Needy characters and damsels

CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8142 Location: USA - NY

I understand that we each role play for different reasons, whether it's to be a hero or to explore diverse character roles, or for escape, ect... And some people like to play damsels in distress.

I am certain most of you have seen them. The lost, wounded orphan wandering to your tavern or village wanting attention. But sometimes they... I think... go too far.

In example: For a few days lost orphan character was turning up at my vintage village RP. For two nights she described her character as starving in an alley or shuddering while trying to sleep on the ground. Each time one or more character would find her, take pity on her, and take her to the inn to be fed, talk with her, and or try to get her a room. Within twenty four hours she was "starving" again despite having gotten at least two meals from different players, and it wasn't the character trying to pull a scam. Then she switched strategies.

One night she switched gears with the character abruptly. She was working at a bakery and was a Dhampir (half-vampire) but didn't know it and one character took her to the theatre where she started to crave blood. When the characters figured out what was wrong they took her to my character that I was playing at the time, Derek. Derek is an original character to serve as brother to someone else's Professor Van Helsing. Derek took pity on her and told her methods by which she might keep her cravings under control.

But she was HEAVILY hinting for Derek to take her in and live with him, something he was not about to do, it's not even his house that he was staying at. Someone brought up that she had a job and she tried saying that the NPC Baker was an evil, evil man who tricked her into thinking she owed HIM money for her uniform and was not paying her until she worked off the uniform. So she was still homeless despite working at the bakery. Derek (who, as a character, was inspired by the rather brass portrayal of Van Helsing by Anthony Hopkins in the 1992 Dracula movie) point blank told her she was being an idiot and being used, to go to Helena the innkeeper and to tell her that he had sent her, that she required special treatment and that he would be looking after her, but she should stay there and work as dish washer. I don't think she was very happy about that, she clearly wanted Derek to adopt her.

Here's a thing for all of you who like to play the lost little orphans.

1. Not everyone wants to take in a stray character and babysit.

2. When you start to over-exaggerate how badly your character has it, they can come off as no longer tragic but rather annoying. You need to be careful not to cross that line or your character comes off as an idiot.

3. There should be more to a character than being tragically pathetic. If you can't think of what to do once your character's situation improves slightly than chances are you should probably re-evaluate the character.
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Manathayria · Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 265 Location: USA

I have a character that fits the 'needy' role, but I don't think he would go over the top with being too needy....

For the moment, I haven't been playing him, I need to actually create a new acct for it (or them XD) there's the two concepts I've been tossing around.

The first, is playing Nastan - he's one of the first of the Kin in the short stories I've been writing, I actually have his sort-of introduction/short story post on my home page. I still need to finish the short story for him, but that post is the start of his story, and his people's revolution. His people are ones that were created - and raised to be guardians, servants and guards to another set of people who turned on them. He'd be needy in a different way than the orphan kids and the like. His big desire would be to find a group that would accept him settling in to protect them - expecting little in return other than companionship and probably food if he's having a hard time hunting it down for himself. He'd be one to hide in the shadows for the most part and be really needy for conversation and touch. I don't mean relationship-type touching either, their culture was one where people do more casual touching than modern humans do. I get the feeling there would be a lot of people that'd misinterpret him being needy like that for being needy for um... other things...

The other character I've been thinking of playing is another from my writing - he's one of the far-descendants of the group that Nastan is from, modern times, his people have hidden themselves away from us humans, they're ages older than us, and light years ahead of us in technology. Our legends about elves more or less come from the people that created his. His race originated on our planet (earth) and have evolved their technology to the point that they're already exploring and settling among the stars, this has it's draw backs however. We humans are getting close to exploring outer space, and his people are starting to view us as a disease that cannot spread. He's turned one of us humans into his envoy to create a treaty between the Kin and the humans - his people remain hidden... and until the treaty lifts he's a sort of outcast. He's stepped down from the line of ascension - he was second in line for the throne, now he's third, and only if both his brothers die and fail to produce heirs. His daughter - who is hidden even to his own people would technically stand the throne before him. He wants nothing to do with rulership and just wants the planet he was born on safe. All of this sets him at odds with his own people to a point, and sets him loose and wandering earth, (and the miltiverse) under disguise as a human. The only times he's seen back in court are when he's trying to convince his brothers to attempt making peace with the human race...

Unfortunately his wife has left him - distancing herself to keep their kid safe and secret, and he's distanced enough from the courts that he wouldn't have contact with his family or anyone else really...

He'd still fall under the same rule-set as Nastan would, he'd be the type that'd want to establish himself somewhere as a protector, and he'd be heavily reliant on physical touch to know he's 'ok' to be where he is, but would be really confused if someone took that as wanting a relationship.

With the idea of the multiverse existing either of them could really be found damn near anywhere... just playing Nastan would be a bit harder if I played his descendant as well - though since I haven't decided his fate yet, Nastan could just as easily have become a vampire during their wars with them which would make them crossing paths/acquaintances possible. Though still not likely as the Kin generally hate and avoid vampires XD

Anyway... both would likely fall into the 'needy and lost' character category... I just need to figure out how I'm going to do them. (Which I have plenty of time to toss the concepts around this weekend...)

RoseannaLovette · Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 232 Location: USA - MA

I've run into a few of those...they are mostly pregnant and in need of work. So they come and apply to an organization that hunts vampires and demons. Apparently they honestly think they should be given a job where there is a potential for a high fatality rate...while pregnant. When my character sensibly refuses for the heath of both them and the child they begin to beg as though she's being cruel. I say mostly because one girl came in beat up; she was dumped in the infirmary where she became Harrison's(our medic and one of my character's) problem. When she woke up she started crying about her infant who was stolen because of some problem with a vampire clan she was in control of. After the infant was rescued, and she had recovered. She left we assumed to go home. She came back the next day...with the infant in toe! Because she had no where else to stay not because she wanted protection...but because she was homeless. She left after it was explained to her by one of the employees that it was not a daycare and it was not safe for an infant to be in the lobby. I can understand that some characters are needy...Roseanna has a propensity to randomly foster teenagers but there are times it's just too much. Generally when the character has a problem they need someone else to fix and the problem makes very little sense or if your character gets boring after the problem is resolved.

CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8142 Location: USA - NY

I've seen similar things to that. I kind of blame Twilight. Why are vampire clans suddenly so interested in babies?!
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Yes, I know I'm a little batty! Thank you for noticing.

DiezAre · Joined: 28 Jul 2011 Posts: 1047 Location: Antarctica

People should start shooing the orphans to Edelize. Diez could adopt them and raise them to be neat and orderly little brainwashed minions.

VesperSteelwater · Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 1181 Location: USA

I think a lot of the problems these people have are real life attention issues and they use their characters to try and get that attention weather it be love, A parent figure or the many other things etc etc.

And sometimes it is just for attention or to be annoying.

I have seen it many times and I always feel sorry for the person or persons who fall for this tactic, The poor abused child looking for attention and these peoples characters take them in etc etc and the minute the poor abused child is not getting the attention they think they deserve the drama starts and then after they have done their damage they simple move on to the next unsuspecting person.
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The strongest shall rule, The weak shall kneel!

Skimmerskir · Joined: 22 Mar 2009 Posts: 537 Location: Sweden

Considering how I used to play when I first started out, I try not to judge people that do this too harshly.
It was like...

Method A: Cry a lot.
Method B: Turn into a giant monsterwolf with red eyes and kill stuff.
Profit.

SO I CAN UNDERSTAND, that if you're new, and you don't really know the ropes - or you've simply never been shown how to use them - that this is the easiest method to instigate some sense of drama/plot around your own character.

RoseannaLovette · Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 232 Location: USA - MA

When I first started my character could still kick butt and defend herself. I've never done a rp character that's sole purpose is either to develop fangs and red eyes or to cry. Now if your character is really 2D that's new. Mary Sues happen too with noobies. Typically speaking the noobies get over it. However the whiney crying oh poor me damsel isn't a sign of new.

CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8142 Location: USA - NY

One thing I notice is some damsels want to be perpetually cared for. If someone teaches them to fight or if Dracula offers them vampirism so they can avenge themselves or defend themselves they don't like that. They want a knight in shining armor to constantly protect them and sometimes it can feel a little demeaning.
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Yes, I know I'm a little batty! Thank you for noticing.

Manathayria · Joined: 11 Mar 2008 Posts: 265 Location: USA

I think my insane bard use to be the drama-needs-help-constantly one of my characters come to think of it. Now she's just insane, quite powerful, but mostly keeps to herself other than playing music for everyone.

VesperSteelwater · Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 1181 Location: USA

There is a difference between a character who can't fight or bumbling fool type for which other characters have to always get them out of a jam, But these character usually have something to offer weather it be they can cook or maybe the glue that holds the group together, Perhaps they are the smart one or perhaps the conscious of the group but they usually have some special talent to offer.

But then you have the character who can't do anything, They have nothing to offer, The only thing they seem to talk about is how bad they were treated or poor little me, They always seemed to be depressed or always in some kind of trouble from someone trying to oppress or abuse them, They usually show up half clothed and starved and if no one pays attention to them they up their game or if someone does help them they will show up again in a few days in the same state or with some other problem that they cannot solve themselves. Even if you imbued them with great magical powers they would still in up needing help in some way or another.

These types usually the characters of young girls who were either abandoned by their parents or kidnapped and they want someone to adopt them or take them in and expect their every need to be taken care of and if they do not get the attention they want they tend to either have some dramatic event take place to get attention or they might even try to get involved with the person who took them in. But it is always the same thing with this type of character, They are always in a state of needing to be taken care of and in need of attention.

The other type is the women who was in a abusive relationship and is the most dangerous, They show up looking for a place to call home and a family etc etc. Weather it they were abused by one partner or many this character usually starts out okay but they tend to get attached to any male character who shows them kindness weather this character is married etc etc and they try to form a relationship with this character even if the male character has not made any advances towards them, This female character will show affection towards this male and if that does not work they will start in with the poor old me story and note this type of character does not take any form of rejection well and if the male character rejects them and none of their advances work they usually become hostile claiming this male is being mean to them or abusing them in some way and try to destroy any other ties this male character has.
In the end this character causes a lot of drama and once everyone figures them out they will move on and reset and start all over with someone else.

In my opinion these types of characters stem from RL issues which the person entwines into their characters to get the attention or needs they can't get in RL, Their character is a reflection of themselves or their needs and is like a broken record that repeats or a dvd that is set to replay for no matter what anyone does to help they will always revert back to a state of need. In away these people are using role play to try to satisfy their RL needs because they do not know how to face or handle them so they invent this other person for which to express their emotion, needs and feelings but they take it to the extreme.
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The strongest shall rule, The weak shall kneel!