Classic Masquerade: Rating Chain

[Quirk]

Exactly what it says. I'll post a starter. The person that posts next will rate my post (on a scale of 1-10, 10 being highest), maybe leave a tip on how to improve, and then a reply. The next person will do the same for the person before them. This role play has a pretty vague, almost nonexistent plot, although you're welcome to create one or improvise. It's more of a way to improve and see what others think of your role playing skills until...the thread dies and disappears into nothingness.

After all, even literates have room to improve. ;D

I don't really care what you post as long as it stays in the basic rules.

Let's take a typical castle scene...

Corruption was at the peak of its reign, seeping from every corner to press and hiss at the walls of the rich and consume the ruins of the poor. A fallacy was common thought, desperation and depression hung over all like a great web of misery. After the war, all that had been left in tact was an enormous castle, able to stand in its cold, impassive glory because of a final surrender.

Kings and queens now crumpled to the stature of figureheads; their attempts at assassination of the sovereign nation achieving nothing but a returned threat. The court was bored; the knights and soldiers were inattentive and rambunctious, crowded within the halls of a single country with others they had once opposed.

In an attempt to regain some order and jovality, the nobles pieced together a gathering, a party--a masquerade of sorts. All Hallow's Eve was here, and the ghosts of poor fortune haunted every doorstep. Perhaps a feast would lure out the new and the good.

But that had yet to happen. Spirits of magic wandered on the dreary night of demons, and beasts lurked in the shadows of apparent mystery. Thieves and murderers slunk in the night. How simple it would be to don a mask and enter into the halls of nobility...

A common thief was hardly a threat, a single vampire, perhaps slightly more so. Kestral was both--although perhaps not so common. Her eyes glinted silvery gray from behind a black feathered bejeweled mask that concealed half of her face from view, accentuating the abrupt paleness of her skin and the redness of her lips. The mask's ties disappeared behind her head in tresses of ebony that hung over a dress of white gold and dark silk, swaying with every smooth stride.

She smiled at the sight of such lavishness and vivacity under the high arches and arts of the castle as she swept into the dance and music of the living, sliding through the scattered yet synchronized steps of the many on the dance floor. It was nighttime, and the stars shone bright in the sky.

It was her turn to live.

((*sighs* I missed out on the Halloween event, so I figure that I'll just make something of my own...although it is rather belated. ))

*try not to clutter the board with unnecessary posts, please!

**No double posting, and if you really can't think of anything to say post "pass."

[Mullet Fish]

(I sort of missed the Halloween event too. I kept telling myself to post there, but I always got sidetracked. I'll post, although I've been watching Star Wars: Episode 3 and its special features for the past several hours, so my brain is kinda fried. But still, I'll post.

Ooh, I just got an idea.

And your post, I give a 7 out of 10. There were a few spelling and grammar errors, but it was good. If I seem too strict it's because this is the first time I've rated people's posts.)

Gerrad had a plan. He stared intently at his feet as he stalked up the stone steps to the great hall, lest one of the corrupt knights recognized him. It was unlikely, as his face was hidden beneath the shadow of his deep hood, and also under the simple wooden mask that was his ticket into the castle, but Gerrad was the cautious type. This was his one chance to strike at the corrupt knights that had taken to terrorizing the poor.
As he approached the tall, arched doorways, he fell in step with a stranger. A girl with black hair and a silvery white dress, accented by black silk. (I hope I got that right!) The guards were quite drunk, and failed to notice him.
Probably been out pillaging villages all day, Gerrad thought gloomily.
He looked over to the stranger who had unknowingly helped him get in, and noticed the pale face and unnaturally red lips. He faced forward again, but leaned towards her so she could hear him.
"A vampire eh?" he asked cheerily. "I wish I'd though of that. I'm horrible with costumes though."

(I couldn't think of any other way to get them to interact. I hope it's okay with you. If not, just say so and I'll modify it.)

[Quirk]

((OF COURSE IT'S NOT OKAY WITH ME! ARE YOU--

Heh...no, it's good. I tend to make my posts a tad hard to approach; I've gotta work on that. ;D Her dress...
Clarify: white gold = strained gold that basically looks silver, just made of a different metal.

I give your post an 8. Good, clear and not too draggy, but it's a little lacking in detail. Minor grammer stuff, nothing really tweaky))

There was someone walking beside her.

She glanced to her right, raising an inquisitive brow as she so. His bowed head was not a posture of one seeking merriment at a festive occasion, but rather of one depressed. She took his silence as dull confirmation of his apparently dull personality until he spoke.

"A vampire eh?" He seemed to change, slightly less dreary than before. Kestral smiled widely, eyes curving. She did love costume parties. It was always such a surprise.

"I wish I'd though of that. I'm horrible with costumes though."

"Oh, but you're so modest," her voice was a steady murmur in the flow of music, tinged with teasing sarcasm. Feet stepped lightly over the leg of a fallen drunkard, uncaring of the sharp heel that clipped him in the motion. She turned her back on the floor of dancers to face him from a slight angle.

"Both a mask..." The girl slipped her arm up to tap curiously at the mentioned piece of wood with a slender finger's nail, then flick up at the cloth overhead with a quick sweep. "And a hood? You've outdone yourself."

((P.S. STAR WARS! You got some good taste! )

[Mullet Fish]

(Ahaha, indeed. I'm quite a Star Wars nerd. I have both Star Wars Battlefront games, I skipped school to go to Episode 3 on opening day 9 hours early, I have the DVD for episode 3, as well as the two disc soundtrack. Also, I've read through the Star Wars.com databank more times than I care to admit, and have read a plethora of Star Wars novels, not to mention all of those "Illustrated Guide to" Vehicles, Jedi, Episode 1 and whatnot. I've been a Star Wars fan ever since I watched The Return of the Jedi in my old old old daycare, when I must have been like, 6. I remember seeing Episode 1 in theatres a couple of years after seeing the original 3. Anyway, the roleplay.

Uh, 8. Yeah. 8.5. It was good.)

(What's my character's name again? Ah yes.)

(Poo. My friend has just challenged me to a round of The Specialists. I can never say no. I'll finish this tomorrow, at about 3, my time.

I know! I'll print this page off, and I'll work on it when I have some free time later on tonight, then I'll post it tomorrow morning.)

[Quirk]

What's my character's name again? Ah yes.

LMAOoo That just proves that TV and games do rot your brain. You go have fun doing that then! I'll be sleeping. XD Something I should do more of, really...*snuggles into blankies*

[Mullet Fish]

(Mmmm. Rot. Since I'm posting I'll go get my piece of work. Here it is. Ahe-he-hem!)

Gerrad bowed sourly. "My lady is too gracious."
His hood had slipped back a bit and he pulled it forward. He cast his eyes about before they came to rest on hers. He felt strange. Felt himself engulfed by them. He felt all the bad things rise up in him, and threaten to render him totally insane. With grim determination he shoved them into the dark, ugly recesses of his mind and covered them as well as he could. He suddenly tore his gaze away and threw it on the floor, staring at the corner of a flagstone.
"So," he asked, regaining composure somewhat. Behind his mask his face was pale. "What brings the kind mistress to such an event?"

[Quirk]

((Yay! Another person! Nahhh, be brutal with rating. It's good for ego-deflating, and lordy knows I need it, even if no one else does.
7.5/10: A few spelling thingamabobs, and no interaction with the other character.))

She could not yet distinguish whether he was of peasantry or of nobility. The words he spoke weighed in favor of lower classes, but little drawl or accent was heard.

...He had a gaze that was most unnerving, dimmed and darkened by something that did not quite fall from his hood as a shadow. "What brings the kind mistress to such an event?"

"Kestrel." The reprimand was absently present as a hand reached selectively for a platter of arranged fruit. "Kess."

She was hardly a mistress, after all.

Leaning foward a fraction, she murmured a soft answer in a question, hardly audible amongst the festivity. "Tell me, sir, what is your opinion of the--" she paused to fit a proper word in, "...denizens of this castle?"

((Ackkk-- It's so much shorter than I'd like...))

[Mullet Fish]

(Umm. 8.5 out of 10, I think. It got a bit unclear at times. I mean, it might just be that I didn't catch something key in -- Ohh! Was your character telling mine to call her Kestral? That seems right. If so it's a tad unclear. Yeah, that's about it.

I keep forgetting my character's name. My old psychologist said that stress can cause memory loss. That would certainly explain a lot of things.

And it's psychologist, not psychiatrist. I had him for about a month about three years ago, because the school couldn't figure out why I did like, no work. Well, it wasn't so much that that puzzled them, but the fact that when I did put even the tiniest bit of effort into anything I got excellent marks. Heh.)

"They're a colorful bunch, to be sure," Gerrad replied diplomatically, ignoring the platters that were carried to and fro by the castle's kitchen staff. It took all of his willpower, and he could feel his stomach rumble as some particularly enticing morcels of food passed by, practically under his nose. He hadn't had a decent meal in a long while. Still, there would be time for eating at the banquet itself. Besides, he thought, How would I look stuffing my face with three of everything that passed by? Like a peasant, that's how I'd look.
He shifted uncomfortably and felt the tip of the dirk concealed in his robe jab his leg; a painful reminder of his purpose at the banquet.
"So," he asked casually, "Which parts are you from?"

[kilisa09]

((OOOOOO...I like this...I wanted to do the Halloween event, and I posted, but no one else did, so...But, I am liking to join this, so, I shall be joining as my twin cat-sprite theives...Muahahahahaaaaa....
Mullet, you're post was a 7, I liked it. I warn you now, I suck at things like this, but...Onward, HO!))

Two hooded figures bounded lightly up the steps towards the party. Their cloaks were light platinum, almost white, lined with beautiful patterns in silver on the edge. They wore brown leather boots, though when they wore them, the figures seemed a bit clumsy. As they sprung up the stairs, occasionally a sword could be seen on each of them, by a careful observer. A flagon of wine persuaded the guards not to question them about the swords to closely, and the two entered the castle.

((It shtinks. Hey, I saw the fourth HP movie today...Very disappointing.)

[Quirk]

((*twiddles thumbs from her corner* mm...I'm just going to wait until Ravenmaster posts to make my own reply, or if it takes too long I'll just post anyways.

*travels up the board to stick up a rule in the first post*

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! I know my stomach has expanded about three feet. ;D))

[Ravenmaster]

(eh, sorry. I totally just deleted my post because I read it over and was like, nah, I'll wait and see what happens they pop in later with a character.
Because that is OH SO much more fun. I love playing with your people's minds.
I'm going to a second thanksgiving in....*looks at clock* ...11-12 hours. ^^ I'm up late tonight.)

[Mullet Fish]

(Why don't you just say no double posting? That way anyone except the last person who posted can make a reply.

This is my thrid attempt at replying. I tried a couple of times before, but found myself closing the window, as I couldn't think of anything. 6.5 whoever posted last. I remember typing 6.5 the last two times, so yeah.
And I don't know about you guys, but I did all the Thanksgiving stuff on Canadian thanksgiving. I'm getting ready for my birthday, which is tomorrow. Yay!
Hold on, got to edit this damn essay...
There! It's finally finished. I've been working on this since I got up, at about 10. It is now 9. Stupid Lord of the Flies.
Oh right! That's why I hadn't replied. Quirk hadn't posted anything new, and I didn't know where to take it. I knew I wasn't that lazy!)

[Quirk]

((Ermm....GAH. I'm gonna tweak the rules/notes/***s again, with Mullet's advie and something of my own.

I get confused by floating bits and pieces easily, that's why I just like keeping things clean. My apologies for being finicky.

And from what I'm seeing of everything: Ravenmaster posted something, then changed her mind and got rid of it, but not before somebody saw the post...? Right. *pokes at Ravenmaster* Preview your posts, woman {awesome icon thingy, by the way. Shigure is too adorable for words}

*Anyone, feel free to jump in as a noble or such. A bunch of evil nasties running amuck gets dull after a while..*))


There were criminals of numbers beyond imagination present at the masquerade; the nobility had counted upon the greedy aggressiveness of the country’s bandits. Issues of twisted honor and morals would at some climax come into question. Whoever prized a soul from the corpse of a royal would have fame enough to slice through whatever shroud of anonymousness had been left thither to resound for years of victorious power to come. As that competition came to a close only one weakened outlaw would remain, one with yet to actually discern a target from the company around.

Even drunken guards would be enough to take down said person.

Expectant animosity thrived subtly at the moment, glazing the eyes of participants through the openings their coverings exposed. Kestrel was somewhat different in her aspirations, although whether Gerrard was she deemed uncertain.

“Close by, actually,” his question brought her back from a flood of thoughts. She disliked small talk due to her lack of skill in the area, but anticipation had provided her with something that resembled a happy energy. “But it's nowhere too special," She had traveled for days from several towns away to reach the center of the empire, but at the moment her belongings were under the broken floorboards of an inn.

The instruments were slowly fading as they approached a finale, signifying a drawling close to the first part of the gathering. Food and drink was soon to come, a break, and then some sweet delicacy brought up from whatever extremity had been seen fit. A steward dressed in a strange concoction of dark purple and gold-strewn lavendar silenced the musicians into a pause and began calling out a list of announcements in a brassily deep voice, ending with a pompous invitation to all to the banquet that was soon to follow the last dance.

((I’ve been busy, what can I say? D: Like I said before, you can create whatever NPCs you’d like to bring along the story; don’t bother waiting for people who take too long or me, either if I suddenly turn into a dead rock. It's a roleplay, not a standstill.))

[kilisa09]

((*pokes Quirk* Is anyone gonna post after you?))

[Quirk]

((*shrugs* that's up to them. From what I'm seeing so far...no. =.=))