Opus | Knight's 2,000th Post

[Knight of Iron she/they]

Hello, and welcome to Opus (definition: any artistic work), my 2,000th post. As I now cement these posts as a tradition of mine (idc about Shardiversary) as an attempt to give back to this wonderful world of the Shard, I think back to a little over six months ago, when I reached my 1,000th. It has most definitely been faster this time, yet I thought to do this again one more time because in the next six months, I should hopefully be leaving on a two-year mission for my church—thus, a hiatus from this site. I hope to see you all on the other side of it. Don't die.

Appreciations (in no particular order)
Gah! So many people to thank. Also maybe next time I won't tag so many people sorry to bother
Thanks to @revelryintheart, I've enjoyed our many conversations and upvoting your wondrous art.
Thanks to @Scarletfox, I've enjoyed playing Minecraft with you on your SMPs. Sorry I can't make more streams.
Thanks to @The Awakened Salad, I've enjoyed getting to RP and not RP with you.
Thanks to @Channelknight Fadran, I've enjoyed crafting fantastic RP moments and admiring your dedication.
Thanks to @Tesh, I've enjoyed RPing with and knowing you, and I apologize to both you and Fadran for still not having read/watched Lord of the Rings.
Thanks to @FriarFritz, I've enjoyed your kindness and your support.
Thanks to @DramaQueen, I've enjoyed getting to talk a bit and I quite appreciate your appreciation of Imagine Dragons music.
Thanks to @AonEne, I've enjoyed some of our discussions and also playing Minecraft with you, I'm still quite proud of that skeleton horse Bean thing.
Thanks to @Butt Ad Venture, I've enjoyed your kindness and willingness to stand behind your friends.
Thanks to @theTruthshaper, I've enjoyed learning new things from you and talking science-y stuff.
Thanks to @Chasmessian, I've enjoyed your friendliness and look forward to possibly some Minecraft in the foreseeable future (also I'm eating a bagel right now, thought that was relevant).
Thanks to @Doomstick, I've enjoyed your fun personality and am honored to have helped murder Szeth in H&H for you.
Thanks to @Hen, I've enjoyed your being nice to me and especially for helping welcome me to the people of the Shard.
Thanks to @Emi, I've enjoyed your drawings and your amazing imagination, and in general for being so helpful.
Thanks to @Spock, I've enjoyed your being awesome and for always making Sharder memes for some reason those are great.
Thanks to @Frustration, I've enjoyed your appreciation of Technoblade and seeing you around on the forums.
Thanks to @xinoehp512, I've enjoyed very much working Minecraft with you and doing a bit of RP with it, although the plans may never have come to fruition.
Thanks to @Zephrun's Imperium, I've enjoyed your art very much and look forward to seeing where Keyed goes.
Thanks to @Wind, I've enjoyed RPing with and talking with you about Siren's Call, you're awesome.
Thanks to @Trutharchivist, I've enjoyed our worldbuilding discussions. Our minds together can turn a harmless RP into a mega quest—or was that me? I'm sure you get some credit.
Thanks to @Truthless of Shinovar, I've enjoyed your friendliness and your fun personality, always makes my day better.
Thanks to @More Cynical Than Funny, I've enjoyed your sense of humor and memes and greatly appreciate your appreciation of LEGOs, we really need some more Cosmere LEGO action.
Thanks to @AmazingGoob, I've enjoyed our Minecraft experiences together and for being such a great Right Hand to my Empire. You can have it now if you want.
Thanks to @Darkfinder, I've enjoyed your persistence and confidence and you're always great to talk to.
Thanks to @JesterLavorre, I've enjoyed worldbuilding together as well as our RP adventures. And your writing is awesome and so detailed!
Thanks to @Mist, I've enjoyed your sense of whimsy and constant support.
Thanks to @Vapor, I've enjoyed talking with you and being in RPs with you, you're superb.
Thanks to @Condensation, I've enjoyed that one time that I corrected your grammar and also your being in just about every RP I've been a part of.
Thanks to @ProfetessaOscura, I've enjoyed your art and sense of humor, which is simply divine, and I always love reading your posts on Siren's Call.
Thanks to @The Ward's Guard, I've enjoyed your charming personality and regret I'm not in any RP's with you anymore... unless you're active on SC in which case I should be.
Thanks to @Honorless, I've enjoyed how nice you always are and how passionate, and also for being the only person on the Shard to wish me happy birthday, literally the reason I returned.
Thanks to @Lunamor, I've enjoyed how welcoming you were when I joined, and always love seeing you around.
Thanks to @Flying, I've enjoyed reading your writing and appreciate your feedback on mine! It's been awesome working with you.
Thanks to KALADIN THE BIRD I ALMOST FORGOT I CAN'T BELIEVE MYSELF
Thanks to @Matrim's Dice, I've enjoyed how cool you've always been and for what RP we have done together.
Thanks to @LukeWasTaken, I've enjoyed what Minecraft and what RP we've been a part of.
Thanks to @Jaywalk, I've enjoyed your inspiration and I'm glad to know you.
Thanks to @Lecky Twig, I've enjoyed playing with Minecraft and for the chats we've had.
Thanks to @Flaming Coinshoot, I've enjoyed what RP you've been a part of and are in, pretty much right now as I post this.
Thanks to @Tani, I've enjoyed and look forward to future RP.
Thanks to @King Aragorn of Gondor for being the only person to say anything on my first Shardiversary. Never forget...
Thanks to EVERYBODY taking the time to read this and also EVERYBODY that I would've put on here but have forgotten and EVERYBODY I've RPed with.
Also, @Isabelle6060 and @Merciful are alright, I guess.

By The Numbers
A few "by the numbers" statistics for me, @Knight of Iron.
3,620 profile visits
2,000 posts
872 reputation
629 days on the Shard
42 followers
35 status updates
31 topics
1 image
0 warning points being applied

Piano Songs
I've been doing some piano recently and if you want to hear me play "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons with some poor audio quality and a black screen then feel free to.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gWKjKSF3ggoyVx_kTlkEobu-QGT0E_op/view?usp=sharing

New Logo
Mini-announcement, I am working on a new logo/profile picture. Rebranding, of sorts. I had a life crisis the other day when I realized I'm a knight, not a sword, and my pic ought to represent that. I'M NOT HAPPY WITH THEM YET SO BEAR WITH ME. But here are some of my recent attempts...

Spoiler

Chapter One
Maybe posting the first chapter of my book on here will motivate me to write chapter three (there are 21 planned chapters and I've worked on/off, mostly off, for a year now). It will have its own thread but consider this a proper sneak peek.
And don't feel bad if you don't read it lol, your feelings of wanting to read it are just as valid. I've been there...
Also it doesn't have a name yet.
Also not looking for constructive feedback on it unless you're a part of my writing group, in which case, feel free to constructively criticize there.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D0Vp7NDWsgTdufjKrMKwDELg308KMrmUY2aV5Fc_UdA/edit?usp=sharing

Story of the Knight of Gold
A continuation, of sorts, of my last rap battle, versus a foe even greater...

Spoiler

I, the Knight of Iron, in the early hours of 26 May 26, 2021, was in trouble.

 

I had known the other Knights wouldn’t let up after I had vanquished their Ookla, their cowardly attempt at a golem capable of defeating me. But I had naively assumed that behind that warrior I would find the Knights cowering, powerless to defeat me. I was dead wrong.

 

The Knight of Gold had awoken, a dangerous warlock and a skilled warrior. Not long after, he had begun attacking my borders with his army relentlessly, whilst he himself infiltrated my castle, using his magic to influence my mind nearly to the point of control, without my knowing. His gold, enchanted, whispered in my mind, speaking of wealth and of power and of love—anything it could to get me to love it, to lose focus.

 

However, I wasn’t wrong when I said they were cowards. The Knight of Gold, despite his successful infiltration, had been hiding for weeks. His heavy enchantment permeating every aspect of my castle, almost driving me to insanity. It took all I had to leave a castle to oversee a battle, and that was when I had "accidentally" broke free of it. Now, as I approached my kingdom once again, I could feel the spell, the allure, take hold in my mind again. I resisted as I fought my way to the throne room.

 

The more I headed inward, the louder the voices became. Gold itself, screaming of worth and value in his mind.

 

I kicked open the door to my throne room to find the Knight of Gold on my throne. When he saw me, he stomped his foot, and the entire room started turning to gold, spreading outward from his feet. I fell to my knees as the voices screamed louder, offering the riches of the world, in exchange for one thing. SURRENDER TO US.

 

“An evil trick, old friend,” I mustered, still on my knees, cringing from the power of the enchantment. “I challenge you to a duel of the olden times.”

 

The Knight of Gold took off his helmet and tossed it to the ground, revealing a mop of blonde hair on a bearded man. “I’ve been waiting, friend.”

 

And the battle begun—with each word feeling like a stab at my mind, reinforced by his power.

 

Spoiler

So, old friend, how’d you like my infection?

A spell so strong, there ain’t no protection

It’s refined, defined, attuned to perfection

Ain’t nothing ever like it in no modern recollection

 

I implore you, please, just listen to my deal

Give up your castle to me, tell your people to kneel

Your iron, it’s inferior, my gold, it’s a steal

Dull, grey, and boring? I don’t get the appeal

 

Your stupid chosen metal is a pile of rust

Just wait a couple years, it’ll be nothing but dust

My gold, now however, is the object of lust

Iron? I think you mean the object of disgust

 

Bow to me and all that you wish shall be gold

The key to your fulfillment’s simply treasure untold

You’ll never have a worry while you’re being controlled

I’ve conquered entire nations, why don’t you join the fold?

I fell to the ground, thousands of voices whispering in my mind. I felt powerless... and I knew that to surrender my will would stop the pain, and give me new power. How was I to fight this?

And I looked down at my sword, and I remembered iron.

Spoiler

It calls to me, beckoning, but I refuse to fail

I’ve recognized this evil and I live to tell the tale

Your gold is far too soft; can't even craft a nail

You're an illusion of strength, but I suspect you’re quite frail

 

It’s a poison, a trap, and I have found release

I'm free of turmoil in my mind and have that inner peace

'Cause when I left the castle, my problems, they decreased

Your precious gold means naught to me; I’d rather be deceased

 

Iron is strong, and iron is consistent

When tools of stone are breaking down, the iron is persistent

Good honest work can seem nonexistent

Yet look no farther than my people, you'll find it's not distant

With each word, the voices in my mind retreated. My sword of iron was blazing with magical energy, and the Knight of Gold screamed at me, enraged. He ran forward, swinging. I dodged easily and then stabbed my sword straight through his golden armor, the sword refusing to break, his gold bending to its will. And he howled.

I whispered into his ear as he fell, my sword and armor gaining strength by doing so.

Your gold has never brought me more than strife

So now it’s bout time that I take back my life

 

And he fell to the ground, defeated.

Meme
I did a couple last time but I will only do one this time.

Spoiler

Happy Two Thousand!

[Flaming Coinshot he/him]

Happy two thousand Knight, the chapter looks neat, and thanks for the mention!

Edited August 9, 2021 by Flaming Coinshoot

[Merciful she/her]

WAIT A MINUTE. I'm only "alright"?

 

Edit: Happy 2,00th, dude.

Edited August 10, 2021 by Merciful

[Knight of Iron she/they]

4 hours ago, Merciful said:

WAIT A MINUTE. I'm only "alright"?

 

Edit: Happy 2,00th, dude.

Happy 31st.

[Merciful she/her]

1 hour ago, Knight of Iron said:

Happy 31st.

[Honorless he/him]

I'm glad to have brought you back : )

Edited August 11, 2021 by Honorless

[Knight of Iron she/they]

50 minutes ago, More Cynical Than Funny said:

*evil laughter* I'm workin on some Shards currently I got Leras down and are trying to work on Ati

I'll make you a special one, what do you want?

Ooohhh.

How 'bout the Lopen? One-armed or not, your choice.

On 8/11/2021 at 1:22 AM, Honorless said:

I'm glad to have brought you back : )

Yes, thanks very much. I was pretty lonely irl and randomly decided to load up the Shard I joined ages ago to find the message

[AonEne he/him]

On 8/8/2021 at 10:33 AM, Knight of Iron said:

Thanks to @AonEne, I've enjoyed some of our discussions and also playing Minecraft with you, I'm still quite proud of that skeleton horse Bean thing. 

You should be! That was clever and hilarious and I'm sorry I killed the original Bean ;-; 

This all looks great and I give you my wanting to read the chapter. Imagine Dragons is indeed amazing and your piano rendition of Radioactive is quite good!