Hello Fellow Mizaharians! Keeping with our tradition, the Founders Circle and Regional Storytellers are proud to announce that the Featured Contributor of the Month of September 2017 is Kayak! Kayak is a relatively new Assistant Storyteller. However, new has nothing to do with our choice of him as FC. He's very active and invested in what goes on in Ravok and the surrounding region. Please join us in welcoming him to the elite club of Featured Contributor! His interview is below! |
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The Interview - How did you first discover online roleplaying and subsequently Mizahar? What kept you here?
I discovered online roleplaying a few years back, through a few video games I played at the time. I did some roleplaying using those worlds as settings, but in their online forums. I dabbled in some in game roleplaying, but it wasn't really the same.
I've written stories and made small bits of standalone lore for most of my life, it's one of my only creative outlets. While on a generic forum roleplaying site, meaning one with a ton of different stories rather than a single canon world like Mizahar, someone mentioned this site. We talked about how I enjoyed large worlds as I'd partially written some of my own, and how we liked the game style of things. So I decided to check this place out. I fell in love immediately. The lore was huge and extensive, and the community was incredibly helpful and welcoming. This is why I stayed, for the possibilities were endless, and the relationships lovely.
- This might be a somewhat generic question, but it is an absolutely important one. What made you want to volunteer to be a storyteller and did you find the role as you suspected it would be? What parts of your role as ST are as you assumed and what parts are different?
Well as for why I volunteered for the role, it was for a few reasons. The first was when I joined, I started in Zeltiva. And as a new player, I didn't know that the ST was inactive really. I reached out, didn't get any communication back. And then the city was closed and I was forced to move elsewhere.
So I organized a trip with me and the PCs I'd partnered up with, a migration. I did most of the communication and organization and coordinating. Prophet helped a lot with this as well, but more as a guiding hand. He helped to steer me in the right direction rather than to just give me the answers.
When I become more comfortable of the site and aware of my surroundings it was clear that the site needed more moderators, and still does. So I decided to start trying to help how I could. So I applied to be a grader, and I started a development article in the World Dev forum. And eventually, I set my eyes on becoming an ST.
I worked with Prophet, and I applied initially seeking out Zeltiva. Once again, I was guided in another direction, this time by Gossamer, to work under another ST to gain experience in the position. And that's how I came to be the AS of Ravok under Prophet.
I think for the most part I understood the responsibilities that came with being an ST. I knew there would be a lot of plotting behind the scenes, development projects, communication with other STs and with the players. I think the biggest two aspects that were unexpected were just how much research can go into a single moderated reply. Researching minute details at locations, with npcs, checking notes both public and hidden, making sure every little thing matches up perfectly. The other aspect would be the satisfaction of a project completed, especially if it is well received. I love that feeling and hope to continue to complete more projects for this site.
- What’s your best memory of being Kayak as of today’s date?
There was this moment, where Prophet, who'd been quite busy with the new baby and puppy and life. So while I was doing development of plots and such behind the scenes, he was limited in his overview and available time. But after a while, he PMed me, saying how my enthusiasm and work ethic and such inspired him to get back into the mix. And now we have a well oiled machine of a team that is pumping out many things for our players.
- How has your experiences as a PC influenced how you behave as a Storyteller. Give us some examples!
Well I think the biggest factors were the coordinating of the migration threads from Zeltiva to Syliras, and Syliras to Ravok. There were about... 8 or so threads from solos to groups of 5 people that I helped work on, to maintain a healthy timeline and progression. Some of these went well, some floundered even are still ongoing, and one in particular had to be abandoned. This one was done so because it went really off the rails of what the story was, and beyond the realm of realism.
I learned a lot about taking little steps in stories, instead of just all action. I also learned to be fluid and adapting to changes. Because if a curveball can be thrown by a PC, or a wrench in the works, it will be thrown. And it is impossible to prepare for everything. So just as Prophet did for me, I try to now guide PCs rather than tell them where to go and what to do. I'm still learning and adjusting at this, but it is my main mission.
- You are working in Ravok. What do you think the strengths and weaknesses of this city are?
I think the biggest strengths of the city currently are the active mod team, always present, or we try to be, and the appeal to a wide variety of players ("evil" types, grey area types, slaves, refugees, etc). I think with me and Prophet around both to answer questions as well as provide plots and events, it helps to keep players coming back for more. To help them find whatever it is they are looking for. And the varied player base gives us a lot of different types of plots to work with, be it a ghost like figure stealing orphans' cookies or Rhysol turning rain into magical flowers. There's something for everyone here.
As for weaknesses, while there is a lot going on in Ravok, there's a lot of little things that could be added or worked on. And many of these are in the process of being done. And I personally feel the devil (the other one, not Prophet) is certainly in the details. This could be anything from Ravok's lack of a bakery (you'd be surprised at the rants I've heard on this topic) to the lack of a upscale dining establishment to the lack of... normal, less powerful PCs.
I think another is the outside perspective and opinion of Ravok. I think many people view the whole of Ravok as an evil city, run by an evil dictator, filled with evil people. And that is anything but the case. There are so many normal, good people in Ravok, and to them, Rhysol isn't evil. He's the best thing that ever happened. These people don't want to see their city struggle. The city guards don't want to see their citizens being hurt or robbed. That nonexistent baker doesn't make evil bread. The evil is there, but it is more... subtle, behind the scenes.
- Is there anything you’d like to see the players of Ravok become more involved in? Why?
I want to see the Ravokians just mingle more with each other. Last season especially, it seemed there were a lot of small... "cliques" so to speak. Only a few people intermingle with one another, rather than everyone being in an intricate web. I want to see all Ravokians, from the noble snobs to the lowly slaves, to the monstrous foreigners interacting.
- What is your favorite part of Mizahars operating system - meaning how it functions as a game? What keeps you coming back numerous years?
The skills and business systems I think are my favorite parts of the 'gameplay'. They allow for controlled and visible growth of a character. If you put in the time and effort, you can get anything you want. And you have to earn it. It rewards the most active of people, and the longest lasting of people, while still giving the newer people attainable goals.
- If you could share something about Mizahar that you think makes it stand out from other games, what would it be?
Hands down the community. Not only are most of the people in Mizahar friendly and welcoming, even the slightly grumpier people are nice, but most are helpful. And the more senior players and staff know so much and are so willing to share and help you out. This might be something simple as Quzon suggesting I make Karyk's starting Job Skill (Shipbuilding) competent, because it helps out a lot more, or Dove and Sayana giving incredible insights on aspects of lore and moderation.
There is no community like ours.
- What is the nicest and the worst thing you’ve done to players in your domain?
Hmm... as a moderator, I think the nicest thing I've done so far might be the newest event for this Fall season, where players can receive a flier from the Inverted that becomes a living origami animal. It's a fun, playful treat I feel, that serves as opener to a much larger and exciting plot.
Worst thing... Well Elias and Evarista are about to endure a ravosala ride with a chatterbox ravosalaman, much to Elias' annoyance. Who doesn't like to hear someone just rattle on and on and on and on.
Side note: worst thing I've done was actually as a PC. As a side effect of one of Prophet's events, Karyk vomited all over Hwyn in his new outfit. Poor little orphan. Should know better than to be an orphan.
- I know there is a lot to choose from, but to date what do you feel is your greatest contribution to Mizahar, and to Ravok specifically? Additionally, is there any chance you can give us a hint to what you have in the works development wise in your city right now?
I think I just bring a lot of enthusiasm to Mizahar. I have plenty of ideas and plots like anyone else sure, but I don't view them as something I stress about bringing to fruition. I've seen a lot of stress within the moderator ranks, and I have no doubts it is a common issue that has always been around. And I've no doubt I'll feel it sometime as well, but for now, I'm just loving bringing things to life for my players.
And I think I help bring in some more activity to Ravok. I know people expressed concern, and for a while early on, I expressed it as well, that Ravok wasn't terribly active. It felt as what I'd dubbed 'alt hell'. People make alts for the city, and then they don't do much before falling off. And I know Ravok isn't alone in this, and maybe all cities feel a bit like this. Hell, I'm guilty of doing that with my own alts. It happens. But I think with enough encouragement, enticement, and enthusiasm (The 3 E's of Success?), Ravok will be the most active of hubs.
Well, for my part of the development, I think an exciting new thing will be the build up of the North Ravok Outpost. I'm running an experiment with this location. Rather than just writing up a location for players to use, or relying on players to make their own locations, I'm setting development benchmarks. Basically these are plotpoints that must be hit by any player in order to move the actual construction and improvement of locations along. If players don't hit these, they don't get the locations for use. But if they do, their characters gain the experience, influence with the NPCs, and fun interesting perks that would be unique to them.
- This next question is your soap box. Use this space to talk about whatever it is that’s on your mind. People actually read these interviews so know that this section will get noticed.
Well for my soapbox, all I have to say is, it is time for everyone to step up. If you're a grader, step up, get some grades done. Everyone who's been around long enough to receive a grade, knows the joy of receiving one. Grades help morale on Mizahar, more than I think a lot of people know.
If you're an older player (or not even), I strongly recommend you consider becoming an ST (if you think you're able) or at the very least, Guest ST for someone. You'd be surprised at how relieving it can be for an ST to have someone Guest ST in their city. A lot of things that players approach STs for can be done through the GST process, things such as acquiring a new magic, fighting monsters, etc can all be done through a GST. It really takes a lot of stress off of the mods in the area. We want to moderate for everyone. We want to give everyone the story they ask for. But we know we must manage our time, because if we don't everyone suffers. So please, if you're able, step up, help out. Moderate, help develop, grade. Or just be as active as possible.
The most important thing is putting pen to paper. Because we're all here because we enjoy writing. So write. And write. And write some more.
*sets soap box on fire*
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by Madeira Dusk on September 1st, 2017, 5:33 pm 
