'nuff of these finger wigglers

This is the personal journal of Garret Riverborne. I am henceforth going to record my journey in writing, as I am fully confident at this point that this band of travelers is going to get me killed.
Let my death me a warning to all who read these accounts. Choose your companions wisely. Make sure they carry swords, spears and bows, not books. If a single companion starts moving his fingers rapidly, show him a bullet. Nothing good comes of them.
Think on this topic for a moment. Allow me to share a quick story ..
There was a powerful user of magic, bored with the world, and teetering on the edge of insanity. (as most magic users do) He was wandering the country when he happened upon a village. This village was poor, and unproductive. They sat on their battered stone walls and looked across their ill-maintained fields, waiting for a handout. Recognizing them as dead weight, he used his powerful magic and changed that village forever. They will not be a blight any longer, he saw to that.

Terrible story isn't it? Such death and destruction.

We should pause for a moment and ponder that story. You see, I never said anything about violence or death. Did you think he killed them all? Burned their village to the ground? Why couldn't he have made rain for their fields, used his magics on their minds and suggest that they get to work.
The reason is that they are not interested in helping others. They want to feed their mind with new spells. They want to find new ways to attain stronger powers. They want to be feared.
Now you'll say out loud to someone near you, "I've met plenty of good wizards."
Have you?
There are maladies in this world. Every dark corner hides a problem that these wizards could be fixing, but what do they do?
They travel across a mountain range to study a way-line. Or a mana well.

I've spent the bulk of my life working with metal and machines. I didn't know how bad these people were until I was forced to travel with them. Now that I have, I advise caution. They bring with them nothing but death and suffering.

Hello, Kiolus. Welcome to the forum where we exchange ideas, philosophies, and other ethereal oddities for bemusement.

Choose your companions wisely. Make sure they carry swords, spears and bows, not books. If a single companion starts moving his fingers rapidly, show him a bullet. Nothing good comes of them.

Last time I checked, I carry a sword, a spear, and a bow. My character has never read a book from cover to cover, and I don't think I have the compulsion to wiggle my fingers for no real reason. That means I passed the test, and we're good friends, yes?

By the by, I love your avatar. He looks like you dressed up for a renaissance fair who then jumped into a time machine, and traveled to the past where you got a caricature from ye olde master artist.

I would almost say the master artist in question was Bob Ross, (I mean he belongs to ancient history, right) but your look clearly denotes there are to be no happy trees in this painting.

Outrageous, pernicious lies! While those with mortal powers have only used them to further their own ends to the detriment of the weak, wizards have formed the bulwark protecting the common man from evil! Selfless sacrifice has been the hallmark of masters of the ancient craft, as wizards seek to purify themselves through taking on the burdens of others. No where will you find a community so giving and so generous. While there is the occasional rogue wizard or the (more frequent) Ebon Hand who uses his power to crush others, these are rare, despite their more well known histories.

Care to back up your slander with your own observations?

Outrageous, pernicious lies! While those with mortal powers have only used them to further their own ends to the detriment of the weak, wizards have formed the bulwark protecting the common man from evil! Selfless sacrifice has been the hallmark of masters of the ancient craft, as wizards seek to purify themselves through taking on the burdens of others. No where will you find a community so giving and so generous. While there is the occasional rogue wizard or the (more frequent) Ebon Hand who uses his power to crush others, these are rare, despite their more well known histories.

Care to back up your slander with your own observations?

Oooohh. Controversy. I like it. The gauntlet has been thrown. How will the other side respond? With more truths? More slander? Will we ever get to the truth of this matter?     

Alpha Centauri wrote:Will we ever get to the truth of this matter?    

Not if a certain Kiolus is doing some "finger wiggling" of his own over the keyboard...

Jim posted once. Only once. He will never return.           

Alpha Centauri wrote:Jim posted once. Only once. He will never return.          

I wonder what ever happened that miscreant that used to post on Marc's way old forum back in the day? He'd stir up trouble all the time and have people engaging in quite interesting conversations.

I wonder what ever happened that miscreant that used to post on Marc's way old forum back in the day? He'd stir up trouble all the time and have people engaging in quite interesting conversations.

Yeah, I miss the AWC (Anti-Wickedness Coaltion). Such times will never be ours again. Sigh...     

The gunslinger/engineer is dead. Long live superstition, old wives tales, and good old fashioned phrenology. Phrenology!