I think you're doing fine. You show an open and apparently genuine interest in doing a good job. If you are considering letting one go Dormant specifically to create more time, I would suggest keep Mergulla because otherwise Scion should be closed, and and Baerinika because you seem to enjoy that most. But as far as I'm concerned there's nothing wrong with playing all three, as long as you're being careful not to get burnt out.

Here are my questions for the other players who have voiced concerns about the the playing of three imms.

Would you rather have Scion closed, or largely ignored?
Do you think she should play only one for her own good, or the game's?
If she is going to continue playing three, what do you think she should do differently?

My answers are that I prefer scion open and not well cared for, I think the game isn't really better off with her doing only two or one, and that the easiest thing to do is just switch back and forth a little more frequently to just do quick interactions over CB. 5 minutes with each persona saying "Go get em tiger" over the cabal channel would not be too time consuming or difficult I would expect, and make people who feel ignored feel a bit better.

Bear in my everyone, that in less than 9 months, all three of these personas are probably going to be going dormant, quite possibly along with Daevryn. It is possible that won't happen, but babies cause most people to stop their hobbies for a while, even when those hobbies don't involve people you are trying to make happy bitching at you constantly for trying to keep too many people happy at once. So to me, the question of burnout could very well be a non-issue if there's kind of a sunset on especially active Baerinika anyway.

Technically, Rayihn is my favorite to play. While my times have gone down because I just need to sleep these days an extra hour or two a night, I don't think it's a lack of time committment that makes Merg "MIA". I'm just so burned and frustrated by all of the bitching and abuse for just trying to help somewhere that needed it that I thought maybe putting Merg on the backburner for a little while would help me recharge those batteries, but I guess it's a catch 22. To give an example, Derogker talks about this nice IC note he wrote to me, but he doesn't mention that the very night before writing it he went on a huge rant about what a "stupid bitch" Mergulla is. I really try and brush things like this off but I'm only human and they genuinely do bother me. Further, they completely extinguish my will to play this game. And maybe that's the intention.

However, I haven't quit or given up or even gone the way some of the higher level imms have, concentrating more on game mechanics and less on being active with the player base. I have to remind myself that I play this game for players like you, Java, Isildur, and characters like Satoshi, Lornis, Masigner etc who appreciate the work imms put in and have fun with it. This is why I haven't deleted Mergulla yet even though I've been sorely tempted. Well, that and the fact that her presence irritates Parv. Har har.

Seriously. If someone goes on a mean-spirited rant, you really shouldn't feel any guilt over completely ignoring that person. Both after and before said rant.

Now if someone deletes and is like, "I really liked this character and wanted to do some cool stuff, but I guess Mergulla hated me because I never heard from her over the 200 hours I prayed for her," and if they really did pray for you for 300 hours and didn't totally suck, and those 200 hours weren't condensed into 8 RL days, then you can feel a little guilty. But I'm guessing that doesn't happen very often, if ever.

Congrats on the baby, btw. Didn't know you guys were expecting. We're trying for #2 but no luck so far.

You both have to cut CF cold-turkey once the baby comes. You just can't do it. I tried playing on weekends when mine napped but that didn't work out either.

Until my guy turned 1 (recently), I have not been able to play at all.

FOcus on the baby, not this place.

They just sleep sleep sleep.

Number 2 arrives in March and I am not worried about time but as my little guy is nearing two (end of January) I find myself having less time in the day and so CF is purely an evening activity, if at all.

The two weeks I took off recently were easier than I thought and although I have come back to play it is not because I had the CF itch that needed scratching, like it used to so I will play a little and if it doesn't work out, so be it.

Granted, if Baer is breast-feeding, she will drop off the world as she will be super tired, sleeping when she can and being waited on hand and foot by Nep.

Lifes little blessings,

-----Abernyte

... And I find myself playing alot, but I'm also CONSTANTLY going AFK (Thus I tried to play Jaina the tranmuter for duo+cammo. heh)

But I should also add that I'm home with my son until feb, and that's mostly the reason to why I have time to play. Once I start working again I bet I want to spend the time home from work with him rather than with CF. It's either that or cut away 2-3 hours of sleep/night. (I've already cut away 1 hour at least... So 2-3 more should leave me with 4-5 hours of sleep/night... hmm...) And I can't imagine how it'll be when number 2 comes. (We're just planning, not in another year or two though.)


Anyways. Congratz to both of you!

Imho. Don't kill me for that, please.

If you don't have time to play even one imm, don't play three. Play one, but good, instead of playing three, but bad. We all are humans, yes, and have work/childrens/life. Three characters = responsibility x 3, or at least, x2. They all require more time, and they all have more followers. Perhaps this is why Derogker never got an answer or anything from Megrulla.

I'm sure that if you would play only one character, you would immterract with Derogker, and probably even would help him to improve his RP quality. Was it so difficult to tell him not to rant so much? No. Would it help him? Yes, there are huge chances that it would.

Example: when I am playing, and I see someone going OOC/ranting, I am telling him in game style something like "Man, don't talk here this way, it's not right and you cause harm to yourself". I NEVER got negative reply to that, ALL of them was saying "thanks!" or "I'll keep it in mind and will try to do better next time". After that, I never hear them talking OOC/ranting too much. And I am just a player, I don't have imm's authority and shining.

If YOU would give him a hint, instead of ignoring him - trust me, everyone would be much more happier than now.

>I'm sure that if you would play only one character, you would
>immterract with Derogker, and probably even would help him to
>improve his RP quality. Was it so difficult to tell him not to
>rant so much? No. Would it help him? Yes, there are huge
>chances that it would.
>
>Example: when I am playing, and I see someone going
>OOC/ranting, I am telling him in game style something like
>"Man, don't talk here this way, it's not right and you cause
>harm to yourself". I NEVER got negative reply to that, ALL of
>them was saying "thanks!" or "I'll keep it in mind and will
>try to do better next time". After that, I never hear them
>talking OOC/ranting too much. And I am just a player, I don't
>have imm's authority and shining.
>
>If YOU would give him a hint, instead of ignoring him - trust
>me, everyone would be much more happier than now.


I think this is a good practice as a matter of course, but I do not think it is that simple.

I also think for good common sense suggestions like this, you should just make the suggestion and avoid predictions re: future behavoir. Because your suggestion is good - particularly from the IMM standpoint (for example, if RayBaer responds immediately like how you suggested, she'll "clear the air" and move on rather than get quietly burned out). But the chances that Derogker is going to respond favorably to being pulled aside by an IMM - or that "everyone would be much more happier" following these types of asides are suspect at best. If you make suspect predictions, people will focus on their disputes with them as opposed to the merits of your suggestion.

>But the chances that Derogker is going to respond favorably to being
>pulled aside by an IMM - or that "everyone would be much more
>happier" following these types of asides are suspect at best.
>If you make suspect predictions, people will focus on their
>disputes with them as opposed to the merits of your
>suggestion.

This prediction is based on my experience. I've seen those characters become better after some suggestions; I was same noob years ago, and I am very grateful to everyone who helped me.

Ask Degorker, how would he threat Megrulla, if she would give him suggestion/hint on what he is doing wrong?

Also... If he would get offended - everything would go as it went and he would delete anyways. If it would go well, things probably would go better for everyone. It's riskless thing, imho, and would never hurt.

The same people are gonna be bitching time and time again to get attention when it doesn't come fast enough to them/is unwarranted. You can never make these type of people happy.

Reward the good behavior, ignore the douches.

>The same people are gonna be bitching time and time again to
>get attention when it doesn't come fast enough to them/is
>unwarranted. You can never make these type of people happy.
>
>Reward the good behavior, ignore the douches.

It's not a reward at all. It can be followed by an -imm exp, actually. It's a lesson/hint that is supposed to help the player, not to reward him.

Just imms must change their behavior, from hard-boiled supercool guys into a something more afequate. Hell, there can be even a special forces that would help people, instead of pissing them off.

I still maintain that only reason you came up with Mergulla was so I'd stop playing scions. Great Success!! Har Har

Congratulations! Do what you feel is best, with those things most important in mind first of course. CF will survive and be waiting for you if/when you want to return.

I hate to sound like a goof, but moderation in all things is best. It's commendable that you've stretched yourself so thin to try and fill in the gaps you see, but take care of yourself first and the other stuff will work out.

With respect to any player, especially an evil character blasting an evil god or goddess about how they're this or that, if this came through via the other Imms, someone more than likely should have landed a smite on his ass or saddled him with some severe famine. Not even as a punishment as much as an RP (remember who you're talking about and where you are) sorta thing. That's not dissauding him from having his opinion, it's about RP and only an idiot takes a power's name and runs it through the mud without worrying he might reap the whirlwind, unless the power in question is notoriously of the 'I don't give a ####.' mode of thinking.

Don't take them personally. You are the only one who knows with what intent you put forth your effort. You're only responsible for your intent. Ideally the players/other Imms, etc. get it too, but you can't really control that. Shrug it off as kids throwing a tantrum when they misread you, and chalk it up to good practice for when your little one or ones get older and try your patience.

You can't please all the people all the time and so forth.

Yea that rant was because I had just ate a death to fortress Gang number 589548905890348543.

And it was because we had no youngers to help retrieve and no way to induct anyone as Frismund was mia (aproxx hour number 240 with no Mergulla), so don't sugarcoat lies to make yourself feel better about the situation.

Was my behavior wrong...of course it was. But I'm going to let you lie about the situation and doctor it.

You volunteered to help, I appreciate that but making leaders every 400 hours is not your only job. Hell if that's what you intended by volunteering any active IMM can cloak and do inductions your not needed at all.

I was angry...I have apologized for my behavior in game but it makes me even more angry when you cloud the truth to get people on your side.

*Edit*

I also wrote that note because I felt bad about my actions that night, the not was written the following day. It was respectful and well written.

Myself and Kalisda also went to your shrine and performed a ritual.

The damage had already been done though and instead of trying to resolve the situation (as you obviously had witnessed my episode) You continued to ignore the cabal. If you had time to witness the situation then you should have seen long before there was a need to interact or do anything cabal related with us. Instead you make excuses and invest all your time into your other IMMs. That's fine...that's your prerogative.

I am a reasonable person as well as an adult I can handle constructive criticism but this situation is probably beyond repair. I will continue to play and I am going to continue to better myself as a player.

>Was my behavior wrong...of course it was. But I'm going to
>let you lie about the situation and doctor it.

If you feel that what you said in that situation is being distorted, would like me to post a verbatim log of what you said?

You can post all the verbatim logs you want, I know exactly what I said.

There are two situations where I went into a childish OOC rant.

1) After a gang down by the fort, it was at the Archmage and I was with Kalisda.

2) To Dupasmoine after he looted the blademaster's gloves just to give them to some lowbie pally because Ailen had deleted. He had no reason to loot, he had everything he wants or could ever need in a set of gear, he felt like he "earned it". This enraged me because Dupasmoine has loads of IMM given abilities, virtues and look at the set he's built. I'm the worst matchup possible I needed everything I had to even stand a chance at fighting him.

I apologized IC and here for both those situations.

This is whats being misconstrued:

"To give an example, Derogker talks about this nice IC note he wrote to me, but he doesn't mention that the very night before writing it he went on a huge rant about what a "stupid bitch" Mergulla is. I really try and brush things like this off but I'm only human and they genuinely do bother me. Further, they completely extinguish my will to play this game. And maybe that's the intention."

Yes I said I wrote a note, I said it was respectful yada yada yada, I also stated I had some OOC rage fits and apologized for them.

Yes I called her a bitch among other things in a fit of rage no denying that here. Yup it was some messed up ####.

The fact of the matter is that this fit would have probably never occurred if someone got off there ass and interacted with the Cabal instead of just making leaders every 400 hours.

Making the statement above implies that you didn't deserve it. Ill say again: Was it wrong...? Yes it was but in my opinion she deserved it. Not in the way I raged but something needed to be said, I just didn't go about it the right way. And the fact of the matter is there is no "right way" to tell an IMM there doing #### that's f.u.c.k.e.d up because 9 times out of 10 there not gonna listen and no one is gonna care.

From Isildur:

"Seriously. If someone goes on a mean-spirited rant, you really shouldn't feel any guilt over completely ignoring that person. Both after and before said rant.

Now if someone deletes and is like, "I really liked this character and wanted to do some cool stuff, but I guess Mergulla hated me because I never heard from her over the 200 hours I prayed for her," and if they really did pray for you for 300 hours and didn't totally suck, and those 200 hours weren't condensed into 8 RL days, then you can feel a little guilty. But I'm guessing that doesn't happen very often, if ever."

This is how it should have been done yes, but that's the exact situation I'm coming from.

People tried for the better part of 300 hours to interact with you, but you didn't give a ####.

Kalisda went to your shrine almost every time she logged on, you ignored her.

Other people: i.e current scions, applicants also made an effort to visit Mergulla's shrine....all they got was silence.

When I first met Aberntye's transmuter I was in my gungho I love this char mode and this cabal. And one of the first things he said to me after giving me an item was:

Drustrui tells you 'It was a gift for my Queen but you can have it as she ignores me.'

There it is, exact log, verbatim.

Now this was loooaaads of time before any of these situations. So right out of the gate I was like "Hmmm well this sucks Mergulla must not be a good IMM influence if she ignores people for so long."

It wasn't just Drustrui, Lornis after inducting me was like "Yea...I have not seen the queen in some time"

Frismund: "I have not seen the queen in centuries"

All these are waaaaaaay before I even heroed. So go ahead and defend or miscontrue the situation all you want the fact of the matter is SHE WANS'T DOING HER JOB.

I was not being an asshole without some kind of justification and that's how she is letting on, Like I was just a #### for no reason.

Myself and Kalisda went to the shrine did a fancy RP session...and it was ignored. I realize this was post rant and that's why it was ignored so I will exclude it.

The fact of the matter is YOU CANNOT PLAY THREE IMM PERSONA'S AND JUST INDUCT LEADERS. Interaction, presence, wisvis is included in supporting a Cabal, you are an IMP you know this of all people. We as mortals like to know your around, that you give a ####, that we are going to be able to work for something positive/cool/rewarding.

Wow that was a long post. It comes down to this.

Here are your choices, although this is completely hypothetical because I'm not letting you choose:

1) Scion is open, but for now has an imm that doesn't do that much.

2) Scion is closed.

You want a third option that is not currently available.

I'm serious.

nt

In this case you will have to keep Scion as the only evil cabal.
But it has no active immortal and is overall worthless.
Your proposal is just wild emotion and makes no sense.
It is illogical (c) Spock.

However, we can safely disband outlanders and let them join the Fort.
Less cabals is better when we have less players.

But what will I do if you merge Outlander with Fortress?!!?

Or the other half of Outlander that happened to be EVIL when I died?

ntnt

As long as some players like it, it isn't worthless.

Personally I need something other than uncaballed or a gang-cabal sometimes.

I too attest that Scion is an entertaining cabal. I enter it expecting no imm loving. I expect to be the underdog but I have some pretty sweet cabalpowers to compensate for it. It kinda fills the role of old Scarab. Derogker (sp?) is just a whiney b*.

Basterisk? That's cold, man. Cold.

1) Scion is open, but for now has an imm that doesn't do that much.

Ever since Valg went Code-Man IMP (and to a lesser extent, his now year-long "sabbatical") Scion has basically been the ugly stepsister to the IMM staff (Eshval time periods not included), it seems. Beroxxus always feels like helping but the time just isn't consistantly there for Beroxxors. I thought Lloth's Trib would become Scion's IMM, but then he kinda disappeared too (not sure wtf happened there).

The problem, to me (completely my experience/opinion), isn't that Scion's have a deadbeat immortal. It's that that same player (of said immortal) heaps tons of love on their OPPOSITE cabal with their other character (immortal). Basically, if everyone assumed Mergulla was Marcatis or some ####, this wouldn't be a problem AT ALL.

Is my point coming across? I'm not sure, I'm so ####ty at expressing a point over text.

I think I do, though.

You're saying that Mergulla heaps "tons of love" on Fort but none on Scion.

Which, ok, you can believe that, but the last thing she did that I even remotely questioned as "Maybe too much immlovin' for someone" (and no, I don't think it *WAS* too much, but it's the last thing that I even had to think about) was giving Lornis a quest form.

And before that it was giving Drustrui the reward he got. (Again, I think it was fine what she did).

I'm just saying.

Because he didnt get it the cheap way by winning a RC like all other ones?

If you read what I wrote:

"...last thing she did that I even remotely questioned as "Maybe too much immlovin' for someone" (and no, I don't think it *WAS* too much, but it's the last thing that I even had to think about) was giving Lornis a quest form."



What I'm getting at is that the last thing she did that people might complain about was that. Giving the guy with Alligator and a really nice regen form and 1800hp an air form for scouting was a risky move on her part (with all the haters out there ready to bitch about anything she does) but she did it anyway since she really dug the char.

Personally, my reaction went like this: "Wow, ice drake on Lornis. That's buff." Ten minutes pass. "But yeah, I can see that guy deserving it."

It was that people know Mergulla = Baer.

And that Baer is around a ton for Fort and handles the cabal and her religion. And Fort/her religion always has good numbers, so she rewards those people accordingly. And Mergulla isn't around a ton (for various reasons, mostly because she has Rayihn and Baer to play) and therefore Scions don't get a ton of love (and scions have never got a ton of love so I'm not crying buckets that certain players whine about not getting enough attention).

What I was trying to say, was that if no one knew who Mergulla was played by, this whole situation WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.

A good example (sorry Crafted) of a similar situation was Crafted having Cyrn (a leader of Nexus) and Elf Warrior Outlander. Everyone who paid any attention whatsoever to OOC matters knew that Crafted played both characters, so when Cyrn stopped showing and his Elf Warrior Outlander starting putting in 10 hr days and got Sunwarden, people were like 'WTF, how can you be the leader of two cabals at the same time, and basically only play the one leader when you feel the cabal desperately needs you (either for inductions/raiding/retrieving/whatever)'.

It's not that I had a problem with Cyrn (which I actually did, but that's been rehashed), it's that I had a problem with the fact that I KNEW HE PLAYED ANOTHER HIGH PROFILE CHARACTER THAT WAS LEADER AT THE SAME TIME. And that's why I never saw Cyrn and Nexus was in the ####.

Make more sense (I'm getting kinda confused myself, so it's cool if it's disjointed)?

But I still think your logic is a little flawed, as Baerinika hasn't done a ton in/for Fort lately either - and that's not a knock on Baerinika - I don't know if people in Fort have DESERVED stuff.

I'm just saying it's not like she's forsaking Scion for Fort. Or vice versa.

One other thing I want to point out about this whole discussion is that Scion was, very recently (like, within the last month or two), the strongest it had been since Waris and Kharnial were Advisor/Chancellor. Did that mean Mergulla was vis a ton and interacting a bunch? Not really. It meant the cabal had solid membership and great leadership.

One other thing I want to point out about this whole discussion is that Scion was, very recently (like, within the last month or two), the strongest it had been since Waris and Kharnial were Advisor/Chancellor. Did that mean Mergulla was vis a ton and interacting a bunch? Not really. It meant the cabal had solid membership and great leadership.

I completely agree.

And before I took a sabbatical because I thought I was moving to Georgia, I mostly saw Baerinikia on. Like, I saw her on a ton, and even commented on it because I thought it was awesome she was vis so much.

Didn't see Rayihn at all in that time (except once early morning) and saw Merg maybe three times?

Basically what I am saying is I feel bad for Baer because she was basically put in a no win situation. Either play her three characters (and everyone knows she plays them) and accept that most players will have sour grapes because of extenuating circumstances, or just play Baer and deal with all the bitching about Scion's not having an immortal, etc,etc,etc.

>Basically what I am saying is I feel bad for Baer because she
>was basically put in a no win situation. Either play her
>three characters (and everyone knows she plays them) and
>accept that most players will have sour grapes because of
>extenuating circumstances, or just play Baer and deal with all
>the bitching about Scion's not having an immortal,
>etc,etc,etc.

Or just play scion imm and laver fortress to other imms. There are plenty battle/fort/outlander imms to lead those cabals.

And I'm not in the business to tell people to play characters they don't like/feel.

So delete Merg free the place for someone, who would enjoy this cabal.

See, what I've repeatedly been saying but no one seems to listen to, is that there isn't one of those right now.

Same thing could be said for Herald.

But then I'll post 10/12 goodbye/I'm leaving for good/I'm emotional and woman-like posts over the course of my heroimm days

And I was listening to you Your wife gets a bad rap sometimes (as I say that, knowing I am the first to give her #### for something I feel she did poorly/wrongly).

I will never ever be a Scion IMM no matter what.

Even though I always thought you would make the best Scion imm and Daevryn's religion is a great fit for a lot of Scion roles.

You're getting soft, is what I think. You care about criticism too much .

And if the Scion cabal still needs help the next time I get fired up about doing interaction, I probably will figure something out.

The problem with me in general is that I'm really streaky about what part of the game I'm interested in -- I think I can be a really good interactiony imm when I want to be, but I can be a terrible deadbeat dad when my heart isn't in it.

You are human!

I still have my doubts about Valg though.

I've seen some talk that it would work out better if no one was the imm of Scion, and that therefore the staff as a whole would somehow care for it and shower its members with love and interaction.

This again is one of those areas where my opinion on what would happen to an orphan cabal is different than this opinion, but my opinion happens to be based on what's actually happened every time this situation has come up in the past.

Typically, when a cabal has no specific active person looking after it, its members never see any kind of immteraction relating to their cabal, except in the case when some member violates the cabal's roleplay in a way that's so egregious that even uninterested imms can't let it slide.

For Exhibit A, dig around in the forums about Outlander roughly a year or less ago.

>> I thought Lloth's Trib would become Scion's IMM, but then he kinda disappeared too (not sure wtf happened there).

That was me.

I was probably the worst case example of a heroimm washing out here... I really wanted to be a Lloth-reborn type of presence in Scion, but couldn't force myself to do it over several different years with several different imm accounts. I just don't have the time, imagination, or creative-cruely these days. Kind of a sad revelation considering the immstaff used to accuse me of being Chaotic Evil in real life back in the day...

Who knew being evil could be so hard?

Perhaps our next Eshval or Scarabaeus-type char is still out there waiting to heroimm though. I think there's a trickle of new blood in the playerbase that would really excel in this role.

Had some good times with Nivult? I think, I can't remember these days .

I know I interacted with Iukulli or Nivult a lot, just can't remember which. BOOO me.

Maybe it was my first gnome shifter and Iukulli, ah hell. Or maybe Kruuank and Nivult. I really can't remember.

Basically, you play awesome morts. Hope you're still around.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad I made an impression in my later years.

For the record, my Imm character history is as follows:

Khargqwzdds 1994ish
Lloth '94-99
Qwell '96-98 (only on the test servers at the time)
Jezral '97-99
Karakan 2003-2004
Nivult 2005-2006
Iukulli 2007-2008
Thorkal 2008 (never visible, autodeleted or something)

I'm currently in retirement, and probably shouldn't tempt fate with anymore immortal characters. I barely have time to keep the odd mort from autodeleting anymore these days.

Anyway, I didn't mean to hijack this thread. Back to the Scion discussion...

Is a bit of a pain, I actually like it as well. Why? Because it sickens me when people with a decent shot at retrieval just send a lowbie instead.

I'd love to see people get a smackdown (at least verbally) if they do that more than once.

I got my girlfriend knocked up a month earlier. Since this is about as close as I'm going to be to being aware of beating Nep, I'm taking it. Wohoo!

Seriously though, congratulations. Your baby'll probably beat my baby to liching though. *fistshake*

Wherein I edit myself after the fact. Damn you sense-of-propriety!