a nation of creation |
october 2023 newsletter
Mystery
Animation by MysteryBen27 - "Ghost" by Mystery Skulls
Enigma buried in the sand, a question mark with broken wings that lies in silent grace as a marker in a desert shrine. Odd how the real consorts with the shadows, how the present fuses with the past. How does it happen? The question is on file in the silent desert. And the answer? The answer is waiting for us in the Twilight Zone.
The Twilight Zone Season 2, episode 1 by Rod Serling
Standing on the edge of the unknown, gazing into the darkness beyond the light of knowledge. "Where did my pen go? Why is the theatre closed? What's behind the basement door? Who's the culprit under the mask?" Only but a few examples of what we typically call "questions", yet what is a question but a verb of the word "mystery". Secrets that conceal themselves in shadows, beckining to your need for even a hint of revelation.
They jeer, they haunt, they refuse to fade. A question can bewilder, but a mystery seizes your soul, demanding your attention, clasping your curiosity like an unrelenting vice, only to release its grip when you dare to glance away, leaving you suspended in uncertainty.
A relentless drumbeat resonates, an unwavering call for resolution, for answers to quench an insatiable thirst. You feel it deep within, the pulsating need for comprehension. You cannot resist; you must unravel the labyrinth and find it's center even if you may be lost within it's walls. A sirens call to all who dream beyond blissful ignorance..
Welcome to a world where questions become mysteries, and mysteries, dear reader, are the keys to The Twilight Zone.
housekeeping
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guideline highlight
Advertising and SpamKeep interest checks in designated areas: If you wish to gather interest, ensure that it is relevant to the community and posted in the appropriate designated areas. This helps maintain organization and prevents clutter. Please refer to the Recruitment Rules post for more specific guidelines relating to interest checks.
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β’ Do not bump multiple threads in the same section at the same time.
β’ Only bump a thread once per 24 hours.
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β’ Only the GM/Co-GMs or the OP of the recruitment can bump the interest check and/or partner search.
Week One: The Unusual in the Mundane
TO THE OTHER SIDE by
LazyDaze
There was no other way of passage to the other side, or the outside world as they called it. A world of freedom, beauty and endless possibilities lie just beyond the inordinate gate staring back into my soul lifelessly. Unadorned, nameless, this was as extra-ordinary as anything could be; nevertheless, it gave me pause. The fear of it's judgement consumed me, yet I could not slow my pace lest the other travelers catch wind that something might be amiss, that I might not be one of them, that I could not see the true essence of this portal to the other side. Unfortunately for me I had been preoccupied with other matters and so I failed to observe how my peers had passed through. How did it judge them? What was their decision? How did they make it to the other side unscathed? Life could often be summed up in binaries: good, evil, light, dark, up, down, left, right. Surely, the others who passed through the Great Gate to the Outside were tested by that magnificent binary. I could not help but feel as if failing here would be a crushing blow to my forefathers and generations to come. A cold bead of sweat slid aimlessly down my cheek. I was afraid. The Great Gate to the Outside had not changed; in fact, the closer I got the more ordinary it seemed.The more I longed to run away, the faster my feet pulled me toward the gate. What choice would I make? Should I flip a coin? Leave my fate up to chance hoping lady luck would finally smile upon me, scratch thatβ¦if I had any fortune left in the threads of my life no one would take notice my passage.......especially the ladies. My eyes darted for even the smallest of hints to my current predicament. The answer to this puzzle eluded me so effortlessly that itβs simplicity fed my frustration endlessly. Finallyβ¦I arrived.
There was nothing I more I could do. There were no hints to find and turning back was no longer an option for it was my time, just as many others, to enter the outside world. Reaching out with a quivering hand I pressed gently against the gate hoping it would hear the beating pleas of passage from my heart. My place in the binary had been cemented in the etches of history. The pleas of my heart transformed into passionate screams as I pressed even harder wondering why it refused to acknowledge me. Was I not worthy? I had lived a mundane and just life up until now. I begged for passage. If I had to, I was prepared to dismantle the entire gate. I could feel my cheeks burn with determination. My fingers stiffened with resilience; I would not be denied, I could not be denied. I had long since forgotten when I had last blinked as my eyes threatened to turn bloodshot with heightened focus as every cell in my body worked to break through the great gate to the outside. With tears rolling down my face I cursed the gods of my enemies. I cursed those just beyond the barrier enjoying the freedom of the outside world unaware of my tribulations. I would never give up, I will break down this gate if itβs the last thing I-
βSir, itβs a pull. You have to pull the door.β
"......Thank you ma'am. Have a nice day."
I have failed my ancestorsβ¦..but I have set myself free.
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Week Two: Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder
What is Home? by
darkred
What is home? Why is Florida beautiful to some and ugly to most?Ah, Florida, the vacation state, the sunshine state, the water state, the theme park state. Why is it so hated?Let me describe it, politicians, hurricanes, angry people, bad drivers, low wages and more. What else could I say?
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Week Three: I Am My Character
The Scaled Marksman by
Voider
I knelt on the cold grass, shaded from the sun by a lone tree in the field. To my left lay the narrow dirt road, and in front, about a hundred feet or so, sat a large tree stump. My orange scaled tail was still, unmoving, my claws firmly gripped on the musket. I'd have thought my current form preposterous back on earth; yet now, having these features felt almost natural.
The past was the past, however; having made sure to purchase a surplus of ammunition, it was of importance for me to train and improve, especially when having to face the dangers of this world. I owed at least that much to my mentor.
I reached for the bandolier secured around my torso, grabbing a container hanging from it; with practiced ease, I poured some primer into the flash pan, before pouring the remaining gunpowder into the barrel. Then opening a bag on the bandolier, I fished out a small lead ball, placing it at the muzzle. From there, I used the ramrod to push it down, pulled back the flintlock hammer, and took aim. While loading a musket was a complicated process, it seemed to go far faster than it should in reality; time or speed manipulation was likely just another odd facet of this fantasy-like world, which it seemed to never tire of producing.
Holding my breath, I aligned my snout up with the barrel, right eye staring down it, straight at the tree stump ahead. After a moment of adjustment and steadiness, I pulled the trigger. With a loud crack and plume of smoke, the projectile flew rapidly through the air before connecting with the stump, the distinct sound of splintering wood sounding out.
Standing up, I walked the distance to the stump, inspecting the damage. The shot hit moderately to the right of the target's center, digging deep into the material; while not ideal, my aim was still enough to reliably hit it, which would be enough for immediate concern. Not enough to properly call myself a skilled marksman yet, though; it would be a long road to proficiency.
"Hello there!" My head whipped around to the road, spotting a human in armor standing there, waving his hand at me with a smile. "Couldn't help but overhear the practice!"
Making sure my bayonet scabbard was still at my hip, I approached the man with a wave of my own, my other hand remaining to hold my firearm. "Greetings. May I ask what brings you here?"
"Adventurer's Guild work nearby, dealing with a local pack of wolves I believe. The name's Henry, professional swordsman. You?" He asked with an outstretched hand.
I reached out my own scaled hand, shaking his. "I am Darin, marksman. A pleasure to meet you, Henry." Ending the handshake, my eyes slightly narrowed. "I do believe that we're travelling to the same location; I picked up that exact mission from a guildhall in the nearby town."
"Great! If we're going to be working together, then we might as well travel there together too." Henry cleared his throat, before adding on "Unless you want to keep training, in which case I'll meet you at the village later."
I glanced back to the tree stump, then checked that my rucksack, bandolier, and bayonet were firmly secured onto my person. "Very well, I shall join you on the trip there."
As we began walking on the road, Henry turned to me with a slightly amused, yet also curious expression. "You know, this is the first time I've actually met a gun wielder. Not many willing to use a weapon that essentially explodes in their face."
I turned my head to regard him a sideways look, before turning my eyes back onto the road. "Hmph, I hope to change that. It's an art, just as much as swordsmanship, archery, or other such things are."
Henry stroked his chin, his eyes now also looking ahead. "Hm, well said."
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Week Three (Bonus Entry): I am My Character
Cut short by
Shawdios
The cracks on my arms ache, and so I get up and tell James to continue playing without me. I stretched my arms as I walked up the basement stairs that were brightly lit with fairy lights. Then when I make it to the main room, I peer out the window. The sky was dreary with storm clouds leering from close above. I gotta get back into town before sundown hits. But Iβd need to fly in the storm.... I think I could do it. It probably wasnβt gonna rain within the hour.
I dash back down the stairs to James.
βJames, I gotta go, thereβs a storm cominβ!β I say frantically, rushing around to grab anything I left out during my visit.
James pops up from where heβd been leaning on the armrest of the couch and his ears swivel in confusion. Putting down his guitar, he gets up and heads over to hand me my bag.
βDo you really have to go?β the Wolfborn asks, βIt's only been an hour since you got here, Flame, all that effort for sneaking out and-β
βAnd if I don't sneak back in before curfew, my brotherβs are screwed! I need to leave before that storm hits, flyinβs gonna be nearly impossible in it.β I snipped back, cutting him off. James met my glare for a few seconds before sighing and helping me round up the rest of the items I'd brought with me.
Meanwhile, I steeled my will and continued packing up my travel bag. With a click, I snapped its straps around my shoulders and waist. The bag settled right between my wings and wasnβt too much of a hindrance, considering it was made with flight in mind. Then James came over and pulled me into a side hug.
βBe safe okay?β He said quietly. I nodded with a pat on the wolfbornβs shoulder in response. Then I waved goodbye to him as I rushed back up the basement stairs. Out the front door I went before leaping and flapping my wings to push myself into the sky.
I hated having to cut the visit short. We had planned it for so long, Bezel didnβt even get to see me! Heβd been still caught up with whatever job he worked. Bezel never told me what it was, just that heβd been stuck closing and couldnβt make it to me arriving. A sigh leaves me. Weβll just have to plan a different visit.
The outskirts of Blitzcity start to fade into farmland and forest as I fly. The wind starts to pick up and I propel myself through the air as fast as I can. My wings werenβt built for speed, but I needed to outfly this storm that was looming over me. With the wind starting to pick up, it was going to grow dangerous to fly in soon. The fading greens and yellows of the upcoming mouatianβs lower forests tear by beneath me.
I needed to make it past the mountains that surrounded Flurmere. Then I could glide down. Thatβs it.
I was shoving air beneath me as I tried to gain enough height to make it past the mountain when the lashing whip that was the wind around me began to throw my stability to and fro. My teeth grit and I flapped harder.
This blasted windβ A particularly strong gust of wind knocks me into a spin. My wings flap frantically as I try to reorient myself. Oh Light, Oh Dark, please no! I could feel the instinctual panic of falling trapping my lungs. I was losing the height I needed. In a last ditch effort, I throw my wings open as wide as I can. My feathers barely catch the wind in just the right way to angle me correctly. Thank the Shades. With a series of flaps, I correct myself from there.
Then Iβm at the lowest point of the mountain range where I can fly into the valley that Flurmere rested in. I dip and practically hug the tops of the trees with how close I keep to them. There are a few stray branches I have to narrowly avoid or else I risk injury. The winds continue to fight me, but I push on with relatively few problems.
roleplay of the month
What inspired Divergent: Faction Before Blood? Are there other little elements that arenβt from the universe of the book series, Divergent?
I first got the idea for a Divergent-based RP during an outdoors gym class in high school. There was a long bridge with train tracks that spanned right next to my school, over which a train would occasionally pass in an endlessly rattling parade of cargo. One day as we were running laps around the track in gym class, a train happened to pass overhead, and I looked up at it, thinking how much cooler gym class would be if we ran alongside the train and jumped onto it, just like the Dauntless initiates do in Divergent. And kinda like that, the idea for the thread was born. I'd only ever seen one other Divergent group RP before but hadn't joined it because I thought it was trying to split its attention too much between the initiations of five different factions, scattering characters all over the board like hanging pawns in a game of chess. Whereas our Divergent RP just focuses on Dauntless initiation, throwing all the characters into a similar environment as to facilitate interactions and tie their stories together. The idea that this thread would have been unique (well, as unique as a fandom RP gets lol) really excited me.
Why, I'm glad you asked about other elements. So, our Divergent RP takes place in an AU in which none of the canon characters exist and everyone plays OCs. Imagine it as a weird little slice of the multiverse cut from a Marvel comic, retaining the overall shape of the universe but starring Sylvie and Loki is never mentioned as if he didn't exist. Because we have no canon characters in our Divergent RP, our group elected to take some liberties with the plot as well, since we didn't want to do a line-by-line carbon copy of the original book series. That would have been boring for everyone.
What's different about our RP is that characters whose aptitude comes out as Divergent have a genetic predisposition for superpowers, because superpowers make everything better. XD Similar to the books, Divergents are widely persecuted and there's a lot of anti-Divergent propaganda in circulation, but they're also so shrouded in mystery that a lot of people blindly discriminate against them without knowing the reason why. I guess you could say there's some accidentally-on-purpose real-world parallels in there, aha. Moreover, in our thread there's a lot of shady stuff with labs and experiments and conspiracies going on, as well as a deeply-rooted pseudo-aristocracy in which the strongest are also the judges of what justice is (usually not for the better). Appropriately, some of my biggest influences for this thread were Stranger Things, Code Geass, and Persona 5, two TV shows and one video game that center around young people rebelling against a corrupt system and claiming their own justice.
Tell me a little bit about Divergent: Faction Before Blood. Whatβs your favorite part from the roleplay so far?
Whhhaaaat, I can only choose one thing?! Tough question, but my favorite part about the RP is brainstorming a vague plot with other RPers, mostly following it through on the thread, and then veering in a whole other direction with it and making stuff up as we go. I direct you to Exhibit A, a very two-dimensional plot that started as, "Bloom and Ghost go rock climbing." Within the next few RP posts, this plot turned into, "Cas invites herself rock climbing with them, Ghost gets a little jealous that a third wheel has crashed his date, Bloom launches a crash course on how to turn into a badass rock climber in 10 minutes, Cas and Ghost race to the top of a wall and develop a weird flirtatious rivalry, and various characters crack jokes at one another's expense and twist compliments into dirty innuendo." Essentially, this RP is a sea of organized chaos and would not exist without the powers of improvisation and the fanciful flights that imagination can take while writing RP posts. We all ad-lib a crazy amount of stuff as we go and come up with outrageous headcanons on the spot that suddenly turn into canons because, why the hell not? And the beauty of it is that we're a close-knit group of RPers who are all very well-acquainted with one another at this point, so we all trust each other to just roll with the punches. Miracles of muse happen when RPers trust one another.
What has helped you sustain this roleplay for so long?
Like most collaborative endeavors, an RP is only as strong as its weakest link. In other words, everyone has to contribute to make it a success, and we never would have come so far if not for our abso-fantabulously awesome ensemble of RPers! These guys never fail to amaze me in their endless depths of literary creativity and drive for the next IC adventure. Big shoutout to the superstars of my heart,
Nerdy.
Sanctuaryforall1
Wolfiee
and
WanderLust.
They're some real pros, juggling three, four... six characters like it's nothing.
Another strategy for keeping a group RP going is to mix up who your character interacts with. I'm biased because I don't do 1x1 RPs, but one of my pet peeves in group RPs is when one character "clings" to another like a planet in orbit. Not only is the planet character set up for failure should life happen and their sun suddenly goes poof! but they're missing out on interacting with a diverse array of personalities and seeing what everyone else has to offer. So I do my best to interact with a variety of other characters... and then suffer the consequences when my irl polyamorous tendencies creep up and I wanna create romantic arcs with half the characters in the thread... yeah.
Since Divergent is a universe that has been adapted into a movie and novel, would you want to adapt the roleplay into either of these mediums or perhaps a different one? Maybe as a video game, TV show, etc.?
Maybe it's because of the factions in the Divergent universe, but I see a lot of similarities between our RP and Fire Emblem: Three Houses, so if the thread were to be adapted into a video game, I would love for it to be a tactical, turn-based JRPG with an emphasis on character development. However, I think that our group of RPers has some very strong writing talents, and in a video game format viewers would miss out on their lovely prose, so it's easiest for me to imagine the thread turning into a novel. However, what I would love most of all is a musical!
Combining acting, singing, dancing, and gorgeous sets and costumes all into one, our story would have it all. Plus telling a story through music adds a whole other dimension that you don't get with regular prose, so a musical would be a welcome step outside of my comfort zone.
What things have you done to maintain this roleplay for as long as it has been running?
See, I made this pact with the devil for my soul in exchange for an immortal thread. I mean, I've pulled a few sleepless nights staying up late to finish a post that I just had to finish in that sitting because the muse was flowing, but to be totally honest I probably would have also prioritized my PS4 above sleeping, anyway. XD Back in its early days, I was an aggressive recruiter for the thread, believing that having more RPers would make the thread better. However, over time I've found out that a small group is capable of a lot, and one individual's serious dedication to a thread is worth many, many people's casual interest. Having a smaller group also means that it's easier to manage plots that affect everyone in the thread. Another thing I've done to passively keep the thread going is just expose myself to a lot of fiction, be it in the form of books, television, or video games. Whenever I feel like my muse has tanked, I throw myself into other stories until one snappy line of dialogue or a vivid description of a setting has rekindled my spark of creativity, and I think, Hm, what would so-and-so character do in this situation?
How would you describe your GMing method?
I try to be as upfront as possible regarding my expectations in terms of literacy and activity level, so that errors of communication are kept to a minimum. As much as I may love the concept of a thread, if replies trickle in on a once-a-month basis, I lose interest fast, and I think a lot of other people do too. More on the fun side of things, I try to present RPers with scenarios that have the potential for our characters to interact or give them some kind of challenge to overcome, and then I let them respond as they will. Keeping the thread moving at a regular pace is sometimes a challenge when characters split up into smaller groups, but I'd say I'm pretty hands-off about what solutions characters employ to solve a problem, or the kinds of plots they encounter on their personal journeys. More than anything, I wish to give my RPers a lot of freedom with their characters. Storytelling is an art, not a science, and I'm not going to dictate to someone else how to do it correctly. After all, experiencing other people's styles of writing is the beauty of RPing in a group.
How did you come up with your username?
I've gone through a handful of usernames throughout my time on RPNation, simply because there has never yet been one that fits my vibe all the time, and because I like being a chaos demon.
One of my managers at the restaurant where I work as a server inspired my current username. One night just after the restaurant had closed she pulled me aside to reprimand me for my "blithe" service issues, and not wanting to give her the satisfaction of her knowing a word that I didn't, I made a mental note to look it up after she was done reaming me out. (Sidenote: "blithe" means carefree in a way that's destructive and not taking things seriously.) Ever after, I started using the word in my day-to-day vocabulary because I thought it made me sound posh and educated, until it became my username on RPN as a sort-of takeback that I take a strange pride in. I chose to use its adverb form because "blithe" sounds a little incomplete, like a nickname for something. No worries, y'all, Blithe still has the same job and gets tipsy on house stuff with the offending manager every so often!
Where and when did you start roleplaying?
I was in fifth grade when I first started RPing, and it was on a now-obsolete site called FeralFront. At the time, the first Hunger Games movie was just coming out, and everyone in my grade was obsessed with it, me most of all. When I initially discovered FeralFront, alllll I wanted to do were group Hunger Games RPs, I was such a devout fan of the series. But as time passed I branched out to other then-popular YA fandoms such as Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. I met one of my current RP partners on the Divergent thread, Nerdy, on someone else's original idea for a thread about faeries kidnapping humans from the mortal world to fight in a mystical war. To this day, I remain a hardcore Hunger Games fan, and what with Songbirds and Snakes coming out soon, may have an idea for a related thread in the works but with a healthy streak of magical powers and spellcasting.
How did you discover RPNation?
All of my partners in the Divergent thread have the same tragic backstory as me, as a matter of fact. As I mentioned before, we all met on FeralFront, where our Divergent thread actually takes its ancient roots from several years back. We all discovered RPNation when the permanent closure of FeralFront was announced, and the mods were kind enough to link us here to continue all our roleplaying adventures. Only because I had the best team of RPers I could ever ask for, did they roll with the punches and we successfully launched the new thread over here. Everyone was really scared at the time that FeralFront's closure meant our world of make-believe was vanishing too, but my fellow writers had the grit to hang in there and make the daunting transition to the new site, and we've been going strong ever since.
What is your fondest memory from all your years of roleplaying?
One of my absolute favorite series of scenes indeed took place in our Divergent RP (surprise, surprise). My character, Ghost, and
WanderLust.
's character, Blair, had devised a plan to kidnap and interrogate one of the Dauntless leaders--who also happens to be the father of Blair's boyfriend--about some recent disappearances. It was an awesome plot to RP because as we were planning it, it was supposed to be a very serious thing, but then we played it off like goofballs, with our characters being hilariously inept yet miraculously successful kidnappers. Originally the plot started with them immediately running into a third character, Fable, who overheard the plan, and with ridiculously little convincing, she joined in on the job. During the kidnapping, Fable broke out some black-belt bullshit straight from an old-timey kung-fu movie to deal with the politician's bodyguard. Meanwhile, Blair had pulled her boyfriend's father away from his bodyguard to speak to him about a "private matter." While she did so, Ghost was supposed to ambush their target, but he was getting high in a tree to calm his nerves and missed his cue for the ambush, prompting Blair to awkwardly stall for time with nonsense mutterings. Finally, with their target secure, Ghost tries to drive them away, still high as a kite, and almost crashes the car. Afterward, he, Blair, and Fable all vie for the driver's seat, sniping at each other with sarcastic remarks all the while. Then, after they conduct the interrogation and try to erase the Dauntless leader's memory of it with serum, they find out that their serum is dysfunctional, causing Fable and Ghost to run an errand to casually steal some more from a high-security laboratory while Blair stays behind to babysit her boyfriend's captive father in a weird reversal of roles. All in all, the plot was a great example of Murphy's law, with our characters botching pretty much every checkpoint yet somehow still pulling the job off. I have never laughed so much in my life reading and writing RP posts.
What do you think makes a "good" roleplay? As it goes, there's no right or wrong here, simply your answer and thoughts.
Like all good novels, movies, and D&D campaigns, I think a good RP really boils down to characters. Specifically, unpredictable characters who shatter expectations and whose choices drive the plot rather than them just reacting to external circumstances. I love playing with tropes, seemingly committing to them, and then doing something to flip it on its head. Villains who threaten revenge on an enemy's innocent family but a few breaths later are helping old ladies cross the street? Yup. A master manipulator who spins lies of gold but then turns beet red the second a girl hits on him? Been there. For me, a story is only as good as the characters who tell it. I may not be able to give you a scene-by-scene summary of Season 1 Episode 14 of Death Note, but I definitely remember L's diabetes-inducing consumption of sweets and penchant for sitting in ungodly uncomfortable positions. Those little quirks are the kinds of things that stick with a reader and are hallmarks of good characterization.
What are some roleplaying tips and tricks you think others could benefit from?
While I'm certainly no expert on 1x1 RPs, one of the hardest things about group RPs is pacing, especially when characters break off into smaller groups. You really have to communicate directly with your fellow RPers and gauge where everyone is, whether they're in a good spot to move on or need a little more time, and you have to give everyone plenty of advance notice when you're ready to activate a plot that affects all the characters. Just like waiting tables, feeling the general vibe and reading a room is essential to keeping an RP going. This may be pretty obvious, but on a similar note, reading other RPers' posts closely is an invaluable skill for RPing. A shortcoming for a lot of RPers is not paying enough attention to other characters because they are too busy developing and describing their own. A lot of them do a super awesome job of creating their own characters, but when they're referring to someone else's super-serious dead-ass deadpanner grinning like a court jester, or describes a hunched-shoulder character who struggles with self-esteem as swaggering like the cock of the yard, my soul cracks a little bit and I feel like I haven't done a good enough job establishing my character. That's a big reason why I won't ever play canon characters, because I don't want to misconstrue someone else's intellectual property. Anyway though, when in doubt about another character's behaviors, a good rule of thumb is to always check the character sheet.
I first got the idea for a Divergent-based RP during an outdoors gym class in high school. There was a long bridge with train tracks that spanned right next to my school, over which a train would occasionally pass in an endlessly rattling parade of cargo. One day as we were running laps around the track in gym class, a train happened to pass overhead, and I looked up at it, thinking how much cooler gym class would be if we ran alongside the train and jumped onto it, just like the Dauntless initiates do in Divergent. And kinda like that, the idea for the thread was born. I'd only ever seen one other Divergent group RP before but hadn't joined it because I thought it was trying to split its attention too much between the initiations of five different factions, scattering characters all over the board like hanging pawns in a game of chess. Whereas our Divergent RP just focuses on Dauntless initiation, throwing all the characters into a similar environment as to facilitate interactions and tie their stories together. The idea that this thread would have been unique (well, as unique as a fandom RP gets lol) really excited me.
Why, I'm glad you asked about other elements. So, our Divergent RP takes place in an AU in which none of the canon characters exist and everyone plays OCs. Imagine it as a weird little slice of the multiverse cut from a Marvel comic, retaining the overall shape of the universe but starring Sylvie and Loki is never mentioned as if he didn't exist. Because we have no canon characters in our Divergent RP, our group elected to take some liberties with the plot as well, since we didn't want to do a line-by-line carbon copy of the original book series. That would have been boring for everyone.
What's different about our RP is that characters whose aptitude comes out as Divergent have a genetic predisposition for superpowers, because superpowers make everything better. XD Similar to the books, Divergents are widely persecuted and there's a lot of anti-Divergent propaganda in circulation, but they're also so shrouded in mystery that a lot of people blindly discriminate against them without knowing the reason why. I guess you could say there's some accidentally-on-purpose real-world parallels in there, aha. Moreover, in our thread there's a lot of shady stuff with labs and experiments and conspiracies going on, as well as a deeply-rooted pseudo-aristocracy in which the strongest are also the judges of what justice is (usually not for the better). Appropriately, some of my biggest influences for this thread were Stranger Things, Code Geass, and Persona 5, two TV shows and one video game that center around young people rebelling against a corrupt system and claiming their own justice.
Tell me a little bit about Divergent: Faction Before Blood. Whatβs your favorite part from the roleplay so far?
Whhhaaaat, I can only choose one thing?! Tough question, but my favorite part about the RP is brainstorming a vague plot with other RPers, mostly following it through on the thread, and then veering in a whole other direction with it and making stuff up as we go. I direct you to Exhibit A, a very two-dimensional plot that started as, "Bloom and Ghost go rock climbing." Within the next few RP posts, this plot turned into, "Cas invites herself rock climbing with them, Ghost gets a little jealous that a third wheel has crashed his date, Bloom launches a crash course on how to turn into a badass rock climber in 10 minutes, Cas and Ghost race to the top of a wall and develop a weird flirtatious rivalry, and various characters crack jokes at one another's expense and twist compliments into dirty innuendo." Essentially, this RP is a sea of organized chaos and would not exist without the powers of improvisation and the fanciful flights that imagination can take while writing RP posts. We all ad-lib a crazy amount of stuff as we go and come up with outrageous headcanons on the spot that suddenly turn into canons because, why the hell not? And the beauty of it is that we're a close-knit group of RPers who are all very well-acquainted with one another at this point, so we all trust each other to just roll with the punches. Miracles of muse happen when RPers trust one another.
What has helped you sustain this roleplay for so long?
Like most collaborative endeavors, an RP is only as strong as its weakest link. In other words, everyone has to contribute to make it a success, and we never would have come so far if not for our abso-fantabulously awesome ensemble of RPers! These guys never fail to amaze me in their endless depths of literary creativity and drive for the next IC adventure. Big shoutout to the superstars of my heart,
Nerdy.
Sanctuaryforall1
Wolfiee
and
WanderLust.
They're some real pros, juggling three, four... six characters like it's nothing.Another strategy for keeping a group RP going is to mix up who your character interacts with. I'm biased because I don't do 1x1 RPs, but one of my pet peeves in group RPs is when one character "clings" to another like a planet in orbit. Not only is the planet character set up for failure should life happen and their sun suddenly goes poof! but they're missing out on interacting with a diverse array of personalities and seeing what everyone else has to offer. So I do my best to interact with a variety of other characters... and then suffer the consequences when my irl polyamorous tendencies creep up and I wanna create romantic arcs with half the characters in the thread... yeah.
Since Divergent is a universe that has been adapted into a movie and novel, would you want to adapt the roleplay into either of these mediums or perhaps a different one? Maybe as a video game, TV show, etc.?
Maybe it's because of the factions in the Divergent universe, but I see a lot of similarities between our RP and Fire Emblem: Three Houses, so if the thread were to be adapted into a video game, I would love for it to be a tactical, turn-based JRPG with an emphasis on character development. However, I think that our group of RPers has some very strong writing talents, and in a video game format viewers would miss out on their lovely prose, so it's easiest for me to imagine the thread turning into a novel. However, what I would love most of all is a musical!
Combining acting, singing, dancing, and gorgeous sets and costumes all into one, our story would have it all. Plus telling a story through music adds a whole other dimension that you don't get with regular prose, so a musical would be a welcome step outside of my comfort zone.
What things have you done to maintain this roleplay for as long as it has been running?
How would you describe your GMing method?
I try to be as upfront as possible regarding my expectations in terms of literacy and activity level, so that errors of communication are kept to a minimum. As much as I may love the concept of a thread, if replies trickle in on a once-a-month basis, I lose interest fast, and I think a lot of other people do too. More on the fun side of things, I try to present RPers with scenarios that have the potential for our characters to interact or give them some kind of challenge to overcome, and then I let them respond as they will. Keeping the thread moving at a regular pace is sometimes a challenge when characters split up into smaller groups, but I'd say I'm pretty hands-off about what solutions characters employ to solve a problem, or the kinds of plots they encounter on their personal journeys. More than anything, I wish to give my RPers a lot of freedom with their characters. Storytelling is an art, not a science, and I'm not going to dictate to someone else how to do it correctly. After all, experiencing other people's styles of writing is the beauty of RPing in a group.
How did you come up with your username?
I've gone through a handful of usernames throughout my time on RPNation, simply because there has never yet been one that fits my vibe all the time, and because I like being a chaos demon.
One of my managers at the restaurant where I work as a server inspired my current username. One night just after the restaurant had closed she pulled me aside to reprimand me for my "blithe" service issues, and not wanting to give her the satisfaction of her knowing a word that I didn't, I made a mental note to look it up after she was done reaming me out. (Sidenote: "blithe" means carefree in a way that's destructive and not taking things seriously.) Ever after, I started using the word in my day-to-day vocabulary because I thought it made me sound posh and educated, until it became my username on RPN as a sort-of takeback that I take a strange pride in. I chose to use its adverb form because "blithe" sounds a little incomplete, like a nickname for something. No worries, y'all, Blithe still has the same job and gets tipsy on house stuff with the offending manager every so often!Where and when did you start roleplaying?
I was in fifth grade when I first started RPing, and it was on a now-obsolete site called FeralFront. At the time, the first Hunger Games movie was just coming out, and everyone in my grade was obsessed with it, me most of all. When I initially discovered FeralFront, alllll I wanted to do were group Hunger Games RPs, I was such a devout fan of the series. But as time passed I branched out to other then-popular YA fandoms such as Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. I met one of my current RP partners on the Divergent thread, Nerdy, on someone else's original idea for a thread about faeries kidnapping humans from the mortal world to fight in a mystical war. To this day, I remain a hardcore Hunger Games fan, and what with Songbirds and Snakes coming out soon, may have an idea for a related thread in the works but with a healthy streak of magical powers and spellcasting.
How did you discover RPNation?
All of my partners in the Divergent thread have the same tragic backstory as me, as a matter of fact. As I mentioned before, we all met on FeralFront, where our Divergent thread actually takes its ancient roots from several years back. We all discovered RPNation when the permanent closure of FeralFront was announced, and the mods were kind enough to link us here to continue all our roleplaying adventures. Only because I had the best team of RPers I could ever ask for, did they roll with the punches and we successfully launched the new thread over here. Everyone was really scared at the time that FeralFront's closure meant our world of make-believe was vanishing too, but my fellow writers had the grit to hang in there and make the daunting transition to the new site, and we've been going strong ever since.
What is your fondest memory from all your years of roleplaying?
One of my absolute favorite series of scenes indeed took place in our Divergent RP (surprise, surprise). My character, Ghost, and
WanderLust.
's character, Blair, had devised a plan to kidnap and interrogate one of the Dauntless leaders--who also happens to be the father of Blair's boyfriend--about some recent disappearances. It was an awesome plot to RP because as we were planning it, it was supposed to be a very serious thing, but then we played it off like goofballs, with our characters being hilariously inept yet miraculously successful kidnappers. Originally the plot started with them immediately running into a third character, Fable, who overheard the plan, and with ridiculously little convincing, she joined in on the job. During the kidnapping, Fable broke out some black-belt bullshit straight from an old-timey kung-fu movie to deal with the politician's bodyguard. Meanwhile, Blair had pulled her boyfriend's father away from his bodyguard to speak to him about a "private matter." While she did so, Ghost was supposed to ambush their target, but he was getting high in a tree to calm his nerves and missed his cue for the ambush, prompting Blair to awkwardly stall for time with nonsense mutterings. Finally, with their target secure, Ghost tries to drive them away, still high as a kite, and almost crashes the car. Afterward, he, Blair, and Fable all vie for the driver's seat, sniping at each other with sarcastic remarks all the while. Then, after they conduct the interrogation and try to erase the Dauntless leader's memory of it with serum, they find out that their serum is dysfunctional, causing Fable and Ghost to run an errand to casually steal some more from a high-security laboratory while Blair stays behind to babysit her boyfriend's captive father in a weird reversal of roles. All in all, the plot was a great example of Murphy's law, with our characters botching pretty much every checkpoint yet somehow still pulling the job off. I have never laughed so much in my life reading and writing RP posts.What do you think makes a "good" roleplay? As it goes, there's no right or wrong here, simply your answer and thoughts.
Like all good novels, movies, and D&D campaigns, I think a good RP really boils down to characters. Specifically, unpredictable characters who shatter expectations and whose choices drive the plot rather than them just reacting to external circumstances. I love playing with tropes, seemingly committing to them, and then doing something to flip it on its head. Villains who threaten revenge on an enemy's innocent family but a few breaths later are helping old ladies cross the street? Yup. A master manipulator who spins lies of gold but then turns beet red the second a girl hits on him? Been there. For me, a story is only as good as the characters who tell it. I may not be able to give you a scene-by-scene summary of Season 1 Episode 14 of Death Note, but I definitely remember L's diabetes-inducing consumption of sweets and penchant for sitting in ungodly uncomfortable positions. Those little quirks are the kinds of things that stick with a reader and are hallmarks of good characterization.
What are some roleplaying tips and tricks you think others could benefit from?
While I'm certainly no expert on 1x1 RPs, one of the hardest things about group RPs is pacing, especially when characters break off into smaller groups. You really have to communicate directly with your fellow RPers and gauge where everyone is, whether they're in a good spot to move on or need a little more time, and you have to give everyone plenty of advance notice when you're ready to activate a plot that affects all the characters. Just like waiting tables, feeling the general vibe and reading a room is essential to keeping an RP going. This may be pretty obvious, but on a similar note, reading other RPers' posts closely is an invaluable skill for RPing. A shortcoming for a lot of RPers is not paying enough attention to other characters because they are too busy developing and describing their own. A lot of them do a super awesome job of creating their own characters, but when they're referring to someone else's super-serious dead-ass deadpanner grinning like a court jester, or describes a hunched-shoulder character who struggles with self-esteem as swaggering like the cock of the yard, my soul cracks a little bit and I feel like I haven't done a good enough job establishing my character. That's a big reason why I won't ever play canon characters, because I don't want to misconstrue someone else's intellectual property. Anyway though, when in doubt about another character's behaviors, a good rule of thumb is to always check the character sheet.
member of the month
How did you choose your username?
Well itβs a username Iβve been using for years now for various accounts. It came about from me not wanting to lose my nickname of βShawβ which I had gained from being forced to use one of my parents' usernames for gaming accounts (it had been Shawshank), so I combined two of Hornet from Hollow Knightβs call outs; Shaw, and Adios. Shawdios.
How would you describe yourself in three words? Why those words?
Hmmm. Writer, hyper, and Bees. I love writing and always will, itβs such a big part of me and it was such a big thing that helped formed who I am. Hyper, Iβm always bouncing from idea to idea and Iβll ramble about anything I find interesting to anyone who shows interest! Sometimes even if they aren't. As for Bees... I Love Bees. Iβm a beekeeper in training and all my cups and dishes are bee themed, Iβve made honeycomb shelves, and Iβve got a beehive lamp, I love Bees ^-^
How did you discover RpNation and what made you stay?
I personally discovered Rpnation from another RP forum, and after trying here out for around a month I quickly jumped over. I think it was the sheer activeness of the site that made me stay amongst other things.
When did you start roleplaying and what was your first roleplay?
I started Roleplaying around four to five years ago, and the technical very first, was one I did on paper with my best friend at the time. Itβs was a Kirby series roleplay, with me RPing as Magolor and my friend RPing as kirby. And weβd throw the two characters into different video game franchises.
Though, we hadnβt known it was called Roleplaying at the time. We just wanted to make a story together. And those were the characters we were obsessed with.
If I could pry further into your roleplaying experience, whatβs your most memorable roleplay? Whether it's the character, story, and/or partners you've had, tell us a little more about it!
My most memorable? Well, Iβd say either the one I did on google docs nearly Two years ago, or βSearching for Familyβ (still ongoing) I canβt really pick between the two. The one on google docs started out very very silly and crack-like, it was a deltarune AU RP with OCs. And it started with my partnerβs character falling into mineβs roof. But over time we got serious. So serious that one section I RPed I had a breakdown while RPing. Not induced by my partner, but my own character. I tended to project and the mindset for him when he was introduced had been something I had personally dealt with in the past. That RP was the start and foundation of some of my current OCs. Without that Rp I doubt Iβd have the solo writings, setting, and Ocs I have today.
As for βSearching for Familyβ my partner has asked so many good questions about the world building I presented for us and about the race that I made (built up from that Google Doc RP through other various RPs and Solo writing), our OOC is four times longer than our actual rp! I think the convo has reached page 14? While the RP is just on 4? And honestly, I donβt know if I ever would have asked the questions they did, so Iβm so thankful they reached out for a RP and showed interest nine or ten months ago.
From discussing with other members of the community to sharing your art, where do your art inspirations stem from? How long have you dabbled in art?
Inspirations? Specifically for art? I have favorite artists that I admire and look up to, like Sadist and all the artists I used to follow back when I had tumblr (and still canβt remember their usernames for the life of me), But I would just say comics, webcomics, other artists, and cartoons in general. Anime used to be a big one, and actually was what I learned to draw with (yβknow those βhow to draw anime books?β, my older sister had some) but then I went on a transformers animated (2006) and duck tales (2017) fanart kick back in early 2021 and my style has been more cartoony than anime ever since.
Iβve been doing art seriously (as in, very very frequently drawing) since 5 or so years ago, I think some art from 2019 is actually still up here from an old account which I shall not name because Iβm embarrassed by its name and what I stylized the whole account to be.
If you had to pick one OC and one fanart to showcase in our newsletter, which one would you choose? Can you share it here with us?
Oh itβs been a while since Iβve done fanart, but I do have a piece I havenβt put up in my art thread (of an OC I often draw) that I can give yβall to showcase!
What are your all-time, must-watch favorite anime, comic, and webtoon? Do you have a favorite genre you lean towards?
Lackadaisy!! Itβs an amazing webcomic that has gotten a Animated pilot and is going to get a whole season on YouTube. The Property of Hate is also a really good webcomic that I recommend. I donβt really have a must watch anime, but I do highly recommend Transformers Animated (2006), ROTMNT, and Ducktales (2016)
I lean towards fantasy and sci-fi! But I do have a soft spot for anything set in the 1920-60βs
Do you have any favorite memes? One that never fails to make you laughed?
Favorite meme is any variation of the two Astronauts,
βWait itβs always been ____?β
*points gun* βAlways has beenβ
If you were granted 3 wishes under the conditions that one of them had to be a selfless wish, what would they be?
Well letβs first get the selfless wish out of the way. Iβd wish every creator (be it art, writing, music, or anything else) out there had all the motivation they needed to make and finish their dream project. As for the other two? Iβd wish magic existed, and Iβd wish I could be an Android who didnβt need to waste their creative time on sleeping or eating.
Since magic is one of your wishes, what kind of magic? Elemental? Summoning?
Any and all forms of magic!
Would you like to give a shout-out any partners, friends, community members, etc.?
@asphodelus!! Amazing writer and world builder! Asked me questions about my fantasy raceβs culture and society that I never would have thought of without them! You are the best and I truly wouldnβt have built the Golden age details out as much as they are now, nor have had the motivation to come up with their belief system!
What advice do you have for the newsletter readers?
To anyone who is looking to do art and thinks theyβre horrible at it: every creator starts somewhere. The only thing thatβs different between them how much time and effort they put into improving their skills. You donβt get anywhere with a skill without DOING it first. And this applies to writing as well. You need to DO stuff with your skills or budding skills in order to get better at it. And donβt be afraid to try new things or things you arenβt good at, you never know if you might like it or not.
I hate doing backgrounds, but Iβm doing them anyway so I can get better at them! I was HORRIBLE at drawing wings, but now Iβm so much better from constantly drawing them and using references.
Donβt throw out anything. Keep it to look back on it and see how much youβve improved. Donβt be afraid of mistakes, using references isnβt cheating, practice as much as you can, and just keeping trying things!
Well itβs a username Iβve been using for years now for various accounts. It came about from me not wanting to lose my nickname of βShawβ which I had gained from being forced to use one of my parents' usernames for gaming accounts (it had been Shawshank), so I combined two of Hornet from Hollow Knightβs call outs; Shaw, and Adios. Shawdios.
How would you describe yourself in three words? Why those words?
Hmmm. Writer, hyper, and Bees. I love writing and always will, itβs such a big part of me and it was such a big thing that helped formed who I am. Hyper, Iβm always bouncing from idea to idea and Iβll ramble about anything I find interesting to anyone who shows interest! Sometimes even if they aren't. As for Bees... I Love Bees. Iβm a beekeeper in training and all my cups and dishes are bee themed, Iβve made honeycomb shelves, and Iβve got a beehive lamp, I love Bees ^-^
How did you discover RpNation and what made you stay?
I personally discovered Rpnation from another RP forum, and after trying here out for around a month I quickly jumped over. I think it was the sheer activeness of the site that made me stay amongst other things.
When did you start roleplaying and what was your first roleplay?
I started Roleplaying around four to five years ago, and the technical very first, was one I did on paper with my best friend at the time. Itβs was a Kirby series roleplay, with me RPing as Magolor and my friend RPing as kirby. And weβd throw the two characters into different video game franchises.
Though, we hadnβt known it was called Roleplaying at the time. We just wanted to make a story together. And those were the characters we were obsessed with.
If I could pry further into your roleplaying experience, whatβs your most memorable roleplay? Whether it's the character, story, and/or partners you've had, tell us a little more about it!
My most memorable? Well, Iβd say either the one I did on google docs nearly Two years ago, or βSearching for Familyβ (still ongoing) I canβt really pick between the two. The one on google docs started out very very silly and crack-like, it was a deltarune AU RP with OCs. And it started with my partnerβs character falling into mineβs roof. But over time we got serious. So serious that one section I RPed I had a breakdown while RPing. Not induced by my partner, but my own character. I tended to project and the mindset for him when he was introduced had been something I had personally dealt with in the past. That RP was the start and foundation of some of my current OCs. Without that Rp I doubt Iβd have the solo writings, setting, and Ocs I have today.
As for βSearching for Familyβ my partner has asked so many good questions about the world building I presented for us and about the race that I made (built up from that Google Doc RP through other various RPs and Solo writing), our OOC is four times longer than our actual rp! I think the convo has reached page 14? While the RP is just on 4? And honestly, I donβt know if I ever would have asked the questions they did, so Iβm so thankful they reached out for a RP and showed interest nine or ten months ago.
From discussing with other members of the community to sharing your art, where do your art inspirations stem from? How long have you dabbled in art?
Inspirations? Specifically for art? I have favorite artists that I admire and look up to, like Sadist and all the artists I used to follow back when I had tumblr (and still canβt remember their usernames for the life of me), But I would just say comics, webcomics, other artists, and cartoons in general. Anime used to be a big one, and actually was what I learned to draw with (yβknow those βhow to draw anime books?β, my older sister had some) but then I went on a transformers animated (2006) and duck tales (2017) fanart kick back in early 2021 and my style has been more cartoony than anime ever since.
Iβve been doing art seriously (as in, very very frequently drawing) since 5 or so years ago, I think some art from 2019 is actually still up here from an old account which I shall not name because Iβm embarrassed by its name and what I stylized the whole account to be.
If you had to pick one OC and one fanart to showcase in our newsletter, which one would you choose? Can you share it here with us?
Oh itβs been a while since Iβve done fanart, but I do have a piece I havenβt put up in my art thread (of an OC I often draw) that I can give yβall to showcase!
What are your all-time, must-watch favorite anime, comic, and webtoon? Do you have a favorite genre you lean towards?
Lackadaisy!! Itβs an amazing webcomic that has gotten a Animated pilot and is going to get a whole season on YouTube. The Property of Hate is also a really good webcomic that I recommend. I donβt really have a must watch anime, but I do highly recommend Transformers Animated (2006), ROTMNT, and Ducktales (2016)
I lean towards fantasy and sci-fi! But I do have a soft spot for anything set in the 1920-60βs
Do you have any favorite memes? One that never fails to make you laughed?
Favorite meme is any variation of the two Astronauts,
βWait itβs always been ____?β
*points gun* βAlways has beenβ
If you were granted 3 wishes under the conditions that one of them had to be a selfless wish, what would they be?
Well letβs first get the selfless wish out of the way. Iβd wish every creator (be it art, writing, music, or anything else) out there had all the motivation they needed to make and finish their dream project. As for the other two? Iβd wish magic existed, and Iβd wish I could be an Android who didnβt need to waste their creative time on sleeping or eating.
Since magic is one of your wishes, what kind of magic? Elemental? Summoning?
Any and all forms of magic!
Would you like to give a shout-out any partners, friends, community members, etc.?
@asphodelus!! Amazing writer and world builder! Asked me questions about my fantasy raceβs culture and society that I never would have thought of without them! You are the best and I truly wouldnβt have built the Golden age details out as much as they are now, nor have had the motivation to come up with their belief system!
What advice do you have for the newsletter readers?
To anyone who is looking to do art and thinks theyβre horrible at it: every creator starts somewhere. The only thing thatβs different between them how much time and effort they put into improving their skills. You donβt get anywhere with a skill without DOING it first. And this applies to writing as well. You need to DO stuff with your skills or budding skills in order to get better at it. And donβt be afraid to try new things or things you arenβt good at, you never know if you might like it or not.
I hate doing backgrounds, but Iβm doing them anyway so I can get better at them! I was HORRIBLE at drawing wings, but now Iβm so much better from constantly drawing them and using references.
Donβt throw out anything. Keep it to look back on it and see how much youβve improved. Donβt be afraid of mistakes, using references isnβt cheating, practice as much as you can, and just keeping trying things!
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