Author Topic: Darkstorme's Word of the Day (Read 5596 times)

darkstorme · « **Reply #180 on:** January 20, 2011, 03:06:22 am »

Most people who are penitent eventually seek...

Absolution

Absolution (ab-sole-lou-shun) is neither the sole province of Catholicism, nor of religion in general. It is the act or state of being forgiven for a wrongdoing or action of any sort, to be cleared of blame, or to have a responsibility or obligation lifted.

Someone who grants another absolution absolves them. One can absolve another, or be absolved themselves.

Usage:

After some time, Argos was absolved of his duties in North Fort.
The Az'attans have open arms for all seeking redemption. But it must be truly sought, for without repentance there is no absolution.

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #181 on:** January 21, 2011, 02:05:27 am »

Repent

To repent (ree-pent) is to regret, feel remorse or contrition for something one has done or failed to do. It can also mean to change one's behaviour as a result of those feelings.

In a subtly distinct alternate usage, it can mean to feel remorse or regret for something in particular.

Usage:

"Er... repent, evildoers!" Rit quavered, as the circle of Corathites closed around him, knives drawn. "Accept Toran and you may *gulp* yet be spared!"
The dark elven sorceress looked up at the sun. It had been years since she had been rescued by the Az'attans. Her hands had been stained with blood time and time again - but she had repented of that past life. No more would she kill in anyone's name.

References:

darkstorme · « **Reply #182 on:** January 23, 2011, 02:22:31 am »

Two-for-one, because I was seeing a comedy remake of a campy TV adaptation of a corny radio show. Two thumbs up!

Pacifism

Not to be confused with passivity, those who adhere to pacifism (pah-sih-fizz-zim) - also known as pacifists - can be very active. They simply disagree with war or violence as a means to solve disputes, and will often refuse to bear arms for that reason.

While pacifistic resistance can work when your opponent isn't ready to kill helpless victims in job lots, it does very little when they are.

Usage:

It's hard, being a pacifist, when everything in the world seems to be trying to kill you.
The Az'attan vow of pacifism leads them usually to abandon captured colleagues, rather than fight to retrieve them.

References:

- - -

Restitution

One way to atone is to attempt restitution (reh-stih-too-shun). This can mean the return of something that was lost, stolen, or damaged to its owner. It can also mean the repayment for damages done, or some attempt to otherwise make good for past wrongs.

Usage:

While he lived, Sallaron often engaged in preemptive restitution. He wasn't sure what he was making up for, but he knew that Tegan would tell him eventually.
The gods often seek restitution during the atonement of a worshiper who has lost the path - usually in the form of additional piety.

References:

darkstorme · « **Reply #183 on:** January 24, 2011, 02:17:18 am »

Eventually, those who find themselves in the Redemptress' care also find...

Solace

As a noun, solace (saw-less or soh-less) is comfort in misery or grief, or a general sense of relief or consolation.

As a verb, it means to give either to another.

Usage:

In the ruins following a Cultist attack, villagers found solace in the fact that they still had each other.
Alantha can find it hard to offer solace to those who distrust her because of the evil deeds her kin have committed.

References:

darkstorme · « **Reply #184 on:** January 25, 2011, 02:30:01 am »

Today, we begin Baraeon Ca'Duz, with...

Retribution

Retribution (reh-trih-bew-shun) is someone receiving what they deserve - most often, punishment. Bear in mind, different people can have different ideas as to what someone "deserves".

It can also be the act of delivering those just desserts to the deserving individual.

Something that exacts or has to do with retribution is described as retributive.

Usage:

The little girl's eyes were hard and cold as she watched the man climb the gallows steps. At last, retribution for her mother's murder.
"Wha-what's this about?" The man struggled against the bonds in his chair, but stopped at a word hissed from the darkness. "Retribution. You ruined my plans. Now, you pay for that."

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #185 on:** January 26, 2011, 02:58:56 am »

The giant, scary spider was covered in...

Chitin

Chitin (ky-tin) is the tough material that makes up the exoskeleton (outer shell) of most arthropods (invertebrates which have a segmented body, so arachnids, insects, and lobsters, among others).

And if you need a word to describe the armour of the minions of the Prince of Hate as they scuttle towards you? Chitinous.

Usage:

Laz's sword punched through the tough chitin protecting the scorpion's abdomen, and recoiled as viscous ichor sprayed from the wound.
The hard, chitinous legs of the spider drove down towards the halfling's face, and she raised an arm to ward them off.

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #186 on:** January 28, 2011, 02:07:26 am »

Appropriate for Dark Elves of either gender, but Baraeon came first in line...

Xenophobia

Xenophobia (zee-no-foe-bee-ah) is an unreasonable fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners, or anything that is strange or foreign. Dark Elves' racial superiority often verges on this.

Someone who is xenophobic is a xenophobe.

Usage:

The most tolerant of the dark elves merely felt distaste and disgust, seeing the human mercenaries near their camp. The real xenophobes didn't even look.
After the adventurers brought peril to their small town, a certain xenophobia developed among the townsfolk.

References:

---

Carapace

Again, describing a component of Baraeon's eight-legged minions, a carapace (care-ah-pace) is a hard shell of bone or chitin covering the upper part of a creature - such as a spider, a beetle, or a lobster.

Humans, (and elves and dwarves) in emulating the devices of nature, have also equipped armored vehicles with carapaces; the term can also, as with many objects, be used metaphorically to represent any sort of protective barrier.

Usage:

The archers had clear shots from above, but their arrows skittered off the armoured carapace of the monstrous spider.
Vrebel thought about taking the giant scorpion carapace home as a trophy, but decided that while three was alright, four would be ostentatious.

References:

darkstorme · « **Reply #187 on:** January 30, 2011, 03:18:05 am »

It's on His page, I can't believe it took me this long to get to it...

Vengeance

Vengeance (ven-jance) is the infliction of punishment on another in return for a wrong committed - though not necessarily against the person seeking vengeance.

Not necessarily evil, but as with retribution, above, a villain can seek vengeance against those who interrupted his dark sacrificial ritual as readily as a paladin can wreak vengeance on evildoers.

Someone who's actively out to seek vengeance can be described as vengeful.

Usage:

"Vengeance will be mine!" the Kobold shaman squeaked as he fled the adventuring party.
The mage was already plotting a horrible vengeance to bestow upon the witless fighter who'd smashed up his ritual circle.

References:

- - -

Spite

As a noun, this word means a malicious feeling, often paired with the urge to hurt or humiliate the target of one's spite (rhymes with "bright").

As a verb, it means to show spite towards someone, or to fill someone with spite.

Usage:

Arkolio knew the woman's husband was suspicious - so he took the man's shaving brush, just to spite him.
The red-glowing narrowed slits of eyes were full of spite.

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #188 on:** January 31, 2011, 03:42:20 am »

Depraved

A depraved (dee-prayv'd) individual is morally corrupt, perverted, or otherwise inclined towards actions that display a shocking lack of perception (or caring) regarding others' rights.

The degree to which one is depraved is their depravity - that's also any depraved act that's committed.

Usage:

Rumour had it that any surface elf unfortunate enough to be dragged down to the Deep would suffer any number of depraved acts at the hands of their Dark Elf captors.
"Hey, I'm depraved on account've I'm deprived!"

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #189 on:** February 02, 2011, 03:25:29 am »

And a double-whammy for Beryl...

Facet

The obvious application of facet (faa-set), for Beryl, is that of a gem or crystal - a flat surface that results from cutting the gem. The term can be applied to hard, flat surfaces at clearly defined angles from other surfaces as well, however - particularly in the animal kingdom. Insects regularly have multifaceted eyes.

It can also be used to describe different, distinct aspects of a situation, object, or concept.

Usage:

Shiff gently blew the dust away from the last cut he had made and held the sapphire up to the light. The lantern's light glinted off the facets perfectly.
There are many facets to most Shadonites' personalities. Almost all of them have to do with pranks, but there are subtle gradations!

Reference:

- - -

Filigree

Filigree (fill-ih-gree) is fancy ornamental work done with wire of gold, silver, copper, or some other precious metal (electrum, platinum, etc.). It's commonly employed as decorative work in jewelry, or as decoration on formal armour. The filigree can also make up jewelry without backing, looking something like metallic lace.

It can also be used to describe natural or artificial formations that resemble the metalwork - a filigree of frost on glass, for instance.

To filigree something is to apply a filigree to it.

Usage:

Griff swung his new axe experimentally, and nodded, satisfied with the heft and balance. The blade was a work of art in itself, with alloyed gold filigree on the flat of the blade.
The necklace was comprised of delicate gold and silver filigree, supporting a tasteful emerald pendant.

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #190 on:** February 05, 2011, 09:41:33 pm »

And now a brief stint of "Darkstorme's Word of the Day on Average", where everyone's favourite dimly-lit weather pattern plays catch-up with his daily words:

First, if you're going to deal with the goddess of gems, facets aren't all there is:

Cabochon

A cabochon (cah-beh-shon) is a gemstone cut in a rounded, convex shape (rather than faceted). This is often the preferred cut for opaque gems like moonstone or opal, as well as any gem with a Mohs rating of less than 7, because faceted gems show scratches more than cabochons.

Usage:

Razeriem painstakingly gave the greenstone a cabochon cut before setting it in the platinum.
The noblewoman's amulet was a cabochon-cut malachite set in gold, completely heedless of the fact that it could bear no magical properties.

Reference:

Bonus!

The following gems in Layo have a Mohs hardness of < 7, meaning that they wouldn't take to a faceted cut well:

Greenstone
Malachite
possibly Phenalope (since it doesn't exist outside of the setting)
Agate (sometimes)
Opal
Aventurine
Feldspar
Note - if an in-game gem doesn't appear on this list, it doesn't mean it cannot be cut as a cabochon - simply that it would be more work to do so, and likely not worth the effort. For a diamond, with Layonaran technologies short of magic, it might well be impossible, since diamond-tipped tools would be employed to cut the others.

darkstorme · « **Reply #191 on:** February 07, 2011, 01:01:56 am »

Continuing to play catchup...

Gilded

No, Virginia, it's not what happens when you become a member of the Angels. If something is gilded (gill-dead), it is coated with (or appears to be coated with) a thin layer of gold. If someone is painting a layer of gold onto something, they are gilding it.

The idiom "gilding the lily" means to add unnecessarily to something that is already complete, or to add adornment to something that's already beautiful and doesn't require improvement. (As would be the case if you were applying gold paint to a lily blossom.)

In the interests of full disclosure, "gild" used to be used interchangeably with "guild", but that usage has been deprecated.

The past tense can also be gilt, which also finds use as a noun, meaning the thin layer of gold or seeming-gold with which a gilded object is coated.

Usage:

The halfling thief, caught by a wizard, had a curse laid upon him. Anything he touched would be coated with a thin layer of gold paint. Thus, the halfling's colleagues were readily evident to the local authorities. The wizard called it "gilt by association".
Zarianna paused a moment, while gilding the frame of the mirror she was working on. Personally, she thought it was ostentatious. But the customer was willing to pay for it...

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #192 on:** February 10, 2011, 04:11:56 am »

And on...

Lustre

Often misspelled (by Americans, for example - even their dictionaries!) as "luster", lustre (luss-stir) is the measure of how a gem appears to shine in the light.

It can also be the brilliance of a light source itself, a substance (usually a glaze) used to make porcelain or ceramic shiny, a description of beauty, a chandelier or other hanging decoration with dangling cut glass or the dangling bits of cut glass themselves.

As a verb, it means to give something (or oneself) greater lustre. Something that has lustre can be described as lustrous.

Usage:

Kylie rubbed a bit more polishing oil into the gem with the rough finishing cloth. She examined its lustre critically in the light of the braziers.
The young ingenue drew away from Hal, her eyes wide and lustrous in the candlelight. Hal smiled disarmingly, the dagger a comforting pressure at the small of his back.

References:

darkstorme · « **Reply #193 on:** February 12, 2011, 04:55:14 am »

Right, time to play some serious catch-up. Round one...

Casting

I'll probably regret this when it comes time to do Dorand, but it's the only way we make jewelry in game!

As a verb, with regards to jewelry and other small metallic items, casting is pouring liquid metal into clay molds, letting it cool, then removing the clay from the hardened metal. Casting can also mean projecting something - as in a fishing line, one's gaze, or a spell. A bard could also engage in casting when looking for performers for a new play he wrote.

A casting is the process of transferring metal to a mold, the resultant metal product, the act of throwing a spell or fishing line, or the act of choosing actors.

Usage:

Vladmir's face was lit from below with the brilliant light of molten gold as he cast the ring.
Sehky cast a spell to ensure that the casting of his new amulet would go well. Unfortunately, when he cast his gaze about the tradehall, he neglected to notice a dropped ball bearing, and now his leg is in a cast.

References:

(Also, this is what molten gold looks like.)

- - -

Inlay

To inlay (inn-lay) something is to set it in a depression on a surface so that it is flush with the surface. This is a technique seen both in jewelry (for example, a ring with a greenstone inlay) and in decorated surfaces (eg. walls, floors, furniture, decorative boxes).

An inlay is something that has been inlaid. It is also a term used to describe tooth fillings in dentistry - but I don't think Layonara's oral surgery has developed to that point.

Usage

The floor of the entrance to the opulent guild hall was marble inlaid with a pattern of semi-precious stones.
Timulty inlaid his name in gold just above the pommel of the sword. Incidentally, though he knows many words, ostentatious isn't one of them.

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #194 on:** February 14, 2011, 12:34:32 am »

And now Branderback!

Larcenous

Someone or something that is larcenous (lar-senn-us) is pertaining to, related to, or guilty of larceny.

Larceny (lar-senn-ee) is theft.

Usage:

Trent sighed. Adventurers were good sorts, on the whole, but why did some of them have to be such accomplished (and sometimes pathological) thieves? It was always so galling to be pinning a medal onto one of the more larcenous ones for saving the city, only to find that they'd already stolen the medal.
Azroque preferred not to think of what she did as "larceny". She preferred "involuntary redistribution of wealth".

Reference:

- - -

Culpability

Culpability (cull-pah-bill-ih-tee) is what no proper Branderbackian wants to settle on them. The person who is culpable is the one who is holding the bag; the one who takes the blame; the one who, in most cases when a Branderbackian is involved, winds up in prison.

More generally, it's the person who's responsible for a crime or an injury done to another person.

Usage:

By the light of a dark lantern, a small figure worked in the earth behind Mr. Jackson's shed. Jackson was a bit of a ruffian, so it would come as no surprise when the guard, following an anonymous tip-off, would find enough evidence that Mr. Jackson was culpable for the rash of robberies recently. No one would even consider the halfling who ran the corner store - a devout Deliarite if ever there was one.
Because Sallaron often had to take responsibility for his son, he often got the culpability that came with it.

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #195 on:** February 16, 2011, 03:52:23 am »

Miscreant

A miscreant (miss-cree-ant or -ent) is a villain or wrongdoer. It's often also the kind of epithet that the painfully good-guy characters can get away with. (See Usage.)

As an adjective, miscreant means evil or villainous. So a miscreant gets up to miscreant activities.

Usage:

The prisoner spat on the guard captain's boots as she walked by. Her hand snapped out, grabbed the man by the collar and dragged him close. "Now you listen to me, miscreant," she growled. "We found you over those bodies with the knife in your hands. If it were up to me, you'd be dangling from a tree branch right now. But that's not how we do things." Her smile could've chilled Firesteep. "We'll take you back, have a proper trial with a Rofireinite court, and then we'll hang you."
The shopkeeper wasn't sure about Ni'haer. The fact that he was a dark-ear was bad enough, but the rumours of miscreant behaviour linked with him... still, his coin was as good as anyone's.

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #196 on:** February 17, 2011, 03:45:10 am »

Branderback's followers tend to prefer to do their work at a distance, but only the ill-equipped would find themselves without one of these...

Garrote

A garrote (gar-rote or gahr-rote) is a short length of cord or wire used to strangle someone. The advantages of this particular method of killing to a robber or cutthroat are obvious - it's an easy weapon to carry, easy to conceal, and doesn't afford the victim any real chance to cry out. The disadvantage is that it requires a fair amount of strength to employ, and cannot be used against an aware opponent.

Garrote can also refer to the act of strangling someone in this fashion.

It was also (as one might surmise from the name) originally a Spanish word referring to a particular torture device - an iron collar which could be tightened by means of a wheel to strangle or execute a victim.

As a verb, to garrote is to execute someone in this fashion, whether with the weapon or with the torture instrument.

Usage:

Zardoc wrapped the copper wire around his forearm and then replaced his gauntlet. In a pinch, it could serve as a useful garrote. And quite aside from that, one never knew when one might need some copper wire.
The merchant, deep in his cups, was making his unsteady way home. He didn't notice the figure stepping up behind him, nor the rope until it slipped around his neck. "Shhh," the figure murmured as the merchant clutched at his throat, a strangled gurgling the only sound emerging from his rapidly-purpling lips. She waited for the twitching to stop, then lowered the garroted body to the cobbles and quickly rifled through its pockets before vanishing into the darkness again.

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #197 on:** February 21, 2011, 04:37:04 am »

And to wrap up Branderback...

Duplicitous

If someone is duplicitous (doo-plih-sih-tuss), it doesn't mean there's more than one of them - not physically, at any rate. They could, however, readily be two-faced.

The word can be used to describe a person, an organization, or actions - in all cases, it means that they are characterized by deceptive or misleading behaviour.

The actions of a duplicitous individual are, collectively, duplicity.

Usage:

She liked to think she had an open mind, and wanted to give Frakk a chance. But goblins were duplicitous. Everyone knew that!
As he heard the clicks of safety catches being loosed on the crossbows now ringing them, all he could think of was the sheer duplicity of their guide.

Reference:

= = =

Covet

Many religions in real life have rules similar to "thou shalt not covet" (cuv-ette). Branderback? Not one of them.

To covet is to desire something (that you do not have) intensely - even if (or especially if) it belongs to someone else.

Someone who covets something is said to be covetous.

Usage:

Just seeing her new amulet was enough - now he coveted the thing desperately. He resolved to steal it when they next made camp - setting fire to the tent would cause enough of a distraction that she'd not notice it missing for a while.
Some people say that Arkolio is dreadfully covetous. That's simply not true. There are many things he doesn't desperately desire. Anything he already has, for one thing.

Reference:

= = =

Venal

Someone who is venal (vee-null) is loyal to a fault. Unless someone else pays them more, or they could benefit more from betraying you. For the right sum, they'd kill you, then dance on your corpse.

A venal individual is corrupt, open to bribery, and absolutely willing to betray anyone for the right price. This doesn't even have to be an outside influence - if killing you and looting your corpse is likely to work out well for them, that's acceptable too.

Usage:

She'd bought the halfling's cooperation in getting into the tomb with a hefty bag of gold, but she didn't trust the venal little twerp any further than she could kick him.
Knowing how notoriously venal the mercenary band was, the carvan offered them twice what they were being paid to turn against their masters. Unfortunately, they realized only too late that knowing the caravan had that kind of money handy was not a good means of discouraging the cutthroats.

Reference:

darkstorme · « **Reply #198 on:** February 24, 2011, 05:37:40 am »

And now, Corath! (Makes me wish I hadn't spent a month on evil/spooky words back in October.)

Desecrate

To desecrate (deh-seh-crate) something is to violate or profane a sacred object or place through destructive or blasphemous actions. Naturally a goal of many evil individuals.

Usage:

The cultist raised the dagger over the woman bound to the desecrated altar. He smiled inwardly - he certainly hoped Toran was watching his former church.
Desecrating the holy grove had been a vile pleasure. Forest animals slaughtered and left to rot, or reanimated as zombies in the ring in the middle of the clearing.

References:

= = =

Heinous

Describing an action or deed as heinous (hay-nuss) means that it is particularly (or remarkably) evil.

Usage:

The spate of murders in Vehl had been particularly heinous - parts of some of the victims hadn't even been found.
The man known among the clergy only as "Ice" was rumoured to have committed acts so heinous that even other Corathites gave him a wide berth.

References:

darkstorme · « **Reply #199 on:** February 26, 2011, 05:32:40 am »

An appropriate word which I'm surprised I haven't yet used:

Massacre

A massacre (mass-ah-cur) is the slaughter of a large number of humans or animals, often with exceptional cruelty or excessive violence.

To massacre is effectively to accomplish the above. It can also mean to screw something up spectacularly, as in "he massacred the elven pronunciation, but the point got across".

Usage:

Two dark elves chased the deep gnomes out through the gate - where another five dark elves were waiting to massacre the helpless prey.
The scene was a massacre, and the Lieutenant struggled to keep his gorge from rising.

Reference: