Æðelind “Lind” Krichevskoy

Hi there.

Sorry to have to ask, but can you please use a standard typeset for your character name? This is going to be a pain otherwise.

I'll also need you to clarify which class you took first, and what your level split is.

If you can just put it in the format of the standard application that'll make my life much easier!

Hi there,

Using a nonstandard typeset is going to be a nuisance when - for instance - a character or NPC wants to refer to your character in speech without using a nickname. You're essentially asking everyone to copy/paste your character's name whilst writing responses to them.

I will have to take some time to consider whether this is something I want to support. If you want your character approved quickly, I'd strongly recommend renaming her to something compatible with the standard ISO basic latin alphabet.

I will also be updating the rules so that - going forward - the initial application must use the application form. I don't really care what tracker/profile you use once approved, but having a standardised form which gives very basic information makes it much easier for me to quickly get the info I need and generate a character sheet. You don't need to do that this time, as this application was submitted before that rule came into effect, but it is something to keep in mind going forward.

If I might interject, and yes, it might be seen as rude or whatnot to comment on someone's app. But. Ima do it anyways.

Won't lie, I'm obviously an interested third party, Discord knows my relationship with this other player.

However

Before things escalate, and because you, Kai, are the only staff on the site I feel it is then the members job to comment on staff like things to make up for it. No matter what personal or nonexistant relationships might be between players.

If the name issue is due to it being difficult to spell, because I think even Yuki would agree it is an uncommon step to properly write out Aedelinds name, then that's silly. But, as proven right here, a lot of people will probably write it as I just did for ease sake, or copy paste (as I will be when not on mobile).

Other character names are just as difficult to spell - I cross reference Dhaunyrm, Ariorch, hell, even your Laureloi (which on mobile I'm guessing at - because I've always seen it spelled Lorelei, and I've now spelt the other two often enough that I can spell them). Because I make sure to take the extra effort to spell it right 9/10 times. Because it's insulting otherwise. A name is a name, very personal to a character. Id never change Citrines name. It's part of who she is. Saying to change it for visual reasons is frankly bullshit and I'm calling you out on it. If it wasn't allowed as text input, proboards wouldn't allow the character type for the profile itself - as seen in the correct spelling as the member profile itself.

Now, if the issue is anything other then your personal or preferred preference, please say so. The only reason I can think of is it makes it very hard for the tagging feature we do often use on this site. But, that is countered by the fact Yuki is the tagging name, not Aedelind, making that point mute.

Sincerely, a concerned member of the board who doesn't want to see drama, but is confident in her own reasons to call out a staff member on bullshit, like a good concerned member should.

<3 Ari

The attitude displayed in my response is troubling because I lack patience anymore for the arbitrary. I've been running tabletop RPGs and playing in them for over a decade, and doing the same with play-by-post forums for nearly two. I've administrated and moderated large boards and small ones, and organized the official play effort for a local gaming store for multiple systems. I've had to ask players to change their characters before. Usually things like "your history doesn't address x," or "power y is too vague/powerful as written." Sometimes even, “you know you can't roll stats in Adventurer's League, right?” I've never asked a player to change their character name. Trust me, I've seen some doozies (who the hell calls their Fighter, “Taco Ranger?”). I've never really even asked for a core concept change. Clarification? Yes. Better compliance with the rules or our session zero? Often. But never something as mechanically frivolous—and core to a character's concept—as their name.

I like writing.

I put a lot of effort into my characters and into my posts. I take the time to type out different vernaculars, or even verify translations. I'll code up profile and posting templates to capture the aesthetic of the topic, or just the character in a specific thread. Given a more story-driven topic, I utilize metaphor and subtext. I'll juxtapose imagery that represents different characters and aspects of the narrative. Hell, it's not uncommon for me to redraft a post a number of times before clicking on submit in order to get the message just right.

I enjoy writing.

If four seconds of copying a name that's difficult to type—like any uncommon name over ten characters is probably requiring anyway—is too much work, I take offense to that. I find it lazy. Like, for example, the voiced dental fricative, “ð,” would be pronounced as “th” in modern English, not “d.” The wiki page describing this is the top result on Google. The reason it's used in Æðelind's name, over a spelling like "Aethelind," is to aesthetically showcase age. Not that she's an old character by Aasimar standards, but her youth exists in contrast to the human upbringing she had. Part of the image for that is her name. Depending on her agency in a given situation, we use the childlike nickname versus the full Æðelind.

I love writing.

What I'm being told by your reasoning is that the community here is relaxed and carefree, but recoils in the face of adversity. It reaffirms that challenging concepts—like negotiating the roll of an evil character in a story, or characters taking meaningful risks—are best left tucked away in the adult literature section, lest they prove too much a hurdle. I've known the vast pleasure of writing with a few of the players here before. I don't think a couple Middle English letters scattered about are going to cause them to turn away or be bothered. And the people who are daunted by the slightest extra effort, as I stated, I'm not at all interested in writing with.

I'm not going to submit another application; I spent over two weeks musing about this one. With only the briefest of outlines for her exposition at that. While I'm flattered you amended the rules twice for me in a matter of days, if two letters are all it takes to damn her character sheet then I'm glad to know early on that I needn't waste any more of my time.

I applied here to write. Not engage in empty politics or coddle to derelict hubris.