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An old guide to making a character you'll cry about


Tigergiri
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A guide to making a character you'll cry about.

You're probably thinking, "You want me to cry over a fictional character I made up? ", and that's fair. And the quick response is yes. The lengthy and complicated response is that I do not trust individuals who do not dip their fries in Wendy shakes, and I do not trust anyone who creates disposable characters without feeling regret for that character's existence.

Yes, we are going to fully explore this. Hold on to your seats; if I can, I'll get you to give your all to a character you might not particularly like for, but you'll develop a relationship with that character that will give you a lifetime of memories to reflect on. I'll start by noting that not everyone will approve of you or your persona, but who gives a ****? You are the character. As long as you're considering the welfare of your characters rather than your own OOC expertise, no one else has the right to tell you how to act or behave. This tutorial will assist you with creating a character from beginning to end and provide you with suggestions for improvement as you roleplay.

 

So let's get started by asking, "Who is your character?" Who are they related to? I enjoy playing out characters from beginning to end, so if you haven't tried it yet, I highly suggest looking for families that are seeking for kids. Be reasonable; avoid aiming for nobles or royals; trust me, we'll get to that point. Find individuals with whom you click, even if you have never met them before. Before I played their child, @JoanOfArc , one of the people for whom I play children for, was completely unaware of my existence. I had been given the go-ahead by a close buddy  @rukio, who attested to the fact that I wasn't a numbskull and would try to be of assistance where I could. As you advance, your friends and options will also advance, but start small and find your folks.

Play whomever you can get your hands on.

 

Alternatively, you may create a whole new family out of NPCs and see if anybody will adopt you if you start off with no family at all. If you assume you'll always be an orphan, you're deluding yourself. If you just let roleplay develop naturally, I've never seen so many individuals in LotC with the largest hearts. If you treat them well, someone could adopt you, and everything might change. Wren Vanvir Ashwood was one of my very first characters. Fenn and the Uliaben family both adopted her because they thought she was too charming and smart to pass up. I wasn't exactly new, but I didn't have the same level of dedication. As a dark elf, all I wanted to do was cause problems. I personally navigated in such a tornado of a plot that people are still approaching me and wondering whether I played Wren Ashwood, which I must now clarify (as there was a wren the second time).

 Roleplay is vast, and anything can happen, so never lose hope! You can do it! 

 

 


Character Creation! 

If you know me well, you are aware of my utter nerdiness. I enjoy developing characters. I enjoy creating art. I adore character arcs and skins. I'll outline the exact steps I use while creating a new character for you in this phase. For example, we are going to create a completely new character. I may use this later, I may not. Who knows?

Though I've had characters of practically every species, I've recently been playing a lot of humans. Each person has a niche and community of their own. When you believe you have one race under control, a new subculture emerges that you want to investigate. Even I am not familiar with them all. There are so many, but if any reader wants to add their subculture, just leave it here, and I'll include it all. I'll classify this according to how I perceive it: You'll simply have to read about my experiences because they are my own and I genuinely don't have any unfavorable ideas. Deal with it. 

For a more in-depth read on every race, I suggest you comb the wiki: https://wiki.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=Races

Races:

  • Human 

OK, so there are terms you are going to hear thrown around, like heartlander and highlander, and if you've been here a long time, you know what those mean, but in reality, no one really cares too much about which one you are. It is more of a flavor text than anything. People may be interested in whether it is folk or aduian.

 

  • Haense

Haense is a fun community if you like politics and war. I mean that in the nicest way. Sometimes I like to think of them as lumberjacks--kind of scruffy, grumpy, and always mean business. On the female side of it, it's cold and warm at the same time. Everyone is very straightforward. They don't tend to beat around the bush and take action before speaking words. The more you do action-work, roleplay, odd jobs, or even work your way through the military, the more you are rewarded. They stick with their own and are super friendly once you get past the accent. \

  • Norland 

The Norland community is very nice. They remind me a bit of the Vikings. Now don't make a Viking character and go straight there. I have no clue what may happen to you. But they are a bit more rough than Haense, but the payout for being in their community is life-long friends that will fiercely And by that, I mean they will cause a shitstorm if you are in trouble. 

  • Savoy

Savoy is what you get when you mix nobility, Italians, and every German you can find. They're not called German or Italian, but if you look closely, you'll see what I mean. more of a budding nation or city state then, so if you're looking for something a bit fresh but still has players that know history, they will help you out. I don't have much to say about it; the people who like Haense and Oren usually have a good time here. 

  • Oren, Aaun, Petra 

Oren is what you may see as high regency and the exact opposite of Haense. Whereas where Haense is straightforward in their actions, Oren follows that the words hold more power than the sword in most incidents-a wild playground of politics, nobility, balls, and a few poisonings have not been unseen. It is a fast-paced society where everyone seems to have a place that can be dedicated to building themselves to higher ground—not impossible by any means, but gratifying once you achieve whatever it is you achieve.

  • Oasis and Yong ping, Farfolk 

So you don't want the usual human roleplay; you want to try a different subculture. Most Asian cultures are similar to Yongping, though it is not what most Chinese and Japanese cultures are like in the real world. The same goes for Oasis. Things may sound similar to what they may be in the IRL world. But I promise you, it is nothing scary or anything to worry about. Treat everything as roleplay and quite literally throw any notion of what you think it is out the window, because it is not that. And you'll have more fun if you face it with wonderment rather than trying to be all knowing about it.

  • The Pure mixture

Is it a pure mix? What is the pure mix? I refer to the pure mix as a mix of humans who form cities and vassals together with little regard to background and more concern for the families they build along the way. Freimark is a good example, or Rosanina. I hoped I spelled that correctly. They don't care where you come from in the human nations as long as you abide by their rules and family goals. These are great places to start if you have a bit of anxiety when it comes to big crowds. 

  • The Medium blend

The medium mix—so if a pure mix is mainly humans, what is the medium mix? Mixed-race hubs are regarded by the majority of LotCers as being of moderate mix. These have shown on a few different maps. This is particularly true for humans because Sutica and Elysium's earlier iterations were ruled by them and housed a wide variety of species while preserving a peaceful unity. To be fair, not everyone enjoys these hubs. Your favorite location could not be someone else's favorite. Don't get upset about it and don't take it personally. Every coin has two sides, and it's possible that you don't fully understand the situation.

  • Dwarf 

  • Urguan, 

It is probably your biggest hub for dwarves out there. Holding every subrace of dwarf in one area, ruled by a king that was switched out by diplomacy. They work in their own communities and do things like mining, magic, and smithing. They were builders too, shesh. It gets amazing the further down some of the tunnels you go. It is a place worth experiencing at least once. And above, the forest dwarves have their own farm land that occupies that and the caves above it. There is a unity between the two. 

  • Mynebor

Sue Me! I'm MENTIONING IT! The main protagonist of most dwarves' stories is Mynebor is a touchy subject for most dwarves, so I don't believe you should ever mention it unless someone brings it up to you that you should join. Now there will always be conflict between the two. Players and dwarves alike, their dwarves hold a book of grudges that lasts for years. So get ready to be a little edgy and a little wholesome if you join up on mynebor. Mostly cave dwarves and dark dwarves in handfuls-quite literally, a very small niche community.

  • Orc.

  • Goblins

Goblins are such little spiteful creatures that get picked on quite a bit. Most of them are bloodthirsty little spitfires, and most of them usually live within Krugmar, but they can be seen in some medium mixes. 

  • Ologs

 We love the big dummies of the orcs, and we also fear them. It all depends on the person behind them and their choices in life. This required a CA to play 

  • Orcs

Orcs are not all the same. Do not even try to kid yourself into thinking about it. In the heat of the moment, getting raided may feel the same to you, but it is not. They may all talk in blah, which is hard to understand. The way I learnedre not all the same. Do not even try to kid yourself into thinking about it. In the heat of the moment, getting raided may feel the same to you, but it is not. They may all talk in blah, which is hard to understand. Placing straws in my mouth while pretending they were tusks allowed me to learn Blah. Blah was to put straws in my mouth and pretend they were tusks and talk. In VC, everyone made fun of me, yet it worked! Orcs operate in their own unique manner. It is comparable to the Slytherin house. Even though they have a bad reputation and are despised by everyone, they are actually incredibly proud and honest people. They will typically accept a Klomp (pvp) to the face with grace. Even if it initially seems more tribal, the more you look at this gem in the rough, the more you could like it.

 

  • Elf:

Elves are a fickle case. Sometimes you don't want to stay in the same spot when you have such a lengthy lifespan. You'll frequently travel away from your primary abode. Never feel guilty—in fact, if somebody makes you feel guilty, let them have it. You may do anything you darn well choose, and it is in your character to do whatever you want.

  • Elvenesse

Elvenesse is the hub for elves. Mostly wood elves, but you'll see your fair share of mixed elves there as well. If Orcs are too tribal for you, wood elves, who focus on rituals and aspects of their main religion, may be your next step. Elvenesse is a fun spot if you wish to be involved that way. 

  • Druids

Another place where all walks of life live. Although I will admit that I notice more wood elf cultures migrating here than I do elfness—something about being in touch with nature drives us all a bit crazy, I think— To dwell inside their groves, though, you do not absolutely need to be a druid, though it is strongly advised. Many of them come from families that never become druids.

  • Fenn

The snow elves—I mean the redacted. These high elves carelessly dwell in the frigid air and cold. a close-knit group of people who have persevered through many difficulties and tribulations. Numerous individuals appear to play snow elves and never depart. There, the populace is exceedingly moral. a community that will give you a job if you ask, with a political and military structure entwined with it.

  • Haelunor 

Everyone has at least once heard about Haeunor. You'll encounter a lot of rumors. Really, just toss them out the window. In contrast to their role, high elves are the complete opposite. This, at times, is pretty humorous. Consider them to be political ravenclaws who will quip you into oblivion and then repeat the precise rule you breached in its entirety. a civilization that is based on ideas that have been successful for them.a culture based on principles that have produced positive results for them. They convey a distinct notion of pure; they are not inherently racist. In all honesty, people don't make as much of a fuss when they keep things inside themselves, therefore I don't see why Haelunor gets a bad name for it. With elves, it's basically the same idea. Perhaps you are the one reading those who think in such words incorrectly.

  • Dark elf 

Oh, dark elves my babies. There are so many different communities and civilizations among Dark Elves. They are among the most varied elves and are continually evolving. Their communities typically have minor city states or ties to other countries to help them survive. Maybe you'll be the one to bring the ker together in the end? Who knows?.. nors'sath cough

  • Halfling 

Don't be fooled by the cute face and wholesome rp; halflings are terrifying, bloodthirsty little buggers.Their community is usually super kind and friendly to everyone. The most well-known secret is that you get the halflings to win your wars. They have some of the most memorable events and games, such as shogging. If you've ever wanted to play a hobbit from Lord of the Rings, this could be your chance.

 

 


 

Have I provided you with a lot of details? Read it slowly and carefully. I'll be here in the next sentence, waiting for you with patience. <3

 

So you've got your race and a broad concept of where you'd like to travel. Don't get too hung up on that notion. There is so much of the world to discover; but, your house is only one location. I suggest that wherever you go, most families and settlements have discord. Decide what you want to be after doing some study and looking at their artwork and skins.

 

The community can correct me on this, but (https://sites.google.com/view/skinarchive/home) is the skin archive made with skins from the community to use for free. There are also plenty of people that will make skins, usually for a price, but if you really need a skin, I'll make your first one free if you're joining a new area. But only once! I'm lazy. Don't overwork me please. 

Make a Pinterest board, and trust me, you can keep it for as long as you want.Usually I keep a pinterest board with face claims, things that remind me of my character or who I want them to be, suggestions for names, clothing, and poems. Something I can do in my off time to connect me to my character.

here are some examples of past characters that are now pked:

It is surprising what you can accomplish and what ideas you can find when you start to create a character from just pictures.   

 

NAMES 

Now you maybe have a name- maybe you don't? But here are some websites I look for names when I'm looking for something specific. 

 

https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/feminine/usage/ancient-roman (this site has so many names from different cultures and where they show up in history it's nice when you're looking for something meaningful. 

Ultizie pinterest- they have some great names if you just look. 

Ask the folks in charge of your family. They'll always be a useful resource to utilize, whether they're regular names or names they wish their children to have.


 

 


 

So you have a name, now let's get that character description down to cap. You may now utilize the roleplaying's cosmetic cues with as little work as possible while creating your character card on LotC. The longest card description ever is another option. You are absolutely in control! While other individuals utilize hair or even complexion and skin tones, I frequently use my character's eye color when creating emotes.

"Nikita's icy blue eyes flashed, her dark brows furrowing, her back straightening, holding her chin high, moving from her seat to her throne above, the fabric of her velvet crimson dress smoothed out, not a single crinkle to be seen." 

 

"Nikita's blue eyes frowned, moving to her seat on the dias, she seemed to be angry." 

Which sounds better to you? Both of these emotes are decent in a manner, but I'm showing you that I'm painting an image in your minds' eyes that goes beyond what you can see on a single MC skin. I offered you hints by giving you details: cold blue eyes akin to snow, dark eyebrows, probably a character that slouches a lot or has bad posture, in a textured dress of red hues.



 

FLAWS 

My favorite topic is to give your character flaws! Do it. I'm pressuring you. Give your character a flaw, anything that deviates from their highly idealized persona. Nobody is flawless. Everyone has something to conceal. I assure you that it is extremely valuable to have a clumsy character carry something and just tumble down stairs if your character has an edge and you utilize that in roleplay. Who could be able to save you? Will you be pursued by anyone? Do they laugh and point? For something so easy, you are creating a role-play for everyone else in the room. Because it is such a basic idea, so many people ignore it. Give the feelings and worries of your character. They have their own feelings; they are not puppets. Instead of treating them like the dummies you play with and assume different forms as, treat them like actual individuals. Here is a list of all my flaws. - I got rid of the overused ones. You're capable of more than that.

 

Absent-minded

abusive 

addicted 

Alcoholic

big-mouthed

Bigoted 

blunt 

Egotistical

envious

erratic 

disloyal 

frugal

gullible

Humorless

Hypocrisy

clumsy

illiterate 

impatient, lazy 

a liar 

Obsessive

overzealous 

over emotional 

sarcastic 

Nosey

overprotective

Senile

shallow squeamish 

Afraid of ______

stubborn 

tactless

Stutter

weak 

Fatigues quickly 

passive 

Attention Seeker

Sunburns easily 

Somehow, it always gets dirty.

cracks knuckles or bones constantly.

Jumpy or nervous 

Unable to grow facial hair,

They laugh at their own jokes.

I hum to myself

Eats food in a particular order or picks it apart.

Over salt foods

A really bad singer/dancer

BItes fingernails 

overly sensitive to odors

Attack hugger

Overly Shares

Crude humor 

Big eater 

Gentle giant

Condending 

A psychopath


 

Traumatize them if you don't want a flaw. Trauma bonding is something we all do on a daily basis. Make that worse RP circumstance into a character defect. To protect you in Oren, your grandfather lost his life. You're now blaming the troops who took him into custody and, in your opinion, murdered him. And if you ever find yourself in a difficult place, lash out. They are now afraid of troops who refuse to help them or even approach them. Yes, I used a real RP example. We cherish Elizabeth.

Your character is one of many children. I was 4 out of 14. Make friends, adopt a person's family as your own, and harbor resentment because they have a more loving family than you have (tear Nitika ).

 

FULL Send it! Trial and error it all the way! 

Make the most of the RP you have by running with it! People become more understanding, and you have a better comprehension of your character's motivations as opposed to simply assuming they are bored and acting as they do. Has everyone you've ever loved passed away? Become a doctor so that no one perishes at your hands. Be a helicopter parent and a soldier to defend your family because you don't want anything to happen to your children that may have happened to you. We push the role-playing game; it's like a huge sandbox of possibilities, and you have all the little crystals in your hands. ‘

Build a castle, then someone destroys it? This time, solidify it with water.

 

These examples are what I call "character arcs." From one experience to the next—from one joyful or tragic day in your life to the next. Consider it as constructing your own narrative as opposed to the entire universe. The lead character in your own novel is you. Although you might not be the main character in someone person's book, you can still uphold their beliefs and ideals since you are the main character in your own.


 

Not everything has to be bad..

Build a castle-someone knocks it down? Use water this time and solidify it.  Yes I know I said this, but please reread it i said to build a castle. Create the life you wish to lead. It's not necessary for your character to be upset or furious all the time. They have the ability to feel joyful and to take pleasure in even the little things if they so choose. They don't always have to pick disputes with those who treat them unfairly or withdraw and live a lonely life because their wife, girlfriend, or friend passed away. Trauma develops character, but it's up to you to enhance it rather than merely play a part that you'll be associated with for the rest of time. Just because you're depressed doesn't mean you have to portray a depressed character. I am aware that we all put a little part of ourselves into whatever we do, and that this may be sad for both ourselves and our characters. Sometimes they operate only as a reflection of our thoughts and knowledge. Despite our best efforts, there is a power/metagaming rule. It's okay that dealing with it might be really difficult at times.

 

 


 

If you followed all of these steps, you'd have a skeleton of a character on your hands, with a deep understanding of things you probably never considered before.And if you have? You are probably a better rper than I am! I'm kind of bottom of the barrel decent. 

Now to solidify, I suggest you use one of these: copy the doc and reuse it. Also, /cex bio link it. /Cex bio www.dontusethislink.com

This is a mixture of templates and character bios I've collected over the years. Some of them are DND based, some of them are simple text docs. 

 

 

 


Playlist

This sounds silly. But do it-once you have any sort of idea of who your character is, it's entirely optional, but I don't like silence. And I really like music. So what I'll do is make a character playlist. 

What's a character playlist? 

A character playlist is a playlist of songs that i fit in categories

  • It fits my character.

  • Follow the same pathway or vibe of an rp.

  • Or something I'm striving for in a goal of some sort. 

  •  

My playlists all differ. From folk songs to rap, broadway and slow music, rock country, and other genres, some have songs that are similar to others while others have entirely unique tunes. I'm satisfied with everything I can get my hands on.

Here is the music for an episode I presently have on hold for a character. She is one of my sweetest and most reserved characters.

So most of the songs here are soft and ukelele-done. 

Versus 

Fardir, a member of Mynebor, grew from this sweet  child to a lady trying her hardest to succeed in a world she believed despised her and wanted to kill her.

This gloomy playlist made my father proud. moral ambiguity and the difference between good and wrong. many moody feelings

You don't have to listen to them; each of them evokes completely distinct feelings.

However, I often pick a music from the playlist that I think best matches while I'm writing a particular article. I am aware of a few people that pre-plan their PK posts, but I never think it is required unless you adhere to your own set of guidelines.

 

 

I hope you learnt something new from this. I also hope you made a character you'll later weep over. Here we go with what was mostly a rant I started around six months ago...

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

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20 minutes ago, Tigergiri said:
  • Mynebor

Sue Me! I'm MENTIONING IT! The main protagonist of most dwarves' stories is Mynebor is a touchy subject for most dwarves, so I don't believe you should ever mention it unless someone brings it up to you that you should join. Now there will always be conflict between the two. Players and dwarves alike, their dwarves hold a book of grudges that lasts for years. So get ready to be a little edgy and a little wholesome if you join up on mynebor. Mostly cave dwarves and dark dwarves in handfuls-quite literally, a very small niche community.

shawn-of-the-dead-shovel.gif

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Tiger your contributions to the community are always so helpful! This was an amazing read, and would have been so helpful when i first started LOTC. Also we love characters that make us cry.

 

Spoiler

Tiger definitely didn't force me to upvote....

 

 

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I don't like this post. You've preambled it in a senseless manner where I cannot genuinely tell if it's meant to be a parody or if that's what you truly believe mixed with humour. You should not tell people that they are the character and tell people whether directly or indirectly that they should be encouraged to be attached to their character to the point that they will weep or cry for it. The first rule of making a character is being able to detach yourselves completely from the character. The moment you begin personalising that character and making it "real", you become more willing to protect it to the point where OOC arguments over that character and its treatment will inevitably become a problem. OOC and roleplay should be as separated as possible, and you're condoning that they should be intertwined. It is still possible to have a detailed and good character without being very attached to them as long as you acknowledge it for what it is, a character.

 

Your comments about races and settlements/nations felt unneeded, not only because you said stuff that isn't really relevant but you're providing information that seems to be just baseless opinion or useless commentary. I will say that there's not much to complain about when it comes to the flaw and playlist section though. It's decent advice, but everything else which makes up most of the post just overshadows it.

 

You should have kept this rant "guide" in your head.

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Spoiler

Perfect timing for my child hooman character.  She has too much potential with how her family is shaping her that it's almost overwhelming but reading this help me to get an idea of organizing it all together. ty tiger <3 also i love when you create characters for me so of course i support <3333

 

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I agree mostly with what Crevel said, though I do believe he could have accomplished such more eloquently. This "guide" seems like it'll set New Players up for failure. Much of the advice on this post will lead players to creating a persona with main character syndrome; tragic backstory, cute lil' quirks, trauma dumping, etc. I believe your heart is in the right place and I do think it's a good idea for an official character creation guide to be published but currently this will only lead to a James2k reddit post about how players need to stop larping as a main character. 

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>sees a mention on my name

>sweat

>open topic

>smile

 

Nice post :)

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1 hour ago, Tigergiri said:
  • Halfling 

Don't be fooled by the cute face and wholesome rp; halflings are terrifying, bloodthirsty little buggers.Their community is usually super kind and friendly to everyone. The most well-known secret is that you get the halflings to win your wars. They have some of the most memorable events and games, such as shogging. If you've ever wanted to play a hobbit from Lord of the Rings, this could be your chance.

this is true

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12 hours ago, Tigergiri said:
  • Savoy

Savoy is what you get when you mix nobility, Italians, and every German you can find. They're not called German or Italian, but if you look closely, you'll see what I mean. more of a budding nation or city state then, so if you're looking for something a bit fresh but still has players that know history, they will help you out. I don't have much to say about it; the people who like Haense and Oren usually have a good time here. 

savoy hasnt been a nation since may btw

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18 hours ago, Crevel said:

 It is still possible to have a detailed and good character without being very attached to them as long as you acknowledge it for what it is, a character.

 

 

It's also possible to have a detailed and good character that you're attached to, as long as you acknowledge it for what it is, a character.

 

I'm sorry you haven't experienced a character yet that made you feel the same way, but I understand what Tiger means. Some personas are easy to get attached to in the same way you get attached to a book character. You can root for them, you can sympathize with their plight OOC, you can even cry for what they go through. It doesn't mean you're OOCly going to manipulate the narrative in their favor. 

 

What do I know though, I also think people should PK on first death unless they're a new player. Especially if it's a conflict-based persona or a spy, etc. People attached to their community or character rarely ever will.

 

And before you reply citing the Norland ordeal: I was fine with the RP and intended to PK, I was not cool with the OOC aggression being flung my way by several people (not you).

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19 hours ago, Tigergiri said:
  • Mynebor

Sue Me! I'm MENTIONING IT! The main protagonist of most dwarves' stories is Mynebor is a touchy subject for most dwarves, so I don't believe you should ever mention it unless someone brings it up to you that you should join. Now there will always be conflict between the two. Players and dwarves alike, their dwarves hold a book of grudges that lasts for years. So get ready to be a little edgy and a little wholesome if you join up on mynebor. Mostly cave dwarves and dark dwarves in handfuls-quite literally, a very small niche community.

Angry Leonardo Dicaprio GIF

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don't care im abusing marts to pk characters that oppose mine keep crying 

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1 minute ago, Elite Snipes said:

huh

671425844060880901.webp

Dude wtf don’t even 

 

it wasn’t funny the first time and you harrasing people isn’t funny now

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The whole orc section is completely wrong,

also i agree with crevel, this would trip up new players and its not a good idea to be a ‚guide’ of sorts. Its more of a personal thing for yourself.

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