Balthasar

Posted from the other board, so those interested can see a consolidated concept:


"I would be interested in this definitely. I assume the members of Elohim would maybe all be of the Mutant origin or do any and all work for the story? Also does Elohim exist already or do we, the characters, decide to forge it on our own as a result of us being in the same boat so to speak? I look forward to hearing more of this!"


Actually, I think it would work well for all the origins. The potentiality for being a Nephilim is encoded in the hero's genes and the origin is only the method by which they "decrypt" that information. For instance, it's just as reasonable to say that a Science Blaster used genetic mapping to activate their superpowers as it is to say that it's a mutation. Technos can say that they use technological constructs to tap into their latent powers and/or amplify them. Etc etc.

Bottom line: All origins would be welcome and it would add a new and potentially interesting dimension to character backgrounds and creation.

As far as whether the Elohim exists already or not, I would say yes insofar as they have been around for milennia. However, I'm sensitive to a player's desire to shape the history of any group they participate in, so I'm completely open to using player submissions both in the present time AND in The Elohim's past. This means that not only can participating characters shape the present, but the past as well.

We'll have to see how posting about the history of The Elohim goes, because we would need to ensure that there is a certain amount of continuity oberved... but I think it would offer a wide range of ways for participating players to shape the world of The Elohim and its history.

I'd be thrilled to have someone else who understands what I'm trying to do with it. =)

I posted an identical message on the Virtue board and in one response I addressed what server I planned to base it on (Virtue), however the idea is basically open for another server if someone wants to take it and run with it.

As far as character concepts go, it's entirely up to the player. Another thing I addressed on the other board was that I can see there being an "active arm" of The Elohim composed of Nephilim (Heroes in the more classic sense) that use the information gathered by The Elohim in order to champion the cause of justice. The Elohim is just the investigative arm, but the door is open for people who want to be a little more action oriented.

I've been running p&p games for a long time myself, so if there is enough interest from people who want to do this I'm sure that we could all create a really amazing RP that enriches everyone's experience in the game. =)

I appreciate your taking the time to post.

I think this would be a lot of RP fun for people if we get enough interest. There's room for all origins and, so long as their players are roleplayers, stories.

I'm hoping I can drum up a little interest in it.

I'm curious how many people here would be interested in participating in a SG based around the concept of Paranormal Investigations.

My idea is to have a group of named characters (as in a regular name, not a "hero" name) who are investigators in an entity known as "The Elohim". This SG will be mainly concerned with investigating roleplayed player-introduced crimes, criminals and mysteries. i.e. as much concerned with what goes on here in the boards as they are what goes on in the actual game.

The Elohim have a particular explanation for the existence of super heroes/super powers. They believe that far in the past angelic/alien beings tampered with human DNA, creating an entirely new race of superhuman beings called Nephilim. Their job is to track down the descendants of the Nephilim (e.g. the heroes in Paragon) and either help the Nephilim using their powers for good or stop those using their powers for ill.

In my case, my Elohim character would be an alter ego for my Nephilim character, but whether anyone else does that is up to them.

If this sounds interesting, we could also explore having an "active arm" of The Elohim composed of Nephilim who use the information gained by The Elohim to champion the cause of justice and righteousness.

What do you folks think?

I'm curious about it, but I doubt I'm alone in wondering what roles our characters would play in the world if you've already assigned iconographic characters. Personally, I'd be a lot more interested if there were room for well-written storlylines/characters to BECOME the icons of the world rather than well-fleshed-out bit players.

Just my 2 influence.

((Yes, that worked well in EQ... /sarcasm))

((My name in game (on Virtue) is "Balt Michaels" since "Balthasar" was taken. Rose may eventually learn his alter ego, but right now he's still trying to keep it under wraps.))

((No good writer ever stops learning, Rose, so even he had meant it that way it's still not an insult. hehehe

It's been an entertaining read. If you want to RP with Balthasar and/or his alter ego let me know. I'd be glad to get involved with intelligent, creative roleplay, which you obviously are capable of. =)

((Out of curiosity, are you posting this looking for interactive RP or just to introduce your character? No sarcasm involved, just honest curiosity.))

((As someone here has already mentioned, the best way to ensure a RP-heavy server is to provide rewards for RPing. The question becomes how to accomplish this.

Personally, I believe that every MMORPG should have one "dedicated" RP server. On this server the playerbase is rewarded not only with material items/money/perks, but also with something that EVERY player wants: recognition. Recognition could mean many things, including unique clothes, an official spot in the server story arc, fame/infamy points or any other creative outside the box bells and whistles.

To that end, would it really cost a prohibitive amount of money for the dev team to hire a staff of GMs who do nothing else but roam the server in various guises promoting and rewarding RP? I think the costs would be more than offset by the benefits. And if not, as a player I would consider paying a premium subscription rate for it.

Sure, it's pretty work-intensive for the GM team, but imagine the payoff. Every MMORPG wants to create an immersive environment and this would be a clarion call for roleplayers of the game. In addition, it's never been attempted before which would ensure that the game itself got plenty of ink in the industry press.

Pipe dream? Maybe. But I firmly believe that this system or a variation of it is the best way to truly create an alternative world for an online game. Because without immersion and continuity no setting is believable.))