This may seem like a really weird, out of the blue discussion and inquiry, but for all you folks who have ever gone through or contemplated putting a character/group through a life-altering, traumatic event, was it hard to go through with it?
Y'see, I've got this character who's going through some unfortunate stuff right now, and for perfectly legitimate IC reasons he could come out of it maimed pretty badly--we're talking lasting physical scars and missing digits/limbs--and admittedly I'm kind of having trouble going through with it. It doesn't HAVE to happen ICly, but it certainly could and would make sense for the antagonists of the story to do it if I essentially green-light it. But my characters are kind of my babies, in the same respect; I'll put them through trials and tribulations, but when it comes to something huge like an amputation or heavy mental damage... I kind of balk, I guess, and it's made doubly-so frustrating and weird in my head because I'm the one who's contemplating it happening in the first place. It's not a situation in this case where I go to the other player(s) and ask if we can do something else.
We put our characters through hard times to see what their mettle is made out of in the end, but it feels almost like too much, and that's sort of what I'm fighting with here.
Y'see, I've got this character who's going through some unfortunate stuff right now, and for perfectly legitimate IC reasons he could come out of it maimed pretty badly--we're talking lasting physical scars and missing digits/limbs--and admittedly I'm kind of having trouble going through with it. It doesn't HAVE to happen ICly, but it certainly could and would make sense for the antagonists of the story to do it if I essentially green-light it. But my characters are kind of my babies, in the same respect; I'll put them through trials and tribulations, but when it comes to something huge like an amputation or heavy mental damage... I kind of balk, I guess, and it's made doubly-so frustrating and weird in my head because I'm the one who's contemplating it happening in the first place. It's not a situation in this case where I go to the other player(s) and ask if we can do something else.
We put our characters through hard times to see what their mettle is made out of in the end, but it feels almost like too much, and that's sort of what I'm fighting with here.
Whenever I do anything in roleplay, I think about two things: what does the story get out of this, and what do I get out of this?
Roleplay is different from other types of writing because the story is flexible, and even if you have things planned out on your character's side, you can never know exactly what's going to happen for sure. This is part of what makes it really fun, but also really nerve-wracking if your careful creation is in a situation where they may be permanently broken or killed. Some people love the thrill, and some people don't. Some people like to keep the status quo, and some people like to shake up their character's life every other week. Neither one is wrong!
I think one of the most important things to think about when considering putting forward a big change is how you/your character is going to handle it. I don't just mean on a psychological basis, though that helps, too, but major landmarks in a character's life are usually great catalysts for doing something new. A character who loses something important to a villain, whether it's a limb or a loved one, might change their entire course in life for the sake of enacting revenge, or maybe it will throw them into a depression that opens up a door for a dark entity into their minds. A craftsman who loses a hand will be out of a job and might have to find other ways to support themselves, or be forced onto the street, and find new adventures that way. Someone who's driven insane by a terrible assault on their mind might have other, hidden depths of their character churned up.
Roleplay is about writing with other people--it's a social thing. Don't be afraid to capitalize on your OOC friends for support, and definitely have your character rely on IC friends to get through a hardship. It will bring them closer together and might lead to even more interesting stories based on how the other characters try to cope with the change. It will also give it more impact and coherency when it affects other people.
Also, don't be afraid to have a plan. Don't see your character's big loss as a loss; look at it as a stepping stone to a new part of the story. Figure out how you're going to handle the damage as early as you can and get yourself hyped for the new studies and explorations that would be locked off if it had never happened.
All that said, the most important thing is to make sure that the story keeps flowing, and that you don't feel miserable as it does. It's always alright to feel sad when something bad happens to a character, and that's part of what makes the sweet parts of the story sweeter--but if you think it might make you feel grim and bitter instead, don't go through with it. Never go through with anything you're not alright with just because you think it will make a more logical story. You might have a more logical story, but you'll be unhappy with it anyway in the end, and no amount of logic in the world can fix a story that's gone sour.
Roleplay is different from other types of writing because the story is flexible, and even if you have things planned out on your character's side, you can never know exactly what's going to happen for sure. This is part of what makes it really fun, but also really nerve-wracking if your careful creation is in a situation where they may be permanently broken or killed. Some people love the thrill, and some people don't. Some people like to keep the status quo, and some people like to shake up their character's life every other week. Neither one is wrong!
I think one of the most important things to think about when considering putting forward a big change is how you/your character is going to handle it. I don't just mean on a psychological basis, though that helps, too, but major landmarks in a character's life are usually great catalysts for doing something new. A character who loses something important to a villain, whether it's a limb or a loved one, might change their entire course in life for the sake of enacting revenge, or maybe it will throw them into a depression that opens up a door for a dark entity into their minds. A craftsman who loses a hand will be out of a job and might have to find other ways to support themselves, or be forced onto the street, and find new adventures that way. Someone who's driven insane by a terrible assault on their mind might have other, hidden depths of their character churned up.
Roleplay is about writing with other people--it's a social thing. Don't be afraid to capitalize on your OOC friends for support, and definitely have your character rely on IC friends to get through a hardship. It will bring them closer together and might lead to even more interesting stories based on how the other characters try to cope with the change. It will also give it more impact and coherency when it affects other people.
Also, don't be afraid to have a plan. Don't see your character's big loss as a loss; look at it as a stepping stone to a new part of the story. Figure out how you're going to handle the damage as early as you can and get yourself hyped for the new studies and explorations that would be locked off if it had never happened.
All that said, the most important thing is to make sure that the story keeps flowing, and that you don't feel miserable as it does. It's always alright to feel sad when something bad happens to a character, and that's part of what makes the sweet parts of the story sweeter--but if you think it might make you feel grim and bitter instead, don't go through with it. Never go through with anything you're not alright with just because you think it will make a more logical story. You might have a more logical story, but you'll be unhappy with it anyway in the end, and no amount of logic in the world can fix a story that's gone sour.
I haven't personally gone through this in a long time, but maybe I can help anyway with speculation?
Look at your character, and the situation, and then instead of looking at it as you baby look at it as a reader. If the rp were a book, and that character your favorite character, would it make sense for him/her to end up going through that situation? Or would it feel like overkill and be annoying to read?
Another way of looking at it is - why not give it a try? This character is yours after all, and if you don't like the direction putting them through that damage takes them you can always write it off as an alternate universe. Or, the trials that character is going through could be a chance for growth later on.
Just my thoughts on the topic.
Look at your character, and the situation, and then instead of looking at it as you baby look at it as a reader. If the rp were a book, and that character your favorite character, would it make sense for him/her to end up going through that situation? Or would it feel like overkill and be annoying to read?
Another way of looking at it is - why not give it a try? This character is yours after all, and if you don't like the direction putting them through that damage takes them you can always write it off as an alternate universe. Or, the trials that character is going through could be a chance for growth later on.
Just my thoughts on the topic.
It really wasn't. Panne has gone through a lot that left lasting dents, both physical and mental. Her back is permanently and horrifically scarred from a bad whipping, (gory details here) her tentacles were roasted alive and eaten while she was conscious to witness and feel it happening and it changed her personality by 180 degrees after she came out alive. She's the opposite of who she used to be - outgoing, brash, confident, lively, curious - and has become a meek, shy, withdrawn person who prefers to stick to what she knows with a permanent phobia for birds that makes any relationship with any avian-like furre or human extremely difficult. Just the thrill of having a character develop and change so drastically is so worth it.
Her rehabilitation is perfect plot fodder and she can still change to be someone else entirely if the story takes her there. She can be confident again, but it will be with baggage, and she will never be who she once was. And that's exciting and interesting because she feels incredibly dynamic.
Her rehabilitation is perfect plot fodder and she can still change to be someone else entirely if the story takes her there. She can be confident again, but it will be with baggage, and she will never be who she once was. And that's exciting and interesting because she feels incredibly dynamic.
... wow, dang! Y'all's responses actually lifted a humongous weight from my shoulders and is already steering my worries back on a proper, calm path. 
Thank you! I can't quite separate myself as a reader to try to look at it, as Luulu suggested (I've certainly tried!), but in the very least I can try to put a positive outlook on it and how it affects the future--which is always fun speculation and play--or put the kebash on it if I know it'll make me miserable...
...which is a matter in RP I am unfortunately very experienced in! >< I need to stop doing that to myself, hah!
Thank you! I can't quite separate myself as a reader to try to look at it, as Luulu suggested (I've certainly tried!), but in the very least I can try to put a positive outlook on it and how it affects the future--which is always fun speculation and play--or put the kebash on it if I know it'll make me miserable......which is a matter in RP I am unfortunately very experienced in! >< I need to stop doing that to myself, hah!
If you have any details about the character and/or the potentially catastrophic event on the horizon that you would like to share, I'd be happy to help you brainstorm! (You know how to reach me!)
As someone who shies away from killing off characters (no surprise looking at my character list 
) I tend to make anything that happens to my characters happen for always (as in no AUs) so I think really carefully about doing anything super bad. If you really think you're just going to be upset/sad playing the character after that, I'd say don't do it, even if you think that's what 'should' happen.
I'm actually pretty good with brainstorming out of difficult situations, so if you'd like an outsiders perspective you can PM me if you'd like
) I tend to make anything that happens to my characters happen for always (as in no AUs) so I think really carefully about doing anything super bad. If you really think you're just going to be upset/sad playing the character after that, I'd say don't do it, even if you think that's what 'should' happen.I'm actually pretty good with brainstorming out of difficult situations, so if you'd like an outsiders perspective you can PM me if you'd like
Thank you for the generous offer, but I think I've settled my weird fit of panic and worry over this down again! I will certainly take that advice to heart though, Lokikins!
Panne wrote:
It really wasn't. Panna has gone through a lot that left lasting dents, both physical and mental. Her back is permanently and horrifically scarred from a bad whipping, (gory details here) her tentacles were roasted alive and eaten while she was conscious to witness and feel it happening and it changed her personality by 180 degrees after she came out alive. She's the opposite of who she used to be - outgoing, brash, confident, lively, curious - and has become a meek, shy, withdrawn person who prefers to stick to what she knows with a permanent phobia for birds that makes any relationship with any avian-like furre or human extremely difficult. Just the thrill of having a character develop and change so drastically is so worth it.
Her rehabilitation is perfect plot fodder and she can still change to be someone else entirely if the story takes her there. She can be confident again, but it will be with baggage, and she will never be who she once was. And that's exciting and interesting because she feels incredibly dynamic.
Her rehabilitation is perfect plot fodder and she can still change to be someone else entirely if the story takes her there. She can be confident again, but it will be with baggage, and she will never be who she once was. And that's exciting and interesting because she feels incredibly dynamic.
I remember the incident with Panne; it is really one of the most horrifying things I have heard of happen to anyone's character on Furc. I felt physically ill when Arm Pit recalled the event to me and explained his character's missing eye. I always wondered what became of your character after that, and I am so impressed to find she wasn't some throwaway you wouldn't care about mutilating. Your dedication to your character's progression, permanence and development is wonderful!
I have to agree with the previously mentioned "look at the story". Partly, is this a necessity? Does it make sense.... but additionally I tend to also look at the question of if it is also fair to avoid it. Its kind of like if you ever read Misery by Stephen King. There is a major plot issue when the fictional author in the story has to bring a main character back... after having had her killed off in a previous book. And his first attempt was made rather halfheartedly.... and in turn met with a rather scathing critique by his biggest fan for it "not being fair to the readers."
I'm not saying that you're forced into doing anything you don't want to do, especially as its your character and your story, but I feel a story worth telling should be told well.
As far as permanently altering your character, I can agree that they can be like your children. But in life, we cannot protect our children from everything. They can break bones. They can lose fingers. They can get horribly disfigured in a house fire. And these are the things that can teach them, define them, and shape them... it can make them a lot more interesting.
But that's just my thoughts...
I'm not saying that you're forced into doing anything you don't want to do, especially as its your character and your story, but I feel a story worth telling should be told well.
As far as permanently altering your character, I can agree that they can be like your children. But in life, we cannot protect our children from everything. They can break bones. They can lose fingers. They can get horribly disfigured in a house fire. And these are the things that can teach them, define them, and shape them... it can make them a lot more interesting.
But that's just my thoughts...
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