The Way.

[Moofassa]

Have you ever been so angry you think straight? So afraid, that not one single thought can stay put in your mind.

With this in your mind, holding it or not. I was just thinking about situations, where one might find it hard to send a Psi out over the way. In a situation... say.. after an attempted murder, one might PSI right away for help, but realistically, are they going to be calm and collected enough to get a flat, straight, honest, and plain thought off? I dont think so, as well as say a rape/blackmail attempt. Someone has locked you in their apartment, threatening you with a knife. Do your thoughts run clear? Or are they really jumpy?  Would you be able to send out one clear string of thoughts?

I've always seen the way as needing lots of concentration in order to just send your -one- thought train. And in those situations, i dont see being able to do that.

Not sure how it could be coded other than the one where you would have been att acked, so this is both code and RP

[Majikal]

I wouldn't mind seeing something implemented like, well.. after sparring or hunting you can't log off right away because you're 'too excited', maybe something could be added to where you couldn't get a contact if you've recently been in a battle of some type.

[Rhyden]

I think it mostly depends on the contact skill level of the person who is in a state of shock. If they are exceedingly good with the way and have like three people on their mind at all times, then, sure, they could probably way a distress call. The way is like a second-nature of speaking to those who use it regularily but with somebody who hardly uses it at all? They probably won't be able to find somebody's mind in general, with or without state of shock. I don't think this needs to be coded, you mainly have to rely on the player's twinkery.

[Angela Christine]

Combat contacters tend to take care of themselves.  Even if psionics is second nature to you, using psionics while someone is hitting you isn't poor roleplay, it is just plain dumb.  Chances are very good that you will pass out long before any help can get to you.  No further code is required.


Now while in dire straits you should probably take more care OOCly that your message is appropriate.  I believe it is perfectly plausible for an injured or terrified person to send out a psychic scream for help, many fine stories have had a person discover their psychic abilities in just this way.  However a long, complex, well thought out message is probably a bad idea.  

Good messages:

:arrow: "Help!  I am under attack!"  
:arrow: "Help!  A raptor has me cornered in the red desert!"
:arrow: "Help!  Amos is trying to kill me!"
:arrow: "Help!"

Bad messages:

:!: "Help!  The tall and gaunt man in a dusty wyvern emblazoned cloak and a dusty black facewrap is trying too kill me!  He has bloodied snakeskin boots and wooden gauntlets."
:!: "Help!  A raptor has me cornered in a cave east of the bluff that is midway between Luir's and the Salt Flats!"  (Note: cave and bluff are fictious.)
:!: "Help!  The brown-haired, obsidian eyed man is trying to kill me!"  (Where "The brown-haired, obsidian eyed man" is the sdesc.)  
:!: "I am trapped in the third room on the east side of the tennement near the Bards Barrel, get here with the militia and Templar Sathis ASAP."

I'm willing to cut these guys a little slack though, because they are probably OOCly freaked out, so they aren't necessarily thinking about what is best for the game world.  In this case some of the responsibility devolves onto the person RECIEVING the message.  The way is mysterious, you don't necesarily decode the message exactly the way the sender intended.  If you aren't sure if a message is kosher, I think it would be ok to wish up with the message and ask for a ruling, one of the roles of the staff is to play referee.


Just an idea or twol


Angela Christine

[Marauder Moe]

I don't think using sdescs is appropriate in ANY IC communication, spoken, written, or psionic.

[Rhyden]

Ya, MM has a good point there, sorry to derail but:

When you're describing a person, stay as far away from using words in their short description as you can. Be creative. Describe them in your character's eyes not how it is read. Thanks!

AC also has some good points as usual.  

[Raesanos]

On the other hand, the person's short description should contain the first things you'd notice about the person.  I think completely avoiding those words at all times is a bit much.  I will say I like it when people mix it up instead of repeating the sdesc the same way its phrased all the time.  Gotta find a good balance.

As for the topic at hand, I think it should be noted that stun damage from weapons and stun damage from the way pull from the same pool.  If you don't want someone to way a message, bonk 'em over the head.  Its neat that way.

[Incognito]

I have to say: I dont agree with the original poster, about the Way, requiring a lot of concentration. I personally view it as a reflex action that the psionically developed races on Zalanthas perform. More so as an inate ability which requires minimal concentration, but which does drain you physically, to some extent.

Consider this: If you feel that you might not be able to get a Psi message out after a traumatic incident like a murder....

Then what about right after wild, passionate sex?
What about after an exhausting trek across the desert?
What about when you're too sick to speak?
What about when you're too inebriated?
What about when you know a bunch of assassins are on your heels and out to kill you?
And most importantly: What about when someone is attacking you and you might die any moment?

Following the original poster's logic, one might have to give up using the Way in most strenous situations! I dont think such a drastic interpretation of the Way is required, personally.

[halfhuman]

I think it depends on how good at The Way they are. The average Joe has trouble sending  PSIs under non-stressful situations.  I don't think it'd even occur to any but the best Way users to send a psi during combat.  I try to avoid them as much as possible when I'm just sitting around doing nothing.  

If you're an exceptional user, I think you could try during combat, but you'd have to RP being vague.  Even if you can get out long messages during combat through your skill, your probably not calm enough to.

EDIT: Made up a cool metaphore that I think applies:
I can't play basket ball the way it is, so I'm not gonna try playing it while drinking a glass of tea.

Thank you, thank you.  Thought of that one on my own, no applaud please.

[sarahjc]

I have done this once a long time ago.. I had an uber skilled PC with the way, but she sucked at fighting..  The long and short of it was that I knew she was dead, and there was nothing I could do to stop that.

So, I emoted her crying and trying to crawl away, and as I did so, I sent a Way to the one person I knew could at least avenge me..  I mean I wasn't going down without a fight, just not the fight the attacker expected.  The most I could get off was "Help!".

But it was enough, the person on the receiving end knew where I was.

I think this is all up to the RP of the people involved. You are taking down your Stun with using the way. So it's a surefire method to get yourself killed if you stand a chance of fighting. And at the last moment.. I don't see you typing out, "Help, I am being killed because I found out about a secrete plot to kill lord Fancy pants, his aide is a rukkian and is pelting me to death with magical rocks!".  But "Help, Rocky is trying to kill me!" I could see you sounding that off.

Also if the person you are fighting provides you no challenge what so ever and you are like Neo fighting the Agents at the end of the Matrix, then you can probably way all day long. Even send out your favorite Recipe for cookies to the person on the receiving end.