Reflection Time!
By the time November rolls around, I'll have been here for a year. (Kudos to anyone who remembers my first, horrid pc). Anyway, since then, I've played a number of different characters, and races, and (thank goodness), have improved on my writing. Or at least I'd like to think so. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside...
I feel like, given my experiences here, certain races and types of people take certain types of players in order to make them believable. And in order to make them thrive, and become well-rounded characters. Obviously, given the few I chose to retire, I don't fit well with all the characters I tried.
My first character was a Kelvic. (I know, what a surprise there). And before you all tell me I must have retired her because I was sick of all the wolf kelvic jokes, I shall inform you that she was the one and only dove kelvic. She was also quite the idiot, and her skill set was blah. (Just couldn't get it right the first time). Anyway, I think it can be rough to play a Kelvic, unless you understand that they're animals that can turn into humans, and not the other way around. I mean really get this, and I suppose, at the time, I really didn't. Not only that, but, I feel like, and this may be wrong, that when in doubt, your pc is supposed to give into their instincts. Or basic needs. At least, when they're Kelvics. After all, they're animals right? Animals tend to survive on their instincts, and the small amount of knowledge their mom/dad gave them in the short time they spent together. Assuming their mom isn't the type to eat them.
Anyway, I digress. I must say, that although I can relate in the sense that every being acts on instinct at least some of the time. And each being gives into base needs at least every once in awhile, it's difficult for me to write as a Kelvic. There just seems to be some sort of disconnect between me and that whole "wild" and "untamed" aspect. For lack of better phraseology. Not only that, but I think that whole personality type is simply aggravated when the Kelvic does not have a bondmate. It may just be me though. And if my characters- because I did make a second Kelvic, a white tiger- ever did bond and then lose said bondmate for some reason or another, I think they'd cry. For a long, long time, if not go hurl themselves off the nearest cliff or bridge.
My second attempt at a pc was well... slightly better I suppose, and one of them fiery redheads, the inarta. I think the most difficult part of playing an inarta is the fact that if they start in WR, they pretty much stay in WR. Unless, perhaps, they're an endal and they receive permission to go on a week long vacation. Another difficult aspect, was, I suppose that there weren't as many of them when Sil was around, and that there were two avora at the time, a few outsiders, and a chiet or a dek. I can't remember which. And everyone else was an endal. No this is not a joke... literally everyone in the city was an endal. I think the ratio of endal/avora/chiet/dek/yasi is still similar. Lots of endal, not much else. Which means, if you're one of the few avora, um... you just may have your head bitten off in every other thread if not every thread, by someone who outranks you. Of course, you may also bite off the head of that one random pc on a lower level than you... if you can catch them, I suppose.
Attempt number three, my lovely Konti Blythe. She's alright... Mura keeps her pretty darn naive and sheltered. I blame mommy Avalis and daddy Laviku for keeping all the bad people from visiting the lil Island, basically. So not all that much, negative, horrible, dangerously bad stuff happens there... it's kind of difficult to develop a pc with personality when she hardly ever leaves and has no reason to develop an even remotely negative outlook on the world. Ohh... unless you count the fact that she can't quite have kids. That makes her bitter and whiny. My my... she is starting to sound like the akvatari now isn't she? Yeah... basically, unless you leave the lovely little Island which the blonde-haired wannabe mermaids, (they have scales you know), inhabit, than there is no hope of your pc finally losing it. I don't think. Case and point: Kamalia and Satu.
After Blythe came Ariel. She's tons of fun. Loves adventure, is totally powerful, (not unless she is fighting an army of ants), and hates all the giants who come anywhere near her. Basically, because they can't bother to look down so as not to step on her, and because she feels they take too damn long to take her places. Hands down, she is one of my favorite pcs. Her only real draw back, in my opinion, and the real drawback for the race, is their height. It's hard to fight people and train and what not when you may easily be squished underfoot, or ignored simply because you can't be noticed amongst a sea of grass. Ohh... and everyone wants to steal your mount. They always assume the saddle is a joke, and it's someone's pet... and there goes your ride. *Sighsies* and they always think you're a bug or children's toy... mark my words Mizaharians, one day all of that will change, and you shall fear the tiny clay midgets!
Then there was the generic, garden-variety human known as Aello. Humans are cool, you can make them whatever you want them to be. Have the most freedom as far as looks are concerned, and can set them down just about anywhere and be alright. Just stay away from dhani and syms and your world will not quit going 'round. Anyway, she's probably the easiest to play and to integrate into the world of Miz. Partially because her personality was based off mine, (and then magic got to it... so there went that whole idea), and partially because I'm human too. Guess it's just easier to relate to what you are sometimes.
I think my chak came before the Vantha. Ilaeari. Didn't get far with her. I think she was just a) too depressed, which I am going to blame on my apparent need to kill off at least one of my pc's parents, and b) incomplete because she had no guardian. That thought, I shall chalk up to my OCD. I can't shake the fact that if a Chak grew up in the middle of nowhere in the desert, with their tribe, they should have one... or something is simply missing. They just go hand in hand for me. Also... the only other player out there at the time was a dhani, who I am pretty sure secretly wanted to eat her >.< I am telling you people you gotta watch out for those snakes. Unless you're a snake charmer perhaps, but still... you really should mind the fangs, and the venom. And don't let the gentle tangling of the rattle at the end of their tails fool you. They don't actually want to dance and haz a fiesta with you... erm, unless you are the appetizer. Yes.... *shifty eyes*
CARA!!! My lovely Vantha. Gotta love her crankiness. Um... and hold pride. I think, if you don't have pride in your hold, and think it better than the others there may be a problem. Downside to playing her: it's always cold in Avanthal, and she has no friends. The cold has no friends either, it just keeps everyone prisoner up there, and keeps the dhani out... so it works out I suppose. OH, and we have Morwen. She's pretty BA.
Yeah...
I suppose, what I've learned is your personality has to relate, at least in part, to your pc in order to be played well. You have to like the home city of the race, and really get the race itself if you want the pc to survive. Maybe that seems obvious to some, but I think, perhaps, we forget sometimes. Or, we struggle to find something that works, so we keep on trying and trying to find the best thing...
I don't know... ignore my rambling.
Ariel |
by Growl on September 18th, 2011, 8:45 pm 
