The Marrocidenian war

[NoblesseChevaleresque]

One day Mendicant will liberate you from your misery.

[Lychaon]

Honestly, I don't even know which background should be given to Barca in order to help me get an idea of it. We've had enough boosting from Mendicant's spokesperson to know how Aurvandilian cities are paved in gold, how coloured are the crests of their knights, how efficient are, how many times what-so-noble has sharpened his tooth-stick in the stones of foreign senate buildings (he loves that one  ::)), how their dogs defecate croissants, and quite a looooong etc. Tons of it.

Far from getting tired of roleplaying, he's taken the right to roleplay Barca. Quite widely also, with all those interesting arguments about Zumas, farmers, Zumas' farmers, rogue non-realms and such.

We've also learned some of the Asylonian background from Glaumring, of the crudeness of their weather, their warring traditions, etc. And also have freely roleplayed about Barca and its lack of culture and power... In an actually similar way to Noblesse.

It's nice that such a small realm is very often recently in words of these notorious players, but maybe it would be even nicer to get a real roleplaying background from Barca. I mean, without the cheap boasting and harshness. I guess our realm-mates don't like so much as these players to spend time here like that, but it would be cool.  :)

[Glaumring the Fox]

I have never roleplayed Barca being uncivilized. I have said it on the forum , in order to RP with Barca one would first have to have a conversation with a Barcan. When I was king I had great relations with one of the Barcan rulers, a major fault with republics is rulers change so often and rarely do they carry over information and dealings with their peers.

[Lychaon]

I have never roleplayed Barca being uncivilized. I have said it on the forum , in order to RP with Barca one would first have to have a conversation with a Barcan. When I was king I had great relations with one of the Barcan rulers, a major fault with republics is rulers change so often and rarely do they carry over information and dealings with their peers.

I'm sorry Glaumring, I'm getting used to read some hardly distinguishable posts here from player/character that I assumed you were doing the same. You're right, republican or democratic governments chose their rulers each X period of time so they often change. So, different members of a Senate that become rulers can steal gold from peasants, as our pal Noblesse seems to insinuate, while in a monarchy always the same king steals it. I'm sure that's the way Aurvandil is filled with gold Mendicants in every square. I hadn't think about it, but that's also a more efficient way to steal!  ;D

[Anaris]

Nonsense, they're a Republic, which no doubt means their people live in poverty whilst their Senators live in luxury and finery. As is the way.

You are free to believe that—or anything else—as much as you want. However, I want to reinforce that you are not free to RP Barcan culture, or its peasants or nobles, being a certain way without general permission from the Barcans (or prior RP from the Barcans describing their culture in that way).

[Vellos]

You are free to believe that—or anything else—as much as you want. However, I want to reinforce that you are not free to RP Barcan culture, or its peasants or nobles, being a certain way without general permission from the Barcans (or prior RP from the Barcans describing their culture in that way).

+1

[Glaumring the Fox]

Thats true, but any look at the stats page should be a good indicator of how you rp your or others kingdoms to a degree, if Barca said their city was paved with gold and their culture superior to etc etc, we'd laugh because it doesnt reflect the history or economy of Barca

[Anaris]

Thats true, but any look at the stats page should be a good indicator of how you rp your or others kingdoms to a degree, if Barca said their city was paved with gold and their culture superior to etc etc, we'd laugh because it doesnt reflect the history or economy of Barca

Sure. That would be dumb. RP cannot trump game mechanics in that way. Just like you can't RP that you won the recent battle where your entire army was wiped out and your capital sacked, and expect to be taken seriously.

[NoblesseChevaleresque]

You are free to believe that—or anything else—as much as you want. However, I want to reinforce that you are not free to RP Barcan culture, or its peasants or nobles, being a certain way without general permission from the Barcans (or prior RP from the Barcans describing their culture in that way).

That implies that I roleplay about Barca culture at all, which I don't.

There is a world of difference between talking on the forum and roleplaying in game.

[Anaris]

That implies that I roleplay about Barca culture at all, which I don't.

There is a world of difference between talking on the forum and roleplaying in game.

That's fine, and I appreciate that.

I just know that I've heard of some people roleplaying such things, though I didn't remember who it was, and wanted to remind all here of the general rules of good RP.

[Glaumring the Fox]

Pre-War Asylon was turning into an economic powerhouse, with thriving population and farming. Since the war if you were to visit Asylon you would see massive endemic poverty in the once glorious cities you would see ruins and you would see a nobility not much better off than the people they rule. There is no real education system, there is little safety net. Asylon has become a very dark and hopeless place in many ways. Yet, it is forged in the ideal of almost rabid independence and individualism. Not matter how bad it gets many people will always say 'At least it is not Barca' lol... I'm joking...

When Glaumring deals with Aurvandiil it is like the most uncouth, uncivilized kingdom dealing with a much richer and perhaps more enlightened kingdom. Glaumring is constantly surprised by their wealth and their differences. Its the same for all the kingdoms Asylon deals with , Terran is an old kingdom, its reflected in their architecture and their culture, yet if you travelled northward near the border with Farronite you would still probably see massive poverty and signs of the ravages of war. Farronite is probably much the same, their lands from Mech alb to Demansyk are probably wretched places to live since the wars there. 

Barca was built upon the ashes of two previous civilizations, the Ordenstaat and Silverfall? Its an ancient forested area probably littered with old buildings in the jungles, there is probably signs of poverty and different cultures of villages throughout the area, Barca probably has 2 or 3 native languages, the people are forest inclined and probably are a bit isolationist being so far from the major powers. The Barcans are an invasion outsider race, very few of them were actually born there, so they probably brought pieces of culture from their previous homeland in the eastlands, much like Asylon. Perhaps the peasantry dislike their alien rulers, or adore them? I don't know but Barca has a lot of potential to create a very interesting RP for its kingdom just because it is so messed up and diverse. You should be proud of your backwater mishmash melting pot. I am proud of Asylons diversity and backwardness, its much more fun to RP imperfection.

[Eldargard]

You are free to believe that—or anything else—as much as you want. However, I want to reinforce that you are not free to RP Barcan culture, or its peasants or nobles, being a certain way without general permission from the Barcans (or prior RP from the Barcans describing their culture in that way).

I may not be able to role play on their behalf but I can see no reason why I can not role play my perception of them I choose (As Jimbo rode into the capital city of Barca, the smell struck him as offensive. Jimbo could never live in such a place. It was all so barbaric and dreary.) This was just my perception. It was a bunch of opinions. It could very well be that a Barcan would think the same upon entering Jimbo's country.

I can also role play my character portraying them any way i chose (Dear Important Person, It surprises me that Barca continues to exist. They are nothing more than a bunch of pig farmers. The problem is that they confuse their pigs and their peasants and have a little too much fun with both! We really should wipe such filth off the map and build a civilized, functional nation in Barca's place). This is me bad mouthing Barca. It doesn't make it true.

I really think that people seem to be taking ones expressed perception or opinion as making decisions for the other party. I would like to point out that I have nothing against Barca, despite it never turned out how I had once hoped. The above are not true opinions of myself or any of my characters!

[Anaris]

I may not be able to role play on their behalf but I can see no reason why I can not role play my perception of them I choose (As Jimbo rode into the capital city of Barca, the smell struck him as offensive. Jimbo could never live in such a place. It was all so barbaric and dreary.) This was just my perception. It was a bunch of opinions. It could very well be that a Barcan would think the same upon entering Jimbo's country.

The only part of that particular example that's a bit questionable is the smell.

I can also role play my character portraying them any way i chose (Dear Important Person, It surprises me that Barca continues to exist. They are nothing more than a bunch of pig farmers. The problem is that they confuse their pigs and their peasants and have a little too much fun with both! We really should wipe such filth off the map and build a civilized, functional nation in Barca's place). This is me bad mouthing Barca. It doesn't make it true.

Certainly. You can write whatever you want in a letter. Letters are purely in-character documents written by your character, from your character's point of view. ("Did I say the Enterprise should be towing garbage? I meant that she should be hauled away as garbage!")

What I'm talking about here is narrative RP, where you are describing what your character sees around him, and you are describing it as being mud huts and sewage in the streets.

I really think that people seem to be taking ones expressed perception or opinion as making decisions for the other party.

No; what I have heard about is people actually roleplaying that this is what the Barcan peasants are like, not simply describing it as such IC to other nobles.

[Chenier]

Ordenstdaat and whoever may have preceded it were isolated, they tried to do everything on their own.

Barca always was backed by D'Hara and Terran. And having a solid food surplus for most of their history, they've sold incredible amounts to D'Hara over time. I don't remember us having sent actual troops there since the early days, but I do recall a few direct gold transfers, though the lump of D'Haran financing came via trade. Terran sent more actual troops, I believe.

I tend to imagine Barca as having barely tamed wild lands, with pockets of agriculture here and there, a large number of very tiny isolated towns, but pestigious public institutions in the urban cores, with most cultural products (and products in general) being imports from Terran and D'Hara.

As for agricultural products, what I'd imagine would be: game (deer, elk), boar, yak, maple syrup, honey (from D'Haran-imported bees), mushrooms, beets, and cabbage.

[Eldargard]

The only part of that particular example that's a bit questionable is the smell.

I must disagree regarding smells. I hate the spell of coffee though most everyone else I know loves it. I know people who love the smell of wet paint while I find it nauseating. My great grandmother loves the smell of ripe fertilizer fresh from the stall. It smells like crap to me!

I guess the difference is that I strive to accurately portray opinions as such. Others may have a different style. Just because a noble describes dwellings as mud huts and peasants as leaf-clad it does not necessarily have to be taken literally. Everyone sees a different picture. Even if it was taken literally the meaning of the supposed facts do not have to match what the character doing the RP suggests.

If I had been on the receiving end of such a role play I could imagining reacting in many ways. One could role play that it was a show being put on for the knight  to serve some purpose. It could be role played that the Barcans, upon seeing the knight and his retinue, found wonder at the level of decedance on display. Or, if there was no prior RP against it, it could be accepted. The peasants of Barca, for cultural reasons, like mud houses (not uncommon in history) and made their clothing from plant materials. Or perhaps they wore flowers and leaves decoratively.