Dragon Quest IX and Monsters

The post that I was trying to get you to change earlier... In light of the newly exposed details, could I ask you again, in a calmer and more patient way, to consider changing it?

My end of this bargain being that my post too will change to something far less harsh than it is now.

Doesn't that sound like a fair compromise?

How am I being harsh? She views being told repeatedly to sleep inside as harassment when she has told both people who have been dogging her that she does not sleep inside.

Let's take a closer look at your post then, shall we?

First off... Patty did not tell Ileana that she absolutely had to sleep indoors. Best I understand it, Patty OFFERED her a comfy room with a warm, soft bed if she wanted it.

Secondly, I don't see how Patty deserved to be treated that way after bringing out Ileana's food and an apologetic drink. Can you explain that one to me?

Third, how is being winked at and being blown a kiss a sign of dismissal? I seriously am having an impossible time understanding that reasoning. It makes absolutely no sense at all.

Fine, "Sevio" I'll f*cking change the f*cking post. What do you want me to f*cking write since my character is just the biggest f*cking dumb *ss b*tch ever?

Maleficent. I highly suggest that you calm down. He's just giving you a compromise here so we can move on. If you don't want to take it, you don't have to. He has not called you yourself any names or cursed at you, so I would tone down the volume just a bit.

There's really no need to get upset over a misunderstanding between characters. I could be wrong, but this is kinda mixing IC and OOC to go on like this.

<Since you apparently think "adamant" means something horrible!

Yeah her smile had faltered.
She spoke while picking up her pet and she hugged him against her. She sighed and felt like Patty was just dismissing her.

She offered the bed after Ileana had said three times already, once straight to Patty, that she DOES NOT SLEEP INDOORS! Ileana doesn't treat the poor little inn owner in a bad way. She sighed, felt like patty had dismissed her because patty walked away from her while Ileana was trying to talk to her and decided it wasn't worth the headache to keep telling people she does not sleep in beds and went towards the door. She did not storm. She did not cuss. She did not say or act like she was insulting anyone. She got up calmly, picked up her pet and started walking towards a door.

Tell me what you want my character to do and I'll change the post, Sevio.

Is this the post you mean, Maleficent? If so, then from what I'm reading, she's not forcing Ileana to do anything. Ileana doesn't have to sleep outside, but she can if she wants to, and she's free to do as she likes otherwise. It is a simple offer than any hotel or tavern would make to a guest. If Ileana doesn't accept it, then that's fine, she can sleep outside with no harm done. But that's no reason to assume that Patty is forcing the offer down her throat. Any hotel servant does this to ensure guests are welcomed, nothing more.

If that's not the post you meant, then please point out the correct post and tell me the issue with it. Because I really want to see what you find issue with in Sevio's posts aside from the most recent one.

But I must request a time out here. It's 2 in the morning where I am, and I have a few things to do tomorrow. I'd like to sleep if that's alright. Maybe I can see more of what you're talking about when I'm well-rested, Maleficent. Until then, I wish you and Sevio a goodnight.

You know, I could just be a jerk about it and excersize the moderator powers I've got over the group, because I have access to my own edit button on every last post up to this point. But I want to be nice and play fair and give everyone a chance to avoid drama and conflict.

But yes, I agree fully with Michael. I'm trying to be calm and compromise for a solution. But this does not have to be the case. If you'd rather nothing change and the events just get overlooked and have the RP continue as it is, then it can still be salvaged by later posts.

I'm excited to get to play my own original character rather than continuing as The Questers Rest girls. Honestly I'm struggling to keep their personalities cannon, and I do not like playing already made characters.

But as the only one in the group with any long term experience with the game itself, it's another set of NPC roles I feel obligated to play for the sake of the group.

*raises hand* Hey, uhm... There's no need to be a so-called jerk about this, Sevio. I mean, I want to halfway understand where she's coming from, but I can also tell you're a bit stressed by all this as well. No need to pull the moderator card just yet, I'm sure we can still work this out somehow. No harm meant by saying that, promise.

However, she has messaged me personally, and has stated after a long talk that she still doesn't see anything wrong with her post. I can somewhat (?) understand why she would say that, but the fact remains that all of this, including going so far as to contact me one on one, was still unwarranted and could've been talked out in a group context.

In my opinion, I can see where both of you have stepped bounds: Sevio in not being clearer in his actions, and Ileana for assuming said actions were a mere dismissal. Sevio has stated that he needs to work on that flaw, so that's a sign that he's willing to work this out. I'm not sure about Ileana however, as she's not here. All we can do is wait for her word until then.

But to be honest with you both, I need to take a break from this. This is getting way too stressful for me, and I need to focus on myself for a bit. Besides, this is honestly between you and Ileana, Sevio. I can't put my two cents in other than give my honest take on things.

I'm still in the RP and I still want to keep this going, but I'd rather wait until things get settled down between you two before I come back. If any more issues happen that seems unfounded, I'll put in an unbiased opinion whenever I can. But for now, I need a break.

So... What's it gonna be, Maleficant?

I'm all ears for whatever course of action you wish to take.

How many more times do I have to tell you, Sevio, that I'm waiting on you to tell me what to post. Type it out for me and I'll copy paste what my character's post is to be and this will be done with.

K. I'll get to work on all of it come morning then. For right now, Im gonna head to bed. It's 20 after 11 for me and I'm about to have something really good happen.

You can look forward to being informed of the changes sometime tomorrow. Talk to you then, ok?

And... Thank you.

What are you thanking me for?

For giving me permission to edit your post for you and fix my own. If you have any shred of trust for me, then please apply it here. My changes to the story will be subtle, peaceful, and fair. I give you my word on that.

I want to scream at you but I know that Michael and you just want me to shut up at this point and not tell you that you did all this because I properly used the word adamantly and you didn't know what it meant!

My character wouldn't have blushed. She DOES NOT feel like she made her point. She still feels like people are ignoring her wishes that she not be asked to sleep indoors. I feel like you are just writing her how you want her to be and not how she actually is.

From now on Sevio, I'll just post a blank space and you can play Ileana since you apparently know my character better than I do. I mean I did create her for you anyways so it's all good.

And yeah I know this is going to make you both mad at me but I don't think you guys really realize how bullied into all of this I am feeling right now because of how he changed my post. I'm going to go to work now.

You do know that no both Michael and I have to change our posts as well to account for your changes to Ileana's post, right?

No, DUH!!!

I realize completely that both of you will have to change your posts to accomodate for the changes. I honestly don't see that as a problem.

But I'm going to warn Maleficant right now, that if she stops trying to participate in the RP as a fair member and team player, she's out of the group. As of her last comment I'm declaring right now that if a blank space is posted, my filler for it will be her leaving the RP and by extention, she will be kicked out of the group.

I've apologized to her, gave her my best possible wishes, and tried my absolute best to fix her post so the RP can continue peacefully and still meet the standards of how her character is being portreyed.

ONLY FOR HER TO TURN AROUND AND CUT INTO ME WITH THIS BLOOD STAINED CARVING KNIFE YET AGAIN!!!!!

My nerves are shot. If Maleficant takes another stab at me, SHES OUT OF THE GROUP!! And thats the end of it!!

So you feel bullied because of a simple compromise. Maleficent, I don't think you understand how your actions are also affecting Sevio and myself. I have been on edge for the past few days, haven't slept much, haven't eaten anything aside from one meal, all just to solve this and hopefully get along.

But you continue to be, as you use the word, adamant about keeping this up, just so you don't have to change your post. It seems to me, that if you want the post where Ileana was leaving to remain the same, then you may well want to hint at leaving in the first place. I could be wrong, and you may have had something different planned, but that still doesn't excuse your behavior in all of this.

If you feel like I hate you because I requested that I remain professional and transparent with you and not have you PM me anymore because I don't feel comfortable talking about this with you by myself, then that's fine. I cannot change your emotions and make you feel any better about this, and you have your right to be upset at us. Just like I have a right to be upset as well because I just want to RP and get along with you enough to let you back in so we can talk one on one again. It's heartbreaking to me that you feel like I hate you so, and you don't even know who I am.

This has gone on for three days, Maleficent. If you work at a job (and I'm not saying you aren't), then you should realize that time is money, and time is opportunity. Wasted time is wasted opportunity. By dragging this along and keeping this up, we have all wasted an opportunity to make this a fantastic story.

Sevio is in every right to be upset. He is the moderator of the group, as well as the dungeon. If we don't understand his words, we have to ask him to clarify. If we deviate from the path without asking first, then we have to fix it. You can't change that. That's for all moderators and dungeon masters when they have a story to tell. From what I can understand of the story so far, we're all supposed to sign up with Patty and wait for Sevio to come down. Patty then sets us up as a party so we can go on an adventure. How can she do that when one of the main characters (Ileana) has just decided to walk off stage to be by herself? That's not possible. It's clear you see her words as hurtful; I see them as anything but. It's something any hotel staff would say. And as my boyfriend in the food industry has stated himself, you don't just walk away when you're served food. Patty, as a food worker and waitress, has a right to be upset that your character left: she served your character food, and Ileana walked away and left it there. Even if she planned to go back and get it, that's still rude. That's denying hospitality and again wastes time. It wastes Patty's time because she may have made the food herself (and that's not including the time it took to bring it out to her), and it wastes Ileana's time because she didn't have to order and wait there just to walk out because she was miffed at a misunderstanding.

I understand writing on the seat of your pants and taking a character's words as something else. Hell, that makes for good drama! But this shouldn't be all drama. This should be adventure. In effect, if you keep your said post up, you will have also affected Sevio's and Micheal's viewpoints into thinking that Ileana may be/is a loner and unfriendly by trying to walk out. Which is the opposite of the one word you wrote in her personality. If that's what you were going for, then write in her personality that she's easily upset and may come off as unfriendly once it happens.

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This is me nitpicking now, and I'll admit that up front. I've had a problem with Ileana's one word personality since we started, but didn't point it out because I believed you were a writer who could keep up the atmosphere of that one word. But to just say your character is "friendly..." Doesn't say enough about her personality as a whole. Anyone can be friendly, or can come off as friendly. Even a villain can have "friendly" as a personality trait if it suits him to do so. But what else is there to her? Is she cheerful? Does she do kind acts? Is she charitable? Or is the friendliness a facade? Does she only act friendly to those who are superior to her? Inferior to her? Who treats her nicely? Who gives her gifts? Is she sneaky? Manipulative? Has a bad temper? What is she other than "friendly?" "Friendly" is a catch all word for someone who likes to make friends. But for what reasons? To be loved? To have minions under her? So she doesn't feel alone?

What I'm saying is, just having one word there and nothing else grants the author of a character permission to shift behaviors, attitudes, and personality at anytime they wish, while still encompassing the meaning of that one word. Which unnerves me. That means you can make Ileana act and behave how you want her to and shift her personality to fit the situation, as long as the meaning of the word "friendly" is properly captured somewhere down the line. She can be antisocial and separate from everyone else, starting her own adventure by herself... While still being friendly to any NPC she meets other than the main characters. She can then go on a murder spree, gleefully laughing all the way because someone pissed her off... And be friendly afterwards. After she gains a reputation as a psychotic person, she can change her personality again to try and sway others that she's a good guy, etc. These are just examples: I am not saying in anyway that your character is any of these things.

One thing in particular: she was friendly and child-like at first (codified as singing happily and being excited around Davey while pointing at his scars and asking curious questions), but then she took to a noble and serious tone and way of talking when Davey tried to hit on her and became upset/displeased because she assumed she was being ignored by Patty and forced to sleep indoors. You would not have changed her behavior so suddenly if Sevio didn't tell you that was his plan in order to get Patty over there and set things right.

You used OOC information to change Ileana's IC reactions from someone who thought Davey was friendly and nice, to someone who tells him in layman's terms to leave her be because she doesn't feel comfortable. That is technically (if not basically) metagaming. If Sevio hadn't answered your question, there's a good chance you would not have changed your character's reactions to Davey so suddenly. I could be wrong, but that's one reason I don't like one word personality characters much: they give permission to metagame by changing someone's reaction to things based on any OOC knowledge, then treating it as hidden parts of their personality they forgot to mention in their profile. But I digress. So she's friendly, but upsets easily when told to do something that's against her wishes, even if it's a suggestion. Why? Did something happen to her when she was young? And what's with the proper way of talking all of a sudden? We don't know. She doesn't have a history.

This is not just you I have a problem with in terms of personality traits. I can't play with anyone, anyone, who doesn't have a developed personality or history. It even says so in my profile:
You can claim that Ileana technically has a personality... But she doesn't have a history to show why that personality is in play. And even then, I don't count one word personalities as a complete personality. There has to be more to her than that! ...She just... Needs a bit more depth to her, that's all. Otherwise, I like her fine.

To clarify: I am not calling your character a bitch. I am not calling your character stupid. I am not insulting your character. Like I said, I like your character. She has a lot of potential to be something great if you want to. I am only giving constructive criticism based on what I've seen. You have the choice to take said criticism or not accept it and do as you want. I am not forcing you to do anything you don't want to. If you take my nitpicking as me forcing you to do anything, then I have nothing else to say except... You need to chill. It's just a suggestion, and you don't have to take it. Read my words and move on, if that is your choice.

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In fact, all of us need to chill after this. Sevio needs to chill, you need to chill, I need to chill. We all need to chill and RP! That's what we're here for! To RP and have fun!

...But you're not having fun. You have basically forced yourself into a situation where it is not possible for you to have fun. You didn't have to take Sevio's offer based on your history. You didn't have to feel like you were "walking on eggshells" with him as you stepped into the group. Just like you say that Sevio has a history of things that he's done, there's apparently also a history of you starting things like this too. You chose, despite the history between the both of you being there, to come and join our RP instead of moving on to something better. Sevio chose to hear you out instead of declining you. Even after you claimed that he "threatened you" privately, you chose to join the group anyway instead of doing something else. Sevio chose to hit the accept button and let you in, knowing something like this might happen. All of this has been based on your's and Sevio's choices. You set yourself up for this, knowing you two don't get along. And Sevio set himself up by accepting you, with that same knowledge. You claim you want to make this work and be friends with him again, Maleficent, but... I see nothing that points to that. You have been nothing but argumentative to him and to me since Davey's posts. Sevio has been a decent moderator in trying to resolve the situation. Yes, he put his emotions into it at times and comes off the wrong way, but that's because he's only human. He has tried giving you another chance for three. Days. Straight.

If it were me, I would've kicked you out immediately after you began showing signs of starting something. I can't take this prolonged drama. I've seen it from one other person who used to be my friend, and I don't need to see it from you. Maybe that's why I'm a little harsher to you than I should be (and I wholeheartedly apologize for it). I see the bad and worst parts of my ex-friend in you: Argumentative, passive-agressive, drama-filled and negative about everything with little to no positives mentioned at all, she ditches and delays everyone IC and OOC if something doesn't go her way, puts words into people's mouths, twists words around and gives arbitrary evidence to fit her favor, sees rational logic/facts given to her and/or talking to her like a rational adult as "starting drama" or "them misunderstanding or not reading her clearly and they need to see it differently," guilt trips everyone into believing her or feeling bad for her, saying she's a horrible and bad person and it's all her fault to those who don't agree with her to gain some pity and sympathy, and painting everyone who doesn't think her and her characters are the best and nicest things ever as horrible and bad people that deserve to be ostracized, even those she claims to be friends with. You even told me the bad parts about Sevio behind his back to me while claiming you see him as your little brother and you're looking out for him, just like she did to my current boyfriend to get him to turn down my confession (which she also talked me into confessing to him when I just wanted to remain friends, as an attempt to set me up for failure).

And the worst part? All of this, and she says that none of what she pulls is her fault in any way and she doesn't need to change anything, just like you did. You've shown all sides of this, and I'm sick of it. I tried giving you the benefit of the doubt, and I'm willing to continue doing so. ...But I don't trust you. I'm not saying I don't like you. There is a difference. Even my ex-friend had her good points: she was creative, prolific in her art and writing, kind, and humorous when she was in a good mood. You seem kind and friendly enough too when you wish to be, and I've seen it here in chat. It's everything else that leaves me unwilling to trust you. I can like a person and not trust them. Trust doesn't have to be there for me to like them and what they do just fine.

I don't hate you. Sevio doesn't hate you. Stop putting words in our mouths and assuming things. We can find fault with you and what you're doing and still like you. We just want to get along. Sevio accepted you, hoping to patch things up. He has found fault in his own flaws and has noted that they need to be worked on. What have you done? Nothing but claim you're trying to help, and then doing everything but that.

All of this is criticism. You can take it or leave it. You can take my criticism and use it in a constructive manner, or you can think I'm antagonizing you and not see anything wrong with any of your actions. But this has to end, here and now. This isn't even about the post anymore, at least to me it isn't. You need to learn to respect other's opinions and wishes, and take compromise to heart. Sevio need to learn patience and keeping some of his emotions under control, and maybe, maybe, not be so strict on how characters should feel? Ileana's action wasn't warrented because it prolongs everyone meeting up and starting our journey, but I think she has the right to feel what she likes. Even if she assumes things that may not be what they seem. (That's another character trait that could be possible!) And that's if it "crops up again." I could be wrong. I half see it, but I see more of how you're reacting to it, and that's what I find fault with more than Sevio and his faults. This compromise was all so we can move on, not because he wants to dictate your actions. After the changes to your post and my own changes to my post, you can do whatever you like. You and Ileana can feel as you like.

But you're seeing this and my reactions to this as bullying. And my vague guess is that you'll see everything that I just said as bullying as well. Even if I point out Sevio's faults, even if I point out my own faults (such as claiming I could also be incorrect about any of this, or noting that I have put some of my emotions into it), it's all about you and how you feel. Not how I feel about this argument happening. Not how Sevio feels about arguing with someone he cares about, enough to have to try and talk with you about this situation over and over again until this point. Not how anyone else may feel about this. It always comes back to you, how you feel, and what you think. You haven't said once that you have considered Sevio's or my feelings. And I have considered yours in every way that I can. But now? I need to stop stressing about what you think of me; you are a stranger to me, and it doesn't matter much in the long run. I'm just gonna be blunt about this because my patience is wearing thin. It needs to be said, just to get it out there. I'm sorry, I really am, but...

Stop this nonsense. Please. You're acting too childish and stubborn about this, and it needs to end. You are twenty-nine years old. You are not in high school. This is not a popularity contest. You are an adult with obligations. Act like it.

That's all I have to say. My apologies.