OOC Chapter 3 Lone Wanderers

Good luck with the driving test.

My advice- pick a difficult car and hope for a crappy day. The harder the car you practice on, and the worse the weather, the better you are likely to do (provide you don't kill someone or hit another vehicle or someone's favorite dog). A stick shift u-haul on a rainy day is ideal!

I was just looking back at the very first chapter of this thing in archives. Gosh, this must be a record for a single story on this board!

Cheers,

Welsh.
 
Ok, so what's the deal?

Syphon and Reaper- dudes, its time to blow out of Trogtown, don't you think?
Syphon, I am waiting for this kick ass post. What's up? Don't promise if you can't keep it. Reaper? can you wrap that puppy up. We got a small and short encounter coming up and then can reconnect with the Caravan. But hey, I have only been torturing Marcus since, like, the third or fourth page of this.

Sander- what's up with the college. The caravan follows were you go, but the ball is in your court on that. Can you bring the caravan in soon?

Smar, thanks for sticking with it so far. Your character is reminding me of my impressions of Marcus, whose "Yeah what do you want?" response when you click him got a bit annoying. But hey, he's a mutant. Not the most sympathetic fellow in the world.

I have PM's Gunslinger. He has a few encounters to get through yet, but its not that much for him. We have to finish up Trogtown, do the University bit, and then there is a bit with the De Silva where horses get introduced to the American West again.

But we need to move this puppy on. Story is starting to drag here.

Not sure if anyone is having writers block, but my advice for those with block is just to write. Dudes it ain't fucking Hemingway we're writing.

But lets stop fucking around and waiting for others to write. If the story is dragging, than grab the bull by the balls and squeeze. Dudes, this is your story. Take it and do something with it.
 
Sorry for being out of it for a while, but I moved house on the weekend, and then Telstra fucked up big time with our internet.
 
Well my vacation is almost over, and I'll be rejoining you guys next week. At the moment I'm catching up on reading the story.

Told you I'd be back :)
 
Dear Jacen-

Welcome back. We have missed you. I hope you like what we have done with your character. Right now you seem to be riding Ibis's wagon that is carrying Plague victims (but because you were inoculated early seem to be currently free of black plague).

We have lost Blade and sadly Reed. Also your character is friendly with Pip boy and Nat - has even gotten some nuki with Nat (the prostitute we picked up on the way).

Not bad for a fellow that was away all summer!
 
That's a great question. I think McReady and Thing one and two are with the caravan or are scouting ahead. Since they are generally apart from the caravan, they are probably ok.

But you are right, we have not seen them for a long time.

Syphon can we expect you to get out of Trogtown sometime soon?
 
welsh said:
That's a great question. I think McReady and Thing one and two are with the caravan or are scouting ahead. Since they are generally apart from the caravan, they are probably ok.

But you are right, we have not seen them for a long time.

Syphon can we expect you to get out of Trogtown sometime soon?
Click to expand...
Sjeesj welsh, those are a lot of posts in a rown. Heh, well, I think we should rap this thing up, I think most of the old posters will be coming back(holiday is almost over...), meh, I'll get my last "necessary" post with Pip on this thing out now...

Since this thing has already exceeded the amount of posts in any other roleplaying(including archive) thread, when are we going to go to the next chapter?
 
Sander said:
welsh, those are a lot of posts in a rown. Heh, well, I think we should rap this thing up, I think most of the old posters will be coming back(holiday is almost over...), meh, I'll get my last "necessary" post with Pip on this thing out now...

Since this thing has already exceeded the amount of posts in any other roleplaying(including archive) thread, when are we going to go to the next chapter?
Click to expand...

Yeah, well Gunslinger was complaining that the story was dragging and it was getting damn slow.

My hope is to finish up this chapter by the end of the month.

The Syphon, Grim, Gabriel, Rogue group is to meet Marcus. And the entire caravan is to meet up with the de Silvas and the issue of horses will come up.

Then we have to figure out the reuniting with Gunslinger and press on to Grey Cliffs.

That said, and as slow as we are, Gunslinger's story is dragging too. I think he's been hit in the head playing airsoft.

Happily we got Jim back, who like Virgil and Pip, are NPC tech heads, so maybe you folks can get some interesting stuff done at the University while everyone else pulls together.

Reaper, Syphon, stop this pot smoking and get on with the story!
 
welsh said:
Ok, so what didn't you like? The song lyrics or the mutant -ghoul sex?
Click to expand...

I'd say I'm equally revolted with both. Seek counseling, my friend.

Now, onto business: I'd like to impress the importance of both Jeeva's and Caleb's sojourn into the desert. I'm trying to make this into a process of spiritual and mental cleansing. Both are coming into terms of the reason why they are fighting and are clinging onto the ragged fragments of their insanity. Both talking to their inner psyche shows that this journey is a matter of internal struggle.

In short, I'm trying to make these two into actual characters with relevant thoughts and emotions. I made Caleb too stoic and hardcore, in my presumptuous attempt to emulate Stephen King in his portrayal of Roland the Gunslinger in the Darktower series. Roland is an entire different creature, one whose trying past has made him into what he is. Caleb is merely a man with supremely tested mettle but not on par of Roland's twisted thinking. For a time, I hated what I had done with Caleb Rutgers, at the why I had protrayed him. Reading back on the first chapter, he seemed too self-righteous, like a holy roller with revolvers. The last chapter, I've tried to melt him down into an actual man rather than an automaton. The reason for this is because I recently showed a close friend the Lone Wanderers work and he came off not really seeing Caleb as a character. I admit, I sort of made him for an outlet to make cool action scenes stuffed with violence. But, I feel that I'm trapped as a fluent writer if I am unable to make a character who's actually a character. Hence, my change in tone.

Jeeva's dilemma was not my fault, more like Rogue Hex's (though I'm not placing any blame). He was simply another bad guy with just a name (which makes him not a true character) during the battle of the Fortress. I saw so little in him that I had first tried to kill him off (but welsh ammended that). So, since I had entwined Jeeva with Caleb through a life-debt, I guess it was up to me to make Jeeva into a man. I'm trying to make him into a learned man. I think the best show of this is when he first confronts Caleb on the stairs of the fortress. Now, I'm just adding more tone and emotion to Jeeva, balancing him out.

The true problem is that I've got my two characters set up in a predefined role. So now, I'm trying to abolish these handy "character-molds" and make them into something myself.
 
Gunslinger-

I think you should not be too harsh with Gunslinger or Jeeva.

In Chapter 1, Gunslinger was really just an action character built on a construct that Fang had initiated. The factions of our story are, primarily, creatures of Fang's imagination, even if they are based on arch-types found in Fallout 1 and 2.

But I agree, that you were having trouble with him in Chapter 2. This was one of the reasons we discussed these issues during that chapter and I think why you were getting bored with him in Chapter 2. It's not that Caleb didn't have potential to grow as a person and a character, but rather that you hadn't taken the role on. I think perhaps because you were stuck with the Roland character in mind, that you had yet to create a character of your own.

So I think what you are doing with Caleb in this chapter is great. He needs to develop and to have depth. It is better to develop character and personality than just run through a series of gun fights and action sequences. Plot without character gets boring after awhile, simply because if you don't have characters who are real, you don't have characters you care about. SO then why do you care if they survive or not?

This is something we should all think about. A chain of adventures without developed characters is just boring. Think about some of your favorite films. Its not usually the cool action scenes we like, or the special effects, but the characters we are drawn to.

With regard to Jeeva, I think you shouldn't be too hard with Roguehex on that. Jeeva is growing as a person, but Rogue gave you quite a bit to work with. If you look at Chapter 2, Jeeva is in many ways the leader that Caleb is not. He rallies his men, has their best interests in mind, has their loyalty and trust, and is charismatic. He's brave and loyal and pro-active, not willing to be just a victim of circumstances. There is a code of honor, even among slavers, that he subscribes too. He's kind of cool. Chapter 2 is a tragedy for Jeeva, as his comrades and his men are virtually wiped out on some foolish mission not really of his own volition. That he has been "set up" is a good reason for motivating him throughout.

Much of the question about Jeeva has been about the morality of slaving in a post-apocalyptic world. We can say, based on our norms, that slaving is wrong (Although if you read this months National Geographic you would find that slaving is comparatively a more extensive phenomena now than ever). Regardless, Jeeva's response has been that slaving in a post-apocalyptic world is a better alternative than others (working as a mercenary or raider), that human life is not as valuable but at least he often saves humans who would otherwise be killed, provides a service valuable to others, and that, in many ways, he too is a creature of his circumstances. This is a character that has to live with a stigma and has managed to do just that. Regardless of whether you like what he does, he has redeeming values. So its a good pairing.

SO you have a lot to play with.

PM me, really the lyrics were that bad? the ghouls-mutant sex? Sorry but the story was dragging!
 
Story momentum

Ok, folks, I know most of us are getting back to school and its transition period. But the story is beginning to drag a bit and I would like to see some momentum. We need some more posts and to move the story on. Ideally, we put this chapter to rest by the end of the month.

We need to know who's back and what can you post. As Gunslinger posted early, post!

Sander, Smar and Jacen- You have got a pretty good story going with the University and the plague virus. Whether the university has darker agendas is worth exploring, as is the impact of the plague. Ideally we lose about 1/2 the caravan group. Share what ideas you have and move the story on.

Reaper and Syphon- you have a story going on now about getting out of Trog town and back to the caravan. What's the delay?

Gunslinger- I'd like to hear what you have in mind for Chapter 4.
 
Hmm, a nice darker agenda for the university would be to be testing some kind of virus, or other biological thing, and that they are planning to insert it in the next batch of cures they are sending towards the caravan, and thus testing it on the caravan. That would also remove the threat of discovery from them.

As well as that, when(if) they find out what Pip has stolen, they'll want it back, Stealth technology could be invaluable to them.
 
Yes Sander- Go with it. Have fun! Remember this is your creation. While the others pull together, much of the caravan story takes place at the University, so give it more direction.
 
Syphon-

I would be happy if you could get them out of Trog town. Grim is waiting for you, and Rogue and Talon have lost patience. Better than say what you will do, is actually doing it. Come on! Lets get this going!

Remember the plan. Create a diversion, then into the sewar tunnels and then out of town while the Trogs look for you in town.
 
Oi!

Gunslinger- what do you say you take over management?

Syphon- how do two people, surrounded by giant man eating Trogs, manage to walk out of that situation? Dude, there was a reason for the somewhat elaborate plan to get everyone one and together.

Alright, well we will take it from there.
 
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