Relationships VS Orcs

I decided that the previous discussions about teele and his interesting way of dispatching orcs and simultaneously falling more in love with elven women invokes a good question.

The question is this: " Do you believe that it is more important to have a small side story involving a relationship with another character to help provoke story changes or is it more important to effectively advance the story with battles, problems, obstacles, ect? "


Dont ban more for this Teele, its all in good humor.

I think there is always room for romance in a story, but if it's just that I get bored quite easilly. I want...I mean Roni wants to slash things Give me Orcs!

I think Romance can be (and often is) a very important part in adding to a story. Particularly since it will often give that character a reason to fight... That being said, a character probably shouldn't be 'admiring their spouses assets' during a battle if they desire to live a long life.

I personally feel slightly torn. I think that character relationships are important but only to a certain extent. After ( for example Ardus) oh so many posts of intimacy one should consider his or her environment. It doesn't seem practical that a person would be admiring how someone slices a slobbery orc with a sword. Its a revolting act and in the end its fairly ruthless. On the other hand It does seem practical to me that after a battle characters would be interested in the overall effectiveness of the persons "technique". Still if its necessary to have these elements in a RP or book its important to remember your surroundings and consider what the reader may think about the situation.

Despite the fact that I seem to be the champion of one extreme of this dichotomy, I actually DO prefer a balance, myself. Relationships and romances are very enjoyable for me, as should be apparent; but actually speaking, I could not write a romance novel. I need the circumstances, obstacles, and events to move me forward and create strains and stresses on the relationsihps.

So, contrary to growing popular belief, I DO appreciate the value of both relationships, and orcs.

jamer508 wrote:

"Do you believe that it is more important to have a small side story involving a relationship with another character to help provoke story changes or is it more important to effectively advance the story with battles, problems, obstacles, ect? "

Falling in love IS an obstacles when you think about it, might also count as a battle and a problem, depending on how you look at it.

Romance and orcs both.

I prefer both...its just that both isn't what I've been seeing. I spent the first two pages of the Tavern thread in Ardus reading about how much Teele and Merri longed for each other, and how much Reede and Nadala begrudgingly longed for each other. Then there was a wedding between Reeede and Nadala, and then Teele and Merri are all like "Oho I wish that was us!" for the next page and a half of posts. Then I bring up the fact in the discussion that there might be bad people in the world. I try and illustrate this via Aeglasha. I set the stables on fire next to the inn. What do Teele, Merri, Nadala, and Reede do? They pair up into their respective parties and go off into the bedroom for a good romping. The stables are right next to the Tavern...ON FIRE...and you are...romping? Come on man...So then we get to a burnt out farm and Teele and Merri are all googley-eyed the whole way. Thank God Teele decided the jump ahead a few days time because I can only imagine what sort of tomfoolery may have taken place during that span. So then we get the bright idea to run off to a creepy swamp and slay us some orcs! And I'm all like, "YES! FINALLY!" So I turn on some death metal music as loud as it will go and I'm all psyched to write out some really intense battle scenes. I got to look at the posts for inspiration. I turn off the music and turn on "Can you feel the love tonight". It seemed more appropriate for what was going on between a few of the characters. Anyway I dunno....Its all in good fun.

Um...actually, Merri was getting the horses from the fire and Teele was helping to start a bucket brigade. I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention to Reede and Nadala although I'm enjoying their story.

Sorry you don't approve. Skim over those posts if you dislike them so much. We do have story arcs planned for the couples and we feel what we are writing is relevant to what is to come - at least for them.

Please note: The Tavern is for character interaction...that isn't where the quests occur. If you are really unhappy with a storyline for someone else's character, once again, feel free to skip those posts.

lol @ Dark's post.

I choose both.

Lol, this is a reason the world's armies do not allow women into combat specific occupations.

Indeed, Flux. We're troublemakers!

(tongue in cheek! Nobody try to shoot me for that!)

Okay firstly all good and well I like to destroy things also…However if you’re going to turn it into mindless violence then it will seem just as bad as the relationships. I don’t have a problem with working romance and the stables incident was responded to by all characters. If this is a persistent world you need to get use to the fact characters are going to fall in love it’s part of the real world to (sorry if it‘s not your cup of tea…)

However more or less my characters drive is focused around her romance with Reede. If I have no drive then my characters fail. Look at Maria and see how many posts I have of her. The most important thing to remember in any type of writing is that a character with no drive isn’t going to go anywhere. I think the romance is well tamed in the quest thread while there are hints of it it’s not like the characters are rolling around in the grass they are still fighting, there are still interesting events. If I go any further I’ll start an argument so I’ll shut up now.

Exactly. The romances we've built here are the result of lots of planning; and affection is one of the most compelling motivations a character can have. If something is a big part of your life; as these characters are to one another, then naturally they will notice and desire to be around one another.

And, I would also add that, after the stable scene, there was actually almost nothing of the romantic nature put in. Two or three posts tops; minimal compared to what had gone before. And like Gloom said, we did take the stable scene, act it out and run with it...and then it was over. So we moved on.

Sorry, Dark. As Fox said, you'll have to skim what you don't like. But fear not! There is plenty of mayhem and death to come.

Just reading this thread, it’s come to my attention that you have broken a couple of rules in making it. When you have issues with what other members are doing I suggest direct PM’s to those members to find a resolution. Public spectacle isn’t kind to other members and I can see this bordering on debate… I’m open to hearing other peoples problems and compromising but this is not the way to go and I think other members will agree. The thread will be left open for now.

Yah. Never mind then.

I stand with what I said before

Alright, as predicted, this is rapidly turning into a debate that could well get out of hand. I'm locking the thread down.

Criticisms and issues of style belong in the game discussion thread. And once there, they will be addressed, and a course of action will be decided. They should not be continually brought up on various places throughout the forum. The point should be made, the discussion had, and the issue closed. This one went a bit farther than was necessary, and so this is it's official closing.

If the style of play or particular balance of the game is not appealing to a player, he, quite simply, does not have to play. If this was originally intended as a poke in good fun, it would now be over and dealt with.