Re: Reminder about what your character knows and feels

[Lizzie]

Yes I can definitely see what you're saying Dakurus. But short of adding to my bio (which now that you have posted, I fully plan on doing), there really is no way for staff to know that my character's current attitude toward things is the result of CONSTANT exposure to those things. I mean, you can only be afraid of all magickers for so many years until you finally accept a vivaduan's existence, and even look forward to some of the things his magicks can provide - and that rukkian, well turns out she can do a few things that you -really- could use right now, and how about that, she not only offers, but she didn't even demand a baby for a sacrifice like you heard they all did!

You spend enough time, as a mundane, being surrounded by certain things, and eventually you get used to it and end up even forming bonds and friendships of verying degrees as a result. Your character could even be boggled by the notion that he's buddies with a fire-mage. One of those "go figure!" kind of things. But there he is, buddies with a fire-mage. All because he's had to deal with mages for so long it's just another part of daily life to him now, and it's SO much easier to break down and be friendly, and learn to accept, than it is to harbor fear for the rest of your life over something you really can't change.

[Southie]

There are a lot of plotlines running in the game (many of them staff-initiated) that are, in my opinion, the reason for so many of the "unlikely bedfellows" relationships that may go against the documentation but are still IC giving specific circumstances.

I think the best thing to do, if your character is heading down a path that might at all conflict with the docs, is to immediately write a detailed biography about the situation. You might also send an email to applicable staff to further explain yourself. The difference between coming off as a detailed, deeply motivated character who has a reason to tolerate that nilazi she works with, even while she feels inner disgust and conflict at the things he does, and coming off as an opportunist who is ignoring the docs and is hanging around with the nilazi because he has cool coded power, may just be the amount of effort you're putting into your roleplay and background.

The docs should definitely be the basis all new characters start from, but characters should be allowed to evolve their beliefs, whether that means more firmly reinforcing the documented behaviors or straying from them. Longer lived characters will have had more time for exposure to strange things, and so more time to evolve. I think the docs should be the starting point for nearly everyone, but I wouldn't want to see them cemented into a straightjacket.

[a strange shadow]

Southie: good post, and hilarious sig.

[Lizzie]

Everything that Southie said:

QFT and totally appropriate not only to my situation but for many others during the current IC life of Zalanthans worldwide.

[psionic fungus]

I just want to agree with Dakurus.

I have seen an absurd amount of people simply ignoring the background cultures provided for various groups in the game.  Your individual character's beliefs and motivations should really not (often) run contrary to these, though some people feel that this is the way to make their character 'unique'.

I have recently retired characters because the players in my clan would not abide by the culture documentation.  I became -extremely- frustrated with constantly putting forth effort to abide by and flesh out this culture, and having it ignored by my peers and superiors.

You spend enough time, as a mundane, being surrounded by certain things, and eventually you get used to it and end up even forming bonds and friendships of verying degrees as a result. Your character could even be boggled by the notion that he's buddies with a fire-mage.

The elementalist quarter has -always- been in Allanak.  Citizens of Allanak have -always- had to deal with having these people close-by but untrusted.  Simply incorporate this reality into your roleplay.

Besides, Dakurus specifically mentioned SORCERERS, PSIONISTS, and NILAZIs -before- other elementalists, races, and cultures.  These are the groups that are accepted by -very- few cultures, and who are being accepted by far too many players.

That's all I have to say for now, peace and shit.

[Shalooonsh]

The simple and pure fact of the matter is this:

There are so many mages in the world right now because, right now, people are choosing to play mages.

If more people choose to play mundanes, there would, again, be more mundanes in the world.

And no matter if you're the last mundane on Zalanthas, and your parents were both psionicists, and your ex girlfriends have all been sorcerers... you should STILL hate them.  These people are the scourge of the world, as Dakurus mentioned.  They have been hunted since time began, and will continue to be hunted as long as time continues.  So your pet jozhal was a nilazi and used to give you voidjobs... so fucking what.  It doesn't matter how many times your 'hardbitten, hardboiled young man' has seen the face of the Nilaz through various summonings.  If you see someone reach into mid air, and pull out a seventeen cord tall demonic entity that eats souls for breakfast, YOU SHOULD STILL BE FREAKED OUT.

That demon can obviously eat a hundred people in a row, gladiator and noble alike, and be bored after a half hour of playing artistically with the body parts.

Your very soul is repulsed by the idea of its (the demon's, not your soul's) existence.  Every fiber of your being shouts to you to run in fear, as you rightfully should.

Southie has an excellent point.  If something radical changes that would completely turn your PC's view of things, add a bio entry, and email your clanfolk.  Let us know what precisely is going on, and why it is justified.  We don't eat brainz unless we're hungry, and we only get hungry when we don't have bio entries to feed on.

Luckily for all of you slackers, there's multiple folks out there with sixty+ bio entries.  I am not exaggerating.

To those of you with the massive amounts of bios, Kudos.  You keep us absolutely informed, and there is rarely a question of what you're doing.

[Armaddict]

The players are entitled to point out that the documentation is obsolete, and to continue playing their characters as is appropriate to the *current* scheme of things.

The documentation is NOT obsolete.  If it were, it would have been changed and there would have been announcements about the change in society so that people could begin to roleplay accordingly -without- being an exception.

The *current* scheme of things is exactly the same as it always has been, it's just up to the players to play it that way.  Everyone makes exceptions for themselves, everyone decides they've seen mages enough that its okay to make them friendly with them and not a big deal and so on.

Most "experienced" southern characters (House employees, militia, etc., as opposed to Amos the Streetsweeper) seem to be quite tolerant of the gemmed right now.

They are.  The keyword is tolerant.  They may sit down at the bar with a couple of gemmers.  May even politely tip their head while keeping their eyes forward.  But they aren't joining a conversation about the current ranks of mages in the Quarter, or about some other magickal willy nilly.  These are tools of the Templarate, they will always be around.

But they're still just tools that are...questionable.

There is a reason for the documented lines of mistrust, because if all the pices of the elemental -and- mundane puzzle work together you are effectively creating an unstoppable killing machine that was never intended to exist.

You know.  Here is when I will agree with what others have said.  This -is- where you are supposed to step in, as staff.  'Send' them about the inappropriateness.  If it's going on in a city...make powers that be REACT.  Once an unstoppable killing machine arises, it's kind of hard for the average player to react, since...you know...it's unstoppable...and they don't wanna die.

I'll never forget the days where powergaming was weeded off by random groups of baddies assaulting you constantly until you got -really- scared and hauled ass back to the city, or died.

[Dresan]

Though i see the hate between elves/humans/half-elves, north/south mainly because i'm around decent mundane RPers these days or at least some great super secret hidden magicker which i don't mind at all since i can't tell the difference. I definately don't see the hate between magickers and mundanes (in places other then Tuluk), and even less so between the elements(fire/water,earth/wind) and elements/defiling/psi/nilazi. Specifically those last three defiling/psi/nilazi should have a very hard time finding groups and people to socialize with without hiding their nature.

I never ever want to point out a defiler to a few mundanes and have to hear them say 'oh, its just another type of magicker, lets invite them for drinks'....again.

I can understand why some people will say that they should be able to accustomed to these types of character but i think some are failing to understand that they are special with the context and setting of the world. Magick maybe seem common to your character but its probably -only- to your character and like mentioned  in previous post you better have a damn good reason which are outlined though bio/think/emote/emails to be hanging around and socializing with such people like if they were common.  

The docs do not have to change, your character should realize they are not the norm knowing and dealing with so many magickers. In short they are no different then elves who for some reason which i'm sure they think is good (and which very well might be) begin riding mounts.

[manonfire]

Want me to follow the docs?

Sure! How about you guys follow them too?

I'll go along with this..

Not only will the general populace distrust void elementalists, but all the other elementalists seek to drive them from existance...  Due to their nature, void elementalists are distrustful of most and so make questionable at best travelling companions.

This..

While magickers are tolerated in some places, they are generally feared and distrusted by the vast majority of the population of Zalanthas. In many places, magickers are killed upon discovery, and even the rumor that one is a magicker can lead to one's death..

And this..

Because of their ability to deal directly with peoples minds, true psionicists are killed on sight (though of course none would be so foolish as to announce their presence openly, just as a defiler would not) in just about every civilized region of Zalanthas, due to their highly dangerous potential.

And even this..

Because of their potential power, the Kings of Old, as well as the lords of the city-states of the contemporary world, do not permit sorcerers to exist. All who demonstrate knowledge or use of wizardry are typically killed at the earliest opportunity.

..if you guys will just abide by this.

Magick is a mysterious and very rare power on Zalanthas.

[Troicha]

I see a lot of resentment towards interactions with particular classes of people, be it elves, half-elves, magickers, mindbenders, whatever.

At the same time, the game appears to be suffering, not because there are more magickers, or more half-elves, but because they are becoming IGly more accepted.

This is not particularly realistic. What happens when a large influx of aliens enters a chauvinistic society?

Look at yourselves for the answer.

Resent these people just as much IG as you do OOC. I guarantee it to be fun, in the long term - especially if you can't do anything to them. That just makes you resent them more, doesn't it? cf magickers.

The chauvinistic boundaries are breaking down because we, as players, are not enforcing them as well as we should be.

[Vanth]

So, given the "solution" that many of you have presented, how would you feel if you received this note:

You've been bumped down to 1k because other players think there are too many magickers.  Sorry about that, I know it's the loss of a lot of great roleplaying effort to get up to where you were in karma level.

PS.  If there are too many desert elves we may have to take that last point away as well.

So, should I cut and paste that 500 times and remove everyone's karma, or do you think Dakurus' idea of everyone stepping back and checking to make sure they're not part of the problem, is actually a more reasonable solution?

[Armaddict]

Er...if that's in regards to my post, Vanth, I apologize, I didn't want it to sound that way.

What I meant is that when boundaries are clearly being ignored or not realized...a single send or email does -wonders- to fix it.

At least with me.

[Ghost]

So, given the "solution" that many of you have presented, how would you feel if you received this note:

You've been bumped down to 1k because other players think there are too many magickers.  Sorry about that, I know it's the loss of a lot of great roleplaying effort to get up to where you were in karma level.

PS.  If there are too many desert elves we may have to take that last point away as well.

So, should I cut and paste that 500 times and remove everyone's karma, or do you think Dakurus' idea of everyone stepping back and checking to make sure they're not part of the problem, is actually a more reasonable solution?

I am fine with it.

In fact, if you promise that 98% of the players will be bumped to 1 karma, I am willing to donate all of mine, store my current char and be denied of any special app until the game ends.

[psionic fungus]

Unlike Ghost here, I am willing to take a look at my own interactions and attempt to follow the documentation as best possible.

Christ, people, it's not like they're asking that much.

[mansa]

So, given the "solution" that many of you have presented, how would you feel if you received this note:

You've been bumped down to 1k because other players think there are too many magickers.  Sorry about that, I know it's the loss of a lot of great roleplaying effort to get up to where you were in karma level.

PS.  If there are too many desert elves we may have to take that last point away as well.

So, should I cut and paste that 500 times and remove everyone's karma, or do you think Dakurus' idea of everyone stepping back and checking to make sure they're not part of the problem, is actually a more reasonable solution?

You can take my karma, but I don't think the whole karma levels situation is the problem at fault.

How about a 'regenerating karma' situation, where you 'regen' up to your karma level once per IG year.  I.E. 1 karma point per 6 weeks.


I think the problem stems with the focus of the game and what people want to accomplish inside this current game.

[manonfire]

If it means getting the old game back, take my karma.

[Gimfalisette]

I already think about this issue CONSTANTLY. Because I am confronted with it CONSTANTLY in game. I have anguished and torn my hair out (metaphorically OOCly) over this damn issue. I am so SICK of this issue. It's like being exposed to loud noise over a long period of time; eventually you go deaf. My character and I are almost completely numb to magick anymore, all of my nerve endings have been worn away by the constant grating of so much magick.

TAKE MY KARMA. I am not using it anyways.

[Dresan]

I don't want to sound snotty or add oil to flame on what seems to be understandable irritation on Vanth's part but i would honestly trade all my karma to play 20 or even 15 day old mundane characters.

Hell even 10 day old mundane characters would be worth it. One of the best part of rangers is not having to learn to ride again and again.

[Krath]

Take my karma too, I am with ghost.

[mansa]

Perhaps a Player Staff meeting needs to be called?

I mean - we haven't had one of them in a long time.

[manonfire]

Perhaps a Player Staff meeting needs to be called?

I mean - we haven't had one of them in a long time.

Seconded.

[Maybe42or54]

I'd prefer that a little love gets tossed back to the mundanes to make them cool again. I've been playing for 5 or so years I think and magickers have gotten a lot more attention in coded skills than mundanes. I only mention this because this is a low magick, "gritty" fantasy game. Why is more happening for magickers?

[Vanth]

All volunteers' wishes have been granted.  Any other volunteers?

[WarriorPoet]

I would be willing to sacrifice my race and class options willingly and eagerly in order to preserve the integrity of the game I love so much and despise seeing so far from what I remember falling for. But, I would rather see staff rule like tartars and slap people down for playing one karma-guild after another without break and fall like a ton of shit on those magickers and others who can't seem to follow the docs.

I haven't played one of my karma options in at least six months anyway, so I would be totally fine with special apps only.

Magick is a mysterious and very rare power on Zalanthas.

Well shit in a bag and punch it! Someone's been readin' them docs!

-WP throws a chair through a window.

[Coat of Arms]

While I would gladly sacrifice my meager karma points for such a cause, it's obviously not the solution. Too many players would feel cheated, and most of us who complain don't even use that karma for anything much.

What I do believe could help, as I suspect this to be a big part of the cause to the problem, is to stop or severely restrict special apps.

In either case, I think it's time to do more than nothing about the obvious problem.