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Topic: Into the Deep and Out of the Waves Q&A
Subject: The "work in progress," so to speak...
Just in case anyone's curious (or impatient, as the case may be  ), here's the not-quite-complete Ayalualie article as it stands right now. Still have a bit of work and polish to do on this - details to add, gray areas to color in, etc - but, here's what's there, for better or worse.
The Ayalualie – Aquatic Elves of Audalis
The Sylvari are so commonly seen in the lands of Antaron that those who don’t know better might be lead to believe that the Sils (and their half-blooded kin) are the only elves in all of Audalis. Those who live or ply their trades on Antaron’s coastlines, lakeshores, and riverbanks, though, would strongly advise you to reconsider that belief and, then, regale you with tales of Audalis’ elusive aquatic elves, the Ayalualie (roughly translated from their own tongue: “We who dwell in the waters”).
Although the Ayalualie (or “Wallies” as they are commonly called by humans) are encountered far less frequently, they are no rarer than are their land dwelling cousins.. There are few among those folk who glean their livelihoods from the oceans of Audalis who can’t tell you at least one tale of an encounter with a Sea Wallie – merchant captains and their crews alike have spun tales of silvery-blue skinned elves swimming alongside dolphins at their bow; fishermen have reported seeing them frolicking in kelp beds or having their nets cut by one that, for whatever reason, took offense to their catch; even pirates have been known to drunkenly lament having been harassed or outright attacked by a pack of “pearl-eyed, point-eared, Salt Wallie so-and-so’s” – nor are there many who make their livings on the waters of Antaron’s rivers and lakes who would be short, at least, a single, similar tale – “As we were ferryin’ across th’ river there in Goodlund, me youngest boy fell off inta th’ water. Th’ boy can’t swim, so me wife were in a tizzy, bless ‘er… She were half wracked with grief thinkin’ our boy were lost when, of a sudden, this wisp o’ a green-skinned girl leaps outta the water an’ lands on th’ ferry with th’ lad in ‘er arms. Th’ girl din’t say a word, just kissed the boy on ‘is mouth afore she put ‘im on the deck at ‘is Ma’s feet, smiled at as, and dove back inta th’ river pretty as ya please. River Wallie, the ferryman says she was…”
Description
The Ayalualie share many traits with their land-born cousins, the Sylvari. They are physically more slender and sleekly muscled in comparison to humans, their facial features are finer, they have notably pointed ears, and they are of a height with both Sylvari and Men, alike (on average, the height of an adult male Ayaluali is just under six feet; adult females tend to average only an inch or three shorter). Additionally, the Ayalualie share the Sylvari’s longevity, with lifespans of 550 years or greater not being unheard of. It is here that the similarities between Sils and Wallies come to an end. For instance, while Sils and Wallies both have what can be called a “typical elven build,” the Ayalualie tend to have a somewhat bulkier appearance due to the addition of a thin but highly insulating layer of a fat-like substance between their skin and muscles. Wallies also tend to have webbed fingers and toes. Both of these adaptations, of course, serve them well in their lives below the surface of Audalis’s waters.
Ayalualie skin tones range in color from shades of silvery-blue to varying hues of golden-green and are, as often as not, streaked or dappled in various patterns. Ayalualie hair also compliments their skin, ranging from deep blacks and browns through shades of blue and green, and even more exotic colors such as sea-foam white, coral pinks, and the like not being terribly uncommon. These colorations and patterns seem to vary dependent upon where the individual Ayaluali calls home and serve to make these aquatic elves difficult to discern underwater, especially among kelp beds and patches of river grass; because of this they gain the ability to easily camouflage themselves in their natural environment.
Ayalualie eyes are larger and somewhat rounder than are those of the Sylvari and coloration runs an impressive spectrum from the deepest blacks and browns to blues, greens, and violets so pale that they might, at a glance, be seen as almost white. Regardless of the color, the eyes of all Ayalualie have a somewhat pearlescent sheen to them, especially in direct sunlight. Wallies also have three eyelids, so to speak; they possess both upper and lower (outer) lids as do most other humanoid races on Audalis and and “inner lid”, a thin, tough, translucent membrane that can be drawn across the eye to protect it from damage without hindering visibility (i.e. when hunting, in combat, or swimming through tainted or polluted water). The presence of this nictitating membrane often lends a flickering effect when the Ayalualie blink and can be somewhat disconcerting to people of other races until they become accustomed to it.
As mentioned before, Ayalualie ears have a notable point to them much like Sylvari ears; however, Ayaluali ears have an almost fin-like appearance as opposed to the “leaf-shaped” look of the Sils’. Additionally, they have what appear to be the equivalents of gill slits behind their ears and/or along their necks through which they process oxygen while under water (i.e. most of the time)… Ayalualie are able to breathe out of the water, as well, but prefer not to do so for extended periods of time as it can be uncomfortable for them at best and painfully deadly at worst.
Dress
In general, Ayalualie tend not to wear clothes in their natural environment as clothing of any sort usually restricts movement and/or adds additional drag that inhibits swimming to some degree. This is not to say that Ayalualie never wear clothing; however, on a day-to-day basis, they see very little need in it. On the occasions that clothing is worn, males commonly trend toward short, simple breechcloth type garments whereas females can be found wearing apparel that ranges from a two piece ensemble of bandeau and short kirtle (much like a modern bikini) to a single piece garment similar to a shift or chemise. These clothing items are most often made of woven kelp, sea/river grass, shark or Maur'daegothrim skins or something similar, but it is not uncommon to see Ayalualie craft their apparel from items they have salvaged from the sunken hulks of ships and such – skirts, tunics, and other items made from fish nets or sail-cloth are not unusual, for example; nor is it uncommon to find “standard surface wear” to find in the repertoire of Ayalualie dress.
Ayalualie warriors and hunters typically craft and wear armor made from Maur'daegothrim or shark hides and other naturally tough items found in their environments (turtle shells, etc), and, like their salvaging of clothing, they have also been known to wear piecemeal armors that they find among items lost by surfacers…
Culture and Society
Ayalualie society is probably best defined as quasi-nomadic, with groups of anywhere from two to two-dozen individuals coming together to form temporary, fluid groups much like the pods formed by dolphins. Ayalualie are very gregarious creatures and appear to enjoy (if not even need) each other while hunting, defending themselves and their pods, and (obviously) mating. The Ayalualie in these “pods” regularly join, split up, and rejoin “pods” in different combinations and two or more “pods” may combine for several minutes or hours to form larger social groups. “Pod” size is typically related to the availability of food and resources as well as the openness and depth of their environment. The composition and population of these pods are constantly changing, some Ayaluali moving into these pods for only minutes or hours before leaving.
Despite their apparent nomadic tendencies, the Ayalualie have, in fact, established several permanent settlements and even cities of living coral and crystal beneath the waves and, to this end, Ayalualie society consists mainly of those sea-elves who dwell within a fifteen-mile area around these cities. There is a titular king or queen to whom they pay homage but he/she has no real power over daily life – Ayalualie live as they please, for the most part, coming together under a ruler only in times of undersea emergencies or great trouble for the world in general. For the most part, the lords and ladies of the ocean cities do little other than escort visitors and conduct trade. The rest of the population consists of artists, hunters, and farmers, all concerned with making survival possible and life pleasant for the rest of the community…
((more to come))
Trade and Commerce
((In the works))
Values and Taboos
((In the Works))
Game Terms
Ability Score Adjustments: As the breed needs the ability to move quickly and gracefully underwater, Ayaluali characters gain +1 bonus to their Dexterity scores. However, since their underwater realms are essentially isolated from the realms of other races on Audalis, they suffer a -1 penalty to Intelligence
Special Disadvantages:Although they may survive on land, the Ayalualie prefer not to do so, for it causes them immense pain. They can live on land for a number of days equal to their initial Constitution score. However, they endure increasing pain as time spent out of water wears on, and their ability scores and proficiencies are affected. Every two days, these scores decrease by –1 until the elves return to water. If a physical score (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution) reaches 0, the Wallie dies.
In salt water, the Ayaluali’s attributes return to normal within 15 minutes. In fresh water, an Ayaluali merely stops losing his or her scores; they do not revert to normal until the elf enters salt water. The time spent in fresh water does not count against time away from the sea, and these Wallies may dwell in fresh water indefinitely. If they enter the water before their attributes are to decrease again, the water acts as a revitalizing force; the suffering period begins anew when they emerge from water.
Posted on 2011-08-14 at 18:05:28.
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Topic: August 12th Meteor Shower
Subject: Here's hoping...
...that that ginormously bright moon doesn't obscure those tears too much.
Posted on 2011-08-13 at 13:37:14.
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Topic: Chronicles Role-Playing System
Subject: I don't know...
...seems to me that "Skills" is still an appropriate tag, Skari. Putting those skills to use might constitute and 'effort,' sure, but, IMO, Skills works better overall.
Now, if you had designs on breaking skills down a bit more - creating something in the vein of sub-skills or special actions that could be taken only if a character had the prerequisite skill in place, for example - you might want to label those as Efforts.
*shrugs* just my initial thoughts.
Posted on 2011-08-12 at 15:27:43.
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Topic: Good morning Red Dragon Inn! Or is it Evening? I am never really sure!
Subject: They're still doing e-check?!?!
Geez-o-lou! I thought they'd done away with that stupid program all across Ohio... Haven't had to do it in Clark county now for several years.
Poor Ody! *hugs* Keeping out the good vibes for ya, buddy-bear.
Posted on 2011-08-12 at 15:18:43.
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Topic: Good morning Red Dragon Inn! Or is it Evening? I am never really sure!
Subject: Goooood Morning, Red Dragon Inn!
And happy Friday, Innmates!
May your day be funky fresh and oh-so-satisfying!
~The best part of waking up,
Is knowing Eol's still a nut!~
Posted on 2011-08-12 at 12:51:31.
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Topic: Vote for the Inn
Subject: Yep...
...voted.
Who's next?
Posted on 2011-08-11 at 23:13:30.
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Topic: A new D&D game?
Subject: You got it, boss.
I should have Sully's sheet to you by end of the day.
Posted on 2011-08-11 at 18:31:22.
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Topic: Good morning Red Dragon Inn! Or is it Evening? I am never really sure!
Subject: Yeah, coffee!!!
Or, as I like to call it through the work week, "help desk juice." Even if Eol's been soaking his toes in it, it's still good!
And the 'love life' bit isn't bad, either.
Posted on 2011-08-11 at 17:55:30.
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Topic: A Borderland by the Keep
Subject: ...
Turtle
Posted on 2011-08-11 at 14:13:15.
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Topic: Loaded Dice Filler: She does this Sometimes
Subject: LOL
I can relate completely... good stuff, filler or no. 
Posted on 2011-08-11 at 13:26:13.
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Topic: Who Owns Rusty Dull Swords? (W.O.R.D.S.)
Subject: Hooooolyyyyy smokes, T!!!
Several
Anarchist
Chinchillas
Roamed
Aimlessly
Mesmerizing
Each
New
Totalitarian
Aardvark
Reigning
In
All
Niches
Inside
Southern
Mongolia
((Whew!))
Posted on 2011-08-10 at 16:06:07.
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Topic: Last one to post wins - Part II
Subject: o.O
"A spotless mind is a terrible thing to taste."
Celeste wins.
Posted on 2011-08-10 at 15:57:03.
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Topic: The One Word Game
Subject: Hmmm...
Cell
(All the ones I've ever been in seem to have bars... )
Posted on 2011-08-10 at 15:55:10.
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Topic: Dear Ogre
Subject: Mage or Mutton
Dear Shy,
Replace with sheep. Sheep not need share of treasure and not steal pretty wenches from you in tavern. Also, if sheep not work out, you still can eat it.
X)
Ogre
Dear Ogre,
Any idea on what I might do with an intelligent sword that doesn't speak my language?
Signed,
Baffled Barbarian
Posted on 2011-08-10 at 15:52:28.
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Topic: Fade to Black
Subject: Finally...
...got a chance to watch this uninterrupted.
Fantastic job, T!
I love that song and you more than did it justice. +1
Posted on 2011-08-10 at 13:12:59.
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Topic: Chronicles Role-Playing System
Subject: Groovy!
Glad you're all settled in and such, Skari. Will review changes and throw some input your way as soon as I get a minute. 
Posted on 2011-08-09 at 22:59:09.
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Topic: A Borderland by the Keep
Subject: LOL
For a certainty!
Toss your hats in the ring, people... I can practically guarantee you'll have fun with this one.
Great intro, Alacrity.
Posted on 2011-08-09 at 18:31:22.
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Topic: Good morning Red Dragon Inn! Or is it Evening? I am never really sure!
Subject: And I've been gone since Thursday last...
...so I'm a bit behind on my good mornings and I love yous.
Just cuz I was gone doesn't mean I wasn't thinking about you all, though. I'm always glad to wander back in and see all the smiling faces, though... Much easier to lick a smiling face than a frowning one, you know?
Sooooo... Good morning and I love you, Innmates!
Now it's off to do some fun stuff... Zombies and Wallies and Sullys, oh my! 
Posted on 2011-08-09 at 16:13:17.
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Topic: All right, I've had enough!
Subject: All right, I've had enough!
Okay, most of you folks have been around long enough to know that, in general, I'm pretty laid back, easy going, and what not. Given what's been going on around here, of late, though, I'm about at the end of my rope and to the point that I cannot, in good conscience and for the sake of the Inn as a whole, hold my tongue on this issue any longer. So, here it is in a nut shell... It's come to my attention (and, yes, the attention of the rest of the staff and far too many of the Innmates) that there seems to be some "drama" going on, hereabouts, that is not gaming related and, to be brutally honest, I think that regardless of whether this drama is real, imagined, or any combination of the two, that it has started to have quite the negative impact on our little community and I want it to stop. RIGHT NOW!!!
The Red Dragon Inn is a gaming site, folks. I think that, for the most part, all of us come here and log in with the intention of having a little fun, maybe making a few friends, and escaping the drudgery of real life for a short while. We're not here to make enemies, hate on people, spread rumors, start controversy, or seperate our members into "camps" for or against any other of our members. We're here to have a good time!!! We've got quite a few registered Innmates, here, and it's not hard to imagine that there are some folks you dearly love to game/chat/whatever with and still others that you "just don't care for"... That's fine... you don't have to like everybody. The thing is, if there is someone that you don't like, for whatever reason, your best bet is to simply avoid, ignore, and/or otherwise have nothing to do with those folks you just don't care for... If said other person makes it impossible to ignore or avoid them then contact the staff - even if it's one of us that is the burr in your saddle - and let us deal with the situation.What you DO NOT want to do is start "smear campaigns" or "flame wars" or play devious little "passive aggressive" games that serve no other cause than to drag your fellow Innmates into drama that doesn't concern them and, honestly, that they'd rather not be dragged into in the first place.
If there is that much drama brought into your personal, every day life by misunderstanding what someone else has posted and you have nothing better to do than take every little thing that happens in a game or game-related thread, then perhaps the Inn is not the place for you. If you feel the need to draw everyone else in to that drama and expect them to "take sides" (especially Innmates who have no power to help you with the situation at hand) then, forgive me for saying so, the Inn is definitely not the place for you and, quite honestly, if you are that sort of person, the Inn would likely be better off without you. We call ourselves a "community" for a reason, people, and most of us like to think of ourselves as something of a "family"... I might even go so far to say that we pride ourselves on it... but, when situations like the one that's been going on here the past week or two flare up, it really starts to "tarnish our image" (for lack of a better phrase, at the moment) and makes our little "family" even more dysfunctional than it should be... So here's the deal, kiddies, same as Momma told you back in kindergarten; "if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all."
Let's stop with all the "he said/she said," "pot-stirring," and "animosity-mongering" and get back to having a good time, shall we? I absolutely hate banning people... even those ones that actually deserve it... because i like to think that we're all here for the same reason - to have FUN. "Drama" (outside of a game thread, anyway) is NOT fun and, therefore, has no place here so how about we just leave it at the door from here on out? If you can't see your way clear to do so, don't be surprised if you suddenly find yourself banned... I've had my fill of this business in the past week or so and, as I said, I want it stopped. This is the last that I have to say on the matter and, smite me if you will, I won't hesitate to drop the ban-hammer (on anyone) if I hear of any similar situations cropping up. If I see it happening or have reliable proof that it's continuing to happen, you're gone, and you can take it up with the webmaster (who I'm sure is going to be quite proud of the way we've been behaving whilst he was away, hmmm?).
I'm not naming names, I'm not pointing fingers, and I'm not even trying to imply what is or isn't true. Let's just consider this a general notice.
Like I said... Stop! Now!
Posted on 2011-08-04 at 18:57:18.
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Topic: Renaissance Dork Blog
Subject: Well howdy, Argentbear...
...and thanks for finally posting something hereabouts, eh? Always nice when a lurker decides to slink out of the shadows and say hello.
Have only given your blog a quick skimming (i.e. I read an entry or two) but have got to say that I did enjoy those articles. *nods* I'm sure I'll pop in and check it out again when I'm not at work.
Aaaand... since I don't see where you actually posted an intro in the Comings and Goings thread, I guess I can give you this here...
Do stop back in more regularly, mate.
Posted on 2011-08-04 at 16:12:53.
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Topic: Good morning Red Dragon Inn! Or is it Evening? I am never really sure!
Subject: Did someone say coffee?!?!?
*dashes in, stumbles, rolls, bounces, and skids to a stop behind Skye, coffee silo in hand*
I want some!
G'morning, luverlies! And happy Friday-eve!
Posted on 2011-08-04 at 15:13:49.
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Topic: Help me choose...
Subject: Agreed...
...I like the second one better, too.
Also, welcome back Syanide... and thanks for drawing my attention to this post... must have missed it when Flirt originally tacked it up. +1
Posted on 2011-08-03 at 16:23:52.
Edited on 2011-08-03 at 16:25:02 by Eol Fefalas
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Topic: Good morning Red Dragon Inn! Or is it Evening? I am never really sure!
Subject: Yeah, Dropkick Murphys!!!
Throw in Flogging Molly (before or after) and you've got gold right there!
Enjoy the concert T_O!
Posted on 2011-08-03 at 16:11:05.
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Topic: Good morning Red Dragon Inn! Or is it Evening? I am never really sure!
Subject: Ow...
... my self!
Didn't we just do this work-day nonsense, yesterday? I don't wanna play this game today... I'd rather crawl nekkid across four lanes of broken glass on a freshly salted highway than answer another help desk ticket!
Unfortunately, I don't think anyone would pay me to do that, so, here I sit, glowering at the system and cursing under my breath... *sigh*
Oh, well.. at least there's coffee.
Gooooood morning, Innmates! You are my ray of sunshine in this otherwise gloomy Monday: part 3! Shine on!
Posted on 2011-08-03 at 13:41:30.
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Topic: The Egg Tart Game
Subject: let the...
...bodies hit the floor
Posted on 2011-08-03 at 13:34:08.
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