Personal History

by Sakr

Back to Common Grounds.

Sakr2011-09-25 18:14:27
Hi!

So does anyone have a "personal history" written in Lusty? Or tips on writing one?
Ssaliss2011-09-25 18:23:44
QUOTE
Auseklis, the First Wanderer has not yet written a background.

Charune, Lord of the Hunt has not yet written a background.

Elostian, the Enigma has not yet written a background.

Estarra the Eternal has not yet written a background.

Eventru, Crown of the Exalted has not yet written a background.

Fain, of the Red Masque has not yet written a background.

Hoaracle, the Forest Dreamer has not yet written a background.

Isune, the Aesthete has not yet written a background.

Kalikai, the Crimson Eye has not yet written a background.

Lisaera, the Silver Goddess has not yet written a background.

Mysrai, the Black Star of Morning has not yet written a background.

Lyreth, the Sidereal Prince has not yet written a background.

Maylea, Bloom of Serenity has not yet written a background.

Morgfyre, the Legion has not yet written a background.

Nocht, the Silent has not yet written a background.

Raezon, the Forbidden has not yet written a background.

Roark Libertas has not yet written a background.

Shikari, the Predator has not yet written a background.

Terentia, the Even Bladed has not yet written a background.

Viravain, Lady of the Thorns has not yet written a background.




The Episodic Histories of Auseklis, the First Wanderer

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Charune, Lord of the Hunt

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Elostian, the Enigma

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Estarra the Eternal

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Eventru, Crown of the Exalted

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Fain, of the Red Masque

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Hoaracle, the Forest Dreamer

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Isune, the Aesthete

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Kalikai, the Crimson Eye

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Lisaera, the Silver Goddess

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Mysrai, the Black Star of Morning

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Lyreth, the Sidereal Prince

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Maylea, Bloom of Serenity

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Morgfyre, the Legion

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Nocht, the Silent

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Raezon, the Forbidden

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Roark Libertas

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Shikari, the Predator

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Terentia, the Even Bladed

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.


The Episodic Histories of Viravain, Lady of the Thorns

Displaying most recent first:
You see nothing written.

They need to set better examples sad.gif
Lendren2011-09-25 19:21:49
QUOTE (Falcon @ Sep 25 2011, 02:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So does anyone have a "personal history" written in Lusty? Or tips on writing one?

Two questions:
1. Are you referring to writing your backstory from before the Portal, or recording the history of the things you've played out since?
2. Are you asking "what should the history be" or "I already know what it is, how should I write it"?
Sakr2011-09-25 21:07:53
QUOTE (Lendren @ Sep 25 2011, 10:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Two questions:
1. Are you referring to writing your backstory from before the Portal, or recording the history of the things you've played out since?
2. Are you asking "what should the history be" or "I already know what it is, how should I write it"?


That's the thing. I haven't seen a personal history, so I wouldn't exactly know what would it be? Would it be a step by step account of my life now, the things that first began before the portals and shaped me? Or would I talk about things like reincarnation points, the major milestones in my life? Or would it be a combination of both?

Is there an appropriate style? Would short stories be good enough? Or does it have to be a Jane Austen essay? Is there a preferable method? And why doesn't anyone have a personal history?
Lilia2011-09-25 21:15:04
QUOTE (Falcon @ Sep 25 2011, 04:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
And why doesn't anyone have a personal history?

Because they're permanent. Are you absolutely, 100% sure that what you write now won't make you cringe one, two, five years down the road? I think the answer is no for most people.
Lendren2011-09-25 21:16:07
I don't think seeing a personal history is going to help you figure out which one you're looking for. Did someone tell you you needed to write one or something, and you're not sure which one they meant? Perhaps you need to check VIEW HISTORY and VIEW BACKGROUND on a few people.
Unknown2011-09-25 21:19:27
Perhaps the one person I can think of who created a background for themselves is Ialie.

Backgrounds are rarely used, probably because they were part of the code base before we had in-game books. I think the personal journals have been the way to go. I've got a background drafted for Tully that I've never finalized for the game, but I think it's a bit better to have that kind of thing in-game and learned via conversation.
Sakr2011-09-25 21:24:03
QUOTE (Lilia @ Sep 26 2011, 12:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Because they're permanent. Are you absolutely, 100% sure that what you write now won't make you cringe one, two, five years down the road? I think the answer is no for most people.


Still, there are ways of changing it somewhat I'd imagine. Lets say you are a Celest member, for many years, but go Mag later on. There would be key points that would shift you, and you'd write those key points down. There are chapters in the personal history for that, I would imagine.

QUOTE (Lendren @ Sep 26 2011, 12:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I don't think seeing a personal history is going to help you figure out which one you're looking for. Did someone tell you you needed to write one or something, and you're not sure which one they meant? Perhaps you need to check VIEW HISTORY and VIEW BACKGROUND on a few people.


Nobody told me to write one. But as a novice, I've read about it, and i'm nearing my century mark soon, and I want to write something that would cover the first 50 years, for instance, before I would forget. And with my immediate circle, none of them have written a history, or could exactly help. I don't know if there is a preferred writing method or something. I tried writing short shorts, for example: Short stories on memories from before the portals, and my emotions or reactions to the events.

And we recommend our novices to create a personal history, as it would help with their RP. So instead of meeting someone and guessing what they are, you can look into their history and interact with them appropriately. Or that's how maybe i'm imagining things.
Lendren2011-09-26 00:57:12
I've always made backgrounds for my characters. My Hallifax alt's is a particularly unusual one. It's always surprised me how many people don't have them in Lusternia. Even Aetolia tended to encourage them (though 95% of them were "the orcs killed my parents and now I'm so sad!" only misspelled, but at least they were there).
Daraius2011-09-26 01:09:16
They can take any written form you want. You could write a limerick as your personal history. It's entirely up to you what information it reveals and in what form it's presented. See Tsianina's for a particularly interesting take on it.

Personally, I prefer not having character information available to just anyone. I just can't think of a justifiable reason why my character's backstory would be available to anyone other than the people he's shared it with. I think most people have (or at least they should have) a fairly comprehensive background written out and privately accessible (saved in Notepad, for instance), but very few choose to use the in game background feature for reasons already mentioned here.
Unknown2011-09-26 01:24:20
In my first MUD, writing a history was required, and was viewable by other players.

Every once in a while, you'd get a gem.

The rest of the time, you would get, in order of least to most offensive (in my opinion):

-An epic tale that may even be written well! However, it is SO epic that it isn't even really about the character it is written about. Also, the game setting as it stands is far too small to contain its epic epicness. So it has to be expanded to contain these world shattering events. Not expanded like "cottage in the middle of nowhere", but rather, the "The Necromancer Lord of the Bleak Spire in the land of Zhargiliath must defend himself from a legion of dwarves-in-flying-pirate-ships and entire regiments of super paladins." Eventually, the stroy gets around to "oh yeah, here's a character that is some how related to the hour and a half of heavy-metal-poster-fodder reading you just did." These are frustrating especially when you're on the approval team for the things. Especially because it can be hard to tell these people "this thing you've probably poured days of effort in to is sorta um... yeah."

-Not really offensive, but for some reason, etched in to the soul of RPers everywhere, is this basic template. I used to joke about just making it an ad-lib form for people who didn't want to bother writing a history: Once upon a time, lived (un)happily with (his|her) family. Then one dark day, came to their (town|farm). After they were done , was the only survivor and homeless! So set off in to the . became lost, but was saved by a kindly hermit named . taught the ways of . After several years, (TRAINER dies|TRAINER is killed|character runs away|character grasps the pebble from TRAINER's hand, and it is time for them to go.) sets off on a journey, and makes their way to . THE END.

-This is a paraphrasing of an actual history that got approved because the player was friends with one of the people approving things. The character name also slipped by the name police, who were usually pretty good. Name is authentic. History is paraphrased.

Once upon a time a great barbarian chieftain ravaged the land. After he had destroyed all his enemies he had a son. He named him Gote. Because Gote had a temper and got a little crazy, people called him Gote the Nut, and shortened it to Gotenut. (ed. This is at least more original than above, and ALMOST makes the name forgivable, if it wasn't known OOCly that the player thought it was hilarious he got away with the name "goat nut". However, then it takes a severe left through wtf town.) When Gotenut turned three years old, he killed his father in single combat. The tribe didn't want to accept a three year old as their chieftain, so he killed them too. ALL of them. Since he had no tribe, he wandered the land, killing everything that opposed him, until he came to .

Actual history was about two pages long.


So yes, I can do without histories and back stories.
Lendren2011-09-26 01:40:48
QUOTE (Daraius @ Sep 25 2011, 09:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Personally, I prefer not having character information available to just anyone. I just can't think of a justifiable reason why my character's backstory would be available to anyone other than the people he's shared it with.

You might not be aware of this (or you might be, and still feel that way, which is fine too):
CODE
SET HISTORY PUBLIC/ALLIES/PRIVATE
   - Sets your background and chapters viewable by everyone, only your allies
     or no one. The only exceptions are that the most powerful Gods, such as
     Estarra, can always read them.
Daraius2011-09-26 03:21:07
QUOTE (Lendren @ Sep 25 2011, 09:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
You might not be aware of this (or you might be, and still feel that way, which is fine too):
CODE
SET HISTORY PUBLIC/ALLIES/PRIVATE
   - Sets your background and chapters viewable by everyone, only your allies
     or no one. The only exceptions are that the most powerful Gods, such as
     Estarra, can always read them.


Oh whoops. Guess I could put that Notepad background in game after all. blush.gif
Sakr2011-09-26 06:40:10
Found this site looking at the other forum topics, so I thought the rules would apply here heh.
Unknown2011-09-27 03:02:56
I half-expected all of them to be empty except Eventru's which would be this gigantic long speech about how He came into existence.