October's Featured Contributor
Per tradition the founders and RS's have come together to choose this month's featured contributor, and this month it is none other than our favorite queen of the undead, Ink! |
1. Let's begin as I usually do. Where does your love of roleplaying stem from, and how exactly did you end up roleplaying and eventually STing in Mizahar?
Oh Geez, well it probably started with RPG video games and books. I started playing dark RPGs in elementary school and reading epic fantasy sagas in middle school. With a foundation like Elder Scrolls 2 and The Wheel Time series the adult is doomed to have their head in the clouds. My clouds just happened to be filled with knights and sorceresses.
As for how I managed to find Mizahar specifically, I googled. I found Mizahar on a list of top RP websites. It was the only real original forum amidst a list of trite fantasy cliches and pop culture fandoms The first click on the wiki and I was sold.
2. Some of us who have been around for a bit may remember that you used to be an AS in good old Sunberth. Have there been any challenges in switching from such a large and chaotic domain to a domain with a much smaller player base and with a more organized and focused theme?
The biggest challenge is the way the modded threads are run. Sunberth had such a huge playerbase that if I managed to write a modded thread for someone there was little chance I would have time for a second or third thread for that same person for several months. Even if I could find time I would have felt bad about those PCs missing out on mod attention. On Sahova its all about the long-game and crafting these plots were not easy at first. With only a handful of PCs I dont show my hand in the first or even second thread, I slowly tug and prod the PC making them craft their choices on Sahova. I get to be involved in each and every PC’s plots and it is fantastic.
3. I know that your coming to Sahova was a HUGE saving grace, and especially for me who was at the time struggling to keep up with everything on my end plus my domain. You have been a fantastic help to your domain in a lot of ways, but what do you personally think your greatest accomplishment to date is?
Right now it feels like the Wizard’s Compendium is my biggest accomplishment. It may be because it is fresh in my mind. It took far more effort than I ever guessed going into the project and began way back in Summer. Only just now has it seen the light of day. Feelings of accomplishment linger but I am already looking ahead. I have a number of development projects percolating. If any of them pan out the next big one will probably show up in December.
4. A part of me is squirming in my seat because I know what is happening behind the scenes with all you have planned, but to save your players a bit of a surprise I instead will ask you this: Ink, you have a talent for wrapping plots up and hiding them in seemingly mundane tasks and assignments said and done in threads. How do you manage your ideas and organize them in a way that you so seamlessly incorporate them into your everyday threads? It is quite a feat to watch from above as a little hint in one thread ties into a big assignment in another, and how what you do with one player in one thread affects another player in another. Is this just talent, or is there a method to the madness?
I wish I could say it was talent, but its not its communication. When I begin a thread with a PC I asked about their goals and what they want to see on Sahova. If they are established already I start snooping. I begin looking into their old threads and pulling out experiences. Clyde and Elaine both saw this effect in their threads. Another piece of this is that I am grading and modding almost all of their threads. I get to read all about them. When a mod knows a PC’s character flaws and just what obstacles will make them tick, that to me is the key to writing truly challenging plots. WIth great challenge comes great reward. In the end, it is possible because of the small playerbase.
5. You have said it to me before that there are some misconceptions about Sahova that you wish to address and eventually abolish completely. Tell us a bit about this worldly view of Sahova and how you plan on changing it
Arg, yes. Sahova is not magic tutor island. Yes, magics can be learned here. No, Sahova doesn’t care that some Pulser wants to learn reimancy. If someone wants to learn magic on Sahova they better come prepared to prove they are worth a Wizard’s time. Furthermore this island is making a U-turn, the reason for Sahova’s creation was researching weapons and tools for Alahea. When Alahea no longer existed, Sahova’s raison d’etre became recreating the empire from the ashes of the Valterian so that the previous purpose could once again be fulfilled. The center of Sahova’s identity has to be weaponry, the grand oath Archwizard Zarik Mashaen was forced to take demands it. Right now Sahova is the place to research magic, that will not be the focus in the future. We’re weaponizing.
How am I looking to change this? Through a number of ways. I am working small plots in to slowly refocus Sahova on weapons research, mainly of the magical orientation. I am also coordinating with other STs in Sylira, sending out envoys and getting Sahova in their sphere of influence. To make these weapons Sahova will need materials and no one would call the island resource rich.
6. Up till now you have done a lot for Sahova, and for Mizahar. What plans do you have for the future as far as projects go? Are there any projects you are especially excited about?
Yes there definitely are but I dont want to count chickens before they hatch. Let’s just say that when I can build up an active playerbase in Sahova things will begin to get interesting. One project I am happy to talk about though, is I am working on writing a number of apprentice and slave NPCs in Sahova. All of these NPCs will be free to use by players. I noticed while making the NPC bank that nearly all the NPCs required moderation or special permissions. One way to make Sahova more dynamic is to really let PCs interact with it on a multitude of levels.
7. Being DS of Sahova it is almost assumed that you know quite a bit about magic. Tell us a bit about your views on Mizahar's magic, and maybe tell us a bit about your own personal favorite form of magic.
If I were to say anything about Mizahar’s mage it would be that the rules matter. There’s only a handful of strict rules written into each magic about what they cannot do. I would advise not to look at these rules as limitations. Instead, see the rules as ways to creatively interact with the magic. Every time a limitation is placed on writing it inevitably brings out something new and fantastic. Constrained writing is a very real thing, for example I once read an entire book in which the author never used the letter E. It was fantastic to watch him work around words. See the rules of magic like this and you’ve got nothing but creativity to work with.
As for my favorite magic? Its really a toss up between animation and shielding. Animation is incredibly complex but can create in ways that no other magic can. Its certainly a magic that can cause mental instability in a mage, a god-complex perhaps. Any mage who has the ability to create even a shadow of what real life is, is standing on a tightrope between greatness and madness. As for shielding, I think I like it so much because people so heavily undervalue it. There is absolutely nothing weak about shielding, the problem is that people see all of our master Reimancers running around torching things and assume nothing could have stopped it. That assumption is dead wrong, shielding is fully capable of stopping a reimancer in a number of different ways. Mizahar needs a master shielder to really strike this home. When someone champions shielding everyone else will start to see how cool it is.
8. There are rumors that abound about how harsh and unforgiving Sahova is as a domain, and the level of difficulty it is to RP there. What would you like to tell players who are considering starting or coming to RP in your domain? A follow up of sorts, what is your personal favorite aspect of your domain?
I wouldn’t use the word difficulty in describing Sahova, it would use the word commitment. It doesn’t matter how new your skill sheet says the PC is, so long as you are committed to the character they can flourish on Sahova. At the same time, pick your actions and answers carefully because the wrong word in the wrong ear can be disastrous. Sahova is very small in terms of Mizahar cities, the population rounds out at 500 and so it only makes sense the leadership of the city really could notice each and every person within it. Each PC is being monitored by golems. Originally madness was the biggest concern on Sahova, but with the recent coup another element has become concerning. Anyone who gains power through underhanded means has to watch for others who would do the same.
My favorite aspects are the consequences. Much like how I feel about the rules of Magic, I feel like solid consequences are really what makes a story feel alive. If everyone is running around doing whatever they please, perfectly, with no repercussions then we would all get bored quickly and move on. On Sahova actions illicit reactions, maybe good maybe bad.
9. If you were a piece of furniture, what kind of furniture would you be? Pictures are welcome!
A papasan chair. They’re really comfy and weird. If you move wrong in them you’ll fall out on your face but they’re the perfect reading chair in my opinion. Another reason they’re perfect is because the product below exists. Excuse me while I go find my credit card I am pretty sure my cat needs this.
10. Finally, what advice would you give those who are thinking about contributing to Mizahar, maybe as a grader or even an ST?
Take small bites at first. See where you fit and how much you can give to Mizahar without feeling overloaded. A volunteer that feels overloaded soon doesn’t want to log into Miza and thats the beginning of the end.
11. As always this question is for you to take up the mike and speak your mind. Step up onto the soap box. Lights...camera... ACTION!
You want me to get more soap-boxy than I have already been?... Well alright but you asked for it.
This is my usual rant and a number of people will have heard it before. Whenever someone insists your character has only one choice, or only two choices in a thread; do not believe them. The more someone says you have no choices the more you actually do have. I was taught this lesson in one phrase, shouted very angrily; “You can’t tell me what to do, I can juggle golfballs if I want to!” If it ever seems like there are no choices in a thread, stop and step away. I urge you to remember this is fantasy and always realize there’s a myriad of options just waiting to become true right outside the box. |
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