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TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Printable Version

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TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Seriphyn - 12-19-2014

< rekt. Down here pls

Not an entirely fair remark, given that from July to recently Kale was EATC/Syndicate (and then before that, lot of RP was internal FC), but throughout that, Kale had always given off the vibe "Thanalan First" ("Thanalan Thirst"?)


Either way, the sentiment is the same. Now, Kale is back in the Flames as a Bloodsworn, and while I am RPing him as "new to their ways", I still have interest in using their mission ("an elite unit answering directly to the Flame General") as a device to justify more extensive RP than just playing around in Flame camps all the time. From their limited lore (all in their leves), I'd go as far as to say they would do more "Protecting the Sultanate" than the Sultansworn, who are technically just royal guards. BUT (and that's a big but) I am of course very biased. The goody knight angle isn't really my thing.


Anyway, for the love of all that is holy, please drag me into your plots. Kale has been of the Sultanate's military for going on 18 years, as a mercenary soldier back before the Immortal Flames was reformed. Yes, he can be abrasive/aggressive, but someone who's been in an army for that long is going to be very no-nonsense and intolerant of BS. From my RL experience, soldiers (especially veteran NCOs) are like that. At the same time, he can be extremely friendly and boisterous, even full-on whimsy. It's all part of the deal! More here. His assholish tendencies have been fully embraced by myself, and they all have justifications rationalized from experiences in his backstory.


Maybe I haven't properly exposed myself to the plotmakers, but given how much RP seems to happen around the Sultansworn RP group, it SEEMS cliquey*. I'm not going to outright say it is, because I equally accept I could be doing something wrong in not reaching out to the right people. Nonetheless, it is frustrating for someone who has consistently RPed an Ul'dahn soldier for so long to never get into all the plots that the RP community facilitates. In any case, whether or not it's cliquey or it's just me, this serves as my classified to the scheming sorts Smile


*An example of this; someone mentioned they've RPed a Sultansworn for 3 weeks, and already got in on 3 plots. I don't want to have to make my character a Sultansworn just to do "For Ul'dah!" stuff. Nor do I want to feel like the Sultansworn group are monopolizing the "For Ul'dah!" stuff, especially when they are such a fab group of RPers. From the story, the Immortal Flames do 99% of Ul'dah military business (to exclude Stone Torches and Brass Blades), so I don't see why Kale can't be included in the Sultansworn's escapades.

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Unnamed Mercenary - 12-19-2014

One quick consideration to make before calling out the Sworn RPers is to look up what their plots are. From the ones I've seen; the public stuff has been about initiating new Sworn.

Such a storyline may not lend itself to other forms of Ul'dahn law enforcement.

But at the same time, you are right. The sworn are there to protect the Sultana, not be police. Them standing at say, one of the pillars in the Quicksand would imply they are off-duty.

Maybe something similar can be done for a group of blades?

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Jana - 12-19-2014

A lot of Flames-related RP also seems to be done in groups or FCs with their own units. Part of the reason that RPing Jana as part of the Free Brigade is so convenient is that she can be an accessory to lots of people's plots, even when she's representing the Flames. It may not fit Kale's character too much to have him hanging around the Quicksand, though...

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Berrod Armstrong - 12-19-2014

I'd wager that you probably aren't talking to the right people. There seem to be tons of plots flying all around, though at present there doesn't seem to be any particular 'community' oriented plot -- this is fine, they have their seasons. Rather than clique plots, I have seen several plots belonging to/revolving around free companies -- my own included. It's largely considered a safe approach given the different views on certain roleplay elements expressed by the community. It's not a bad thing, it's just how it works! What you perhaps need to do is go shopping through FC plots to see if any FC is running one that you may join. It's going to take some reaching out.

Regarding your character,  you don't have to justify who/what/how he is, just play him and have fun when the opportunity arrives! Enjoy the interactions and keep ooc communication open so that you can keep abreast on HAPPENINGS.

And hey, even if it isn't a long-spanning plot, forming meaningful relationships with other characters is a great way to become connected with things that happen to them, and to allow for the germination of organic plots -- and at times those are the best! For that purpose, I happily offer my own lug to get things started, if you want.

Last but most definitely not least, you can start your own plot! It ain't easy, but with the right folks it's usually fun as hell. It can be a forum thing that goes into the game, a game thing with a thread on the forum, purely in game, purely forum...anything goes! I'm sure you can find something, and I'm sure there are people here who would be glad to help.

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Erik Mynhier - 12-19-2014

Can you site the Bloodsworn lore for me. I'm a nut for lore and cant find much on them but they have always interested me.

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Coatleque - 12-19-2014

As I have said before, if you want to be involved it is your responsibility to make yourself available. If you spend most of your time sitting by your FC house in the Goblet avoiding people, then of course nobody is going to know who you are. You can't expect people to suddenly go "I need the Flames for my plot. Oh, why not Kale?" when nobody ever sees Kale actively doing things.

I know the so called "Sultansworn Group" can seem like a clique, but anyone who walks up to me should know I'm the least clique-y person out there. I involve everyone I can to the extent that others allow, but I am not a DM. Crofte was supposed to be a side-character, not a quest giver.

The Sworn are not an FC, we're just an IC Linkshell of like-minded RPers. The reason we're so noticeable is because we are publicly active. We wear the uniform, stand on the street corners, and yell at kids to stop running on wet pavement. People come to us with plots for that very reason. Often times I flat out say "Talk to the Blades" or "Flames", but guess what? There are never any around.

The point is, if you wait for RP to come find you, you're going to be waiting a very long time.

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - C'kayah Polaali - 12-19-2014

+1 to what Coat says.

I'll add to that by saying that if you approach RP from the point of view that you're a supporting role in someone else's plot, you'll have a much easier time finding RP. I've gotten a lot of RP by saying "I have a crime syndicate. If you want villains for your RP arc, we can help!"

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Warren Castille - 12-19-2014

Stand around in hubs doing Flame-y things. The 'Sworn plots typically involve 'Sworn politics or angles. It's sort of like saying "My police man is always nearby, why don't the fire fighters ever bring me along?"

Try to make your presence known in the Quicksand. The inn is arguably not "jurisdiction" for the Sultansworn but definitely would be for a Flames free agent looking out for his country. Start getting loud with the troublemakers and acting the part, and you'll get the reputation.

Hell, sometimes you get the reputation no matter how many times the words "free" and "paladin" come out of your mouth.

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Jancis - 12-19-2014

(12-19-2014, 02:47 AM)Seriphyn Wrote: Maybe I haven't properly exposed myself to the plotmakers, but given how much RP seems to happen around the Sultansworn RP group, it SEEMS cliquey*. I'm not going to outright say it is, because I equally accept I could be doing something wrong in not reaching out to the right people. Nonetheless, it is frustrating for someone who has consistently RPed an Ul'dahn soldier for so long to never get into all the plots that the RP community facilitates. In any case, whether or not it's cliquey or it's just me, this serves as my classified to the scheming sorts Smile

I fail to see the need to point out a select few people. 

My understanding is there have been off-and-on two to three "Sworn" at any point and in the past two weeks there's now five who in some form or another have listened to people around them and gotten involved with plot lines by offering help and assistance.

Which in role play is typically all it is. 

I know that time is limited given the busy school and training schedule. 
I know that the Free Company has nearly weekly plot line events so it is not as if Kale is not busy. 
I read a story that involves at least two other fantastic role players which is basically heralding Kale's new position as this top of the line Bloodsworn or whomever they are suppose to be. 
I have waited for specific role play people to do plots with that fall through because something happened.
I have gotten whispers and announcements upon everything like an advertisement, including this thread.

Otherwise I am growing highly weary of the audacity and childish tone that is taken about other role players for being involved and willing to listen to other plot lines and go with it. Players are not NPCs to simply talk about in poor light and the tone I am taking from this "advice thread" is more "Why do they get to play; what about me?" as opposed to "Hey, I see they're doing a great job at playing and what are some ideas I can get to mimic that?"

Perhaps it would be an idea to make a thread in the Making Connections board and get some more brainstorming there. Or hang out around the people that are part of Ul'dah and keep Kale involved and offering help, regardless of his brash attitude. He can bring in more guys, he can pull some rank and make something happen, he knows so-and-so. Also, make an excuse for a character to be somewhere instead of needing a personal invitation in. The worst that can happen is the plot line has enough people already and the only role play is a cameo spot now and then; not always going to be that way. The reason other people have a spot and get invited is because they offered.

If anything, the amount of venting and attention mongering is going to dissuade people from wanting to "deal with it" and dissuade them more from giving a clear reason as to why. Which at this point is singling out one group and making a mountain out of a molehill on fabricating how involved one character is.

Offering is really simple, can do it either IC or OOC. Example is as a healer I will have Jancis notice and listen to problems then approach someone. Or if it is someone I know I can send a whisper and say "Jancis knows a lot about poisons if you need" or "My character knows an alchemist for this problem" and take it from there. Don't go overboard using NPCs for every reason, but use them to make role play happen. Use them like a comma. Hear rumors on the streets, have tie ins with groups, Jancis will hear from the conjurers time-to-time, priesthoods, Maelstrom, people who live in farmsteads in La Noscea.

Hope that helps. Congratulations, attention received.

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Oli! - 12-19-2014

Wow guys :U



Personally I think they're just frustrated. I for one have been in the "I want to do things, and I have the will to do things, but I have literally no idea where to start right now" position. It's not always due to laziness or shyness or inaction that people are unable to join things, there's just a literal flurry that's moving too fast to jump into, and no one is slowing down. It can be super overwhelming at times. There's also the fact that being an unknown face or roleplaying as a less noticeable group sometimes also makes things harder ('cause mummy told me not to talk to STRANGERS). That's happened to me as well.

All that said, I emphasize. Even if you're totally trying to get some RP literally all the time, sometimes things just don't work. It's frustrating. I think one thing that could help is making a thread and calling people who are currently running plots to come and see if they have anything that you could jump into (a My Character For Hire sort-of thread).

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Seriphyn - 12-19-2014

MRW I very clearly annotate my negative concerns in the OP with the more-than-likely possibility that they may not be valid and still get borderline responses.

Cheers for the other responses, in any case. I don't think there's anything constructive that can be further derived from this conversation, since it's suddenly personal.

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Seriphyn - 12-19-2014

Right, okay, I've had a very firm talking to on the side and going to have to back up considerably. Despite the annotations, it still appears that are unjust insinuations in the OP, and I'm not going to be disingenuous and attempt to claim that they are not present. While as Oli pointed out, it was fundamentally sourced in frustration, the way this was voiced publicly was not appropriate, and no amount of annotating my points with self-doubt would have changed that. Honest concern, but bad execution, if you like. I apologize for that; I have no interest in harbouring bad blood between people.

All that being said, the core message is still there; my character is X, and you can use it for Y.

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Warren Castille - 12-19-2014

If you want peace, I'm afraid you're going to have to narfel the garthok.

But seriously, hang out and act official. People are inclined to go with it.

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Melkire - 12-19-2014

On the "there are never any Flames around" side-note, I would totally stand around on Ul'dah's street corners, but given how my work and personal life have started eating up more and more of my time, how the PvE grind keeps calling to me, and how my main character is a covert irregular (and my alt is my alt, hence why I'm not usually on it), I've found it... difficult, recently... to make myself publicly available.

Looking to change that after Christmas Starlight.

It's also worth keeping in mind that, owing to their larger nature (multiple brigades, units, etc.) Flame roleplayers are a more diverse and disparate group than the Sultansworn, who are tight-knit by virtue of being a small elite unit of bodyguards led by a few individuals. I'm sure there are at least a dozen roleplayers out there playing as Flames who do their own thing on their own time and don't ever come together as a visible and cohesive entity. In contrast, if you're playing a Sultansworn, you're pretty much pinned by the tail to Ul'dah and forced to mingle and cooperate with fellow 'sworn courtesy of lore restrictions. Not to say they can't leave the city, but that it's rare for them to do so in an official capacity.

More on-topic, I second Warren's suggestion. Stand around official-like in RP-dense areas. Take the initiative and have Kale react appropriately to what goes on around him. Eventually, you'll hit upon something. Hi Erik, hi Kiht, hi Xydane.

RE: TFW you've RPed Ul'dahn soldier for 14 months and never in any plots - Gegenji - 12-19-2014

Hence why there's so many Free Paladins. So they can go be 'Sworn elsewhere!