Monster Hearts

[Moonscar]

1. Who do you hang around with? What would you describe your 'clique' as? Jocks, geeks, goths? Or do you not fit in anywhere? What PCs and NPCs are your friends?

"The drama clique, if it wasn't obvious enough already. Scenes in the halls, hanging out in the auditorium at lunch, we're loud, we're lively. What's not to love?"

2. Homeroom. Who do you sit with? Feel free to pick PCs, but check with the other player first. This is high school, remember, where you sit is important. Not just anyone can sit next to Cynthia Ward.

"Nathan. I dunno. Somethin' about that kid."

3. What classes do you take? You don't need a comprehensive list, just give me highlights - subjects your characters enjoy the most, or hate the most. Everyone takes english, history, math, gym, and at least one science.

"You have to ask? Drama! All that encompasses my soul! And creative writing. Art. Anything that gives me free creative outlet."

[ViceVersus]

Hi Sam! I have the answers to some of your questions all ready to go, but the homeroom question threw me off. Can we chat with other players here, or are you still reserving this space for orderly plot things?

If there's any PCs or NPCs that are any sort of timid/shy, or wouldn't handle the social mutant that Wade is, that could be an interesting seating arrangement. I'm also still looking for someone to be Wade's love interest. That is, someone who completely is not interested in the weird, pale, sticky rich kid.

I wondered if Rhapsody might be a good choice for Wade's obsession. Her being a Fae and the fact that Wade lies constantly and wheedles his way into and out of arrangements would make a really, uh, striking contrast between the two.

Just wanted to start to get my feelers out there!

Here's my answers to the rest of the questions, though.

1. Who do you hang around with? What would you describe your 'clique' as? Jocks, geeks, goths? Or do you not fit in anywhere? What PCs and NPCs are your friends?

Among the beautiful and athletic popular crowd, a boil festers. That boil is Wade Shug. The hottest parties in Roseville are held at his house, a sprawling affair fitted to the teeth for the craziest weekends imaginable -- everyone wants to be there. To get in, however, you need to be invited. And to be invited, well, in the slimy words of "Shug the Slug" himself: "You don't get something for nothing."

Wade does not discriminate against those who may be needing his services, resulting in a near-constant bustle of activity around him. While there are those who are disgusted by his obvious plying for attention through material means, Wade's "clientele" range from the stuck-up popular girls wanting to hide the fact that they can't afford their designer clothes, the computer nerds looking for the latest processing gear on the cheap, or female neckbeards wanting to score an advance copy of the latest teen novel craze.

3. What classes do you take? You don't need a comprehensive list, just give me highlights - subjects your characters enjoy the most, or hate the most. Everyone takes english, history, math, gym, and at least one science.

Wade is a bit of a history buff. He enjoys learning about conquests and the rise and fall of empires.

I can also see him really liking biology. Dissecting pigs, frogs, or potentially causing any sort of animal harm (even if it's already dead) would really appeal to him. And he could be a little too interested in the human anatomy.

Thanks again!

EDIT: I realize now I forgot to write it in 1st person! I'll rewrite it tomorrow!

[Script]

As far as NPCs go who would find it really difficult to handle Wade: Adrian, Jake, and Hiro come to mind. Adrian's the soft-spoken, nice-to-everyone drama kid who's incredibly easy to pick on but never holds a grudge. That could be an interesting contrast in a different way, in that he's likely not got all that much he wants out of Wade, so Wade'll find it hard to pull his usual game on him.

Jake and Hiro are both socially awkward nerds who would be completely intimidated by him.

Those are just my NPC ideas, though! PCs may yet step up. Alacyn comes to mind as a potentially good choice if Cota was up for it.

Also, go ahead and use this thread for anything related to the RP! Once it starts up, the orderly question stuff will die down and we'll be using the thread mostly for discussion/gossip anyway.


OH, and I have one more question, this time for players.

Would you all be interested in the usage of dice in the RP? Adding an element of unpredictability and 'loss of control' for certain things - be it violence, manipulation, seduction or using supernatural powers? The way this would work is that whenever you guys would try something like that, I might say "roll two dice, if you get this number or higher, it goes according to plan, otherwise I'll throw a curve-ball at you".

The curve-ball might be that your character gets injured, or someone throws what you were trying to say/do back in your face, or you embarrass yourself. Equally, this would mean that sometimes you don't get to say whether your character is shut down, turned on, or hurt.

The practicality issues with this lie in the fact that it holds up scenes, as posts have to be broken up between 'attempts', then a dice result acquired and THEN the outcome being posted. I'm not sure how feasible it is. What are you guys' thoughts?

[Cota]

@ViceVersus I think Alacyn would be a great seating partner for Wade, and doubly so if she's the girl he's into. It would make a lot of sense as well. I mean, he could have practically anyone he wants, but she's one of the few people who wants nothing to do with anyone, let alone him. It's only natural to want what you can't have. If that sounds good to you, just let me know. :D

1. Who do you hang around with? What would you describe your 'clique' as? Jocks, geeks, goths? Or do you not fit in anywhere? What PCs and NPCs are your friends? If I can help it, I don't hang out with anyone, but when it can't be avoided, I'm welcome among the nerds, geeks, and weird kids. I hardly talk to them, other than Lily who always wants to talk to me. The rest of them don't seem to mind. I guess they have a soft spot for someone who isn't welcome anywhere else.

2. Homeroom. Who do you sit with? Feel free to pick PCs, but check with the other player first. This is high school, remember, where you sit is important. Not just anyone can sit next to Cynthia Ward. I try and always find a place in the back of the room, so I sit with whoever else follows suit. It's great, because I can see the whole room, especially Luca, and few people can see me.

3. What classes do you take? You don't need a comprehensive list, just give me highlights - subjects your characters enjoy the most, or hate the most. Everyone takes english, history, math, gym, and at least one science.
Biology, anatomy, human development, etc. Dr. Bradley says that I should familiarize myself with the way the human body operates. Loathe as I am to say it, I don't disagree.

5. Who's the person who knows what you are? Do they hold it over you as blackmail, or do they have their own dark secret they've shared? (you can wait to answer this till all the PCs are submitted if you want this to be a player character, in which case you should talk to them to work it out) Putting off for the moment, until the roster is full. Lily Edwards. God, it was a stupid mistake. I should have waited until the end of the day, until I could get back home, but I just couldn't. The thirst was too strong. I went to the bathroom and drained a blood bag. When I went to wash up, thinking no one was there, she walked right in on me, blood dribbling down my chin and fangs protruding as long as ever. I tried to convince her that she was just seeing things, and I even tried out my charms, but it wouldn't work. She was too stubborn. I made her swear to not tell anyone, although no one would believe her even if she did, but now I can't get her to leave me alone.


@Script I don't think a dice system is entirely feasible for this format of roleplay. Mainly because of the amount of time and coordination it would take to deal with die-rolling events, but also because of the temptation to fudge the die rolls. It would be less of an element of randomness and more of a, "you have to lie to me if you want your character to succeed." I'm certainly not accusing anyone of being that type of player, but the temptation and the means are both there. It might just be wiser to remove that temptation all together. On the other hand, I think it would be better if you as the gm rolled the dice for those certain actions. That would save time, and still have an element of unpredictability to our actions. And sure, you'd be tempted to fudge the rolls too, but that's okay, because when the DM does it, it's usually more fun!

[ViceVersus]

@Cota, I'm talking with Gentlemiss about possibly developing another character for Wade to cast his pearls to, but I like your notes on Alacyn and I think having them interact and be seated near each other would be good. I'll keep you posted on what's going on there.

@Script Yeah, pretty much anyone who doesn't fit into Wade's cookie-cutter understanding of "people want something, I will give them something" would be confusing to him. I've also never been a fan of involving dice with text-based roleplay. I prefer my dice only with my tabletop RP, but that's just my opinion. :o

[Architect]

1. Being a ghost makes it so easy to sneak around places you shouldn't. Do you make a habit of peeking where you shouldn't, listening in to things that aren't your business, and being an unseen voyeur?

A: What ghost wouldn't? There are no secrets, no hidden places, no space for you to whisper without my knowing. I'm fully aware it's an invasion of privacy and morally ambiguous. I'm looking for a killer, my killer. It's a necessary evil. I'm not a prick about it though. In most situations I ignore what I find, but I don't forget.

2. Lisa's last boyfriend broke up with her seemingly out of the blue, looking terrified. Were you behind that?

A: Heh heh heh...Never did like that guy. Could tell he was a scumnbag from just looking at him. I found out he was cheating, thankfully before Lisa had gone too far with him. Let's just say he got cuaght with his pants down on the wrong end of a hot fire poker.

3. Someone once saw you halfway through a wall, and knows what you are. Who?

A: Ah that. I'm not sure if that Melanie chick bought my whole: "This isn't reality." bit. But I mean, why should I be worried? The odds of people believing a ghost story is real is pretty low, and it's not like she has nay proof. Besides, she has a rep for not being the brightest in school.
But if she does think about talking, I got ways of keeping people in line.

4. Who's the one who makes your heart feel like it's beating again?

A: Ha...Honestly I don't know. I feel a little warmer around my family, but it's more like...sitting around smoldering coals rather than a roaring fire. I don't really have time to think about people that way, not anymore. I used to, I had a girlfriend once, freshman year. It was pretty nice. But I don't even know if I'll be here tomorrow, I don't know if I'm gonna disappear in another minute. I have to stay focused on what I have to do.

I'm dead...I do wish I could change that...but I haven't come across anything that tells me I can.

But, If I had to pick someone...I guess Annie Barnes? I like to glance at her during lunch, sometimes she says things that remind me of my mom. I can't say if it's a good or bad thing, but it's nostalgic. It helps she's not an airhead.

5. How did your parents' car crash affect your relationships with your siblings? Who was involved in the crash? Is there anyone you blame?

A: It's hard to bear a grudge against dead people. Yes I'm aware of the irony behind my saying that, but as I said before, I just don't have the time to waste blaming people and thinking about things I can't change. Mom and Dad are gone, I'm gone. I've got to look after my family while I can.
If I had to pick, I'd say it hit Lisa the hardest, I'd say she changed the day of the funeral. She's not a bad kid persay...but she's not the same. The dance recitals, the piano lessons, they all stopped. Now it's parties and bonfires...tattoos and boys...I worry sometimes. But Cousin Kelley keeps a good eye on her when I'm not able to.

[CelticCat]

VV, I'm up for it if that's what you'd decide. Rhaps is drawn to him right now, but she'd get pretty fed up with him quickly with the way he acts.

Scrip, sounds fun the way you described! I'd be happy to randomize things.

1. Who do you hang around with? What would you describe your 'clique' as? Jocks, geeks, goths? Or do you not fit in anywhere? What PCs and NPCs are your friends?

Hard to say, I sort of drift between the different groups. I have to keep track of a lot of people and keep up friendships regardless of silly clique boundaries. It's tricky, but I'm pretty good at managing. Kayin's a good friend and Annie's a good contrast to him when I need some quiet. I try to stay on friendly terms with as many people as possible, though.

2. Homeroom. Who do you sit with? Feel free to pick PCs, but check with the other player first. This is high school, remember, where you sit is important. Not just anyone can sit next to Cynthia Ward.

I sit near Aisha and Carissa during homeroom. They're a little, um...aggressive, but it's nice to talk about sports accomplishments with them.

3. What classes do you take? You don't need a comprehensive list, just give me highlights - subjects your characters enjoy the most, or hate the most. Everyone takes english, history, math, gym, and at least one science.

Choir's pretty fun. People used to tell me I had a pretty voice, and it's good to have a class I fell like I can do really well in. I also love the swim team, it's where I'm the most in my element, I guess. Academic classes really aren't my thing, though. Math is the absolute worst.

[Architect]

1. Who do you hang around with? What would you describe your 'clique' as? Jocks, geeks, goths? Or do you not fit in anywhere? What PCs and NPCs are your friends?

Friends. Yeah I guess I had a few friendly acquaintances. I would eat lunch with the nerdy kids, just kind of enjoyed their company while I ate. Occasionally I'd get involved in the conversation. I'd talk about sports and bikes with Dave Spinelli in the locker room before gym. He likes to ask about my bike, and joke about how my favorite football team always chokes.

Honestly it's not like I fit in nowhere, but rather I fit in everywhere, at least, to a degree. (With the exception of those really popular girls. I try to avoid em.) It's easy for me to talk with someone about something, and blend in. I don't really belong there, but I am.

2. Homeroom. Who do you sit with? Feel free to pick PCs, but check with the other player first. This is high school, remember, where you sit is important. Not just anyone can sit next to Cynthia Ward.
Thank god I'm able to sit towards the back, right next to Amy Rogers. Thankfully she seems to put others off, so it's kind of like sitting next to an insect repellent. I don't find her strange though, once in a while I'll listen to her rants, and she's pretty good at helping me with history.

3. What classes do you take? You don't need a comprehensive list, just give me highlights - subjects your characters enjoy the most, or hate the most. Everyone takes English, history, math, gym, and at least one science.

I'm ok with national history, and math. I struggle a bit with chem, but at least I have literature and graphics. Those two I'm good at, and they're pretty cool, they can distract me from what I am for a bit.

[Script]

Okay guys!

I know we're still waiting on Gentlemiss for the last round of questions, but I figure we can get the ball rolling anyway. I've drawn up a 'seating chart' for homeroom, with where everyone's said they sit, leaving space for Raijin and easily editable in case anyone changes their minds. Of course, your character can sit anywhere - this isn't a chart drawn up by the teacher, just a social one, but they'll potentially be 'stealing someone's seat' if they do!

Here's the chart! Each desk seats two people, the front of the classroom is at the top and the door is at the front on the left. :)

[Script]

AND

A note on tagging:

Since there are so many goddamn NPCs, only bother tagging an NPC if they're being actively engaged in the post you're writing. That means I'll only get a notification for the NPCs being addressed rather than one for every single one in homeroom, with every post!

Also, on that note, a note on using NPCs:

I would like to be able to completely control every NPC fully so that the RPing experience is as interactive as possible. That said, they are NPCs. You don't have to be as careful as you would about assuming things that they're doing as you would be with a PC. Feel free to drop an NPC into a scene, write them walking around and doing things, or even do a small amount of dialogue. But for any extended engagement, try and let me take over. If this proves to be clunky, then we can address that issue, but for the moment the NPCs with profiles should be treated as under my control.

You can absolutely invent other NPCs to fulfill needed roles within your posts, though, even recurring ones that you have control over! I don't want to limit you guys too heavily by keeping control of the NPCs, so if you have any issues, let me know. :)

[Gentlemiss]

1. Who do you hang around with? What would you describe your 'clique' as? Jocks, geeks, goths? Or do you not fit in anywhere? What PCs and NPCs are your friends?

"Kayin is the only kid that really tolerates me, and I feel like that's only because he feels I'll tell everyone his secret if he doesn't."

2. Homeroom. Who do you sit with? Feel free to pick PCs, but check with the other player first. This is high school, remember, where you sit is important. Not just anyone can sit next to Cynthia Ward.

"I sit wherever there's an empty seat. Usually alone. Or with that Cooper chick, she seems to like the mysterious bad boy vibe I give off. At least that's what she's told me."

3. What classes do you take? You don't need a comprehensive list, just give me highlights - subjects your characters enjoy the most, or hate the most. Everyone takes english, history, math, gym, and at least one science.

"The classes that allow me to do the least amount of work, so gym. And creative writing, because for some reason I'm good at it."

[ViceVersus]

Wade in the very back row, able to survey various members of his clientele .. I like it.

[Script]

Given the lull in posting, I'm gonna post up a note here that I'm not expecting or enforcing any sort of overarching post order. If you're having a conversation between two characters, you don't need to wait for other characters present to respond if they aren't involved directly.

This means that people can have different posting speeds, and the pace will only slow down on larger group scenes with everyone directly involved - in which case there'll be more people to pester you! Hurrah.

[Script]

Hey guys!

Just a heads up, a few of you have been posting in the wrong location. The RP is currently taking place in the "Roseville High" location, whereas your posts have been coming through in the "Roseville" location, the default.

To avoid this, instead of posting direct from the activity tab, instead go to the place page for Roseville High (or wherever your characters are currently at) and write there. This isn't a big problem at this stage, but later, when characters are in different places, it'll make things difficult to follow if half the posts are in Roseville and the other posts are in their specific locations. :)

[Script]

Hey guys!

Since the homeroom scene is winding down, some of you might want to start posting in your classes. Feel free to completely improvise what class your character is going to, and which NPCs are in it - just make sure you don't say that they're in your class when someone's already stated they're in another one!

To make things work, if you want to finish off any conversations you're having in homeroom, I've created the "Room 206" location for homeroom RP. Any posts in homeroom from now on should be made there.

The rest of the school is for now, one location. People can post there for multiple classrooms, just make sure you tag the right characters so things make sense.

Thanks!