Diplomacy anyone?

This morning, I realized I've done something very dumb. I'll have to admit that my brain wasn't working properly last night. Plagued by fatigue, I ended up calling the world of Dusk and Steel Worldsea. Sounds innocuous? Wait till you see the extent of my stupidity. Those familiar with Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea will surely scream hell and high murder (more specifically theft and plagiarism). Recently, my country has stepped up its efforts in diplomacy (something which keeps my nation ticking in a global sense). President Tony Tan had just visited Pope Francis I, perhaps we will see the Pope returning the favor by visiting my country. Who knows? As for Ursula K. Le Guin herself, maybe she will adopt another means of diplomacy. This time round with Prime Minister Lee no less. It is common knowledge that PM Lee is that VIP patron of Drew & Napier. Imagine what will happen if Ursula K. Le Guin decided to hire the same law firm. Quite obviously someone would have recommended Drew & Napier to her, what is even more obvious will be the fact that I'll be having free food and lodging at Changi.

Because I do not want to risk having a staple diet of black beans and rice...

I decided to modify certain things. Firstly, I declare Worldsea as illegal. Which means I will have to find a new name for my world. Mannan... yes, that sounds cool. Because I know plenty of my fellow Singaporeans are more familiar with the Greek and Egyptian pantheon, let me explain that Mannan is, in fact, Manannán mac Lir. Because there is more than one ethnicity in ancient Ireland, Manannán mac Lir basically goes by a few naming variations.

Manannán mac Lir: Old Irish

Manannán: Modern Irish and Scottish Gaelic

Mannan: Manx Gaelic

Manannán mac Lir sounds too long a name for a fantasy world, I had to choose between Manannán and Mannan. After a brief moment of "eeny, meeny, miny, moe" (not to be confused with Jeremy Clarkson's version), I decided to choose Mannan. Thankfully, choosing my girlfriend should never be that simple.

Islands, a big sea, and technology (or rather the lack thereof)

In a twisted sense, I believe my fellow Singaporeans will take a liking to the Earthsea universe. Firstly and foremost, there are only islands. No continents, not even a peninsula in sight. Secondly, the level of technology is virtually zero. Comparing an Iron Age fantasy backdrop with the contemporary fantasy world is no different from comparing the US with my country more than half a century ago.

So in a nutshell, Earthsea is all about iron and bronze, islands and plenty of water.

I was actually thinking of an interesting idea. What if I modify Earthsea into something a wee bit different? Will I still get sued by Ursula K. Le Guin? Will Drew & Napier let me off?

Most importantly, will I end up impressing a beautiful local girl who is also rich and intelligent at the same time?

Modifications in the name of creativity (???!!!?!!!)

By the end of this post, I won't blame any of you for saying "hey, the creativity here looks Korean!" Of course, the irony will be very evident by then. When I was a lad during my NSF days, I was a fanboy of BoA. At this current point of time, I realized I enjoy using Park Shin-hye as some sort of real-life blueprint.

On the land mass, I decided to create two continents and a massive archipelago. The first continent is Lyonore while the other is Teutos. The massive archipelago is situated at the south of Mannan (more on this Ryukyu later, ditto for the Germans and French).

Lyonore is at the west, Teutos is slightly further up (more specifically northeast to Lyonore). There's an interesting interlude in the process of placement. If you have a BFF in Hamburg, most likely she will tell you why Germany had to invade France during the Second World War. You see, France is situated in the southwest of Germany. It's simple geography, that's why Hitler started losing the plot completely upon Normandy being retaken by the alliance of Winston Churchill, the French, and (most likely as well) those daring Jews (not to mention the Yanks joining in the fun after the Japanese were dumb enough to bomb Pearl Harbor). And yes, that eastern Joe as well if we're talking about parking a dummy army for Hitler to fight (i.e. this eastern Joe, not the other Joe of the East).

Enough of digression and Hamburg plus hamburgers. Let's continue.

The size of Lyonore is roughly the whole of Europe. The same goes for Teutos as well. As for that massive archipelago, I'll most likely set the boundary as twice the reach of Indonesia.

You need to money to survive

That's the cold hard truth about reality. People will commit crimes in the name of money, people will even commit suicide because of money woes. Money may be the root of all evil, but that is because you can't survive without money. And if you cannot survive without money, it means you can never enjoy your own money.

The economy in Mannan is quite advanced. Due to a smaller overall land mass, marine trade routes have become the primary way for anyone (and any settlement) to get rich fast. While we as Singaporeans may be more familiar with the British Empire (since Sir Stamford Raffles was a Brit), it must be noted that empires built upon maritime supremacy had been a bedrock of history. In fact, even Zheng He had showed us that even the Chinese understood the art of seafaring. This was despite the Empire of China being a myth (note that a dynasty doesn't automatically equate to an empire. Look to Genghis Khan and the Middle East if you want to know what is an Asian empire. Japan failed terribly bad in an attempt to emulate the Persians, Mongolians, and Ottoman Turks).

During the Roman era, seafaring was already well established. As early as the Greeks before them, people already knew how to sail a galley. In fact, the earliest people to colonize areas via the ocean were the Celts. As a people, the Celts included Gaels (i.e. those living in the northern half of British Isles) and Brythonic Celts (those living in the southern half of British Isles). That was before the Anglo-Saxons decided to say hi.

Therefore, it's only fitting that I decided to create a robust global economy where any settlement can be my equivalent of Singapore (and yes, the British Isles is basically where Sir Stamford Raffles and his best mate William Farquhar came from. Pretty sure they had Anglo-Saxon genes instead of Celtic genealogy though).

This is the truth when it comes to money making between Lyonore, Teutos, and the Confederation of the Seafolk.

You need politics, no matter how much you hate them politicians

I've yet to draft out an effective political model when it comes to diplomacy. This is especially so between Lyonore and Teutos. While the concept of war can be quite fun to play with, one does not simply go to war if there's a risk of money going up in flames. A lot may have been said about China in a negative sense, but at least I have to admit that it does have a prevailing economic influence on a global scale (politically-wise though, I can't say whether it's already on the par with America). Unlike the recent South China Sea dispute (and the not-so-much-reported Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands and Dokdo/Takeshima saga), I don't think I can come up with something convincing unless it's something... well, drastic.

As for the Confederation of the Seafolk, my plan is nothing less than straightforward. Namely the richest faction out of the three. However, I must also stress home the fact that being economic excellence doesn't translate to military excellence by default. I know it sounds a bit Korean (after all, Silla was apparently weaker than Baekje and Goguryeo), but it must also be noted that any manner of foreign policy has to be decided by two main factors:

1. Who has a bigger bank account

2. Who has a bigger stick

Which is why I find this particular scene in Iron Man quite amusing (not the sex scene, but the political aspect).

There are two ways to justify the presence of arms and forces. Either it's mutual animosity or mutual survival/interest at stake (yes, I know both ends of Syria hate the IS. You don't have to tell me that). One thing I've learnt from reading fantasy novels is that portrayal of politics is much harder than doing a well-written war scene. Perhaps that's the reason why it is easier for someone to portray action scenes than courtroom intrigue. After all, politics is a higher form of warfare where soldiers and the sword are replaced by gentlemen and the pen (Hopefully, we don't have to see another nuclear be dropped. That will set back the evolution of conflict by more than half a century).

Okay, I'll be continuing this verily soon. For now, I need to sleep. Maybe I need to take a brief shower since the temperature here has hit 30 despite being 1am now. I'll have the entire tomorrow for myself though, so hopefully I won't go off on a massive tangent. 

Next: Culture, people, and different colours. Maybe even the correct daughter of Rahmat as well.

[Fionee: When was the last time you came to me for help? Ten years ago?

Flayne Iceburn: Five to be exact. Your memory needs some help. And please don't insist I've agreed to marry you. Black and white don't simply mix together, I don't want to have a bunch of grey kids.

Fionee: Nothing has changed, it seems. Apart from your new friends, that is.

Flayne Iceburn: I don't know about my privileged sidekicks. But yeah, everything about me still stays the same.

Fionee: Brown skin, white hair, and that rascally look.

Flayne Iceburn: Yeah, I know. Like excrement topped with milk. Brandy please, thank you.]

Dusk and Steel: Conceptual stuff 4 teh lolz

This post will entail some stuff which may (or may not) pop up in the actual Dusk and Steel saga. Let's see how far I can go here.

If only I have such a girlfriend...

Characters planned so far (plus some articles tantamount to inspiration)

The Fianna:

The (not so heroic) hero~Flayne Iceburn

The (old and not so idealistic) idealist~Suras Wiseclaw

The (emotional?) assassin~Jagan no Ji-hye

The (only?) white dude~Gaelos Stormcall

Very Important Person~self-explanatory (try guessing who lol)

From Lyonore:

The rich and beautiful (not to mention non-token as well) damsel~Stephia Honn

The honest (but not necessarily dumb) guy~Breysmond Tayne

The (beautiful) wife of that honest dude above~Ellen Lowe

 The (3rd) BFF~Weisslynn Leas

The (lady boss) innkeeper~Fionee

The (mute) noblewoman~Karen Tenias

The (smitten) protector~Jase Steele

The (old) monarch~Learson I (also known as the Grieving King)

Stephia's ex~Grayne Fireblade (officially dead right from the start of the story)

Those of the Deep:

The (overly attached) loli~Mychel

Her (jerkass) bro~Lyceas

From Teutos:

The (old) genius~Antoch Conteas

The (not so) genius~Jorey Bartos

The (ill-tempered?) daughter of the first genius~Huin Conteas

The (cunning) princess~Elayne

The monarch~Bastien VII (basically Elayne's brother as well)

A selected bunch of sellswords as well:

The (old) leader~Bill Tango (also known as Tango Bill)

The sidekick (?)~Ryarn Rockstep

The (assertive) second in command~Erik Darkedge

The (intelligent) question asker~Ian Wordsfort

The (currently single) girl~Calyne Willowshaft

From the Confederation of Wayfarers
The trolling one~Dios Symeon
The dour one~Torvey Morray
The oldest one~Fergus Alex
The special one~Joes Mouris
The intelligent one~Zid Gardios
The (not-so) ordinary one~Jorgen Klov

A/N: And the list goes on...

Inspirational articles:

http://limpehft.blogspot.sg/2012/09/what-singaporean-women-think-of.html

http://limpehft.blogspot.sg/2012/09/the-truth-about-men-in-singapore-part-2.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_fashion

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3581602/Joey-Barton-mocks-Middlesbrough-s-trophy-celebrations-claiming-Burnley-s-Player-Year-award.html

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2013/5/2/4293324/the-mad-genius-of-antonio-conte-as-narrated-by-andrea-pirlo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4FKCNxUzNU

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subhas_Anandan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guo_Jia

List of magic usable

Thaumaturgy:

Otherwise known as the Denial of Oblivion, this form of magic is the most well known throughout Worldsea (i.e. the fantasy world where Dusk and Steel is based). Many tales have been sung where powerful mages of yore managed to change the world for the better or worse (in the words of any minstrel, "feats which only the gods can do"). As its nickname suggests, thaumaturgy is all about creating something out of nothing. While there are plenty of street magicians plying their trade, they are only capable of pulling the rabbit out of the hole (i.e. a metaphor referring to the kind of stuff we're used to seeing in magic shows rather than the Harry Potter movies). Indeed, whispers are always afoot where individuals exist in the same manner as heroes and monsters of the past.

Metallurgy:

While lesser known than thaumaturgy, metallurgy is nevertheless a potent form of power nowhere inferior. If thaumaturgy is all about creation, then metallurgy is all about reinforcing what is already there. As its namesake suggests, metal is without a doubt the best substance upon which metallurgy can be used. Also known as the Acceptance of Creation.

Elegy:

Virtually nothing is known about this final form of magic. At best, scholars could only speculate via archaeological findings gleaned from ancient ruins. Archaeology, however, is a risky business at best and a suicide mission at worst. This is because the land mass of Worldsea is far outweighed by the surrounding waters. Nevertheless, the human thirst for knowledge has always driven individuals to make decisions befitting of a madman. Perhaps this is why slavery is so rampant, for only the Nygros possess the stamina and endurance to perform such a dangerous task.

A/N: Need to sign off. It's now nearing 1am here in Singapore, I still need to work myself to death tomorrow. Before I end this, please allow me the pleasure to You-spam the video below.

Lyrics

And yes, you can be sure I'll be back. Like this angmoh here.

Taking a brief break...

Okay, I'll be taking a breather from my current Neverwinter Six post. If everything goes fine, it means I'll be able to finish what I've started in the 2nd post. For now, I decided to put my nation into the limelight. Hopefully for the right reason.

I blame the Smongfather

SM Ong (please note that his initials do not indicate any sexual perversity) is at it again. As if trolling politically correct Singaporeans wasn't enough, he decided to troll Der Gwee himself. Interestingly enough, Der Gwee may have raised a legitimate question: Who is to blame for the Singlish culture, assuming that it has really compromised the standard of spoken (and perhaps to a certain extent, written) English?

Before that...

This is the real Smongfather

This is the English version of the Smongfather.
Namely... okay, the picture is self-explanatory anyway.

With the trolling done, let's continue

This post is NOT about analyzing how Singlish came to be. I'll leave this job to the MOE (or whoever else having nothing better to do. Including Der Gwee himself of course). Rather, this is my take on a pervasive culture no different from this video below.

If the stereotypical Singaporean enjoys using Singlish, it means the stereotypical Brit enjoys swearing. As you can see, the standard of language used in the video above is of a higher grade than Singlish. Does it make itself anywhere more acceptable than Singlish? I'm pretty sure the answer is no.

An underground culture already formed

While I've yet to receive an invitation from the Smogfather to be Aitor Karanka's strategist, I won't be surprised to hear people saying that Brits are basically loud, drunk, and swearing happy. If we're talking about the English majority of the United Kingdom, it can be split into two halves. The southern part is basically the closest thing to Singapore. In other words, it's a metropolitan south (note that London is truly in the south). As for the north, it's mostly a working class majority region. The more familiar names would include Manchester and Merseyside. Then we have the rougher end consisting of places like Newcastle upon Tyne, the City of Sunderland, and Middlesbrough.

I do not know how accurate the next statement is, but there are moments where my friends at Middlesbrough expressed their displeasure over tabloids like the Sun. Their reason? The target of their ire is owned by Tory sympathizers and based in the English south. And it doesn't really help that during the Hillsborough tragedy, the Sun decided to profit from the pain and anguish of the grieving. If you're a Liverpool/Everton fan here in Singapore, you may know what I'm talking about. If you're a local Scouse (i.e. an actual Scouse instead of a foreign Liverpudlian/Evertonian), you'll know I'm not lying. If any Singaporean thinks I'm lying, please try asking Joey Barton if you happen to see him at The New Paper Sports Bar. After all, he's a Scouse like Stevie G (author's warning: Please be warned. There is only one Joey Barton for a reason).

Why I am talking about England out of nowhere is very simple: When we look at the standard of our English, we must also understand that there's nothing great about swearing in perfect English. Which is something we'd most likely see in certain parts of England at the very least. After all, I'm pretty sure Emma Watson isn't a Geordie.

In every society, there will be such a thing called underground culture. It may come in the form of entertainment when it comes to the Japanese, it also includes what I'd call a slang culture. Yes, you've guessed it. Singapore also has its own slang culture in the same way you can expect Andy Murray to use the word willy in private conversation.

Slang culture: To be or not to be?

It's pointless for us Singaporeans to ask whether Singlish should exist in the first place. We will only end up starting a debate which neither party can win. It's like the people of New Jersey debating whether Chris Christie should outlaw the usage of the New Jersey salute just because Governor Christie himself is a Republican.

The notion of banning Singlish will have serious implications. Firstly, it will only create a rebellious generation. Already, the students here in Singapore are chafing under the dog-eat-dog race which well-meaning parents have unwittingly fostered (note that I don't use the term rat race because I want to be politically incorrect here). Secondly, any calls to ban Singlish means the campaigners are more intelligent than the government. Which is absurd, to say the least.

So let us destroy any possibility of a slanging match between "intelligent" people (something which American politics are sadly infamous for) and let us accept the slang culture for what it is. After all, we already have enough social vices to go around with. When was the last time your neighborhood loan shark decided to say hi?

Social responsibility?

This is NOT to say that Singlish should be abused. It's like imagining Prime Minister David Cameron having a pint with Prince Harry. As a British, Mr Cameron does have the freedom and right to say "Hey, Harry. Do you know the Chinese actually brewed their medicinal wine from a deer's willy?"

Try imagining Mr Cameron saying the same thing to the ambassador of China in the UK. There's no way he would be that stupid.

Likewise, no one should discourage any Singaporean to use Singlish at their own discretion. Assuming any Singaporean to be dumb enough not to understand this means assuming all Singaporeans to be equally dumb in the same context, A*STAR scholar or no A*STAR scholar. Unless you don't regard yourself as a Singaporean.

With that being said, education should always start from the smallest things. As educators, teachers should make an effort to tell their students two things:

1. Singlish shouldn't be avoided like a plague because it's already there.

2. Using Singlish is all about exercising the freedom of expression, using English is all about earning respect from others.

Our students need to know, firstly and foremost, the actual importance of English before they should learn how to embrace Singlish. You can't expect a teacher to say "oh, using Singlish is wrong." Why is it wrong in using Singlish? Is using Singlish a show of being uneducated despite even A*STAR scholars using it in private conversation? Likewise, you don't expect a teacher to say "using English is the correct way" without explaining the reason why. The difference between a working adult and a student lies in maturity. We shouldn't underestimate the intelligence of our children, but we shouldn't overestimate their state of maturity as well.

Secondly, the parents should play an important part as well. You say "Singlish is for low-class people", but have you ever told your kids the real importance of using proper English? Are you guilty of fearmongering when it comes to this issue? If you can speak proper English at home, you don't have to fear whether your kids will end up speaking Singlish overnight. Observe and educate, but do not judge. Everyone has a rebellious streak, especially teenagers. There is no point for parents to put themselves into their own Neverland just because we're nearing 51years of independence.

On the other hand, parents have to be careful in their words also. If you have no problem using Singlish, it means you have the duty to educate your child in this aspect.

Children and students, asking questions won't kill you. Thomas Edison was a famous inventor. We all know he was born a genius, but how many of us actually knew that he was kicked out of school just because he enjoyed asking questions in class?

Note: A thousand apologies to every reader of mine. It seems that I am now having symptoms of flu with a headache and a tingling sensation along my nasal area. Therefore, I decided to end this post here despite having other stuff to say. And when I say other stuff, I mean it literally.

P.S: I suddenly recall a documentary done by ABC entitled Dumb, Drunk and Racist. Apparently Singlish by itself isn't really that bad after all. Just don't ask me whether anyone at Charles Sturt University truly understand Singlish. I don't profess to have a local Singaporean girlfriend graduated from there.

Add P.S: Oh, and one more thing. Below is the song I envisioned for my new dark fantasy work.

Lyrics

Der Königsmörder

So now you have it: a post on my alter-ego. Actually, I think I've done this before. Meh, let's continue. Before I start, I actually realized that even the Kardashians like to write. Okay, not every one of them. Either way, I'll need to kick myself hard. If it's even possible at all.

A/N: Yes, I know a thing or two about the reviews on their book so far. To be honest, I'm now too engrossed in playing Neverwinter and working myself to death at the same time. So yeah, I've got no time to even speculate whether Taylor Swift will issue that "I told you so" look at her BFF. *shrugs*

Add A/N: It's official, guys and gals. Sergeant Knox is black.

Just a brief note before I start sharpening my blade

Since I've officially started the ball rolling, I might as well state my intention to include whatever stuff related to the Neverwinter Six plot in this blog. However, the actual story (if there will be truly any at all since I'm nothing less than a lazy son of a gun) will still be done in Tueur de Roi.

A haunted past

I'm pretty sure you all have guessed (?) by now that Arylos wasn't exactly the most fortunate kid born.

Born around 1362 DR, no one knew who Arylos' parents were despite his features betraying him as a wood elf. When he was found by a retired Kelemvorite fighter, there were those who saw him as an inauspicious sign. This was due to a riot which broke out in Wheloon prior to the discovery, a place his foster father called home. Despite reservations from some of the folks, Arylos was largely accepted. That was before Wheloon became its current state.

On the 6th of Eleint during 1374 DR, a group of adventurers, at the request of Tunaster Dranik, discovered a plot concocted by the followers of Shar and Cyric. While any relevance with the Spellplague was speculative at best and outright rumor at worst, it was actually Arylos who tipped off the party concerning the temple of Mystra helmed by Naedaenya Arthas. Traveling all the way from the Vast Swamp where many like him were imprisoned, it was his foster father's ultimate sacrifice which enabled him to escape. Upon further questioning, it was revealed that Arylos accidentally triggered a portal linking an elven ruin there to the Wyvern Watch Inn. However, he could only recall at best a little girl whose name he forgot and how his only family member died with countless arrows embedded in his body.

Acting on the information, the party managed to foil a dangerous scheme where failure would surely tear a hole in the Weave. Ironically, the Spellplague would erupt eleven years later. As the only one who escaped from the clutches of Naedaenya, it became relatively easy for his fellow Whelunians to turned against him when Cormyr decided to seal off the entire city after a sequence of events leading from the Spellplague.

In a city fallen from grace, Arylos had two choices. Either he sought any semblance of an alliance in order to survive or to risk solitude and perish as a result. Foreseeing the grim reality behind what would eventually happen, the wood elf chose not to align himself with any factions. Keeping his cards close to himself, Arylos soon acquired a fearsome reputation as a survival specialist. Someone who would kill any man, woman, or child if it meant another day to live.

Excerpts from a good and faithful servant

I do not know how long I will stay in Wheloon. 'Tis a nice enough place complete with nice enough folks, but my calling lies with Mystra. Then my goddess gave me... well, an absurd task. She asked me to tutor that Or-tel-quessir lad! Neither a moon elf nor a sun elf, but a wood elf. When I daringly asked her the reason, she merely murmured something about a debt owed to Kelemvor. Given how her romance with the god of death had turned out, it's nigh impossible for even the likes of Elminster Aumar to find the answer.

~Marpenoth 1; 1374 DR

The boy is anything but mundane. I have witnessed battles won by tacticians befitting of a king. He is not like that annoying brat from some minor noble house a few weeks back. Like his predecessor, Arylos talks a lot with nary a restraint. Unlike that arrogant fool, he is always willing to learn from his mistakes. Not that he is guilty of making many though. Truly a military genius. Rulos shouldn't have taught his ward about Kelemvor. Figure Tempus must be raging right now. Not that I care anyway.

~Kythorn 20; 1375 DR

Something's not right. The boy seemed to have lost his emotions overnight. There was something about his fever. He may have recovered from the ailment, but I'm afraid he has lost the joy of laughing, crying, and raging. Emotions can be a bane, but 'tis the only thing making us alive. The worst part of the story? I tried asking Mystra why. Only to receive silence as my keep.

~Eleint 6; 1376 DR

Well, I guess this is where I shall end my journal for good. Tomorrow, I must set off for Myth Drannor. Because it is my intent to give Arylos whatever written here thus far, certain things are not meant for his eyes. Or so said Mystra. Either way, I'm sure he is in good hands. More specifically a local hothands by the name of Stev Gibbons. If only I am younger by a good number of years. His Koryan ward is quite a beauty. Pity her name lacks creativity. Korey? Utter blasphemy, Finder Wyvernspur would surely say. Hopefully, Arylos won't be stigmatized further. Having markings all over your face is never the best way to make friends. I blame that fever.

~Flamerule 30; 1377 DR

This is... this is utter insanity! What right does the Cormyrian crown have in giving Wheloon that death sentence? I should have realized earlier that those markings on Arylos' face to be something far more dangerous than an intricate scar! Damn that adulterous pair! May Cyric and Shar murder each other in bed after what they've done to Mystra! Let's hope Alusair can knock some sense into Azoun V. He's every bit a gifted politician like how Arylos was every bit a gifted tactician. But still a mere boy against all the noble houses trying to control him. As for that worthless fool who managed to climb up the power ladder, I hope he had enjoyed being immolated by Arylos' wrath. Perhaps I should have disintegrated him before taking Arylos under my wing.

~Eleint 13; 1385 DR

Next up: So we'll most likely have the original Korey, the current Korey, and the Uthgardt girl. Possibly Ar-tel-quessir as well. If AWARE decided that I need to be put down like the King of Currumpaw, let me just put this up. For now, I need to sleep. And work tomorrow.

P.S: Kelemvor sends his regards, 'tis not a joke.

Alter-ego and a screwed up world

Remember this? Originally I planned to do the final part in Tueur de roi. Due to the certain factors at play, however, I decided to put everything here. After all, it's only right for me to do a 2nd post for this blog.

Neverwinter Six the game

Any and every concept developed by yours truly in any game remains as my intellectual property. If you want to steal my ideas, I'm pretty sure I won't have the money to hire anyone from Drew & Napier. I decided that whatever gaming concept for the Neverwinter Six will be done in this blog. Of course, this also includes any gaming concept for any given series as well, not just the Neverwinter Six.

A list of labels

Please note that the list should not be seen as final since I tend to add things as they come along.

The Crucible

My personal thoughts, my personal creativity. Also includes my opinions on random stuff every now and then. Originally known as Heracles gone mad.

Thaumaturgy

Basically all about random music I like. Current format consists of songs we're most likely familiar with in any way or form, after which I'll dump in my own favorite ones as a form of reply. Occasionally will do a post on my own poetry as well.

Metallurgy

Every gaming concept in any way and form. Apart from the Neverwinter Six, perhaps I will eventually add the new ones like Trinity Blood, random card games, etc. Oh, I need to stress forth the point that I've yet to give up on Les Scélérats. If you don't get me on this part, let's just say that this is my own "way" of getting the attention of a certain Mr Lee.

Dusk and Steel

It's official, ladies and gentlemen. I decided to challenge myself by doing a clean version of what G.R.R Martin has done all the while. I've yet to decide the format for posts under this label, but I guess that's where the fun part comes, huh? It's either that or this label will be self-explanatory (read: the real Dusk and Steel saga).

It has yet to be concluded

I believe I've mentioned before a certain case of coroner's inquiry over the apparent suicide of a secondary school student. Because I'm not interested in talking about other people, be they dead or alive, hence I am not going to up the relevant article(s). If you want to be curious, Google will be your best friend (unless of course if you happen to be in China. Which in this case would most likely make you a genius if you can access my blog under this situation).

While I can never profess myself as someone in the exact circumstances, I have to admit that the near 20 years of my past was anything but good to me. For the first half or so, I've yet to know Christ. Throughout the second half, I ended up struggling with porn addiction and whatever inner demons haunting me ever since people start ostracizing me in Primary Five.

As such, I lost my direction for many years. As early as Secondary Two, I realized I may have a flair for writing. Sadly, the education system had yet to mature enough to recognize the merit of becoming the next J.R.R Tolkien. After all, every Singaporean enjoyed reading novels done by foreign talents instead of local talents back then. I will be the first one to say that if I was in Gan Eng Seng School (i.e. the secondary school I was at) like maybe ten years ago, perhaps my lot would have turned out differently. No one discovered what I could do, even my own father sneered at my so-called talent. At the end of the day, it seems that being a writer was no different from being a road sweeper.

I still recall clearly that during my Primary Three days at Henderson Primary School, Mrs Fong (i.e. the principal back then) said we were to have some kind of screening exam. This was to discern which students were gifted. I saw that as my chance to prove myself (although granted I've yet to enter the crucible which scarred me for good). As it turned out, I failed the cut. I passed the English paper, I nearly passed the Maths paper. I thought "well, it seems that I'm not gifted after all."

No one actually told me God may have created me to be a late bloomer type of genius, let alone the fact that Vincent van Gogh was no different from a nobody during his living years.

Demons revisited

The stigma is still very real. There are times where people saw me as annoying. Like a talking machine gun, if you prefer to see things this way. This created problems for me because I can only learn how to step on the accelerator or the brakes. No middle ground. In fact, there was this time where a girl working in the retail pharmacy was so annoyed by my low EQ, she basically snapped due to stress. I ended up in a very messy state. I ended up stomping the floor and screaming like a madman. I couldn't take the treatment because I was thrown back into my days of living hell where I had to suffer in silence. If not for a kindhearted girl in Facebook offering me some semblance of comfort via a comic strip of sort, I wouldn't know how long I can recover from the trauma. To be honest, it could have been worse if not for my Christian faith giving me strength. After all, even a man of God should be seen as merely... well, a man.

Fantastic Fantasy: From heroic to not so heroic

Initially, I dabbled in heroic fantasy. This was also that period of time where I encountered the likes of Ren o'the Blade and Drizzt Do'Urden, Belgarion and Sparhawk. Interestingly enough, I remembered reading a simplified version of the novel Ivanhoe (by Sir Walter Scott) in my secondary school days where every student had to read a book of his/her choice during assembly. As early as Primary Three (or Four), I finished reading the simplified version of the Water Margin. Which basically alarmed my Chinese teacher to no end because I used certain scenarios in that novel to do my Chinese sentence composition homework (i.e. 造句). After all, the plot was all about one hundred and eight heroic individuals fighting against social injustice and a corrupted government.

One challenge I've experienced in the process was questioning myself whether the legalism within the church was acceptable before God. When it comes to fantasy, the whole "do not touch this!" and "do not touch that!" never failed to leave me totally flabbergasted. In this current world, the television is already great enough a peril for kids and impressionable youths. Assuming fantasy to be a spiritual hazard is no different from killing people with your grandfather's AK47 shortly after watching your last CSI episode. The only catch? I'm pretty sure many Christians have actually watched CSI.

If someone desires to honor God with his/her personal standards in matters beyond what is black and white in the Bible, I have no problem respecting that person's right to do so. Assuming the human standard as God's standard, however, is no different from idolatry if you're to ask me.

Sadly, I was struggling to keep my head above the water back then. Thankfully, I never caved in when it comes to the legalistic demands of the modern day Pharisees.

Enough about my sad story. Onto what makes me gravitate towards the dark and gritty end. When you've been in a bust-up state long enough, the cold hard truth propagated by an equally cold hard world can mess you up in varying extent. When we talk about problematic youths, two examples come to mind; the rich ones and the troubled ones. Either way, there is a demon in every one of us. It will never look like what we imagined on television. I can still recall an interesting question in my Warcraft III official artbook where the Orcs section asked' "When a monster looks into the mirror, does it see a monster?"

This question can and will go both ways. Not only does it portray the humanity for what it is, it also portrays us for what we are. Say for example the Wee Shu Min disaster. It's very easy for us to castigate one individual, no matter how justified we claim our cause to be. But what if we end up doing another "unrelated" thing within the next twenty-four hours?

Above paragraph is 100% related to why I'm quite partial towards dark fantasy. When you have seen enough evil and plenty of animals walking on two legs instead of four, you'll run the risk of being cynical. I've been betrayed by people whom I regarded as friends in secondary school and ITE, I have no intention to repay evil for evil. However, the scars are already there. If you haven't looked hard enough, it means you do not know me. The scars have ensured that I will remain emotionally damaged beyond repair. However, it also means I have seen a lot of things with far greater clarity as a result. I will not say humanity should just burn in hell, but I will never tell a lie by saying humanity is all about roses, unicorns, and chasing after the rainbow (unless you see a pot of gold at the other end).

P.S: Because I spent too much time ranting, it basically means I do not have the time to write that most important 2nd half. So yes, you will surely see a part 2 unless God decides to call me home.

Add P.S: I don't know if my absurdly long memory span will turn out to be a blessing or a curse. With nary a doubt, I'll still like to meet that kindhearted girl to at least say a word of thanks. That is if I really become famous against all odds. And yes, I know the entire episode was most likely a mere case of accidental goodwill.
[http://www.boredpanda.com/cute-animal-comics-liz-climo/]

Sometimes, the difference between the Hollywood movies we like and the childish anime we looked down upon can be quite ironic.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19501.Eat_Pray_Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQZDs8LFehI

Taking this one step at a time...

Okay, so this blog will be my official outlet for creative badassery. Perhaps the language usable will be more proper. Then again, maybe not. I've got a few ideas on where to take this one. If you're expecting contents like what you're used to seeing in blogs like what you've seen for Xiaxue, QiuQiu, or Yan Kay Kay, forget it. If you're expecting something like what you've seen in Mr Brown's blog, forget it as well.

This is a mad man's blog. Perhaps I'm really born a genius. Unlike plenty of local talents, I got myself trapped in difficult circumstances 20 years ago (in other words, the educational environment would sentence creative late bloomer like me the Changi death sentence). I'm poor, possibly talented, and quite obviously doomed to die penniless and single. If this sounds familiar, be very sure that this was the life story of Vincent van Gogh.

Enough of self-pitying. Let's see if I can play the successful rebel.

What to expect from me?

Random ideas ranging from gaming to original stories. Due to the nature of fanfiction, the Neverwinter Six will still be retained in Tueur de roi.

At the same time, be prepared for me sharing songs you may/may not have heard of. After all, the nine daughters of Zeus did have a strong association with music.

Some ideas on one of my planned stories

It'll still be dark. Language and portrayal-wise, I hope to emulate J.R.R Tolkien. Lord of the Rings may not be dark at all. The Hobbit can be quite dark despite being a children's book (which is why I actually rebelled against the mainstream standard by being a fan of Thorin Oakenshield). The Children of Húrin has to be the darkest of them all together with The Silmarillion. If you never heard of the last two titles, it's okay. Not everybody is born to be a cat like yours truly.

There are two ways to portray a dark reality. Either you do it via the most direct "people live and die every day. And that includes elves."
Or you go one step further by telling your audience that your characters are capable of swearing and that society is equally capable of committing heinous acts like rape and pedophilia.

But why are you so twisted?

Because I have no friends apart from God. If you think I'm joking, think again. I could have killed myself 10-20 years ago (this is NOT to say that I actually contemplated suicide, just that it remains somewhat a miracle that I've never entertained such a thought). If you think having friends is normal, that means I was born abnormal. And I still am right now. If you want to change my course of action, you better start trying to be my close friend. A confidant. I don't care whether you're male or female. If you can't prove yourself one way or another, then all I can say is "that's a shame."

I'm trying to change what ought to change, but don't expect me to fight my battles with anyone else apart from God unless you're willing to spend at least 3 days in a week trying to set me right.

If I sound angry, be assured that I'm not. I know that I'm cursed with poor EQ. So what if I'm truly a genius? Doesn't mean that I am God. Man can never be God in the same way the word of man can never be the Word of God. All I want is the promise of making a decent effort in trying to set me right if you think I'm going on the wrong course. Via my other two blogs, I know there were crazy moments where I let fly salvo of insanity after salvo of insanity. There is a trigger impulse within me and I'm not ashamed to admit it. If you think I'm crazy, be very sure that plenty of people believed that:

1. I was either spastic or retarded.

2. Girls think that I'm a perverted creep (okay, that's a hyperbole, But you get the drift).

3. Believe it or not, there had been those who believed in betrayal minus the need to explain why.

I'm already a living wreck. Emotionally broken and mentally scarred. Once I start doing something, it will take a long time for my brain to cease the adrenaline flow. If I was born normal, perhaps I could truly change myself via conscious effort. But what if I was born an abnormal person? Have you ever tried poetry without any prior training? I have. And I am proud of myself because of that. I'm not a retarded person. I know there's a difference in difficulty between writing a novel and writing a poem. You need to understand how the rhythm flows in your brain. You can't just chuck words into a single paragraph or even a single stanza. That's why I know I was born both gifted and cursed. Cursed because I was born a genius, a genius because I was cursed with madness.

Perhaps no one will ever understand me. But I know my Lord Jesus understands me. Perhaps I will die like Lazarus in one of His parables. That means I will go to heaven instead of hell.

Until the day I breathe my last, I guess either I have to get busy living instead of getting busy dying.

P.S: Okay, rant now over. Before I sign this off, enjoy what I have to offer concerning my inner world.

Lyrics


Lyrics

http://trinityblood.wikia.com/wiki/Abel_Nightroad