Original Interview Date: December 28, 2002
Tina: Becky thanks for doing this interview. One of the main reasons for this interview lies with your character Mibbles who recently passed away under OOC and IC controversial circumstances in Jacmus Prime Roleplay. I believe your experience as a player could greatly help new players and other players when dealing with similar circumstances.
Tina holds out a small Dictaphone recorder toward Becky.
Tina: Lets start with your character Mibbles. How would you summarize the life of your character?
Becky: -eyes the Dictaphone then looks up at Tina- Summarize Mibbles’ life so far? Mibbles is a 4 ½” tall fairy with her own little askew way of seeing things. She came to Jacmus from her fairy village far away. She was always restless at home, and wanted to see ‘the world’ like the typical teenager. She has adjusted well to the environment here, and has made some good friends and allies, such as Unloved. She has had only a fleeting glimpse of other fairies, but none have stayed around, so she is basically alone. Mibbles is very friendly and likes to help others, which can be her downfall as well, but she has spunk for one so small, and tends to worm her way into people’s hearts.
Tina: Mibbles I believe was the first prominently role-played fairy in Jacmus Prime, what was the process you went through to create her?
Becky: Mibbles is a character I had rped long, long ago in Eden. I had created her to just rp a fun character. Here in Jacmus, many characters are very serious and gloomy and fighting is prominent, I brought Mibbles here to help lighten the mood, I suppose. She has developed her own personality better here in Jacmus, becoming more adventuresome and even learning how to somewhat fight, thanks to others.
Tina: Now Mibbles would be what I call a “Natural” fairy in Finaru due to the lack of magic in the continents above the earth. How did you overcome this obstacle with your character? What characteristics or equipment did you create to replace what may have been a magical spell had you been able to make her a magical fairy?
Becky: At first it was kind of difficult trying to rp her ‘magicless’ but then it became more fun and challenging. First off her fairy dust lost its magic, and now if sprinkled on someone or a creature, it usually just makes them sneeze; though on occasion it has caused a few to get sick. Flying is not magical, since the wings work without magic, which is a good thing. But, Mibbles has had to try and learn how to defend herself, since she can’t just ‘poof’ away from danger. She still has some natural defenses, and she at first found and wielded a hatpin, but thanks to Unloved, she now has a silver sharpened toothpick, sheath and even a tiny belt. Trouble is, Mibbles has to get at point blank range to be effective at all with her toothpick, and that can prove to be difficult at best. She has learned to befriend ‘big ones’ to help keep her safe as well.
Tina: One of the interesting and most influential aspects of your character was her death. How would you describe the storyline death of your character?
Becky: Deceptive, fraudulent, dishonest, double-dealing, deceitful, horrible beyond words. But a tremendous learning experience for everyone.
Tina: OOCly there was a lot of controversy concerning your character’s death. Why was that and what happened?
Becky: -sighs- A person (I’ll just call PE for poison elf) who rped the main poison elf asked me very late one night to rp Mibbles with his character. Granted, I knew nothing about his character, or even what it was, he said he just wanted to introduce the character to JP. I hesitated for a looooong time, for I knew how PE could be: arrogant, conceited, callous, and insensitive; but then he was that way with most people. PE kept on asking me to rp saying it was just to flag in his new character. OOCly in P.M., I had him promise that nothing would happen to Mibbles, that she wouldn’t be hurt or killed, and he agreed. So, taking a deep breath, and being the fool and trusting person I am, I rped with PE. When into the scene some, I was irl becoming extremely sleepy and in a P.M. told PE I really needed to go to bed, I was falling asleep at the keyboard. He begged me to stay for a few more minutes to ‘wrap up the scene.’ Again I agreed, then PE proceeded to poison Mibbles without giving me a chance to ‘dodge’, I had no knowledge OOCly the nature of the characters, and only found out AFTER Mibbles took a tiny sip. I had her fall down, and panicked, everyone knows I am not good at conflict scenes, and I suspect PE took advantage of that. I tried talking to PE OOCly in P.M. but he just laughed saying I never should have believed him and that ‘Mibbles was dead, get over it.’ Anyways, he ‘killed and mutilated’ Mibbles to end the scene. I told him that what he did was disputable, reminding him that he had promised OOCly not to hurt her, much less kill her, or I never would have rped with him. PE laughed and said ‘he’ didn’t kill her, the poison did.
Tina: If you were given the chance again to role-play the scene /s that lead to Mibble’s death, would you do it any differently from both a story point of view and as a player?
Becky: I never would have given PE a chance to rp with me. I should have trusted my instincts and refused. I would have definitely been more cautious. And if I –had- rped the scene, I think Mibbles would have never taken even a sip, though I think PE was so intent on killing her, he would have tried to figure out something else.
Tina: Coping with a character’s death even without there being controversy can be extremely hard for some players as there is a lot of time and effort and personal attachment involved. How did you personally cope with Mibble’s death (or not cope)?
Becky: It devastated me; honestly I did not cope well at all. I am a very emotional person, and get into my roleplaying and characters too deeply probably at times. (I get that way with movies, too, even crying at cartoon ones.) OOCly I had trusted someone and that trust had not only been broken, it was slammed in my face, I was laughed at and mocked. I talked to others about the rp, wrote on the OOC boards and the Death Board and left messages to some. Some people just kind of laughed and said, oh well, tough luck, some were as upset as me. Some discussed the way in which I was deceived and how PE led me there under false pretenses. Still others talked about the necessary OOC knowledge for IC events. Well, it finally was said, by Matt that I could make the decision if Mibbles died or not. I let lots of time pass, the dust to settle down, and I have made the decision to bring her back, basically voiding her death. Some may not agree, but I feel the OOC deceit outweighs the IC death, since I had based my IC roleplay on OOC promises.
Tina: In your role-play past, have you ever had any other character’s die and if so, how different to Mibble’s circumstances were these?
Becky: Yes, I have had two characters die. One was set in a scene which I OOCly knew of the danger and the possible death. The scene played well, and the death of the character was a logical consequence. The other rper and I kept in touch in P.M.s so we both understood what was transpiring in the scene. The other death was not as easy. It was in Eden; I had a Horizon character, and thus knew there was danger because of the feuding and killing off of Horizons. There was a surprise attack on the Horizon headquarters and I had my character run to the stables. One of the attackers came and instantly burned down the stables, without any means of escape for my character. Though unexpected and the unfairly stating of ‘no escape’, it was in the best interest of the storyline and everyone involved for her to die. I hadn’t had the character very long, so attachment wasn’t as strong either. Though I didn’t like the deaths much, I accepted both.
Tina: What advice would you give to other players when faced with a similar situation as you were with Mibbles?
Becky: OOCly, don’t trust someone you know you shouldn’t trust. ICly, be very wary of ANYTHING given to your character. If in doubt of things, stop the rp before it’s too late to reverse things. Get advice from others on how to rp it out, and get out of the situation.
Tina: Do you think, (particularly in this game of Jacmus Prime) that players should work together OOCly to shape a scene to both players’ satisfaction even when a character’s death is concerned? IE: The person attempting to kill the character, should work with the player (e.g. using P.M.s) whose character may die to give the characters a death scene worthy of the story or plot?
Becky: Oh, most definitely so! We are here to have fun, and talking about things makes both players understand what the other is thinking and doing. What is one person’s perspective and makes sense to them, can be totally confusing to the other person. Talking about it can make everyone on the same page. If a death is to take place, the scene can be played much better and accepted when all is ‘on the table’ and agreed upon.
Tina: Mibbles, I believe was survived by her sister? Is there any form of retribution in store for the Poison Elves?
Becky: I created Tuttle, yes, but I have brought Mibbles back. Tuttle is the little sister of Mibbles and she makes occasional visits to JP. Retribution? No, I will just not rp with any Poison Elf character, and above all never with PE. Revenge is just not in me, irl at all, and IC the death is basically voided so there is no need. In spite of what people think, characters are an extension of ourselves in lots of respects. If one doesn’t enjoy the fun and challenge of rping and OOC time with others here, why continue?
Tina: Thanks for your time. It’s been a pleasure and insightful interview.