Transitioning from Reactive to Active RP

[Whittledown]

Hello! Obsidian Hornet here with a question for my fellow RPers out there. To preface this though, let me tell you a little about myself.

 

I've been RPing for a loooooooong time. This isn't meant as a brag, but meant to state that what I'm about to put forth is a way of being that has 20 years or so of weight behind it. And that thing is, I am a 'Reactive' RPer.

 

Personal definition time!

 

Reactive to me, in an RP sense, means that my characters going back to my first time RPing in AD&D games with my brother have never been the drivers of a plot. They've never taken the reigns and pushed things forward. Their roles have been support. To react to what is going on around them and provide assistance to those who are driving the plot.

 

Active RP then naturally means that a person is actively driving plot. They are the one behind the wheel. They do the things that push the story forward while people like myself are in a role of support and advice.

 

The point of this is not to say that it is better to be Active than Reactive in an RP sense (as I've defined it). Both Active and Reactive RPers are vital to plot. Without Reactive RPers Active RPers would be working in a vacuum. And without Active RPers Reactive RPers wouldn't have much to react to. We need both.

 

We now come to the whole point of why I am writing this. I have been a Reactive RPer. I want to try to push and become an Active RPer.

 

Obsidian Hornet is my girl. My heart and soul in this game. Love her to pieces. But I've been feeling stale the last couple of weeks or so. She has some wonderful moments on the horizon (looking at you Gharen Wolfsong :love: ) but most of the plots she was involved in have wound down. She has her interpersonal RP with other characters and those are all wonderful but I feel like I can do something bigger with her.

 

But my question is, how do I plot? I have a few ideas, seeds really, but I don't know how to implement them. I am terrified of appearing self-centered or like I want to make Hornet the center of attention. How do you balance that? How would a plot that involves some shadow from Hornet's past coming back to make trouble NOT make Hornet seem like a special snowflake?

 

Reaching out to you here, hoping for some advice.

[Berrod Armstrong]

*sobs in a corner*

[Unnamed Mercenary]

HORNET! I FEEL THE SAME WAY.

 

I'd take it a step further and say I'm a pretty reactive person even with conversation. 

 

Plotting is quite different from reacting, but I think at the end of the day, with the right people, the plots will kind of run themselves. It ultimately depends on where you want to start, and planning for maybe a main path, with some deviations should the RP go along that direction.

 

 

As a fellow reactive trying to be active [more], I'd love to help out with any plots, or even plotting. A little conflict can go a long way. I'm sure Franz would divert a lot of attention to Hornet if she called on him for support.

 

As for special snowflake, it's HER story. Be a little special~ If you're worried that it's getting too big, I'm sure the other people RPing will be able to help accommodate for it, or can help hash it out.

[Coatleque]

I wish I could give some advice, but I'm in the same corner as you. I like playing as the side character that others want to invite in to fill a specific role. I have ideas of my own but have trouble executing them to my liking. So I just drift in between plotlines and fill in the gaps with Tavern RP and random Paladin stuff.

[Nebbs]

Miss Hornet, there is much that could be said on this but I will offer one view. Work out what you like best from those who are the Active RPers, even note it down, and then make that your goal. Do for others as you want them to do for you.

 

You may find that there are some differences. here are some basic ones I think such as:

 

Active - has an idea where things will go or how things relate "cause & effect"

Reactive - responds to what is there with an intent to cause progression

 

Active - speaks little, adds in information and description

Reactive - speaks a lot, proposes ideas, examines the information available

 

Active - adapts the consequences to fit the actions occurring

Reactive - responds to things after they happen

[Dogberry]

I've found the key to getting a plot running is to get really excited about it, and the best way to do that is to find someone to talk to about it. Find someone you can trust not to reveal anything, tell them about your ideas, and listen to their input. I find that kind of collaboration gets me really pumped about running plots.

 

In the case of the plot I'm running now, I've combined the ambitions of my character with the ambitions of Stormwind's character, to come together for a common purpose. He and I talk about the plot quite a bit. It's also useful to have someone else to help run the plot, because managing it on your own is a tough job. Who better to help out than someone just as invested in the plot as you are?

 

Likeminded people are the key, at least for me. I've always felt, even around the tabletop, that good RP is like improvisational jazz. You all pick a key and lay your own track down in harmony with everyone else.

 

You wanna make some Jazz, Hornet, I play a mean bass.

[Kage]

I figure myself to be a reactive RPer.

 

In my case, I've gotten help from people who I see driving plots, or those Active RPers to help push some ideas re: Kage's first initiation into the Sultansworn and his transformation from Lala to Miqo.

 

And really, what Franz said. At the end of the day, the plot will be about Hornet. She'll be in the spotlight in some way or another. That's not a bad thing at all.

[Nebbs]

..You wanna make some Jazz, Hornet, I play a mean bass.

 

Syncopated RP dady'o

[Dogberry]

As for special snowflake, it's HER story. Be a little special~ If you're worried that it's getting too big, I'm sure the other people RPing will be able to help accommodate for it, or can help hash it out.

 

ABSOLUTELY THIS! I actually wrestled with Dogberry losing his legs for a bit, because I didn't want the plot to be too much about MY character ME ME ME. But then I realized that Dogberry's main motivation would have had less emotional impact if nobody had been there to see it. People will view things that happen later in an entirely different light if they've been there, or know exactly what happened. I try to at least give people something to work with when Dogberry's in the spotlight, and be ready to pass it on when someone else wants it.

[Rosekitten]

I can't really offer advice because I'm stuck in the same boat as being a reactive rp'er. I made the character with no real drive or plan to make her a main focus for anyone. Her role is sot be a support or go to character. In the past she's served this role very well.

 

But I agree with what was stated here,, to get a plot going .. get excited. I know whenever I want something to happen in rp's outside of FF I talk with the people or person involved and sell what I have in mind. They'll probably add to it or make it better by bringing up something I forgot about or would never think about.

[Berrod Armstrong]

Personally, the way I plot is to first decide who I want to entertain, and for how long.

 

I've run a few plots in the MMOs that I've played (usually guild stuff) and the reviews have been fairly okay. 

 

I look at my 'target audience'. Friends? FC mates? People who frequent a certain area? And wonder 'what can I do to keep all these people in a heightened state of entertainment for X amount of time?'. From there I chat with a few of them, find out their interests, then begin to craft something that will give each of their characters a time to shine.

 

Once I've decided what I want, I go with the ending first. I'm a sucker for bittersweet stuff and pulling heartstrings is my favorite pastime. Occasionally I employ the truly happy ending. If people want tragedy and loss to affect their characters, I tend to go with that instead!

 

With the ending in mind, it becomes a map of how to get there -- and it's not a single road, either. There are so many variables that can lead things ALL OVER THE PLACE, even away from the original ending that you planned! There MUST be an ending, though. 

 

Communicate! Of course you can't share everything with everyone,that'd spoil it! But look at your audience, decide who needs to know what and work with -each- of them to help make sure things go smoothly. If you're employing PCs instead of NPCs for plot stuff, make sure communication is CONSTANT. And bake them e-cookies, yes.

 

Also, don't be afraid to let other characters help you carry the plot. Once of the most rewarding things while running a plot is sitting back and watching your captive group just -take- things forward without you having to lift a finger. It can't go on that way all the time, you'll need to nudge and insert your direction when necessary -- but man, it's a sweet deal!

 

There's a whole bunch of other stuff involved, but I'm lazy and I'll stop here for now. I'll probably poke you sometime to talk more!

 

/pants heavily

how do you people type so much without dying

[LiveVoltage]

Don't take my advice or opinion very highly on the matter cause im nowhere near the amount of RP skill you have, but I find that RP's can fall into three different story line's.

 

Personal/Player Character plotline's

These are plot lines that the PC, you in other words, drive. You are the main character of it because its all about you're character.

 

The best way to optimize a personal RP is to find and establish well the past of the character as well as NPC's and PC's that have affected said past and use them to drive the plot forward. The most effective method Ive seen is conflict driven personal plot's, as in a big bad or group of big bads have appeared and the main character has to decide what to do and if he will fight them alone, with friends, with an organization or not at all.

 

 

Group Driven Plotlines

Similar to personal RP's but a group of characters will be considered main characters, with a larger amount of reactive characters on the side.

 

Generally, I haven't seen many examples of these so I will go with what I have. These tend to be done best when the main characters are already established and acquainted with each other. They will drive the main plot forward based on their experience and adventures and others who join later or those who are not main will almost always be a reactive character, unless they are a wolf in sheep's clothing or the big bad, then they will become a main character by default, or a antagonist character who drives the plot forward with evil shenanigans.

 

 

Minor Plots

These plots in comparison to Group and single person driven plots are different in terms of both mechanics and dynamics of the whole thing. They can be considered the comedic, random and light/soft hearted moments of any RP but are often very temporary or are something that is done on the side and may be picked up again at random interval points in the main or singular plots.

 

In this type of plot, most of the interactions are very friendly and comedic by nature and that everyone here serves the role of both the active and reactive character. The plot isnt so much serious story driven, but intended to take stress off the serious nature of the other RP's in general. These tend to be popular by nature but become stagnant and boring if over done.

 

 

 

 

I hope this helps.   

[No Longer Exists]

Hullo! *Tips Hat*

 

In MMOs, most RPers are reactive players and there are valid reasons for this. A lot of us just want to have fun in the brief hours we can devote to the game and as I was recently made aware by Verad (whom I thank for the enlightening perspective on community), those hours one can spend playing are precious to most of us. I admit to often looking widely at things and therefore miss the details but between that conversation and this post, I'm seeing more clearly what that all means. 

 

Some folks have the drive and time to be active RPers, which is an amazing quality. Building a storyline, coordinating, scheduling, etc, takes time and effort on the party of the player. While "active" isn't really the word I'd use (proactive maybe, but that's also kind of a misnomer), it does define the concept well and I thank you for that as well.

 

From many years of experience storytelling (writing, tabletop, MMO, and chat-based, specifically), I find the best way to build a plot is to think about your character. Plot-hooks can be personal or impersonal based on even the tiniest detail that you've built into your character. Seeking a family connection (either by recovery of an heirloom or just searching for clues) can make for a fun story or even something as basic as deciding your adventurer wants to get back to the root of adventuring and starts patrolling the countryside can lead to an inspirational story about highwaymen (and maybe a fun combat scene where she and her friends raid the Corpse Brigade hideout near Little Ala Mihgo) or saving a town from a beast tribe skirmish (the latter takes a lot more personalized involvement).

 

Sometimes, it's even as simple as internalizing a moral struggle (say, for example, She's feeling listless and looking for something to fight for.) will give you the inspiration you're looking for to further develop and bring that zest back.

 

When I transferred Galen to Balmung, I struggled with getting into the RP here. Not because I was reactive, but because I couldn't reason with the basis that Galen knew so many characters on Gilgamesh and now he was just starting out again on Balmung. After almost an entire week of agonizing over it, I found my stroke of brilliance. Galen's personal story now is that he remembers everyone he knew and is struggling with being in a world he knows but is devoid of the thirty some people he associated with. They don't exist here and that's shaken him quite a bit. His home is gone, his free company doesn't exist (so he glomped onto a new one) and all the free company headquarters he used to visit to see his friends have strangers living in them.

 

This influences the way I RP him now. He says odd things about how "it used to be" and he feels sorrow when something reminds him of the people he remembers but don't exist. He's even begun to research the aetherical probability of alternate universe and parallel dimensions just to give himself some peace of mind that he's not insane. A sense of comfort that everything he knows isn't some delusion. It's given the character such a fresh twist that I'm dancing like Snoopy about it. 

 

Where once he was a self-assured business mogul and mage, now he's teetering on the edge of a mental breakdown and grasping for shreds of normalcy...all hidden behind his eyes. 

 

Back on topic, the best advice is don't sweat the small stuff. Pick something that inspires YOU and talk to your friends about it, then get in there and make it happen. All you need is: An idea you love, a goal, a way to reach that goal. And remember, It's all in good fun!

 

Cheers!

 

-Black Hat

[No Longer Exists]

Personally, the way I plot is to first decide who I want to entertain, and for how long.

 

I've run a few plots in the MMOs that I've played (usually guild stuff) and the reviews have been fairly okay. 

 

I look at my 'target audience'. Friends? FC mates? People who frequent a certain area? And wonder 'what can I do to keep all these people in a heightened state of entertainment for X amount of time?'. From there I chat with a few of them, find out their interests, then begin to craft something that will give each of their characters a time to shine.

 

Once I've decided what I want, I go with the ending first. I'm a sucker for bittersweet stuff and pulling heartstrings is my favorite pastime. Occasionally I employ the truly happy ending. If people want tragedy and loss to affect their characters, I tend to go with that instead!

 

With the ending in mind, it becomes a map of how to get there -- and it's not a single road, either. There are so many variables that can lead things ALL OVER THE PLACE, even away from the original ending that you planned! There MUST be an ending, though. 

 

Communicate! Of course you can't share everything with everyone,that'd spoil it! But look at your audience, decide who needs to know what and work with -each- of them to help make sure things go smoothly. If you're employing PCs instead of NPCs for plot stuff, make sure communication is CONSTANT. And bake them e-cookies, yes.

 

Also, don't be afraid to let other characters help you carry the plot. Once of the most rewarding things while running a plot is sitting back and watching your captive group just -take- things forward without you having to lift a finger. It can't go on that way all the time, you'll need to nudge and insert your direction when necessary -- but man, it's a sweet deal!

 

There's a whole bunch of other stuff involved, but I'm lazy and I'll stop here for now. I'll probably poke you sometime to talk more!

 

/pants heavily

how do you people type so much without dying

 

That's amazing, Berrod. I tend to look at personalizing aspects of storylines as "fluff" for the overarching theme. ( I -did- mention that I have a wide scope of view a moment ago.  ) I do agree that it's highly rewarding to see your troupe or group of friends just run away with the story. Entertaining, especially. That might be deep water for Hornet to start swimming in though.

 

Regardless, this is sound advice for any aspiring teller of tales. Great post! Now breathe, don't die on us.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

/pants heavily

how do you people type so much without dying

 

Work is very slow in the morning, when half my clients are still asleep. 

 

But yes, we're all here to help as well, Hornet!

[Verad]

For me, the trick in being an "Active RPer" is in determining the balance I want to strike between how much I want to run the plot and how much I want the plot to be about me.

 

During the series of events I just finished for the Case of the Ransacked Rug, the plot was technically "about" Verad, in that the theft at his office was the driving force behind it. But (and this may not be clear based on the story thread, which was a mutation of the plot brought about by RL concerns), Verad had very little involvement in the actual events I ran. Being incompetent, he had to rely on other people to investigate for him and report back. I was therefore present as an active RPer in the sense that I was driving the plot, providing NPCs, dice challenges, so forth, but not active in the sense that the plot wasn't actually about the character, but about what the players found. In that sense, the story was more like a tabletop game in which Verad was a convenient mouthpiece for myself as DM.

 

From what you're suggesting, it sounds like you want to be an active player in the sense that Hornet and her story are the central focus of the plot. There are a number of different ways to do this:

 

1. Run both Hornet and the NPCs and events of the plot yourself. This can sometimes be tricky because including other players means you'll need to strike a similar balance between Hornet's own ability to contribute to resolving the story and allowing other players a chance to shine. There are a number of ways to get around this, like arranging it so Hornet can't resolve the plot due to some complication or ethical dilemma, but others can, or by establishing that she is incapacitated by the plot in some way so that others must be the people to resolve it. This is a useful way to do it if you're comfortable with DMing, but it does mean there's a certain lack of surprise to the plot - you know most of what's happening - unless players do something really unexpected.

 

2. Collaborate! Have somebody else, a player you trust, run those shadows of the past for you. This puts you in the position of being a player just like everybody else, and puts your reactions to them on equal footing. On the other hand, this gives you less agency if the plot abruptly veers in a direction you don't like. Even players you trust can sometimes miss an important character detail or have a miscommunication about where the plot should go.

 

3. Make the plot about more than Hornet. Perhaps there's a larger threat that just happens to be related to her, or some bigger issue in which her personal matters are a complicating factor rather than the sole focus. This way you don't look as if the entire purpose of the plot is to spotlight Hornet, but you also risk that aspect of the plot being lost in the larger story.

 

Apart from that, you'll want to decide how you intend to run the story itself. Do you want to make it into a series of events in which people sign up to participate, or something that happens organically as people can and do get involved? As above, there are pros and cons to each. If you have a specific outcome in mind, then you'll want to make the plot very linear, with scenes having predetermined outcomes. Tabletop DMs will call this railroading, but there are players who are fine with railroading if the destination is Awesome Town, so this can still be a useful storytelling technique, especially in a more literary-minded group like online RPers, where we are used to the linear.

 

On the other hand, if you don't have a specific outcome in mind, then you will want to draft up a series of plans for the opposition, which you presume to be what happens if nobody interferes (and trust me, they will). Then draft up the NPCs and their personalities, and figure out how they would change their actions in response to player interference. This can lead the plot in very unusual directions, some of which you may not like, but will also help players in your plots feel like they have agency and control over where things go.

 

This is a big topic, and all of the above can be broken down into even more detail, but those are some of the big concerns. As far as being worried about being made into a special snowflake - eh, forget about it. Everybody has their moment of . . . snowflakiness? Flakishness? Flakesque? You get my point. What determines whether people are annoyed by a character being in the spotlight is execution much more than the mere act of taking center-stage.

 

So go for it and be active. I'm sure there's already a number of players who trust you and your writing abilities, so the worst that'll happen is you make some mistakes and learn how to be even better at being active in the future.

[Roen]

There are some great advice here already. So I am probably going to be just reiterating a lot of it. And! I am rather a new roleplayer when it comes to roleplaying in an MMO setting. I've only just been recently exploring this whole new world of forum RP even!

 

So that in mind...

 

Things I consider essential for plotting an arc:

 

First, you need roleplay partners that you trust and want to collaborate with. This is an absolute must. Because brainstorming by yourself is no fun. Driving the bus by yourself, also not fun! It can be for a time, but then you can burn out or feel like everything is on you.

 

I have plotted with both reactive and active players, and both are very enjoyable experiences! And you need both really. As Berrod said, one of the most enjoyable moments can be when something you set up takes a life of its own and other players just totally run with it. I've been surprised by those I collaborate with in the past and it is a delight.

 

Also, I go a little different route than Berrod. I do not plot out an ending. I first ask either myself or those I am plotting with, "what do we want to explore?" And try to plot out something from there. It can be an element of someone's past, exploring someone's dark side, a fall from grace, or a tug-of-war between character's principles... and so on! Start with an central idea of what the arc may be about, then build a plot around it.

 

I say I don't plot out the end because I find that roleplaying is so dynamic, things really can change in the course of telling a story. People you play with get inspired as the plot goes on and their contributions can totally change the course of something.

 

Also, Inessa mentioned that there are different types of arcs. You can focus on personal stories (I always think that is a good way to start) to something more group oriented. Although I find that former easily can evolve into the latter, when other characters become involved and invested in the arc. I find that it enriches the story so much more when you have different perspectives with each characters going through their own struggles somehow. So the story isn't really ever about ONE person in the end.

 

Lastly, (sorry I don't mean to be long-winded)

 

As for special snowflake, it's HER story. Be a little special~ If you're worried that it's getting too big, I'm sure the other people RPing will be able to help accommodate for it, or can help hash it out.

 

THIS. Do not be afraid to call attention to your character or plot an arc that explores your character, because everyone deserves the spotlight now and then! We want to know Hornet's story!

 

You know I love to plot, Hornet! Let me know if I can help in anyway.

[Nero]

I enjoy posting after Verad because then I can always just point at his post and say "Pretty much that." 

 

I would put an emphasis on collaboration, too, because while you're worried about Hornet being a central element, the instant you introduce one or more people into how the story develops, it ties their characters into it. 

 

When you have multiple people involved, the story ceases to become solely about Hornet; it becomes about her connections with people, and how they react. They, too, become protagonists of a sort, because not only does Hornet's interaction with them build on her character, but how they interact with Hornet also builds on their character. That's the fundamental structure of social roleplaying: having a myriad of perspectives and connections woven together into a single (or multiple!) organic narrative.

 

To add on to Roen's point:

 

I first ask either myself or those I am plotting with, "what do we want to explore?" And try to plot out something from there. It can be an element of someone's past, exploring someone's dark side, a fall from grace, or a tug-of-war between character's principles. Start with an central idea of what the arc may be about, then build a plot around it.

 

Start with a basic premise and a general direction with which you want to take that premise. Say you have someone come from Hornet's past, or an event that comes back to haunt her. 

 

From there, you can approach the premise with what direction you'd like to possibly take it in. How would encountering this event or person affect Hornet's relationships with others if/when they find out? If it's an event or person from her past, how does that event or person reflect on how much (or how little) Hornet has changed since then? How does dealing with the event reflect Hornet's personality (e.g. does she immediately go for help or independently try to solve her issues herself before involving others)?

 

How would this event possibly cause Hornet to grow or regress as a person? What are the possible outcomes for Hornet and her relationships? Basically, begin with a starting point and a destination, and let the journey fill in itself. Sometimes your destination will change; sometimes it won't!

 

Once you have a premise and a direction, all you need is a setup and some participants and hey, you've got a pretty active RP story!

[Aya]

Huh.  I never really thought about things in these terms before.

[C'kayah Polaali]

Tylwyth Narah sort of sits in the grey area between active and reactive RP, and it's actually been a good tool for helping some of our newer RPers become more active in their RP: A big part of the raison d'etre of the group is to play villains in other people's arcs. This is inherently both an active and a reactive mode to play in. We're out there being bad guys and taking action that's often completely unanticipated. At the same time, we're often working in an arc that's been assembled by someone else, so you could say we're simply playing a reactive part within that arc. It's fun, though.

 

One of the big things about the way that we play is that so much of our RP is there to enable other people's RP, and that's not a bad way to go. We get a ton of RP; we get to take a very active role within that RP - including plotting, story driving and the like; and we get to help other people develop better stories. I'm not saying that you shouldn't develop Hornet's story (or that being a special snowflake is bad), just that this is another alternative for developing a more active style of RP.

 

And, y'know, we could always use a token Roegadyn... :blush:

[Jancis]

I am really happy that Hornet asked this question, because I have been also struggling with the same problems with Jancis. I continue to try to have her around and available for some activity and the right time/right place simply isn't happening.

 

I wrote up a very simple short story arc because another role player asked me to do something more with Jancis' past. I tried to hit a balance between its connection with her and being a story all on its own for a mini adventure. I started it with some immersion pictures and I have some basic ideas on if the story goes in a different direction; I was looking forward to that idea.

 

That person who I was relying on to pull other people into the story IC is gone now and the few people Jancis has connections with really didn't show any interest in participating.

 

Where is a good line of IC and OOC to say "I have a little plot if you have the time." between Jancis' awkward apologies and trying to tell someone else about her troubles?

 

There's also the point with how many alts are worth while to create, but that could be its own thread.

 

Still any ideas on how to recruit people into an active story?

[Unnamed Mercenary]

I am really happy that Hornet asked this question, because I have been also struggling with the same problems with Jancis. I continue to try to have her around and available for some activity and the right time/right place simply isn't happening.

 

I wrote up a very simple short story arc because another role player asked me to do something more with Jancis' past. I tried to hit a balance between its connection with her and being a story all on its own for a mini adventure. I started it with some immersion pictures and I have some basic ideas on if the story goes in a different direction; I was looking forward to that idea.

 

That person who I was relying on to pull other people into the story IC is gone now and the few people Jancis has connections with really didn't show any interest in participating.

 

Where is a good line of IC and OOC to say "I have a little plot if you have the time." between Jancis' awkward apologies and trying to tell someone else about her troubles?

 

There's also the point with how many alts are worth while to create, but that could be its own thread.

 

Still any ideas on how to recruit people into an active story?

 

Kidnapping works well. Ask Kage.

 

But if you need contacts, I can help out on that side.

[Whittledown]

Wow! Thanks to everyone who has responded and offered their insight/support/advice!

 

I don't have time to really internalize what's here just now (I am at work) but as soon as I get home I'll go through this with a fine-toothed comb but it really looks like you guys have some great input.

 

Hugs to all!

[Roen]

Still any ideas on how to recruit people into an active story?

 

PMs, to this day, have been my best friend.

 

I am not shy about PMing people. I often hash out quite a few ideas there, or move to Skype for more of a conversational plotting.

 

And I always PM someone with the mindset, "if they tell me 'no' or 'not interested,' that's totally okay!"

 

But of course that was before there was an area that was created specifically to Making Connections. You can use that now too!

 

I would look around first at Jancis' immediate circle of friends. She has friendships and people she can call on, who would be interested in what is going on with her! You never know, there may already be people near her that want to plot with you!

[Nero]

Where is a good line of IC and OOC to say "I have a little plot if you have the time." between Jancis' awkward apologies and trying to tell someone else about her troubles?

 

Still any ideas on how to recruit people into an active story?

 

It can be as simple as asking! 

 

If you feel as if you need more IC contacts, you can start from something as basic as "Hey I like your character, let's figure out a way for them to meet IC if you're up for it", and start brainstorming an introductory storyline. From there, very often it'll start to snowball as your character becomes connected to others from this introduction.

 

Making that connection on its own is a sort of active roleplaying, because then by necessity, you start exploring how your character would break away from their comfort zone. Challenge yourself on how well you know the intricacies of your character: what motivates them to live day by day? What goals do they possess? How important is familiarity to them? Do they prefer the spiritual and faithful, or the material and the tangible?

 

From there, you can start thinking about how to approach others, or how your character might establish new connections.