gentlemanMannerism Appreciation Thread

[ventricularPipefitter]

Most of you have heard her name before. Some of you have probably at one point gotten a little confused and assumed it was actually 'mannerismGentleman.'

At the very least, you have heard tell of the 'Sburb Etiquette FAQ.' Some of you may scoff at it: a document brimful of advice, guideline, and rule for every social, mental, or social scenario yet encountered or imagined by Sburb players. Yes, it is long. Yes, it is nigh-impenetrably purple in prose and thick with the period Victorian idiom that is her penchant.

Guess how many players it has saved the lives of. Go on, I challenge you. I am unashamed to say I am one of them. The Guide works.

Of late, she has been a more reclusive figure in these communities: not one much for the press of fame.

But for the sake of those who knew her, and those who do not know her yet, I wanted to set up this appreciation thread, for stories about her (true, fictitious, or apocryphal), or how her Guide has helped you.

----

She, (for gM is a girl, despite her sharply-pressed men's clothing, firm desire to be regarded and treated as a proper gentleman, and occasional false moustache) never talked much about herself and her personal history on the public fora and imageboards. You can infer some of her personal past from the Guide, from her supplemental essays on non-Etiquette topics published separately, or from the stories of those she has played with.

I think it is fair to say she is one of the oldest, most veteran players around, absolutely in excess of other longtimers like genesisArtificer, enturbulatedOccupation, or myself. I'm not sure how may sessions for certain; asking directly about that sort of thing would be rude, after all.

Her Native role, she will tell you, was as a Hero of Rage. A Dame of Rage, most think, and I could believe it. A survivor, and a protector, who honed her indignant fury at the unending vexations of Sburb into a method that can keep us all sane, polite, and alive.

Despite her native Rage, she is said never to raise her voice. Her tone would become cold and sharp, her enumerations of your fault or her Denizen's crimes, or her disdain at a Ringwraith's devastation, would be not deafening, but verbose.

It is as effective as it is terrifying.

So, that's her.

The woman.

The legend.

The Gentleman.

[ExtropianDreamer]

I can, in fact, confirm that she is even older than me.

When I first started making contact with the Sburb community at large, sometime during my fourth session, she was already a fixture in the community.

I half-suspect she may even be so venerable as to have come by her somewhat victorian mannerisms naturally.

I do suspect I encountered her in person once, though that would have been during the period where my memories are less than clear. The only concrete impression I retain is one of absolute terror on my behalf.

[chaoticVoyager]

It seems almost unreal that a person like this would exist.

Sounds like something you'd tell to newbs to keep them in line.

...Okay, I suppose I'm kinda afraid she'll throw an overly verbose lecture at me for this post.

[timelyTurnabout]

She once descended from the furthest ring on an umbrella and introduced us to Dick Van Dyke, who led our entire session in a giant song and dance number extolling the virtues of menial tasks. True story.

[crystallineLullaby]

EEK. I've heard the wonderous legends/horror stories about this lady and if I ever came across her in a session I honestly don't know whether I'd be honored, slightly star struck, or completely terrified. Probably all of that.

[tungstenTinkerer]

I had the... luck... to play with GM during my fifth session. Who knows me, knows that I wasn't really in at my best back then.

GM was the player of Mind for that session, and she undoubtedly helped me. Whatever the aspect, whatever the class, GM is always impeccably competent in her role.

Sadly, I ended up failing her quite often due to my illness back then. I think she somewhat understood. I think she was lenient in disciplining me. I think that is why my internal organs have not been replaced by china yet.

I am not sure how she does what she does. I am told by a dersite co-player of mine the at some point she decided that lately the behavior of the black queen was "incredibly improper" and she entered the throne room to "discuss with her majesty about what a queen's conduct should be". She later remarked that she had a delightful time with her majesty, although at the beginning she had a "somewhat heated discussion on how royalty should welcome a guest, even one as humble as me".

Nobody saw the queen again and the throne room was barred to player entry for the rest of the session. I am not sure I want to know what happened there.

May 22, 2012 16:41:17 GMT -5 crystallineLullaby said:

EEK. I've heard the wonderous legends/horror stories about this lady and if I ever came across her in a session I honestly don't know whether I'd be honored, slightly star struck, or completely terrified. Probably all of that.

Yeah, I think that's the appropriate reaction. And remember to behave.

[mislaidLullaby]

Ye Gods! This thing finally hit my timestamp. I alcehmised a hard copy of it and it's about as thick as my torso and carries seven different buffs, all related to fear.

I'm almost dreading cracking the thing open but it needs doing eventually.

[ventricularPipefitter]

The fear mojo, as I recall it, is designed to keep Underlings or Consorts from carrying the book off. Unless you specifically give it to someone, they won't up and carry it off. The fifth appendix has a more thorough explanation of her hows and whys of that interwoven alchemization, and how to alchemize it into a less frightful copy. Or an exquisitely indexed and linked e-reader with the e-book edition loaded up. Later on, from your perspective, there is a sans-Terror version, designed with chapters appropriate for consorts, imps, and carapaces, such that it is appropriate for wider circulation and theft.

Let us know if you have any questions about her advice. Sometimes it's a little non-intuitive, we know.

[genesisArtificer]

If you try to alchemize this Bible, it will result in endgame level weapons that all carry powerful RAGE charge.

Argument Bomb somehow made the most proper explosion that I have beholden, ever. It left perfectly circular blast radius where every blade of grass had little moustache and monocle on it. I cried a little, then.

[mislaidLullaby]

I decided to experiment and ended up with the Flail of Flawed Arguments. It brought a tear to my eye.

Also, managed to get through the first chunk earlier. My word, this thing really does cover all potential situations! I am in awe.

[genesisArtificer]

They say, if you manage to memorise this whole text, you will Ascend to GM Tier.

God Tiers are a park walk next to this.

[tenaciousTheseus]

I have heard her name whispered around the Sburb communities and the normal chatter cuts off abruptly. From what I've heard, that should be the normal reaction. Her guide hasn't hit my timestamp yet, though.

[iDea]

I, too, have heard of the great and terrible GM. Just started reading the FAQ.

It's useful, but I'm kind of afraid of it on general principle.

[rubberScarab]

I've read most of her guide, though I'll admit to having skipped a section or two. It's quite enlightening, to say only the least. I've never met her in person, but if I did, I imagine I'd express my profound thanks, and then avoid her for the rest of the session for fear of accidentally violating a rule.

It's said that her mastery of etiquette is biblical to behold.

[musicalDecay]

This person. I don't know if she is the most batshit insane person I've ever seen, or if she's so calm and terrifying she just kicks logic right up the ass. It's like you want to cower in a dark corner from her but have a tea party with her at the same time.