Questions: On Eypharians and Semhu

[Tayn]

Hey! My name is Tj and I just joined Mizahar today. I've been doing a lot of reading on Eypharians and I've decided I want to make a PC pursuing the ancient art of Semhu. The wiki states that

Semhu is an intensely physical and visual artform, combining acrobatics, mime, and martial arts to produce a highly stylized and often vigorous dancing style. This bodily expression is paired with ornate singing and vocal phrasing.

and also talks about Semhu being the

overlap of art and war

. What i would like to do is create a character who is somewhat of a "blade dancer" - Focusing on learning the art of Semhu, but also advancing in Dual Wielding - tying these skills together to create both a better performance and greater mastery of combat.

My main question is this - the skill list details Acting, Dancing, Singing, and to a lesser extent, Rhetoric and Storytelling, all as separate skills that I would be interested in. With those skills and My weapon skill, acrobatics(probably necessary for the art), and busking (for work) I've realized I may be taking on too many skills to happily distribute.

Can I combine some of the skills into their own "Semhu" category of skill, or should I take the skills separately? It might be simpler for me, but for the storytellers it might make more sense if I leave them as separate skills for the purposes of experience. Just looking for some guidance .


Second question is a bit more loose. I'm thinking of having my character become addicted to the drug "Mirage" in the past, causing him to botch a very important performance and resulting in his eventual self imposed exile from Ahnatep, desiring to improve his craft by learning from other performers and returning a greater artist. Would this make sense in Eypharian society? I sense a very proud and even arrogant people, and such a disgrace would cause constant public ridicule, possibly even the shame of his family, and thus his desire to leave and find redemption..?

Thanks for any and all help!

[Tayn]

Well I think I'll just make my character with them separately unless someone tells me otherwise.

[Zuriel]

Make the character with the skills separated into their respective parts, when you perform Semhu in either combat or art within a thread you will write about the different things he learns and does.

Storytellers will allocate points to your character based on which bits he learns from, performs well and also how well you write about the separate concepts.

Because of this system you will likely get differing amounts of points for the different skills used within your threads which will outline the flaws in your characters technique. This will allow you to focus on his flaws and improve his skill in the art overall, creating a smooth, natural learning curve from competent busker to "Unrivaled Master of Semhu and Blade-Dancing". ^_^

[Colombina]

Hi Tayn,

Zuriel is correct! You would have the separate skills as opposed to creating one "Semhu" skill, since different performers have different specialities. Your character would be considered a "dancer" as opposed to a singer, and it would probably behoove him to learn a little acting if he wanted a good part.

Semhu training usually starts at a young age, so Tayn would have some history with the Semhu school.

As for the background story, Mirage use will not get you social scorn, per se, but the public botching of a role: absolutely. He would get booed off stage and panned by everyone. The Eypharians take their art very seriously. I think this is a great idea to explain Tayn's fall from almost glory. I would love to see the flashback thread where this happens. I am always looking for new submissions of Semhu plays as well.
Hope all that helps!