IC Swearing

Sylvance

Thought this might be fun?

So I'm interested as to how the crowd-stopping, head-turning shock factor of a rl curse word (okay, I guess there's only one left, if we're honest) can be conveyed within the boundaries of Achaea's language rules.  There are many times that what you(r character) would like to say to somebody else('s character) in Achaea would possibly have OOC repercussions; so how can you tell somebody to go do that thing to themselves without breaching the bounds of fourth-wall etiquette?

Perhaps you good people could help me to create a list of IC things that, when said in the wrong company, would be utterly inappropriate for an adventurer in Sapience.  I am not for a moment looking for phrase fusions of rude words with Achaean terms, rather where the meaning of the word or its connotations would be unwelcome.

A few ideas to get started (not terribly good ones!):

Sylvance stubs her toe, and shouts "Babel's return!"

Sylvance stares at you and says from between grit teeth, "Taug take your mother."

Let's also think 'factions'; telling a Cyrenian that they're 'Sartan's spawn' is going to be a great deal more offensive than saying it to a Mhaldorian.

Orklanishkal

I guess there are more creative ways to do it but I just use commonly understood vulgarity.

Cinya

Apparently "Holy Inferno" is a very distinctively-Cinya phrase, although technically I think Sothantos said it once when I was a novice and then I just took it from him. I also use phrases such as "what in Inferno were you thinking?" etc. It's obviously the Achaean equivalent of Hell.

I also use "gods dammit" (noting the plural) for obvious reasons. 

I think that's about it - Cinya uses a lot of 'normal' curses as well, though anything involving Inferno is her favorite (because I think it's fun to say/type, and I like subtly marking my curses as IC). I'm sure they're both inappropriate in certain circles, but Cinya rarely watches her language around anyone except Divine. 

Jiraishin

Jiraishin doesn't swear much, and it's generally pretty mild. Generally I just say 'Lords' or occasionally 'Twin Lords' where IRL 'Lord' would be an appropriate oath. I use 'gods' more occasionally, but I prefer 'goddamned' to 'gods-damned' just because it sounds better to me.

I always thought using Inferno as a curse word was a little funny ICly, because Jiraishin has -been- to Inferno, though admittedly only the part Apostates are allowed into.'The hell' rings better to me anyway.

Nellaundra

Nell just cusses up a storm.  Seriously, she's like a drunken sailor when she gets into a mood.

Silas

Hell exists IC. That's what hellsight does. I think demons too, maybe?

Cinya

@Silas: Not saying it doesn't, just that Inferno does also! And it's more fun to say.

Crathen

There's a bollocks emote for a very good reason.

That said, I think it's a nice touch when folks have their own commonly used curses. Cinya's sound good. I think it might be a matter of just sitting down for a few minutes and figuring out what your character could/would say instead of hell/damn/shit. And then make sure it doesn't sound cheesy or stupid. Or if it must sound cheesy, make it sound cheesy in a distinctly Achaean way (see OP)

Melodie

I remember Aerek will often use "Mother Maya", though usually as an exclamation of surprise or frustration.

I'm with Crathen, though. Although for Mel, really, other than the occasional damn, she really doesn't curse publically. If she did, I'd bet it'd involve necromancy-wielding grook Nihilists or something.

Vaehl

I just say -, -, -, - and sometimes say go - a -.

Cinya

@Crathen, on the topic of tailoring curses/speech to your own character, this is one of my favorite Achaea moments ever. It helps to know that the first two items happened at EXACTLY the same time: 

Quoren turns his eyes to the heavens and murmurs, "Light, what is this, a harvest festival?"

You look sceptical and say in an irritated voice, "Gods, what is this, a party?"

Quoren stares at you with a slight frown upon his features.

You peer at Quoren unscrupulously.

Patriarch Quoren Dev'Argenthand says, "... That was deeply odd."

RIP Quoren, I miss him so so much.

Amunet

IRL, I tend to take the name of the Judeo-Christian God in vain almost constantly. I've adapted this blasphemy for Achaea. For example:

OOC                                                                    Achaean

Oh, God!                                                             Oh, Gods!

Goddamn it!                                                        Gods damn it!

Goddamned                                                        Gods-damned, or godsbedamned

Sweet God!                                                         Sweet Gods! (occasionally, "Sweet Shaitan!", as I came across "Sweet                                                                                               Satan!" in a book a few months back, and really took to it.)

God in Heaven!                                                   Gods in the Garden!

I haven't found a good analogue for "Jesus Christ!" quite yet, but I'll settle on something eventually. Aside from these, Amu uses a lot of creative, often excessively vulgar expressions or profanity, but nothing specifically Achaean. Admittedly, I probably drop more f-bombs IC than is considered sane or reasonable, but I do try to keep it off of public channels and only in the company of people I'm certain won't be offended by it. I curse like a sailor IRL, and it's a difficult habit to break!

Mishgul

Ayar be Damned

Jonathin

I only go as far as to say 'damn it' or 'damn it all' when I'm trying to portray disappointment or frustration from Mosr. OOC, the f-bomb is part of my regular vocabulary, but Mosr is slightly more refined than going around cussing up a storm over trivial issues or for no reason at all. 

Synbios

I never swear ingame. I find it exceedingly difficult to do so. I'm like the anti-Amunet.

Aerek

Melodie said: I remember Aerek will often use "Mother Maya", though usually as an exclamation of surprise or frustration.

The alliteration is key.

I generally keep my cursing to a PG-rated level, so I've rarely had any issues in this arena. Part of that's OOC courtesy for whomever is around, but most of it is just that Aerek's enough of a gentleman not to be caught spouting real vulgarities. That said, when I do feel it's appropriate for Aerek to lose his cool, I make an effort to offend the offender's race, profession, or nationality instead of using RL vulgarities. Base cursing, to me, is a wasted opportunity to let fly with some Shakespearean-style irreverence in what becomes its own little RP event:  who can come up with the best Achaean slur? "Mother F---er" sounds woefully uncreative when compared to  "impudent, blasphemous little fogsucker."

I also think substituting IC material for serious vulgarity helps make clear that I am, in fact, still roleplaying, not just losing my sh-- on the other end of the computer.

Ellodin

holy codex!

Aerek

No, no, the Codex of Light offended waaaaay more people. Use that one.

Peak

Silas said:

Hell exists IC. That's what hellsight does. I think demons too, maybe?

I just think about when @Phaestus shouted something about all levels of hell. I think it was to do with someone's beefy newspost.

Sylvance

Aerek said: Base cursing, to me, is a wasted opportunity to let fly with some Shakespearean-style irreverence...

...I also think substituting IC material for serious vulgarity helps make clear that I am, in fact, still roleplaying, not just losing my sh-- on the other end of the computer.

@Aerek Two excellent points, and entirely the point of this thread.

Tahquil

Hell is like, a suburb in the Inferno. JFYI.

Luhar

Luhar doesn't swear, except occasionally the Damn emote when I forget myself a bit. More often, if something bad happens, he doesn't react because I've taken my hands away from the keyboard while I compose myself. I like to pretend that Luhar is carefully considering his options/response, rather than that the man in his head has lost control of all the levers, wheels and gizmos.

Nizaris

@Luhar:

Iocun

Iocun doesn't really swear, and even if he did, I probably wouldn't manage to come up with something very distinctly Achaean on the spot. But it would be a great thing to do, really.

"By Severian's beard!"

"By Lupus! May the wild beasts devour your flesh!"

"May Kortoxian treat your maladies!"

"Tzantza onto you, you demented hallucinating idiot!"

"Get out of my sight, lycopod fodder!"

"Hey, bubonis-face!"

Morro

Most of my swearing is pretty uncreative, though I've taken a liking to "by the Gods" and "great grim Gods", because alliteration is lovely. If I really want to offend someone, I just say "have a nice day, and Hail Babel".

Anaidiana

scruffy-looking goblin herder?

Ruth

The only consistent swear phrase I use is variations of the pit of Golgotha as an alternative to hell.

"What in the Pit!"
".. the Pit is this?"
etc.

Anaidiana

oooh....kraken fodder. hmn. or scruffy looking kraken herder. Bahaha. 

Oceana

Oceana does not swear, but I love the creativeness of some of those above.

Kresslack

I think swearing IC'ly is a good form of verbal release; the more creative, the better. 

Maybe some others:

Thoth's breath!

By the horned god!

Lupus' hairy arse!

Maya fend!

Daklore

I just drop a F-bomb and move on.

What? I'm not going to try and create swears, my normal swearing is incomprehensible gibberish as is. (This is actually how I normally swear... usually in response to stubbing my toe.)