Alt Collective - Rainforest

[Viviyana]

Yeah, really no idea what I should name this here thread.

Okay guys, so this is maybe a long shot, but I had a crazy idea and am wondering at the feasibility of it and who might be interested.

Let’s all start a new batch of characters together. I mean, we all love our mains and I am not suggesting we toss them aside, this is more like a side project. If you are anything like me you start an alt and it is tough to try and get them incorporated or even fleshed out and involved.

So here is the idea, we all hash out OOCly what our characters are going to be like, what their connection is to each other and really WHO they are…and then meet up ICly and play out their stories. They can play with others of course, but also just sort of starting fresh with each other. Think of it like having all the people from your character’s backstory around (because all of us would have a shared backstory). I know it is something people have done on the small scale but I was hoping to get as many people involved as possible.

I thought it would also be neat to have an oath of secrecy, meaning you can’t tell anyone who you are playing.

So, let me know if you are interested, if anyone bites I thought we could come up with the basic concept here (Are we a group of traveling entertainers? Displaced folks from Fartown? Obnoxious merchant brats from Branishor? Craftmen apprentices that got booted? Ex-pats living in Ethucan? The possibilities are endless.) Then create our characters and meet up as them in the OOC room to hash out the backstory details. (Keeping who the players of each are secret.)

Also, I am horrible at explaining things, so please don’t hesitate to ask for any clarification. Forum PM works best (or just post here). Please post below if you are interested!

[Bifrost Janger]

You know I'm always game

[Blythe]

I'm down.

[Topaz]

I think I would like to try this.

[Lillya]

Hmm count me in!

[Viviyana]

Perfect! So I thought it might work best if we decide on a basic premise, that way people can start thinking of a character that fits in that. You don't have to post on this thread to join in, you can just go with what everyone decides and bring make your character to the Backstory hashing meeting IG.

So any ideas for the backstory?

[Bifrost Janger]

Hmm...

I kinda like the idea of a lost tribe of swamp folk. Grew up eating poison frog and vipers. Maybe have a coven of witches/hedge wizards/shamans.

What about all being purple folk? I always wondered about where they came from.

Ooo! A group of monks/acolytes!

[Topaz]

I don't want to come from a swamp.

There are five of us. Could we be a family? Siblings or cousins? And all have some skill or craft -- farmers, cooks, grocers, leatherworkers, metalworkers, soapmakers, guards, etc.

I think one thing that might influence us all is that Balthazar is dead. We are starting our adventuring lives in peacetime -- a different point of view than before. (And that might be why we are here. Are we all orphans?)

Come to think of it, it might be fun to be from Old Dundee!

[Viviyana]

I like all those so far!

I think the swamp one would challenge me(something I love!)! I always tend to play these educated clean characters. My little mind went to all sorts of ideas for who I would be.

I think a creepy cult/monk type thing would be cool. We could come up with traditions and ceremony type things to do. Wander through towns ringing bells...hehe.

Artist and craftsmen would be great! And feed into the whole crafting thing we keep trying to get going.

I don't actually think we can be from Old Dundee. It might be against the rule (I seem to remember a character from there who was told so.) If an admin could clarify for us that would be great

I also want to leave it open for anyone to still join in. Even if they don't want to post here. They can always just create a character and join in the IG planning once we have the general concept picked out!

[Lillya]

Maybe like a traveling gypsy group with each of us having specialties like music and fortune tellers all mysterious like! It might be fun a misfit kinda group very gritty and real.

[Bifrost Janger]

I suggested Swamp Folk mainly because I was trying to keep to a low level, easy accessible area from our happy little group to be from. I guess the could just easily be from the Dark Forest, The Plains, The Endless Desert...

Ima just tossing ideas around, see if we can come up with a happy medium that everyone will enjoy.

To try and sell my Swamp Tribe's case :

1) They've left the Swamp due to an outbreak of disease. They entered Dundee in search of a Cleric.

2) They perhaps have dealings with the Mire Hags? Maybe some sort of religion/belief system? I'm thinking in the area of totems, raindances, leaving offerings for the Swamp Spirit.

3) I think it'd be kinda neat if we limited what kinda weapons and armour they used? I dunno. I can sorta imagine them with spears and nets, dressed in natural plant/animal based stuff. Perhaps even carrying stuff like slingshots too (purely for rp purposes, ofc).

They're probably not used to wearing shoes. They trip over a lot when they first gotta wear them in town. They just need some practice

4) They have physical quirks not seen in the larger population. Like they're all of one ethnic group. Same hair and eye colour. Heck, they've likely never even seen a pink-skinned person before. They'd be terrified at the sight of a redhead.

Their odd skin colour (I like the idea of purple!) can be affiliated to generations of ingesting poison frog. I like the idea of them having slightly webbed hands and feet too, from living in a wet environment.

They could mix wood ash and plants with swamp mud to do body art. Kinda like henna.

They could be jewel crafters working with mire gem and swampstone.

5) If they've never left the Swamp before the possibilities for them to seek and discover are endless. They've probably never seen or tasted bos before. Imagine seeing the Endless Desert for the first time after being born somewhere so wet?

6) Logically, I can't see them being able to read or write. But they could be taught by the wider community or ask for help when they need it. But I like that as it's an opportunity to find people to rp with.

7) Because they're starting from the bottom, I think they have a lot of room for character development and change. You can pretty much shape them and push them into whichever direction you'd like to go.

****
Obv those are just my ideas to get the ol' cogs turning!

If you still don't like them, then I'll button my adorable yapper and we'll move on to something else

So what's the verdict yay or nay?

[Blythe]

I like the idea - but how about the rainforest instead of swamp? Can incorporate all the same aspects - but a little more believable, because the swamp is pretty well traveled... the rainforest, not so much.

Also, the level discrepancy could generate more RP... since if they could just go home, why wouldn't they?

[Bifrost Janger]

The Rainforest would work. It's equally as delightfully muddy!

[Blythe]

I think the phantom sets up a load of options as well - and we can be Amazonian, in nature... that could be fun
Same primitive-ish theme described above.

[Blythe]

Also, I could be down for purple skinned tribery.

It reminds me of my friends who get purple teeth when they drink a lot of red wine haha

[Bifrost Janger]

Ahh ^^! You're making me realise how little I've actually explored the Rainforest. I think I'll have to hop in game and go for a good poke around.

It's a neat idea though. Especially the Phantom. Voodoo!

[Blythe]

I always recommend a regular 'good poking around'.

[Blythe]

Rainforest twist

1) They've left the Swamp due to an outbreak of disease. They entered Dundee in search of a Cleric.

They left the rainforest by mistake- I am thinking the first (couple/few?) to get to the welcoming camp went in search of something... (insert curiosity to be determined) others (if there are any) went searching after the ones that didn't return.

2) They perhaps have dealings with the Mire Hags? Maybe some sort of religion/belief system? I'm thinking in the area of totems, raindances, leaving offerings for the Swamp Spirit.

I mentioned the Phantom - lots of things in the rainforest that I won't go into details on, but opportunity with a capital hidden letter

3) I think it'd be kinda neat if we limited what kinda weapons and armour they used? I dunno. I can sorta imagine them with spears and nets, dressed in natural plant/animal based stuff. Perhaps even carrying stuff like slingshots too (purely for rp purposes, ofc).

Totally. At least at first... you know, one of them may have horribly gawdy taste and never had the opportunity to express it prior to finding their first pink and purple dress!

They're probably not used to wearing shoes. They trip over a lot when they first gotta wear them in town. They just need some practice

I can just imagine haha

4) They have physical quirks not seen in the larger population. Like they're all of one ethnic group. Same hair and eye colour. Heck, they've likely never even seen a pink-skinned person before. They'd be terrified at the sight of a redhead.

I can get down with this. A little unsubstantiated bigotry goes a long way

Their odd skin colour (I like the idea of purple!) can be affiliated to generations of ingesting poison frog. I like the idea of them having slightly webbed hands and feet too, from living in a wet environment.

Yup... I can take it or leave it (if it seems to extreme for others).

They could mix wood ash and plants with swamp mud to do body art. Kinda like henna.

Fun!

They could be jewel crafters...

Water gems

5) If they've never left the Swamp before the possibilities for them to seek and discover are endless. They've probably never seen or tasted bos before. Imagine seeing the Endless Desert for the first time after being born somewhere so wet?

Yup. (Replacing swamp with rainforest, if it wasn't obvious...)

6) Logically, I can't see them being able to read or write. But they could be taught by the wider community or ask for help when they need it. But I like that as it's an opportunity to find people to rp with.

I think we could go either way with this. I don't see why there may not be an 'educated segment' to this imaginary population. I mean, maybe there is a sort of caste system within our tribe that says only women (or men) read, or only the chieftains+family?
Just some thoughts to add diversity.

Brainstorming - I'm still flexible to the majority decision

[Lavender]

I'll Join! Trying to settle on a name at the moment LOL then will hash out the rest later I guess...

[Blythe]

I'm gonna wait until we have an agreement on the collective background before I pick a name
We haven't heard much from the others and another brilliant idea may populate!
Do you have anything to add/like-dislike about what we have so far... or maybe totally different?