07-16-2011, 09:43 AM
First and foremost: Tell us about yourself, as a player: I have been playing WoW on retail since the beginning, but I have found its roleplay to be lackluster. This isn't because of the quality of roleplayers that I worked with, but the overall lack of story implementation that comes with being in an MMORPG. It is hard to roleplay when nothing you really do ever manifests itself into tangible changes in the game world. I know that this is hard to do, but it is honestly the biggest benefit to joining a server such as this. Other than that, I had a brief tenure here before as SputnikRising, but my real life prevented me from having enough time to devote to the server, and so it fell by the wayside. I am hoping to change that this time around, as my situation has changed and I have more time to spend on the server, developing my roleplay skills and my characters.
What country do you come from? What is your primary language?: I am from the United States, and English is my primary language.
How did you get into Warcraft?: When I was younger, my neighbors introduced me to Warcraft 3. From there, I grabbed my hands on copies of Warcraft 1 and 2 and couldn't stop myself from learning all about the lore and playing custom maps on Warcraft 3. When news of World of Warcraft originally broke I was ecstatic, and I have had it installed on my many computers ever since then. This, coupled with forum roleplaying through guilds or through the pre-release site (WoW-Ra), helped develop my love for all things Warcraft.
What made you seek our server over others? (Or how did you find us?): As I said, I had an account here earlier, and so I have sought Conquest out again after a brief sojourn on the live realms with my new, additional free time. When I originally came to Conquest of the Horde, I was encouraged by a friend to try out private servers after I wasn't satisfied with the live ones, and since I had a knack for roleplaying, I did some digging to find some roleplaying-centric private servers. Naturally, Conquest of the Horde was the one I found.
What kinds of roleplay do you enjoy?: I hate to say it, but I'm a classic adventuring roleplayer. I like to be out and about, trying to make my mark on the world. While tavern and inn roleplay can fit nicely in this during periods of respite, I want my character to be trying to achieve something, trying to bring change to the world they live in. It may be hard to describe exactly, so I'll use an example. One of the characters I like to play is a down on his luck Alterac man, who is disenchanted with the Syndicate and remorseful over Perenolde's decision to side with the Horde. While one player may enjoy roleplaying him in taverns, telling his stories and drinking, I'd rather have him at the forefront, trying to reclaim the lost kingdom. While he may spend some time at a tavern in between his trials, I'd rather be making an impact than just lounging around.
What is your favorite race/class? Why?: Depending on the faction, my favorite races are Humans, Trolls, Taurens and Orcs. For humans, I always loved the idea of the old kingdoms, and the valiance and pageantry of the Second War. Most of my characters are veterans who have seen their way of life lost and their homelands destroyed by the Scourge or other forces and are refugees. I've always loved the idea of Lordaeron fighting back and regaining some semblance of its former empire (unlikely), Alterac redeeming itself, or Kul Tiras finally appearing. Your old campaign for Stromgarde was one of the reasons I joined Conquest of the Horde in the beginning.
As for the Horde, I really like the shamanism and traditional races that go along with it. I'm not one to bash on Blood Elves and Forsaken, but I enjoy the lore for the Tauren and their moral code and the orcs quest for freedom from demonic corruption was one of the hallmarks of the Warcraft 3 campaign. As for trolls, I just like roleplaying them because its the most unique of all the races.
In the case of classes, for roleplaying purposes I like having melee characters. This is because they can wear armor, which I think looks the best for roleplaying, and they can carry all types of weapons. I try to steer clear of the evil themed classes (Warlocks and Death Knights), because I'm not too good at evil characters. Other than that, I also like to play as druids and shamans if I'm going to try something besides fighter-archetypes. If you're curious though, my main on the live server is a mage.
What are your expectations of this server?: I want to work within the framework of Conquest of the Horde, its members and especially the GMs, to create storylines that are engaging but also work to push the COTH universe further. I know that a lot of roleplayers can be dissatisfied with normal MMORPGs because they don't feel like what they are doing makes a real difference. I would like to change that, and I think that your server is a perfect conduit. I'm also excited for the chance to rejoin a server that is purely focused on roleplaying and not just caught up in PVP and raiding.
Out of all of our rules and regulations listed on our server, which appeals to you the most?: I think No Godmodding is the biggest factor for me. I've found on live servers that there are two types of roleplaying: normal, godmodding and non-realistic. Normal roleplaying fits within the established canon and the characters are not uber-powerful or related to the faction heads. Non-realistic roleplay focuses on characters who represent different universes (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, cat-form druids) roleplaying in the confines of the World of Warcraft engine. Then there is the godmodder, whose character is either related to Thrall, or who is all powerful and knows everything my character is thinking. I have no problem with young roleplayers or people who are new to the craft, but I desire a level of maturity and a commitment to realism when I roleplay.
Lastly, tell us a story! It can be short, it can be long; but most importantly, we want to see your work in action. Go!: I'm not sure if this has to be Warcraft related, so I'm going to repost something I just wrote on Nation States! Let me know if you need something else.
Ujaraku Broadcasting Corporation, Onartok
Weekly taping of "The Firing Squad" with Mirek Václav
"You've heard it here first brothers. A representative from the May Coalition, a native with a pocket to the Prime Minister, has been flown to the Imperial Republic of Cyrupe for a 'conference' on nuclear proliferation," Václav ranted as he stood in front of a blackboard covered with anti-nativist slogans. With his pale skin and dirty blonde hair, he was a far cry from the characteristics that had identified Dr. Kilian and Chua. He was a Goldist, a Jazyk speaking northerner in a predominately indigenous-Ujarakian country. The Goldists, known in their language as Zlatos, are descendants of settlers who arrived in Ujarak during a gold rush. When the rivers had been panned for all their resources, the Goldists didn't return home, but set up shop in the northern Ujaraku plains. It was their government that had subjugated the natives of the south for years, culminating in a decade long uprising called the Massak, that would eventually lead to the formation of the new Nativist cabinet, known as the May Coalition.
"We are a nation of isolation. For years we have acted as a beacon to the world by not interfering in what is not our business. We have grown strong, prosperous and secure under the confines of this policy. The Nativists hope to overthrow this legacy. They want to meddle in the affairs of our region and sacrifice domestic power for unnecessary international clout," he continued, much to the delight of his Goldist crowd. The cheers masqueraded the few voices of protest from the mixed-blood members of the crowd, but sectarian rousing had long been part of Ujaraku journalism, and the television was no different. Pounding his fists on the table while beads of sweat slowly dripped towards the collar of his stylish suit, he continued. "The man they have sent on this mission is Dr. Atka Kilian. Government spokesmen have assured the network that Dr. Kilian is a non-biased nuclear physicist straight from the university. But we have unearthed campaign contributions he has made to Nativist extremists in the frontier provinces. Unfortunately, these documents are not being released by this red-skinned government, but I assure you of their existence!"
News in an isolated nation develops very slowly. It mostly focuses on the mundane details of local government and the banal day-to-day affairs of the centralized bureaucracy. These are combined with occasional features and human interest stories. During the Massak, terrorist attacks and massacres made the front pages. But these attacks had subsided after the Coalition's success and its formation in parliament, and now these rare attacks barely made the local papers. Once in awhile there may be a significant focus on an international issue, whether it is something going on in the nearby sea, or where an Ujarakian is implicated. But, for the most part, the networks realized that these issues cause a channel change. Regardless of the May Coalition's renewed emphasis on foreign policy and forging diplomatic ties with foreign nations, the Goldists remained entrenched in their age old mantra: If you open the gate to your home, you let in the flood.
It didn't help either that Ujarakians were not widely known outside of their land. There were few immigrations to other societies once the Goldists built their apartheid system and the Nativists secluded themselves in their inhospitable forests on the Ujaraku fringe. As the Goldists devised their schemes for centralization and control, and white settlers continued to encroach on ancient tribal lands, the nativists either attacked or retreated to their shelters. There were no population transfers or refugees, and there was little incentive for the dominating Goldists to flee from their domination. The few that had made it out were activists and dissidents who were championing the natives' cause abroad. But these pleas fell onto deaf ears in their destination countries. And so for many years the Goldists remained in isolation, controlling the state apparatuses.
"Let me be clear. Dr. Kilian is attending a conference on nuclear weapons and missile systems. Can we not judge his motives prematurely? This 'scientist' must be attempting to gain nuclear capabilities. And when he has done this, he will turn the weapons on the enemies of his fundamentalist Coalition and exterminate them! This is not peace that we are talking about here. This is a declaration of war by the insects who infringe on our lands!"
The crowd surged from their seats and began their thunderous applause. The hooting and hollering only boasted the credentials of Václav's hardline position, and he bowed politely before returning to his tirade. "Keep the fire in your hearts brothers and let us return to other news, chiefly that of the honorable defense of the settlement of Smrť Nepriateľa by Zlato settlers. The settlers were under siege by the natives of Nukka before being relieved by paramilitary contractors. Let us have a moment of silence for the three who were killed by the barbarians of the south."
Near Kaltz-Carlton International Airport, Cyrupe
Coalition Delegation to an International Conference
The car had not gotten far when the sounds of the Salgado Airlines plane's shaky landing echoed across the land. The grinding metal, the sirens of the trucks, and the billing smoke were all signs of the disaster. The driver's phone rang immediately after the incident, and he didn't say much before hanging up. "There's been a crash at the airport," he told the delegation. Stoics, none of them offered any immediate reaction, and so he continued. "Thank God that no one has been hurt, but I should probably pull over until we hear if this changes anything."
"It is only a plane crash? And no one was hurt?" Dr. Kilian inquired.
"Only a plane crash?" Chua wondered in Ujarakit. The driver nodded to Dr. Kilian, incredulous to his questions. He did not understand Chua, but he must've assumed that he had said something similar to Dr. Kilian's comment in English. He received another telephone call, alerting him to continue their journey to the capitol and the conference.
"We are from a country where a plane crash only matters on the importance of the dead men inside. I have seen more plane crashes then I have seen safe landings," Dr. Kilian explained to the driver. "There are two types of people in my country. There are natives, like us, and there are whites. During the Massak, when we told the whites we had enough, the rightists blew up their planes in hopes of Pyrrhic victory. It was very funny actually, because the whites eventually tried to fly planes with no pilots in order to find where the guerilla was."
The delegation chuckled, but after a short burst they regressed to their stoicism. The car ride continued with no other events, and the delegation sat quietly in the back of the car until they approach the gated fence of the capitol's parking lot. Flanked by guards and overly secured, it stood out against the opulence of the capitol building.
"Look at their lavishness brother. They are too afraid to build a palace without guards, so to enjoy their creation they must act like vigilantes. And what wealth they must push into our faces. This must be why the Zlato refuse to do anything with the world abroad," Chua noted ironically, while craning his head towards the window. Dr. Kilian watched as the car pulled into the lot, and began rehearsing what he had prepared for the conference. Today was the day to show the world how Ujarak had changed. Dr. Kilian was one of the few Nativists who had traveled abroad before. And while he was not just another member of the party, he certainly knew how these statesmen conducted their business. Picking up his cane, and pushing his way towards the door, he emerged into the wild sunlight of the day. With his conservative clothing, a tunic and leggings with tribal designs embroidered on, he stood out as the first member of the Nativist delegation to Cyrupe. As the rest of his group emerged from the car, they must've seemed as the expression goes, like fish out of water.
Is there anything else you would like to add, ask, or otherwise clarify?: Not that I can think of.
What country do you come from? What is your primary language?: I am from the United States, and English is my primary language.
How did you get into Warcraft?: When I was younger, my neighbors introduced me to Warcraft 3. From there, I grabbed my hands on copies of Warcraft 1 and 2 and couldn't stop myself from learning all about the lore and playing custom maps on Warcraft 3. When news of World of Warcraft originally broke I was ecstatic, and I have had it installed on my many computers ever since then. This, coupled with forum roleplaying through guilds or through the pre-release site (WoW-Ra), helped develop my love for all things Warcraft.
What made you seek our server over others? (Or how did you find us?): As I said, I had an account here earlier, and so I have sought Conquest out again after a brief sojourn on the live realms with my new, additional free time. When I originally came to Conquest of the Horde, I was encouraged by a friend to try out private servers after I wasn't satisfied with the live ones, and since I had a knack for roleplaying, I did some digging to find some roleplaying-centric private servers. Naturally, Conquest of the Horde was the one I found.
What kinds of roleplay do you enjoy?: I hate to say it, but I'm a classic adventuring roleplayer. I like to be out and about, trying to make my mark on the world. While tavern and inn roleplay can fit nicely in this during periods of respite, I want my character to be trying to achieve something, trying to bring change to the world they live in. It may be hard to describe exactly, so I'll use an example. One of the characters I like to play is a down on his luck Alterac man, who is disenchanted with the Syndicate and remorseful over Perenolde's decision to side with the Horde. While one player may enjoy roleplaying him in taverns, telling his stories and drinking, I'd rather have him at the forefront, trying to reclaim the lost kingdom. While he may spend some time at a tavern in between his trials, I'd rather be making an impact than just lounging around.
What is your favorite race/class? Why?: Depending on the faction, my favorite races are Humans, Trolls, Taurens and Orcs. For humans, I always loved the idea of the old kingdoms, and the valiance and pageantry of the Second War. Most of my characters are veterans who have seen their way of life lost and their homelands destroyed by the Scourge or other forces and are refugees. I've always loved the idea of Lordaeron fighting back and regaining some semblance of its former empire (unlikely), Alterac redeeming itself, or Kul Tiras finally appearing. Your old campaign for Stromgarde was one of the reasons I joined Conquest of the Horde in the beginning.
As for the Horde, I really like the shamanism and traditional races that go along with it. I'm not one to bash on Blood Elves and Forsaken, but I enjoy the lore for the Tauren and their moral code and the orcs quest for freedom from demonic corruption was one of the hallmarks of the Warcraft 3 campaign. As for trolls, I just like roleplaying them because its the most unique of all the races.
In the case of classes, for roleplaying purposes I like having melee characters. This is because they can wear armor, which I think looks the best for roleplaying, and they can carry all types of weapons. I try to steer clear of the evil themed classes (Warlocks and Death Knights), because I'm not too good at evil characters. Other than that, I also like to play as druids and shamans if I'm going to try something besides fighter-archetypes. If you're curious though, my main on the live server is a mage.
What are your expectations of this server?: I want to work within the framework of Conquest of the Horde, its members and especially the GMs, to create storylines that are engaging but also work to push the COTH universe further. I know that a lot of roleplayers can be dissatisfied with normal MMORPGs because they don't feel like what they are doing makes a real difference. I would like to change that, and I think that your server is a perfect conduit. I'm also excited for the chance to rejoin a server that is purely focused on roleplaying and not just caught up in PVP and raiding.
Out of all of our rules and regulations listed on our server, which appeals to you the most?: I think No Godmodding is the biggest factor for me. I've found on live servers that there are two types of roleplaying: normal, godmodding and non-realistic. Normal roleplaying fits within the established canon and the characters are not uber-powerful or related to the faction heads. Non-realistic roleplay focuses on characters who represent different universes (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, cat-form druids) roleplaying in the confines of the World of Warcraft engine. Then there is the godmodder, whose character is either related to Thrall, or who is all powerful and knows everything my character is thinking. I have no problem with young roleplayers or people who are new to the craft, but I desire a level of maturity and a commitment to realism when I roleplay.
Lastly, tell us a story! It can be short, it can be long; but most importantly, we want to see your work in action. Go!: I'm not sure if this has to be Warcraft related, so I'm going to repost something I just wrote on Nation States! Let me know if you need something else.
Ujaraku Broadcasting Corporation, Onartok
Weekly taping of "The Firing Squad" with Mirek Václav
"You've heard it here first brothers. A representative from the May Coalition, a native with a pocket to the Prime Minister, has been flown to the Imperial Republic of Cyrupe for a 'conference' on nuclear proliferation," Václav ranted as he stood in front of a blackboard covered with anti-nativist slogans. With his pale skin and dirty blonde hair, he was a far cry from the characteristics that had identified Dr. Kilian and Chua. He was a Goldist, a Jazyk speaking northerner in a predominately indigenous-Ujarakian country. The Goldists, known in their language as Zlatos, are descendants of settlers who arrived in Ujarak during a gold rush. When the rivers had been panned for all their resources, the Goldists didn't return home, but set up shop in the northern Ujaraku plains. It was their government that had subjugated the natives of the south for years, culminating in a decade long uprising called the Massak, that would eventually lead to the formation of the new Nativist cabinet, known as the May Coalition.
"We are a nation of isolation. For years we have acted as a beacon to the world by not interfering in what is not our business. We have grown strong, prosperous and secure under the confines of this policy. The Nativists hope to overthrow this legacy. They want to meddle in the affairs of our region and sacrifice domestic power for unnecessary international clout," he continued, much to the delight of his Goldist crowd. The cheers masqueraded the few voices of protest from the mixed-blood members of the crowd, but sectarian rousing had long been part of Ujaraku journalism, and the television was no different. Pounding his fists on the table while beads of sweat slowly dripped towards the collar of his stylish suit, he continued. "The man they have sent on this mission is Dr. Atka Kilian. Government spokesmen have assured the network that Dr. Kilian is a non-biased nuclear physicist straight from the university. But we have unearthed campaign contributions he has made to Nativist extremists in the frontier provinces. Unfortunately, these documents are not being released by this red-skinned government, but I assure you of their existence!"
News in an isolated nation develops very slowly. It mostly focuses on the mundane details of local government and the banal day-to-day affairs of the centralized bureaucracy. These are combined with occasional features and human interest stories. During the Massak, terrorist attacks and massacres made the front pages. But these attacks had subsided after the Coalition's success and its formation in parliament, and now these rare attacks barely made the local papers. Once in awhile there may be a significant focus on an international issue, whether it is something going on in the nearby sea, or where an Ujarakian is implicated. But, for the most part, the networks realized that these issues cause a channel change. Regardless of the May Coalition's renewed emphasis on foreign policy and forging diplomatic ties with foreign nations, the Goldists remained entrenched in their age old mantra: If you open the gate to your home, you let in the flood.
It didn't help either that Ujarakians were not widely known outside of their land. There were few immigrations to other societies once the Goldists built their apartheid system and the Nativists secluded themselves in their inhospitable forests on the Ujaraku fringe. As the Goldists devised their schemes for centralization and control, and white settlers continued to encroach on ancient tribal lands, the nativists either attacked or retreated to their shelters. There were no population transfers or refugees, and there was little incentive for the dominating Goldists to flee from their domination. The few that had made it out were activists and dissidents who were championing the natives' cause abroad. But these pleas fell onto deaf ears in their destination countries. And so for many years the Goldists remained in isolation, controlling the state apparatuses.
"Let me be clear. Dr. Kilian is attending a conference on nuclear weapons and missile systems. Can we not judge his motives prematurely? This 'scientist' must be attempting to gain nuclear capabilities. And when he has done this, he will turn the weapons on the enemies of his fundamentalist Coalition and exterminate them! This is not peace that we are talking about here. This is a declaration of war by the insects who infringe on our lands!"
The crowd surged from their seats and began their thunderous applause. The hooting and hollering only boasted the credentials of Václav's hardline position, and he bowed politely before returning to his tirade. "Keep the fire in your hearts brothers and let us return to other news, chiefly that of the honorable defense of the settlement of Smrť Nepriateľa by Zlato settlers. The settlers were under siege by the natives of Nukka before being relieved by paramilitary contractors. Let us have a moment of silence for the three who were killed by the barbarians of the south."
Near Kaltz-Carlton International Airport, Cyrupe
Coalition Delegation to an International Conference
The car had not gotten far when the sounds of the Salgado Airlines plane's shaky landing echoed across the land. The grinding metal, the sirens of the trucks, and the billing smoke were all signs of the disaster. The driver's phone rang immediately after the incident, and he didn't say much before hanging up. "There's been a crash at the airport," he told the delegation. Stoics, none of them offered any immediate reaction, and so he continued. "Thank God that no one has been hurt, but I should probably pull over until we hear if this changes anything."
"It is only a plane crash? And no one was hurt?" Dr. Kilian inquired.
"Only a plane crash?" Chua wondered in Ujarakit. The driver nodded to Dr. Kilian, incredulous to his questions. He did not understand Chua, but he must've assumed that he had said something similar to Dr. Kilian's comment in English. He received another telephone call, alerting him to continue their journey to the capitol and the conference.
"We are from a country where a plane crash only matters on the importance of the dead men inside. I have seen more plane crashes then I have seen safe landings," Dr. Kilian explained to the driver. "There are two types of people in my country. There are natives, like us, and there are whites. During the Massak, when we told the whites we had enough, the rightists blew up their planes in hopes of Pyrrhic victory. It was very funny actually, because the whites eventually tried to fly planes with no pilots in order to find where the guerilla was."
The delegation chuckled, but after a short burst they regressed to their stoicism. The car ride continued with no other events, and the delegation sat quietly in the back of the car until they approach the gated fence of the capitol's parking lot. Flanked by guards and overly secured, it stood out against the opulence of the capitol building.
"Look at their lavishness brother. They are too afraid to build a palace without guards, so to enjoy their creation they must act like vigilantes. And what wealth they must push into our faces. This must be why the Zlato refuse to do anything with the world abroad," Chua noted ironically, while craning his head towards the window. Dr. Kilian watched as the car pulled into the lot, and began rehearsing what he had prepared for the conference. Today was the day to show the world how Ujarak had changed. Dr. Kilian was one of the few Nativists who had traveled abroad before. And while he was not just another member of the party, he certainly knew how these statesmen conducted their business. Picking up his cane, and pushing his way towards the door, he emerged into the wild sunlight of the day. With his conservative clothing, a tunic and leggings with tribal designs embroidered on, he stood out as the first member of the Nativist delegation to Cyrupe. As the rest of his group emerged from the car, they must've seemed as the expression goes, like fish out of water.
Is there anything else you would like to add, ask, or otherwise clarify?: Not that I can think of.