Current
Got called into work at 12:15 AM to cover a midnight shift because the guy is on vaca and the supervisor didn't plan ahead on it.
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12 hrs ago
"Between the idea And the reality Between the motion And the act Falls the Shadow." - T.S. Elliot
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21 hrs ago
I find that what's harder to think of than the deleted pbp sites are the ones that are still up, but completely devoid of life. Like looking at an abandoned city.
1 day ago
Being 'sad' or depressed used to be the fuel behind my writing. But lately I feel like that emotional state is more hindering to my creative process than helpful. How do I adjust for this?
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3 days ago
The dangers of vulnerability
Bio
Not born in a log cabin, I came into the RPing venture around 2009 and quickly joined about twenty roleplays more than I should have at the time. I've been around the internet in that time span, participated in and run RPs on multiple forums, and brushed shoulders with a wide variety of players and characters. Getting to work with new people has always been part of the allure of the experience.
My interests in RPing are pretty diverse, and not genre-specific; if there's room at the table and I can think of a dish to serve, I'll cook something up for just about any meal. If you know what I mean.
Given the sandbox nature of the RP, I don't actually see the need for a hard cutoff date for characters. If someone wants to read the IC and catch themselves up, I say kudos to them. It's not like characters can be left behind like they can in a traditional linear game.
But that's just my two cents.
I was informed that Melissa had put a hard deadline on character sheet submissions.
While I do not know but considering others are posting their CSes. I suggest doing yours just in case you can still join.
I probably won't make it through at this point. Unless I can speed-run a sheet to my satisfaction in the next like hour or two. But it's been a weekend, and I've got chores still to finish.
- GMs, as any person of authority, have accountability, insofar as being as fair and consistent as possible. I just don't subsrcribe to the idea of GMs being so far above their players as to be beyond resonable reproach. Things like 'hey, you forgot to mention/account for my character['s prior actions] in your most recent post,' should be met with amicability. Requests for slightly more transparency in the RNG, or thoughts on maybe fine-tuning a quickly-concieved resource system, shouldn't immediately draw the scorn of everyone in the room. This goes back to what Sugar and Spite brought up about people not always taking critique well. *Shrugs*
- I've said it before and I'm willing to die on this hill: A GM as the *driving force* behind an RP. The players that join are also important to the story moving forward... and the story literally doesn't happen [in RP form] if no players join. While the moments where an RP just completely wiffs on recruitment are very few and far between, well, the odds may be low, but they're never zero. And respect is a two-way street. Fortunately, I can only think of one GM that I, as a player, felt disrespected by. But honestly, in hindsight, I can also acknowledge that there was plenty of blame on me for not bowing out when I first saw where things were going.
- I will hope that we can at least all agree on this: much like, say, a supervisor/manager in a workplace, not every GM is the same. Some are, generally speaking, amazing as GMs. Some are inexperienced (and hopefully aware of it if they are). Some will try to do too much; others will do too little. And there are some who, frankly, shouldn't be GMing (or simply aren't ready to).
That all being said, I'll confess that my perspectives come from the postion of me being a [tired] adult, who's been RPing for a good while, and really just wants to experience the activity in the most direct way(s) possible, and not have to be worked up by 'chain of command' sh*t the way I am in the "real world"; I've gotten enough "because I said so" to last me a life time and it's still getting delivered. So being able to step into RPs with more loosely structured heirarchies and more communal collaboration is my jam.
EDIT: With regard to the above paragraph: sometimes, one can't be entirely sure if an RP is what one is looking for until one joins and experiences it firsthand.
Recruitment of Sarah King Collab Between IAmTheIsland & Eviledd1984; featuring Sarah Marie King & Donald Baker
Sarah flipped the lightswitch nearest to her, further lighting the space. In a chair against the opposite wall, a man, seemingly middle-aged, sat, sipping from a cup of coffee that looked as if he had just made it while waiting for her to return. “Ghetto shit,” she muttered, looking at the front door. She forcefully secured the bolt, and turned back to face Baker. “Not exactly giving ‘good-guy’ vibes inviting yourself in,” she continued, walking in closer to him, “Or helping yourself to my kitchen-- whatever. What were you saying? Something about someone telling you about me?”
“Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I should’ve waited for you. Or arranged a meeting. But unfortunately, I don’t really have the time for that.” He said, looking up at Sarah. Reaching for something inside his jacket. Producing a pack of cigarettes, but quickly put it back because he thought smoking in her apartment would be rude. “You and some other heroes were picked as possible recruits.” The short man looked up at her. He pulled a folder from his other jacket pocket and placed it on the table near him. “In the folder is information on your first task for the Guardians. I know you're probably having doubts about joining the Guardians. If you do nothing and continue your one-woman war on crime, then you would be doing a great disservice to Sergeant Shimazu.”
Sarah went rigid. Her chest heaved and heated while her heart seared with pain as though a dagger had been thrust into it. The energy she had been ready to start a fight with a minute earlier let out steadily, enveloping the small living room with a noticeable pressure. “And what would you know about that?” As she spoke her eyes read of anger, but a single tear fell from her face.
“As I said, we have been monitoring you for a long time. We knew of Mr.Shimazu’s career and how he mentored you since you were a little kid. Look, I’m not looking for a fight. I just want to let you know you can do a lot more than fighting pimps and thugs on the street.” He had closed his eyes, but could feel that she wanted to fight him. But that was not an outcome he wanted.
Sarah steadily subsided. The present energy dissipated with the fading of the pain back to the dull reminder in the back of her chest. “Ken Shimazu is dead.” She spoke bluntly. She took a slow step towards Baker, and picked up the folder he had set on the table. “That’s on my shoulders.” She held up the folder, eyeing its front cover as if she were trying to see through it. Baker had a point… Shimazu Sensei wouldn’t have wanted her wasting her power pushing around common thugs; he had always talked to her about finding a higher purpose. Was this what he meant?
After a minute, she peered out from behind the folder, and asked, “what’s the catch?”
“I know. There is no catch. The only thing you’d have to do is perform well, and you’ll be a Guardian. From what I’ve observed, I think you’d be a perfect fit. But they want to put you through the wringer to see what you're made of.” He opened his eyes and pointed his finger at the folder in her hand. “Have a look at the report on your first task. It should be a good warm-up.” He smiled, watching her look at the report inside the folder.
Sarah stood still, considering Baker’s offer once, twice, and then a third time. She opened the folder, and skimmed through what her task would be. WIth an unchanged expression, she nodded. “Fine. I’m in.”
I think this has potential as an official 'hero' costume for Sarah. But maybe with an addendum that the colorsplash is orange (to match her text color code) rather than yellow. I'm also not sure how the emblem could tie into character. Still looking though. Trying to find something that blends street kid with martial artist.
Also, @Jumbus what are your thoughts on a sort of relation/rivalry beteen VV and Wizard? I figure they're both struck from the simlar being magic users. Perhaps they've crossed paths in the past.
I don’t care if you use RL faceclaims, I still imagine your characters as cartoon characters anyway. :P
I am neither surprised nor disappointed by this.
I don't really care about character sheets. I'd rather you just describe him/her/they/them in the role-play.
I also don't like cliques or rules. More often than not on RP sites (though not this one, as far as I can tell) groups of people form groups and gossip about others. I just don't care about that at all. Toxicity sucks and I just can't get on board with it. I don't care about ego or getting points for following the crowd.
While I find myself yearning for more opportunities to just write my character in without a sheet, I do think that having something in the way of an organized reference for characters. Especially in genres where things like powers, skills, equipment, etc, are factors; and especially especially when combat is to be expected. Coming from my experience in CRP, Character Sheets effectively serve as a sort of contract that combatants can be held liable to.
More than likely, cliques exist here. There are certainly groups of players that tend to run together regularly. It happens just about anywhere you go.
<Snipped quote by Sugar and Spite>
People that make room for you IC. Don't ask me into a game and then it's just you and two people writing amongst yourselves. I'm not here to be your audience, alone, no one is.
I hope it’s not weird or wrong of me to say that I feel validated hearing this coming from someone other than myself.
Aesthetics are not necessary for a game. Sometimes, organized and stylish BBCoding makes a more consistent delivery. However, focusing too much on appearance can overwhelm players and distract from the narrative.
Not every game requires players to have only one Main Character. If a player (and the Game Master agrees) that he can handle more than one MC, this potentially can add more to the story.
Non-Playable Characters create a dynamic game. Game Masters should not be responsible for carrying all the weight of pushing the narrative. NPCs give players more options with interacting inside the game's design.
I’ve definitely been, at times, overwhelmed by some of the BBCoding. But I also see the result and the value therein. Particularly the heavily coded character sheets, which, once post [properly filled], present a more organized and concise layout of the necessary information.
My [admittedly limited] observation has been that players will ultimately have one character whose arc is at the center of their writing. Even with multiple MCs/PCs, there will be some hierarchy.
NPCs are a fun way to expand the world of an RP without having to fully invest in their progression/development.
<Snipped quote by shylarah>
I can respect that, and I appreciate you taking the time to respond. Do you think that the GM giving resources to help find faceclaims when requiring RL FCs would be beneficial to you, or people who have the same train of thought? Not asking that to try and persuade, but just genuine curiosity.
@IAmTheIsland I agree that deadlines can be a double edged sword kinda thing. If one were to just let life direct the pace of an RP, what are your thoughts on going in that direction? I imagine it can be difficult to trust people will return or to keep plots going (especially in sandbox style) if people are disappearing for months unless you are writing with people you know well - which makes us end up in the `clique hole`. I also agree that I myself would like more feedback on why sheets are being denied. I try to give feedback as a GM when I deny a sheet, but I feel most others refrain because it can - more often than not - be seen as offensive.
@Qia Case by case for character caps is something that I can and do vibe with. That being said, it can sometimes look like you aren't holding peopke to the same standards and rub others the wrong way because you're 'letting someone break the rules.' Have you seen something similar and/or do you have any thoughts on navigating that? As someone who's been on the site for 10+ years, there are certain writers that I know and am more willing to be a bit more lenient with, but I never want someone to feel like they are being treated different, simply because I do not know them. I can also attest to your thoughts on a praise system; I've seen them do both good and bad. Kinda feel like a well rounded praise system starts with the GM team - you cannot raise this writer, and not the next. Even if it's something like `great post!`, I feel like it is important to acknowledge everyone, and if the GM doesn't set that standard than others will be way less likely to follow.
Personally, I’m willing to wait for long stretches between posts if need be. It definitely takes a group that is more dedicated to the journey rather than the destination, if that works as an analogy. Sometimes it does feel like players and GMs get a bit impatient about moving the story along, getting to the next big moment, and pushing through just to finish the RP. The anecdote I brought up is of an RP running on a forum where RPing is a subset of a larger community; thus, the people involved are, generally, active elsewhere on the site, and are all very familiar with each other from years of RPing together.
I think the key is in being able to leave the RP alone ICly while maintaining contact and discussion on an OOC basis. Though oftentimes it seems that the IC stagnates in tandem with waning discussions on Discord.
With respect to character caps, I do think it’s important to bear in mind there does come a power dynamic, particularly in SoLs and Sandboxes. When one person is allotted five characters to another player’s 1, the player with five characters has more means by which to influence the direction of the RP. My opinion is that everyone in an RP, if not being limited to a single character, should be entitled to up to 2 characters without any GM discretion. Frankly, I find running more than one character makes things easier than trying to get one character to cover all angles.
On that, I’d say that it’d help to ensure that players that are running a handful of characters aren’t just throwing all of them in one direction. Like, if ruling is going to limit some players to one character, another to three, but allow a third player to have six, then maybe put it out there that somewhere in that run of six characters should be one that can bounce off of the one. I feel like that would help to balance out the dynamic.
It kinda goes back to Ruby’s point: no one wants to join an RP and just become an audience.
That being said, I can’t say that I’ve ever seen anyone in an RP consistently writing for more than 3 characters at a time. I think, as I mentioned earlier in this post, there seems to be a tendency to prioritize; some characters will sit out for stretches until they’re needed for the writer’s story beat.
Critique can be challenging. There’s a teacher sort of element to providing feedback. Being able (and willing) to break down a character (or a player’s posting, etc), and identify both the faults and strengths, is what separates critique from criticism.
If it means anything from me, the few times that I’ve bounced ideas/thoughts off of you have been positive experiences. Never felt attacked, and felt that you offered sound direction on how to achieve what I was going for through more lore-friendly means.
Appearance & Adornment: Vivian stands naturally at 5’6” in height, is 5'8” in her favorite pair of boots, and carries herself with a posture and presence that would suggest she’s six feet tall. Her height is accompanied by a petit and unassuming build that belies her true nature. She is of caucasian complexion, with a hint of a tan, with grey eyes and long, wavy, brown hair, which she frequently adds splashes of color to. Upon her right arm is a tattoo featuring abstract geometry resembling some manner of plant or flower. While she wears glasses, it seems less out of need for her vision than a matter of style, as well as a means of disguising her true identity to those that may know her. She considers herself something of a fashion bug, with a particular allure for footwear, especially boots, which provide her the illusion of extra height. She keeps herself at her best looks, rarely skipping her skin routine. She doesn’t hesitate to adorn herself with jewelry (much of which she has likely stolen).
Lair/Partial Costume
Full Costume
Personality: Violet Vile exemplifies the corruption that comes with the pursuit of power for power’s sake. From the earliest influences of her fascination with the arcane, to her training at the Sanctum in Boston, and through her travels near and far, Vivian has been single-mindedly seeking to grow more powerful and capable in her fields of magic. But without a greater purpose, or underlying goal, it has twisted her psyche. She seeks to dominate and prove her abilities (as well as flaunt); cruelty and manipulation have become her staples, and she will go through anyone that stands between her and making herself more formidable. Still, she is not without her pragmatism: she will align herself strategically with those who will enable and further her goals. But make no mistake in thinking of her as subservient; she will take nothing short of a proper, equal alliance. And she’s not above betrayal, should conditions dictate its necessity.
Power:Sorceress. Vivian is a trained and prodigious wielder of Magic. The foundation of her sorcery is set within her control over magical energy, which she can form into weapons, shields, and bindings, or release as energy projections. Her studies of tomes and texts has graced her with knowledge of spellcasting, and enabled a variety of psionic applications such as telekinesis, mind alterations (memory spells, inducing delirium, hypnotism, and persuasion being her skillset), an array of elemental manipulation, and means of masking her true appearance. Her broad abilities are accented by hyperspecific spells and rituals.
For all of the power she commands, Vi is not without faults or flaws. While not a complete slouch, her physical abilities are lacking compared to those that boast physical prowess. As a result, she can be easy to outmuscle or outmaneuver once her sorcery has been broken or bypassed. Due to the reliance on drawing energy from extradimensional sources, her most powerful abilities require time, concentration, and sometimes preparation, during which she can be interrupted, foiled, or sabotaged. The mental effort of magic also leaves her unable to perform too many feats in tandem, and only so much in rapid sequence. Furthermore, using magic is taxing, especially on the mind and soul, leading to mental and spiritual fatigue should she be pushed past her limitations.
Equipment:
Waymaker Ring. Standard issue among Sanctum Sorcerers, Waymaker Rings are simple, non-descript artifacts that are imbued with interdimensional magic that allows capable wearers to open portals to distant places. The use of this function for travel purposes requires the user to have some understanding of the location they are trying to reach, such as having been there in the past, had it described to them in detail, and given explicit coordinates or landmarks. Additionally, some locations, weather through advanced technologies causing disturbance, protective enchantments, or other defenses, cannot be accessed via portals.
Staff. Something of a formality, as Violet doesn’t actually need a staff or wand to use her magic. However, the staff is useful for focusing spellwork for more precise casting. Magic channeled through the staff also tends to be amplified slightly, and using it as a filter can help to minimize the direct toll upon Violet herself; it also comes in handy when she finds herself in hand-to-hand combat. The staff wielded by VV is slightly longer than she is tall, being around five feet, ten inches in length. It is obsidian-hued, with a material that looks and feels metallic while being non-conductive and non-ferrous. The top of the staff is adorned by an ornament that resembles a budding flower, with a silvery trim that resembles a spear-point. Housed within the opening is a gemstone that, for her namesake, is violet in color; it is from this gemstone that magic is channeled through the staff. Violet’s staff has a bond with her as its wielder, and can be summoned and unsummoned as needed, provided it hasn’t been contained or tampered with.
Sorcerer’s Cape. Part of her complete ensemble as a sorceress, her cape is enchanted so as to be immune to normal wear and tear, and protected from the natural elements. In a pinch, it, much like her staff, can be used as a mechanism for channeling her magic, and employed as a weapon or defensive item.
Biography:"Her intrigue turned into a hobby. Then her hobby turned into a twisted obsession." Born Delaney Nadeau, Vivian is originally from Salem, Massachusetts, and spent most of her young life in that area. Being in such proximity to a historic hotbed of witchcraft and the supernatural, she grew up fascinated in all things magical. As a teenager, she began to dabble in witchcraft, trying simple spells and rituals through which she came to discover and develop her potential for real magic... first witnessed when she did in fact take flight upon a broomstick. Elated by the revelation of her own power, an eighteen-year-old Vi withdrew her college commitment, and traveled to the Mystic Sanctum in Boston at Bunker Hill.
She arrived easily, with an enthusiasm that would later be described as "concerning at best, and disturbing at worst." Despite their misgivings, the sorcerers at the Sanctum took her in, believing her attitude towards the arcane could be properly exercised with training and maturity. Little could they foresee the true monster they would enable.
Vi's early stages of training were marked by rapid progression and an uncanny display of power; she mastered the basics within the span of a year. How the elders of the Sanctum had missed such potential living right in their backyard was a mystery. The years went on, and Vivien continued her upward trend, growing more skilled and more powerful. Yet the young woman never seemed satisfied or content; each step up only left her hungering for more. It might have been an admirable trait, if not for her spiraling moral code. Her rise in power was accompanied by arrogance towards those she deemed as lesser than herself, and a growing penchant for cruelty during training duels. In the wake of an incident in which she nearly killed her training partner, the Sanctum Elders managed to put Vivian on a lockdown within a Magical prison, in the hopes of containing her, if not prompting her to reform as they continued to attempt lectures and verbal counseling.
Their efforts proved for naught. Eventually, Vivian learned to manipulate the same forces that kept her contained, and broke free. After a skirmish, she escaped, destroying a quarter of the Sanctum, injuring five sorcerers and killing another. She would flee into exile, and proceeded to venture the world in secret to seek the knowledge and power that her Elders had tried to keep her from.
In time, she made her way back to the United States, quietly setting up a lair in Ravenbrook, New York under her present pseudonym. There, she prepared to announce herself properly.
Not born in a log cabin, I came into the RPing venture around 2009 and quickly joined about twenty roleplays more than I should have at the time. I've been around the internet in that time span, participated in and run RPs on multiple forums, and brushed shoulders with a wide variety of players and characters. Getting to work with new people has always been part of the allure of the experience.
My interests in RPing are pretty diverse, and not genre-specific; if there's room at the table and I can think of a dish to serve, I'll cook something up for just about any meal. If you know what I mean.
Post-Rock enthusiast
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Not born in a log cabin, I came into the RPing venture around 2009 and quickly joined about twenty roleplays more than I should have at the time. I've been around the internet in that time span, participated in and run RPs on multiple forums, and brushed shoulders with a wide variety of players and characters. Getting to work with new people has always been part of the allure of the experience. <br><br>My interests in RPing are pretty diverse, and not genre-specific; if there's room at the table and I can think of a dish to serve, I'll cook something up for just about any meal. If you know what I mean. <br><br>Post-Rock enthusiast</div>
Vaunivor,
Morgin,
RPM,
N3v3rM0r3,
AwesomeZero5,
MintRolls,
vue2026,
KactusPunch,
Apoalo,
mattmanganon
