Quote:
Originally Posted by Nehetsrev  For an example, I play a cleric/fighter/bard of Xeen who's views on Xeens doctrine are different than the 'common' interpretations of Xeens doctrine as they've been played by other characters following the same goddess. On more than one occasion I've been told by a non-Xeenite (in-character) that I wasn't worshipping Xeen properly and that I'd soon find myself bereft of her blessings. Instead of getting all bent out of shape out-of-character about it, I've chosen instead to respond in-character, firstly by pointing out how my own character's interpretations are not only valid, but are actually the 'true' and 'proper' interpretations of the dogma. Then I also point out that if they weren't I'd already have lost, or never would have had in the first place, Xeen's favor as the other character has suggested would be the case.
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Let other characters try to tell you how to be a proper reflection of your characters faith, and then turn it around and do your best to convince them of how your character's interpretations are actually more valid than what they think is. |
In my opinion, I believe you are (graciously) handling IG an OOC situation that has been raised IG that shouldn't be, probably to keep the IG experience flowing along nicely for everyone.
This is what I believe happened:
Player X: *thought bubble* "I don't think Nehetsrev is playing a Xeenite cleric properly."
Player X's Character: (paraphrased) "I don't think you're being a proper Xeenite cleric."
My response to that is Player X's
character shouldn't care whether your character is being a proper Xeenite cleric or not, unless A) they are a Xeenite cleric, or B) they are a Xeenite follower
and your character is their priest.
Just think about the real life situation for a moment. If, as a non-believer or member of a different faith, you came across a member of clergy from another faith who didn't fit the typical view of that clergy, would you go up to them and tell them how they are "supposed" to be?
No, I didn't think so. Neither would your character.
It would be beneficial to remember to place a degree of separation between us and our characters,
even when we are playing our character as ourself (personality-wise). This is simply because our characters do not know everything we know. They haven't read LORE, or people's Character Development Journals, or for that matter, been to high school or college, let alone university (but that's another matter...). This separation allows us to ask the question, "Would my character (not me) do this?"
There is alot of OOC information out there that we are privy to that our characters
do not know. The only people who know what a "proper" Xeenite cleric is are the Xeenite clerics. They're the ones who attended the seminary for umpteen years (or whatever it is Xeenites do),
not your character.
So, essentially, when this statement was made in-game about your character, they were meta-ing. However, in this case, they are probably doing it for all the right reasons, viz, they are concerned about the consistency of someone's roleplay (a good thing).
What would be beneficial to realise is that this is an OOC concern, so it should be raised in a OOC fashion, and not brought in-game. Now, I'm not sure of the OOC path for this sort of thing, but if you are feeling brave, perhaps a tell, something along the lines of, "Can I ask you about how you are roleplaying your cleric?" Be prepared for a "No" response, but I'm guessing, most people would actually be quite pleased to talk about how and why they are roleplaying their characters the way they do.
Remember to ask questions though, and not make judgements, otherwise you are just going to have
an argument.
Not, "You're not playing your Xeenite cleric properly," or "I don't think you're playing your Xeenite cleric properly," but more along the lines of, "It seems you are playing your Xeenite cleric quite differently to other Xeenite clerics. Would you care to share a bit about this?"
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Script Wrecked.