Time Period: are you on the temporal rag?

Alright, that's it. I'm putting to rest the time period argument once and for all. The time period of this fantasy world is NOT required to maintain historical accuracy. Not one single person in chat speaks in a manner that a person living in medieval europe would even understand. Every single RP that happens here breaks time period repeatedly be it linguistically, sociologically, anachronistically, or otherwise. Am I criticizing people for doing so? No. We're playing a game. A game that takes place in a fictional world with a history far different from our real history, and circumstances different from our real circumstances. Our fantasy world has elves and dwarves and other races far older than human who may have influenced society, technology, literature, language, fashion, etc, etc, and with that fact comes the freedom to imagine up what those influences may have changed. In actual history, europeans didn't have any contact with japan for centuries after our so called time period, yet we have a kabuki theater in the town. No one has a time period gripe with that. And there's no reason why anyone should. When Eldarus was created in the first place is was based on player freedom. Anyone who doesn't believe me, ask Aury why a new site had to be put up at all.
Now, much of that alternative history and circumstances have not yet been written and that's something we are all responsible for as a group. There are places in the forums for these kind of questions to be asked, ideas to be suggested, issues to be addressed. So let's go ahead and write our land's history. Let's shape our world. But for the love of whatever gods we create, stop arguing that something IS a certain way because that's how it was historically. It's an empty argument. You're citing a history that never happened in the world in question. It's a loose guideline, nothing more.

so not to say that you're all wrong and what-not Trega but I have yet to see anybody demand or claim that Eldarus falls into sequence of events of Medieval Era IRL. But it does fit into a Medieval setting none the less along with the Fantasy setting as I pointed out in another post. Whom has ever claimed that the storyline of the City must follow historical accuracy? Like you yourself just said we have a Kabuki Theatre!

So Maybe I'm completely missing the point of what you're getting at but I don't really see it making any sense really, you're arguing about the events of the Real world and such in comparrison to Eldarus and for what reason?? Please by all means correct me if I'm misunderstanding this.

It's not really putting the argument to rest. that's all I can say, and im aware of the historical inaccuracy of the Kabuki theatre even though akusai is a half demon who has traveled from japan during the medieval era which in itself skews history, this is fantasy and while guidelines are helpful, too many make it boring, like arguing with someone who follows D&D regulations until we're bickering when we could be rping.

I'm here in part because I feel responsible for starting this whole debate. This is, and I cannot stress this part enough, MY OPINION on the matter, and as such is fallible and fluid, subject to change and as is the scenerio with any opinion neither right or worng, it merely is. That being said, the question of time and setting is indeed a burning one, which obviously has caused some great deal of debate. It seems to me that the major issue here is a want for either rigid, strictly applied setting rules, or for none at all. We need to have a time setting and fram in mind, but at the same time we must uphold the FANTASY end of the bargain as well...there should be again in MY OPINION, certain guidelines that our setting should follow. For example, I feel that one way or the other we should have at least to some extent a view on what the law can and cannot do, and how the treatment of prisoners will be carried out. From an IC point of view as the Captain of the Guard, it is not fair to me or my character to be chastised due to treatment, when there is nohting in place saying I cannot do this. Now, that chastisemnt of course can happen, because we do have player freedom, and it is a fantasy setting, that is not to say people can't gripe about the treatment of prisoners....but to what extent this gripe can have an affect on my character very much so affects me. While there needs not be a rigidly enforced setting as I said, it should not be up to whoever i'm rping with to decide what is and is not acceptable, there hsould not be one person that decides, because it i show they want it to be, that that is how it is...that is what I am arguing against. Not the freedom of each player, but of the opprssion on one player by another based on a setting that they made up. We are fantasy and should not adhere strictly to midevil settings but goign forth, and we shall go forth, we need SOMEHTING in place, that all players can agree upon. There is no putting to rest this argument because it is argument, and this argument in particular that makes our community so special and unique, there are seldom places like this where people can come together and make their own new world, which if you read the main site, that is what we are doing, we are forgiing the city of Eldarus as we see fit, I am merely suggesting that we use some discretion on major key ideologies and accepted social norms...which again is not to say people must adhere to them...If beating prisoners is consideried an outside act and not supported, Ranger can still do it, that's the beauty of it all. He woudl then at that point be responsible for his actions and the consequences resulting.

Three Responses:

Aratar - Please know that I didn't take you as an example to put it in a negative light. Part of my point is to defend that blending of cultures. I dig it.

Kala - You only missed it a little. That argument hasn't been used to that extreme point, but it has been used more than once and on occasion in very absolute terms.

Ranger - This isn't about just our prisoner rights debate. It's also not about the actual IC argument. I really don't want to handle our specific disagreement on the forums. We can just talk later. That said, I do want to comment that I dig the prisoner beating thing, the interrogation stuff. Hell, I actually think it's -better- if it's a violation of rights. Makes it more sinister. My point is not against your RP or anyone else's. It's not about what the setting should be. It's about the use of the setting to squash an idea, or cut someone off. That's all.

Being new to this site, but not new to the gaming scene, I enjoy sites of this nature because in removes the challenges of traditional rpg systems. But we are not Warcraft or LOTR Online, sites like these are player driven not Admin. But like the other systems it is the responsibility of the Admin to give us a basic outline of the world we will be playing in. In my opinion I feel it has been done. A map of the world has been made, list of gods, laws, etc. Now I think if you want to see or do something on this site, posted your suggestions here. Its like talking to your GM before a session to discuss game aspects that will allow your character to grow and develop. Take my character for example. Some of you may have seen my character on different sites and role played with/against him. Since other common characters from those other sites are here in Eldarus, I have decided to keep Logan the way he is. Each site has changed him, every experience has helped him develop. Okay so my point of this is a site should have aspects which help a character develop.

So does that mean Eldarus needs to have strict rules. No, but it does need some sort of ruling. Does that mean Eldarus needs to have a strict time period. No, but we need to be in agreement what is acceptable. We didn't join a Star Wars site, so clearly characters shouldn't be running around with ray guns. But that doesn't mean that a gnome or dwarf can't build a steam powered train or create wind powered electricity. If you do study history, scientists have found that the ancient period was more advanced then we once gave it credit for. But at the same time we don't have hand-held computers because we joined a FANTASY site not a Sci-Fiction site. I know a few of you played a video game called Arcanum. The game was like Tolkien's world advanced to the 1800's. Magic and monsters, plus guns and trains. I think many fantasy sites are becoming more like this setting. IRL a trend has been gaining more steam, yes I'm making a pun, is SteamPunk. Many people I know who belong to a medieval re-enactment group also go to SteamPunk conferences and play SteamPunk rpgs. It is fantasy because the technology is not advanced like the present, but it still has modern things. What we need to do with Eldarus is decide what is our cut off point. And if my two cents matters any I would like to suggest that the time period be acceptable from 1500's BC. 1800's A.D. real time from across the known world. Why does this work? Well like Trega said we are not dealing with just humans; we have elves, dwarves, gnomes, orcs, goblins, dragons, etc. Before there was an understanding of science there was only magic and nature. I think I have given everyone enough to think on.