Silly

Hello there!

Welcome, one and all, to our merry and fine establishment, the Role players Guild.

Membership is free, but fun is mandatory. So browse our wares and find yourself a good opportunity to indulge in this, your new favourite pastime!

Good luck.

Regalia

_{[Location] Harbour
[Time] Sunday, 08:30
[Interactions] Various
[Target] @Mirandae [Sea Monster]}

The mist thickened, swirling and rising into a towering mass before condensing into a solid shape. As it cleared from the battlefield, it warped and twisted, coalescing into something immense. Despite its ominous presence, it went largely unnoticed amidst the chaos, with the dominants and regalia clashing, civilians fleeing, and destruction reigning.

A low, primordial growl rumbled from within the fog, subtle yet deep enough to stir unease in those who heard it. Suspicion crept toward the strange fog, but it was the thunderous, piercing roar that shattered all else, commanding the attention of everything nearby. It was a sound of raw fury, an unquenchable rage, layered with the unmistakable timbre of anguish.

The first victims were a swarm of monstrous lice positioned before the fog. A massive metallic clawed foot slammed down, shredding through them like a sharp blade through silk. Emerging from the dissipating mist was a monstrous metallic lizard, a primordial dragon. Its immense frame gleamed with a sinister sheen, the mist now a whisper clinging to its form. The dragon’s jaws gaped as it roared again, its voice echoing across the battlefield, surveying its surroundings with a terrifying hunger. An apex predator, its violet eyes glinted with malice, locked onto the colossal Sea Monster. The dragon seemed to salivate at the prospect of annihilation. For the onlookers, the towering lizard was an even greater menace than the sea creature itself, for it was a harbinger of destruction, the Dominant of the Void. Libra bore witness to an omen of the end times, the great enemy of all things and life itself.

The metallic beast took one step, then another, each footfall a deafening thunderclap. Stalls and buildings crumbled beneath its weight, scattering debris and forcing bystanders to flee or be crushed. Its immense form accelerated, every movement purposeful, unrelenting. As it closed the distance, it drew back one colossal arm, the motion brimming with raw, destructive power. When the blow landed, Bahamut’s fist collided with the Sea Monster’s maw with the force of a falling meteor, sending a shockwave through the battlefield.

The Sea Monster bellowed in pain, its own massive clawed arm retaliating. The two titans clashed, their blows shaking the very ground beneath them. Bahamut met each strike with calculated ferocity, countering with a barrage of relentless punches. The strategy was clear: the greatest defence was an overwhelming offence, and Bahamut held nothing back. Each blow was a symphony of destruction, an echo of ancient experience honed across eons.

The Sea Monster staggered under the onslaught, and in desperation, it summoned its swarming minions. Like a living tide, they poured toward Bahamut. The great dragon, undeterred, swiped up the creatures in its massive claws, tossing them into its gaping maw. It devoured them with ruthless efficiency, tearing through them like a predator feasting on popcorn. This act of dominance enraged the Sea Monster further, its fury palpable.

Bahamut’s claws scraped along its metallic body, scattering the remnants of the swarming lice onto the other Dominants battling nearby. It was a crude and careless dismissal, a clear statement: Bahamut had no interest in these pests. Its focus was singularly on the Sea Monster, its true prey.

With a tremendous leap, the Sea Monster lunged at Bahamut, tackling the metallic beast. The impact sent Bahamut skidding backward, but it quickly regained its footing, retaliating with a ferocious flurry of blows. Fists and claws collided, each strike a seismic event, as the two titanic beings sought to overpower one another. Bahamut soaked the monster’s attacks without pause, responding with an oppressive assault that shattered barriers and tore through sinew and bone alike.

As the battle raged, Bahamut began to gain the upper hand. Its strikes landed with devastating precision, and the Sea Monster staggered under the unrelenting force. The dragon’s attacks grew faster, heavier, crushing bone and splintering flesh. With a final, triumphant roar, Bahamut leapt forward, driving the Sea Monster onto its back. Pinned beneath the metallic lizard, the sea creature thrashed and roared in defiance, but it could not escape.

Bahamut opened its jaws, and a dark, ominous hum began to resonate from its body. Purple electricity crackled along its length, building in intensity as it gathered energy. The dragon’s entire frame glowed with a sinister light, a radiant crescendo of power. From tail to maw, the energy surged upward, as it was pulled in a brilliant violet sphere at the back of its throat. The battlefield seemed to hold its breath as the great Megaflare took shape, a weapon of apocalyptic destruction poised to erupt.

Cards 15/15

x 14

Hello, Roleplayerguild!

Welcome to the Guild, and Good luck in your search for a fun game and opportunity to practice your skills!

Also, cute kitty. Is it based on yours?

Hi!

Welcome to the Guild, and good luck in your search for Outer Banks related things!

.....So....Hi...

Welcome to the guild, and good luck in your search for a fun role play!

hello!!

Welcome to the forum! If you are planning on joining any games, maake sure to state Alcohol as a trigger warning in the OOC so people are aware.

Good luck in your search for a good roleplay you feel comfortable in!

Death of the genre

The Holiday Season is always difficult, because people prioritise their families and celebrating in the festivities. So most RPs take a break during this time. This unfortunately causes disruptions to schedules and routines, but they can recover.

The best way we can resolve this is by working together in our communities to overcome any nightmares durihg this season, and go far beyond the new year.

Death of the genre

You bring up an interesting point, and there is understandable concerns around the cliques and it’s an important topic in any community, especially roleplay groups. Fundamentally with this hobby, we are creating temporary close-knit communities whenever a GM makes a game. These can sometimes feel exclusionary or difficult enter, especially when it is a game in progress.

However, it is important to distinguish the difference between harmful exclusion, such as elitism or GM’s being ‘Warlords of their Domain’, with the balance of RP groups needing healthy boundaries. Communities thrive when everyone feels safe, respected, and free to express themselves. RP is an intimate experience both in-character and out-character, so trust is important.

Sometimes our decisions to exclude certain individuals from an role-play wasn’t about forming an elitist clique or being unkind to people. This can be making sure that people who join are a ‘Good Fit’ to enter the RP. These decisions can be around ensuring the safety and well-being of our members which has to be the foundation of any healthy community.

So, when someone engages in behaviours like harassment or makes others feel unsafe, it just doesn’t work, and things fall apart. it undermines the trust and enjoyment that makes these roleplay communities so fulfilling. So, addressing those issues is necessary to maintain a positive environment for us all to thrive in.

I think it is good to be open to discussing ways we can make the community more welcoming for our members.

Death of the genre

There is a general trend in the population around attention deficits for projects, due to which has been exploited a lot by social media, game companies, and so on, who want your eyes on their products in what is termed attention economy. They provide those hits via doom-scrolling, notifications, time limited offers, engagement algorithms, and gamification.

Hobbies like role-play and creative writing take work and time, it requires that investment and energy before you get the "pay-offs". So it is challenged by multiple avenues which offer that more immediately and provide that rush.

Have you ever been in a role-play where someone is very slow with their posts, or you are constantly waiting for them, whilst you can see their active status of playing Monster Hunter World for the last 8 hours every day for last week. It isn't a case of "I don't have time", it is a case of prioritisation. Why invest your time in something when you can get a more immediate payoff by comparison elsewhere. What harm would happen if they put MHW down for one hour a week, so the RP can progress its story.

So places like forums will have a role, and hobbies like this one will be a constant niche activity. We are the knitters and crocheters.

---

So, with this in mind, how could this forum improve?

The thing is, the scaremongering and looking at the numbers leads to policies and judgements based on the goal of retention, as opposed to things like quality in the community which could decrease population decline.

What a forum offers is a medium which allows for long term and impactful role-playing. It is amazing just sometimes booting up a thread and just seeing all the art, pictures, formatting, and such great writing, for free. Seeing people enjoy themselves and have fun in their story telling communities. Mediums like Discord RP is typically more for cheap frills and temporary fun, and people who respond for a bit then finish their interest in it and bail, it doesn't produce or create anything meaningful.

Now, you might think "Quality? Do you mean get rid of the rubbish role players", and you would be wrong. We are humans, we have this great ability to learn, develop and grow. We were all terrible at some point, and with guidance, we can blossom and grow, and becomes future leaders of this place. What is important, however, is the quality of the community to enable such a fostering environment.

---

I like to call a spade a spade, this account is new here, I get that. I was invited onto this forum from a friend, and I joined and stayed because I found a RP with a nice community. But the very sad news is, not everyone here has been welcoming. I don't even need to name names, but if it wasn't for the fact I found a good community here, I would have left. I remember shortly after my first post, my first private message on the forum was from a Not-nice user, with a cheery "Hello! Your avatar is so beautiful." I ignored their first PM, due to it being creep behaviour, and then I got the PM again, and I replied out of curiosity, and they shortly hit me with a "Can I sniff your laundry?" proving my first impression of them. This is the reception that new members get on the forum, and this user stalks those Welcome threads. This is why I have decided upon myself, to personally greet and welcome every new user to comes through that door, to show them, that yes, there are decent people here, and just not creeps.

If I feel like I would have left in these circumstances, what about all those who post there with wide eyes and hopes and dreams, but never find a good community and scared away due to having a creep message them? How many users have we just lost in the name of retention? What about all their stories and the great contributions they would have made here?

hider

And for anyone reading this who doubts my tale, then just click 'log out', create a new account, get yourself a beautiful pfp, post in the Welcome thread, and you will get a one of those lovely private messages.