Pandaren Philosophy: Huojin, Firepaw and the Horde

Most of us (at least I hope) have, by now, leveled and quested their way through Pandaria, meeting the various monsters, Sha, demons and challenges that awaited us in a strange and mystical land. We’ve met the Shado-Pan, who’s attitude against foreigners is completely adverse toward both the Horde and Alliance. We’ve encountered the Mantid, who ferociously battle their immortal enemies. Yet despite all of this Wanderlust, questing and of course, fighting, I want to look at how the Pandaren’s, specifically the Huojin, acceptance into the Horde has shifted or changed.

Well, it hasn’t really – at all! If we look towards the Huojin philosophical statement:

“Always challenge. Always question. In the pursuit of a greater good, inaction is the only wrong.”

-Master Zurong

Unsurprisingly, it’s no wonder that Ji Firepaw, a prevalent student and adherent of Huojin philosophy, chose to join the lovely, war-craving regime of Hellscream.

Ji, Ji, he’s our man, if he can’t do it, no one can!

It’s fairly simply really, this was a Horde that broke families apart and asked what the implications of doing that were. This is pretty much exclusively seen in Theramore, where the absolutely dire moral situation presented the Horde as abominations who would do anything to gain total victory. Whilst this example is depressing, and whilst the better suggestion such as the Horde’s Landing in Pandaria is fairly indicative of their mental drive, the Huojin add to this desire for action that creates the stark difference between them and the Tushui. To quote the Huojin philosophy once more:

“The Path of the Huojin is marked by practical and decisive action. Followers of this discipline believe that morals and ideals are not absolute, but change with circumstances. As such, a Huojin Master must remain flexible in his or her thinking, always evaluating the greater good.”

A Huojin follower is not adverse to war and fighting, should it be necessary. In roleplay, we have seen this first hand when  Huojin Pandaren would easily join the fray to aid a comrade rather than assess the issue from afar, questioning the outcomes of an act.

Who even is Master Feng? Master of Quotes?!

In essence, at least in my view, it is clear that the Huojin share similar interests with the Shado-Pan, who, despite being wary. will act in accordance to their laws and customs (perhaps if you combine the Tushui and the Huojin together, the Shado-Pan might be born?)

Taking the Tushui motto, we can see how completely different the philosophies are:

“Discipline is not a war that is won. It is a battle, constantly fought.”

– Master Feng

The idea of restraint and adherence to a set of values is something that the Huojin Pandaren would soon rather avoid, whereas the Alliance, following a semi-strict ethos of ideals, is perfect to house the Pandaren (Tushui) who deliberate life and make choices that are accordance to a moral set of truths rather than basing their actions on decisive ones rather than contemplative ones. In fact, the best way to describe these two is to simply attribute two words: active and passive.

Indeed, this active lifestyle is what drove Ji Firepaw to the Horde. This Horde would take the necessary steps in order to achieve it’s goals and would not be apprehensive to applying itself to war should it need. In such a way did it drive Ji and Aysa apart, as sad as it may seem. However, is it possible that this ‘new dawn’ for the Horde could take a leaf out of the Huojin’s book? Possibly. I have no doubt that the Vol’jin would appreciate the council of all the races under his dominion but most importantly would see the strength in being decisive entirely. This philosophy of the Huojin is what the Horde emulates, not tyranny or power, but stability in action.

I’m glad you’ve decided to do an article on Pandaren, with Warlords of Draenor coming soon, I have a horrid feeling in my gut that Pandaren, like Gnomes, will go on mostly forgotten! I hope not. They have a lot to bring to future conflict and key events.

In terms of Tushui being passive, I’m not entirely sure of that – they do act, but not irrationally. What it boils down to, at least in my opinion, is that Tushui reflects mindful actions, whereas Huojin actions seem to reflect the heart. Emotion, for the Huojin, is the real driving force behind what they do. Like emotions, the Huojin act on impulse.

Do you play a Huojin Pandaren – what is your interpretation of the philosophy? And how do you think Warlords of Draenor might affect Pandaren roleplay? Comment below!

“What the Fel is this?!” – Foul Language in RP

The Hozen, here at the writing room, have slacked off this week, and now we, the team, have been forced to juggle all their bananas! This week’s post is just a short one but, as always, we’re eager to hear your thoughts on the topics at hand.

Some time ago, I encountered a strange phenomenon: a drastic increase in the amount of foul language used within roleplay. I didn’t have time to do a poll, but it’d be curious to know how many of the curse words reported were ‘F’s and ‘B’s. These swear words, as well as many others, are thrown around frequently and generally found everywhere. Today, I will share my thoughts on the matter.

I’ll start by saying that I think it’s okay to use these words every once in a while. “Fuck” here, “Bitch” there: it’s all fair game. ‘Bad words’ are part of our language and are often a big help in expressing intense emotions ranging from anger to joy, sadness to desperation.

We even see it ingame:

“Watch your clever mouth, b****!”

Garrosh Hellscream to Sylvanas Windrunner

“Young Hellscream knows when to say the right thing…”

Even the (somewhat maddened) Warchief of the (…Iron?) Horde agrees. It’s okay to use foul language. I support using foul language. I like to think I’ve said it enough that you get the point. Really.

HOWEVER!

As it stands now? I find it quite unbearable. The amount of roleplayers who think foul language will help promoting their character’s ‘edgy’ or ‘gritty’ side is, simply to say, over the top. A large amount of conversations I observe around Stormwind are filled to the brim with all the swear words under the sun.

I’d argue that there are better ways to show off a character’s darker side. If using foul language is critical for your character, then that’s fine but it is worth remembering that swear words are all about adding emphasis. They exaggerate or are used to express extreme emotions or feelings. Use it at the right time, when these words will impact the greatest. Using swear words randomly seems to take away the impact that they have.

Another option is to use foul language that is seemingly more appropriate for the setting in World of Warcraft. In Stormwind, and to some extent Orgrimmar, words like: “Wench”, “Harlot”, “Bastard”, “Knave”, “Wretch” fit well.

And, of course, who could forget the usage of the word “Fel.”

For me, I’m able to immerse in my character’s world when I see players using the words appropriate to the setting rather than the flurry of modern day swear words.

To conclude, I think foul language in roleplay is great. It has a place in our lexicon. It -deserves- a place in our lexicon because it’s necessary. It becomes less necessary when it’s flung around for no clear reason. Use these powerful words when the time is right. Want to look bad-ass? Maybe you should express it with actions, outfits or just great storytelling!

Hey Satyr! Thought I might jump in here and add a few of my thoughts. Whenever I’m roleplaying in Stormwind, someone will yell something along the lines of:

“Oi! I’ll get you f***er!”

Or…

“S***, b******, c***!”

But rarely are these words used to express any real threat. They seem to be yelled between friends. These curse words have become so relaxed that they cease to drive an extra punch into what’s being said. I think it is juvenile to think that a character would scream and yell these words into the streets of Stormwind. Maybe if they were really furious… but I’ve noticed that in the real world? Some of us have a bit of class.

But maybe, with that in mind, it depends on who is swearing? Surely it would be right for a commoner or a thug to drop a swear word more than a well-spoken, goody-two-shoes Lord? Do Night Elves swear? What about Gnomes?

I’d like to see swear words that reflect a race. “Confunderduddy gigaflux!” (could definitely be the Gnomish equivalent to f**k!)

Honestly, the two of you should come to Silvermoon! The area is so peaceful. It’s free of swearing, screaming and yelling (I’m definitely not spouting propaganda.)

The Sin’dorei are often quite reserved when letting forth our emotions in the form of curse words and we usually rely on ‘Fel’ or ‘Belore’ as terms for when we are sad, shocked or angry.

…I guess the only time you’ll see swearing is when an Orc strolls into town. Maybe.

What are your thoughts on swearing in roleplay? Submit your ideas below for race-specific swear words. Who knows, the best one might even get showcased!

The Political Minefield Of Stormwind

While ‘political roleplay’ didn’t rate high on my ‘top taboo’ list in my previous post, I’d argue that it has forever been a controversial matter in the roleplay world. This week, I’m examining Stormwind political roleplay, the history, where it’s been and why we might love or hate it.

So… why are certain roleplayers drawn to political roleplay?

The underhanded and shadowy intrigue of politics can be awesome for spurning great plots and stories. Political roleplay offers a huge podium for lawful villains, affluent snobs and benevolent councillors wishing to whats best for the people. With great shows like House of Cards and Game of Thrones (which provide a great insight into how political stories can be churned) has inspired people more than ever before. Politics is all about alliances and relationships – the latter which drives roleplay. I’d argue that by roleplaying a politician, you open yourself up for plot after plot, story after story.

“Varian and Joffrey got nothin’ on me.” – Frank Underwood, Never.

…However there are issues with political roleplay but before I go delving into that massive crux, I’d firstly like to offer a brief synopsis on how Stormwind’s political scene has worked in the past:

Stormwind’s political system is a monarchy with Varian Wrynn at the top – no brainer, right? Well it’s worth remembering that under him, we have the organisation of the House of Nobles:

The House of Nobles is comprised of some of Stormwind’s most powerful aristocratic bloodlines and positions in this governing body are typically inherited Presumably, they serve a legislative role as they are able to lobby for legislative issues and serve as the judiciary branch for the kingdom as they are able to overrule regional elected officials on matters of law.

Wowpedia – http://wowpedia.org/House_of_Nobles

Over the years, roleplayers have created player-run councils filled with nobles, officials, councillors, judges and diplomats. While the structures of these councils have only been slightly varied, they often follow a similar principle: members of the council get together and discuss any matter relevant to the political sphere of Stormwind or the Alliance. Within these organisations, we sometimes see different races (diplomats, envoys and race representatives), lords and ladies, heads of judical bodies and state organisations (guards or the military) and other state bodies such as Church of the Holy Light. On paper, political roleplay looks as if it can provide thousands of opportunities to all who get involved…

..But in practice? BIG, HUGE, ENORMOUS issues!

World of Warcraft roleplay is an unmoderated medium. Everyone, on an OOC level, is equal. No player is greater than the rest. Because of this unmoderated status, it’s very easy for me to declare that I am the Lord of Northshire…

And for Pete to claim the title.

And John.

And Roger.

…And even Pennywhistle the Dancing Gnome.

Artist’s rendition of ‘the ease of becoming a Lord.’

Because it is so easy to roleplay whatever the hell we want, there have been hundred of players claiming to be Stormwind nobles. According to the lore, these nobles are, in some way, part of the organisation of the House of Nobles. In the past, the player-run councils were led by usually one person and he (or she) had the power to control who could and couldn’t be a member. What if I, Lord of Northshire, was refused entry? Surely that would make no sense…

…But that’s just scratching at the surface. These self-elected nobles have effectively seized false ‘authority’ by the touch of a button (or the decision to make their character a noble.) What if Pete decided his character was a blacksmith? Realistically, he would be beneath me, Lord of Northshire, and my decisions as a politician might affect his roleplay greatly, especially if my policies or decisions started to impact on his enjoyment.

And yes, while roleplay is an act of give and take (or compromise), there is no effective way to moderate and control the political roleplayers when they just go too far. Political roleplayers must be careful. They should ensure that what they do affects only those in their circle. After all, the authority they hold is purely ceremonial (and not readily accepted by everybody else.) They have no real power to affect the community – and nor should they!

But does it ever work? Has ‘political roleplay’ ever been successful?

I’d argue that it has, but largely outside of Stormwind. The problem with the Alliance hub of Stormwind is that there are too many random people to form a coherent, working system that the complex political sphere requires.

There have been ‘citizen councils’ that any roleplayer can join. Members are often from all sorts of backgrounds: commoners, tradesmen, nobles, soldiers (just about anyone.) Each member, if they wanted it, had a chance to shine, bring issues to the table and affect the community. I’m all for organisations that bring people together to form and orchestrate events that bring players together. I’ve found that authoritative political roleplaying groups usually alienate, exclude or mire those who don’t conform to ‘their’ rules.

But even then, those decisions only affect those involved – and agree to it OOCly, which, leads me to my point on the matter: political roleplay does work within small communities, where each member accepts and moderates the ‘system.’ Player-run towns (and guilds) are a good example of this. Providing there are opportunities for any player to (realistically) climb the political ladder and get involved – and are provided with an audience (community) who readily accepts them, then I believe that this is something that can work.

Political roleplay, in Stormwind, encroaches on people’s freedom. It’s so simple to become a politician and the ‘false’ power that comes with it can never truly be moderated or respected by everyone. It is not uncommon to hear stories of how political roleplayers have abused OOC rights to further their seize of ‘false’ power… but perhaps that’s a whole other topic in itself.

Should we steer clear of political roleplay? For the most part, yes.

But don’t forget the success of citizen councils and township politics. Smaller groups (often townships within the kingdom) have worked.

That said, if a group of friends are all roleplaying nobles, engaging in debates and aren’t directly affecting anyone else, then there is surely no foul? However, forcing, or expecting, people to see you as their overlord is not something many will so readily accept and is often the greatest error committed by political roleplayers.

I’d like to delve more into other areas of political roleplay within the Horde and Alliance. Has Orc politics ever occurred and if so, what have been your experiences with it? What about Night Elves? I want to know, so share your experiences with me below!

Through The Looking Glass Of Evil: An Insight Into Criminal Roleplay – Part 1

What comes to mind when you think of criminal or villainous roleplay?

Do you think of the men in long coats or urchins shuffled in corners?

Or do you think of the rich, tidy niches where corruption commonly thrives?

Perhaps – more unsavouribly perhaps – you consider villainous roleplay heedless, causeless and sometimes just cringe-worthy actions enacted by multitudes. It is a common misconception that all ‘good’ criminal roleplay is hard to find, absent even.

It is simply not the case; it isn’t that good criminal roleplay is absent, it’s that everyone has their own varying standards to how a criminal should be played. I’ve found that many will try to force their actions upon you, and that others, perhaps similar to myself follow the mantra of “consensual roleplay” as opposed to spontaneous and in some cases, “unconsensual roleplay.”

Both forms are valid as far as all roleplayers are concerned and while it is true that roleplay is mostly a consensual process, I can also see the appeal of enacting it spontaneously, it adds a certain thrill! A thrill, I will admit, I often seek out. But as a criminal roleplayer of varying standards, I’ve often found other criminal roleplayers not to my liking. This could be because they use different methods or entirely different concepts, some of which I might not agree with.

An example? Master Assassins.

It is, I would argue, common consensus that ‘Master Assassins’ are played badly. While on the whole this may be considered true, there are very well a select few who can and do the role well and the reason because they do a good job is because…

…assassins are sneaky; I don’t think you could be one without this on your CV or resumé. It’s all about subtlety.

Subtlety in villain or criminal roleplay is the key to success, especially when you roleplay cultists, assassins, murderers, and any other sinister and secretive cliché you can contemplate. Unfortunately, if you’re so subtle, it becomes invariably hard to achieve criminality in your roleplay… due to the fact that nobody knows you’re a criminal! You’ve become so ensconced in the fact that as an assassin you must always hide behind a veil and never creep out. That’s a pit. And I hate pits. Having a cultist character, I’ve fallen into many of these traps and it is only through planning and co-ordination with others villains do I manage to clamber out. (Yep. There are other villains out there!)

EVERYONE (mostly) LOVES A PLOT-TWIST!

Indeed! It is fun to find that Jimmy the Gravedigger was bad all along, it makes it all the more thrilling, which is where I think the idea of spontaneous RP holds best. It’s great to have Jimmy as a bad guy when nobody expects it… even greater for everyone thought it would have been Tom the Slave-Driver. Nobody sees it coming! One person, whom will remain anonymous, did this so well that he built bridges for a year before finally outing himself as a villainous cultist in line with EVIL, and it surprised everyone!

At present we have all seen a resurgence of criminal roleplay; mostly in the guise of urchin criminality, pretty low-brow. But this is good, it’s a thriving basis. Places like Westfall and Old Town are prime areas lorewise for themes such as these. The urchins, or homeless, participate in as many interesting and fun things as they can, which in turn more and more criminal behaviour – bad… but good! For example, there’s a new project operating in Westfall that is attempting to catpure the essence of ‘Western roleplay’, with all the nitty-gritty, lawless parts thrown in. For criminal roleplayers, this concept offers a whole new perspective on what they might traditionally try to play.

So where in this rambling, incoherent, string of letters and vague words do I actually construct a valid argument? Well! Villain, or criminal, roleplay is of varying standards – some you might like, some you might not. There is, ultimately, no ‘wrong’ way to do it. Due to this standards, however, I find that the most thrilling and alluring villain is secretive, subtle and sometimes, the last person you would ever suspect. For all spectrums of villain/criminal roleplay, it is also a vital to find the balance between consent and spontaneous continuity for the sake of enjoyment from criminal and justice-seeking parties.

There is a great deal of potential concepts out there, those both tried and tested, while others only being unearthed now: cultist/murderer/assassin/thug/urchin/warlock/politician (Although, really… politicians… that’d require a whole new bloody topic!)

What do you think about criminal roleplay? Have you had positive or negative experiences? Let me know below!

The Cathedral Square – ‘The Throne of Roleplay?’

The Cathedral Square, located in Stormwind, serves as the headquarters for Alliance roleplay on Argent Dawn EU. It is one of the main points of interest for roleplayers today and a good place for a beginner roleplayer to learn the ropes before heading out to the real world.

…Waaaaait, wait! Real world? Why would anyone leave the safety of the city of Stormwind?

What if I can’t find any roleplay outside the city? Eh, I’ll just go back to the Cathedral Square. Good ol’ reliable Cathedral Square.

This thought occurred to me more than once whenever I wanted to head out and look for some exciting roleplay outside of Stormwind. The Cathedral Square is a safe bet: there’s always roleplay to be found. Always. You don’t even have to work hard! All you have to do is walk over and a crowd of characters will appear before you; some of them simply standing around, and some taking a more active role.

How did that happen? What makes the Cathedral Square the point of interest it is today?

Ereina, former leader of the Eclipse Vanguard, took the time to explain: “The psychological association built from guilds recruiting there. It’s a population center, and there will always be somebody there at any given point. They [roleplayers] are attracted there because that’s where the guilds recruit.”

I then asked Huolang, from Argent Dawn, what lures the recruiters over to the Cathedral Square: “There’s many idle people in the Cathedral Square,” she explains. “Some are guildless. Guild recruiters see that those people can strengthen their number.”

There are many idle people in the Square, some say it is because of recruiters, while others say recruiters are drawn there because of the idle people lingering in the area.

What came first, the Recruiter or the Roleplayer?

Taking to the streets once more, I posed the simple question: what came first?

Baroness Sinthe Beylocke (Sinthe) of The Crown Ministry: “I think roleplayers [came first]. The Square has little significance when it comes to the PVE and PVP aspects of Warcraft, so it appeared as the obvious place to centre RP.”

Rupert Cirandor (Cirandor): “I believe roleplayers [did]. If only Blizzard would create a Military Quarter, I think the recruiters would move there, leaving the other roleplayers there [in the Cathedral District] to roleplay without being spammed by recruiters!”

Ganfu Stillbarrel (Ganfu): “I’d say roleplayers [came first]. In the Cathedral Square, there’s a higher chance of encountering another roleplayer, in my opinion. The place has almost everything: benches, trees, fountain, a nearby pond and whatnot.”

3:0 – a decisive victory for the Roleplayers!

So with that being said, what’s in it for the roleplayers who dwell in the Square? What are the positive things about this roleplay hub?

A steady environment where other roleplayers can always be found. Like, literally always. Unlike its Horde counterpart, to me the Cathedral Square feels like a place where I will always find other like-minded players who are up for some spontaneous roleplay. It’s inside Stormwind, which is always bustling with life and adds to the feeling of a safe and steady heaven.

The Cathedral Square looks good. Especially after that post-Cataclysm make-over (adding the pretty gazebo and the huge cemetery.) The textures and environment are up to date, and that is, in my humble opinion, a very good reason to go there for a nice walk!

It’s accessible. The Cathedral Square in the middle of Stormwind, the capital of the Alliance! Why go as far as any other place when you have a grandiose square in the middle of a huge city? It can be accessed from the Park (R.I.P. Curse you Deathwing!), the Trade District, the Harbor, and the Dwarven Sqaure. Basically, it can be accessed from anywhere within Stormwind. That’s most definitely a plus.

The Cathedral of Light, the headquarters of the Church of the Holy Light, is here. It’s the most striking monument to be found and one of the most important structures of anyone who calls themselves a follower of the Holy Light. Where else would those faithful believers linger if not in the Cathedral Square?

These are, in my opinion, the positive things about the Cathedral Square which make it a valid roleplay hub. But this coin has two sides, and there are various negative things about the Cathedral being a roleplay hub:

The Cathedral Square made us all lazy. Let’s face it: roleplay can be found in the Cathedral Square most of the time. The steady amount of roleplayers and simple accessibility makes the Cathedral Square the perfect place to go to in favour of somewhere else far away.

It’s 22:00 PM, I’m tired and generally lazy and I want my share of RP, too. Should I gather some players and go on a fishing trip in Booty Bay, or reclaim Lordaeron for the Alliance? Naaah. I’ll stay here in the city where there’s roleplay.

Standing around isn’t exciting and this is exactly what happens in the Cathedral Square. People stand around. Or they walk around. Either way, there is nothing exciting really happening here. Stormwind is a good place to reflect a calm day in your character’s life. But roleplaying in that square every day, all the time? Surely it is too calm or too boring.

The rest of Azeroth withers while we remain standing around the Cathedral Square. As the voiceover in the Mists of Pandaria trailer says:

We were there when a world of limitless adventure opened up before us. We rose defiantly against all those who would threaten the peace of our kingdoms. We ventured to a new alien world and cast the lords of shadows and flame back into the abyss. It was we who held the line as death itself rose like a tied to swallow everything we held dear. We have endured the breaking of the world…

…to sit here, in the Cathedral District, and ignore the entirety of this world ‘we’ worked so hard to protect is a bit deflating, no?

We can see how the Cathedral Square is attractive to both recruiters and roleplayers for various reasons. Despite these reasons, I think that players shouldn’t limit themselves to the Square or even Stormwind.

Great zones that serve as perfect spots for roleplay are out there and are, unfortunately, left empty by players. I’d say: use them. Start new initiatives that will take your character as well as others outside the gates of Stormwind. Breathe life into those great but dead zones!

Ultimately, the Cathedral Square is indeed a great place for roleplay. It really does have almost everything. Though, in my humble opinion, roleplayers shouldn’t be bound to the walls of that district. There’s a huge world out there and it has much more than a few benches and trees! Buckle up and explore! You can always come back to the Cathedral at the end of the day, sit on a bench and relax.

What do you think? Share your comments below!