Mho

I'd be interested! 50 ARC, LNC, and CNJ but if given a choice, ICly Mho'd probably prefer ARC. OOCly I'm of course happy to do whatever's needed ^0^

Kind of sad to see no Dancer, but I do love the idea of Bard. ...I just HATE how the costume looks on Miqo'te. :cry:

Cutscenes mention that there are 6 known verses to the prophecies of Mezaya Thousandeyes and a newly-discovered seventh. Will these ever be made available to us in their entirety? Can you tell us more about Mezaya Thousandeyes themself?

While I really agree with the idea behind this, I think by itself it's probably only part of a more complete solution. I think the problem at root isn't really "can I find somewhere to RP" but "can I find people who WANT to RP with me". There's actually a very, very big difference. I think it's pretty understandable and natural that two characters who have nothing in common won't have much to say to each other, just like two random people at a bus stop probably won't strike up a chat leading to a long-standing friendship. It's unfortunate but it's the truth and it's probably not going to change any time soon. Also, consider that people might be not answering people not out of unfriendliness, but just plain shyness. That's right, strangers can be intimidating even in online video games! I know several people who think so, and I do myself sometimes. So, a purely IC solution will help, but only for people who are OOCly inclined AND have characters who are ICly inclined. I'd love to go, but my character would never willingly attend a pub night and would probably get fed up and leave within minutes if she didn't know anyone there. That doesn't mean we shouldn't do a pub night, I'm sure there are plenty of people it'd be great for. But I think we need something on the OOC front too. I've had an idea I've been kicking around for quite a while now but I've been too... I don't know. Busy? Lazy? Shy? Whatever the reason, it's this: Have an OOC event for RPers. There will be RPing there, but it'd be purely "noncanon". Sort of a "come have fun and bring your character with you". There could be discussions on the RP that's been going on, maybe "RP classifieds" (I'd be interested in this sort of event/story/friendship for my character, is anyone else?), some impromptu RP games... I don't know, I'd have to come up with a schedule of events if anyone's actually interested. But the point is, I think if we really want to address this issue at the root, we need people talking and being friendly OOCly too. OOC friendships often lead to IC involvement and I don't think there's anything at all wrong or exclusionary about that. Of course people will want to do things with friends! So, to me at least, it seems like a good solution would be to help everyone make more friends.

Yay! Totally coming to future ones!

Will there be another event like this? I'd love to attend and maybe even bring a story, but I'll be out of town this weekend due to Easter... :oops:

yar old thread is old D: It doesn't QUITE fit but the best theme song I've found for Mho so far is: It's ominous, profound, and... When you think about it, doesn't really make much sense. Kind of like Mho!

I guess I'm just confused about why a male Miqo'te would NEED to cross dress. Is there anything shameful about being a Miqo'te man? The only real reason I can see for it is a sort of OOC wrenching things around to explain why your character's avatar looks feminine - but yanking things around purely OOCly to force things on the game/setting that couldn't otherwise happen seems... almost like godmodding right there, by itself. Either way there are problems... One way you'd have to constantly explain "No really, I'm a guy" and the other you have to constantly worry "What if they find out I'm a guy?!" It just seems like so much extra work and effort with so much potential to be misunderstood and messed up... I guess I'm just wondering if it's really worth it? Does it add something completely irreplaceable to the character you can't get any other, less messy way?

Woo, more questionnaires! *shamelessly tacks her own on* Since Mho's pretty reticent to talk on her own, I'll be giving more complete answers after hers. You invite a friend over to your house for the afternoon. Describe what your friend would see upon entering your home. "Wooden floors. Walls. Windows. The relics of those who came before. Perhaps my sister, if she is not at the forge." A small timeworn wooden cabin, well tended but a little cluttered, despite obvious halfhearted attempts to keep everything orderly. A ladder leads to a half-loft above the main room where the beds are, and solid-looking windows let in the light. A couple doors lead off to a small side room and a storage area. Most striking though is probably the seemingly random collection of artifacts hung on the walls - everything from old, worn tools to preserved animal skeletons. During the casual small-talk that ensues, your friend asks you if you have read any good books lately. How do you respond? A little awkwardly "...No." Mho, unfortunately, finds reading a bit of a chore. She'd much rather be DOING something. There are probably books out there she'd enjoy quite a bit, but she'd rather not have to spend all the time to find out if it was worth reading or not after the fact. Your friend eventually leaves, and you're still bored. Restless, you leave the house and set out for a walk. Describe the neighborhood you live in. "I live in the woods. Trees, moss, stones. That is my neighborhood." The cabin Mho shares with her sister is about half a day's walk from the outskirts of Gridania, in a wooded clearing. A makeshift forge lies at the back, near the stream that runs along one side. A small herb garden lies next to the house, near two smaller structures, and an ever-present crow hops about, eagerly awaiting the scraps and offal Mho leaves for it after gutting a kill. Oh no! An orphan is in trouble! Down the street from where you stand, a small street urchin is being bullied by three larger youths. What do you do about it? "Stop them." Cold and uncaring as Mho tries to appear, she's absolutely terrible at actually being heartless. She'd very calmly but sternly run the older children off, then escort the urchin to somewhere safer while trying to sort out why they were being bullied, and possibly give advice on what to do about it in the future - all while sounding as austere and introspective as possible. Adventure time! The next day, still restless, you decide that what you need is a good change of pace. How do you pack for your four-day road trip to Ishgard? "I'd question what made me so restless, first. ...But I suppose that isn't the answer you were after, was it. I've never traveled any great distance. Is there game along the way? I suppose I would have to find out what the road is like before I answered." Mho would only pack essentials for traveling, but she might be a bit clueless how to prepare for any terrain other than woodlands. Along your journey, you spot some bandits waiting at a bridge across a wide but slow moving river up ahead of you. They haven't seen you yet. You need to cross the bridge to get to where you're going. How do you handle the situation? After a long pause. "Some? How many? My answer depends greatly upon it. If only a few, I would show myself and try to discuss things from a distance. If they are not peaceable, I would injure one with my bow then flee past an ambush prepared by my sister, then turn to join her. If they are numerous or do not try to attack... Go upstream. Seek another crossing." While she wouldn't shy away from conflict if needed, Mho prefers not to hurt or kill people if she can help it. Not really out of any moral guidelines, just a sort of queasy gut sense that it's not good to hurt people when you don't have to. You have just arrived for the first time in a new big city. Where do you go first? "I secure lodging." Mho's very practically minded at times - first things first. Get settled in, find out where you're staying, where you're eating, and how to manage both. Once she's got that settled, she'd have peace of mind to look after other business. For being the 1,000th tourist to the city, you have been given a 6,000 gil voucher to spend as you like at the Ishgard Department Store (think FFXIV version of Macy's). What do you spend it on? A long, pensive silence as she bites her lip thoughtfully. "I... don't know. I suppose I would have to ask my sister's advice. Supplies for the return trip? Yes, actually, I suppose I had better do that before I ask her advice..." The idea of money to burn is completely foreign to Mho, who's... never really had to deal with much money in her life. It's simply never been a concern to her. All of that shopping has made you deliriously hungry. What sort of food establishment do you seek out for lunch? "You mean I did not eat first? Hm. ...Somewhere with meat. Grilled, if they have it. Wait- Do they have anything spicy in this city?" Mho is a bit of a carnivore. While she appreciates nice seasonings and herbs as much as the next person, vegetables simply don't excite her. She goes nuts for hot and spicy food, though. Five months later and safely back at home, you realize the Winter Festival is approaching! What sort of present do you pick out for your mother (or nearest living relative, or closest friend)? "...a barrette. A comb. Something pretty for her hair." Mho doesn't really see the point of practical gifts. If someone needs something, won't they get it for themselves? While she knows full well that her mother would probably never wear it, Mho firmly believes gifts ought to be something special or unusual, something the receiver wouldn't ordinarily get for themselves or wouldn't be able to, but would appreciate all the same.

The central room of the old seer's home was silent but for the soft sounds of a sleeperâs breath. The strong oak that made the walls kept outside noises where they belonged; in kind, the boards that closed all doors and windows were crafted with such skill that no voice could penetrate. The air inside stood slightly stagnant, and a dim glow emanated from a close-lidded oil lamp, hung suspended within the fireplace. Four doors punctuated the room's walls, sharing the space with two windows and almost a dozen wall ornaments. On one wall, a ladder led up to the low floor half atop the main, where the seers slept... But for today. Today, a makeshift bed lie near the middle of the spacious floor, pulled together from sheets, blankets, skins and other things of the like, upon which a lone figure lay light in slumber after a restless morning. Afternoon sunlight streamed into the little cabin, casting dancing dust motes into sharp relief and cutting brilliant squares onto the smooth grain of the wooden floor. The front door opened, briefly streaming a pillar of light across the floorboards, before it was again quietly shut. Faint footsteps padded over to the half-curled figure, not yet found by the sunâs questing beams. The young Miqoâte woman lie on her side, tightly sprawled on the low heap of bedding, pale blonde hair wild and cheek bandaged. Her mirror image sat down next to her, legs tucked neatly to the side, carrying a tall lacquered cup of steaming liquid. Rhea stirred with a groan, cracked open one eye, and rolled away from the light with a protesting scrunch of her features. Mho spoke gently, setting the cup in front of her twinâs face. "Sister. The mirrorâs gaze turned upon us last night... Though I think youâve realized." She hesitated uncertainly as Rhea sat up to sniff at the cup, wincing from the effort. "Easy," she murmured before continuing. "Sheâs passed, and left us the embers of her wake. I wrote them down." "I... canât feel the stir," began Rhea, eyes focusing on the cup. "Though anotherâs taken its place." The light, herbal scent of its contents seemed to ground her, and she brought it to her lips for a taste. She recoiled a little upon realizing that her hair had fallen in front of her face, and she swept it aside before repeating the motion. A grimace pursed her lips as the heat scalded them, and she set the cup back down with a grunt at the little shake of her sisterâs head. "Some time yet, hm?" Rhea closed her eyes in reflection, pausing long moments before her voice steadied. "She wasnât gentle of word, was she?" "No. The Seekerâs bidding left no time to dally..." Rhea gingerly touched the bandage at her cheek. In the process she noticed that her hand, also, was wrapped. She sighed and blew on the fragrant steam rising from the cup beside her, staring blankly in silence as her sister sat beside her. She frowned, her smooth brow furrowing as she seemed to debate some inner conflict. Unnoticed, Mho rose beside her and padded across the modestly furnished room. "Will you eat?" The question caught Rhea off guard, and all she could manage was a "Hn?" Mho patiently repeated the question and half-turned to regard her sister, framed sunlight granting her plaited locks a golden sheen. Rhea frowned. "I do hunger. But it may be too early yet." She pulled herself into a sitting position and inhaled deeply, nose inclined to the still-steaming cup. A satisfied smile crept across her face, replacing the pensive frown. "Though I feel better but from the scent. What did she say?" Mho walked to a low table at the far side of the room in silence, pulling out a rough stool and settling a scrap of parchment in front of her. Behind her, Rhea straightened to listen, a pained twinge shooting across her face from the effort. Mho began to read; her clear, high voice rose and fell in the musical cadence of recitation. "Steps and steps I hear, a long journey in rhythm; steps coming hither, strides hastening here, these pass into understandingâ my sister speaks, and the circle is complete. An ash shall come, bearing the oak; spreading branches offer shelter to birds of air, roost they at ease; of this the nightingale singsâ by its own will is the thrush carried away; in lands distant the feathered awaken. Steps and steps I see, a long journey in tracks; steps coming hither, paces falling in line, from the wave-steedâs stables journeys the stout ash, and with him, the killing oak. Servant of terrible Wisdomâs children is he, bound by oaths of hairâs breadth; over him are the wind-reader, the blade-wetter; one from the skin and bones of earth doth dead secrets coax, the other jealously doth his brother ward. Steps and steps I know, a long journey in deed; steps going thither, tread lightened by song, now passes from sight the laden voyagerâ birdsong raised to twine with arching bough."[/list:u] The younger turned on her stool to watch the older, gauging her reaction. Rhea sat, idly sipping the concoction with a thoughtful look on her face. Finally, she spoke. "It seems a bit warmer to drink now." "The birds," prompted Mho. "Hn?" "The birds are to travel," repeated Mho, unable to hide a small, fond smile of amusement. "Oh." Rhea tore her attention from her drink and squinted across the room at her sister. "Birds..." she murmured. She rubbed a temple with her fingers and took another long drink. "You spoke of a giant, bearing the heart of the forest. The âkilling oakâ." Mho kept her voice quiet and calm, doing her best not to aggravate her sisterâs condition. Her tail made long, steady swoops as she watched her twin attempt to finger-comb her disheveled hair into some semblance of order. "The killing oak... The heart of the forest-" Rhea halted for a moment, frowning at a newly-discovered knot. "Weâve seen neither so far, have we? Then itâs to be, or now is." Mho nodded, and Rhea added, "Iâm lead to think âto beâ? Or perhaps taken from being to beyond. The giantâs journey seems long for a night." Mho let her eyes stray to the floor, biting the inside of her lower lip thoughtfully. "I heard no whisper of the keepers." "Mm," grunted Rhea. "Then perhaps the âkilling oakâ is whatâs whispered. The bringer of an end?" Her voice trailed into an amused curl, by now quickly recovering her facilities. "The song of birds was renewed by his passage," replied Mho, shaking her head. "If itâs an end he brings, itâs one not yet to come. Or an end, to bring the new. The ash... Or ashes?" She twitched her ears pensively. "I was led to understand a tree. If it is an end the ash brings, then song heralds birth anew..." "Upon the branches of the ash," interjected Rhea. "The branches shelter the song," agreed Mho. "Or at least, those who sing it. The birds." "And what might those be?" Mho pursed her lips thoughtfully and rose, pacing across the room. The modest cabin almost seemed to pause to reflect this, as if lost in thoughts of its own. Absently Mho's gaze drifted toward its walls for inspiration, where every generation of seers that had come before them had left a mark of their own. Woven tapestries, hand-crafted tools and equipment, even bones of spirit-guides, assembled to honor their former owners. The scant furniture was far less evocative, suggesting a humble abode â clutter here and there despite all of Mho's attempts at organization. Rhea rolled out her neck and drained her cup to the dregs, letting out a satisfied breath and pushing it to the side. She watched idly as Mho continued to pace, the younger brushing the knuckles of one hand across her lips as she thought. Finally, she stopped and turned to Rhea. "You also said that the giant finds the mirror." "...then..." Mho nodded. "Yesterday was an important day, wasnât it?" Rhea closed her eyes and stretched. "It was. Though I canât speak if she intended her words for the day or not. We sorta forced them out, didnât we?" "You were called. I wasnât brought to you until a little while after." Mhoâs eyes strayed to the bandages on Rheaâs cheek and hand. Rhea followed her gaze and gave the wounded hand an experimental flex. "Finished?" asked Mho, stepping over to collect the emptied glass. "Quite. Thank you," smiled Rhea. "So," Mho pondered, turning the cup in her hands without quite realizing what she was doing, "The ash comes for the mirror... And the oak he bears brings an end? Or only the power to end." The wild-haired sister leaned forward, traces of her earlier soreness still lingering in the motion, and propped her elbows on her knees. "It could be both," she asserted diffidently. "The power to end may in itself mean the end of something." Rheaâs tail thumped against the furs languidly as her younger sister went back to her pacing, making a thoughtful sound. "So then, if the ash brings the end, but also a shelter at journeyâs end..." Mho trailed off, still pacing, before looking up suddenly. "Ah! But the journey does not end. It begins anew, with mirrored song?" She halted and looked to Rhea with uncertainty, but went on when her sister nodded in approval. "But where? He is bound to the twins. Are we to reflect the wisdom of the scryer and the blade?" Mho gnawed at her lip, still unsure. "By their will? Or to witness a song sung for other ears?" countered Rhea, evenly. "I donât know. But I donât relish the thought of meeting the blade-wetter, sister," Mho said, wide tail strokes betraying a hint of apprehension. The elder sister shrugged and offered a bland smile. "Is there anything to relish with these things? If the eye of dawn leads us to the brothers, she wonât abandon us. Or," she amended, scratching at her bandaged cheek, "If she does, so was her intent." "Lover forbid," shivered Mho. She stood quietly, contemplating what the future held while the faint whisper of the brook outside meandered through an open window, filling the silence with its merry burble. Simultaneously, the sisters began to speak. "Weâve enough meal left for some honey caâ" "An ash, but what brand of...?" Both paused, looking at each other in surprise. Rhea perked up in interest, eyes shining. "Oh?" she asked, a grin slowly forming. "Yes." Mho chuckled, a nearly identical grin touching her own lips. "Iâll get the griddle. We can discuss the rest when youâve had something to clear your mind?" Rhea nodded enthusiastically and settled down to wait for breakfast. After all, prophecy was one thing, but honeyed griddle cakes were another entirely.

As a member of Canta Per Me, I'm... Trying not to be insulted, so I'm sorry if my post comes off as a bit defensive. In my experience, RPing missions has been a wonderful way to add interest and fun to what would otherwise be a grind, while generating an interesting storyline the entire linkshell can get in on, even if they're not directly involved in the cutscenes and BCs just from the spillover consequences of the major events taking place. When another group within the LS wants to re-RP it later, as they often do, it's a great opportunity to bring creative plotting and story writing to bear to have it all make sense again. One of the most fun long-term plot arcs I've been in was a redo of CoP and it worked great. Before a few members quit, we even had someone putting together a plot for a crossover 3rd CoP run-through with ToAU missions mixed in and a storyline that tied it all together. Two different RPLS's are always going to have different 'canon' and if they're going to shun each other and butt heads over the differences, they certainly don't need missions as the impetus. That's not the fault of mission RP, that's the fault of short-sighted leaders who can't communicate a compromise, even if it's "Just don't talk about mission-specific events in cross-LS RPs." That's the rule Canta Per Me and Phoenix Ember stuck to and it worked fine - so well in fact that we declared each other sister LS's and had people with pearls to both who hopped back and forth to RP and hang out. We had different 'canon' but we had the maturity and decency not to make it a point of contention. All that aside, to talk about CPM specifically for a moment and not just for the sake of example, mission RPs has never been our focus or central theme. We love doing it but we've been around and active since NA PS2 launch. MOST of our plots are 100% member-written, though often they'll implement and expand upon ideas and elements that first appeared in mission RPs and quests. Flat-out not RPing missions at all robs a RPLS of a lot of potential enrichment, to me. Now, CPM has been the only RPLS for most of Lakshmi's history, so it's not as much of a problem for us. In a larger community, if you're going to RP missions, you of course have to be mindful to RP them not 'by the book' - You'll have to think up some way to RP them non-specifically enough that there won't be conflicts with other groups. If a RPLS wants to just avoid that mess completely by not RPing missions ever, that's certainly the easiest route. But to globally condemn mission RPing just closes doors that really don't have to be shut.

I had a throwaway Sin Hunter character who'd mutter curses under her breath in Old Mithran when she was annoyed, most of which were made-up sufficiently guttural words. I usually had a rough idea of what they meant in case anyone asked, but many of them were 'swearing by the land' sort of. The few she got asked about meant things like "land-canker." I also have a hot-tempered healer who sometimes (rarely) curses up a storm. "Prom" as a vulgar slang shortening for Promathia figures into her cursing a fair amount, she's said things like "Prom's chains!" when venting exasperation. She tries to avoid swearing by Altana, because her boyfriend is religious and frowns on blasphemy, but "Etna" as an irreverent shortening of Altana has slipped out once or twice too. :oops:

RL Name: Carrin RL Age: 27 Country: USA Timezone: CST RL Gender: Female Character Name: Mho Nhacara Why do you like to RP? I really enjoy seeing my character come to life on their own, growing and developing and making decisions that I didn't see coming and certainly wouldn't have made myself. It's a continuing process of fun surprises as I get to watch something I've created become an almost independent person in their own little world. When you add in the plots and character interactions, the whole thing can bloom into a wonderful, engaging interactive story. RP Preferences: Are you willing to RP a fight scene in game? Against monsters? Yes, I'd love to. Against other players... I'm willing to but I really don't like to. Too often it's awkward, messy, and doesn't have a good, clear, satisfying way to resolve things that everyone is happy with. I try to avoid it but I won't shy away if it's for a very dramatic plot point or story clincher and I know we can resolve it in an orderly way. What is your preferred method of combat? (/randoming, skill based, etc) I usually just go with what people seem to prefer. I don't like RP fighting much and it's always so awkward to throw emotes at each other. Are you willing to take major injuries in game? (ie limb loss) Depends I guess. Probably, but not without a very good reason. I'm a lot more willing to work with stuff like scars. Are you willing to let your character die permanently? Well... No. Who would I RP with if my character dies? If I end up playing multiple characters, which I might, I'd be more open to the idea but if a character is going to die, I'd like it to be my decision and no one else's. Are you willing to RP romance in game? Yes! I love character development and romance can be a great way to bring out sides of your character you'd otherwise never see. I'm only really interested if it happens naturally though, and I certainly won't go LOOKING for it. While my characters are welcome to take it as far as they'd like, I really, really don't want to watch what happens. Scene shift please! How far away from the basic lore are you willing to go? Depends... If it's appropriate and neat and well thought out and fits into the setting then I can go a bit out there. But usually I like to stick close to canon. If it can't be explained by stuff we already know about in the game itself, it would take some convincing for me to be willing to accept it. Are you looking for Cross-guild RP? I am looking for RP! I don't care if it's cross-guild, trans-guild, inter-guild, or any other number of ways you can say it. I like RP and it doesn't matter to me which group you're in. How do you prefer to be contacted? (PM or post in this thread) AIM is probably the best way, but in-game messages and PMs work too!

I've only ever made one, and it's a bit simple... It was supposed to sound contemplative but I think it came out sing-songy. Oh well. EDIT: I forgot I smooshed two drawings from an artbook together to make this. My char and her ex-fiance. (or their models anyway)