CHARACTER POPULARITY POLL 2015: THE RECKONING
Mar 11, 2016 10:45:39 GMT -5
Loogs, ch00beh, and 1 more like this
Post by Tout-Perd on Mar 11, 2016 10:45:39 GMT -5
After three hours of raving hype, it is now time to roll out the results! As a reminder, the basic outline for the ratings are:
-2: I hate this character and want them either gone, or completely replaced.
-1: I dislike this character substantially.
0: I don't really care for this character at all. Meh.
1: I'm either neutral on this character or don't know who they are.
2: I like this character okay.
3: I think this character has a lot of good points.
4: This is a fantastic character, and I would always love to see more of them.
5: This character is pure perfection.
With no further ado, here are my ratings for the 2015 crop of characters:
Thyra
I feel as if after years of searching, Thyra has finally come into her own. For the longest time, she was one of those “Pirates who don’t do anything”, where her career kept being alluded to but never actually became plot relevant. Disorientation lets us finally see her in action, and so far, she’s finally living up to her potential. Thyra’s far from the most exciting or quirky character in Disorientation, but she provides a rock-solid pivot for all the loonies to orbit around, and I like how she plays off the wilder characters.
**** (4)
Natalie
I’m discontent with Natalie- She’s a great character, but with as much history as she has, it feels like we should be seeing some real growth out of her. Natalie is, bar the loss of Ender, largely the same entity she was back in 2004, though my choreography and ability to sidestep narm have largely improved since. I’m tempted to take her in some new directions, but the problem is, a living fossil like Natalie is hard to update without potentially leaving behind what makes her so great.
(As a fun little aside, in the last week I finally realized Natalie doesn’t have a bird motif, she’s got a SQUID motif. Think about it- That spreading pony tail, the tentacle-esque whip sword, the surprising degree of intelligence and ferocity she packs... Who’da thunk it?)
***.5 (3.5)
Emily
This is a really, really tough call for me- I love Emily’s basic idea (giddy chef who moonlights as a surprisingly effective mercenary) and I adore Clicker’s work behind her. However, with Clicker on maternity leave, I’ve had to take the reins, and I feel like my Emily, while sufficiently bouncy and wacky, lacks the grounding that makes her take on Emily work. Clicker!Emily feels like a person, whereas Lee!Emily feels like a character.
Then again, my choreography with her is really sharp, and I feel like I use improvised weaponry better and more unexpectedly than Clicker did, which gives her a decent bump. While I rate Clicks at a 4, I’m going to give myself a-
***.5 (3.5)
Nopcsa
I’m still amazed I dismissed Nopcsa as a bit-part NPC when he first debuted. I mean, he’s not the best character on the site or in my roster, but there’s just so much potential there. I think Nopnop’s acquitted himself really well in the past year. I think it’s been a serendipitous boon for him that he’s in Obscured Truth and Ishkabibble, since they’re such different roles. In OT, he’s such a slimy, spiteful villain, whereas in Ish, he’s arguably the most sympathetic and vulnerable character in the entire plot (bar MAYBE Alyssa). So we get to see him at both extremes, as the dominant aggressor and a canny survivor.
I feel like I could his banter just a little more fresh, and I feel like I could do more with his mind-reading to REALLY light the page on fire, but Nopcsa’s been very very solid.
**** (4)
Blaise
This is really a surprise entry for me! I wasn’t expecting Ishka12 to come back around, or for that matter, for Whisper in my Ear to get a surprise revisit. But with all of that said, I really feel like Blaise has earnestly grown so much in depth. While before she projected an atmosphere of vulnerability, now we’re actually starting to see the flaws and determination beneath her attempted veneer of perfection. I still feel like I could write her voice better, but for me, seeing such a flawed character struggling so hard to achieve greatness is quite possibly the most compelling arc in my entire cast.
****.5 (4.5)
Helen
What does it say about my cast when I consider a character this intense and colorful to actually be one of my most boring options presently? Helen’s big problem is she’s a very likable person with a duo of complementary and intriguing powers, but she’s got no THRUST. Every other member of my cast has some big REASON behind everything they do, but Helen’s just kinda hanging there, with no real purpose. I mean, she’s decent enough and all, and she racks up a lot of badass moments with some really fresh choreography in her fights... But still, she needs something that drives her. For a while she was really concerned with the redemption of the Summoners and their reputation, but Miko and Illiana stepped into that space with a lot more personal stakes. Maybe we need to see more of her as a performer, why she does her art, why she chose the image she did... Maybe that’ll let me see why she matters so much.
*** (3)
Didn’t
I complain about Helen’s lack of a point... And launch directly into a character who fairly aggressively DOESN’T have any point. But in Didn’t case, that’s okay. I’ve talked before about how some characters are less “characters” and more “setting material”, and I think that’s a role Didn’t has settled into; she’s a bizarre little footnote that gives the world as a whole more flavor and pep. I mean, the fact that she wanders all over ORP, creating stable time loops and wandering into RPs on a totally non-linear manner makes me feel like she hits a lot of potential the trolls in Homestuck had initially shown and then failed to fully deliver on.
That said, she suffers from the “Rhometer” problem, where a character is CRAZY UNIQUE, but the voice of the text fails to fully deliver on that bizarre and daring concept. I feel like Didn’t needs me to push my writing harder so I can REALLY help her achieve her full potential.
*** (3)
(As an aside, after the deadline, I wrote a post where Didn’t is less “completely oblivious” and more “ordinary (albeit optimistic) teenage girl who has nothing to do with linear time and has seen a lot in her time”, and I feel it’s really taking. If I can come up with a good dramatic thrust to her, she might take a 4 next time)
Garth
THANK GOODNESS THAT GARTH IS FINALLY NOTEWORTHY. It took me two A-list RP events, a B-list RP, and shilling the hell out of him, but he FINALLY lived up to his potential. Who knew the best way to put Garth over would be finally running an RP where he wasn’t the main character? I plucked the shrinking violet out of the big RP pool, and put him in a much smaller pond, where his lack of guile and savvy actually makes him stand out, and where his relative inexperience compared to ORP in general instead makes him look like a grizzled veteran next to all the fresh faces.
I still feel like I can do much, much better than this, but Garth has finally hit his stride as “the guy who thinks he’s the one sane man of the setting while actually being kinda out of touch with reality”. Not to mention that he and Ben are kinda adorable together.
***.5 (3.5)
Almudena
Almudena is largely heir to my style of writing for Dace... Very punchy, enthusiatic, and overconfident, but with a softer side hiding beneath all of that intense charisma and drive (actually, they’re largely templated from the same friend’s personality, albeit 8 years apart). I’d say she’s some of my better writing. Unfortunately, we won’t get to see her conversation with Thyra before the ratings go up, which hampers my ability to flaunt her deeper, quieter qualities. Still, I feel like Alma’s a very solid pillar of the site, with only a few months of writing under her belt, and she only stands to evolve further.
With what I’ve got right now, I feel she warrants a 3.5, but don’t be surprised if that climbs to being worth a 4 in about a month or two.
***.5 (3.5)
Emma Ray Jo
You see, I know Emma’s going to be quite possibly the most polarizing character in the polls this year. That’s a bit of a deliberate move on my part- After all, the way I view RP is that it’s largely formed by more stable and rounded main characters, with a variety of super-flavorful and (somewhat) flanderized supporting characters that bounce off of them and drive reactions and the thrust of plots.
Emma Ray is a very deliberate invocation of a lot of these aspects, and I’m hoping to use her to play off of a lot of people’s expectations. I think as a character, she’s actually really fun and a personality type we’ve seen like NONE of in ORP, so I’m glad she’s around. I do think I need to work on my voice to her so I can convey more of her rustic charm and make it clearer what she’s actually saying, but I think she’s in a very solid place.
*** (3)
Dalisay
I’m quite fond of Dalisay, because she lets me write an utterly different personality from any of my other characters. As a rule, my cast are all very independent people who thrive on action and drama... Whereas Dalisay is very muchly guided by her parents and teachers, and strives HARD to avoid any sort of big action scene. She’s a very pitiful character who’s starting to show how deep her issues really run, and I’m incredibly fond of her concept.
I feel like I need a slightly better voice for her, but I think I’ve been doing a good job capturing the raw anxiety her Power brings her. The one issue I have is that her Power needs to be used sparingly, because it’s so utterly disruptive and would cause diminshing returns. So it’s a power that demands attention, and yet must avoid use at the same time... It’s a very tricky act to balance.
***.5 (3.5)
Kendil
I get a vibe that Kendil’s going to bomb in the ratings this year, but c’est la vie, I like the little punk. I feel like she’s actually done quite a bit to distinguish herself from the rest of my action girls, due to the fact that she’s so incredibly misguided but well intentioned. I’m also having fun with the fact that her power basically translates to Vancian spellcasting, since it establishes a tension at the start of every plot she’s in. She’s got a very specific list of tools, and once she depletes them, she’s in quite a jam.
Not to mention the Egyptian motif is oh-so-sweet, and she’s very visually and choreographically unique. She might get a meh for being just another action girl, but dangit, I feel like while she’s a bit cliche in my cast, she’s actually a very solid concept as a whole and a very fun read.
*** (3)
Reba
While ORP!Reba hasn’t had much chance to shine yet, I think she’s actually got the most developed and unique voice in my entire cast (bar MAAAYBE Almudena), and I love how cynical and world-weary her personality is in contrast to my cast of driven idealists. I do wish we got more of a chance to see her do her thing, though... As is, we’ve only got a brief flash of brilliance, and the real test of any character is how they work in the long term.
**.5 (2.5)
Narcissa Iago Zaghetti
She’s quite fun. I enjoy that in the process of creating her, we ended up with a character who’s pretty clearly a Kevin/Choobs/Loogs design physically (though ironically based on an idea from SV!), Kev/Pohatu personality, and a Lee/Pohatu style powerset, with little touches from lots of other authors. And it’s fun to write a power with an actual God complex, which is something you’d figure would crop up quite a bit more often.
That said, the real test of the character will be when she starts getting passed from author to author. Until then, we can’t actually say how well her central concept will hold together.
*** (3)
Illiana
I hate Illiana because Elliot’s going and making all my work on the Summoners look like garbage in comparison to how good his stuff is. I really like how she’s this lawful good type without being overly stuffy, and how she almost feels compelled to be as good of a person as she possibly can be to make up for how over the line the rest of her people tend to be.
I feel like we haven’t seen her pushed far enough yet to really get down to the core of her character, but as Pohatu says, there’s not enough unequivocally good folks in ORP, and she brings a very unique and enjoyable flavor.
**** (4)
Yoshimitsu
It’s really interesting seeing that after LaDC, Yoshimitsu’s kinda slipped out of the spotlight, and become more of a veteran commentator on events than a participant. It’s like when NFL players retire and then go into sportscasting. It’s weird seeing him on the sidelines, but he’s still doing a very solid role. I guess I just want to see more actual drama for him? As is, he’s cool, but it doesn’t feel like any of his roles as of late have NEEDED him to be the one for the spot. Still, even without getting to cut loose, Yosh’s still good stuff, and I know there’s some amazing stuff on the horizon for him.
***.5 (3.5)
Antonio
It’s funny- After getting panned in the ratings for being too IN his element, now we’ve got him completely out of his element, and I kinda feel like we need to see more of his slick thief side, either as a flashback in OT, or in some other sense, to help balance things out. As is, we’re mostly just seeing him as a snooty prisoner, which while well written, isn’t really doing much to keep me invested in him.
*** (3)
Carlos
So let’s just get this out of the way: I’m pretty sure that we didn’t do the Lugiasian Awards because we all knew that it was pointless, when Carlos so clearly took the “Post of 2015” award. Carlos is interesting, and I think he kinda poses an interesting opposite to what I said about Antonio. We get to know him and his mind well, so beneath his veneer of control and snootiness, we also get to see his vulnerability, his thoughts, what makes him tick. One of my favorite moments he gets is his pocketing the gears- He encounters something that legitimately strikes him as cool, but he can’t let his image slip, so he has to downplay his interest. As a whole, this interplay of being utterly self-controlled and yet letting us see how vulnerable he is makes him VERY compelling and fun to read.
Not to mention he and Deandre form the two pillars of Dis’s voice, which really set the tone for the biggest plot of the year, so mad props for that, too.
**** (4)
Ben
Ben’s a good guy. I feel like we’re maybe being too coy with him in not showing off his beast form at all, and I feel he’s largely overshadowed by the raw issues of the rest of the Terminer crowd, but he’s a servicable enough character. I guess I want to see where any kind of conflict comes from for him, because as is, he’s just a very decent and in control guy, which kinda doesn’t lead to much growth/development.
**.5 (2.5)
Evelyn
Evelyn surprised me- I thought she was going to be super shallow, but she’s arguably the second best developed member of El’s clique, and both her fashion sense and powers come with quite a bit of excellent imagery. She provides a banquet for the mind’s eye. I’d like to see a bit more of what you’ve got going on behind the scenes with her, and maybe a plot of two with her on her own, but so far, she’s provided a very solid foundation.
***.5 (3.5)
Jay
Not gonna lie, Jay is fairly underwhelming. Superstrength is a boring power, and his personality doesn’t add enough to actually make him super interesting. That’s okay though- Every ensemble cast needs a few guys who are just “there” to help fill out scenes without pulling focus, and he does that job admirably.
** (2)
Mel
I think Mel is one of the more intriguing characters in the clique. She’s got lots of potential backstory issues going on, and while arguably having the second deepest personality in the group, also doesn’t give us anywhere near the insight that Carlos does. She’s got so much potential, and I’d love to see her interact with Helen some time, but right now we mostly have potential, not actual concrete stuff.
**.5 (2.5)
Kilik
Kilik’s an incredibly chill, pleasant dude, but I really don’t feel like there’s much to sell him on his own. He’s like a... Lesser Illiana right now. I’m sure with time he’ll distinguish himself, but as he is, he just kinda shows up as “most reasonable instructor at Terminer”, which is a fairly boring spot to be. He has stood up to people on a few occasions though, which is worth a point.
**.5 (2.5)
Hector
Ol’ He4ctor here is finally growing up and developing a real thrust behind him. It’s nice to see him owning up to his screwups and trying to do right by his daughter, and he gets major points for being so compassionate and giving in a way all his own. It’s nice to have an RP character who admits he’s not a genius, but doesn’t go too far the other direction, either.
As for my complaints- I’d like to see a bit more of him being a Power, show those flames and superstrength a bit more. I mean, don’t go and drown the thread in it, but it’d be nice to show just a bit more that he’s not a baseline human. Also, I can’t wait til we get out of the angsty portion of things. I mean, it’s very reasonable considering how bad he fucked up, but I think we could use seeing some care-free Hector again. Bring just a touch of the past to the present, and I think you’ll have a perfect mixture.
***.5 (3.5)
Halley
Hailstorm is a fairly unique character, but I’ve yet to see what really makes her shine- As is, she’s platonic BFFs with Hec for him to bounce ideas off of, but we really don’t get to see much of what her drive is. She’s passable enough, but I can’t really sell her based on what we’ve seen so far. She’s slightly snarky in a big sister sort of way? She’s kinda a bar tender? I guess I want to see more of the attributes that make her unique (roller-blading, courier, Filippina) before I can really give her a higher score. A for concept, but C for debuts, as Sailing hasn’t given her a good chance to frame what makes her work. (To be fair, Flint and Steel is a TERRIBLE trial run for Didn’t, so I’m guilty of the same.)
**.5 (2.5)
Vathale
I like that Vath is actually getting some depth, but I must admit, her broken English and being so very complicit with Hector’s advances feels a little problematically “me love you long time”. That said, I like the ideas behind her Powers, and I think she could become something a lot more robust once we’ve seen who she grows into some day.
** (2)
Nadeshi
I’m so happy to see Nadeshi taking on some new flavor- While purple haired dragon kid is okay, the whole Indian prince motif makes him feel SO much more vivid and interesting. All the same, there really isn’t much to go off of yet. All the same, I like his potential, and I’m happy we FINALLY have some India-flavor in ORP after like 15 years without.
** (2)
Pleiades
Pleiades is going to be another one of those polarizing characters, I bet. On one hand, she’s adorable, and it’s nice seeing how she’s had to grow up and be a real self starter, since even though Hector is well intentioned, he’s a ditz and not very mature. On the other hand, that same unusual level of maturity makes her feel less authentic, even though it makes sense. I’d like to see a bit more of her just you know, being a kid. I think getting to see more of her cute and innocent side will help round out her personality. (It’d also be cool to see her powers, since they’re actually really neat with really badass imagery, too.)
*** (3.5)
Deandre
Deandre is the heart and soul of Disorientation, I’m not going to lie. While everybody else makes the wheel go round, he’s the axle on which it pivots. He might not feel like he has much plot importance, but he brings so much atmosphere and provides such a relatable perspective that it’s hard to imagine Dis without him.
(As an aside, a really fun exercise is rereading Dis by only reading the Deandre posts. It largely forms a VERY readable and coherent narrative, one that’s arguably a better read than the full-formed RP.)
Not to mention his writing and voice, which is a surprisingly intimate and vulnerable turn from Pohatu. It’s pretty much impossible not to love Deandre, and I honestly feel like Pohatu, arguably the best author on the site, has outdone himself here.
***** (5)
Channery
I may be judging her in relation to the rest of the action girls here, but I think Channery represents herself fairly well. We’ve got Raw Id (Natalie), Raw Superego (Rie), and Channery’s a perfect compliment to the other two with her very balanced and levelheaded demeanor (ergo, Ego). I’d love to see a plot with the three of them playing off of eachother, even if Channery’s reaction would likely be “These bitches are utter psychopaths”.
As is, it’s good seeing her active again in What Lurks, and her self interest plays very nicely off of Illiana’s utterly giving nature. TBH, I kinda think Channery feels more natural as a Pohatu main character than Terrian (don’t tell the guy below I said that!), since she comes with a lot less baggage both socially and powerwise, and she feels like a very natural fit for his writing style. She hasn’t really WOWED me, but she’s rock-solid.
**** (4)
Terrian (+ duplicates)
I’m not going to lie, the Ishka-bargo has hurt Terrian’s cache greatly. When you’re arguably the main character of RP, and the likes of Flint, Illiana, and Emily make pretty solid passes at dethroning you, something has gone awry. I was going to give him a 3.5 for being mostly out of focus and his new stuff in Ishkabibble not being overly compelling (I wager his big scenes are yet to come), but then I remembered the incredible and chilling post Pohatu cranked out in Emet, which stabilizes him at a very solid 4. (It’s absolutely terrifying to think about being part of a mental collective, where somebody in the group suddenly gets corrupted by something they SHOULD NOT KNOW, and it’s a premise I’ve never seen in ANYTHING before his post.)
In the coming year, I think we’re going to see Terrian on the rise, since Pococurante and revamped Bibble will fill in some missing key scenes, and I think Pohatu will be more willing to shill him now that he’s less enamored with the ‘bibble. I can’t wait to see where this ride goes next.
**** (4)
Massimo
It’s a shame that Massimo had to die in Ishkabibble. I feel like his cultured and amicable side worked really nicely playing off of how churlish and brutal Cesare’s street level antics were. Not to mention it was nice to see a character who could actually talk of fine culture, and not seem like they were utterly talking out their ass. I guess I feel like he stepped out just a smidge too early, but we do still have a few scenes of ‘bibble, Chips, and Pohatu loathing linear plots to help flesh him out.
*** (3)
Cesare
It’s nice to see a big ugly dumb brute of a character. Props for having a guy who’s so certain of being an absolute badass that he’s compelled to take on Natalie when she issues a challenge. Now hear me out, but I think he’s the Jesse Pinkman to the rest of the G-bros; overly emotional, not that bright, goes pulling them into all sorts of stupid situations, and loyal to a fault, except for on one critical occasion that ends up spelling ruin for his brothers. He’s a plot driver who acts irrationally, which is a really important thing, especially when the rest of Photu’s cast is super-savvy and self interested. SOMEBODY needs to be the cue that smacks all the billiards around, and Cesare does a good job of it.
*** (3)
Nico
Most boring of the G-bros, but still a decent character. There’s been hints that he might come into conflict with Cesare due to his brother being incompetent in his eyes, but I don’t know if he’s actually going through with it any time soon? As is, he’s well written, but he’s kinda just in the middle of the Pohatu road. I’d like to see a bit more of his “Four eyes zero soul” thing going on, because he actually managed to be quite chilling in Muddy Season. His 2015 performance hasn’t really shown us much, though.
**.5 (2.5)
Tanner
Tanner is undeniably one of Pohatu’s weaker characters, with a baller aesthetic but a real lack of actual thrust. That said, he’s got a decent voice and provides a very solid pillar for the setting when it comes to criminal masterminds, and he feels tantalizingly close to something good. He really is at his best at the fringes of plots, showing up in short glimpses and tantalizing hints, instead of trying to pull focus like he does in Ishkabibble.
I’m torn on what to give him- In relation to the rest of Pohatu’s cast and what Pohatu’s capable of, I’d rate him a 2.5, but on the other hand, from any other author, I’d easily give him a 3. So in the interest of fairness, we’ll go-
*** (3)
Flo
Absolutely loving Flo, not gonna lie. She’s the real star of Ishkabibble, and the sharp eyed readers of Obscured Truth are going to pick up on some fun notes from her as well. I loved how sassy she gets, and the voice she brings is very affectionately snarky. I don’t think that there’s any other character who is as much raw FUN just to read, even if there’s much more compelling characters out there. As I said in my review of Emma Ray, a lot of the dynamics of ORP come from bouncing really bizarre characters off of the more stable ones, and seeing the reactions that ensue. And quite bluntly, Flo gives the best color commentary out of the site, at least for the time being.
Granted, I want to see her actually get some thrust/plots of her own. As is, she’s largely subservient to the whims of the vastly less intriguing Tanner. I’m hoping that we get to see her take charge in some sort of situation, soon. (I think I’ve been getting foreshadowing that she’s going to gain powers of some kind and have a power-struggle with Tanner over who’s in charge of the gang. Which, if so would be amazing.)
**** (4)
Hugh
While Flo’s amazing, Hugh is overshadowed. That said, he’s still a very solid character, the more stable and reliable half of their weird little duo. I think his caring for Flo adds a lot of depth to what would otherwise be a very generic thug, and sets them apart from the rest of the dog-eat-dog Cardsharks. He also get points for being badass enough to stand and fight when confronted with what was OBVIOUSLY the most dangerous power in the whole Ansonia incident, and actually getting some licks in.
Speaking of licks, is it just me, or does Hugh Oakshot sound like a pseudonym he picked up from a failed career in the adult film industry? I mean, you can’t just be named one letter off from HUMONGOUS WOODCANNON and not have it have some deeper meaning behind it.
*** (3)
Rie
I feel like Rie is a necessary evil- She never seems all that exciting on her own, but she makes a very solid foil for essentially any other character (the only characters as unflappable seeming as her are Blaise, who is totally just fronting, and Julia, who is rapidly flaking away beneath her veneer of control). Being The Stoic isn’t always an easy job, since it doesn’t let you be as flashy as your more aggressive friends, but Rie steps into the role with aplomb.
I’ll admit, I kinda want to see Rie actually question her greed and why she’s trying to earn all this money, since in the end, she’s got a very, very limited time to enjoy it, and she doesn’t have very expensive tastes. Maybe she’s actually pulling a Breaking Bad, and trying to stockpile massive amounts of wealth so that she can get medical treatment to prolong her life?
You see, that’s my issue with Rie; by being so stoic, it means that it’s hard to really peer into her depths, and it feels like there’s so much going on that Choobs ain’t even hinting at. That all said, though, her demeanor and reactions are amusing, and I gotta love a character who pairs so nicely with Natalie.
***.5 (3.5)
Mandelbrot
‘brot’s doing a very good job being a freaky psychopath and bringing a lot of menace to RP, and the thing I panned Mandelbrot before (lack of a sympathetic angle/justification) got remedied in Ishkabibble). I’m really interested in seeing where this whole situation goes. I really don’t have much to say, but I’m kinda dodging spoilers, and Choobs is writing a near-perfect game with ‘brot. Let’s just see a bit more conflict, a bit more of ‘brot’s other side coping with what they’ve dove into, and we’re talking a possible 5.
**** (4)
Vieve
Didn’t, Rho, and Vieve should be “Immortal Children who don’t actually drive plots but add a lot of flavor to the setting” buddies. Vieve doesn’t have much of a particular thrust, but on the other hand, she’s super endearing and sweet and fun to read about, which is a really good place to be in. That said, I’m also really digging Choobs’ imagery with her this time around. It’s a really cool aesthetic that teeters between dream-logic, cartoonish, and nightmarish, which is very unique on the site, and gives just a touch of a sinister side to Vieve being all sunshine and daisies. I think we just need to see more of what makes her tick to really put her over the top.
*** (3)
Franky
Cool idea for a power, nice to have a character who is BLATANTLY hoping to be a major villain some day in contrast to the “We Might Be Villains” club (Talia, Flint, Carlos, Mel, and so forth). That said, I think we need to see more of him being a snotty little asshat before I’m completely sold. Like, I would love to see him trying to do the whole Silumas scroll thing, like going over to people after their demos and being like “I could use some hired muscle” and trying to get them to pledge to work for him... And getting laughed off by Jay and Alma and the like, and getting pissy and pulling revenge pranks on them. So in short (like Frank), I want to see more, and love the base concept.
** (2)
Valon
I’m glad we’re finally seeing the Lord of Dragons outside his comfort zone, and actually BEING a ruler. It’s cool to have Valon be all inspirational and badass, but it’s REALLY nice to see him struggling with politics, where “Grandeur Wave it a new asshole” is not a viable solution, and his rock-solid morals are a weakness, not an asset. Also, love the detail that he’s taken it upon himself to be the harsh realist of the Whelkshore/Cherrygrove group, but in a much less overt capacity than Natalie. I get a feeling that he’s largely influenced by the sheer shitstorms Zebedee, Thyra, and Sly have all been through in the past few years, and while siccing Marius on Terminer might SEEM harsh, he’s doing it for a really relatable reason.
***.5 (3.5)
Marius
Marius needs to hi-five Garth, because these two guys have formed the dynamic duo of non-heterosexual snake-themed characters who finally broke into the bigtime via getting pushed into Disorientation. I’m really enjoying how he’s deliberately running counter to Thyra’s plans, but in a much quieter and more subversive manner than Silumas’ megalomania, or Emily’s “Sure, if the kids want to play with knives, I’ll teach them how”. It puts him at odds with almost everybody else in the school, but STILL manages to give him really relatable and understandable goals. I feel like we need to see a bit more of him in a more intimate setting: We have NEVER seen Marius just “chilling”. He’s always dealing with some superior (Thyra, Valon, etc.), meaning that we always see him prim and proper.
DL, when we get to the dorm scenes, I want you to write a post that’s just about Marius chilling after a long day, maybe making dinner, watching TV, you know. Maybe making a phone call to a friend, instead of a superior. I get that his military demeanor is a huge part of who he is, and I really dig it, but I think it would be a great service to the character to give him a casual scene.
*** (3)
Ty
Ty’s a pretty cool kid. I must confess I’m mildly disappointed in him, because going into Dis, it really felt like he was going to be one of the main characters, when he’s deferred down to a side spot, but he’s still a really cool concept and has possibly the deepest personal backstory (the fact that Deandre cheats into more backstory DQs him on that one. )
He also has some endearing little quirks and twitches, which make him feel very organic. It’s nice to see characters with habits like shredding paper/flowers when they’re nervous, adds a huge touch of humanity to them. I think we just need to see a slightly more proactive side to this guy.
*** (3)
Nessa
Props to DL for finally stepping waaay outside his comfort zone (we’ve got stoic heroic badasses who are pretty chill, stoic villainous badasses who are pretty chill, and stoic female heroic badasses who are pretty chill in his older cast). It’s really good to see him try out a more dynamic and reactive personality, even if Nessa was just a little bit too late to the party to really feel core to the Deandre/Almudena/Garth/Ben/Flint group (I guess that makes her the sixth ranger?). That said, I feel like she’s got quite a bit of depth that we’re not really seeing yet, and so I could really go for seeing more focus on her (it doesn’t help that she’s the ONLY Terminer kid who I haven’t seen the demonstration for- This may spike a bit upon seeing her demo.)
** (2)
Belwyn
“Flirts the most with Greatness, 2013-6” is an engraved plaque you can find on Belwyn’s office door. She seems to ALWAYS be in the biggest, most promising RP at the time, and yet is always getting shown up. I’m sure that’s why she went the extra mile to heal Garth, she utterly empathizes with being the “Wait, that character was IN this topic?” That said, Belwyn has a decent amount of presence and creates an interesting interplay between light and dark. She’s a healer, but when she uses the other aspects of her powers, she can also be somewhat terrifying (she outright DISINTEGRATED A DUDE’S ARM, which is worth noting.) It’s also nice to have a benevolent and compassionate staff member at Terminer, since Thyra has her hands too tied with superintendent stuff to get truly involved on a personal level.
Interestingly enough, whereas almost all of my suggestions this year are “We need more non-combat scenes to judge this character”, I think we need more fight scenes to judge Belwyn properly. Getting to see her snap decision making, having to choose which wounds to take, which to leave, the high stakes mentality of triage and dealing with powers like hers, could really add a ton of depth. Cendra’s also implied there’s something really freaky going on in her backstory, and I can’t wait to see where that leads.
**.5 (2.5)
Lorenna
Normally, I’m the guy who goes “Oh, that seemingly useless power, here’s how to use it to make it cool.” Lorenna, on the other hand, is what may the first time somebody showed me a Power, I went “I think it’s kind of useless” and then they went “No, this is how I make it awesome.” Butterfly control sounds so utterly useless, but when you’re using it for combat smokescreens, super-stealthy recon, sending messages, and all sorts of other uses, it becomes obvious that Cendra was a step or two ahead of all of us on this one. I also like that her implied course is going to be butting heads with organized crime in the Archipelago, which seems just right for somebody who seemingly knows all sorts of stuff but has very little on the ground experience. I can’t wait to see how she deals with being out of her depth, and how much this little country girl is going to shake up the power dynamic of the entire Archipelago. They say if a butterfly flaps its wings just right, it can cause a tornado on the other side of the world... Let’s see if that happens.
***.5 (3.5)
Jesse
Current contender for “Character whose power and personality could best support a series of novels” along with Deandre and Nopcsa, Jesse’s really been a huge standout for me. While we haven’t seen MUCH of her, every line seems to pack a ton of character into it, and give us tantalizing glimpses of what she’s fully capable of. Her off kilter, seemingly deranged personality honestly makes perfect sense for what she’s dealt with growing up, and I think as the year goes on, the other students are going to start appreciating how much she actually understands. There’s also the fact that she’s implied she can go much deeper than just talking with her other selves, which could lead to all sorts of intriguing misunderstandings. What about a plot where in an alternate universe, she has a fantastic romance with one of her peers, but it doesn’t work in ORP proper because of some little X-factor that’s missing, leading to a horribly awkward romantic situation that goes off the rails? Or one where one of her alternate selves tries to goad her into doing something so they can sample HER for a trial run on some risky situation? Really, sky’s the limit with Jesse. She really is a gift of a character with an amazing idea for a power, almost as fun to talk about as she is to read.
***.5 (3.5)
Harue
I think Harue has yet to really blossom, since she feels largely like the standard Cendra personality and we’ve yet to see her Power (which is kinda gruesome but awesome at the same time) kick in. That said, I’ve seen some of what she can actually do in trial runs, and there’s been some tantalizing hints as to her having a more... Intrigue filled backstory than what she’s initially letting on. I guess I just really need to see what sets her apart, to sell me on why she’s here.
** (2)
Eira & Aodhan
The twins are really, really fun and I think they add a lot to the RP- When Terminer was first suggested, I think we were all expecting a lot more of their vein of antics, and a lot less “bluh bluh I accidentally murdered my father’s abusive dog when the evil emperor who inserted himself into my memory created a gorilla monster out of my flaming blood which happens to be killing me.” Which isn’t to malign the direction the RP has taken, but I believe that they (Along with Alma, Nessa, Emily, and Jesse) are putting in a lot of good work to keep things light and optimistic, when there’s a lot of chances for things to dip into angst. We’re preventing FALLFISH ANGST NIGHT from getting a sequel by making sure our best men and women have formed a positivity task force.
As an aside, I’m giving them a whole extra point over what their current on screen performance would show, because Cendra showed me their demo in advance, and it’s pretty sweet imagery with some really creative use of what could normally be fairly ordinary powers. Not to mention I delayed that post with my slow rolling Dalisay’s, so I’m responsible for Pohatu and El not getting the full demo post to bump their ratings up. :$
**** (4)
Flint
It’s kinda ironic that one of our newest authors has created a character who’s such a throwback to the Snitz days, but that inadvertent parralell evolution has actually proved quite rewarding. I’m not sure if it’s deliberate on Shoni’s part, but Flint is a glorious deconstruction of the classic Snitz “14 years old, Wanderer/Assassin, Good Kid but has an evil personality that takes over”. Flint’s cool, but between how obviously mentally scarred he is in his eponymous topic and Disorientation, and the fact that Zagaroth legit doesn’t just gun for NPCs, but instead aims to murder allies as well, and you’ve got a shockingly realistic take on RP tropes played straight. It’s a really impressive look into the sort of damage that being an RP character would actually inflict on your psyche.
Not to mention that on quite a few occasions, Shoni leaves ambiguity as to whether it’s Flint or Zagaroth taking certain actions (most notably, we have no idea if it was Flint or Zaggy who murdered the entire team of researchers that unearthed him)... And it gets you to start wondering if Flint is actually any better than Zagaroth at all, when it comes down to it. As a whole, a really surprisingly deep character who brings a lot of baggage to the table. I didn’t think I’d rate this high at the start of my review, but yeah, Flint’s a very solid
**** (4)
Mica
Mica pains me, because like Rhys, she goes miles to remind us how great SV is when she’s on her game. And while geomancy is hardly a unique power, the delicate, creative way that Mica uses it is something I don’t think I’ve seen before, and its nice having one of the most levelheaded and down to earth personalities in Terminer actually be an elementary school kid. SV brings a very solid game here, arguably the highest per-post quality in the topic except for maybe Pohatu or
Silumas. Shame is, there isn’t that much to go on. While more Mica might easily net a 4, maybe even a 4.5, we’ve got very little to work with, and only her demo provides a high-impact post that gives a ton to analyze. And that’s a dang shame. Here’s hoping we get to see more of her in the coming year.
*** (3)
Talia
Perhaps the single person driving the plot the most in Terminer Academy, Talia brings an interesting mixture of aloof and vulnerable to the table. Merc’s loaded her with a ton of flaws, which was a big, bold move that’s paying off tons. She’s a total badass with the single greatest power in the thread, bar maybe Garth and Silumas, but she’s also utterly fragile emotionally... It’s like packing a powderkeg into the RP, which leads to some fantastically tense moments.
On the downside, I do have to call out Merc’s one bad habit in ORP: He’s got a tendency to pick powers that interact poorly with ORP as a format. Talia’s vibrational sense basically makes her omniscient within a single room (albeit the best justification of being a “power senser” I’ve seen in ORP yet), and Habiba’s invisibility means it’s really hard to interact with her unless she specifically approaches somebody. These are fairly minor notes, though... And with a little practice, I’m sure he’ll overcome these (e.g. Having Talia misread some vibration she hadn’t encountered before and act off the misinformation instead of perfect 100% all the time truth, having Habiba just chill in normal visibility to help her teammates trust her more in a scene), and then we’ll be good as gold.
***.5 (3.5)
Habiba
Habiba is much more indicative of Merc’s weaknesses as an RPer, because she’s less relatable and less open than Talia, but she’s by no means a bad thing. The idea of her as a free agent for hire with the powers that she has means she could stroll into almost any RP and become a fairly important figure, and while she’s quite guarded emotionally, I feel there’s some real depth lurking under there. I think we just need to see more of her to really warm me up to her.
** (2)
Silumas
I’m delighted by how over the top Silumas is. He’s a totally melodramatic villainous figure, but I think his author’s been really masterfully using our expectations of him and tiny hints to add a whole extra layer of implied depth beneath his bravado and power.
I especially adore how TERRIBLE Silumas is at being a well behaved respectable teacher. Like, not flinging the students the length of gymnasium doesn’t even occur to him. He’s been told these seats are FACULTY ONLY, and if he has to kidney punch Emrakul to make sure that rule holds, he’ll do it. It gives this really great note of Fish Out of Water to a character who normally can effortlessly succeed in almost anything that he attempts.
Not to mention how crisp and intense Moose’s writing is, which really helps sell the whole thing. No matter on if he’s choking out a giant demon, or blasting people around, or just eating a cupcake, EVERYTHING Silumas does is super dramatic. It’s delightful.
****.5 (4.5)
Treasach
I feel it’s really interesting the direction Treasach is going in. He’s the only one who really understood what his mission was getting into, and yet still got utterly blindsided, and paid a heart-rending cost. While his personality itself is a bit of a cipher, I’m kind of getting a vibe of the medieval “Oh, I lost three organs and I may be coming down with the plague, but I’m going to bear down and get shit done, because it has to get done somehow.” He makes a really good foil to the energetic Kendil and aloof, self-interested Habiba and Crookes. (I just realized that our team seems to be Egyptian, eastern European, French, and Irish... Quite a multicultural lot, there! )
Bonus points for serendipitously using symbolism and imagery reminiscent of the corrupt druid in Funeral Pyre for a Fuzzball, which wasn’t planned by either of us, but adds nice resonance.
I feel like though we’re just getting to know him, he’s already shown a ton of sympathy and depth.
*** (3)
Sacrimoni
While very well written, Sacrimoni has yet to fully sell me. He’s kind of a horrifying villain, but I want to know more about his past, why he’s hitched his wagon to a literal demon and considers this an acceptable state of affairs. You’d think after his fifth time being sent to drip battery acid onto the gonads of serial rapists, he might start wondering if he’s got a better calling in life. That said, I eagerly await seeing the two big mafias (G-Bros and Mess) butting heads, and I think Sacrimoni is very well written, even if I have a hard time sympathizing with him.
**.5 (2.5)
Crookes
I’m glad to see a salty unrepentant jerk in ORP. He and Kendil’s mutual misunderstandings, and his utter exasperation with her lead to a lot of the more amusing bits in Ucalegon, and I also really like how he seems to have more of an understanding with Flidais than any of his human coworkers. There’s also been a lot of juicy hints as to his true nature, and I’ve got to give mad props to Lady V for slow rolling the revelation instead of outright hitting us in the face with it. I’d love to see him interact with Renard some day, just because their personalities are so UTTERLY different and I think they’d pair off eachother nicely. Who knows, maybe I even ship them? They can go to France, go antiquing, solve mysteries, and be all anachronistic together.
*** (3)
Messechaia
Love the idea, wish we got to see a lot more of them. The fact that Mess is basically a malevolent genius locii is really cool and kind of chilling, and it’s interesting to see how even though it’s basically wrought of pure chaos and evil, it still has a soft spot for protecting kids. (Of course, on could argue that’s BECAUSE kids are pure chaos and evil, but I digress). I would like to see more of them, but so far, what we’ve seen is very chilling and effective.
**.5 (2.5)
-2: I hate this character and want them either gone, or completely replaced.
-1: I dislike this character substantially.
0: I don't really care for this character at all. Meh.
1: I'm either neutral on this character or don't know who they are.
2: I like this character okay.
3: I think this character has a lot of good points.
4: This is a fantastic character, and I would always love to see more of them.
5: This character is pure perfection.
With no further ado, here are my ratings for the 2015 crop of characters:
Thyra
I feel as if after years of searching, Thyra has finally come into her own. For the longest time, she was one of those “Pirates who don’t do anything”, where her career kept being alluded to but never actually became plot relevant. Disorientation lets us finally see her in action, and so far, she’s finally living up to her potential. Thyra’s far from the most exciting or quirky character in Disorientation, but she provides a rock-solid pivot for all the loonies to orbit around, and I like how she plays off the wilder characters.
**** (4)
Natalie
I’m discontent with Natalie- She’s a great character, but with as much history as she has, it feels like we should be seeing some real growth out of her. Natalie is, bar the loss of Ender, largely the same entity she was back in 2004, though my choreography and ability to sidestep narm have largely improved since. I’m tempted to take her in some new directions, but the problem is, a living fossil like Natalie is hard to update without potentially leaving behind what makes her so great.
(As a fun little aside, in the last week I finally realized Natalie doesn’t have a bird motif, she’s got a SQUID motif. Think about it- That spreading pony tail, the tentacle-esque whip sword, the surprising degree of intelligence and ferocity she packs... Who’da thunk it?)
***.5 (3.5)
Emily
This is a really, really tough call for me- I love Emily’s basic idea (giddy chef who moonlights as a surprisingly effective mercenary) and I adore Clicker’s work behind her. However, with Clicker on maternity leave, I’ve had to take the reins, and I feel like my Emily, while sufficiently bouncy and wacky, lacks the grounding that makes her take on Emily work. Clicker!Emily feels like a person, whereas Lee!Emily feels like a character.
Then again, my choreography with her is really sharp, and I feel like I use improvised weaponry better and more unexpectedly than Clicker did, which gives her a decent bump. While I rate Clicks at a 4, I’m going to give myself a-
***.5 (3.5)
Nopcsa
I’m still amazed I dismissed Nopcsa as a bit-part NPC when he first debuted. I mean, he’s not the best character on the site or in my roster, but there’s just so much potential there. I think Nopnop’s acquitted himself really well in the past year. I think it’s been a serendipitous boon for him that he’s in Obscured Truth and Ishkabibble, since they’re such different roles. In OT, he’s such a slimy, spiteful villain, whereas in Ish, he’s arguably the most sympathetic and vulnerable character in the entire plot (bar MAYBE Alyssa). So we get to see him at both extremes, as the dominant aggressor and a canny survivor.
I feel like I could his banter just a little more fresh, and I feel like I could do more with his mind-reading to REALLY light the page on fire, but Nopcsa’s been very very solid.
**** (4)
Blaise
This is really a surprise entry for me! I wasn’t expecting Ishka12 to come back around, or for that matter, for Whisper in my Ear to get a surprise revisit. But with all of that said, I really feel like Blaise has earnestly grown so much in depth. While before she projected an atmosphere of vulnerability, now we’re actually starting to see the flaws and determination beneath her attempted veneer of perfection. I still feel like I could write her voice better, but for me, seeing such a flawed character struggling so hard to achieve greatness is quite possibly the most compelling arc in my entire cast.
****.5 (4.5)
Helen
What does it say about my cast when I consider a character this intense and colorful to actually be one of my most boring options presently? Helen’s big problem is she’s a very likable person with a duo of complementary and intriguing powers, but she’s got no THRUST. Every other member of my cast has some big REASON behind everything they do, but Helen’s just kinda hanging there, with no real purpose. I mean, she’s decent enough and all, and she racks up a lot of badass moments with some really fresh choreography in her fights... But still, she needs something that drives her. For a while she was really concerned with the redemption of the Summoners and their reputation, but Miko and Illiana stepped into that space with a lot more personal stakes. Maybe we need to see more of her as a performer, why she does her art, why she chose the image she did... Maybe that’ll let me see why she matters so much.
*** (3)
Didn’t
I complain about Helen’s lack of a point... And launch directly into a character who fairly aggressively DOESN’T have any point. But in Didn’t case, that’s okay. I’ve talked before about how some characters are less “characters” and more “setting material”, and I think that’s a role Didn’t has settled into; she’s a bizarre little footnote that gives the world as a whole more flavor and pep. I mean, the fact that she wanders all over ORP, creating stable time loops and wandering into RPs on a totally non-linear manner makes me feel like she hits a lot of potential the trolls in Homestuck had initially shown and then failed to fully deliver on.
That said, she suffers from the “Rhometer” problem, where a character is CRAZY UNIQUE, but the voice of the text fails to fully deliver on that bizarre and daring concept. I feel like Didn’t needs me to push my writing harder so I can REALLY help her achieve her full potential.
*** (3)
(As an aside, after the deadline, I wrote a post where Didn’t is less “completely oblivious” and more “ordinary (albeit optimistic) teenage girl who has nothing to do with linear time and has seen a lot in her time”, and I feel it’s really taking. If I can come up with a good dramatic thrust to her, she might take a 4 next time)
Garth
THANK GOODNESS THAT GARTH IS FINALLY NOTEWORTHY. It took me two A-list RP events, a B-list RP, and shilling the hell out of him, but he FINALLY lived up to his potential. Who knew the best way to put Garth over would be finally running an RP where he wasn’t the main character? I plucked the shrinking violet out of the big RP pool, and put him in a much smaller pond, where his lack of guile and savvy actually makes him stand out, and where his relative inexperience compared to ORP in general instead makes him look like a grizzled veteran next to all the fresh faces.
I still feel like I can do much, much better than this, but Garth has finally hit his stride as “the guy who thinks he’s the one sane man of the setting while actually being kinda out of touch with reality”. Not to mention that he and Ben are kinda adorable together.
***.5 (3.5)
Almudena
Almudena is largely heir to my style of writing for Dace... Very punchy, enthusiatic, and overconfident, but with a softer side hiding beneath all of that intense charisma and drive (actually, they’re largely templated from the same friend’s personality, albeit 8 years apart). I’d say she’s some of my better writing. Unfortunately, we won’t get to see her conversation with Thyra before the ratings go up, which hampers my ability to flaunt her deeper, quieter qualities. Still, I feel like Alma’s a very solid pillar of the site, with only a few months of writing under her belt, and she only stands to evolve further.
With what I’ve got right now, I feel she warrants a 3.5, but don’t be surprised if that climbs to being worth a 4 in about a month or two.
***.5 (3.5)
Emma Ray Jo
You see, I know Emma’s going to be quite possibly the most polarizing character in the polls this year. That’s a bit of a deliberate move on my part- After all, the way I view RP is that it’s largely formed by more stable and rounded main characters, with a variety of super-flavorful and (somewhat) flanderized supporting characters that bounce off of them and drive reactions and the thrust of plots.
Emma Ray is a very deliberate invocation of a lot of these aspects, and I’m hoping to use her to play off of a lot of people’s expectations. I think as a character, she’s actually really fun and a personality type we’ve seen like NONE of in ORP, so I’m glad she’s around. I do think I need to work on my voice to her so I can convey more of her rustic charm and make it clearer what she’s actually saying, but I think she’s in a very solid place.
*** (3)
Dalisay
I’m quite fond of Dalisay, because she lets me write an utterly different personality from any of my other characters. As a rule, my cast are all very independent people who thrive on action and drama... Whereas Dalisay is very muchly guided by her parents and teachers, and strives HARD to avoid any sort of big action scene. She’s a very pitiful character who’s starting to show how deep her issues really run, and I’m incredibly fond of her concept.
I feel like I need a slightly better voice for her, but I think I’ve been doing a good job capturing the raw anxiety her Power brings her. The one issue I have is that her Power needs to be used sparingly, because it’s so utterly disruptive and would cause diminshing returns. So it’s a power that demands attention, and yet must avoid use at the same time... It’s a very tricky act to balance.
***.5 (3.5)
Kendil
I get a vibe that Kendil’s going to bomb in the ratings this year, but c’est la vie, I like the little punk. I feel like she’s actually done quite a bit to distinguish herself from the rest of my action girls, due to the fact that she’s so incredibly misguided but well intentioned. I’m also having fun with the fact that her power basically translates to Vancian spellcasting, since it establishes a tension at the start of every plot she’s in. She’s got a very specific list of tools, and once she depletes them, she’s in quite a jam.
Not to mention the Egyptian motif is oh-so-sweet, and she’s very visually and choreographically unique. She might get a meh for being just another action girl, but dangit, I feel like while she’s a bit cliche in my cast, she’s actually a very solid concept as a whole and a very fun read.
*** (3)
Reba
While ORP!Reba hasn’t had much chance to shine yet, I think she’s actually got the most developed and unique voice in my entire cast (bar MAAAYBE Almudena), and I love how cynical and world-weary her personality is in contrast to my cast of driven idealists. I do wish we got more of a chance to see her do her thing, though... As is, we’ve only got a brief flash of brilliance, and the real test of any character is how they work in the long term.
**.5 (2.5)
Narcissa Iago Zaghetti
She’s quite fun. I enjoy that in the process of creating her, we ended up with a character who’s pretty clearly a Kevin/Choobs/Loogs design physically (though ironically based on an idea from SV!), Kev/Pohatu personality, and a Lee/Pohatu style powerset, with little touches from lots of other authors. And it’s fun to write a power with an actual God complex, which is something you’d figure would crop up quite a bit more often.
That said, the real test of the character will be when she starts getting passed from author to author. Until then, we can’t actually say how well her central concept will hold together.
*** (3)
Illiana
I hate Illiana because Elliot’s going and making all my work on the Summoners look like garbage in comparison to how good his stuff is. I really like how she’s this lawful good type without being overly stuffy, and how she almost feels compelled to be as good of a person as she possibly can be to make up for how over the line the rest of her people tend to be.
I feel like we haven’t seen her pushed far enough yet to really get down to the core of her character, but as Pohatu says, there’s not enough unequivocally good folks in ORP, and she brings a very unique and enjoyable flavor.
**** (4)
Yoshimitsu
It’s really interesting seeing that after LaDC, Yoshimitsu’s kinda slipped out of the spotlight, and become more of a veteran commentator on events than a participant. It’s like when NFL players retire and then go into sportscasting. It’s weird seeing him on the sidelines, but he’s still doing a very solid role. I guess I just want to see more actual drama for him? As is, he’s cool, but it doesn’t feel like any of his roles as of late have NEEDED him to be the one for the spot. Still, even without getting to cut loose, Yosh’s still good stuff, and I know there’s some amazing stuff on the horizon for him.
***.5 (3.5)
Antonio
It’s funny- After getting panned in the ratings for being too IN his element, now we’ve got him completely out of his element, and I kinda feel like we need to see more of his slick thief side, either as a flashback in OT, or in some other sense, to help balance things out. As is, we’re mostly just seeing him as a snooty prisoner, which while well written, isn’t really doing much to keep me invested in him.
*** (3)
Carlos
So let’s just get this out of the way: I’m pretty sure that we didn’t do the Lugiasian Awards because we all knew that it was pointless, when Carlos so clearly took the “Post of 2015” award. Carlos is interesting, and I think he kinda poses an interesting opposite to what I said about Antonio. We get to know him and his mind well, so beneath his veneer of control and snootiness, we also get to see his vulnerability, his thoughts, what makes him tick. One of my favorite moments he gets is his pocketing the gears- He encounters something that legitimately strikes him as cool, but he can’t let his image slip, so he has to downplay his interest. As a whole, this interplay of being utterly self-controlled and yet letting us see how vulnerable he is makes him VERY compelling and fun to read.
Not to mention he and Deandre form the two pillars of Dis’s voice, which really set the tone for the biggest plot of the year, so mad props for that, too.
**** (4)
Ben
Ben’s a good guy. I feel like we’re maybe being too coy with him in not showing off his beast form at all, and I feel he’s largely overshadowed by the raw issues of the rest of the Terminer crowd, but he’s a servicable enough character. I guess I want to see where any kind of conflict comes from for him, because as is, he’s just a very decent and in control guy, which kinda doesn’t lead to much growth/development.
**.5 (2.5)
Evelyn
Evelyn surprised me- I thought she was going to be super shallow, but she’s arguably the second best developed member of El’s clique, and both her fashion sense and powers come with quite a bit of excellent imagery. She provides a banquet for the mind’s eye. I’d like to see a bit more of what you’ve got going on behind the scenes with her, and maybe a plot of two with her on her own, but so far, she’s provided a very solid foundation.
***.5 (3.5)
Jay
Not gonna lie, Jay is fairly underwhelming. Superstrength is a boring power, and his personality doesn’t add enough to actually make him super interesting. That’s okay though- Every ensemble cast needs a few guys who are just “there” to help fill out scenes without pulling focus, and he does that job admirably.
** (2)
Mel
I think Mel is one of the more intriguing characters in the clique. She’s got lots of potential backstory issues going on, and while arguably having the second deepest personality in the group, also doesn’t give us anywhere near the insight that Carlos does. She’s got so much potential, and I’d love to see her interact with Helen some time, but right now we mostly have potential, not actual concrete stuff.
**.5 (2.5)
Kilik
Kilik’s an incredibly chill, pleasant dude, but I really don’t feel like there’s much to sell him on his own. He’s like a... Lesser Illiana right now. I’m sure with time he’ll distinguish himself, but as he is, he just kinda shows up as “most reasonable instructor at Terminer”, which is a fairly boring spot to be. He has stood up to people on a few occasions though, which is worth a point.
**.5 (2.5)
Hector
Ol’ He4ctor here is finally growing up and developing a real thrust behind him. It’s nice to see him owning up to his screwups and trying to do right by his daughter, and he gets major points for being so compassionate and giving in a way all his own. It’s nice to have an RP character who admits he’s not a genius, but doesn’t go too far the other direction, either.
As for my complaints- I’d like to see a bit more of him being a Power, show those flames and superstrength a bit more. I mean, don’t go and drown the thread in it, but it’d be nice to show just a bit more that he’s not a baseline human. Also, I can’t wait til we get out of the angsty portion of things. I mean, it’s very reasonable considering how bad he fucked up, but I think we could use seeing some care-free Hector again. Bring just a touch of the past to the present, and I think you’ll have a perfect mixture.
***.5 (3.5)
Halley
Hailstorm is a fairly unique character, but I’ve yet to see what really makes her shine- As is, she’s platonic BFFs with Hec for him to bounce ideas off of, but we really don’t get to see much of what her drive is. She’s passable enough, but I can’t really sell her based on what we’ve seen so far. She’s slightly snarky in a big sister sort of way? She’s kinda a bar tender? I guess I want to see more of the attributes that make her unique (roller-blading, courier, Filippina) before I can really give her a higher score. A for concept, but C for debuts, as Sailing hasn’t given her a good chance to frame what makes her work. (To be fair, Flint and Steel is a TERRIBLE trial run for Didn’t, so I’m guilty of the same.)
**.5 (2.5)
Vathale
I like that Vath is actually getting some depth, but I must admit, her broken English and being so very complicit with Hector’s advances feels a little problematically “me love you long time”. That said, I like the ideas behind her Powers, and I think she could become something a lot more robust once we’ve seen who she grows into some day.
** (2)
Nadeshi
I’m so happy to see Nadeshi taking on some new flavor- While purple haired dragon kid is okay, the whole Indian prince motif makes him feel SO much more vivid and interesting. All the same, there really isn’t much to go off of yet. All the same, I like his potential, and I’m happy we FINALLY have some India-flavor in ORP after like 15 years without.
** (2)
Pleiades
Pleiades is going to be another one of those polarizing characters, I bet. On one hand, she’s adorable, and it’s nice seeing how she’s had to grow up and be a real self starter, since even though Hector is well intentioned, he’s a ditz and not very mature. On the other hand, that same unusual level of maturity makes her feel less authentic, even though it makes sense. I’d like to see a bit more of her just you know, being a kid. I think getting to see more of her cute and innocent side will help round out her personality. (It’d also be cool to see her powers, since they’re actually really neat with really badass imagery, too.)
*** (3.5)
Deandre
Deandre is the heart and soul of Disorientation, I’m not going to lie. While everybody else makes the wheel go round, he’s the axle on which it pivots. He might not feel like he has much plot importance, but he brings so much atmosphere and provides such a relatable perspective that it’s hard to imagine Dis without him.
(As an aside, a really fun exercise is rereading Dis by only reading the Deandre posts. It largely forms a VERY readable and coherent narrative, one that’s arguably a better read than the full-formed RP.)
Not to mention his writing and voice, which is a surprisingly intimate and vulnerable turn from Pohatu. It’s pretty much impossible not to love Deandre, and I honestly feel like Pohatu, arguably the best author on the site, has outdone himself here.
***** (5)
Channery
I may be judging her in relation to the rest of the action girls here, but I think Channery represents herself fairly well. We’ve got Raw Id (Natalie), Raw Superego (Rie), and Channery’s a perfect compliment to the other two with her very balanced and levelheaded demeanor (ergo, Ego). I’d love to see a plot with the three of them playing off of eachother, even if Channery’s reaction would likely be “These bitches are utter psychopaths”.
As is, it’s good seeing her active again in What Lurks, and her self interest plays very nicely off of Illiana’s utterly giving nature. TBH, I kinda think Channery feels more natural as a Pohatu main character than Terrian (don’t tell the guy below I said that!), since she comes with a lot less baggage both socially and powerwise, and she feels like a very natural fit for his writing style. She hasn’t really WOWED me, but she’s rock-solid.
**** (4)
Terrian (+ duplicates)
I’m not going to lie, the Ishka-bargo has hurt Terrian’s cache greatly. When you’re arguably the main character of RP, and the likes of Flint, Illiana, and Emily make pretty solid passes at dethroning you, something has gone awry. I was going to give him a 3.5 for being mostly out of focus and his new stuff in Ishkabibble not being overly compelling (I wager his big scenes are yet to come), but then I remembered the incredible and chilling post Pohatu cranked out in Emet, which stabilizes him at a very solid 4. (It’s absolutely terrifying to think about being part of a mental collective, where somebody in the group suddenly gets corrupted by something they SHOULD NOT KNOW, and it’s a premise I’ve never seen in ANYTHING before his post.)
In the coming year, I think we’re going to see Terrian on the rise, since Pococurante and revamped Bibble will fill in some missing key scenes, and I think Pohatu will be more willing to shill him now that he’s less enamored with the ‘bibble. I can’t wait to see where this ride goes next.
**** (4)
Massimo
It’s a shame that Massimo had to die in Ishkabibble. I feel like his cultured and amicable side worked really nicely playing off of how churlish and brutal Cesare’s street level antics were. Not to mention it was nice to see a character who could actually talk of fine culture, and not seem like they were utterly talking out their ass. I guess I feel like he stepped out just a smidge too early, but we do still have a few scenes of ‘bibble, Chips, and Pohatu loathing linear plots to help flesh him out.
*** (3)
Cesare
It’s nice to see a big ugly dumb brute of a character. Props for having a guy who’s so certain of being an absolute badass that he’s compelled to take on Natalie when she issues a challenge. Now hear me out, but I think he’s the Jesse Pinkman to the rest of the G-bros; overly emotional, not that bright, goes pulling them into all sorts of stupid situations, and loyal to a fault, except for on one critical occasion that ends up spelling ruin for his brothers. He’s a plot driver who acts irrationally, which is a really important thing, especially when the rest of Photu’s cast is super-savvy and self interested. SOMEBODY needs to be the cue that smacks all the billiards around, and Cesare does a good job of it.
*** (3)
Nico
Most boring of the G-bros, but still a decent character. There’s been hints that he might come into conflict with Cesare due to his brother being incompetent in his eyes, but I don’t know if he’s actually going through with it any time soon? As is, he’s well written, but he’s kinda just in the middle of the Pohatu road. I’d like to see a bit more of his “Four eyes zero soul” thing going on, because he actually managed to be quite chilling in Muddy Season. His 2015 performance hasn’t really shown us much, though.
**.5 (2.5)
Tanner
Tanner is undeniably one of Pohatu’s weaker characters, with a baller aesthetic but a real lack of actual thrust. That said, he’s got a decent voice and provides a very solid pillar for the setting when it comes to criminal masterminds, and he feels tantalizingly close to something good. He really is at his best at the fringes of plots, showing up in short glimpses and tantalizing hints, instead of trying to pull focus like he does in Ishkabibble.
I’m torn on what to give him- In relation to the rest of Pohatu’s cast and what Pohatu’s capable of, I’d rate him a 2.5, but on the other hand, from any other author, I’d easily give him a 3. So in the interest of fairness, we’ll go-
*** (3)
Flo
Absolutely loving Flo, not gonna lie. She’s the real star of Ishkabibble, and the sharp eyed readers of Obscured Truth are going to pick up on some fun notes from her as well. I loved how sassy she gets, and the voice she brings is very affectionately snarky. I don’t think that there’s any other character who is as much raw FUN just to read, even if there’s much more compelling characters out there. As I said in my review of Emma Ray, a lot of the dynamics of ORP come from bouncing really bizarre characters off of the more stable ones, and seeing the reactions that ensue. And quite bluntly, Flo gives the best color commentary out of the site, at least for the time being.
Granted, I want to see her actually get some thrust/plots of her own. As is, she’s largely subservient to the whims of the vastly less intriguing Tanner. I’m hoping that we get to see her take charge in some sort of situation, soon. (I think I’ve been getting foreshadowing that she’s going to gain powers of some kind and have a power-struggle with Tanner over who’s in charge of the gang. Which, if so would be amazing.)
**** (4)
Hugh
While Flo’s amazing, Hugh is overshadowed. That said, he’s still a very solid character, the more stable and reliable half of their weird little duo. I think his caring for Flo adds a lot of depth to what would otherwise be a very generic thug, and sets them apart from the rest of the dog-eat-dog Cardsharks. He also get points for being badass enough to stand and fight when confronted with what was OBVIOUSLY the most dangerous power in the whole Ansonia incident, and actually getting some licks in.
Speaking of licks, is it just me, or does Hugh Oakshot sound like a pseudonym he picked up from a failed career in the adult film industry? I mean, you can’t just be named one letter off from HUMONGOUS WOODCANNON and not have it have some deeper meaning behind it.
*** (3)
Rie
I feel like Rie is a necessary evil- She never seems all that exciting on her own, but she makes a very solid foil for essentially any other character (the only characters as unflappable seeming as her are Blaise, who is totally just fronting, and Julia, who is rapidly flaking away beneath her veneer of control). Being The Stoic isn’t always an easy job, since it doesn’t let you be as flashy as your more aggressive friends, but Rie steps into the role with aplomb.
I’ll admit, I kinda want to see Rie actually question her greed and why she’s trying to earn all this money, since in the end, she’s got a very, very limited time to enjoy it, and she doesn’t have very expensive tastes. Maybe she’s actually pulling a Breaking Bad, and trying to stockpile massive amounts of wealth so that she can get medical treatment to prolong her life?
You see, that’s my issue with Rie; by being so stoic, it means that it’s hard to really peer into her depths, and it feels like there’s so much going on that Choobs ain’t even hinting at. That all said, though, her demeanor and reactions are amusing, and I gotta love a character who pairs so nicely with Natalie.
***.5 (3.5)
Mandelbrot
‘brot’s doing a very good job being a freaky psychopath and bringing a lot of menace to RP, and the thing I panned Mandelbrot before (lack of a sympathetic angle/justification) got remedied in Ishkabibble). I’m really interested in seeing where this whole situation goes. I really don’t have much to say, but I’m kinda dodging spoilers, and Choobs is writing a near-perfect game with ‘brot. Let’s just see a bit more conflict, a bit more of ‘brot’s other side coping with what they’ve dove into, and we’re talking a possible 5.
**** (4)
Vieve
Didn’t, Rho, and Vieve should be “Immortal Children who don’t actually drive plots but add a lot of flavor to the setting” buddies. Vieve doesn’t have much of a particular thrust, but on the other hand, she’s super endearing and sweet and fun to read about, which is a really good place to be in. That said, I’m also really digging Choobs’ imagery with her this time around. It’s a really cool aesthetic that teeters between dream-logic, cartoonish, and nightmarish, which is very unique on the site, and gives just a touch of a sinister side to Vieve being all sunshine and daisies. I think we just need to see more of what makes her tick to really put her over the top.
*** (3)
Franky
Cool idea for a power, nice to have a character who is BLATANTLY hoping to be a major villain some day in contrast to the “We Might Be Villains” club (Talia, Flint, Carlos, Mel, and so forth). That said, I think we need to see more of him being a snotty little asshat before I’m completely sold. Like, I would love to see him trying to do the whole Silumas scroll thing, like going over to people after their demos and being like “I could use some hired muscle” and trying to get them to pledge to work for him... And getting laughed off by Jay and Alma and the like, and getting pissy and pulling revenge pranks on them. So in short (like Frank), I want to see more, and love the base concept.
** (2)
Valon
I’m glad we’re finally seeing the Lord of Dragons outside his comfort zone, and actually BEING a ruler. It’s cool to have Valon be all inspirational and badass, but it’s REALLY nice to see him struggling with politics, where “Grandeur Wave it a new asshole” is not a viable solution, and his rock-solid morals are a weakness, not an asset. Also, love the detail that he’s taken it upon himself to be the harsh realist of the Whelkshore/Cherrygrove group, but in a much less overt capacity than Natalie. I get a feeling that he’s largely influenced by the sheer shitstorms Zebedee, Thyra, and Sly have all been through in the past few years, and while siccing Marius on Terminer might SEEM harsh, he’s doing it for a really relatable reason.
***.5 (3.5)
Marius
Marius needs to hi-five Garth, because these two guys have formed the dynamic duo of non-heterosexual snake-themed characters who finally broke into the bigtime via getting pushed into Disorientation. I’m really enjoying how he’s deliberately running counter to Thyra’s plans, but in a much quieter and more subversive manner than Silumas’ megalomania, or Emily’s “Sure, if the kids want to play with knives, I’ll teach them how”. It puts him at odds with almost everybody else in the school, but STILL manages to give him really relatable and understandable goals. I feel like we need to see a bit more of him in a more intimate setting: We have NEVER seen Marius just “chilling”. He’s always dealing with some superior (Thyra, Valon, etc.), meaning that we always see him prim and proper.
DL, when we get to the dorm scenes, I want you to write a post that’s just about Marius chilling after a long day, maybe making dinner, watching TV, you know. Maybe making a phone call to a friend, instead of a superior. I get that his military demeanor is a huge part of who he is, and I really dig it, but I think it would be a great service to the character to give him a casual scene.
*** (3)
Ty
Ty’s a pretty cool kid. I must confess I’m mildly disappointed in him, because going into Dis, it really felt like he was going to be one of the main characters, when he’s deferred down to a side spot, but he’s still a really cool concept and has possibly the deepest personal backstory (the fact that Deandre cheats into more backstory DQs him on that one. )
He also has some endearing little quirks and twitches, which make him feel very organic. It’s nice to see characters with habits like shredding paper/flowers when they’re nervous, adds a huge touch of humanity to them. I think we just need to see a slightly more proactive side to this guy.
*** (3)
Nessa
Props to DL for finally stepping waaay outside his comfort zone (we’ve got stoic heroic badasses who are pretty chill, stoic villainous badasses who are pretty chill, and stoic female heroic badasses who are pretty chill in his older cast). It’s really good to see him try out a more dynamic and reactive personality, even if Nessa was just a little bit too late to the party to really feel core to the Deandre/Almudena/Garth/Ben/Flint group (I guess that makes her the sixth ranger?). That said, I feel like she’s got quite a bit of depth that we’re not really seeing yet, and so I could really go for seeing more focus on her (it doesn’t help that she’s the ONLY Terminer kid who I haven’t seen the demonstration for- This may spike a bit upon seeing her demo.)
** (2)
Belwyn
“Flirts the most with Greatness, 2013-6” is an engraved plaque you can find on Belwyn’s office door. She seems to ALWAYS be in the biggest, most promising RP at the time, and yet is always getting shown up. I’m sure that’s why she went the extra mile to heal Garth, she utterly empathizes with being the “Wait, that character was IN this topic?” That said, Belwyn has a decent amount of presence and creates an interesting interplay between light and dark. She’s a healer, but when she uses the other aspects of her powers, she can also be somewhat terrifying (she outright DISINTEGRATED A DUDE’S ARM, which is worth noting.) It’s also nice to have a benevolent and compassionate staff member at Terminer, since Thyra has her hands too tied with superintendent stuff to get truly involved on a personal level.
Interestingly enough, whereas almost all of my suggestions this year are “We need more non-combat scenes to judge this character”, I think we need more fight scenes to judge Belwyn properly. Getting to see her snap decision making, having to choose which wounds to take, which to leave, the high stakes mentality of triage and dealing with powers like hers, could really add a ton of depth. Cendra’s also implied there’s something really freaky going on in her backstory, and I can’t wait to see where that leads.
**.5 (2.5)
Lorenna
Normally, I’m the guy who goes “Oh, that seemingly useless power, here’s how to use it to make it cool.” Lorenna, on the other hand, is what may the first time somebody showed me a Power, I went “I think it’s kind of useless” and then they went “No, this is how I make it awesome.” Butterfly control sounds so utterly useless, but when you’re using it for combat smokescreens, super-stealthy recon, sending messages, and all sorts of other uses, it becomes obvious that Cendra was a step or two ahead of all of us on this one. I also like that her implied course is going to be butting heads with organized crime in the Archipelago, which seems just right for somebody who seemingly knows all sorts of stuff but has very little on the ground experience. I can’t wait to see how she deals with being out of her depth, and how much this little country girl is going to shake up the power dynamic of the entire Archipelago. They say if a butterfly flaps its wings just right, it can cause a tornado on the other side of the world... Let’s see if that happens.
***.5 (3.5)
Jesse
Current contender for “Character whose power and personality could best support a series of novels” along with Deandre and Nopcsa, Jesse’s really been a huge standout for me. While we haven’t seen MUCH of her, every line seems to pack a ton of character into it, and give us tantalizing glimpses of what she’s fully capable of. Her off kilter, seemingly deranged personality honestly makes perfect sense for what she’s dealt with growing up, and I think as the year goes on, the other students are going to start appreciating how much she actually understands. There’s also the fact that she’s implied she can go much deeper than just talking with her other selves, which could lead to all sorts of intriguing misunderstandings. What about a plot where in an alternate universe, she has a fantastic romance with one of her peers, but it doesn’t work in ORP proper because of some little X-factor that’s missing, leading to a horribly awkward romantic situation that goes off the rails? Or one where one of her alternate selves tries to goad her into doing something so they can sample HER for a trial run on some risky situation? Really, sky’s the limit with Jesse. She really is a gift of a character with an amazing idea for a power, almost as fun to talk about as she is to read.
***.5 (3.5)
Harue
I think Harue has yet to really blossom, since she feels largely like the standard Cendra personality and we’ve yet to see her Power (which is kinda gruesome but awesome at the same time) kick in. That said, I’ve seen some of what she can actually do in trial runs, and there’s been some tantalizing hints as to her having a more... Intrigue filled backstory than what she’s initially letting on. I guess I just really need to see what sets her apart, to sell me on why she’s here.
** (2)
Eira & Aodhan
The twins are really, really fun and I think they add a lot to the RP- When Terminer was first suggested, I think we were all expecting a lot more of their vein of antics, and a lot less “bluh bluh I accidentally murdered my father’s abusive dog when the evil emperor who inserted himself into my memory created a gorilla monster out of my flaming blood which happens to be killing me.” Which isn’t to malign the direction the RP has taken, but I believe that they (Along with Alma, Nessa, Emily, and Jesse) are putting in a lot of good work to keep things light and optimistic, when there’s a lot of chances for things to dip into angst. We’re preventing FALLFISH ANGST NIGHT from getting a sequel by making sure our best men and women have formed a positivity task force.
As an aside, I’m giving them a whole extra point over what their current on screen performance would show, because Cendra showed me their demo in advance, and it’s pretty sweet imagery with some really creative use of what could normally be fairly ordinary powers. Not to mention I delayed that post with my slow rolling Dalisay’s, so I’m responsible for Pohatu and El not getting the full demo post to bump their ratings up. :$
**** (4)
Flint
It’s kinda ironic that one of our newest authors has created a character who’s such a throwback to the Snitz days, but that inadvertent parralell evolution has actually proved quite rewarding. I’m not sure if it’s deliberate on Shoni’s part, but Flint is a glorious deconstruction of the classic Snitz “14 years old, Wanderer/Assassin, Good Kid but has an evil personality that takes over”. Flint’s cool, but between how obviously mentally scarred he is in his eponymous topic and Disorientation, and the fact that Zagaroth legit doesn’t just gun for NPCs, but instead aims to murder allies as well, and you’ve got a shockingly realistic take on RP tropes played straight. It’s a really impressive look into the sort of damage that being an RP character would actually inflict on your psyche.
Not to mention that on quite a few occasions, Shoni leaves ambiguity as to whether it’s Flint or Zagaroth taking certain actions (most notably, we have no idea if it was Flint or Zaggy who murdered the entire team of researchers that unearthed him)... And it gets you to start wondering if Flint is actually any better than Zagaroth at all, when it comes down to it. As a whole, a really surprisingly deep character who brings a lot of baggage to the table. I didn’t think I’d rate this high at the start of my review, but yeah, Flint’s a very solid
**** (4)
Mica
Mica pains me, because like Rhys, she goes miles to remind us how great SV is when she’s on her game. And while geomancy is hardly a unique power, the delicate, creative way that Mica uses it is something I don’t think I’ve seen before, and its nice having one of the most levelheaded and down to earth personalities in Terminer actually be an elementary school kid. SV brings a very solid game here, arguably the highest per-post quality in the topic except for maybe Pohatu or
Silumas. Shame is, there isn’t that much to go on. While more Mica might easily net a 4, maybe even a 4.5, we’ve got very little to work with, and only her demo provides a high-impact post that gives a ton to analyze. And that’s a dang shame. Here’s hoping we get to see more of her in the coming year.
*** (3)
Talia
Perhaps the single person driving the plot the most in Terminer Academy, Talia brings an interesting mixture of aloof and vulnerable to the table. Merc’s loaded her with a ton of flaws, which was a big, bold move that’s paying off tons. She’s a total badass with the single greatest power in the thread, bar maybe Garth and Silumas, but she’s also utterly fragile emotionally... It’s like packing a powderkeg into the RP, which leads to some fantastically tense moments.
On the downside, I do have to call out Merc’s one bad habit in ORP: He’s got a tendency to pick powers that interact poorly with ORP as a format. Talia’s vibrational sense basically makes her omniscient within a single room (albeit the best justification of being a “power senser” I’ve seen in ORP yet), and Habiba’s invisibility means it’s really hard to interact with her unless she specifically approaches somebody. These are fairly minor notes, though... And with a little practice, I’m sure he’ll overcome these (e.g. Having Talia misread some vibration she hadn’t encountered before and act off the misinformation instead of perfect 100% all the time truth, having Habiba just chill in normal visibility to help her teammates trust her more in a scene), and then we’ll be good as gold.
***.5 (3.5)
Habiba
Habiba is much more indicative of Merc’s weaknesses as an RPer, because she’s less relatable and less open than Talia, but she’s by no means a bad thing. The idea of her as a free agent for hire with the powers that she has means she could stroll into almost any RP and become a fairly important figure, and while she’s quite guarded emotionally, I feel there’s some real depth lurking under there. I think we just need to see more of her to really warm me up to her.
** (2)
Silumas
I’m delighted by how over the top Silumas is. He’s a totally melodramatic villainous figure, but I think his author’s been really masterfully using our expectations of him and tiny hints to add a whole extra layer of implied depth beneath his bravado and power.
I especially adore how TERRIBLE Silumas is at being a well behaved respectable teacher. Like, not flinging the students the length of gymnasium doesn’t even occur to him. He’s been told these seats are FACULTY ONLY, and if he has to kidney punch Emrakul to make sure that rule holds, he’ll do it. It gives this really great note of Fish Out of Water to a character who normally can effortlessly succeed in almost anything that he attempts.
Not to mention how crisp and intense Moose’s writing is, which really helps sell the whole thing. No matter on if he’s choking out a giant demon, or blasting people around, or just eating a cupcake, EVERYTHING Silumas does is super dramatic. It’s delightful.
****.5 (4.5)
Treasach
I feel it’s really interesting the direction Treasach is going in. He’s the only one who really understood what his mission was getting into, and yet still got utterly blindsided, and paid a heart-rending cost. While his personality itself is a bit of a cipher, I’m kind of getting a vibe of the medieval “Oh, I lost three organs and I may be coming down with the plague, but I’m going to bear down and get shit done, because it has to get done somehow.” He makes a really good foil to the energetic Kendil and aloof, self-interested Habiba and Crookes. (I just realized that our team seems to be Egyptian, eastern European, French, and Irish... Quite a multicultural lot, there! )
Bonus points for serendipitously using symbolism and imagery reminiscent of the corrupt druid in Funeral Pyre for a Fuzzball, which wasn’t planned by either of us, but adds nice resonance.
I feel like though we’re just getting to know him, he’s already shown a ton of sympathy and depth.
*** (3)
Sacrimoni
While very well written, Sacrimoni has yet to fully sell me. He’s kind of a horrifying villain, but I want to know more about his past, why he’s hitched his wagon to a literal demon and considers this an acceptable state of affairs. You’d think after his fifth time being sent to drip battery acid onto the gonads of serial rapists, he might start wondering if he’s got a better calling in life. That said, I eagerly await seeing the two big mafias (G-Bros and Mess) butting heads, and I think Sacrimoni is very well written, even if I have a hard time sympathizing with him.
**.5 (2.5)
Crookes
I’m glad to see a salty unrepentant jerk in ORP. He and Kendil’s mutual misunderstandings, and his utter exasperation with her lead to a lot of the more amusing bits in Ucalegon, and I also really like how he seems to have more of an understanding with Flidais than any of his human coworkers. There’s also been a lot of juicy hints as to his true nature, and I’ve got to give mad props to Lady V for slow rolling the revelation instead of outright hitting us in the face with it. I’d love to see him interact with Renard some day, just because their personalities are so UTTERLY different and I think they’d pair off eachother nicely. Who knows, maybe I even ship them? They can go to France, go antiquing, solve mysteries, and be all anachronistic together.
*** (3)
Messechaia
Love the idea, wish we got to see a lot more of them. The fact that Mess is basically a malevolent genius locii is really cool and kind of chilling, and it’s interesting to see how even though it’s basically wrought of pure chaos and evil, it still has a soft spot for protecting kids. (Of course, on could argue that’s BECAUSE kids are pure chaos and evil, but I digress). I would like to see more of them, but so far, what we’ve seen is very chilling and effective.
**.5 (2.5)