pot-head religious types. I suppose people aren't real familiar with mescaline or DMT, so I can imagine people hedging the 'chemical enlightenment' RP, though. Not that I want a religion that reads like an errowid forum, but religion and drugs have always been good bed-fellows.

I took a different approach with Enoch. RP'd some crazy alchemy potion that let you breach the divine plane and parley with gods. Makes for a good deus ex machina (lol). The trip isn't what is important, its what the trip means.

[Indirik]

I haven't really seen any pot-head religious types.

Lucky you. "Medicinal herbs" used to be a big thing in Sirion on EC. You still hear mentions of it every now and then. There wee a few references to it in Morek in the early days, though it never really caught on. (Thankfully...)

[Sacha]

There was a weed religion in FEI too if I recall right, down in the south back when Soliferum was still alive and kicking.

[Indirik]

Wasnt that the Ikrif thing?

[Sacha]

I think so, yeah.

[Eduardo Almighty]

Erik like to smoke a pipe. It's particular from a nice character in Sirion, Uncle Adrian, when the game was more... exotic. It's a way to remember, since I doubt it will shock more than other behaviors.

I'm having a good response with my last RPs in Luria and inside the Cult with Henrich. There will always be people who like and who does not. All opinions and criticisms are welcome, mostly because I need to improve my English.

I can not see how compare the CoB with the SA. They are completely different in structure, culture and objectives and I would like to see more religions in Dwilight -- with different cultures, structures and goals.

[dustole]

Sanguis Astroism shall rule Dwilight.