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Aden Dellebecque · **08-26-2016, 09:43 AM**

This is less a question (as I have an idea of what I'm doing) and more a query for discussion. So your character achieves their life goal; what then? What have you done/will you do? Where did they go/where will they go from there?

Kilieit · **08-26-2016, 09:51 AM**

Depends on the goal, and the character, and the way the character achieves the goal.

I can think of a few examples where I've either written the character off into the sunset or had them die in the process of achieving the goal in question.

I've also had a lot of characters who have achieved their goal, or they thought they had, and then while they're in the process of celebrating, a new huge problem arises and they immediately get something else to do.

Or sometimes roleplaying the goal having been met is satisfying in and of itself (e.g. a character's goal is to get into a relationship; this happens; the relationship itself provides additional fodder for RP).

I tend to avoid picking 1 over-arching goal for a character - they'll have priorities, but there's usually something else for them to move on to once their former priority#1 is achieved. Maybe it's just because I'm naff, but I find characters with a one-track mind pretty boring to RP.

Depends so heavily on so many factors that I couldn't tell you what I intend to do with my current cast.

ExAtomos · **08-26-2016, 09:55 AM**

Mhm... Fulfilling one goal just opens pathways to others. :3 (In a fit of "could use more coffee"... I guess our true life goal is just to exist; what we do during that time is our story.)

Gegenji · **08-26-2016, 10:27 AM**

The previous posts kinda covered it pretty comprehensively. Goals are more like... checkpoints than anything else. Just because you've achieved one doesn't mean the character is "done with." New goals can arise either from that achievement or any number of other incidents and interactions you might have.

And even if you have a character who has hit all their goals and there doesn't seem to be any new ones... you might just stumble across something just from random RP. Or, if you feel their story is told and there's nothing more to be added, there's nothing wrong with retiring the character.

Gerel Kha · **08-26-2016, 10:36 AM**

I don't think I've ever had a character actively finish something that I'd categorize as a life goal. Largely because the original goal changes as time goes on, and so it just keeps growing and growing, extending into the far, far future. In the event it ever did happen, though, I think they'd just find another one.

If Gerel finally decided she was done following the Path? She'd just find something else that suits her, and make that the new target of her passion. Maybe she'd dive into her love of food and open up a restaurant, or try and become a writer (after learning how to read and write in the first place). The thing about following a life goal is that we eventually discover other avenues we could pursue, and over the course of it all, gain a wider and broader foundation to build upon.

So I guess the way I see it? One door shuts, and dozens more spring up, wide open. The more you RP a character, the more you may find them growing in unexpected ways. Maybe the former gladiator, after winning all the wealth they could ever need and exhausting the glory, decides to take up teaching. All 'cause a random Lalafell mentioned they might be suited for it one night after a few drinks.

John Spiegel · **08-26-2016, 06:40 PM**

New goals.

If your character is so focused on something, say, revenge, and they get that revenge, what sort of fallout or prologue would that character experience? Would they remain vengeful everlooking for the next kill to sate their anger or would they take a step back and have an epiphany that the goal of their conquest was shallow but the steps and people they met along the way were what was important.

The way me and my group goes about things is in a realistic sort of fashion.

Let's use my main, JJ, as an example. When I brought him into 2.0 I had no goals for this aged but not old dark knight. He's seen so much, done so much and bled so much, but at his core he's a wanderer. Sure, things have happened to him over 2.0's time, but there weren't any goals to work towards -- he was more reactionary than proactionary.

Now let's use my other two characters, Alex and Grace, JJ's children. Both are monks that escaped King Theodric's and the Garlean's bullshit. While they're not grand super sayinn monks, nor currently (in the past, yes) directly involved with the Ala Mhigan Resistance, they harbor a strong desire to reclaim their maternal ancestral land. This has been my longest running and coldest overarcing plot for these two as Ala Mhigo has yet to be hit up directly in the game. Now once that happens, depending how it happens, that would wrap up a major part of their story in terms of "getting to the goal". However, along the way, Alex especially, has been quite active. Running Crystalline and doing this or that within the company's work and so on.

Moral of the story: If you define your character with one thing to do and they finish it, but you want to keep on going, get into your character's head. What do they do as a hobby? Do they have friends? What might that character think about doing x y or z?

DETAILS!

Warren Castille · **08-26-2016, 07:30 PM**

Ah, to be under the age of 25 and achieved everything you want in life.

Playful sarcasm aside, I'd just make new goals. Very seldom do people hit their "happily ever after" moment before they've gone through a mid-life crisis. Depending on the goal, come up with a new one. Revenge is hollow and doesn't sustain a person. Maybe their dream business opens a new slew of challenges, rivals and complications. So you've finally reached your goal of becoming an air force pilot: Oh shit, now you have to go to work.

I guess my answer is just to not let your resolutions be resolutions. There's always more to the story, there's always something else to uncover, and there's always another angle to pursue. Don't let everything get wrapped up with a nice bow and be done, find something else to link to it.

Aden Dellebecque · **08-26-2016, 07:43 PM**

This wasn't intended to directly be a question, but again, for example: if you were Ishgardian and your unobtainable goal was just achieved by recent in-game events... where are you now? If it was "become X" and you achieved that, where did your character go with it? If it was revenge and you got your revenge, how did you move on? Hell, if your character wanted to open a bakery, and finally realized it wasn't a pipe dream when they opened the doors. I'm asking people about their own pivot points--moments where their character achieved something major and potentially life changing, realized it, and how they dealt with it, or how you intend for them to deal with it if/when it happens. Even something they thought out of reach--how did it hit them when they realized it was in reach, if they realized it at all?

Less "achieve everything you wanted" and more "your dream stopped being a dream".

Virella · **08-26-2016, 07:55 PM**

Really depends on lore surrounding the topic, mostly the Fists and retaking Ala Mhigo for Avelyn. I'm still not sure whether to keep her alive or not. I really don't know where to push her story beyond 'retaking Ala Mhigo and restoring me temple', because she will never ever leave her temples as soon as she gets them.

But that really depends on lore! Also because I don't want to roleplay some paragon of justice, given they might turn the Fists into them. It will be one way ticket to the embrace of Rhalgr for Ave if that turns out to be the case and I don't see a way to write her logically out of it, beyond letting her die.

As well, Ave's by Eorzean, and roleplayer, standards getting old, so I don't feel as bad as I would axe Virella out of seemingly the blue. And I love bittersweet endings. But yeah, it all depends on lore... and well roleplay to an extend. She might just be capable of crawling out of Ala Mhigo/temples if she gets enough motivation due to roleplay. So we shall see!

Else Ave's going to do a 'reset the cycle' suicide and let the Fists be reborn. She's a bit mad.

Valence · **08-27-2016, 06:33 AM**

(08-26-2016, 07:43 PM)Aden Dellebecque Wrote: This wasn't intended to directly be a question, but again, for example: if you were Ishgardian and your unobtainable goal was just achieved by recent in-game events... where are you now? Â If it was "become X" and you achieved that, where did your character go with it? Â If it was revenge and you got your revenge, how did you move on? Â Hell, if your character wanted to open a bakery, and finally realized it wasn't a pipe dream when they opened the doors. Â I'm asking people about their own pivot points--moments where their character achieved something major and potentially life changing, realized it, and how they dealt with it, or how you intend for them to deal with it if/when it happens. Â Even something they thought out of reach--how did it hit them when they realized it was in reach, if they realized it at all?

Less "achieve everything you wanted" and more "your dream stopped being a dream".

I... don't quite get the issue actually. I love when it happens. That's often the most interesting part of personal struggles. All the journey up to revenge is neat and sweet, but once it's done and leaves the person empty, it's the most formidable engine for change you could wish for.

You just need other players to be involved in it and force it upon your character, because the character might often be quite closed to it initially, as a empty/lost husk.

Remember the Boshin War in Japan? How all those lost samurai roamed aimlessly in a society that changed and didn't want for them anymore? Isn't that a great story to be told somehow?

But maybe the real issue is that you maybe don't want for your character to change yet. You are not ready for it? I can relate to that. That's one of my biggest hurdles. I grow attached too much to a certain facet of my characters and sometimes resist change.

Aden Dellebecque · **08-27-2016, 07:29 AM**

(08-27-2016, 06:33 AM)Valence Wrote:
(08-26-2016, 07:43 PM)Aden Dellebecque Wrote: This wasn't intended to directly be a question, but again, for example: if you were Ishgardian and your unobtainable goal was just achieved by recent in-game events... where are you now? Â If it was "become X" and you achieved that, where did your character go with it? Â If it was revenge and you got your revenge, how did you move on? Â Hell, if your character wanted to open a bakery, and finally realized it wasn't a pipe dream when they opened the doors. Â I'm asking people about their own pivot points--moments where their character achieved something major and potentially life changing, realized it, and how they dealt with it, or how you intend for them to deal with it if/when it happens. Â Even something they thought out of reach--how did it hit them when they realized it was in reach, if they realized it at all?

Less "achieve everything you wanted" and more "your dream stopped being a dream".

I... don't quite get the issue actually. I love when it happens. That's often the most interesting part of personal struggles. All the journey up to revenge is neat and sweet, but once it's done and leaves the person empty, it's the most formidable engine for change you could wish for.

You just need other players to be involved in it and force it upon your character, because the character might often be quite closed to it initially, as a empty/lost husk.

Remember the Boshin War in Japan? How all those lost samurai roamed aimlessly in a society that changed and didn't want for them anymore? Isn't that a great story to be told somehow?

But maybe the real issue is that you maybe don't want for your character to change yet. You are not ready for it? I can relate to that. That's one of my biggest hurdles. I grow attached too much to a certain facet of my characters and sometimes resist change.

It's not an issue, I am requesting people please nerd out about their characters. I don't know 90% of you and I want to hear about your Cool Stuff ™ that your character thought/thinks to be impossible or improbable but wanted to achieve anyway--and what happens when it turns out not to be impossible.

Valence · **08-27-2016, 08:38 AM**

Oh. I see...

I never really had anything extremely accurate and well defined on the long run for my character. She sure has dreams and stuff on the short or medium run of things, but when she gets them (which she still has to because I hate rushing things, I like realism and all that jazz), she usually goes under some change in her own way and gets new dreams... Well I hope so.

For the ultimate goals, I never went further than "taking on a long pilgrimage/journey across Eorzea and the world" that she sees as a lifetime accomplishment. So, unless something happens, I don't see that happening anytime in the game lifespan...

If you have seen Kino no Tabi, it's kinda similar. Maybe I'm a coward but it sounds less bothersome that way :p

The (not quite) End of the Road

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes