+ How do you meet new people?
I am admittedly bad at this. I know I pass up so many opportunities. Basically, any time you see open RP in chat, that is more or less an invitation to chime in, if you have a valid ic reason. For instance, if you see someone smacking a person around, and your character would be the sort to intervene, intervene. There are always places that open rp commonly happens... The Mining Concern, outside the Platinum Mirage, at the Amphitheater... If they're rping in /say, it's open. You may not be welcome in character, but that in itself can be good rp.
Besides that, rp events are a good start. TALE used to run masquerade balls open to all, Everwatch and other linkshells had things like fashion shows, campfire story nights, etc. These are a good place to meet people... as long as you participate.
And lastly, of course, joining an RP linkshell is the obvious one.
+ 'ordinary' vs. 'extraordinary'
My take on this is that, to some degree, we are all extraordinary. Not necessarily 'Half demon, half goddess exiled princess' extraordinary, but we are individuals who are swept up in extraordinary events. Our characters are generally skilled in martial or magical arts, and have managed to survive the Umbral era. No one tends to rp Frank the Janitor (No, that's not a challenge). Adventurers, as a whole, are extraordinary people.
The trick to remember is that, while you are a cut above the average citizen, and certainly have tremendous potential, you are not alone in being special. No one can be good at everything, and if you try, you will find people unwilling to rp with you. But don't be afraid to excel, and compete. And also keep in mind that real people constantly grow and improve, so build that into your character. A starting out fledgling may have a great deal of natural instinct and potential with a blade, but a veteran will still walk all over them. There will always be someone stronger than you. That isn't a downside, that is a potential development path and point of interaction. That veteran rper would make a VERY good  mentor, or possibly a rival for you to strive to match and overcome.
Personally, I built Izzy from the ground up with the plan to become a Paladin, even before it was in the game, as well as moving into a military career. Blacksmithing evolved, and became part of the character, and I focus on these things as what she excels at and takes pride in, regardless of how many jobs I level in game. She is extraordinary, because of who she is, her goals, and her determination. Not because of some kind of special prophesied destiny (Avoid those.)
+ 'evil' vs. 'good'
No one outside of a cartoon villain thinks of themselves as evil. Whether you are 'evil' or 'good' is a judgement history makes. What you should focus on is motivation. What does your character want? What do they believe? What will they do to reach their goals? A person who wants nothing but to help people can become a tremendous villain because they cross too many lines in that quest (Recklessly seeking power to end suffering, exerting ruthless control to enforce order, descending into madness over the impossibility of their goal, taking extremist views, etc). Generally, don't worry about good or evil. Focus on motivations, be true to those, and good or evil will unfold as they will.
+ serious vs comedic
My take on this is no one outside of a cartoon is wholly one or the other. Everyone has their serious side, and their silly side. The most comedic character can be grim if the situation demands it.
For myself, Izzy is a serious character, with serious goals. That being said, around friends she can be quite a goof, just because of who she is. She has a weakness for balls of yarn (Resulting in her permanent ban from the weaving guild) and cannot STAND fish. There is also a running gag of the stories Eva tells about babysitting her as a child, as she was quite a handful.
Basically, it's a shades of grey thing. Don't be afraid to have a sense of humor when it's called for, and don't try and be a clown at a funeral.
I am admittedly bad at this. I know I pass up so many opportunities. Basically, any time you see open RP in chat, that is more or less an invitation to chime in, if you have a valid ic reason. For instance, if you see someone smacking a person around, and your character would be the sort to intervene, intervene. There are always places that open rp commonly happens... The Mining Concern, outside the Platinum Mirage, at the Amphitheater... If they're rping in /say, it's open. You may not be welcome in character, but that in itself can be good rp.
Besides that, rp events are a good start. TALE used to run masquerade balls open to all, Everwatch and other linkshells had things like fashion shows, campfire story nights, etc. These are a good place to meet people... as long as you participate.
And lastly, of course, joining an RP linkshell is the obvious one.
+ 'ordinary' vs. 'extraordinary'
My take on this is that, to some degree, we are all extraordinary. Not necessarily 'Half demon, half goddess exiled princess' extraordinary, but we are individuals who are swept up in extraordinary events. Our characters are generally skilled in martial or magical arts, and have managed to survive the Umbral era. No one tends to rp Frank the Janitor (No, that's not a challenge). Adventurers, as a whole, are extraordinary people.
The trick to remember is that, while you are a cut above the average citizen, and certainly have tremendous potential, you are not alone in being special. No one can be good at everything, and if you try, you will find people unwilling to rp with you. But don't be afraid to excel, and compete. And also keep in mind that real people constantly grow and improve, so build that into your character. A starting out fledgling may have a great deal of natural instinct and potential with a blade, but a veteran will still walk all over them. There will always be someone stronger than you. That isn't a downside, that is a potential development path and point of interaction. That veteran rper would make a VERY good  mentor, or possibly a rival for you to strive to match and overcome.
Personally, I built Izzy from the ground up with the plan to become a Paladin, even before it was in the game, as well as moving into a military career. Blacksmithing evolved, and became part of the character, and I focus on these things as what she excels at and takes pride in, regardless of how many jobs I level in game. She is extraordinary, because of who she is, her goals, and her determination. Not because of some kind of special prophesied destiny (Avoid those.)
+ 'evil' vs. 'good'
No one outside of a cartoon villain thinks of themselves as evil. Whether you are 'evil' or 'good' is a judgement history makes. What you should focus on is motivation. What does your character want? What do they believe? What will they do to reach their goals? A person who wants nothing but to help people can become a tremendous villain because they cross too many lines in that quest (Recklessly seeking power to end suffering, exerting ruthless control to enforce order, descending into madness over the impossibility of their goal, taking extremist views, etc). Generally, don't worry about good or evil. Focus on motivations, be true to those, and good or evil will unfold as they will.
+ serious vs comedic
My take on this is no one outside of a cartoon is wholly one or the other. Everyone has their serious side, and their silly side. The most comedic character can be grim if the situation demands it.
For myself, Izzy is a serious character, with serious goals. That being said, around friends she can be quite a goof, just because of who she is. She has a weakness for balls of yarn (Resulting in her permanent ban from the weaving guild) and cannot STAND fish. There is also a running gag of the stories Eva tells about babysitting her as a child, as she was quite a handful.
Basically, it's a shades of grey thing. Don't be afraid to have a sense of humor when it's called for, and don't try and be a clown at a funeral.
![[Image: Newsig.jpg]](http://s13.photobucket.com/user/Polenicus/media/Signatures%20and%20Avatars/Newsig.jpg.html)
