The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

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The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

Postby Liminal on June 1st, 2010, 2:36 am

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Howdy, folks. We're pleased to announce the fourth winner of our featured character award: Siiri! Enjoy the interview, ask questions, and please offer your congratulations!

Liminal: 1. How did you get into roleplaying in general, and pbp roleplaying specifically. And how did you find Mizahar and decide to stay?

Siiri: I was into roleplaying/adventure computer games since I was a kid - from Quest for Glory to Ultima to the new D&D-based games like Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. I was addicted to them! Never tried tabletop games though, primarily because I never found a group to play with for the most part. I thought it looked time-consuming too when I did find a group. Anyway, I didn't get into pbp RP until I started playing a particular MMORPG. I was invited to be part of a group that would establish a guild that was RP-heavy, both in-game and out. The person who started it all made a forum for us to RP in when we couldn't run sessions in-game. He would play GM for the whole group since there were so few of us. That was the first time I did pbp. One of the co-founders of that guild was the one who invited me into Mizahar - Kammy. This is actually the second site she invited me into, the first was that one that started with 'A'... Aelyia, or something like that? I never really got into exploring that one because I was too busy with real life at the time. But decided to give this one a shot. I liked the community and the level of writing and I've been here ever since.

Liminal: 2. Can you tell us what it was like being the ultimate example for a race that is just getting off the ground? Is there pressure involved in playing true to the Myrian culture since many look to you as the "typical" Myrian?

Siiri: Ultimate? I wouldn't say my PC is that. She has some sort of working conscience, for one thing! I think your typical Myrian would be a little more indiscriminate when it comes to killing. So no pressure! :D To be honest, I just play Siiri how I think a real Myrian would act. Part of her success(?) as a character should be credited to Cayenne, for being patient enough to answer all my questions about everything Myrian when I was trying to immerse myself in their culture all those months ago. When I felt I had a good enough grasp of it, I let Siiri out into the Mizahar world.

Liminal: 3. What are the challenges of playing opposite of your real life gender? You do an amazing job and your fans often wonder what motivates you to both play a female and do so in a way that makes people really take a second look when they find out Siiri's player isn't female.

Siiri: A lot! There's a reason why most of my threads are training/combat oriented! I think women are more complicated then men and that's why I like playing a character of the opposite gender. If I played a male character and he got into a conflict, I just let basic instict as a guy take over and I already know how he's going to react. With Siiri, I have to think through if that's how a woman like her would react, to see if her response is within the bounds of her personality as an individual and as a woman. I can effectively play a male character that comes off realistic, but to play a female the same way, not make her look like a superheroine comic book character? That's the challenge, and that's what I try to do with Siiri.

Liminal: 4. What is the biggest challenge in navigating Falyndar and in that aspect helping to introduce so many players to the region? Your PC, in that regard, is truly an ambassador. Did you plan this?

Siiri: Falyndar is a dangerous place, even for the Myrians. I think it gets more dangerous for them the farther away they go from their city, and traveling alone isn't really advisable for anyone. There might be a deadly predator or something equally nasty lurking around the corner. If the wildlife doesn't get you, the locals will. The place is brutal. I think this aspect keeps some players away. Some don't want to play in an environment where their PC is constantly in danger, others just aren't familiar with the setting. Even those who want to come into the region have to find a compelling reason to do so. But this is part of the charm of the place for me. In my threads, I try to depict Falyndar as a place that offers countless opportunities for other players to improve specific skills. I've done mostly combat oriented threads, sure, but arts and crafts can be learned in Taloba, and Zinrah as well if you can get in there without being devoured. There are sources of poison that can't be found anywhere else in Mizahar for assassins to play with, or for philterers and alchemists to experiment upon. Like I said, countless opportunities. Plus we offer exotic food PCs of other races might not have tasted yet! :D

Toughest part for me I think is having Siiri walk around the jungle (in order to show the different flora and fauna of the region in my threads) and survive the things she encounters. Gamewise, she's really still a noob, and I often have to pull the "Use NPCs to prevent bodily harm" of a number of occasions. I like to make her adventures believable. As much as I want to make her look badass all the time - can we say 'badass' in this interview? - if Siiri walked around like she owned the place, she'll have a very humbling - not to mention violent - experience. Or worse.



Liminal: 5. As many may or may not know, Siiri was outed as being a lesbian. Do you find that tough to pull off or are people open to the thought? (It works well in Myrian culture which is female dominated.) But we'd like to know if you planned this or if it was just something that came out through roleplay.

Siiri: It all started as a joke from Kammy actually, with her "Are you dom or sub?" line. She liked Siiri's image in the CS and how I depict her, and she kept teasing how Siiri and her PC would make a great couple. :D

Siiri did start out as hetero, but the more I thought about it, the more the bicurious or lesbian orientation seemed to make sense for her. I don't really see her as going for someone she might view as inferior to her. And in Myrian culture, males are that. It probably serves as fan service too. Haha!


Liminal: 6. Myrians are not humans. What sort of steps do you take in your roleplay to convey this idea to others you are playing with? The differences in attitude and psychology make it apparent they aren't just humans with nice tans. How hard is it getting this idea across -- or do you even try?

Siiri: The familiarity with the culture helps. I spent near a month before playing just pestering Cayenne with countless questions to get the picture of how Myrians are. I'm still learning. I don't think they've that many differences between them and humans though. In the end, they're still people, governed by thoughts and emotions, bound by the laws and principles of their society. That last part is what makes them different. When two humans fights, one is left dead and the victor walks away. When a Myrian fights with someone from another race, assuming the Myrian wins, one is left dead and the victor gets a meal. At least that's what they do in their lands where everyone else is a stranger and an outsider and where being an outside usually equals being a meal. I don't know a Myrian would react finding herself the outside in another land. I want to be able to explore that someday. Maybe more differences will be revealed to us when I do.

Liminal: 7. Some people have said that the more "bloody" races tend to frighten them away from play because of their cultural norms. Is there anything in particular about the Myrians that stood out to you? Anything that gave you second thoughts?

Siiri: I didn't really mind the cannibalism, or that they wiped out whole races who tried to settle on what they considered their lands, or... You get the idea. Mizahar is a harsh and violent world. I wanted to play someone who would know what to do in any situation she found herself in such a setting. I like warrior type characters. I also like the stigma that came with being a Myrian. Outside her jungle home, Siiri would be viewed by other PCs as something barbaric and fearsome. If they could stand toe to toe with her, maybe they'd try to take her out, if for no reason other than for the benefit of all the 'civilized' races. I want to be able to explore that kind of interaction with other players. I find it interesting that I can play Siiri as the bad guy for others without her being evil per se. As for second thoughts, well, choosing to be Myrian was the second thought! XD I originally wanted to play Dhani, would you believe it? But I guess the Myrians suit my play/write style better.

Liminal: 8. Siiri has recently bonded with a Kelvic, and the resulting pairing has been magical. Do Siiri's reactions surprise you at all, considering her difficult history?

Siiri: In some part of the feeling out process between her and Miharu, somewhat, yeah. I always felt that Siiri was a very private person, keeping most of her true self away from the eyes of others. This is specially true ever since the closest person to her passed away, and the second closest began pressing her to take up that which she never wanted to do. I think she's feeling pretty much alone prior to meeting Miharu. But the Kelvic reached out to her in a way others have never really done before, and their bonding was as much the result of Miharu's unconscious efforts as Siiri's unspoken consent. Still, she did give the girl the chance to get to know her and what happened after was probably what each truly wanted in the first place. Truth be told, when I started threading with Selena (Miharu's player for those who didn't know...though you all probably do anyway) I didn't expect to get a bondmate in the process. But I think our two PCs mesh well together.

Liminal: 9. You've sometimes described Siiri as being very straightforward -- if she doesn't like something, she stabs it. Do you find this mindset hard to play out sometimes?

Siiri: You know that joke about ignoring a problem, hoping that it goes away? I think with Siiri, the problem will only go away when it's been trashed, beaten, or killed. No one can bother you if they're dead, right? I think that's how she deals with problems that come her way. Sometimes though, there are just things that can't be handled with brute strength, and she has to find other ways to deal with them - such as using her head or being diplomatic (*snort*). I think the difficulty lies in getting her to pull off such a thing without making her come off as a Mary Sue. She's a warrior who's first reaction to something that's in her way is to kill or destroy it. For her to approach a situation that is detached from this mentality is not just unrealistic, I think it totally borders on godmodding. I'm guilty of this sometimes, I think it's inevitable for everyone (we all want our PC to come off as epic right?), but feel that once you establish your PC's traits and personality, I think you should pretty much stick to it while at the same time playing by the game world's rule on realism. I want Siiri's reaction to things to be true to her character. Sooner or later though, I think she will run across something that can't be solved by mere violence and how I play her getting out of it without derailing her character will be the challenge.

Liminal: 10. And last...how did you pick your PC's name? I'm fascinated by all the "i"s...

Siiri: To be honest, I got it from a name generator. I'm not sure what the name of the site was or who gave me the link (I think it's Kammy though). I didn't pick it as is though. I had two choices; the first was Phoenician and I thought sounded too girly, it was too soft with its 'sh's and 'a's. The second was ancient Egyptian or some ancient Middle Eastern race. Having only two syllables, it fit the Myrian naming convention perfectly. I still thought the original name sounded soft though - I wanted a name that was feminine yet gave the impression of strength behind it. So I dropped the original vowels and plugged in the 'i's. I think the stiff inflection made the name sound like it belonged to someone tough, don't you? :-)
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The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

Postby Jaquise Emittere on June 1st, 2010, 2:44 am

Woohoo, congrats siiri!
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The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

Postby Satu on June 1st, 2010, 4:33 am

Congrats to a Very Well Deserving Player and All-Around Good, HOT Choice for this award!

And don't fret Sirii, Satu will go easy on you when she reaches Taloba! ;)
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The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

Postby Sorian on June 1st, 2010, 4:43 am

Well-earned, well-deserved, and JUST ABOUT TIME. Congrats my friend.
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The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

Postby Mao on June 1st, 2010, 5:20 am

CONGRATS BABY. ;D Yayyyyy. -Pops open beer cans.-
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The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

Postby Abashai on June 1st, 2010, 11:18 am

Congratulations Siiri! Though our paths have not crossed IC, I have always respected you as a player and admired your ever-developing PC!
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The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

Postby Cayenne on June 1st, 2010, 12:06 pm

Congrats, Siiri!
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The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

Postby Gossamer on June 1st, 2010, 3:28 pm

I know I told you in chat, but Grats Siiri! You deserve this. :)
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The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

Postby Asim on June 1st, 2010, 3:53 pm

Grats, Siiri. Well deserved.
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The Featured Character of the Month: Siiri!

Postby Denn Liobhan on June 1st, 2010, 5:07 pm

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(this graphic is totally making me motion-sick, but well, the sentiment is there! :) )
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