Opal Elanor Goodhill Of Dunwood's Server Application

[Jutra 51]

Out-Of-Character:

Minecraft Account Name: opiedoodle

Did you attend minecon and sign up at the LOTC booth?: no.

How old are you?: almost 42

Time-Zone/Country of Residence: EST/Canada (Eastern Standard Time (EST) = GMT-5 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) = GMT-4)

Do you have a good grip on the English language/good grammar?: Yes, English was one of my favourite subjects in school and I was an advid reader growing up. (yes favourite is spelled correctly..if you live in Canada, which I do!)

Small 2-3 Sentence Description of yourself: I'm a wife and mom to an 18 year old step son and a 3 year old daughter. At work I'm the Lead for our social committee. While I enjoy my 9 to 5 job (7 to 3 to be exact) I can't believe how much fun it is to be a Mom (I think it's due to being a huge kid at heart). My interests outside of computer games are Genealogy (been combing my family tree for over 20 years now - so much fun "finding new (old?) folks to add to my tree"!, I also enjoy card making, and playing with my baby.

How much time could you be on the server weekly?: during my work week I usually play a few hours in the evenings after I put the baby to bed and about 45 mins in the morning before going off to work,

I play longer on the weekends and can make time to attend in-game events if I know about them ahead of time and am able to make arrangements with my hubby before hand (Our little one has to be cared for by one of us!)

What do you know about Roleplaying? Give a definition of what it means to you.: My experience with Roleplaying comes mainly from my Ultima Online days (I played 5 years there) In-game I owned one of the biggest "rune libraries" on the catskills shard (server) (Travel Lodge if anyone was ever there back then) with a huge merchant shop. I was on daily greeting folks helping find what they were looking for. I like creating server events for folks to enjoy. Creating events in-game was one of my most favourite things to do. Later with my hubby we changed servers and played orcs. The orcs were strict RP with their own language etc. We laughed so much playing them. I have really fond memories of those days. I have not come across such good role playing since, and I have tried.

We chose an RP server for WOW (Argent Dawn) RP was not very prevalent there. I ended up making up my own RP as the Abbot of the Northshire Abbey who's job was to offer supplies to the "refugees" that Stormwind dropped into the abbey's lap! ( my char handed out items that new players could use to start their new lives there. I ended up using all my chars to help him in his quest - they would do the hunting, buying and selling on the AH and being his "Patron" so my Abbot could perform his duties at the Abbey).

Role playing to me means looking through your characters eyes at the in-game world and then acting and reacting to in-game events the way they would and not how you personally would if the same even happened

in real life. I truly enjoy the challenge of playing characters with opposite personalities then my own. Usual terms used when Roleplaying are: OCC (for out of character chat), this is used for you (the player) to say something (hopefully) pertinent to the situation your character is in currently. IC (in character) is what most of your interactions should be in. It is how your character is acting (emotes are usually used for this) *turns to stare at the new tavern arrival, *lowers her head in shame, or for your character to speak out loud.

In your own Words, describe what Metagaming and Powergaming are. Metagaming is using information gathered outside of your character awareness and using it in-game. An example would be learning about a possible in-game attack at a certain place over the OCC chat and then having your char show up there without any other possible reason to be there other then the attack. Now if your character was actually planning on being at the place at the time of the attack then it's not Metagaming.

Powergaming to me is trying to "skill up" your character anyway possible. For example you want to skill your archery - powergaming it would be shooting all passive animals with arrows to kill them - archery should be used for mobs or opponents you need to fight at a distance due to the danger of having them close at hand. ie in vanilla minecraft creepers should always be shot in arrows whenever possible so they don't get close to you and blow you up!.

What do you expect this server will be like?: I'm hoping it's more about being (RP) social and having a good time playing out different scenarios and less about "GMing" all my skills and getting all the highest tier armour and weapons. Diamonds maybe a girl's best friend but I sincerely hope I can play on this server without having to own a single one and still enjoy my time here.

What other server(s) have you played on and why did you leave them?: I've only played on my own server my hubby set up for me. (he's the techie in the family) The folks on it are not into RP and not very chatty (all builders). You can only lead a horse to water, you can't make him drink. So since I couldn't "make" them RP like I wanted to, I decided to go find a server that did RP. My server is already taken down at this point due to inactivity of the other players.(basically it was no fun playing by myself - I can do that in single player!)

Have you read, understood, and agreed to the rules?: Yes a few times now to be certain I don't mess up!

How did you hear about us?: I was browsing the server forum of minecraft and found your post there.

Have you voted for the Lord of the Craft on Minestatus? Which vote number were you? I tried but it said I've already voted. Not sure what number they have me. I'll keep trying though.

What is your The Lord Of Craft forum account name?:Opal

In-Character:

Character Name: Opal Elanor Goodhill of Dunwood or Opal for short.

What is your Race?: Orc

Biography(This should include the history of your character and his life as well as age, appearance and personality, etc.):

I've taken a few days to think this character through - quite a fun exercise but the story just got bigger and bigger so I'm going to give you the bite size version then if you want you can read the "War and Peace" version at your leisure.

Long long story short:

Opal thinks she's a goblin/halfling halfblood waiting to "come of age" so she can go be a wife and mother and enjoy the experience of running her own ranch and farm. The truth is she's really a he, She's not a halfblood at all but full orc (she just had a lot of regressive genes.) she transgender ((though this isn't something that will be RPed - she's just a she with a few extra parts as far as she is concerned )) and since that could get her killed she isn't about to tell anyone or expose this information so you won't find her flirting or trying to "mate" with anyone. She has a small but important role to play in the future of the Warnation.

Facts about Opal:

* She is very tiny (2 ½ feet tall), light green skinned, with round ears and 2 small tuskes protruding from her upper lip and though mostly a "grown up", she looks very much like a child (much to her chagrin).

* She doesn't talk much - though she is very smart but when she talks she has a hard time saying the words properly (due to her tusks getting in the way) (this probably wont be a problem if she ever learns to speak Orc.) Also due to her tiny size her voice probably will always sound like a little kid's voice.

* While technically she is a "he" and doesn't know it (yet) she is very feminine and demure by nature. As stated in the short version of the story, she's transgender but this won't be something she talks about. It's a secret she keeps.

War and Peace version - it's in a sort of "point form" as I will never be able to play the character if I keep spending my time writing and rewriting it.

What Opal knows:

Her halfing father went for a walk about, traveling to Krugmar to sale goods there with the goblins.

He met her mother (a goblin) they became “friendly” and he stayed in the area trading in different places.

He came back an Elven week later to see his goblin lady friend, upon seeing him she immediately shoved a tiny female being at him, informing him that she could no longer look after his “spawn” as the child was taking up too much valuable time away from her shop!

Her father took her back to Dunwood to raise her.

She loves living on a farm, raising livestock and reading biographical books.

She is almost 3 seasons old now, old enough to be interested in setting up her own household, one thing holding her back is her body not yet being “of age”.

Since she was brought up on a livestock farm, from an early age she has questioned her father as to why her body “parts” looked more like the male animals instead of the female animals, her father has told her that all goblins are born “male” . As the true females become “of age” the male “parts” fall off (like baby teeth) and the correct parts replace them.

Once she becomes “of age” she plans to go find a husband and start up her household. She's not sure she will marry a halfling though - the ones she knows, though polite, have never been her friend. To point no halflings have ever tried being her friend. She figures her tiny stature, green skin and tucks might have something to do with it. It's occurred to her she might be better off looking for a nice goblin to marry.

She's not sure if goblins marry. She doesn't know anything other then what her father has told her about goblins. She's tried getting books about them but they don't seem to exists other then an nonofficial chronicle about half-bloods and that only told her how they came to be not about lifestyles or traditions.

She is terrified of anyone finding out she still has male “parts”. It horrifies her to think someone will find out her secret and she will never be able to find true love.

To pass the time while she waits for this pending transformation, she has steadily tried to advance her housekeeping skills. (cooking, farming, animal husbandry) She spends many days (when she isn’t needed by her father on the farm) with her Aunts to learn these things.

This is her life so far.

What Farlo Goodhill of Dunwood (aka her "father") knows…

He did go for a walk about but it wasn’t to trade goods, he was just looking to experience life and boy what an experience he got. First he fell into the wrong crowd of folks who started robbing folks along the kings highway, one Passing he and his bandit friends held up the wrong travelers, the bandits were slaughtered except him, he was hiding behind a tree! (he really wasn't much of a bandit)and he was taken prisoner of the orcs that they were trying to rob. Only reason he wasn't killed was for his entertainment value as a halfling. He was smart enough not to try to escape them as they took to the desert and he had no survival skills.

He ended up being giving to a orc warrior who's name he never found out. He was only a slave so he was not told anything. Escape was futile as the warrior traveled a lot in the desert and he had no clue which way civilization was. He had heard rumors that orcs ate haflings so he did everything he could think of to keep in his “masters” good graces. He kept the tent tidy, made sure food was cooked and ready for him. Kept his weapons sharp (his “master” after a while did start to trust him). They never talked (Farlo figured the warrior never felt the need to bother to with his slave.)

Farlo served the warrior for several Seasons.

One night a stranger came to the warriors tent. This was a first, no one other then females ever entered their tent! The two talked almost a full passing about many things but since the halfling never learned orc he was clueless as to what. Farlo soon tuned them out as he went about his business tiding the tent. The stranger then addressed the Halfing in common, looking directly at him to make sure he was paying attention.

"Farlo Goodhill of Dunwood" the stranger started his speach using the halfling full name, "You will one day, travel back to live in Dunwood, but to do so you will have to care for a child. This child will be the warrior’s only son. But the child can never be raised as the warrior's son." Your freedom is dependent on the child being raised at such. The halfling was surprised by this in many ways. First that the warrior had not, up until now, had any children (the frequency and amount of females brought to his tent seen to contradict such a claim. (Fargo made it a habit early on to go to the furthest corner and face the tent wall during these trysts his master had.) Then that he would be raising a child not his own and lastly what surprised and worried him the most was that he would have to keep the child’s parentage a secret ( how do you hide an orc child in a town full of halflins?)

Farlo nodded his head that he understood what the stranger had said though he wasn't exactly sure that he believed him as he didn't have any clue who or what this stranger was that he knew such things. That he knew his name surprised and puzzled him at well. The warrior looked sad and forlorn.

A few more Seasons came and went, one passing, while in a “town” or “city” (again the halfling wasn’t told where they were) the warrior came to his living quarters with an orc female both looking like they had just fought in the war of the world. Farlo immediately got water and towels to offer to his master and guest to take care of their wounds and wash off the reminders of the battle they had.

As the Passings went by, the female stayed with the Warrior, this was not usual as the females before her usual left before the next passing. The Halfling guessed that this one was the warriors "wife" now. He spent a lot of time in the corner.

The female after many Seeds with the warrior started to “show”, she was expecting. She spent lots of time in the Warrior's living quarters within the town or city they were in. The halfling made sure to see to her comfort. He firmly believed that if she wasn’t happy his days would be numbered despite the good relationship he had with the warrior and the stranger's prediction.

War must have been decreed or an attack was happening somewhere because the whole town/city was in an uproar. The warrior and his "wife" packed their battle gear and away all three went.

While in the dessert during this “battle” the female gave birth to a tiny (really tiny) baby boy. The birth was very hard on her and she passed away quietly but not before seeing her tiny child.

The warrior looked forlorn. He gave the baby to the halfing and went looking through his belongings. He came back to Farlo and addressed him in common (language)

"Halfling, you have served me well. Take care of my son. I wish to see him again in the future. Take these things (he handed the halfing a heavy bag) use it to get you passage back to your hometown. Keep the arm band to give to my son when he’s “of age” I name him La’Po. Tell him his name so when I see him again and call him this name, he will know me as his Father. Remember this. This child has a part to play in the future of the orcs, a small but important one the Shaman says. If the Shaman had not giving you instruction to care for my son, I would have taken him to the desert to die. He is so tiny and weak I still think it's cruel to let him live. The Shaman wants my son to live. Never let another orc know or see him. They will kill him as a mercy. Especially since he is male. It might have been better for him to have been a female or a goblin, or both" these last words said more to himself then the Halfling.

The warrior then gave Farlo a cloth to wrap around the baby then another to tie about his body like a sling to carry the baby in. Once it was dark, they left the tent, Farlor following the warrior.

The desert was quiet as they traveled in the dark. The battle seem to be something done only in light. How they avoided being preyed upon by undead the halfling would never know. The warrior came to a stop and once again addressed the Halfling.

"We are half a passing's travel from the boarder of Malinor." He pointed in the direction of a far away wall washed in torchlight. Go there. Tell them what ever story you need to but get safe passage home and keep my son safe."

Farlo started on his journey towards the wall, he looked back once but in the dark couldn’t not see if the warrior was still standing there or had started back to his tent. The Halfling hurried as much as he could with a baby slung on him and a heavy bag of jewels, mina’s and the arm band.

While walking towards the wall he knew he had to come up with a story as to why he was carrying a green skin newborn out in the desert, as he approached the wall, guards came out to greet him. They looked at him and saw the cloth around his body move, the halfling took the child out of the sling holding him close to his chest not giving the guards a chance to see the child before he had his say.

"This is…" he thought quickly of what to call the child.."Opal...my daughter", Farlo told the guards,(Opal was La'po spelled backwards - a good way for him to remember the child's true name) "newly born this night, her mother did not survive the birth and I wanted to make sure the orcs didn’t see her and think she should be left in the desert. Her mother was goblin, that is why she is so tiny."

Hoping that story answered enough questions they might have, he then pulled the child away from his chest so the guards could see that the child was indeed tiny and green. They believed that “she” was his daughter for the child had round ears not pointed ones like a typical goblin and the skin tone though green was lighter then an typical orc or goblins.

After paying a gate "toll", the guards let the halfing with the green baby pass through into Malinor. Doing as his old master bid him, only using what he needed from the bag (save for the arm band) to get back to Dunwood where his family (sister's and brother) welcomed their long lost sibling home, along with his new daughter.

What happened next....

Farlo having lived almost a full life now, knew time was running out to tell his daughter the "truth" about her heritage and what the Shaman had predicted about her life. One passing while spending time sitting by the fire he finally got up the courage to tell her what he knew. After hearing his story she cried. She cried because she would never find true love - who would want her? (or should she say him?) she was so confused about all of this. She cried because she would never be a Ma, never have a husband, never have anything she wanted. She cried because she was lied to about who her father was, her heritage, everything. she just cried over the whole sad mess her life was now.

When there wasn't anymore tears left to cry she just started off into the fire, her "father" had left the room to let her be alone. She just stared and stared letting the whole story seep into her mind. Trying to make sense of it all.

Once she was done with the staring, she got up and made breakfast for herself and her father. After the meal she cleaned up the table then went back to sit with her father. She spoke, her tucks making the her word pronunciation sound funny alog with her tiny childlike voice.

"I will leave now. I will go to Krugmar and be a farmer, live a quiet life there. I will wear the arm band and maybe one passing an orc will recognize it and say he's my father. This is all I can do. It was the father's turn to cry now. He loved his "daughter" telling her the truth hurt more then he imagined. Knowing that she was leaving probably for good, ripped at his soul. He got up and got the arm band along with what was left of the items the warrior had given him. "here" he said, "this should help you with start up costs of your farm." he handed her the bag and band.

In the morning she would head out to start her new life.

Your characters ambitions: her current goal is go to Krugmar and start a farm and ranch. The small but important part she will play in the Warnations future is to help record the family histories of the orcs. This might mean she will be a shaman of sorts - but not one that uses magic- just one that helps with keeping the orcs family histories. She might own her own library for this task or help with one already in existence.

Out in the Wilds, your character comes across a small cottage. Outside, there appears to be an elf struggling combat with two bandits. What does your character do?

First off she would wonder what in the world possessed her to go traipsing through the Wilds with zero fighting skills in the first place.

Then she would survey the scene seeing if the elf needs help then to see if the elf wants help. She would then look around for stones or rocks to throw at the bandits as she only has a hunting knife on her - it's the only thing that sort of fits her size. She

would then at a safe distance throw rocks at the bandits hoping to "knock" them out.

What she would really hope was that the elf was able to take care of himself as she would be scared of such an encounter.

Your character walks up to a shop in the middle of Al'Khazar. "Hello, my good sir!" says the shop owner. "What may I help you with today?" How does your character answer?

Her eyes would get as big a saucers and her whole body would start shaking due to the thought that the shopkeeper had guessed her secret. After assuring herself he just made a mistake of her "gender" she would brighten up at the fact that the shop owner actually acknowledged her instead of dismissing her as a child not worth the effort to consider serving.

She looks over the goods of the store to find what she wants, finding it she nods her head towards the item and then grabs a handful of minas and makes an obvious motion to indicate she wants to know the price of the item. Depending on the amount and how much she has on her, she will give the shop keep the minas required and hold up her fingers to indicate how many she wants. She will smile after the transaction is complete hoping the store-keep takes the smile as a thank you and then she will either continue looking for more items to buy or leave the shop.

A screenshot of your skin:

I'm going to have to do some research on this - I'm still fairly new to minecraft and changing skins isn't something I'm familiar with. I would probably ask in the forums after being accepted for some help with this. I would hope to have a female pale green orc type of skin.

Other Information:

Question you may have:

What's the warrior's story? Good question but I wanted to leave it open as I think it has good RP potential I just need to find someone to play my Da!

[Arkelos 1027]

This has to be one of the best written applications for the server that I've seen through my time as a member of the App Team. I enjoy the twists and turns and it's extremely well written. I'd love to see how this character grows through the time the server changes.

This goes without saysing.

Accepted, welcome to Aegis, and thank you for the good read.

[Arkelos 1027]

Moved to Accepted Forum

[Shoi 173]

Implemented