Hello Fellow Mizaharians!
Keeping with our tradition, the Founders Circle is proud to announce that the Featured Character of the Month for the month of May 2012 is Oluse! Unique among even the wildly assorted characters of Mizahar, Oluse has been chosen because of his wholehearted embrace of a healer mentality at a painfully young age who tackles near impossible themes and is moving throughout the world in a way that most people would not even attempt. Its rare to see young PC's so fleshed out and so well put together, but Oluse is a great example of this. He's beautifully flawed as well. |
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The Interview
1. What makes Oluse so different than other healers?
The obvious answer is his age. He is an expert of medicine and he is fourteen. This, however, was not my intention when I made him, just a product of over zealous threading. I think the real answer to the question, though, is his lack of a mark. Oluse is a healer by trade, and he values his skills greatly. That is all healing is to him at this point in his life, however, a skill. He doesn't have an overarching philosophy behind his practice, though he does think a lot about the moral implications of his work. This is because healing was not a path he chose on his own, it was taught to him by his parents, a family trade. Both his sisters, now dead thanks to the storm, were also taught to his same skill level, and thought specializing in other areas of the trade both actually excelled beyond him in skill. One even was marked by Rak'keli. So, in essence what marks Oluse apart from other healers is that he is a fourteen year old boy first, and a healer second. I do hope some day this will change, but I'm glad I have this time with him, to see him develop as a person, with his work as just that, work.
2. What is your greatest hope for Oluse?
My greatest hope would quite simply be to see him develop meaningful relationships. What more could one hope for in life? Oluse doesn't have to found cities or save lives to be who I want him to be. He just has to be him, and I really hope for his sake that many people learn to love him for that. He is a child driven from his home at a relatively young age, hiding behind the mask of his skills from his own emotions, his own needs. I hope some day he finds a loving "family" to break through this shroud he hides behind and invite him out into the sun. That would make him so happy.
3. What is your greatest fear for him?
As I mentioned Oluse missed out on a lot of love as a child. His parents were never very close, nor were his sisters. He grew up in Denval during a very political and strenuous time. He was used, abused, and thrown away in essence. There is a lot of baggage under the surface of his young demeanor. I'm afraid that if he doesn't find the right influences he will become consumed by his work. My take on his lack of a Rak'keli mark is that he is not a healer at heart, though some day he might become one. Instead he is just a lost boy, and he might fall to his skills more than be lifted up by them as he grows older. He may become consumed by his curiosities his need to improve, to master the only thing he was ever taught to have confidence in, his understanding of the human body. We all know what happens when people are driven crazy by the need to posses information about the human body. It tarts in cemeteries, but in time leads to much much worse things. Rak'keli must be waiting to see which path he chooses. She may need to shut him down with a negative mark for all I know, if he abuses his skills. I fear he will pervert his practice. Dangerous dangerous knowledge.
4. In character creation, what sort of thought process goes into your development, and do you think those PC’s stay on track or get off on their own tangents once they start being played? Which is more satisfying to you?
Hrm many questions. Well, for starters in character creation I just think of a person. The core of them, how they feel, how it would feel to stand in their body. Do you ever think back on your childhood and remember how the whole world seemed different back then? Do you ever look out at the world after a great day, or a few mugs of coffee and think WOW it's so much more impressive now! These are just small alterations to perception. I can only imagine other people must see the world completely differently than I do. Creation characters is just and expression of that, how I imagine one way of seeing the world might be.
Oluse specifically is a far stretch from me in real life. I am an extremely attentive, extroverted, and honestly quite witty person. Oluse his none of this, calm earthy and almost ethereal in thought, caught in some place just beyond the physical, but not quite mental. Everything he is springs from his core, and what experiences he has. As for his class (healer) that totally comes from me loving to play medics in every game, he is just a new personality on the same old skill set.
Now, do I think characters as a whole tend to stay course? I know mind don't. They surprise me every moment. Lets remember that they aren't me, so what seems common sense to me often is absolutely mind boggling to them. And quite visa versa. I think this is a good thing. I think if your character surprises you it means two things. One, the world is realistic, and sending you interesting curve balls. Second, you made a character that is realistic and challenging. What fun is it to play a character if you already know everything about them, if you already know their story? I'd say nothing.
5. You feature your own artwork in both Oluse’s CS and in his Avatar. What inspires you and keeps you drawing for your PC?
I draw pix for Solicah too. Honestly, I'm not a writer. I'm not a bad writer, it's just where my passion lies is in art, visual art. I feel complete when I draw, and it feels right. When I write I feel that I'm losing the true feeling of my subject. Some people can write. Ulric, Montaine, many more on this site, they amaze me. When you read you know that it's effortless for them, they just get in the zone and the words come to them and the world is enriched through this process not lost. Well, I feel that way when I draw. So, what inspires me to draw is the same thing that inspires all of us to write, I just want to live up to them, I want to know them, and to show them. The true them.
6. You describe Oluse as “Keenly in tune with the way things look, taste, sound, feel and smell.” How does this fact translate into your writing?
This expression was to attempt to explain that Oluse is very aware of the surface of all sensation, but to also imply that he lacks the theoretical meaning behind sensations. When you speak to him he feels your words wash over him, he sees your lips move, and your brow crease, the feels the slight heat come form you, and the light flicker form the nearby lamp. But, does he know why you are beginning to raise your voice? Does he even really understand what you are saying? Usually, no. He struggles to understand the meaning of things, but this doesn't mean he isn't observing the world, he just sees it differently. How it translates into my writing is that I get shit tons of observation skill when I bother to explain his thought patterns ;P But seriously, it leads to a lot of seemingly off topic writing, sometimes more flowering than would seem necessary. But in truth, it's how Oluse processes the world, and for those that pay attention explains why he seems so distant, and slow. There are several scenes I've seen Oluse in where I've just gone "I wonder if he is autistic?" cause he just seems... absent.
Oluse's question was met with unexpected force, and this overwhelmed him suddenly. His brow grew more turbulent as Darin's gale force words ripped through, and straight past him. Oluse admittedly missed the true gravity of the statement at first, his sympathies shocked out of effectiveness by the sheer intensity of their nature.
Ultimately his head continued it's roll to it's side, and his searching eyes diverted, descended, and met with a particular knot upon the wooden comprised table before them both. His hands came from under the table, his unkempt nails digging into an uneven spot within the dark swirling knot. Just along the edge of the knot's realms he could see the unfocused light of Adarin's threatening hand tighten around the neck of his ale, before quickly loosening. Oluse simply squinted into the darkness upon the table, as if looking straight into Syna herself. That which can never been seen directly, or that which he doesn't want to see.
I love it.
7. I would consider Oluse one of those all important characters that are neither leaders nor quite followers. They stay in the background, but are so vital to the game as a whole. Can you tell me if Oluse’s position in Mizahar was planned or was that simply the way the PC manifested?
Oh Oluse was certainly never intended to be a leader, not at such a young age in any case. Lets all remember he is only fourteen. He is finding himself still, and is so far away from being able to lead others. I like this about him, his story is about him and no one else. He does his best to help, but his story isn't about groups, or politics, it's about tone. It's about expressing how a normal boy is effected by the world of Mizahar. When the storm hit he was effected irrevocably, his racial identity itself changing. Denval's political issues were nothing to do with Oluse, but we still get to see how it drove him from the city, what sort of life it created for a child of Denval.
The founders give us all an overview of the world, tell us how the proverbial tectonic plates shift, but it's our job as players to show what this means, in a practical sense. What does it mean when famine is declared in your city, what does it mean when a city explodes, or half the population becomes ill? Without the players Mizahar would be nothing but wiki pages. Characters are the art, that gives the framework purpose.
8. Do you find writing for topics like Herbalism and medicine difficult? Do you have any strategies for wading through threads with difficult subjects or for doing research on things that normal people wouldn’t automatically have a diverse knowledge of? What I mean is do you keep a Herbalism for Dummies book by your computer or do you approach this lack of knowledge some other way? I’m assuming here, that you are not a doctor in real life.
I'm no doctor, but my study in art has played a huge part in my writing for Oluse. I understand a lot about how my body, our bodies, work. I can name most muscled, ligaments, bones etc. This is extremely helpful. However, when it comes to treating specific illnesses, or techniques to sew up a wound or w/e I simple google it. Most medical information can be brought up in easy to understand layouts on prominent laymen sites around the web. Of course it takes some studying and cross examining sources to make sure all your info is true, but it's really quite straight forward. The hardest part, however, and the part that can not be understated is the persistent need to use common sense, and have a keen understanding of Mizahar as a genre in and of itself. I can't tell you how often I've had to ask myself, "but how would Oluse do that? He doesn't have ___ tool in a midevil fantasy setting!" or "but Oluse has no way of knowing that ___ microscopic thing exists." So I have of course had to spend some time researching medevil and roman medical practice. Some of which is wrong. This is the hardest part, when you realize that your character's high medical skill it going to lead them astray. Instead of diagnosing the problem well he is going to bleed out his patient, or poison them, or something barbaric and scary. It's all about realism, and common sense though.
Don't ever be afraid to research, it happens to be my favorite part of role playing. Learning is fun! Admittedly, I have an academic mind, which is likely a tad odd.
9. Can you tell us a few things that Oluse strives for that you might consider unusual or off the beaten track? How does that effect your roleplay, and how did you decide on these goals?
Well first, I don't decide on Oluses's goal. For all intensive purposes he plays himself. I just have to translate it all the best I can for you all. Sometimes I don't even know his goals till he finally gives in and tells people about them. That said, his goals are different than most my characters. Most my characters have small day to day goals that are interpersonal. They want __ person to like them, or love them, or ignore them. Whatever it might be. No, Oluse makes life long goals. He wants to repent for mistakes in the past. That is, until this season.
Oluse has been graced with an unusual opportunity to see into his past life. And he doesn't know what it means, he doesn't know it was him, not in a factual or logical sense. But still the emotions, meaningful strong emotions, that the experience evoked seemed to work as some sort of inspiration for him. And he had made a whole new set of goals based souly on these feelings.
Personally I find it absolute lunacy to make life decisions souly based on emotions. He is nuckin futs.
10. Can you tell our discerning audience the difference between herbalism and botany? These two skills are always confused by the average player and grader. It might help to give some insight into each.
Heh, Goss. It's not rocket science really. Botany is anything to do with the maintenance and statistical information about the growth and cultivation of plants of any sort.
Herbalism on the other hand is the medicinal uses of said plants. This has nothing to do with picking them, or growing them, or what climate they might grow in. Just what they do. It's not even about identifying them on sight, or smell, or taste. Just I shit I got a burn, what ever will I do? Aloe, duh. ;p
Then there is cooking, which utterly has to do with taste.
And, philtering which has to do with infusions and such.
Honestly, I think it's lame all these skills are separate but I don't make the rules I just bitch about them.
This all said, there are a few tricky grey areas. What happens with you are making a medicinal infusion that tastes good? Like tea. Well I'd say give them one point philtering one point cooking one point herbalism one point medical.  As for skill use, if you have no points in cooking you are not going to be able to make it taste good, no points in medicine, you probably didn't identify what was wrong with your patient unless they told you outright, none in herbalism you probably don't know which herb can fix the problem, none in philtering you can just boil water, it's pretty much tea... o.o philtering is lame, mostly because like mathematics mods always forget to give it to you.
11. Please tell the group what roleplaying on Mizahar does for you? It means something different, or the same, for each of us and I’m curious as to what place Mizahar fulfills in your life.
I love role playing. I do it irl all the time. Miza is just a chance to RP with different people than I usually do. I hate writing, I really do. And I prefer tabletops, but I also love all of you amazing writers and gamers. I love your imagination and your demeanor. I'm here for all of you, not the site itself. It's place in my life is diverse and more about the individuals I meet here than the game itself.
12. Is there anything else you’d like to tell the crowd while you have the mic?
Sorry? I talk a lot. But you know what it's my damn feature thread I can drawl on and on if I want! Hehe, if you want to play with Oluse he will be in Riverfall this coming season. A domain that really deserves some character love and attention. I know it's already chalk full of mod luvnz.
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by Wrenmae on May 2nd, 2012, 6:49 pm 
