#i love you impel down my best friend my silly rabbit

[ozymandiasdirge]

HES HERE!!!!!!!! HIS SATURDAY MORNING CARTOON VILLAIN OF THE WEEK ARC HAS ENDED AND HIS LAME ASS BULLYABLE UNCLE AND SUFFERING FROM SUCCESS MOST MISERABLE GIRL IN THE WORLD ARC HAS BEGUN

[brian-wellson]

An Open Letter ((OoC))

Hello, awesome people of Wyrmrest Accord! I felt compelled to write this because of, well, you’ll see!

I. A bit of background.

I first started playing WoW as a PvE’er (January 2009), and as an RP’er just a touch over two years ago (May 2015). It’s true… I am a Wrath baby, one nurtured on thottbot.com (and I ignored all advice given by icyveins.com). In July 2010, I developed a neurological disorder, one which has rendered me in constant pain and unable to sleep much past four hours a night, even under sedation, ever since. Needless to say, I had/have plenty of time on my hands. Once I maxed out at 80, achieved Explorer, and became a Loremaster, I decided to spend my time as a ‘raider’.

My feats were truly epic. Indeed, my guildmates had given me the affectionate nickname ‘Dr. Death’ – partially due to the fact that I have a Ph.D., but mostly because I was a horrible raider. Every pull? Dead. To this day, I still avoid ICC because Lord Marrowgar lives there. That bastard, he owned me. I can hear the redolent echoes of “Bonestorm!” quite clearly, and usually that echo’s antecedent is the death rattle of a human male.

Make no mistake, I held this title – Worst. Raider. Ever.

The friends I made in that guild, we’re still friends today, 7 years later. I even met one of them at BlizzCon 2015. That moment was amazing. We got drunk in the hotel room he was splitting with his girlfriend (and they’re still together to this day!), and laughed about the time our tank had finished off Professor Putricide, by herself, with 10% health remaining. I’ll never forget the thrill of that kill, nor the way we cheered once it was over.

Even though we are no longer in the same guild or even on the same server, we have celebrated real births, supported each other through real deaths, and rejoiced in real marriages – all online. Back when my liver was on the verge of failure, I had lost 60 pounds, and my kidney function was in the toilet, those former guildmates were the people who kept in contact with me the most. I’ve since recovered, but will forever be grateful to them. They cared, and they still do.

II. Why it matters.

I suppose what I am trying to say is the people with whom I align myself, they’re my friends for life, and I would do anything for them. (Well, everything except move a dead body, but even then there are three people who I would assist, if necessary.) Such unwavering loyalty has led to my being called a lapdog or yes-man; yet, unlike such people, I will often disagree with my friends, and tell them directly. And then we move on, send each other aesthetically incongruent covers of truly awful songs, and revel in gifs of cute pets doing silly things.

Therefore, when I see an anonymous call out leveled at someone who is very dear to me – someone who has been a far better friend than she probably knows – I get irritated. I get defensive. When compounded with the fact that someone has besmirched the quality of our writing, I am vexed that much more. To be sure, constructive criticism is good and we welcome it; anonymous insults, however, can be damaging and help no one.

III. Let’s talk about RP.

My RP partner and co-conspirator, Quai, and I worked toward resolving a plot for close to two years. We were faced with some very real logistical issues. There were more moving pieces than I think either of us had anticipated. Blackbay prides itself on its gritty realism, so how does RP resurrection even work? The short answer is, we did something different. The long answer is just that – long – and largely beside the point anyhow. The key takeaway is that we had to work within the confines of the game, in addition to our own harsh and self-imposed restrictions. To criticize us for being ‘too slow’ in pacing… well, I am sorry to hear that someone has perceived it this way, but I must respectfully disagree. Killing off a character is a big deal, but bringing one back? – even more so. The density and amount of detail necessary to craft something remotely believable in our gritty take of the Warcraft universe was quite high.

Quai and I – as well as our DM, Monette – are always pushing each other to think harder, do more, work faster, and to project things ever further out. To be clear: length does not equal quality – an axiom not only applicable to the line level, but also that of a plot or story arc. Does this mean every plot we craft is two years long? Of course not, for that would be preposterous. Does this mean that everything from one-offs to a years-long long plot or story arc feeds into an even bigger narrative? You bet it does. Admittedly, sometimes our stories flop, and sometimes threads are left hanging. More often than not, these issues arise because communication had broken down somewhere. Do we take lessons from such moments? Yes, absolutely.

While I understand and most certainly empathize with the point of view that new characters may have initial confusion during a long-term story arc, I present this challenge – if you don’t know what’s going on, ask the writer, ask the DM, ask the GM … hell, ask all three. I can guarantee that the people running the story would be more than happy to talk about it with you, either OoC or IC. We – all writers – love to talk about our babies. If you don’t know why someone needs to recover ‘X-object’, ask them: “Why the hell are we risking life and limb for X-object, when I don’t even know what X-object is or does?” (Perhaps with a bit more tact…) The reply could be OoC, or it could be IC, or it could be a little of both. Irrespective of the encounter type, the fact remains that it is always within your power – and I would say it is your imperative – to understand your peers’ and storytellers’ motivations.

Ultimately, RP is about enjoying oneself. If something is unclear, ask … because, you know what? You will enjoy yourself far more if you understand what is occurring, for understanding leads to personal investiture. This said, is asking difficult? It can be, but its rewards vastly outweigh the probability of being miserable… and this is coming from one of the most insecure RPers out there. Heck, there are times I am reticent to ask questions, so I understand this more than you might think.

More than anything, RP is about forming connections with characters and people, and granting those connections and relationships the opportunity to flourish.

Think of RP like wine. The best wine comes from the most carefully cultivated terroir. Even then, some of it is sour, or just doesn’t sit right with us. This is ok. Not all varietals are meant for all people. Some people can’t stand a Châteauneuf-du-Pape and only drink moscato (because they’re weird, teehee!); others want to vomit when they smell the sticky sweet of moscato, yet salivate at the mere thought of a well-blended meritage. And, once more, this is ok – that is why there are so many different varietals!

IV. A parting thought.

When I say that I’m lucky to be RPing with the people in my circle, it’s not bullshit – I mean it. These people, my friends and partners and peers, they impel me to work toward greater clarity, work harder, and be more creative. And these things, to me, are their own rewards.

Perhaps most importantly, those in my circle, and even those with whom I have yet not had contact, teach me how to be a better friend, peer, and collaborator.

Please. Before you complain about the length of a story or plot arc, the quality of the GM or DM or writer running it, or the general guidelines of a guild of which you are not part – I beseech you. Reach out. Ask what is happening, or why certain restrictions exist. Find your way out of the rabbit hole. Encourage interpersonal skills. Be kind & respectful. And, as always, write with heart, presence of mind, and with the cognizance that other people are involved aside from yourself. The decisions you make about your characters – IC & OoC – impact the way both you and your character will be perceived.

We are here for each other.

Let’s write a story.

(( Shout outs to my main RP partner and co-conspirator, @quai-mason; the fantastic people in [ @blackbay-wra ]: @monettemason, @juniper-rose-blower, @killerkyara, @alastar-wyatt; so many other people who I admire: @thalsianiii, @risrielthron, @adhelin, @manduhs-things, @patiencekindnesscourage; and all those who escape my exhausted mind at the moment. I adore you for who you are, and what you bring to the game. ))