Looking for Direction - A Home

Raden

I can honestly say that my character Raden is almost a complete disaster. I've had him since the early 2000's when I was...maybe 12? He's 380 right now and I have literally no idea what I want to do or where to go. My background and history sounding like it was written by 15 year old me aside I come to the forums asking for some guidance. Everywhere I go I feel as if because of how old my character is I'm a burden. I can't find a good place to make friends again or find a home because I don't fit in. Anywhere. Or so it feels like. Maybe I'm crazy? 

People I used to talk to don't play anymore or are far past where they were when we last spoke (Leading cities, raids, wars, etc etc). Heck last time I was truly active Shallam was a city. Guilds were a thing. You get the idea. 

Any tips or helpful advice would be appreciated.

Thanks guys! 

Greys

Well if you feel you have hit a dead end with a character, there is always retiring and starting a new one. Especially if you had not played in a while. Can always roll an alt and see if it is appealing.

Raden

I honestly don't want to do that. It's a last resort sort of thing. I've dumped too much stuff into this character to easily retire him. 

Trey

My best advice would be two parts, both very simple: don't be afraid to ask for help, and don't be afraid to make changes to your character's personality or allegiances as long as they make sense to you narrative-wise. As far as the help goes, we've all been there. As long as you're patient and don't expect to be back at expert mode immediately, there are people in all factions willing to help you get back on your feet. 

As far as personality changes, I used to play Trey straight as the honorable, stalwart knight type. That was fun, and I could still see myself playing a similar role, but one day I accidentally (yes, accidentally) found myself getting elected to the houseleader position of the Merchants. Gradually I started introducing things into my roleplay that transformed the character from stalwart knight to cocky prettyboy. It was a drastic change, but the influx of wealth and influence lended credence to it making complete sense, and it really instilled a greater enjoyment of the game. Maybe you can do the same. Were you playful and carefree before? Maybe instead of just being logged out you were stranded out at sea. You've returned to find Shallam destroyed and you're sad and angered about that (You mentioned Shallam, I'm not actually sure if you were or not but this is just an example).

Liyane

I was in a similar situation when I came back; however, I hadn't spent more than 100 credits on my original character so it was easy to walk away from.

Raden

Trey said:

My best advice would be two parts, both very simple: don't be afraid to ask for help, and don't be afraid to make changes to your character's personality or allegiances as long as they make sense to you narrative-wise. As far as the help goes, we've all been there. As long as you're patient and don't expect to be back at expert mode immediately, there are people in all factions willing to help you get back on your feet. 

As far as personality changes, I used to play Trey straight as the honorable, stalwart knight type. That was fun, and I could still see myself playing a similar role, but one day I accidentally (yes, accidentally) found myself getting elected to the houseleader position of the Merchants. Gradually I started introducing things into my roleplay that transformed the character from stalwart knight to cocky prettyboy. It was a drastic change, but the influx of wealth and influence lended credence to it making complete sense, and it really instilled a greater enjoyment of the game. Maybe you can do the same. Were you playful and carefree before? Maybe instead of just being logged out you were stranded out at sea. You've returned to find Shallam destroyed and you're sad and angered about that (You mentioned Shallam, I'm not actually sure if you were or not but this is just an example).

Actually I like that idea alot. I might use that if you wouldn't mind haha. It was a surprise to find Shallam destroyed. A lot of my early days were spent around the Paladins and the Basilica. From what I remember of being in a guild after that was being a member of the Ashura in Ashtan and being kicked out after failing my Kohai exam once. That was kind of jarring. If I had to say anything it's made Raden bitter towards any sort of structure. He's more than happy to help, but he doesn't trust Houses. Frankly he doesn't KNOW them. He only knew guilds.

If that makes ANY sense.  

Trey

It does! I wouldn't necessarily discount joining an organisation, but say you used the Shallam example. Targossas doesn't require you to join a House that I'm aware of, but it would still be a community of individuals sympathetic to your plight. Raiding and fighting are options if you joined, and eventually you might warm up to one of their houses or one of the Orders. It's a lot easier to like authority when it comes from a God you've sworn to than a houseleader.

Raden

Only problem with that route is due to recent attempts at starting over, Targossas is none too pleased with me. I didn't do anything directly, but I associated myself with an enemy of the state. 

Frederich

@Raden

If you go through the shepherds program, we don't exactly care to much.  So long as you show your devotion to Aurora and Deucalion, and show a genuine interest in getting shit going, we'd be happy to have you on board.

Vesios

I was (and sort of still am) in a similar situation. Went dormant for roughly two rl years, came back and it felt like everything had passed me by! Went to sleep when my character was in his early 20s, wake up and he's past 80, yeesh. The good news is it's never as bad as you think it is. I have had exactly zero people give Vesios trouble for being asleep for so long and the one person I was somewhat hesitant/nervous of approaching was ecstatic to have me back, both ICly and OOCly. For the first few days I took it real easy and slowly eased myself back into things, and the main people in Vesios' life were nothing but accommodating. Something tells me there are people like that in every city; if they were involved in your character in any way, chances are they're only going to be happy to see you again after so long.

In the end, my advice would to be to firstly remember that your character's age doesn't matter unless you want it to. There are going to be 24 year olds that are far stronger than you and a ton more heavily involved in everything, and that's okay! Nothing says it has to be like that forever, it just depends on how much you're willing to commit to your character now that you're back from dormancy. I would strongly consider using your character's age to your advantage. There are probably a ton of Targossians who were never part of Shallam and have only read about it in the history books. Raden, though, was there in the flesh. He probably has a unique perspective on things and you can easily factor that into your RP. When you went to sleep, Shallam was home. You've woken up and now it's gone. That's a huge change and there's a ton of potential waiting there, ready to be used, if you want to. I can easily see you going through entire character arcs based on that one premise and that isn't even factoring in everything else that's changed in the meantime, either.

Adrak

It seems that you feel the age of your character to be an extreme burden. There's a Shop of Wonders item that you can use to hide this for 2 Mayan Crowns. At the current price, that'd be around 90-100 credits. Not ideal, but I hadn't seen anyone mention it, so I thought I would.

Raden

Adrak said:

It seems that you feel the age of your character to be an extreme burden. There's a Shop of Wonders item that you can use to hide this for 2 Mayan Crowns. At the current price, that'd be around 90-100 credits. Not ideal, but I hadn't seen anyone mention it, so I thought I would.

I have the hourglass. People still ask me. Wouldn't say my age is a burden. Just doesn't help when I ask for help sometimes. It isn't a norm. 

Raden

Vesios said:

I was (and sort of still am) in a similar situation. Went dormant for roughly two rl years, came back and it felt like everything had passed me by! Went to sleep when my character was in his early 20s, wake up and he's past 80, yeesh. The good news is it's never as bad as you think it is. I have had exactly zero people give Vesios trouble for being asleep for so long and the one person I was somewhat hesitant/nervous of approaching was ecstatic to have me back, both ICly and OOCly. For the first few days I took it real easy and slowly eased myself back into things, and the main people in Vesios' life were nothing but accommodating. Something tells me there are people like that in every city; if they were involved in your character in any way, chances are they're only going to be happy to see you again after so long.

In the end, my advice would to be to firstly remember that your character's age doesn't matter unless you want it to. There are going to be 24 year olds that are far stronger than you and a ton more heavily involved in everything, and that's okay! Nothing says it has to be like that forever, it just depends on how much you're willing to commit to your character now that you're back from dormancy. I would strongly consider using your character's age to your advantage. There are probably a ton of Targossians who were never part of Shallam and have only read about it in the history books. Raden, though, was there in the flesh. He probably has a unique perspective on things and you can easily factor that into your RP. When you went to sleep, Shallam was home. You've woken up and now it's gone. That's a huge change and there's a ton of potential waiting there, ready to be used, if you want to. I can easily see you going through entire character arcs based on that one premise and that isn't even factoring in everything else that's changed in the meantime, either.

I like this idea, tbh. I could get on board with that. I spent a lot of my early years in Shallam. I had to practice navigating without portals from Shallam to Ashtan, to Thera, to the Mhojave Desert and back for several tests. 

Cooper

It doesn't matter what you did, you can always go back to a city.

Source: I went from Viceroy to Vizier to Viceroy.

Prythe

Raden said:

I can honestly say that my character Raden is almost a complete disaster. I've had him since the early 2000's when I was...maybe 12? He's 380 right now and I have literally no idea what I want to do or where to go. My background and history sounding like it was written by 15 year old me aside I come to the forums asking for some guidance. Everywhere I go I feel as if because of how old my character is I'm a burden. I can't find a good place to make friends again or find a home because I don't fit in. Anywhere. Or so it feels like. Maybe I'm crazy? 

People I used to talk to don't play anymore or are far past where they were when we last spoke (Leading cities, raids, wars, etc etc). Heck last time I was truly active Shallam was a city. Guilds were a thing. You get the idea. 

Any tips or helpful advice would be appreciated.

Thanks guys! 

At the risk of sounding Biased - which I am - Come to Cyrene! We have a lot of old old old folks wandering in as their new/last home and all are treated well! 

Nataliia

Honestly at the end of the day, RP reasons aside, going where you're going to have the most fun on an OOC level is super important.

There was literally no IC reason for Nataliia to leave Mhaldor. She had a good standing in the city and in her house. But as a player I just wasn't having fun with it (add a tiff while on pain meds after a very recent surgery to that mix and that was the straw that broke the camel's back), so I left. I had planned to keep her there until the end of time, because ICly it fit, it made sense, especially after all the other stuff she'd already gone through up to the point of going to Mhaldor.

My biggest advice though, and people told me this when I wasn't sure and I wasn't having fun, is that if you aren't satisfied OOCly, no RP reason in the world is going to make you play a character. We play this game for OOC enjoyment, so if that's missing the truth of the matter is you're just not going to log in. Sometimes feeling out what you'd be most happy with on an OOC level, and shifting your RP to fit that, can be the best option for starting fresh and being content in the game. Maybe it's not optimal in the sense of strictly sticking to a character concept, but let's be honest... who really stays the same in their real life? I mean, I don't know about you, but I'm not the same person now in my 30's that I was when I was in my teens. Who says your character has to stay the same as what your original character concept was? That makes absolutely zero sense to be honest. I mean, you'd think 300 some odd years of life would change a person. Just a thought! (Meaning, shifting ideals and such really isn't far fetched). 

Good luck finding what you're happy with! Don't let your own head convince you that you aren't welcome anywhere. People are generally pretty awesome in Achaea and most of us that play have been playing for as long as you, and we get it. Doesn't matter to me if someone is 500 years old and needs help, or 18 and straight out of pygmy purgatory. They're going to get the same help (in fact sometimes older chars get more because I know how much things have changed for them).

Watchman

Both @Nataliia and @Cooper bring up some good points. Realistically, it's possible for nearly anyone to fit in nearly anywhere, as long as you're willing to put in even a small amount of effort. I would advise you to spend a little bit of time thinking about what it is you want or expect out of Achaea in terms of relative importance (RP, conflict, community, politics, combat - the list goes on and on), and then work backwards to figure out a tentative first step.

And don't be afraid of making a fuck-up or two as you find your feet - chances are the first place you settle on won't be your last, and if you allow the possibility of failure to dictate your fun, you'll never do anything.

Nazihk

My advice is Mhaldor or Targossas. They've both got decent people and, most important, they've both got causes that are nice and clear. Ashtan too, maybe.

It can be hard to find direction for yourself in someplace like Cyrene or Hashan because their causes are either non-existent or vague and secretive, which means that it's all on you. Someplace like Mhaldor or Targossas is easier to start in, IMO, because they have such a clear underlying theme that you can just coast along with it until you get your feet back underneath you. 

Israyhl

Along with @Nataliia, recently went rogue because I wasn't having fun in Mhaldor any more. I wasn't logging in, staying logged in, or participating, so I knew it was time for a change. My character was pretty aimless after leaving Evil, and I was a little worried in what direction I might take him. My best advice? People.

Talk to people, go into a city, roleplay a little with the people who interact with you or you interact with them. What solidified my choice to join Hashan? A roleplay interaction with a couple citizens and @Twilight's High Priest. Immersion into Hashan's culture even prior to joining it. Direction, purpose: All of that is mutable and whether it is clear on the surface or not, it always shifts and changes with your particular role. But if you enjoy the people, enjoy the group you find a good vibe with, you can carve out your niche anywhere. 

Nataliia

That point of view is really personal opinion @Nazihk. I, for one, feel like I have more direction in Hashan with Nataliia than I did in Mhaldor. It's just a different kind of direction, a non-zealous sort of direction, but Hashan definitely is not without purpose, and frankly neither is Cyrene. Hashan's purpose is knowledge and self-discovery, and what they believe to be true freedom, not held within the parameters of Good, Evil, Chaos, Nature, etc. Cyrene's purpose leans more toward the artistic, and what they believe to be neutrality, free from being forced into conflict et al. So while Targossas and Mhaldor both have sort of in your face "clear" aims, I wouldn't say that's important for everyone. Plus I mean... playing a zealot takes a lot of energy. It isn't a bad thing. I'm really glad there are people in the game that want to play those roles. It's just not for everyone and just because a city isn't full of rawr-zealots doesn't mean that portion of the game lacks direction.

I'll say that from my own experience, the last thing I ever did in Targossas or Mhaldor was "coast".

Raden

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. It's a lot to think about. A goal of mine has always been becoming a Dragon. Never been good at knowing where to go to do that though. 

Nazihk

Nataliia said:

. Hashan's purpose is knowledge and self-discovery, and what they believe to be true freedom, not held within the parameters of Good, Evil, Chaos, Nature, etc. Cyrene's purpose leans more toward the artistic, and what they believe to be neutrality, free from being forced into conflict et al. 

What I mean is that this stuff is all vague and all on you. You have to want to get into it to get anything out of it. That's fine if you know that you want to get into it, but if you're iffy on it you're not going to get as much out of it.

Targossas and Mhaldor have roles that are more obvious and they have more low-effort entry-level RP hooks, so I feel like they're easier to do the whole fake-it-til-you-make-it thing with. 

Iniar

It's all fake.

Siena

I just recently came back to Achaea myself. Thankfully I did have ONE friend who lead me to Eleusis and I do enjoy it there. It's helpful to have some oldies there that know how things used to be that I can pester with questions. I may have never interacted with them before but they played when I played back in the day. Going from monk to druid was a very scary thing. I did try druid on an alt years back so I was somewhat familiar with it. I am too attached to Siena too. She is like my other self. So I know what you mean. Just look back at the general allegiances your character had and go with that. With Sentaari and Ashura gone and having a personal grudge against Ourania...(and wanting something more interesting than Cyrene) Eleusis was all that was left. The people have been kind to Siena even though she is as old as dirt and seem to like her well enough. Just jump right in where you feel your character's heart leads you and go with that. 

Raden

So I've started making amends with the cities and I've started reaching out to family to see if they're still around. I've got a good thing going in Eleusis so I'll be making my home there. Considering I discovered I have family in Targossas though, that previous idea isn't completely out of the question. 

Armali

The fact that I /can/ coast in Hashan is what makes it for me. I don't have time or energy to be all grrr anymore. Just let me derp around at the bank and randomly kill @Karren and get killed by @Krizal and kill raids with apathy and not be expected to go higher than HR3.