Breakfast Topic: Have you ever seen anyone RP a peon?
by Andrew Ross 
Oct 11th 2011 at 8:00AM
Let's face it -- most roleplayers are heroes, villians, peerless veterans, or other Mary Sues. We want to feel awesome from time to time, and games let us do that. But after awhile, it gets old. Every guild leader you meet seems to be the head of a secret organization, the leader of one of Thrall's elite group of warriors, or a famous mercenary group that, for some reason, only works for the Alliance.
But they're not all like that. I'm not on an RP realm, but I've had a guildie who has been lightly roleplaying a simple Undead priest hell-bent on making babies with a Dwarf warrior. They both keep things within the game's context -- they don't speak each other's language but (not so) secretly try to meet up and communicate. It ends rather badly when the guilds shows up to kill the enemy lover, but the two still press on, shouting in Common and Orcish and emoting strange gestures in order to better try to express their love.
I've had people from RP servers try to get me to rally to their cause in the random Dungeon Finder, but they get shot down fast most of the time, and ... well, the game already calls me a hero every other quest, so it's lost its shine. However, when my guildie cries about seeing her potential Dwarven lover with another woman, then later finding out it was his evil twin, I can't help but chuckle a bit and even do some very light roleplaying myself.
Have you ever met someone who RPed something unique? A seer who was always wrong? A farmer's guild? A hard-working peon?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, RP, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
dodgeballer2005 Oct 11th 2011 8:01AM
Well, put it this way; more kids want to dress as Batman for Halloween than Robin, and I know why:
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCspzg9-bAg)
dodgeballer2005 Oct 11th 2011 8:05AM
In all seriousness, though. I haven't personally seen one, but I've added the Guild Herald outfit to my MogIt list.
Natsumi Oct 11th 2011 12:17PM
Good luck, IIRC that's a "white" cloth set he's wearing. No stats means no transmogrification.
Mal Oct 11th 2011 1:53PM
Maybe the kids who never watched Teen Titans.
Jamie Oct 11th 2011 8:04AM
Nope, but I have RP'd a gnome in Stormwind. It's pretty close.
Unless of course you have the backing of others, I found myself having a fairly rough time of it.
MattKrotzer Oct 11th 2011 8:42AM
I always got tired of having to dodge the horses. Nobody looks out for gnomes!
thawedtheorc Oct 11th 2011 8:09AM
RP role choices are a lot like reincarnation. People were almost always either Royal, military leader or an ordinary person who was killed for love or as a martyr. I like to be just plain old me when RP. I love the peon idea.
V Magius Oct 11th 2011 12:31PM
I've noticed that myself. Everyone seems to have been a person of great importance. And, not just important, but historically famous. No one is just a farmer or a soldier who's name is not recorded in history.
RP wise, it makes sense. The story is seldom about the farmer who kept on working the fields. It's about the farmer who kisses their family goodbye and fights the evil wizard.
I did have one friend though. His characters goal was to amass about 1,000 gold. Enough to live comfortably until he died. He reached his goal, retired the character and rolled up a new one.
Lokanaya Oct 11th 2011 5:05PM
Not always. I've RPed a messenger, minstrel, and a naive young Tauren Druid. While I have been part of the Warchief's elite service, I was the mail-orc. :P
Revnah Oct 11th 2011 8:20AM
Well I guess most of us are *not* royalty or heroes in real life, so where else do we get to be like that, if not in WoW?
Having said that, I'm looking forward to some ordinary-people RPing stories :-)
Blayze Oct 11th 2011 8:27AM
I once RPed as a troll Mage who was convinced he was a Priest.
Asaron Oct 11th 2011 8:29AM
I dabbled in LotRO's RP server for a while, and was genuinely staggered by the roleplaying going on there. The was the one person that always seemed to be online, working as a waitress in the pub. There were a couple of people dressed as guards standing outside a bedroom, warning people off of disturbing the player that was resting there.
I can't imagine doing that myself, but I loved the general atmosphere on that server. Didn't even see anyone trying to wind up or troll them, they just got on with their weirdy beardy playstyle.
Arbolamante Oct 11th 2011 2:23PM
Ok, now you've done it. I guess I have to revisit my LOTRO account again. if you are talking about Landroval, my toons are on that server. Pretty good community.
Nivida Oct 11th 2011 8:30AM
I RP a paper girl for the Horde News Network! yep a plain old papergirl. a group of us put together a paper, but it's my job to stand in the Bazaar in Silvermoon City and sell it. This takes place on WrA.
Unknown Oct 11th 2011 12:14PM
Doesn't Thokk RP a peon in revolt on WrA?
Ronin Oct 11th 2011 12:56PM
That is strangely awesome. I don't imagine you sell too many copies in that ghost town, though!
jonham013 Oct 11th 2011 4:55PM
Silvermoon isn't a ghost town on WrA, its quite active to be honest. And yes Thokk is a very active Orc RPing as a Peon, hes incredibly consistent.
Bazz Oct 11th 2011 8:34AM
The only time I've ever RP'd in any way seriously, was with my Belf priestess. The model (random) that I ended up with looked just angry, severe and just totally pissed off. So I made her a healer.
Go look at Kellyn armoury pic on Earthen Ring EU to see what I mean..
Her attitude basically boils down to: Ok, I'll heal you if I *really* have to but I'd really rather be in Shadow spec melting your face, ok ?
Seemed to go down rather well in 5-man pugs.
Liche Oct 11th 2011 8:35AM
back in BC my undead only RP guild used to hold regular meeting in Shadowfang village town hall to discuss preparations for travelling to northrend in order to find the soul of our long lost leader, each person had their role to play and many were servants who served up food and drink during the meetings and stood in the background waiting to be summoned for a task to perform.
remember farming rp items for hours to give flair to a single action in a meeting!
Dez Oct 11th 2011 3:47PM
"...many were servants who served up food and drink during the meetings and stood in the background waiting to be summoned for a task to perform."
Mages, know your place. ;)