Zhavi

I think it's the same sort of split of opinion as sorta happened in the discussion about trolls -- at the end of the day, you're not going to force me to do anything I don't want to do. Way back when I first started rping, the group I was with wound up getting a reputation for being elitist bastards. Why? We had standards, we wanted to do things a certain way, and we weren't going to compromise who we were and our fun time to match someone else's expectations. To me, this is the same sort of thing. Whether or not you want to be involved -- work around it. To me, it's never a question of whether or not someone should do something -- it's about what I am willing to do. I honestly don't care if anyone wants to rp as a neko-demon-dragon-succubi girl. You know what, if that's how you have fun then you go for it -- but that particular thing is not fun for me, so I'm not going to do it. Pretty much, I think you have a point, but I also think that people should be free to rp what's fun for them. If you don't want to be involved with it or think it's too game-breaking to be a thing, then that's one of those times when you have to figure out your solutions. I mean, it sucks for both sides when that sort of thing happens, but I also don't think it's worth putting too much time or energy into, you know? FWIW, I think what Kahn'a was trying to say was that they never intended to force canon on the city, and were trying to rp it in a way that it wasn't doing that. . .but they're eloquent speakers so I'll let them address that themselves. If it is that irreconcilable to you, that's the point when I'd start sending pms to the organizers to try to work out a tenable solution. As is, in the plot thread itself, Askier posted a nice little four-point solution that would dampen down the overall effects. If that's still not reconcilable to you, then yeah -- you do have to make a decision about how much you're willing to skim over. Truth is, rp is not eternal. Today's big deal will be forgotten tomorrow. References will fade, and new events will crop up. I predict that in a month's time after the event has ended it will likely become a moot point; new problems will be gripping the characters' attention. In the meantime, I'm sure people are taking in all the opinions about what happened and will take it into consideration for future events.

Even a place like the Missing Member would work well for it, or the ship in port! But *coughcough* Would the Rum n Rumble be an option? This is tooootally something baked into Zhi's backstory. She's not great at it, but for her it's a chance to make new contacts and do some hobnobbing. Sundays would be best for me, I generally try to keep my Sundays free of other rl stuff so I can fully indulge in nerd time.

My high school art teacher was one of those teachers who didn't coddle. If you made a mistake, or something wasn't working, she'd tell us "You have a creative problem. So, find a creative solution for your creative problem." And then she'd just stare at you expectantly. This is sort of the same vein. Sometimes, if things don't pan out or you don't want to be involved, you have to skim over it or, if you are so inclined, come up with something that has similar enough results so that ICly your characters don't have issues. I mean, at the end of the day, to me it's not too big a deal. Back when I used to rp on MUDs we had admins who would retroactively stamp out our rp if they didn't like it. I'm talking 12 to 14 hours worth of grueling, down in the mud rp that an admin would say "nope, sorry, we're not doing that. " -- which would leave us in this weird lurch (and considering it was an IC attack on the admin's side in an ongoing conflict . . .welllll, you can imagine how well that went over. You want metagaming? I've got stories ) that we'd just have to sort of skim over. In the absolute worst events, we'd just quietly keep our rp within our clan and extended rp connections. So that sort of problem is, imo, a matter of sitting down and working out solutions to any conflicts of continuity, either as individuals or groups. I mean, I infinitely prefer to have everyone on the same page, but if that's not going to happen then I'd rather just figure out some sort of workable solution (because, at the heart of it, I don't believe that there are situations in rp that aren't in some way fixable) and get back in to that delicious rp.

I can't even keep one up to date.

I'm super supportive of this. Though my hand lies more in the criminal side of things, I can definitely have an occasional alt to pop over and indulge in some barracks humor. But to kinda pop in with the option from the Connections thread -- something to consider would be doing a unit that is sort of the dregs. Enough authority to scare the criminals interested in having a police force to work with (against?) while at the same time offering legit outs for those who oocly do not want to interact with law enforcement icly.

Ehehehe, whenever I use the word 'arr', in my head I'm referencing The Longest Journey and her "I look like a real pirate" (or was it sailor? It was a long time ago) message, which I would hence repeat endlessly to my boyfriend because of how silly it was. .... just roll with it. I had totally forgotten about the Astralicia, but that is also a really great location, Fisherman's Bottom too. Astralicia Fisherman's Bottom Wench Member Aftcastle I'll put the poll up in an hour or two to give people the chance to offer more suggestions. Then I'll likely do another poll if there are very few votes to help narrow it down and stuff. edit - I totally agree, Miza. There are some fantastic rp places outside Limsa to eventually branch out to. Heck, if we roll forward with the treasure hunt (and it's looking like that's the most popular option), then we might even base a leg of it out of one of those areas.

I think, if you all are interested, that having a thread in rp discussion specifically to talk opinion about city-wide rp wouldn't be a bad idea; that way anyone who wants to comment on things but also doesn't want to interrupt the thread would be able to; I can be an opinionated jackdaw so I certainly understand the desire to discuss opinions. (I don't consider your post an intrusion at all, Kahn'a -- you saw something you wanted to clarify and respond to in a respectful manner. Nothing wrong with that) I can start a new thread or someone else can. So first order of business -- collecting places to hang out and rp (which, imo, establishing some low-key gambling rp in that area is a wonderful and easy way for some characters to be able to drop in and get rp while being able to leave whenever they wanted to!) Places mentioned: The Missing Member The Bismarck The Drowning Wench Rum N Rumble Anchor Yard Aftcastle I think, for the time being, that maybe we should start in the city and then splinter off and start encouraging rp in the Mist area. (I am dying to go into the Rum n Rumble, haha) The Bismarck, as Ruru said, is tied to a guild and is a little on the upper crust side. The Anchor Yard is a bit out of the way. I think for choices to vote on, that the Missing Member, Wench and Aftcastle are our best bets. Did anyone want to add another suggestion, or shall I go ahead and put up a vote with those three? As an aside, what Aerghwab said about the tensions between old way and new is something that I, embarrassingly enough, haven't put much thought into. But he's totally right -- that does give Limsa its own flair (Besides pirates, arrr), and is something to definitely explore more through rp.

Nat's hair makes me ridiculously happy.

Before you even get into the problem of consequences, I'm still wondering just who out of those who were collared are known to be part of the whole 'kill everyone' scheme. Because -- let's face it -- if no one or few enough people (whether or not they're willing to talk being the key) knows what you did then yeah, you are going to get off without any form of punishment at all. That and if we're using history as an example, soldiers of the losing side have gone native, so to speak, when their side lost for many, many years. Leadership doesn't usually get to run away -- they are well known, and probably arrogant enough to have a gajillion portraits made. But your common run of the mill soldier? Just another anonymous face -- unless someone is dogged enough to track them down and personally see to their punishment (and even then, it depends on who that dogged person is. Some pissy cobbler probably isn't going to be given much time from a busy-ass paper pusher who already has to deal with tons of paperwork -- even if he has details on a well known bad guy. He's one of many, many people likely stepping forward with complaints, and that's not counting the corruption). Soldier on the losing side on the battlefield: yeah, dead or captured. Managed to slink off it, able to speak the language and blend in? Remains to be seen. and too, don't get lost in the details. Details are good. I like it when things make sense. But sometimes it's a rabbit hole, and sometimes it's best to simplify things. Especially when you don't have full control over the setting. more edits: My suggestion. 1) Each collared player decides whether or not their character can get away with it. If another character wants to make that difficult for the former, discuss it. 2) Those who are turning themselves in should get together and decide, along with whatever loremongers are interested, how to handle their punishment. 3) Those who are caught should get together and decide, along with whatever loremongers are interested, how to handle their punishment. 4) Those who are caught/turning in who want an out for their character should sit down, again, to figure out a way to legit get their character out of death sentence/whatever that will carry forward consequences. Maybe not everyone will be okay with the results. That happens sometimes. But this rp happened, and for the sake of those whose characters are involved, I think maybe a good direction to go in is to start taking things one step at a time and figuring out where those characters should go from here. Assuming that's not already happening in pms. Because I'm a dummy sometimes.

Oh man. I tend to pick one or two places and stick with them, so I don't get out and about the wider web that often -- but I do occasionally flit about just to see what's out there. I didn't even realize there are people out there who look down upon those who write more than one or two paragraphs! I've seen many a forum with minimum word requirements (requiring anywhere from five sentences to a 'x' amount of words per post) -- but never one with penalties (social or otherwise) for wanting to write a lot! Say it ain't so! ...I don't even know what to say. No, I do. Should you rp with me, feel content in knowing that I like words. I like a little amount of words, and I like so many words that they overflow the screen (or forum post). I will always treasure big posts (as much as I treasure short quippy ones <3). Long live the wordsmith! And welcome to the RPC, may our paths cross and the wordflow begin.

Pffff, there are plenty of first-language English speakers who aren't 100% proficient in it. (one of my rp buddies, one who had a ridiculous grasp on a few languages thanks to years spent studying them, once told me that sometimes my writing sounds like I'm ESL (English as a second language). eheheheh. . .I only speak/write in English. ;_; . ) Welcome to the RPC!

Dutiful even until the bitter end (was it even close to the end?), Zhi crossed out the E and wrote in the Y, wondering why unnecessary letters kept showing up. Were there more? How did people keep them separate from each other? M was next. She hesitated, then slowly drew a S, peeking up at Styrm to see, by his body language, if it was the right one. T, A, and L followed, the letters looking mutilated in Zhi's penmanship. She looked up, grinning.

The other, larger part of Jingi's brain, the one that dealt with debts and the occasional debtor, was suspicious of this stranger who had bumped into her in the middle of the night on a street empty of most but the salacious and was now attempting to take her somewhere. Was that Noki's voice in the back of her head telling her to turn around and go inside and get herself an escort back to her home? Oh, bollocks, she could be careful and still have fun. It wasn't as if the biggest restaurants in the city were closed, or that most people had gone to bed. "Pleasure to meet you, Luca! I am Jingi." Take that, Noki, and your anti-fun crusade! Rebelliousness felt good every once in awhile. When it wasn't immediately chased with guilt. Why did she always feel guilt? Or the doubts. Shut up, self. "I'm not sure what you expect me to say, though," she giggled; the sound was nervous and made her sound like a fat bleating sheep. "But I'll show you to the Bismarck -- it's our finest restaurant. Do you take a wrong turn and wind up in a new city often?" Noki's voice continued to blather on about risks and the value of suspicion in the back of her mind. She ignored it.

If a handful were killed, maybe... With so many supposedly dead, it is not justice that they have to worry about, but armed mobs, vengeful families, and perhaps worse than either, vengeful powerful people. It will be impossible for any of them to believably return to their lives in Ul'dah. These guys didn't just rough up a barmaid. This assumes that the authorities even release the identities of the principles and accessories to the public. Out of curiosity, why wouldn't they? I would imagine that they would want every person in the city to know as much as possible so as to make sure that they are spotted and the authorities informed if the baddies were in the city. Names, descriptions, wanted posters, the whole bit as well as offering rewards for capture so merc's could try their hand. If they have them in for a plea bargain (assuming the person turned themselves in or was quickly caught) it generally comes with some assurance that they won't be sold out.

If a handful were killed, maybe... With so many supposedly dead, it is not justice that they have to worry about, but armed mobs, vengeful families, and perhaps worse than either, vengeful powerful people. It will be impossible for any of them to believably return to their lives in Ul'dah. These guys didn't just rough up a barmaid. This assumes that the authorities even release the identities of the principles and accessories to the public. Ditto this -- don't forget, this isn't a world with photographs and a mob of press looking to spread those photographs all over the front page/website so everyone and their mother gets an eyeful of the evildoer. Hell, I play it so that even if Zhi knows a name and a rough description, she still won't know for 100% sure if the guy she just saw is the guy she's looking for. Drawn pictures can work some of the time, but it's still not 100%, and unless people are having the accomplices sit down for a portrait, chances are it'll have enough vagaries to allow them to change a few things about themselves and escape notice.

See, my main concern with the water supply poisoning is that there really isn't any way for this to happen. The poison takes three to nine hours to show effects, and then kills its victims four to twenty hours after that. So the first victims wouldn't start showing up until at least three hours after they drank at the well. Since people were already coming down sick in the refugee camps, the connection to the water might not be made for a while after that. The attack took place in the evening, so I can picture a lot of people getting water for their evening meals before the first people start showing symptoms. As someone who lives in an area where a lot of people are in dry cabins (ie, no water hookups), you could probably assume that a good amount of people would have already had a supply of water to drink from for the day. Hauling water multiple times in a day is really icky.

In lieu of what Warren said -- why not go for plea bargains? You know, sometimes the people who were involved in horrific events agree to do this or this in exchange for a reduced sentence or whatnot. Give it some leeway, it could just be kowtowing to the [insert police force here] for a certain amount of time. Most of the time, even with horrific events, leadership of military/police forces are more concerned with taking out the leadership of the people who do horrible things rather than the people at the bottom. Turning around and helping them get leadership would likely go a long way towards keeping those characters out of [insert bad thing here].

Orrrr maybe Zhi will finally have a way to firmly put him under thumb and therefore removed as a threat. Teehee. Now just to update ic knowledge. . . I hope that any merchant/trader FCs are getting involved in this! This is the sort of thing that makes me wish I had that sort of character. Legit rp reason to broker deals under tension? Yes please! I really admire all the hard work in the rp that is happening in Ul'dah, ooc tensions aside. Do remember that this is only Askier's second event, and that it's impossible to organize things in a way that will please everyone when there are a lot of people involved. I think if something happens that you don't like, or you like to be kept oocly informed, just pm the organizers and ask them to next time please give you a heads up as you don't like feeling like the rug has been pulled out from under you. That way they can surprise the people who like being surprised while not making anyone feel like they've been duped. Win/win? Keep up the good work, you lot. This rp sounds so delicious. edit - and remember, playing the blame game isn't fun either. I know for me sometimes I can do something and be all happy and excited and think it's cool -- only to have someone really upset because it wasn't the sort of thing they're into. It happens. It's easy to forget that the sort of rp you're comfortable with and love isn't the sort that everyone else loves. It's rp! Rather than feel upset, put heads together and start working out ways to solve the problems at hand. You're all super talented, creative people. I have faith.

Early morning is the best time to start a new character on Balmung! I just made some new characters at 5am Pacific yesterday, and I've had luck making characters around 6-7am Pacific during weekdays. Early morning/late evening are your best bets. And ugh, boo for bad financial situations -- but I'm glad you're able to return. Welcome back! People are super duper friendly, so if you ever have questions or need help reintegrating yourself back into gameplay or rp, don't hesitate to ask or start a thread. Cheers!

Language was strange, writing even moreso. It would do no good to question why there must be two letters for essentially the same sound, so Zhi studied the page rather than grouse about how stupid it was -- no matter how much she wanted to. S. Like Z, but backwards and softer. She muttered the letter to herself as she wrote it down carefully, and then added a T immediately after. Then she went back to muttering his name, and wrote down an E and then R, in rapid succession.

Zhi never had a problem sleeping. She fell asleep easily, and she woke up (normally) with even the slightest disturbance. Dreams did not typically trouble her, nightmares even less so. The night after she'd met that troublesome oaf -- what had he called himself? Something ridiculous, she couldn't quite focus on the name -- was different. The box came to mind, the one that she'd shaken, the one that had spoken to her. . . She sat upright in the mess of blankets she'd slept in, skin clammy, heart racing. Her stomach growled, and the sound startled her; she jumped. She also got up, lit the lantern. She was shaking. Godspit, she was scared. Zhavi Streetrunner did not scare from dreams. She was tough. Practical. Unwavering. She did what she had to do and she didn't linger on it. So why had she dreamt of strange, eldritch things? Why couldn't she stop shaking? Why couldn't she throw it off? Sleep had become precious to her. When she was able to grab some, she took it without a second thought. She had the space to go back to sleep, but staring down at the blankets -- she couldn't. She couldn't even move. She huddled in the corner, lamp in hand, staring into the corners left dark by the flickering flame. Night was her time. She should not feel fear. She didn't move. She stayed there until dawn.

Jingi was, at heart, a down-to-earth highlander woman. She tended to her books. She kept her head out of the clouds. She was feminine, but also sturdy; some might call her chubby. She dressed with an eye to practicality, and lived for her work. She was not used to random strangers coming up to her and asking her out for coffee. Being that she was around the worst excesses men had to offer day in and day out, this didn't bother her. Perhaps she was in danger of becoming an old maid, being single at the age of twenty-eight, but she had never stopped to consider whether or not she should focus on attracting a mate. By all means, she might have turned him down flat had it been another day. But she was tired. Hungry. Disheartened. The tiny, eternally optimistic part of her brain that was wholly feminine and delighted by things like flowers and compliments was chuffed at the thought of this man, this beautiful man, blushing at her, of all things. She was taken for granted on nearly a daily basis. Why should she not relax and enjoy herself in the company of a handsome stranger? Even if it turned into nothing more than a brief dalliance that started and ended with coffee, so what? It made her feel good. Not a lot made her feel good thanks to the recent events that had slowly sucked Jaded into the mire. Jingi smiled at him, shy and pleased. "I would quite like that. I was thinking of taking myself somewhere to eat. Pray tell, have you been in the city long?"

Zhi was deflating. It wasn't overtly obvious, but should Styrm take a close look at her, it would be apparent. "I ain't got no notion o' what it starts with." Her voice was grudging.

Balmung and Gilgamesh are both viable rp servers. I've seen it said that Balmung has more active rp happening in and around the world, but I have also seen it said that Gilgamesh has fantastic depth and inclusiveness in their rp -- you just have to be more proactive in finding it. Either server will do you well for rp, imo. What you can do is create a test character on each to see if there is one you like more, or go browse the Linkshell/FC Hall to see if there is a group that appeals to you. Huzzah for RP! Welcome to the RPC! I hope you are able to find the rp you're looking for.

This sounds really awesome. Zhi is fascinated with whores, so courtesans would be like the ultimate obsession for her, haha. Maybe I'll get to rp with you folks sometime!