Roleplay

Article by Cordir

RP, or Role Playing, is the assumption of other characteristics, attitudes, and persona, other than your own, for the purpose of bringing a persona to life. On TFC, that means creating a sense of the character that is separate from your own RL (real life) identity.

While TFC is, undoubtedly, a PK mud, RP is also welcome and encouraged. For the inexperienced, however, the idea can be a little intimidating. There are many ways to develop your roleplayed persona. One of the foundations of good roleplay is having a firm grasp of the mind-set of your character and how they would react to any given situation.

Types of Roleplay

“Paragraph” RP – in this style of RP, the participants build large sections of the scene in a single paragraph. (This is a bit harder, as TFC has a line length restriction.) That can be somewhat bypassed by using a mud client that allows you to send blocks of text at a time – multiple Says, emotes, etc. Just be careful that you don’t remove the other person’s ability to make their own decisions about the action.

“Flow of Action” RP—in this style of RP, the participants’ actions flow back and forth in a very interactive fashion. Single actions or close-knit sets of actions are grouped together.

"Rules" of Roleplay

When in doubt, do something. There’s nothing worse than being in an RP scene and having the other person become unresponsive, due to just going afk without saying something, overthinking the scene, or any number of other reasons. If nothing else, you have a wide variety of socials to utilize. When in doubt, NOD!... but don’t let that be your sole interaction.
Don’t perform actions on behalf of the other person. You may think you know how they’d react, but you may well be wrong. Let them RP their character. You RP yours.
Don’t *assume* success in an action. If you’re performing an action that involves another person, give them the opportunity to shift the outcome. Overriding their free will is called “Min/Maxing” and is not respectful of the other person. (See Below: Interplay of Action)
Respect the other person’s limits. If you've talked to them about your RP thread, and they've given you some guidelines for what they can and can’t do, respect them – unless they've given you a green light for conflict situations.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar really do matter. A single comma can completely change the meaning of a sentence. (“Let’s eat grandma” versus “Let’s eat, Grandma!” ) Be aware :)
Don’t be afraid to talk it out! There’s nothing wrong with chatting out of character for a bit to get an idea of different directions to take your RP!

Interplay of Action

When in an RP, while there may be generally understood goals (though just as oftentimes there are not), it’s very important to let each person dictate their own actions and have some effect on the general outcome of the event. Remember: Not EVERYONE can win when it comes to conflict or RP scenarios! While (generally) those of higher level tend to have an advantage over those of lower level (from a purely physical level), everyone still has the right to decide the fate of their own character. But if everyone wins… that makes for a very boring story. Consider allowing loss or ‘failure’ some times – it makes for a much more interesting scene.

Here’s an example of how one individual (Danielo) can show his intent while still giving the other player (Miranda) the room to decide whether or not to go along with it.

Danielo smiles at Miranda, bowing and reaching for her hand, as if to kiss it… but the other hand slips to the dagger at his hip. <<- He’s introduced his intent.

Miranda returns the smile, her curtsey turning tense as she sees the slight movement towards his weapons. “Is this a trap?” she wondered. <<--she’s acknowledging that she gets where it’s going, and is indicating some leeway as to her response.

Danielo lets his lips graze her hand as the blade cleared its sheath. Using his grasp on her hand as leverage, he yanks her towards him, the knife rising swiftly towards her throat. <<-- He more clearly outlines his intention to commit some form of RP (as opposed to actual/PK) violence.

Miranda gasped at the suddenness of his movement, even though she had that brief warning, and pushed ineffectively at his arm as the blade met her skin. “Please! No!” <<--She’s decided to go ahead and let him make his play, whatever it is.

Here’s the same scene, but without the same interplay:

Danielo looks over at Miranda, his dark thoughts hidden behind a smile. She was going to pay. With one quick move, he grabbed his dagger and shoved the flat of the blade hard against her throat. “Die!”

Miranda now has nowhere to go. The decision has been removed from her completely – he has a knife against her throat. Because that choice was removed, she’s likely going to get irritated or react in a challenging way – when if given the choice, she might not have.

The Character History:

One of the first steps in figuring out your character, is sketching out some ideas of who they are as an individual. For some, this means writing a 'character history.' This history can be as simple as a brief outline or timeline of events or as detailed as a journal or novella.

Think about your character's basic components: gender, class, race, their home town. These few elements can prompt a host of questions to help you flesh out your character. What would life have been like for them growing up? What challenges might they have faced in their life? Did they overcome those challenges, or were they scarred by the experiences? A good example of this is the game, "Fable" -- in which every decision and choice affects your future. Think about it in those terms - what core choices might your character have made, that affected them in the long term. Did they steal that apple in the market? Or did they help a stranger, only to have it turn for the worse? Did they find inspiration and an example to follow in someone noble or holy?
Think about the other mud structure, such as alignment. Go beyond the stereotypical Disneyesque definitions of "Good" and "Evil" - how does your character interpret these things? Does the end always justify the means? What is your character's general outlook on life? Embittered? Happy Go Lucky? Curious?
Not sure how to start writing a character history? Start at the beginning with the core questions: Who, What, Where, When, How.
- Who: Who are you? The son of a rich merchant? The daughter of a beggar? Who are your parents? Do you have brothers / sisters? A small or large family? What is your social station or level of affluence/wealth?
- What: What are you? What's your race and class? How did you become that class - what lead you to it?
- Where: What continent / town are you from? What other places drew you away from home?
- When: Give time frame - childhood, early adulthood, independance from the structures that governed you as a youth, etc.
- How: How did you become the person you are? What were the influences on you? What did you overcome or fall to that shaped you?
It can be fun to tie your history to other players ... but be sure and ASK THEM FIRST. Especially if it's a blood relationship. Organized 'families' such as the Lins, or households such as Veladorn, created structure and relationships upon which to build.
It can be fun to tie your history to existing and interesting mobs -- there are characters who RP that they are the son of Magda of the Half Elf Camp, children of Ebencaleneezer (The King of the Demon Realm), of the Mistress of Magic, etc.
Allow your character to grow. Starting off humble and "learning" more about your history as you gain levels can be a neat way to keep your character interesting. Starting off as a level 3 Demon Lord of Vampires and Ruler of The Night will simply make others think you're a metagamer / godgamer, and they may not want to interact with you.

Writing a Description:

One of the tools that the MUD provides for RP is the character description. This is your means of conveying to the world, with a single Look, a great deal of information about your character. (For some examples of descriptions and how to write them, visit The Advice Forum on the TFC Forum. Here are some questions to ask yourself when writing a description:

What is your character's race:
What is your character's gender:
Does your character appear to be of average height for their race?
Does your character appear to be of average weight for their race?
Does your character appear to be of average build for their race?
Is there a physical characteristic people are most likely to notice first about your character?
What color is your hair?
What length is your hair (close cropped, shoulder length, mid back, etc)?
What texture is it (Silky, rough)?
How is your hair worn? (Loose, braided, etc.)?
What color are your eyes (please be very specific)?
What shape are your eyes (Almond, catseyes, human round, small, etc.)?
What tone is your skin? (Pale, golden, tanned, leathery, grayish, albino, etc.)
Do you have any visible scars? If so, what do they look like, and where are they?
Do you have any visible tattoos? If so, what do they look like, and where are they?
Do you have any visible birthmarks, moles, etc? If so, what do they look like, and where are they?
Do you have any visible piercings, brandings, tribal marks, etc.? If so, what do they look like, and where are they?
Do you have any special jewelry, heraldic ensignia, clothing, or other worn items of note?
Do you wear armor? street-clothes? magical robes? Feminine or masculine style of dress?
What predominant colors do you wear?
Is your clothing designed for : concealment - outdoors, concealment - city environment, court, etc?
What level of wealth does your apparel hint at?
What visible weapons do you wear?
Do you have a specific reputation for anything?
Do you have a pet or totem animal that should appear in your description?
What are five adjectives that would describe the first impressions others would have of you. (Examples: fearful, bold, shy, confident, courageous, quick-tempered, aloof, gregarious, friendly, scornful, angry, calm, energetic, quiet, subdued, etc.)

Fleshing Out Your Character

Once you have a good idea of who your character is (i.e. a history) and helped others to see what they look like (i.e. a description), you can further develop your character's personality through use of emotes and socials. If you use a program such as ZMUD, you have access to macros and triggers and all manner of tools. Use them!
Look through the whole SOCIALS list - there are some fun ones there! (And yes, in the past, Tynian has allowed folks to create and submit suggestions for socials, if you come up with a good idea.) A lot of them get overlooked. Socials are a quick, easy means of bringing a character to life.
Emotes are one of your most powerful RP tools. Some ideas... Create mannerisms for your character. For example, whenever Cordir was uncertain about a situation, or feeling awkward or shy, she would "em scuffs her foot along the ground." or "em reaches up to twirl a lock of hair around one finger." Think about the mannerisms you have in RL -- everyone has those nervous habits -- and bring some to life in your character. I have been identified by mortals - while invisible to them - more times than I can count, simply because of my well known mannerisms. [Remember, these can be programmed in as macros or one-touch keys or triggers - don't type them each time!]
Equipment: While it may sound odd, a simple change of clothes and or accessories can really bring your character to life. If you're going to be in the guild or temples for a while - consider changing out of the clothes you wear when you're chasing down mobs, and into something different. This can be as simple as just one or two clothing items, or as elaborate as a full set. It's also nice to have a change of clothes for special events - ceremonies, weddings, etc. Just don't forget to change back before heading out for exp or pvp. For some examples, take a look at a log of the attendees of Cordir's wedding to Deamhan, on the TFC Timeline.
Think about phobias or obsessive little things to add to your character. That can be as simple as being afraid of ghosts, hating cheese, coveting chocolate, etc...
Speech mannerisms can be a lot of fun, but they're also very easy to overdo. Even a decade after he left the mud, if you mention the name Keller to some of the old timers, they'll groan. He always spoke in an 'old English' style of speaking - it was perfectly suited to his RP, but got irritating for some.

MUD RP Tools/Commands:

Socials are a simple means of communicating character on the mud. Look through the whole SOCIALS list - there are some fun ones there! (And yes, in the past, Tynian has allowed folks to create and submit suggestions for socials, if you come up with a good idea.) A lot of them get overlooked. Socials are a quick, easy means of bringing a character to life.

Emotes are one of your most powerful RP tools. Some ideas...

Create mannerisms for your character. Think about the mannerisms you have in RL -- everyone has those nervous habits -- and bring some to life in your character. [Remember, these can be programmed in as macros or one-touch keys or triggers - don't type them each time!]
When you are more comfortable with roleplay, consider creating 'custom' versions of the socials for your own use. Rather than the standard smile, build your own via emote.
Think about how you communicate. When you are speaking with someone in RL, it's not simply vocal communication. Combining emotes with speaking really helps to bring a conversation alive. For example:

Without Emotes or socials:
Jane says (in common), 'I..um.. kinda like you.'

With Emote & Social:
SOCIAL: blush
EMOTE: em glances over, her eyes not meeting yours.
say I.. um.. kinda like you...'
emote: em looks away, her fingers twisting a handkerchief nervously, awaiting your response.

That's not to say that you need to emote or social every single time you talk to someone... but it's something you can sprinkle in - like seasoning when cooking - to add more flavor.

Use emote to convey action and emotion AND the spoken word. Nothing says it just has to be one or the other. If you are conveying speech, don't forget quotation marks. Examples:

EMOTE lightly traces the line of her lover's cheekbone and throat, murmuring, 'I missed you, dear one.'
EMOTE growls angrily, 'You will pay for that!' then turns sharply on his heel and departs.
EMOTE whispers softly, 'Why?' The anguish is clear in her voice.

Use emotes to make your spells more interesting. Some folks set up one set of macros for combat situations, and another set for role-play situations. Some examples:

EMOTE: em raises his hand, making a gesture of benediction and blessing and whispers a prayer to his god.
CAST: C 'bless' Joesmith

While it may sound strange, stay in character and use those emotes even when you don't see anyone. a) There may be people who are invisible or hidden present you aren't aware of; and b) Thieves have info. If you maintain character even when you aren't interacting... believe me - folks notice!
Equipment: While it may sound odd, a simple change of clothes and or accessories can really bring your character to life. If you're going to be in the guild or temples for a while - consider changing out of the clothes you wear when you're chasing down mobs, and into something different. This can be as simple as just one or two clothing items, or as elaborate as a full set. It's also nice to have a change of clothes for special events - ceremonies, weddings, etc. Just don't forget to change back before heading out for exp or pvp.

Relationship RP

Relationships within the context of your character can be incredibly rewarding and fun. They can also be a big old mess. I've had/done both. Some things to remember:

- TFC is a 'family friendly' mud. That means no sex scenes / adult content via emote, say, gossip, shout, etc. (IE, no channel which can be heard by others). (I have known FLIs that allowed it when the two players were the only two on FTELL, but that's chancy and you take the risk of being 'walked in on' when another follower logs in.) (If one is creative, there are a variety of socials which can be used for various.. erm... tasks. <wink>) There's also something to be said for the wonderfully fun "unrequited love" which never actually gets anywhere physically. (think Ladyhawk, before the ending) I generally recommend that if you REALLY want to RP an adult situation with a fellow TFC character, that you take it off mud. However, that can lead to issue #2...

- The people on the other end of the screen are just that: people. Some can get deeply emotionally involved. It can affect their RL. Really intense, emotional, relationship RP can affect YOUR RL, too. I have hurt people deeply that I never wanted to harm, through relationship RP that got out of hand. {As a caveat, it can also be incredibly rewarding and wonderful - I've been with my husband, whom I met on TFC, for 10 years.} If you are in a RL relationship, and you want to have an RP relationship online... I strongly suggest you talk to your partner about it first. Some consider such relationships to be a form of infidelity.

- Relationship roleplay can have a negative ripple effect, in ways you never expect. For example: As Cordir, I was formally married on TFC twice: Once to a paladin named Keller and once to a vampire named Deamhan. The roleplay at the wedding to Keller actually caused quite a bit of consternation. He and I had _pre-arranged_ that at the wedding, Cordir (who was unaligned at the time) was going to be kidnapped by Molo, and "forced" join an evil following. It would end the relationship (which was our goal), provide lots of RP possibilities, and be a fun and spectacularly dramatic scene (Keller actually got to PK Cordir at the wedding to try and 'break the spell'). Unfortunately, we pulled it off a little TOO well. When Molo showed up and emoted a "Charm Person" spell, "commanded" me to worship him and I did so, people began to seriously freak out. They thought an Immortal really could force someone to worship them. The God+ staff got inundated with requests to undo the situation, punish Molo, etc. All because of some roleplay. (It also bit me in the butt when I petitioned for Immortality, but that's a whole other story.) So if you're going to do something REALLY dramatic... think it through, and if it's REALLY out there -- make sure a God+ knows in advance.

- Roleplaying intimate relationships can lead to roleplaying families growing... in one spectacularly overdone scene, a "pregnant" lady filled gossip, shout and yell with her delivery pains. Have some respect for others when you're roleplaying - folks had to turn off multiple channels to shut out her scene. Try and keep yours localized, using only says and emotes.

- Realize that if you're in an RP relationship, your enemies and theirs will enjoy twisting that cat's tail. I.E., attempting to PK your partner and taunt you with it, stealing wedding rings, etc. Emotions can quickly get inflamed in such a situation. (if you do get married, consider making your wedding rings something that does NOT have any "value"- ie, don't choose your +5 Damage ring to have restrung as a wedding ring. That pretty much guarantees you won't get it back. If the ring is non magical, it's more likely you might.)

- Also on the topic of weddings: Two full sets of restrung wedding clothes were made a couple years back for brides and grooms. They're available (by advance arrangement) by contacting Tokugawa, who holds them. [I know. I made them. They're purdy.]

- If you and your RP'd partner are in different followings, this can cause some strife and issue, if the followings (or alignments) are in conflict. This can really add to the RP, or make it miserable. Just go into it with your eyes open.

- Not all RP relationships are romantic ones. They can be family bonds, too. Clans, households, brother & sister, cousins, you name it.

Adding relationships to your character can be an awesome way to make them come to life. Just realize that it can go awesomely good, or awesomely bad, and not all of that is in your hands.

Ways to Learn More / Helpful Tips:

If you're interested in learning more about RP, another great way is to read through RP Logs to get actual examples / demonstrations of RP.
Dive in! Seek out those that you see RP'ing, give them a tell and ask if you can maybe join in, and have fun!
When role-playing with someone, LOOK at them! Sometimes folks update their descriptions to go along with the storytelling thread and how that affects their general or emotional appearance. I can't count the number of times I've updated my description and had to tell people, 'If you were actually standing in the room with me, you would see a noticeable change. Look at my new desc for details.'
Use your title! Nothing says you can't communicate there, too, from evocative song lyrics to adjectives that describe your demeanor.
Use notes! Whether its conveying a quickly scribbled note or a dream or a glimpse of something barely seen, you can always use the notes to add to your RP during those times you aren't online with those you're RP'ing with.
While it may sound strange, stay in character and use those emotes even when you don't see anyone. a) There may be people who are invisible or hidden present, and b) Thieves have info. If you maintain character even when you aren't interacting... believe me - folks notice!
Even the food that you eat can add to your RP. (but also be aware, that it can be a clue to a skilled/observant PK'er as to where you like to spend time in shops.)