Exceptions and Norms

[racurtne]

As usual, context is key.

Stereotypes and stereotypical reactions can be taken too far.

If Militia Recruit Amos wets himself first time he sees a magicker in action, that's fair (but also fair to give him shit about it later).

Corporal Amos, however, is more likely to be a battle-hardened badass who has seen a lot of shit and probably should keep his composure.

That said, very very very few, if any, soldiers should be eagerly lining up for buffs and healz.

You don't know what kind of awful side effects that dirty magick could produce. Or what if they're secretly cursing you as they do whatever it is they /seem/ to be doing.

I believe even Lieutenant McBadass who has seen a lot of shit, would likely still balk at having it done to /him/ (her).

Moe is right about taking stereotypical reactions too far at times, but the short of it is, by far the most common response would likely to, at the very least, refuse to have any magick cast upon you willingly. Forced or ordered and convinced by a higher power it was somehow safe under his watch? Perhaps then a person would grudgingly relent. A small amount of worry would probably remain.

I mean, I hear that stuff makes you impotent.

[musashi]

A lot of my mages themselves don't trust other mages enough to let them cast on them, for much the same reason.

[Morrolan]

A lot of my mages themselves don't trust other mages enough to let them cast on them, for much the same reason.

Ayup.

[Vwest]

A little uncomfortable in here, all of a sudden.

Some of those Sues walking around the game started off as plain Jane and by the documents as everyone else; life changes people.

[Barzalene]

A little uncomfortable in here, all of a sudden.

Some of those Sues walking around the game started off as plain Jane and by the documents as everyone else; life changes people.

I hate that I am repeating mysel, but I'm sort of circling a point, please go with me.

Things do change. PC's have to be informed by events to be three dimensional.

But (again sorry) I think we all collaborate to minimize deviations from the norm, not because the deviations aren't interesting, but because deviations are less productive than maintaining the game world and flavor. At the end an act of collaborative will.

I think one way to reconcile the idea of character evolution with maintaining consistency is to at the very least set out with the intention not to be an exception.

[ShaLeah]

A little uncomfortable in here, all of a sudden.

Some of those Sues walking around the game started off as plain Jane and by the documents as everyone else; life changes people.

I hate that I am repeating mysel, but I'm sort of circling a point, please go with me.

Things do change. PC's have to be informed by events to be three dimensional.

But (again sorry) I think we all collaborate to minimize deviations from the norm, not because the deviations aren't interesting, but because deviations are less productive than maintaining the game world and flavor. At the end an act of collaborative will.

I think one way to reconcile the idea of character evolution with maintaining consistency is to at the very least set out with the intention not to be an exception.

I used to start all of my characters to be an exception, just to stir shit up. Now, I start them ALL with at least one thing that makes them exploitable, it's up to the ginka to throw something in place TO twist that character's life upside down.

I think there is a difference between adhering to documents and going against them, between showing some kind of humanity and being an unthinking, unfeeling, unaffected, untouchable, infallible obsidian puppet which is what that "don't be the exception, be the rule, you're ruining my immerzhunz by going AGAINST the docs!!!" thing comes across as to me.  Not so long ago I got the advice from up above to not be so "perfect" in the role I was playing, to not be so good at what she was doing that she never risked being caught in her deception.


Sometimes you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Play the role you've intended. Report regularly, keep staff abreast especially of any real deviations from character/docs and the reasoning behind it. Even if they don't like it, in my experience they will respect how the character is. As the moosh said:

This is fine, but if they're so convincing on the outside that it looks like they don't care ... well then ... people are gonna treat them like they honestly didn't care and are in fact, a filthy gicker lover  

So, be ready for that. The only PC's who can wink wink nudge nudge your terribly horrified thinks and feels under your perfectly composed at ease and cool with it demeanor ... well ... yeah ...

Be ready to accept the consequences of your character's actions.