[The Darklord]

Hey all, don't know if there is any interest in this at the moment but I was thinking it would be a good idea to have an introductions thread.  I know many of us already know each other but there are also those of us who don't.  I thinking in particular of newbies and people who are interested in becoming involved but havent yet or even me as there are quite a few people who get to wolf nights I won't have met as I no longer live in the area and only get to a few events per year.

Only fair if I go first.

My name is Gary,  I have roleplayed for far more years than I care to admit to but have loved every minute so far.  I used to be a regular skeg player before moving away (dangers of wanting things like a relationship and a career).  I have played, monstered, helped run and written larps and table top for a while now and occasionally have a stab at wargaming too. 

Ok so over to whoever...Don't feel you have to put your real name down if you would rather stick to screen names.  If any old hands would like to put themselves on here I think it would be a good idea.

[alec42]

Alrighty:

I am Alex, I have been involved in Roleplaying in various forms for nine or ten years; I am still not particularly good at it. I enjoy inhabiting the characters rather than just 'acting' them - I guess you could call this method roleplaying. In real life I suffer the terrible irony of being both hairy and balding. I am married. I don't live in Skegness, but I try to make it back for events as much as I can. I am prone to over analysing things and then discussing said analysis on this website - usually with Gary. I like semi-colons. I am obviously not that good at describing myself!

I have only ever used the word 'alrighty' once, and I will never do so again.

[The Darklord]

When I saw someone had replied I thought it was probably to berate me for and idea so likely to sink like a stone.  Whatever alex says he is in fact a damn good roleplayer in my book despite his love of semi-colons.

[Scaryfatmaniffer]

I'm Chris - I run Carpe Fatum and have done for more years than I care to remember. I have been role-playing in one form or another for twenty five years (how scary is that), and designed much of the Illyrian system from scratch. I like to see live roleplaying as more like free form acting rather than building characters on rules and stats - and see choosing a job and a background as more important than spending experience points.
My ultimate ambition would be a roleplay without any rules - but I can't see it being practical.
There are so many aspects to the hobby that it is frightening and it is trying to co-ordinate all these together. Love of costumes, wanting to act, fighting, character development, music, art, history, story writing - just a few.
I like to think like Alex that it is nice to live the life of the character - when you become that character the whole hobby takes on a completely new twist.

[ryan666]

Hi my name is Ryan I am fairly new at larp and got into the hobby through both of my cousins Ross and Scott who have been role playing a pretty long time now. I really love dark elves and love reading and learning more a bout them. Although i have not been role playing nearly half as long as some of the other people who go to the white wolf events everyone is so friendly you feel like you have been. 

[Artemisia]

Hmm, I'm Christine - and I blame Chris for drawing me into roleplay through inviting me to build a wattle and daub inn on his back field. With a background in Art, theatre sets and props, the offer was irresistible. I only started roleplaying a year and a half ago in order to design and make artwork for the Inn. Now I am into so many aspects, especially developing the texture of character interaction and breadth of detail in the background to Illyria (and, with help, attempts at monstering and some plot.)
Gary, intros a neat idea- as an outsider to Skegness, I don't see many of the roleplayers out of character, which leads to the confusion of knowing people as ninjas and drows rather than their 'real' selves. Occasionally I'm overawed when playing alongside experienced players (in which I include Alex, Chris, Gary, Scott, Ross, Tom, Rob ..and many others!) -but learn from them at every session. I find the greater the depth of character players have, the more fun the role play becomes.

Personally I never really got the hang of semi-colons- but my talents lie elsewhere (I'm so proud of my portrait of Ross! ... and my skaven masks ...and ...)
Thanks Chris - Not only for the roleplay, but also for an outlet for art which people can play with, and a 'stage set' which is played in.

[madarcher]

Hi, I'm Alison, another one who can blame Chris for getting her involved. I work with him and Christine and after hearing several million stories about Derarkshire I just had to come and see the place for myself. I started larping a year and a half ago and am still very much trying to get my head around it all, but loving it at the same time. I'm trying to think of some intellegent sounding philosophical thing to say about my views on role play now, but I can't really think of anything.

I can take or leave semi-colons, but I do love apostrophes and get very upset at their constant abuse in the modern world

[asamoth]

Hello, I’m Tom; best known as the large hairy figure behind the bar (opposed to the thinner hairy figure behind the bar which would be Kelly) I’ve been LARPing for a little while now. Over all I don’t feel that the length of time someone has been playing for holds any relevance as this was dramatically pointed out to me when myself and a friend played chase the bunny at a large well known roleplay event, only to find out it was there second time playing and there first time at a major event! They responded beautifully in character to the threat of two large blood thirsty hunters chasing them and continued to respond amazingly well to subsequent encounters. It really did go to prove that a willingness to immerse ones self in a character is more important than the length of time one has played for. Sorry for the somewhat rambling rant there. I’ve been fortunate enough to play and run both events and “adventures” with a wide number of people over the years, some of which have received a better reception than others, though personally I have taken great pleasure in subjecting people to various encounters and dilemmas and seeing how they confront and over come them. Hopefully in the near future I will be able to add more input to the Wolf Nights, though directly steering plot with one leg chained to the bar might prove problematic.

[The Darklord]

Over all I don’t feel that the length of time someone has been playing for holds any relevance

 a willingness to immerse ones self in a character is more important than the length of time one has played for.

Two beautiful and well made points - Though I feel experience (and that is not related to age or time served) does count for something, especially if you are running events - the sheer logistics involved can be quite a problem.  However I have met people at first events who are great roleplayers too - lets face it this isnt rocket science and dosent have to be over intelectualised - though there are people who would get something out of that approach too I guess.

[Elmyra]

Agreed, i have not been roleplaying as long as some people here!! (mind you i havent acctually been alive for as long as some people on here either) Not that being older is a bad thing!
Im Amy in case you dont know. I guess i have been roleplaying now a little while (my RP CV is about on the forum somewhere) i play perrywinkle at the wolf... you know always getting into trouble aparantly. I moved to boston about 3 and a half years ago... maybe a little more, before that i lived in stafford which is most definalty nowhere near wales! I got involved with the hobby when a friend of mine started me playing table top. I have no particular fondness for semi colons but i do enjoy a good exclimation mark!
I have Tom to proof read most of my things as i am a huge sufferer of dyslexia! So if there is dodgy  typos in things i blame my brain, its far too busy to be thinking of which letter goes where!

[Scaryfatmaniffer]

What about a wolf night character version of this...

What say you?

[asamoth]

Are you meaning running a Forum based version of a Wolf Night (Or someone running a Forum based version of the Wolf Night) or are you meaning people give information/introductions on there characters on the forum?

I’m sorry if I am being a little dense (or very dense) but I’m all confused. Personally I could see merit with either or both versions.

[ryan666]

sounds good to me

[The Darklord]

Hmm, I am assuming you mean an introductions thread for wolf night characters here - if like asamoth I have gotton confused then forgive me.

I don't have an actual problem with it, but I do find it a little out of character in a sense.  I mean walking into the wolf as a new character (not player) would I know that the local blacksmiths name is bob (or whatever)?  Well maybe I would if I decided that I would play a local who has lived in the area for a while but what if I'm playing a newcomer?  I know this is down pretty much to people roleplaying but maybe its relevant - or not! 

I guess what I am asking is what in character role would this thread fill if you choose to go ahead with it?  Is it representing general knowledge?  Is it representing an incharacter notice that the friendly locals of the white wolf have put up in or outside the inn?  In which case why not just have a real notice board at the wolf?  That could have some plot potential.  Just  a few thoughts that occured to me - if they are useful fine if not, well hey...

[Scaryfatmaniffer]

Just a thought so that people could add some depths to their own charcaters. I appreciate this might give away too much information but that's up to the individual what they reveal.(not too much if you are sensible)

We have a lot of new players who lack a lot of experience in both charcater design and roleplay ability - and as I frequently go on about Wolf nights are not the time to teach people stuff (only by good practise and example).
Therefore if they could look at stuff and see who people are and perhaps familiarise themselves with the basics it would allow them to not only get a feel for characters, but also see the depth that experienced roleplayers put in to character design.

and assuming you are not playing a random traveller (why would you if you are a regular) then there will be all the rest of your life when you will be gossiping with others about the locality and other characters. There is no reason you need to quote a person's background from the site as chapter and verse - you might embellish, exaggerate or miss bits out entirely. If as the Draklors days you are playing a non-local then presumably you are a good enough role-player to ignore what you have read or simply just not read the thread at all.

It would seem obvious that if you are playing a wanted fugitive, an illusion disguised illythid or a psychopathic cannabalistic chef then revealing this might not be the best idea but ...