[ OOC ] Open Pride Discussion

[KizingoZaa II]

It’s high time we have an open discussion thread here in the Kizi for our members to present ideas, look for pride-specific plots, and participate in pridal decisions and affairs. This is an open forum for pride members to exchange ideas and opinions. All we ask is that everyone remains respectful and stays on-topic.

► Please be respectful! You may not like someone within the pride or the ideas here but please conduct yourself in a civil manner.

► Don’t be afraid to speak up about something! We want this pride to be a fun, enjoyable place to rp and be a part of. If there’s something you’d like to address, don’t be afraid to do so.

► Please stay on-topic. This is an out-of-character discussion area for pride matters. Personal life and outside matters are to be discussed in the SoA main thread, not here.

 

[Thalion]

Metaplot 2012
It's early in the year and very soon after last year's Meta. Shinos has been very busy with school and work so I'm asking for suggestions for this year's meta from everyone. We can organize something awesome, including prizes, if we start discussion early.

So here's what I'm asking- what would you like to see in a metaplot? Right now this is pretty open-ended. The pride just got a new way of life, a new patron goddess, a new belief system, and a new 'theme'. Here's just some hodgepodge ideas to work off of:

► A rival pride?
If you have a pride you'd like to be at odds with the Kizi propose something! Rivalries always open up a lot of opportunities for plots and drama.

► An ally?
If you have a pride you'd like to come to good terms with the Kizi? This might be a little harder to work out given the secretive nature of the pride but we're open to suggestions!

► In-Pride conflict?
Maybe there's some tensions that arise between those still cursed with insanity and those who's curse has been lifted? I dunno. XD

► Suggest something! Let's get the ball rolling. :3  

[Depawsit]

I like the idea of an inner pride conflict. Mostly because from what i've seen with other pre-change Kizi members, never really got closure with losing their muses or keeping them. It was just sort of a done deal, some members are playing their Kizi as angry for leaving their muses, while others are really happy about it. I dunno I just think it'd be interesting to see a change in the tides and how two different types of lions collide.

You've got the new lions who are here for the pride's new way of life, then you've got the old members. Ones who still suffer [ or enjoy ] their muses. How do these new lions treat them? Do they respect them for or simply look at them as burdens?

---

Or maybe there could be some sort of rivalry between the Kizi and the Pirates? Seems like they'd make an interesting clash! Though I can't speak for the Pirates since I don't have any say in the pride sweatdrop

 

[Tisiphone]

Said to not be afraid to speak up about something, that it's supposed to be fun and enjoyable. I am extremely disappointed in the direction the Kiz'a have gone in. I don't believe it was fair, or right to change the pride so drastically, so many characters left because of this and their lives no longer make sense/are no longer playable for their characters.

Going back to what Kiz'a originally was obviously isn't an option, but I feel it just needed to be stated in the open.  

[Thalion]

@Tisi:
The interaction's pretty well laid out in the information thread. So far, the 'new kizi' members are still seen in a good light. The newcomers see them as odd, from what I've gathered from the rp's. There may be a plot for that, we can work it out, but I dunno if there's enough hostility to be honest. XD

Ooh the pirates would be fun. o: I could poke Buffy!

@Tisiphone:
Sorry you feel that way, but we had to find a way to explain the departure of the major royal line (mostly owned by departed members) and for a lot of people a forced state such as insanity was a bit of a turn-off. Especially for a pride with unique lines. We felt it was fair to the departed members to have an explanation as to why they left (without it being permanent like an exile or an uprising) while still opening the door for everyone else.

As for it not making sense for some characters, there is lingering insanity for pre-existing members so none of that changed. It was always an option to have your character's insanity lifted.  

[Feral Mule]

I read about the Kizi a while ago and the whole reason I didn't want to put anyone in this pride was because of the insanity. So with the change, it opened a new gate. I really like the changes. But, I am a new member.

However, I think some inner pride conflict would be interesting to see, like Pawsie said.  

[Thalion]

XD Yar~ And there's no rule saying your character can't be insane, it's just not a god's curse anymore. (And thus not a requirement. :3 )

Maybe a conflict but nothing too... dividing just yet. XD They only just got back on their feet pride-wise. Perhaps some sane/insane conflict or a division about which god(ess) to serve? Not sure. >> I don't want anything so early on to begin dividing the pride.  

[Depawsit]

I personally loved the Kizi for their insanity clause <3 I'm actually really glad my lioness was accepted before it was lifted so that I could keep her that way. But at the same time, I can see how a line specific pride would be a bit of a problem if they held such a stipulation.

As far as conflict goes - maybe something that does come to divide the pride. Something that would call for god/dess to come in and sort through the mess. Resulting in something that would partially benefit both parties - and bring them together as a single unit. Not one that could be partially divided like right now.

I only speak for myself when I say, I play my female as being very afraid of the new members of the pride. Mostly because she's spent her whole life being an outcast, and new members may not be as understanding as the old ones were. So in my case at least there is some unrest - though nothing that would lead to anything. Unless she were provoked - THEN things could change C:

 

[Thalion]

:nod: We understood that. :3 There's no rule saying that you can't make your lion(ess) crazy on their own, it just won't be something that's required or influenced by a god. Some pride members are still quite nuts (I own a girl who retains her insanity XD). We felt it was best to give people the option of being insane. The gypsy thing was a clever angle that both shinos and I thought would fit well- after all some gypsies would fake insanity/had odd behavior on principal. XD Shandor's still not the most down to earth fellow. >>

Ooh Dep that would be kind of interesting. o: Maybe those that are insane can be given a special rank during the meta. An insane class of gypsies would be the most interesting performers afterall >> And they'd give the pride a good reputation on the outside. That might be an angle to play at.  

[Thalion]

I had a thought today that might appeal to both sides -and- make for an interesting metaplot that would expand into the pride’s culture and allow for some drama, tension, and interesting rolaplay later on. Looking over this thread (and some not so happy pm’s XD) most of you are wanting some way to keep the insanity and give those who are still stricken with it to have a role within the pride. While no one has been shunned (yet) for their insane state, they are the minority now.

First, a little explanation (Since I over-think things a lot but I want there to be some sense in the setting. XD)

The Oracle Delphi is a popular figure in history and mythology. The oracle would sit in a cave or near to one where, it’s said, a ‘strange but pleasant’ smell would sometimes drift in on the winds. The oracle would have ‘visions’ and pass them along to the people who sought them out. There are rumors that these visions were hallucinations provoked by fumes released from cracks in the caves leading deeper underground.

So here’s my idea-

A wandering rogue (male or female, I may save some money to custom a new character for this role) knows of this cave and hears tell of the pride’s strife. This can be because some members (or a member) go seeking their muses on the edges of the pride’s territory. The idea, in short, is that this lion claims himself or herself as an oracle of the pride’s former goddess, and that they alone can bring back the muses. Pride members gather within the cave and begin seeing their muses through these hallucinations and in time this becomes something of a cult following to the oracle. This might have long term effects such as deeper insanity or death (depending on what everyone decides they want for their character, I’m leaving this open for discussion!). This could create some strife within the pride if the oracle (another point open for discussion) decides to encourage his followers to make an attempt on the new ways and the members that support it. It could cause some suspicion among the gypsies and force them to expand their territory so they have a place to put these ‘muse-bound’ individuals and their strange prophet and religion.

Conrad has also suggested a cubnapping plot. The gypsies are in low number and this rise of a division could drive the gypsies to go out seeking to increase their numbers. Cubnapping hasn’t been a practice within the pride but some of the newcomers (Shandor Riddlemouth included) won’t discourage it, especially if the cubs are unwanted and orphaned rogues. This would help actually fill out the ‘prince’ rank and boost the numbers of those growing into gypsies.

So thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?  

[Excited Apathy]

Tisiphone

Said to not be afraid to speak up about something, that it's supposed to be fun and enjoyable. I am extremely disappointed in the direction the Kiz'a have gone in. I don't believe it was fair, or right to change the pride so drastically, so many characters left because of this and their lives no longer make sense/are no longer playable for their characters.

Going back to what Kiz'a originally was obviously isn't an option, but I feel it just needed to be stated in the open.

Going to have to agree with this, and add a note or two of my own. The boy rehomed to me was fairly blank-slate so I could meld him into the new, but Raka was devastated by the double whammy of the loss of his parents and Insanity's blessing. Despite being close to sane himself (his muse was a serval that remains his closest friend), I simply could not find a reason for him to remain without twisting his character beyond what I was comfortable with. Not to mention that it seems Shandor looks down on those that were insane? IDK, that's just the vibe I've gotten...which feels really wierd to have one of the leaders be :/ over the former/current insanity of many of the members when almost their entire culture has been yanked out from beneath their feet.

Oracle idea...is a start, at least. 'Tis too late to put things the way they were (a unique pride where YOU--the lion's player--decided the extent of the insanity...one could be so close to sane as to have no difference! Raka's mother was one such), but it could turn into something interesting nonetheless.  

[Thalion]

The lifting of the curse is a dead horse that's been beaten to a pulp. XD I will not reverse the decision and I've explained why we made the change. I am very sorry that there are so many that are unhappy with it but things do tend to change, especially when half the pride and nearly all of the royal family simply vanishes when people leave gaia. It was the best way to explain why the goddess was gone, why so many members left, and honestly the pride barely had activity when the change was implicated. The biggest complaint that Shinos and I got (from various people) was that the insanity was a turn off. People would breed for the lines and leave.

The issue is over. The curse is gone forever, insanity as a goddess is gone. She took her curse with her. Please let that be the end of it. Bringing it up over and over will only hurt feelings and cause tension. We're trying to move on and bring new ideas to the pride, not dwell on the drama of the past.

I myself have a character that is still insane. Shandor saw his own insanity as a blight and thus has reason not to like the idea of embracing insanity. Shinos' girl, however, was a native that actually saw the good side of the insanity, Shandor did not. It makes sense for them both to be the way they are and Shinos and I agreed it made an interesting contrast in leadership between the old ways and the new ways. In-character behavior shouldn't be confused with ooc intentions or opinion.

If you don't like the idea presented, or if you have something you'd like to add, please do! I really don't want this open discussion to become an open complaint forum. XD; The point is to collaborate on fun ideas for everyone.  

[Excited Apathy]

I have pretty much kept this to myself until what was supposedly an open discussion thread was posted, thanks. Kind of a slap in the face to do that and then tell folks to be quiet when they voice the honest opinion you asked for--you did say not to be afraid to speak up.

To clarify, I said not one thing about your opinion of the pride members, only Shandor's. I am well aware of the IC/OOC divide. I did say the oracle idea was a start that could become something interesting, so acting like I'm just complaining is hardly an encouraging sign. This may sound blunt. It may sound harsh. But you asked for feedback and then went 'oh, no, not that feedback.' As a result, I'm more than a little miffed.  

[Thalion]

I did, yes, but the topic has been exhausted. I didn't mean to come off harsh but very little has been actually discussed apart from the disappointment in the necessary change to the pride. I don't mind anyone speaking up but the initial comment was a little pointed and I have asked that the topic be dropped so we can move on past it. It leads to hard feelings, points fingers, and it's not very productive. Again, if it came off harsh that wasn't my intent. I have explained, a lot, that the choice was made to avoid godmoding to explain where the departed goddess and members went.

If I offended you, I am sorry.