Golden Perch Discussion Thread

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Envinyatar

Hmmm . . . I find conflict and strife between characters to be rather interesting to explore.

If everythig goes smoothly, the story doesn't sound neither right nor realistic. It gets Mary-Sue-ish. But conflict is harder to write, in my opinion. And it can be part of character to try to avoid conflict.

Entirely up to you, blantyr. I'm just sayin'.

[blantyr]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

If everything goes smoothly, the story doesn't sound neither right nor realistic. It gets Mary-Sue-ish. But conflict is harder to write, in my opinion. And it can be part of character to try to avoid conflict.

Entirely up to you, blantyr. I'm just sayin'.

I'm just realizing Goldie was created for entirely different sort of game. Her home AQ game is a fellowship game, with a bunch of warriors attempting to protect Breeland and beyond, dealing with ruffians coming up the Greenway. I wanted to create a young and far less powerful version of Tolkien's Great Ladies, and could do so without fear that there would be no conflict. There is conflict in sufficient abundance in the AQ game, such that one character seeking grace and lack of conflict creates a conflict with the more aggressive and direct male PCs.

Are we seeking attrition or an end to the conflict? Should an elf be meddling in conflict between human groups? Is this just a skirmish for power between humans, or is a Shadow present that must be dealt with? Is there a nobler path than to simply to use one's sword? When there is clearly a Shadow on the land, how can one do nothing? How does one pinpoint the center of the Shadow's influence such that one need not use any more violence than necessary?

When Goldie left her wandering company to walk among mortals she had resolved not to impose elven standards on non-elves, not to reshape them to the standards she holds for herself, and not to judge. She must quietly adapt to local culture if she can do so in good conscience. If she cannot adapt in good conscience, she doesn't belong and should leave.

The Golden Pearch is clearly an entirely different game asking entirely different questions, exploring Tolkien's world from an entirely different perspective. At some point I may create a hobbit with the correct hair, skin and eye colors, sufficient character flaws and enough stubbornness to bounce merrily off Al.

But that's not Goldie. I find Tolkien's major female characters too good to be true, and created Goldie in the same spirit. Heck, if a Mary Sue character is too idealized, lacks flaws, and embodies a wish fulfillment by the author, should we talk about Arwen, Galadriel and Goldberry? Sure, Goldie might go too far to avoid conflict unless she absolutely has to. That is perhaps a problem in this game. It's a feature in her original game.

Anyway, she's not running or hiding. Any who wants to follow and talk to her could. If anyone would speak her name she would stop and converse. Any who wishes to follow the music in the night could. At this point, though, she isn't going to push herself on anyone.

Bob

[Nerwen]

blantyr, if I may offer a suggestion– it would probably be best to just bite the bullet and just create a new character, as doesn't seem to me that Goldie will fit in to Barrowdowns RPG-ing without heavy modification. In fact, I rather think these guidelines are written with a view to discouraging characters like her.

...But heck, I don't even post in the Golden Perch, so I should probably shut up now.

[Galadriel55]

Please don't shut up, Nerwen, because you're saying sense!

Hmm. I sound like Al now.

blantyr, did you just call Galadriel flawless? Think again.

Goldberry is constantly happy, but she's not idealistic. So is Bombadil.

Arwen and Luthien are both half Mary Sues, because of love-at-first-sight and that sort of thing. But still not exactly Mary Sues. The movie Arwen is one, though.

[Folwren]

Alright, ya'll, cool it. Conflict is great and all in a story, but I don't want it here. In the Perch game thread, sure thing, but here it's beginning to sound like a WW bandwagon.

Blantyr, your character was approved by me (and I think Pio approved it, too...am I rght?) before you entered the Perch, so you're fine and she's fine. It is perfectly acceptable for Goldie to come and go from the Perch as you prefer. If you find that you don't think your character fits and she does not return to the common room, that is also fine. I would personally love to see more of your writing, so if you decide to come up with a different character that will create and cause more excitement, that would be great.

I don't mind that opinions are voiced here about conflict being good (i.e. Enviyatar and Galadriel's posts before blantyr's long post are perfectly acceptable). I think perhaps some things were taken a little wrong and some feathers were ruffled, but it doesn't need to go beyond this.

Last thing - it is nobody's business except for Pio's (and maybe mine here at the Perch) to tell any other player that their character does not fit the Barrow Downs RPGing.

-- Folwren

[Nerwen]

Sorry, Foley. I just thought it might help solve the issue.

[piosenniel]

Food's arrived for Al

and hot tea for Elin