Ok, so... having slept and having had time to think about this (and clear my head of the stress), there are a few points I wanted to make here that I hope are received a lot better than my opening post. Much of it is to do with the backstory stuff that raised a lot of eyebrows. Naturally, this is more for those who have OOC issues with that stuff. If someone has IC issues, then that sort of disbelief just causes more stuff to RP over, right?
1) The dragoon stuff. I just want to clarify that this stuff was actually RPed out as jobs became available pre-2.0. This kinda thing was normal back then amongst the people I RPed with (most of whom were part of the RPC). Back then it wasn't a case of "no, you can't be that job because of X" it was more "you've got an excuse as to why you can be that job? Ok, good." Naturally, there was less lore to work with, so less impeding information, but if I change that part of my character's backstory, would that be fair on the people I've RPed with? It'd make it a retcon that could cause conflict with what other people have recorded/remembered with regards to my character. If there was at any point a general consensus to retcon jobs like Dragoon at some point and there is something like a thread or something to which a lot of people agreed on the concept, then if that proof was brought to me, I might consider changing things (I couldn't care less whether or not this exists in my character backstory on a personal level, my only care is about changing information that others may still believe). Naturally, there will always be characters with IC issues over this bit of information, but none of it was supplied ICly, so unless Riku was to blab about it during RP (which he wouldn't... he doesn't talk about his past much), it should really be a non-issue.
2) Age. Yes, my character looks young, and yes that would cause many IC issues. Good. The more to argue over, the more content to RP, right? However, for those put off OOCly by it, naturally,you're entitled for that. Some people want to get down and gritty with the realistic stuff. But this is Final Fantasy, and there will always be that anime-esque side to things. In FFIX, your party included a 6-year-old summoner. In FFXII, sometimes Larsa joined the party as a guest, and he was what, 13? Yet he could keep up with the rest of the party (which included a war veteran, remember) and specialised in melee combat. As for FFXIV, there's a whole city state run by what are essentially eternal children (yes, I'm talking about the Padjal of Gridania), and let's not forget Alphinaud (Yes, as an elezen he could well be old enough to be of the age that other races consider adult, and yes, his physical age is probably older than Riku's, but it doesn't change the fact that despite not being an adult, he started the Scion equivalent of a Grand Company and is a skilled arcanist to boot). This sort of stuff happens in Final Fantasy. I may be willing to up my character's apparent age to 13 (any more, and I'd have to change more than I really want to), but that all depends on whether that would make a difference to anyone or not from an OOC acceptability standpoint.
3) The thread itself. I was definitely trying to be interesting and humorous with my opening post. I think the problematic part was this bit (correct me if I'm wrong): "Obviously, the first to get in contact, arrange an RP then initiate said RP is more likely to get me." I did not mean for it to come across as though I wanted them to do all the RP arrangements etc, arrangement of RP is a two-sided affair, as both sides need to be available for it and need to be at the specified venue. All I meant was that the first to be available for an RP based around the recruitment would have a higher chance at getting Riku into their ranks on account of having the first pick. Furthermore, the IC issue does not mean an FC has to go "hey, heard of this guy? He seems awesome, let's recruit him!" or something along those lines. It could just be the case of Riku approaching an FC for a non-employment-based reason, and then someone going "hey, you might fit in here, you know!".
4) Type of FC. Despite Riku's talents being combat-centric, it doesn't have to be a combat-centric FC. Before ARR, Riku was part of an odd-jobs mercenary guild who did all sorts of things from delivering letters to finding cats to taking out notorious monsters. Riku's willingness to help people would be a big reason to attract such an FC, even if he's initially recruited to do chore-based stuff (or maybe someone could see him as a potential student for a combat role and take him in to train him). There's always then the chance that Riku can convince the guild he can fight through his actions and capabilities once they get to know him.
5) Following up. By all means, I don't expect FC recruiters to be on the look out for me in-game or something with them doing all the leg work. A post here to say "my FC would be willing to accept this character/recruitment scenario" is more than enough. Once I know who I can contact and what FC they belong to, I can then get in touch with them about the RP and/or other terms/requirements. Admittedly, I may be hesitant to do that for a couple of days, because a lot of the replies here have damaged my motivation, but that doesn't change what my plans are.
From this point on, may I ask that nobody derails this thread through arguing with my character background (beyond replying to some of the questions left in this post) and/or age or with accusations based on what they believe my motivations to be? That stuff has been discussed to death and I think we should move on from it.
1) The dragoon stuff. I just want to clarify that this stuff was actually RPed out as jobs became available pre-2.0. This kinda thing was normal back then amongst the people I RPed with (most of whom were part of the RPC). Back then it wasn't a case of "no, you can't be that job because of X" it was more "you've got an excuse as to why you can be that job? Ok, good." Naturally, there was less lore to work with, so less impeding information, but if I change that part of my character's backstory, would that be fair on the people I've RPed with? It'd make it a retcon that could cause conflict with what other people have recorded/remembered with regards to my character. If there was at any point a general consensus to retcon jobs like Dragoon at some point and there is something like a thread or something to which a lot of people agreed on the concept, then if that proof was brought to me, I might consider changing things (I couldn't care less whether or not this exists in my character backstory on a personal level, my only care is about changing information that others may still believe). Naturally, there will always be characters with IC issues over this bit of information, but none of it was supplied ICly, so unless Riku was to blab about it during RP (which he wouldn't... he doesn't talk about his past much), it should really be a non-issue.
2) Age. Yes, my character looks young, and yes that would cause many IC issues. Good. The more to argue over, the more content to RP, right? However, for those put off OOCly by it, naturally,you're entitled for that. Some people want to get down and gritty with the realistic stuff. But this is Final Fantasy, and there will always be that anime-esque side to things. In FFIX, your party included a 6-year-old summoner. In FFXII, sometimes Larsa joined the party as a guest, and he was what, 13? Yet he could keep up with the rest of the party (which included a war veteran, remember) and specialised in melee combat. As for FFXIV, there's a whole city state run by what are essentially eternal children (yes, I'm talking about the Padjal of Gridania), and let's not forget Alphinaud (Yes, as an elezen he could well be old enough to be of the age that other races consider adult, and yes, his physical age is probably older than Riku's, but it doesn't change the fact that despite not being an adult, he started the Scion equivalent of a Grand Company and is a skilled arcanist to boot). This sort of stuff happens in Final Fantasy. I may be willing to up my character's apparent age to 13 (any more, and I'd have to change more than I really want to), but that all depends on whether that would make a difference to anyone or not from an OOC acceptability standpoint.
3) The thread itself. I was definitely trying to be interesting and humorous with my opening post. I think the problematic part was this bit (correct me if I'm wrong): "Obviously, the first to get in contact, arrange an RP then initiate said RP is more likely to get me." I did not mean for it to come across as though I wanted them to do all the RP arrangements etc, arrangement of RP is a two-sided affair, as both sides need to be available for it and need to be at the specified venue. All I meant was that the first to be available for an RP based around the recruitment would have a higher chance at getting Riku into their ranks on account of having the first pick. Furthermore, the IC issue does not mean an FC has to go "hey, heard of this guy? He seems awesome, let's recruit him!" or something along those lines. It could just be the case of Riku approaching an FC for a non-employment-based reason, and then someone going "hey, you might fit in here, you know!".
4) Type of FC. Despite Riku's talents being combat-centric, it doesn't have to be a combat-centric FC. Before ARR, Riku was part of an odd-jobs mercenary guild who did all sorts of things from delivering letters to finding cats to taking out notorious monsters. Riku's willingness to help people would be a big reason to attract such an FC, even if he's initially recruited to do chore-based stuff (or maybe someone could see him as a potential student for a combat role and take him in to train him). There's always then the chance that Riku can convince the guild he can fight through his actions and capabilities once they get to know him.
5) Following up. By all means, I don't expect FC recruiters to be on the look out for me in-game or something with them doing all the leg work. A post here to say "my FC would be willing to accept this character/recruitment scenario" is more than enough. Once I know who I can contact and what FC they belong to, I can then get in touch with them about the RP and/or other terms/requirements. Admittedly, I may be hesitant to do that for a couple of days, because a lot of the replies here have damaged my motivation, but that doesn't change what my plans are.
From this point on, may I ask that nobody derails this thread through arguing with my character background (beyond replying to some of the questions left in this post) and/or age or with accusations based on what they believe my motivations to be? That stuff has been discussed to death and I think we should move on from it.
![[Image: RSig2015.png]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/51152173/RSig2015.png)
