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Lamiaris · **07-09-2016, 03:58 PM**

I'm not sure if it's just me, but I've been noticing something peculiar.When Lami was a miqo'te, or even an Au Ra, either I could walk up to people and RP with them with no problem, or they would come up to me to initiate. This happened surprisingly, VERY frequently.

However, now that I've gone Lalafell, it's like I've entered the damn desert! Hardly anyone messages anymore, very few people (if any) seem to approach for RP.. and whenever I approach, either I'm ignored (or not noticed), or some people have blatantly said 'Sorry, I don't want Lalafells in this RP' (even though it was non-mature).

Could someone explain this seeming racism or whatever to me? Please!!? As silly as it might sound, it's left me a bit distraught and made me a bit spooked of approaching anyone because I'm nervous I'm gonna get pushed away T.T

Caspar · **07-09-2016, 06:08 PM**

It's definitely there, but to what extent and what severity seems to vary from person to person.

You ought to also consider that perhaps using Fantasia to switch race, rather than change to an entirely different character concept, stifled some interest from RP partners, because it makes it difficult to reconcile the fact that your character suddenly is another race, and it sounds like it's happened before. In comparison, while it might not be what you're personally going for story-wise, it seems like a lot of people have an easier time with just interacting with a totally fresh character that was Lalafell from the start.Â

That being said, people will try to downplay it, but I do agree with you and I've experienced it. The only real solution is to be very assertive in finding RP partners that you can work with.

Baby Hands · **07-09-2016, 07:40 PM**

Yeah, it can be bad. I've seen people go from IC to pretend-AFK the moment I walked up to them. My name probably doesn't help, but still. Their loss.

Just from personal experience, people are a lot less likely to take lalafell seriously too. This is all in random RP, though. I'm sure if you planned ahead of time with people you would never run into this issue.

But yeah, people don't want lalafell in their RP. Is it because they're not interested in fucking them? Might be. I'd say that's the case a good quarter of the time in the Quicksand. Otherwise, who knows.

ExAtomos · **07-09-2016, 09:11 PM**

Even amongst my friends, it took a while for them to take my lala character seriously. I just kept acting like a serious adult and they came around. I'll definitely RP with lalas, but will steer clear of those that play them as children or super silly mode just due to me not being keen on that style of RP (at that point, race doesn't matter).

I do agree with Baby on this, perhaps many people do sexualize all RP interactions (whether they overtly say it or not) and thinking that way towards a race built like human toddlers squicks them out.

I've often wondered though... are certain types of people drawn towards the different races? There's a striking difference between the crowd on my lalafell LS and the group on the Roe LS I'm on, for example.

Valtiere · **07-09-2016, 10:05 PM**

It's disappointing that people would do that on a frequent basis just because your character is a Lalafel. Personally, I'd never turn away a chance at RP based on the race of the other player, but like the other said before me, I'd imagine it has something to do the more ERP inclined roleplayers around the Quicksand not wanting to get into... things... with a lalafel?

Either way, yeah... Thats both disappointing and odd. They might look small but they're not children and I don't know why people can't get their heads around that idea. They're often portrayed as quite clever and scheming in the game, so thats just a player misconception I guess.

I don't see Lalafel as non-serious, and I've met a couple of roleplayers who play them just like any other character. Its a shame that others are being so weird about it. I'm sure its their loss but I can see how it'd be frustrating coming up against that over and over again.

I don't know. People can be dumb... I guess...

Edgar · **07-09-2016, 10:35 PM**

It still boggles my mind that in a world where Lalafells are in positions of power, make up many different guilds such as the Pugilist's and Marauder's, and are known to or believed to have made up some of the more powerful civilizations such as Mhach and Belah'dia, we still have players who treat Lalafells as if they've accomplished absolutely nothing in their rps. That they're just little guys who run around and get eaten by Goobues.

The goddamnedÂ Bull of Ala Migho has a Lalafell riding shotgun on his shoulder out of respect and admiration for her accomplishments and her position, for Twelve's sake. And he looks like this.Â

[Image: latest?cb=20130407182937]

I'm not saying it's impossible to disregard this in a realistic sense, but all of it seems to be a meta issue, and not something that would be entirely backed up by the established game's canon. And I hate to bring canon into this, but seriously, to ignore the accomplishments of the Lalafell is to disregard a metric fuckton of the aspects of the settings in which your character supposedly exists in. Your character has to be some kind of ignorant to act this way, I feel.

Baby Hands · **07-09-2016, 10:37 PM**

(07-09-2016, 10:05 PM)Valtiere Wrote: Either way, yeah... Thats both disappointing and odd. They might look small but they're not children and I don't know why people can't get their heads around that idea. They're often portrayed as quite clever and scheming in the game, so thats just a player misconception I guess.

Thinking about this, lalafell are also commonly portrayed in-game as overtly sexual more than even miqo'te, so the lack of lalafell floozy's and lewd lads running around is also probably a result of player bias.

Player bias might also have to do with some players playing their lalafell non-seriously (nothing wrong with that), or some people even using them as stand-ins for children of other races. So unless your search info is specific, people might avoid lalafell just so they don't have to chance what they don't jive with.

Which is silly if you're doing open RP in my opinion, but oh well. Seriously. Their loss!

Steel Wolf · **07-09-2016, 11:29 PM**

For what it's worth, Steel adores Lalas as the masters of their craft they can be. She admires Koporo and Chachan greatly. Her injuries were tended by a Lalafellian doctor in her FC. And she's a very outward-acting Roe. So if she can acknowledge the Lalafell for what they are, then anyone should.

This really does seem to be a matter of needing to cultivate one's RP circle to weed out those who believe them to be children or are only looking for waifu pillows. Really, the less thought devoted to why the better. Just my two gil, anyrate.

Edgar · **07-09-2016, 11:37 PM**

If it's of any help to you, OP, RaltzWaltz has a Lalafell linkshell that I'm a part of, and a Discord server to go with it. I'm sure you'll fit right in.

Valence · **07-10-2016, 04:54 AM**

Lalafells are rare enough that finding some that have good RP and something believable in the frame of the lore is... hard. I lack of lala/elezen/roe RP in a general manner, which isn't surprising.

I have unfortunately seem lots of lala players being absolute obnoxious trolls ingame though. We are fortunate that Balmung and FF in general are pretty much empty of people coming to troll RPers around, but the rare occurences that occured was with lala trolls in my experience.

You know, they show up out of nowhere and play little imps, intrude in your RP by just sitting on your table and listening to the scene, and emoting ridiculous laughs so that it destroys all immersion pretty instantly when you are in the middle of something interesting. I had one of those lately when we moved somewhere else that got pretty creepy and ask me what the story was all about in a very insisting manner. It weirded me out.

That, is probably very detrimental to lala RPers as well.

Lamiaris · **07-10-2016, 08:09 AM**

(07-09-2016, 06:08 PM)Caspar Wrote: It's definitely there, but to what extent and what severity seems to vary from person to person.

You ought to also consider that perhaps using Fantasia to switch race, rather than change to an entirely different character concept, stifled some interest from RP partners, because it makes it difficult to reconcile the fact that your character suddenly is another race, and it sounds like it's happened before. In comparison, while it might not be what you're personally going for story-wise, it seems like a lot of people have an easier time with just interacting with a totally fresh character that was Lalafell from the start.Â

That being said, people will try to downplay it, but I do agree with you and I've experienced it. The only real solution is to be very assertive in finding RP partners that you can work with.

Lamiaris is about as popular as a restauraunt's damn secret dish, honey. She's obscure as all hell and those that know about her are literally just... 'Meh' about her. There was VERY little worry about inconsistency when it came to changing her; I knew that hardly anyone would even notice, hence why I did it C:

It took a little time to decide on it actually; I made sure that no one really KNEW her and that there were no other factours before I did so.

Ritsu · **07-10-2016, 10:39 AM**

My friend has felt this as well. He played a lovely little lala gent that wrote stories and often would talk to people to acquire new stories.

He tried to get out there, but was often dismissed. Either as a child or just completely ignored. Broke my heart because I loved the character.

Derek · **07-10-2016, 11:16 AM**

When I experimented with Sol Agrias a couple months back there was a definite decline in RP due to the already mentioned Player Bias. Lalafells IC and OOC are viewed as either pets or pests which is not far off from how we see rodents. Yeah there are those who get really weird with them but that's not much different from how weird people get with other races. It's just really silly to me people consider Lalafells the worst in any form. I love Lalafellin characters and think they can add an interesting spin to RP.

"Don't hate, don't discriminate." should probably be that good ol' counter quip. lol

Max · **07-10-2016, 12:04 PM**

To echo some points made already; it's hard to take Lalafell seriously. You oft encounter either the cutesy wootsy silly childlike type, the moustache twirling villain, or the weird ERP Diapered Lalafell. Most of my experiences with Lala have almost always been awkward.

People also like to invest time in another person's character if they can see them as a potential fling somewhere down the line. I can only assume many roleplayers don't find Lalafell desirable in that way.

I personally would love to see more fierce/mature Lalafell being played -- and not personalities that are a reflection of their childlike appearance.

(07-09-2016, 10:35 PM)Edgar Wrote: The goddamned Bull of Ala Migho has a Lalafell riding shotgun on his shoulder out of respect and admiration for her accomplishments and her position, for Twelve's sake. And he looks like this.

What accomplishments? Nanamo is a horrible example imho.

Krile, Lolorito, Teledji, Papalymo, Dewlala, Papashan, THM Brothers etc. are all accomplished in their own right. Nanamo just inherited her position as a royal figurehead that lacks any meaningful power to enact change due to the Syndicate.

***Maril*** · **07-10-2016, 12:21 PM**

Whilst it isn't a secret that lalafell characters have struggles, I would just like to say that persistence can pay off. My main character Nailah for example, doesn't like most lalafell - this is based on several unfortunate events which have unfolded in the time I've been rping her. She has met many lalafells that were annoying, acting like kids or have had a racial bias towards her as a highlander. It doesn't mean that I don't RP with lalafells, but it does mean that in for example a social environment, Nailah isn't going to be the one who walks up to a lalafell and initiates conversation. She even has a few lalafell among her contacts, which are the ones that proved her views wrong by persistently interacting with her in ways that weren't what she'd expected.Â

I think it's completely alright to play characters that have an IC (<----!) racial bias, and I also think it's alright to have such a bias be aimed at lalafells. Even though they have been and are pillars of blooming societies.. That's exactly also it. A character can hate people because of their success. Especially if they always get it easy because of some innate talent to handle gil or whichever, which means everyone else has to work twice as hard to be that good.

In general I think lalafell characters can be played very well, I especially like to see them played as not comic-relief characters but as serious characters. Doesn't mean they have to be serious all the time, mind. You may face some adversity from some people, but keep on trying, don't get completely demotivated by five people blanking you. There might be more to it than just an ooc dislike, and if there isn't then perhaps those people aren't the ones you want to be rping with anyways?

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[Discussion] Going Lalafell, distinct decline in RP?

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