we are very happy to announce Stitch as the new Featured Character for the month of April! A long-time member of Mizahar, Stitch is famous around the game for being a great roleplayer on the boards and a pillar of our community. Trust me, getting this award on April 1 is no ordinary feat! And so, here's the interview with our blind man who sees. Enjoy and feel free to ask him questions.
Tarot: So, why is the person behind Stitch playing Mizahar? Why write fantasy? Why roleplay? What do you enjoy about this medium? Stitch: I am in love with Fantasy. It started with a unhealthy interest in Dragon Warriors for the GBC, and quickly branched into Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: the Gathering. I soaked up books like the "Wheel of Time" series! I don't know why it interested me so much, but I loved the idea of spells, wizards, and yes, even dragons! I used to go out into the yard when I was a kid, and I would go to play with my friends, and I would design "systems" where we could pretend to be heroes... kill monsters... and I had come up with XP points! And we learned new moves at new levels! Even until I was about 18, me and my friends would "Larp" out in the yard! We would just level up, get new skills, and pretend to be using all these flashy moves! It was great fun, and I just loved the stories! The drama, the romance, the danger... I don't know why I do, but I have a really healthy imagination. As for roleplaying... I remember just wanting to be able to create this "awesome" character who was super powerful, and be able to make that character some undefeatable legendary swordsman... like in manga! You would be surprised to know that ALL of my inspiration at first was from manga! With such a sloppy background/inspiration for roleplaying online in writing forums... gosh, I was horrible. I did one liners, I called my hits, I fell prey to every cliche in the book. I was just a powerhungry gamer, because I wanted to "be" one of those powerful characters in the mangas! Eventually I began to love the writing for it's creative outlet, and relative freedom, compared to LARPing or tabletop. I hopped around sites a bunch, though. I could never find a character I enjoyed playing (likely because I still clung to my original inspiration) until I came here. I am not powerhungry here! I just want to develop the game, meet all the people, keep up all my amazing friendships... and make an impact! I want to shape Mizahar in some way! <33 Tarot: Stitch is "the blind PC". PCs with disabilities can be tricky to play without falling into cliches. Blind martial artists tend to be one of them: did you give this any thought when you made Stitch and how do you stave off the stereotype? Stitch: I did, yes. I know it can be a really cliche stereotype, and even though I knew this, I still wanted to try it (See Question Four). I figured the first and most obvious cliche would be to make him a "wise" character. Instead, I made him insecure about his blindness and his life in general... easily scared, easily saddened... he is emotional in both his happiness in his sadness; is quick to laugh and quick to cry... and he is stupid! He isn't wise about the world at all! He was innocently naive about the way magic worked in the world, yet still dove into it, just so he could see! He is so innocently naive about many many things, and is only recently managing to learn a bit about life. Being a blind man running an Orphanage seemed to avoid the stereotype too! I just thought about it a lot, talked with a few people about it... and bam. Here we are. I hope I still continue to avoid the stereotype. I dislike stereotypes. <3 Tarot: An interesting thing about Stitch's CS is that his history is never disclosed. Even in character, you only choose to share a tidbit here and there, showing that the history does exist but forcing curious people to stalk you regularly. Did you do this on purpose to make his past seem more mysterious? Stitch: Yes. I enjoy revealing little bits of it here and there, and seeing how people react and respond, both in-character and out of. I have actually had a couple of people ask me on AIM or in Chat about what his history is... and pretty much all of those people know that I just tease them about it. Eventually though, everything will be revealed... and maybe it already is, to those who have followed my writings! I actually have the history written, and on my PC... so if any of those "stalkers" want to know the real truth... well, come over and visit me. <3 Tarot: Stitch is perhaps the kindest PC on Mizahar, yet I also consider him one of the creepiest in a way. His twitches, his awkward mentions of "this one" and the strained tones of voice whenever he's under pressure give away a far less reassuring layer underneath - and you're showing, not telling. How do you pull this off so well? Any advice to those who want to play mental issues without being cliche? Stitch: You? Considering something creepy? Obviously I have done better than I thought. I have no idea how I pull it off so well. I wanted to have a good guy, as I never have done a truly good character... but I wanted there to be a few problems with his personality. He is obviously a kind-hearted soul, like you said, perhaps one of the kindest... but that is a hard kind of person to be. Especially with a history and upbringing like the one he has had... I think it could mess with a person. But then again, if that person wants to be as good as they can be... they would shove all of those problems down below the surface, right? And then, that just creates all the more problems. I also have a pet peeve of players giving their character mental issues... and then being so strong to them. I like to play Stitch as a nervous, awkward person who is incapable of dealing with his stress. It makes him more real to me. I just try and RP off a insecure and weak character who struggles with his emotions and mental turmoil... even with all the "power" he has. As for mental issues without being cliche... if you are going to have voices in your head, you better be bothered by them. Like I mentioned, I hate it when players give their PCs mental issues that are cliche... and then deal with it in a cliche way. You have voices that talk to you, and you are just okay with that? You talk back to them? That doesn't make sense! You have multiple personality disorder, but you interact with all of those personalities and use them to their best advantage? Or, even better, your worst and craziest personality is also the most powerful one, and also comes out at the most opportune times? But hey, I am probably guilty of it myself! So, I don't know how well this advice will resonate. I think people know what is cliche, and know how to avoid it... but just want to do it anyway. That is why it is cliche! Tarot: People tend to underestimate this side of Stitch, but he may well be one of the strongest wizards in the game. As a matter of fact, he's almost Master level in Auristics. By that point a PC is supposed to start doing his own thing, creating custom techniques and really advancing the field. How do you roleplay him as a mage, and how is his proficiency going to affect his life? Stitch: As a mage, he is just... naive. He doesn't really know how bad it can be (though he is learning), or how much people distrust it (though he is learning), or really what wizards are at all! He was simply taught how to use magic to aid his Martial Arts, and then to help him when he was blind! He just thought of it as a discipline, and almost a savior! All he could see was the good in it, and how it had helped him in his life! The only wizards he has really encountered would be Kamalia and a few enemies... and those encounters are slowly changing his idea of magic. He is starting to see that it isn't just a helpful little thing in life, and that it is actually very scary, and very dangerous. He has started to destroy his body with the Flux, which he wasn't aware could happen! He still isn't aware that it is the Flux that is damaging him! He is horribly confused to why he recently overgave while using Auristics! So, he is a naive dummy who doesn't know a thing about magic. He literately dabbled in it to aid with his Martial Arts, then desperately clung to it when he became blind. He NEEDED it to operate. Being blind is an extreme handicap in the Mizahar world. He was desperate, and in that desperation and dedication to become better so he could see more and more... that is how he eventually became a Master, almost. I am not so sure where he is going to go with it, though. He doesn't realize how powerful he is yet, he is just now slowly realizing how dangerous it is! He is starting to develop a distrust of magic himself! Tarot: Stitch's orphanage, the Welcome Home, was the first real example of a player-contributed and player-maintained location that quickly became popular Mizahar-wide, attracting other PCs like honey. Did you expect to play innkeeper to a platoon of different guests from various walks of life and unlife? Why do you think it was so successful? Stitch: I never expected to house all the guests, no! It became a really effiecent RP tool... but sometimes I wondered if the PCs just wanted discounts from the normal inns! Haha! But no, seriously, it was a pleasant surprise. Jen was the first to mention the possibility of having an Orphanage, and I can't remember how we came to that topic.. but I loved the idea. It was getting me involved in the game (see the Last Question), and was a great plot hook for a variety of things. It was getting out of my comfort zone, forcing me to RP with things I have never RPed with before... it was brilliant! And then the people just came! Everyone has a weak spot for children! I am guessing that was why it was successful? It was just a unique and fun idea, and an easy location to just drop by. A ton of credit goes to Jen, here. She really helped me get involved. <3 Tarot: The Welcome Home had you play children a lot. Children are notoriously difficult to write well. Just making them talk like children isn't enough, they have to think like children too. Did you find it hard to play them, and what did you learn in the process? Stitch: Gosh, I found it really hard to play them. Some of you may notice that I exaggerated their personalities a bit, both to help people like them and perhaps want to adopt with their PCs... and to make it easier for me to play them. One was the cliche cute little girl, who was loving and adorable no matter what... one was the older sister stereotype, who was strong and silent, with a sarcastic streak... and the other one was a total perv in a little boy's clothing! The really outgoing and... "in-your-face" personalities made them easier to play, and a little more fun to write with! I think playing "realistic" children would have been harder... but maybe some people think my children were realistic! It did teach me how to use humor and cuteness and adorableness in posts. I never was good at being cute or adorable before I got to work with children! It was also a good learning experience, roleplaying with a character who kind of "had" kids... and having to write from the viewpoint of a parent. Tarot: In the uncertainty and strife of Mizahar's setting, the Welcome Home was seen OOC as some kind of safehouse from chaos, like a tiny light in the darkness. But the dream's over, and Stitch has lost it all. Why this choice, this new chapter in Stitch's life? Stitch: It was a logical choice. People turned a blind eye (no pun intended) to his magic, just because he is a good person, does a good job... and so on. He was an innocent blind man who used magic to see, so where was the harm in that? He took care of the Orphans. It wasn't really a job anyone else wanted. But then, magic is a suspicious thing, and really, when enough people took notice of it... it only took a small nudge to to make everything come tumbling down. He had just gone on too long without being noticed, without showing very many heavy signs of overgiving... and I just wanted him to suffer the rebound all at once. And I needed to get out of Syliras, and move Stitch on to broader horizons! He couldn't stay a small-time Orphanage owner forever. <3 Tarot: Your Storyteller account in Ravok is pretty much the evil balance to all the goodness in Stitch's life. What do you find exciting about being a Storyteller, and what opportunities would you like to create for the bad, bad PCs of Mizahar? Stitch: You come up with some good questions! I definitely love being there for the players. That is first and foremost in my mind. I am slow to grade threads and reply to threads... but I like to think I answer PMs in a swift and polite manner, and I like to think people know they can come to me with whatever. I aim to be a help to the players, to make it an enjoyable experience... and just give back to Mizahar and it's Founders what they have given to me. As for Opportunity... Well, I want to give them a chance to be evil! I want them to be able to go after their evil goals in-game, to be able to get strong, to be able to grow into a powerful evil force within Mizahar... because we don't have any! Eventually, I want to mold some of these players to even think about killing off some of our good PCs. How horrible is that?! Tarot: You are a veteran of this game and are incredibly well-loved by the community. What's your advice to someone just starting out and wishing to make a name for himself on this site (in a good way)? Stitch: Read the Wiki! If you can't find the answer to questions you have, then ask someone where you can find the answer! Be nice! Be polite! Those are some really simple steps to help you click right in... and then from there, just get involved! Make your character a unique individual that people want to RP with! Get them an interesting job, get an in-game location for your house, try to join some sort of group... have goals! Go for something! Go for a super high skill, go for a in-game organization (the popular thing right now, and it is a good choice), talk to your AS, DS, or a Founder! Get involved in World Development! Go in chat, and get to know people! We are a huge group of friends here, and we love to have more! Post in Welcome Threads and in Scrapbooks! Just be actively INVOLVED! Just put your best foot forward, throw yourself into the site, stick around... and you WILL be seen. As long as you aren't a mean or rude kind of face, then your lovely face WILL Be seen. <3 Oh, and one major hint... don't just post up an RP, and then sit around and wait for people to reply to it. Don't just post up a link or a request in another forum, asking for someone to RP you. Do that, and then some! Bug people in OOC, bug people in chat! Read some CS's and then PM the person involved, and tell them you admire them, and want to RP! People respond VERY well to flattery! I promise this will get you an RP friend in NO time. Oh, and please, please, please be patient. Don't bug people to post. People know when to post, usually. We move at a slower pace here, sometimes. People HATE to be bothered to post. It annoys me a bit, but generally won't effect my posting speed... but some people REALLY REALLY dislike it. It is rude! Let them enjoy the game on their own time! <3333 Thanks so much for the award, guys. I am honored and surprised, and I really hope to be around here for years to come. You guys have no idea how much I love some of you. <333 |
