Being "Common"

Common sense isn't common. Common people are not common either.

I was a common Mercenary. Then I found I was Dragoon. Then, at that time I was willing to be the common, Mercenary but with the change in label I was special. I was still the same person as I still am now but changed. What is assigned to me by others is what they see me as. Guardsmember Dragoon Commander Birgitta Hero Smith former Mercenary all fit and all are me. Some common some uncommon. Circumstances make changes too and those changes can be very potent.

Position assigned made me think to truly become a Master Warrior. I had been thinking otherwise but in acceptance of position came a requirement self imposed to improve that part of myself.

This too is progress. Progress means to move forward. Two steps forward and one and a half back is still progress. Change brings death and I don't mean slay or murder death but the little death of what was prior to the change. When it's a collapse of the worlds pancaking and trying to drive us into the fire the progress is that one and a half steps back but is still progress.

Change forced and how we react and then act makes all the difference as to whether we are common or uncommon or special. I would say all who survived be it by luck skill or placement are uncommon and some are special. How old is your soul? How powerful your zest for life? How does one rate such things? Is an older soul more or less powerful? Do you see it as old weak and tired giving up with no reason to return to try again? Or do you see an old soul filled with lives long past fueling the life of today? More importantly... Does it matter? If do why?

I could say I'm a simple soldier. Am I?

As to Travance. This land is old soul by both definitions above. It's more civilized because of the culture and structures imposed. I remember when the guard were simply the best fighters the town had test responded not to the letter of the Law but to the spirit of it and what was deemed right. In many ways they still do but...That is to say politics while present were not as structured because Travance was more wild. Many many thieves assassins vagabonds common people with list families came here to work to become more. Thus every farmer's tilling that field came from someone uncommon. They came across the rift in a time where such was perilous where sorcery didn't blink of an eye you place to place and where death stalked in unknown quantity just out of the range of your eyes.

Travance has progressed from a foothold to a battle hold to functioning countyship. So has it's beginning families and people be they common or not.

It is true that we are all different. Marcus the baker is different from Andrew the butcher. We are all different in our own right, but that is not what I am talking about.

Being a commoner means being apart of the strongest guild in any kingdom. Being a commoner means that you help with every thing you contribute and everything you do you help make the kingdom of Kormyre as a whole. Now as to avoid anyone from getting the wrong ideas from my words and causing trouble for me, but I will say this as my final thought. A king without his people, is just a man in expensive cloth.

***NOT CAELVAN***

It is true. A ruler without people is a man in expensive cloth. No one is refuting that a king needs his people.

What I AM refusing is the being "common" is a compliment. Notice Dominic I am saying being common, NOT commoner as Ilana helped everyone realize that part earlier. Maybe you should read words more carefully next time hmm?

Now to your point of being the strongest guild. Who is to say the mage or bard in the mages guild can't be the baker? I have been told of a bard who is a baker. Does this person not fulfill BOTH your definition of common and my definition of being uncommon? This bard learned the art of helping people with their voice AND is a baker.
Being part of the strongest guild can mean many things. It could mean you just have the most people. If that is the case Dominic then that is sad and we need to fix it.

Who says this butcher can't also be Andrew the ranger who gets his meat from the forest?

Remember. My definition of uncommon is a person who wishes to further themselves to a higher calling. Birgitta was a common mercenary. Then she found she was a dragoon. She could have stayed common. Not furthered her knowledge of the skills of that and remained common. But she didn't.

How many dragoons are there that are like Birgitta? How many healers or psions that don't know they have these energies in them and can't further themselves? These people are "common" without knowing they are in fact uncommon.

Think of these people in your next posting. Think of them as common people and not "commoners". For if being common is an insult, just saying you have no drive to further yourself, then being a commoner is a larger insult because being a commoner would mean you are nothing. Being a commoner would mean you can't become something more. I don't believe that. I believe, from personal experience that every common person can have the drive and ability to learn more.

In fact I will prove how much I believe this. I say to any common person reading this posting. Come to me. Come to me and I will find you a teacher if I can't do it myself. Come to me to further yourselves and join those that are at this moment labeled uncommon.

Come to me and join us in knowledge. Don't let the god I worship keep you away. As you can see I'm on your side. Not like your books claim what I am. I am a friend. I am a teacher. I am a priest. Think of me as these things.

I will be in the proper late Thursday night and most of next weeks end for anyone seeking me out.

In truth,
Merikh
Priest of Galmachis ,friend, teacher of the common man

And who says rangers and mages are not common in of themselves. I would say with the amount of rangers and mages I have seen that that particular path is a common one.

As to the common people being the most powerful guild, I mean that the guild of the common folk makes up the entire kingdom. Every person who calls themselves a Kormyrian is apart of the guild of commoners in Kormyre.

Remember, my definition of uncommon is someone who decides to go further into "progress" or try and gain more power.

If we label psions and healers as "uncommon" it is considering them not normal when in fact they are. They are gifted common people who can use these abilities. We shouldn't make others feel like outcasts because they are gifted from birth.

I am one who has an "uncommon" life and I have lived it for only a few years so far and already it has claimed the lives of many who I loved. Their are times when I look up at night and think as to how much I would love to go back to the days when I was common. A peaceful life only needing what I need to survive. I never wanted any of this, I am envious of those who are common for I was not given a choice to be who I am today. I used to dream of sitting on a porch after an honest days work, drinking a bottle of ale, watching my kids play before my loving wife calls everyone in for dinner. Now my mind is plagued with nightmares of those who I have killed and all those who wish me dead. So I really don't have much care for your opinion on being called common, I find being common to be peaceful and happy.

*Not Oakroot*
I see this post growing in size, however it's message still hasn't changed. This debate of semantics is doing nothing for the "common man" nor for the "heroes". What is more important is better ourselves as individual and defining who and what you are. Some may be considered heroes other will disagree, mortals disagree over silly things it's what we do. We also create, love, and adapt. If we should learn anything from this its we are all different in belief, appearance, and ideology embrace it and better ourselves before we decide to define others.

In the name of differences,
Yuvgeniy Amari

I suggest you finish this conversation across a table from each other with a few drinks between you. No ink, blades or spells. Just drinks, words, and ideas. I don't want to see this devolve from a debate to an argument any further. It has already started to slip in that direction, and I wish to help you keep from doing so in such a public setting.

-Oren