Voted yes to the poll.
Probably echoing a lot of what's already been said, but any character's sexuality (or lack thereof) is an important element from which any number of other day-to-day feelings or thoughts may derive.
I don't look down upon those who choose to RP this, just as I don't look down upon those who choose not to RP it. Â It is just that - a choice. Â One each RPer may make for him- or herself. Â There is no wrong answer here. Â Not everyone will enjoy the same stuff. Â And everyone will have a different opinion of what is enjoyable and what is not.
For myself, my spouse and I have an agreement and there is a firm line between IC and OOC (as we both RP each of our characters). Â I will admit that I generally favor the "fade to black" method, often with some sort of an abridged summary of events that happened between the couple so that may help establish a baseline mood for the following day or whatever. Â From past experience, at certain times the RP can feel repetative and a bit of a waste of time (not for lack of compelling writing). Â Once in awhile we will still RP a scene if there is some reason for it (assuming of course that the partner character's RPer is comfortable with that).
For Eva in particular it is something not taken lightly and has taken months of build-up to get to that point in the few cases where RPing a relationship has gone that way. Â Publicly she downplays her own sexuality, however she is very much a heterosexual woman with all the urges and desires that come along with that - point blank she is extremely sexual, but only in private so it's not something most would ever see. Â Specifically due to her upbringing, her family and clan's lifestyle, there is a very strong emphasis placed on devotion in a one-to-one relationship. Â It may take a long time for her to open up to a significant other, but when she does she opens up completely and what emerges is a truly beautiful thing - a kind of physical manifestation of that level of devotion and trust and honesty and love. Â Since the D/s thing came up I will also mention that she usually winds up being the dominant partner (in all but one relationship which then was a bit more of an enduring battle for supremacy, and a source of entertainment as the two characters constantly butted heads, proverbially speaking of course). Â She just needs to be comfortable with her lover, and this sort of works against how she represents herself in public - soft-spoken and insightful and passive.
Her sexuality and her 'bedroom activities' are not something she would ever publicize - even to close friends. Â She is very private about that. Â She feels somewhat awkward about public displays of affection. Â She has an awkward time balancing her role as a priestess with her role as a lover. Â She wants to be seen a particular way, and being with someone often works against that. Â She has no qualms about being single either, in those spaces that stretch between lovers.
So to kind of conclude, I think that sex in RP is one facet of what I personally feel should be a multifaceted character, and those many other facets should not go ignored lest it be a bit of a shallow character in my opinion. Â Whether a RPer chooses to explore that or not or find some reason to avoid it altogether is up to the individual and should be respected no matter what. Â I personally don't like to see the heavy stuff. Â We've seen men and women characters alike flirt heavily with Eva. Â She's evolving to a point where she just might flirt back outwardly, but mostly it just makes her feel a bit awkward. Â She is generally wary of people who seem overly sure of themselves. Â And she carries with her that sort of common prejudice about anyone who is very open and abrupt about sex - generally figuring them to be woven of looser moral fiber. Â That's the character bias though, based on what feels to us like a realistic approach to the subject.
Probably echoing a lot of what's already been said, but any character's sexuality (or lack thereof) is an important element from which any number of other day-to-day feelings or thoughts may derive.
I don't look down upon those who choose to RP this, just as I don't look down upon those who choose not to RP it. Â It is just that - a choice. Â One each RPer may make for him- or herself. Â There is no wrong answer here. Â Not everyone will enjoy the same stuff. Â And everyone will have a different opinion of what is enjoyable and what is not.
For myself, my spouse and I have an agreement and there is a firm line between IC and OOC (as we both RP each of our characters). Â I will admit that I generally favor the "fade to black" method, often with some sort of an abridged summary of events that happened between the couple so that may help establish a baseline mood for the following day or whatever. Â From past experience, at certain times the RP can feel repetative and a bit of a waste of time (not for lack of compelling writing). Â Once in awhile we will still RP a scene if there is some reason for it (assuming of course that the partner character's RPer is comfortable with that).
For Eva in particular it is something not taken lightly and has taken months of build-up to get to that point in the few cases where RPing a relationship has gone that way. Â Publicly she downplays her own sexuality, however she is very much a heterosexual woman with all the urges and desires that come along with that - point blank she is extremely sexual, but only in private so it's not something most would ever see. Â Specifically due to her upbringing, her family and clan's lifestyle, there is a very strong emphasis placed on devotion in a one-to-one relationship. Â It may take a long time for her to open up to a significant other, but when she does she opens up completely and what emerges is a truly beautiful thing - a kind of physical manifestation of that level of devotion and trust and honesty and love. Â Since the D/s thing came up I will also mention that she usually winds up being the dominant partner (in all but one relationship which then was a bit more of an enduring battle for supremacy, and a source of entertainment as the two characters constantly butted heads, proverbially speaking of course). Â She just needs to be comfortable with her lover, and this sort of works against how she represents herself in public - soft-spoken and insightful and passive.
Her sexuality and her 'bedroom activities' are not something she would ever publicize - even to close friends. Â She is very private about that. Â She feels somewhat awkward about public displays of affection. Â She has an awkward time balancing her role as a priestess with her role as a lover. Â She wants to be seen a particular way, and being with someone often works against that. Â She has no qualms about being single either, in those spaces that stretch between lovers.
So to kind of conclude, I think that sex in RP is one facet of what I personally feel should be a multifaceted character, and those many other facets should not go ignored lest it be a bit of a shallow character in my opinion. Â Whether a RPer chooses to explore that or not or find some reason to avoid it altogether is up to the individual and should be respected no matter what. Â I personally don't like to see the heavy stuff. Â We've seen men and women characters alike flirt heavily with Eva. Â She's evolving to a point where she just might flirt back outwardly, but mostly it just makes her feel a bit awkward. Â She is generally wary of people who seem overly sure of themselves. Â And she carries with her that sort of common prejudice about anyone who is very open and abrupt about sex - generally figuring them to be woven of looser moral fiber. Â That's the character bias though, based on what feels to us like a realistic approach to the subject.
"One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others." Â ~ Lewis Carol
Eva's Journals  |  Eva's Wiki Page (coming soon)  |  RP Handbook
Eva's Journals  |  Eva's Wiki Page (coming soon)  |  RP Handbook