Yune

That's a pretty thought-provoking question for me... First off, I've always allowed my characters to age and change over time, whether in RP or just in my original writing projects. The fire of youth can be fun to play around with for a time, but I also like to experience the change in my character, that moment when they realize they're "getting too old for this shit". What provokes my thoughts so on the matter, however, is the fact that, for my current main Yune, she was recently made in the game from scratch, so in my mind, it was easy to say that it's been five years since the Calamity, yada yada. Which basically means that she could be working within a completely different time table than other characters she may get involved with. I suppose I'll cross that bridge if I ever find myself upon it, but... It is an interesting thought, nevertheless. Actually... *goes off to tweak profiles*

[align=justify]Personal Profile Character Name: Yune Tabrisviel Gender: Female Race: Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te Domestic Profile Civil Status: Resident Place of Residence: (Still deciding, but out in the country somewhere) Occupation: Student of the Arcanist's Guild Free Company: None Social Profile Yune has been a long-time resident of the La Noscea region but has only been seen regularly in the city of Limsa Lominsa for little more than a year. Many of her years were spent in quiet orchards out in the country where books and fishing were her only real hobbies. Her lalafell father spends much time in the city after signing on with the Maelstrom in the wake of the Calamity as a means to help the restoration effort, garnering her a few acquaintances in the organization, and the unique black mark on her forehead also serves to be an occasional point of interest for some. She is the soft-spoken sort who is awkward in most social situations with strangers, but amongst dear friends, she is a kind and outgoing young woman who has a "better safe than sorry" outlook on most things, tending to avoid danger at all costs unless circumstances determine otherwise. As an Arcanist in training, she tends to various tasks to further her education, though in her heart, she knows that the path of such an individual is not right for her. This has led the Guild Master to send her off to Gridania to consult with E-Sumi-Yan to see if the path of a healer is better suited for her, as she is somewhat of a pacifist. Though she has taken to that study rather well, Yune still feels as though something is missing, and continues to search for whatever it is her heart is longing to find. Meta Profile Yune is the character I'm on with most of the time thus far, and while she does seem like mostly a "slice of life" kind of character, I feel that she is very versatile in terms of the situations/plotlines she could eventually become involved in, whether they are your basic run-of-the-mill adventurers, or darker plots that involve ominous or tragic elements. Bad things happen to good people, as they say. Please read her full bio (linked in my sig) if you would like to know more about her, as there are many details of her history I won't put here. While I do not have many planned "goals" for this character, I am aiming to get Scholar unlocked for her to be her main class. This would explain why the path of the arcanist doesn't feel right, and yet a healer's path was also not quite there. I have thoughts of Nym and such in mind as far as justifying her draw to the class, but I'm still working it all out. ;; [/align] [align=center]*************[/align] [align=justify]Personal Profile Character Name: Rui Valiir Gender: Female Race: Hyur Midlander Domestic Profile Civil Status: Resident, Legal Citizen Place of Residence: A small shared living space in Limsa Lominsa's lower residential district. Occupation: A free spirit (unemployed) Free Company: None Social Profile Rui came to Limsa Lominsa somewhere over a year back as what some may have believed to be another unfortunate "living casualty" of the Calamity. Whether she had always been a little crazy or if it was caused by the trauma of the potentially world-ending event, it was hard to say, but she has been a cause for pity amongst many who have watched her mindless wandering around the city, both towards her as well as the large Highlander helplessly trailing after her to keep her out of trouble. Though bearing the body of a full grown woman, there had been a time when she behaved as though she possessed the mind of a young and ignorant child, and to the frustration of some, she does not speak. Was this another sign of trauma like her prematurely gray hair, or was she born mute? Over the course of her stay in the city, those who have seen her regularly have seen the child recede over time to allow the woman to thrive once again, but it has been a long process. These days, she favors spending her free time fishing and is not often seen without her fishing gear just in case she gets the random whim to vanish for awhile for some quiet fishing in a favored spot. Most know that she comes paired with a strong-looking Highlander male (whose name will be edited in once the character is officially transferred over to the server), and few choose to pester her lest they face the wrath of his axe, or that of her Roegadyn "sister", another member of the Maelstrom. Meta Profile Again, I have her profile up on the wiki though it is still a work in progress. Rui may be an "alt" on this server, but she was the first character I really made in this game over on Midgardsormr, and she feels very special to me. She will be a great challenge for me to play seeing as she does not speak and must find other ways to communicate with others. Once a skilled warrior, Rui has lost that expert touch in battle due to her time spent in recovery, so I am looking to eventually have her find someone who will re-train her in sword and shield style combat (and help ME learn how to play a tanking class at the same time). I'll likely have her going all around for Fishing, but most of her time spent will likely be at home in Limsa, or over in Ul'dah admiring the Sultansworn as they remind her of lost days. I may not be logged in as Rui too much until I feel like I can really get her going, but either do a search for Yune in game or PM me here if you would like to meet her. [/align]

I can also understand the necessity for websites and such, and feel as you do in terms of the in-game process part of the application. I guess I just feel it's a bit of a courtesy or just being polite to actually allow the people in whatever FC in question who it is exactly that they're dealing with. Meeting up in game is pretty much the closest any of us will get to being face-to-face. I'm sure once I find a decent FC that I'd like to try to get involved with, I'll go through whatever process is necessary because participation with said group will mean enough to make it all worth it in the end.

I second this. Your artwork is so lovely. I'm definitely a fan.

Egh, I should've worded things a little better than I did. lol I, too, value the journey more than the inevitable destination. I think my words were a little warped after my experiences on a non-RP server where I had some trial and error with an FC or two, and, as I mentioned, it was a land of constant and anonymous random invites where there literally was no effort involved whatsoever. Hence my natural apprehension of just signing onto one here. I still have to get it in my mind that FCs here function much differently and have different goals than they did over on my non-RP server. I apologize for the confusion. I suppose I can see it both ways. Applying and going through the recruitment process is part of the journey to find your inevitable destination and can really benefit your IC development. Yet at the same time, I can also see meeting people naturally and one thing leading to another all ICly is also helping the journey. Two different paths of equal effort, all for the same benefit. Again, I apologize. Just wanted to make sure I was conveying myself correctly. Also to something you mentioned, Eva - Players are usually alright with unaffiliated people wandering the residential areas? I've thought of wandering a few times just to look at the effort people have put into their estates, but I always talk myself out of it for that feeling of not "belonging".

It's nice to know that many FCs are accessible rather than completely exclusive. I'm just leery with FCs in general. Even over on Midgardsormr, I never was able to find one, not to mention I would just be bombarded with random invites all day long from people who never even bothered to talk to me. I'll admit it was very refreshing to join this server and see the difference, knowing that the FCs here obviously took more care in who they brought in. But for a shy person like me, that still is a bit of a set back. lol @Freelance Wizard - It gives me hope hearing you say that people were brought into your own group by chance. It may be detrimental to most people these days who are looking for the most efficient way to get involved in a group, but I've always preferred the natural process of getting to know people vs. being a random unknown who sends in an application for an FC person to be like "who the f* is this?". Maybe I just want to know more about the people I'd be getting involved with, rather than filling out an application, going through the process of recruitment, only to find that none of us are satisfied and it was just a big waste of time all around. EDIT: And I'll agree with the above... Signing up on yet another website to apply to an FC that may not even work out seems a bit... Well, I also don't like putting my email out there more than I have to. I've finally pulled away from the days of having a ton of spam in my inbox and I'd like to keep it that way. lol

Thank you, everyone, for your informative replies. >^.^< I was aware of the various types of RP plots in the game, I just wasn't sure how common/uncommon it was for the people involved in those plots to notice anyone outside of their FC, that's all. I know that some plots in the game are probably very time consuming and of high interest to those involved, and I likely wouldn't want to feel pulled away either. Was just wondering as an outsider what the chances were to interact with some of you guys already swept away in your FC stuff. As was mentioned earlier, solo-RP can get boring and really difficult, especially if you play most of the game alone in terms of content already. It sounds like there are many fantastic roleplayers on this server, so was just trying to gauge my chances of ever bumping into them without being a part of their FC and it's plot.

After watching the Berserk movies again for the hundredth time... >_> [video=youtube]

I was also curious about FCs on this server, but my main wonder was whether or not FC RPers would typically only interact with their FC? I don't have one of my own as of yet because I'm not really certain what it is I'm looking for in one, but I've had this apprehension about FCs and whether or not they were pretty "exclusive" or withdrawn from everyone else in the game because they were more focused on their own FC plotlines and such. I also have been a little leery about randomly applying to one without having met anyone from the group because I suppose I foolishly wish to find one that I got swept away in purely by chance. I suppose I just prefer the idea of knowing some people/letting them know me before I came knocking as some random unknown traveler who wants membership.

My character has been spending some time in Ul'dah lately (and getting all sorts of turned around most of the time) so perhaps they'll cross paths at some point! I'm always on the lookout for new people to RP with and plots to fall into. >^.^

From my character's perspective, teleports are a strange and magical thing that she has no grasp of. I, as the player, may tele/return or use Aetheryte to get around when I'm keeping to myself and just trying to get OOC things done, but IC I'll never have Yune use any because I don't view it as something that she understands/feels she needs. Most days I don't even think of them as a physical presence in the game when I'm moving about. That isn't to say I'll wag my finger at those who do use them. As I said, she takes it as something awe-inspiring when someone does teleport right in front of her to get around. As for combat, I'll agree with Val when he says that the spell itself takes an eternity in battle time. So much can happen and chances are (depending on who is trying to stop you and how) you're not going to get away. A character can try if that's just what they would do, but I'm sure the casting process would not occur without some sort of physical or mental penalty of sorts. Perhaps something along the lines of too much exposure to all of that raw and active aether that is forming the "bridge" from point A to point B. Not all of our characters are well-traveled individuals who have already experienced exposure to many of the world's elements, so especially for a first-timer, the penalties should be very noticeable. Personally, I would just want to view teleportation as another form of magic, hence, not everyone can do it, only those who are very adept in the arcane arts or know how to manipulate aether in the air. I'm sure there could be a very sciency way of explaining the mechanics of how a teleport could work if we want to get technical, but as this is a fantasy game, it's just simpler for conversational purposes to chalk it up to plain ol' magic. Though I am curious on how it could be justified IC how a person can taxi other people along with them. Is it just to be taken that they just open up some sort of a rift that you can walk through together? Or is it more that they know how to manipulate the aether just right to snatch you up in the spell? (Scotty, beam me up?) Would be especially frustrating in kidnapping scenarios, I suppose.

I don't know anything about the person in question, but I'm starting to get the impression that there are just a lot of bad apples around the Quicksand in general... A random person in that area tonight just completely spoiled my mood with his rude and belligerent attitude, especially since he was accusing me of being the one who was rude. Does anyone else consider a random poke a sure sign or indicator that someone is "waiting"/wanting to talk to you? I failed to notice it immediately since I was working on my wiki profile at the time (not to mention the person in question wasn't anywhere in the area when I looked around/hadn't said a single word in say/tell to me), and later got into some IC convos outside of the Quicksand. Lo and behold, I get a tell from Mr random poker calling me rude since he was waiting to talk to me from the start, who then proceeds to guilt trip me for not noticing him and talking to others instead. The other details of that circumstance is likely more befitting the Romance thread down below but... Why does anyone consider behavior like that okay?

It's always nice to meet new people in the roleplaying community. I'm fairly new to the server myself, and not very far in level or the main story (still need to fight Ifrit ;, so if you ever see me and need someone to run a low-level dungeon with you or anything, don't be afraid to send a /tell my way! I'm open for OOC and IC stuff, whatever helps you get going.

This! I'm not meaning to put down how anyone else chooses to role-play. But rather... feeling refreshed to see others aren't doing just that by looking at you funny if you're dating someone and your character is dating someone else. I can understand. Personally, I've never really found the opportunity to attempt romance RP with someone I happened to meet. I'd like to think I'm open minded about it. I'm friends with a few people who do as you prefer by allowing things to happen beyond the scope of their RL relationship. I always tell them kudos, because I know it's a very foreign concept to a lot of people, and they get hammered by those who don't understand and want to lord their own personal...morals? onto them because they choose to do something different. I apologize for allowing the topic to deviate from its original intent. My last post was likely a bit of a knee-jerk reaction, finding myself in perhaps a similar situation to those who are questioned for their preference to romance someone other than their SO, and momentarily wondering why my preference seemed so strange as well.

(deleted) Too off topic and unimportant in the end. Bleh.

THIS. I've seen this many times over the years of RP, and thought about it in my last post but didn't want to get too long-winded all at once. I've witnessed quite a few people fall into this trap (or perhaps they intended on falling into it all along?), and I think it has to do with people liking the experience of "falling in love" or simply being loved/needed by another person. This may be the result of a lonely life and using MMOs or any type of RP outlet to be the "best version of themself" and achieve that which they are currently lacking in their real life. They don't have to be flawed or alone, as in a fantasy MMO, you are a "hero" and become strong/impressive to your peers based on your deeds and/or awesome end-game gear. The pull one feels to "become" this other person and live out their own fantasies is probably very strong for some, especially those who may have some sort of otaku syndrome where they want to be like their favorite badass anime hero who gets the busty girl with little-to-no effort. I do enjoy the sensations one can feel during RP. I've met some fantastic people on Balmung since I started, and I'll admit it does give me an "emotional fix" of sorts that I'm not quite privy to in my real and very ordinary life. I am not involved in romance, since I believe my perspective on romance RP is a little more slow-going than most people want to spend their time on. Many prefer to just plan a relationship and begin when you are already "together" so no time is wasted in courtship, but I like the development and deepening of a relationship, seeing that transition from "friends" to "something more". I do not actively seek it out and have an open mind towards it, but it would probably take a very particular set of circumstances for any of my characters to get involved on that roller coaster ride of emotions since I like to be a little more serious and realistic about the process. When it comes to the clingy people though, as was mentioned, the most you can really do is make your feelings known and get some distance. They may try to pursue the issue and guilt trip you, and I wouldn't say it in real life, but in a game where nothing is real, if someone threatens to "kill their character and never play again"... Let them. Call their bluff, because chances are they're not going to just up and delete all of their hard work just because someone wouldn't cyber with them or be their girlfriend/boyfriend. Forcing someone to be bound to you in such a way is basically akin to slavery and terrorizing you into giving in to only their demands. If a person truly appreciates the romance aspect of RP, they will respect the other person's feelings and presence of free will. Who wants to have someone bound to them who doesn't truly love them anyway? Just be careful out there, and don't let anyone else bully you just because they're seeking some sort of wish-fulfillment from their own personal issues/insecurities. Everyone has their own particular fantasies and/or secret desires that they will most likely (to varying degrees) try to seek out within this game where they can be someone other than themself. I'll agree with a previous poster that the statement that someone was trying really hard to find a relationship since launch would be a very bright red flag to watch out for. Blist them, perhaps get a GM involved if it goes even further? I'm not sure if they can do anything about harassment, but if they can and the behavior is getting more and more intense, perhaps take a screenshot of your conversation with the person in question who will not leave you alone. I don't know if it will help or if anything could be done about it, but there must be something that could improve things rather than just letting it be and hoping the person can take a hint. Are there any PC police forces in game where one could file a complaint? Now there's some RP potential right there. lol... Well, assuming everything was still happening IC, as no character really has any business in the matter once it starts delving into OOC...

Something like this, though to a very minor degree happened with me recently as well. It was more the situation that I met someone IC and at first, they were very friendly and nice, but... As the conversation continued, they kept making little gestures which may seem small to some, but my character is a very shy sort who is unaccustomed to socializing and especially flirtation. She believes that certain displays of affection should only be shown to someone special, when the gesture has "meaning". This person kept reaching for her hand, or making a note to say that he would take her hand when they began to walk somewhere else. This person was practically acting as though they already had a romantic connection/responsibility over mine. Even after making it clear very early on that it made her uncomfortable in IC chat, this person would start all over again after a few minutes of backing off. Perhaps it was my own fault for continuing to speak to this person? I figured (OOC) that if the person really was looking for something and I shot them down once, twice, or even three times, they would either get the hint and just be friendly, or back off and pursue someone elsewhere as people like that tend to do when they see no potential here. But they acted like they were fine with just being friendly. But they would back off, and then start the affectionate touches again, she would shy away, they would back off, rinse and repeat... Usually, I enjoy it when romance develops slowly and naturally. I know that not all romances happen at a snail's pace, but I appreciate it more when time is spent nurturing the relationship, rather than "Hello! I like you! Let's make out and be a couple now!" As Zhavi mentioned, everyone has their own idea of what is fun, so I guess there will be those out there who prefer RP romance to anything else, and will do what they can to establish a connection as quickly as they can so they can just rush into the benefits of the relationship they're looking for. I don't really know why there is a mentality like that, but it's there. I can understand and appreciate that reality. I just wish that those same people could realize that not all RPers are after the same thing, and would refrain from the guilt tripping when they get shut down...

I can agree that a person could be playing their personal character in a way so that they are "officially" considered an Adventurer who, as Blue just stated, signed the register at the Guild. This makes it very direct and easy to justify your character's access to the perks of the Quicksand (Leves, the Hourglass, etc). But... What if, say, a character earned the trust of Momodi through prior events in their backstory without being an "adventurer"? I believe someone quoted an NPC somewhere about gaining access to something after proving yourself "trustworthy"? Wouldn't this also stand to reason that any character, even a "civilian", could be a friend or good acquaintance of Momodi and have access to those perks like any other adventurer? You don't need to necessarily slay some magical Golem or consider only Main Story quests as the justification that you have "exclusive access" to both the tavern and the inn. It's Momodi's establishment, so realistically it's up to her who can and can't be there or have access to the perks. Sure, I can understand civilians not being able to take on Leves (unless they were for their gather/crafting jobs), but what if a skilled acquaintance of hers needed a place to rest their weary self after some grueling task that was unaffiliated with the Guild? I don't think she would just turn them away, whether their name was scribbled down on a piece of paper or not. In the end, I think it all really comes down to just how specific/particular a person wants to be about the overall canon. Some may want to say "You are ONLY an Adventurer/deserve to be here if you signed the register and have Momodi/Miounne/Baderon's seal of approval". Others may go with the belief that realistic relationships can exist with NPCs, or that those NPCs in question actually have more "life" to them than simply following some robotic script that dictates they can ONLY open their doors for people who fulfill X-Y-Z conditions. Personally, I think it adds a little more depth to the world to show these relationships or differing circumstances between individuals. Why does everyone in a tavern have to be a part of some exclusive brotherhood/club in order to be accepted? Maybe you were just a good friend of Momodi and she often gives a friendly invite to drop on by for a drink or two sometime. *shrug* But conflicting opinions/RP styles are always bound to be had. The best you can really do is just respect that everyone has their own style of play. You may meet once or twice, but once you realize how different your styles are, it's very doubtful you'll spend a whole lot of time interacting beyond that point, and after that, you're on your way again, playing out your own story with other like-minded individuals. Even still, everyone should respect another person's character rather than spit on them like that. We are all roleplayers who, I would assume, deeply appreciate the art and the creativity that can thrive from such pursuits. Just like in the real world, we have to acknowledge (as our characters) that people have walked very different paths. It may not be what we expect or can easily accept as "normal" depending on our own experiences, but even so, those different paths will inevitably intersect somewhere and show just how varied we are as a society. And... I'm rambling.

Wow... I knew that there would be a wide variety of roleplayers on this server, but I never imagined that there would be people like that. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. It's never a good feeling when you're harassed needlessly by stubborn pricks who expect everyone to abide by their canon for the world. It's a world we all share, and with such a creative array of backstories driving each of our characters forward, no one should have a right to tell others where to be or how lore "actually" works. As was mentioned before, and it was a thought I also had while reading, the Adventurer's Guild seems attached to the tavern in the way that a Subway or McDonalds can be found in your local WalMart. Others have stated that you see non-adventurers out and about during side quests and cutscenes, so if these all-seeing, all-knowing people actually read dialogue and paid close attention to all of these circumstances that they're trying to lord over everyone else, they'd realize they were being dumb and all sorts of citizens/"civilians" frequent the establishment. In my opinion, IC and OOC, Momodi doesn't really strike me as the type who would rage at non-adventurers and be like "OMFG GET OUT!!!111" She seems welcoming to everyone, the only difference is that with everyone's character, you're put through the scenario that you were sent to her because you're an adventurer looking to find your place in the city. But, not everyone is using the events of the Main Story at all in their personal canon. I wouldn't be discouraged by them though. If they ever appear again to harass, you don't need to do much else but keep your head held high and continue playing your character as they are meant to be played. Whether that means being scared away from the area or standing your ground to argue. Arguing is usually never fun though, and almost always pointless in the end, especially when you have people like these with a stick so far up their ass they cough up wood chips. Personally, my character isn't a typical "adventurer" either. So I hope I never run into people like these, but if I do... Well, I'll tell you all how it goes. ;;

Is this the same Segolene who was at the Pumpkin Cafe' event just the other night? Please correct me if I'm mistaken, but I swear I recall your unique and lovely name. >^.^< In any case, welcome! I'm new to this forum as well but it is still nice to see new people to potentially meet and RP with. I do hope you enjoy your time on Balmung (I've had a blast so far!). Maybe I'll see you around in game, though I tend to move around a lot for someone who doesn't really accomplish anything. >_>;; Also... Don't sweat it on the Limit Break... I got to use it for the first time tonight and... Well, let's just say it wasn't a complete success.

Sometimes it does seem hard to read the motivations and intentions of others, in regards to the PC that was watching you so intently. I agree with what was said about not bothering to approach them unless you wanted to keep it IC, though since there are non-RPing individuals on the server, I'm assuming best etiquette would be to check their info to make sure they do RP before your approach. Which I'm sure is something that everyone here puts to practice anyway, so I'm just rambling. lol I wholeheartedly agree with something else that was said in previous posts, about things in /say being fair game. Realistically, people talk aloud all the time, and within ear-shot of many other people so... Eavesdropping is bound to happen, but that's just the way of the world. Unless you happen to be telepathic. I believe it benefits RP, even if you are total strangers. You never know when you might stumble across an ongoing plot somewhere, and you just happened to hear something that gives you a small foothold. Sometimes, adventurers will find themselves roped into unexpected situations just because they happened to inadvertently overhear what seemed to be "random gossip". If I'm ever RPing in /say with someone, I don't mind at all if another RPer happens on by and either steps into the conversation because of something that was said, or tucks that knowledge away for if we ever meet again. It feels realistic, and makes Eorzea feel even more like a living, breathing world filled with real people and a chance to strengthen bonds or rivalries with said people. If everything was said in party chat or whispers, then... Well, in my opinion, it would feel as though the world didn't have much going on to connect people outside of what they may plan OOC, and sometimes, people just want to go with the flow and see how things develop without having a solid plan. Not to mention it's a great way to have brand new people brought to your attention. New friends ftw!

[video=youtube] Gotta keep the creative fuel gauge full as I write my profile. lol

I used to practice fencing in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). ^_^v

It would be great to meet you guys in game. >^.^< Only... Well, how many people here prefer to keep names turned off so that everyone remains a true stranger until you've become close enough to recognize them on sight? lol Currently, I don't have names up so I can actually "meet" people when approached, makes for more genuine introductions in my opinion. lol So, if I don't run up or /wave if you happen to see me, it's likely because I don't have names to guide me. ;; Also, profile for the wiki is coming along slowly, but surely.

Thank you for the kind welcome, everyone. >^.^< I hope to meet each of you in game whenever Fate determines our paths should cross. And, ah! Another Midgardsormr player? I wonder if we've met? I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't though, as my characters were so lame and solitary. lol I may just move one or two of them over here to make Balmung their home though, as their potential over there is utterly wasted.