The Unforgiven
What’s a failed character or arc you had? Just cleared some old sub accounts that never went away and had only a few threads on them. Curious to see if anyone else had a similar experience and what they were.
Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos
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Question Failed Characters/Arcs
- Thread starter Fenn Stag
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Ohana
My failed arcs tend to be either a Padawan deleting their character from under my Master, or my Master flaking/ignoring my Padawan. That, and I've had three romance arcs end because the writer lost muse or left. Also, pod/starfighter races are notorious, but those aren't exactly arcs per se.
Acier Moonbound
Son of None
LIL FINN THE BASEDGOD
Active Member
I have more failed characters than ‘successful’ ones.
Aymeric Prendergast
never really took off, so is
Argilac
. combinations of RL coming in the way and losing interest. the one character I consider a success was
Yael Kandar
, she fulfilled her first arc and that was good enough for me.
I’m a big believer of “throw stuffs at the wall until something sticks,” so I never really have trouble shelving characters and making new ones.
Aymeric Prendergast
never really took off, so is
Argilac
. combinations of RL coming in the way and losing interest. the one character I consider a success was
Yael Kandar
, she fulfilled her first arc and that was good enough for me.I’m a big believer of “throw stuffs at the wall until something sticks,” so I never really have trouble shelving characters and making new ones.
“This is my watch. And I do not turn away.”
A Clone
He was just becoming a copy of Caltin
He was just becoming a copy of Caltin
Bad Reputation
The person who was writing Eloise's love interest very abruptly deactivated their account and left the site for good. They had already deleted their Discord so I lost all contact with them when they did that. The person writing her master is still around but doesn't write much anymore, and her personality is deliberately abrasive so she has no remaining friends actively writing. I wouldn't call her a failure since I don't want to delete her; I'm hoping that someday I will regain interest and be able to take a fresh approach. But right now? I got nothing.
I once made a bunch of characters for a specific planet with a concept I thought sounded interesting. The setting was sorta historical and I was super excited as that was right up my alley. After repeatedly butting heads with the person who had created the lore for the planet, I realized I had misunderstood what they were going for. The writer didn’t seem interested in the historical angle; they were just using a faux-historical setting as the backdrop for their character’s story. I don’t have anything against that, but it felt like there wasn’t much room for me to write what I wanted to, as the world was built for their character(s). I ended up deleting all the characters I made for it.
Had one character I created for a faction, and to be the love interest of a specific character within that faction. The faction didn't last long, and the person writing the love interest took a year-long unannounced LOA. Since I didn't know if they would ever return, I threw random shit at the wall to try and find a new niche for my character. Came close to finding something decent, only for her love interest to return! Cool, now I can go back to writing... oh wait they left again, this time for 6 months. More experimenting. Nothing ever seemed to stick. So I finally said fuck it and killed her off. Love interest returns again. Well, I guess I could bring her back from the dead... They had a decent run with a minor faction for a while, until love interest once again left. They have not returned since. I killed her off two more times, kept bringing her back to use as a combatant in invasions, then finally allowed her to be captured and sent to prison. Until I inevitably trot her out again, lmao.
I once made a bunch of characters for a specific planet with a concept I thought sounded interesting. The setting was sorta historical and I was super excited as that was right up my alley. After repeatedly butting heads with the person who had created the lore for the planet, I realized I had misunderstood what they were going for. The writer didn’t seem interested in the historical angle; they were just using a faux-historical setting as the backdrop for their character’s story. I don’t have anything against that, but it felt like there wasn’t much room for me to write what I wanted to, as the world was built for their character(s). I ended up deleting all the characters I made for it.
Had one character I created for a faction, and to be the love interest of a specific character within that faction. The faction didn't last long, and the person writing the love interest took a year-long unannounced LOA. Since I didn't know if they would ever return, I threw random shit at the wall to try and find a new niche for my character. Came close to finding something decent, only for her love interest to return! Cool, now I can go back to writing... oh wait they left again, this time for 6 months. More experimenting. Nothing ever seemed to stick. So I finally said fuck it and killed her off. Love interest returns again. Well, I guess I could bring her back from the dead... They had a decent run with a minor faction for a while, until love interest once again left. They have not returned since. I killed her off two more times, kept bringing her back to use as a combatant in invasions, then finally allowed her to be captured and sent to prison. Until I inevitably trot her out again, lmao.
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The Lion King
As many of you will know, most of my characters are part of the Heavenshield clan, which I co-wrote with
Coci Heavenshield
's writer. She wrote one half, I wrote the other. When she up and disappeared back in 2020, it pretty much ruined every storyline we had going at the time. It wasn't just Thurion's wife that suddenly were left in limbo; it was also his eldest son and heir apparent, Théodred, who'd played a huge role in the story thus far, and several others characters.
It messed with my head for a long time. To have every plan for your characters pull away from under you, as I was told it wasn't allowed to NPC their chars since the writer technically hadn't left the site. It definitely messed with my muse; I thought the entire character of Thurion, around whom I'd built my entire cast since (not to mentioned devoted my sparetime to since 2013(!!!)), had been ruined beyond repair. His relationship with his wife and family as a whole was so essential to his character that I didn't think I had it in me to carry on, and my activity plummeted for some time because of it.
I waited several IRL years before eventually deciding to move on without them. I had a vast cast of characters I enjoyed writing that now needed a new reason to go on. So I used the emotional turmoil and confusion the loss of Coci's writer had caused me and made it my characters'. Here's Thurion, crushed under the responsibility of the crown and the conflict of him being raised a Jedi and sovereign, now having to face it all alone; effectively having to deal with the sudden disappearance of his beloved wife while also keeping his head high for his entire family, now bereft of a mother and grandmother. He's just as lost now as I was back then, and yet he finds a way to keep moving forward and adapt. In that, he and I are the same.
I'd always envisioned him and his wife meeting death together, be it in battle or from old age. "There was no Thurion without his Coci", so I figured, with his story essentially having peaked, I'd either retire or kill him off within a couple IRL years. In a strange way, Coci's disappearance and presumed death injected some much needed personal turmoil and a whole new layer to his character, which has restored my love of writing him immensely. He's this broken man now, incapable of ever feeling truly whole again, ever grieving for his wife's departure whilst still having to push forward and be strong for his people and his clan. He'll always be the same huggable teddybear, just with more baggage.
I also want to give massive thanks to writers like
Caltin Vanagor
,
Valery Noble
,
Kahlil Noble
,
Nida Heavenshield
,
Arden Durane
,
Darth Carnifex
and many others for sticking with me and giving Thurion a new lease of life through continued interaction. I was ready to throw in the towel on so many occasions in the interim of my writing partner poofing to when I decided to make it part of the story, but you guys kept the flame lit through my darkest days as a writer. It's safe to say that, without you, I'd most likely no longer be an active member of this site. Just like Valery or Caltin continuously interacting with Thurion to keep his head in the game, you did the same for me IRL back then. So, a heartfelt thank you to all of you. <3
Just like I can no longer look to my writing partner of 7 years (2014-2020) for advice or laughs, neither can Thurion turn to his wife of five decades. But he'll always have his kids and grandkids, and he'll always be their loving dad and doting granddad. As I grow older and mature (surrounded by little children whom I adore everyday by virtue of being a kindergarten teacher), my appreciation for having Thurion interact with children and young people in general only increases, and I like to think it comes across in my writing. All whilst sprinkling in that juicy grief for added effect — chef's kiss!
Coci Heavenshield
's writer. She wrote one half, I wrote the other. When she up and disappeared back in 2020, it pretty much ruined every storyline we had going at the time. It wasn't just Thurion's wife that suddenly were left in limbo; it was also his eldest son and heir apparent, Théodred, who'd played a huge role in the story thus far, and several others characters.It messed with my head for a long time. To have every plan for your characters pull away from under you, as I was told it wasn't allowed to NPC their chars since the writer technically hadn't left the site. It definitely messed with my muse; I thought the entire character of Thurion, around whom I'd built my entire cast since (not to mentioned devoted my sparetime to since 2013(!!!)), had been ruined beyond repair. His relationship with his wife and family as a whole was so essential to his character that I didn't think I had it in me to carry on, and my activity plummeted for some time because of it.
I waited several IRL years before eventually deciding to move on without them. I had a vast cast of characters I enjoyed writing that now needed a new reason to go on. So I used the emotional turmoil and confusion the loss of Coci's writer had caused me and made it my characters'. Here's Thurion, crushed under the responsibility of the crown and the conflict of him being raised a Jedi and sovereign, now having to face it all alone; effectively having to deal with the sudden disappearance of his beloved wife while also keeping his head high for his entire family, now bereft of a mother and grandmother. He's just as lost now as I was back then, and yet he finds a way to keep moving forward and adapt. In that, he and I are the same.
I'd always envisioned him and his wife meeting death together, be it in battle or from old age. "There was no Thurion without his Coci", so I figured, with his story essentially having peaked, I'd either retire or kill him off within a couple IRL years. In a strange way, Coci's disappearance and presumed death injected some much needed personal turmoil and a whole new layer to his character, which has restored my love of writing him immensely. He's this broken man now, incapable of ever feeling truly whole again, ever grieving for his wife's departure whilst still having to push forward and be strong for his people and his clan. He'll always be the same huggable teddybear, just with more baggage.
I also want to give massive thanks to writers like
Caltin Vanagor
,
Valery Noble
,
Kahlil Noble
,
Nida Heavenshield
,
Arden Durane
,
Darth Carnifex
and many others for sticking with me and giving Thurion a new lease of life through continued interaction. I was ready to throw in the towel on so many occasions in the interim of my writing partner poofing to when I decided to make it part of the story, but you guys kept the flame lit through my darkest days as a writer. It's safe to say that, without you, I'd most likely no longer be an active member of this site. Just like Valery or Caltin continuously interacting with Thurion to keep his head in the game, you did the same for me IRL back then. So, a heartfelt thank you to all of you. <3Just like I can no longer look to my writing partner of 7 years (2014-2020) for advice or laughs, neither can Thurion turn to his wife of five decades. But he'll always have his kids and grandkids, and he'll always be their loving dad and doting granddad. As I grow older and mature (surrounded by little children whom I adore everyday by virtue of being a kindergarten teacher), my appreciation for having Thurion interact with children and young people in general only increases, and I like to think it comes across in my writing. All whilst sprinkling in that juicy grief for added effect — chef's kiss!
The Baddest Schutta She Knows
Where to even start….I start off strong sometimes with an idea, take on too many threads, realize I’ve lost my concept and lose my muse, and sometimes I just find that I don’t like what I’m writing anymore and just feel a bit disgruntled with it all. I had ann idea for Alana Calloway, but it’s better to just axe that off and move on. Sometimes it happens, end of the day, this is just for fun.
R E A P E R
I don't believe in failed characters or failed arcs. They're pivot points for the character or a point where you've learned something doesn't fully work and you're just back at the drawing board to take what you've learned and make better.
I've had a lot of pivots with Allyson in particular, I've had to adjust her timeline a bit with the boards story timelines. I've had to deal with fallouts OOC and people just not wanting to write with me because they have a preconception of the character I'm writing. Already Allyson is the type of character that is greeted with mistrust because she is a spy. Those kinds of characters no matter how much you want to believe the person you're writing with is unbiased there's going to be a little bit there. Take it in stride and just write. If it doesn't work out, then pivot and change.
Just like in real life, character's lives are ever changing and flowing. You might meet someone in a public thread that all of a sudden becomes the reason your character falls to the dark side or even finds redemption.
So I think in a more positive mindset we can look at these perceived failures and storylines that have abruptly stopped as points where our character have to make a choice. Just like we do in real life when something doesn't fully pan out.
Makes things more fun in the long run.
I've had a lot of pivots with Allyson in particular, I've had to adjust her timeline a bit with the boards story timelines. I've had to deal with fallouts OOC and people just not wanting to write with me because they have a preconception of the character I'm writing. Already Allyson is the type of character that is greeted with mistrust because she is a spy. Those kinds of characters no matter how much you want to believe the person you're writing with is unbiased there's going to be a little bit there. Take it in stride and just write. If it doesn't work out, then pivot and change.
Just like in real life, character's lives are ever changing and flowing. You might meet someone in a public thread that all of a sudden becomes the reason your character falls to the dark side or even finds redemption.
So I think in a more positive mindset we can look at these perceived failures and storylines that have abruptly stopped as points where our character have to make a choice. Just like we do in real life when something doesn't fully pan out.
Makes things more fun in the long run.
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Kitter Bitters
OOC Account
^^^ I relate to this
Reedemer
Ouch okay so...
I think this character right now is my only mildly successful character FOR NOW. Because I enjoy writing it, I enjoy the back story, I enjoy shaping the character and I feel like people also enjoy interacting with me.
I had other characters, largely unsuccessful because I made them fast, wrote a bit, left the site, came back and looked appalled at the writing I made and just deleted them.
In fact Lucaant (the only character I have as of now), is the only character that I wrote before leaving swrp and still like after coming back (though I revamped it, a lot. The base idea was one of my only good ones tbh).
I just shoot and see what sticks and I vibe with it.
I think this character right now is my only mildly successful character FOR NOW. Because I enjoy writing it, I enjoy the back story, I enjoy shaping the character and I feel like people also enjoy interacting with me.
I had other characters, largely unsuccessful because I made them fast, wrote a bit, left the site, came back and looked appalled at the writing I made and just deleted them.
In fact Lucaant (the only character I have as of now), is the only character that I wrote before leaving swrp and still like after coming back (though I revamped it, a lot. The base idea was one of my only good ones tbh).
I just shoot and see what sticks and I vibe with it.
S E E K
I don't have failed arcs so much as it might not be their time, yet, or a particular choice might not work out... like
Rik Perris
, one of my main characters? He's the kind of Jedi that fits best with rebel/militaristic/very anti-Sith groups. So, his vibe doesn't really fit with the NJO as it is now, some 4 - 5 years from its inception - a little after I started him - and I've been through two short-lived factions in the past year that did suit him. It's all a part of his story.
In fact, he even has a friend he made because he kept running into her over the course of the past couple years through these failed ventures, lol, and another friendship of his from someone he met during his wayseeking arc (how I explained a long stretch of barely writing him) has also lead to him finally taking a padawan at the age of 30. Finally, I'm in the midst of trying to integrate him into the High Republic, 'cause it seems to have a suitable place for him.
Also, I get more character ideas than I have time to write, and I've learned, however slowly, to say no to myself and shelve most ideas, but I've also given up on deleting inactive subaccounts because, invariably, I'll get fresh inspiration for one character or another and end up adding them back to my roster. Also I can reuse the subaccount of an inactive character for a new character, if I want.
Rik Perris
, one of my main characters? He's the kind of Jedi that fits best with rebel/militaristic/very anti-Sith groups. So, his vibe doesn't really fit with the NJO as it is now, some 4 - 5 years from its inception - a little after I started him - and I've been through two short-lived factions in the past year that did suit him. It's all a part of his story. In fact, he even has a friend he made because he kept running into her over the course of the past couple years through these failed ventures, lol, and another friendship of his from someone he met during his wayseeking arc (how I explained a long stretch of barely writing him) has also lead to him finally taking a padawan at the age of 30. Finally, I'm in the midst of trying to integrate him into the High Republic, 'cause it seems to have a suitable place for him.
Also, I get more character ideas than I have time to write, and I've learned, however slowly, to say no to myself and shelve most ideas, but I've also given up on deleting inactive subaccounts because, invariably, I'll get fresh inspiration for one character or another and end up adding them back to my roster. Also I can reuse the subaccount of an inactive character for a new character, if I want.
D O M I N U S
The infamous "Isley Verd has a million kids" started as a result of failed storylines!
I'd ask someone if they'd want to make a Verdspawn, or someone would be seeking a parental for a backstory and I'd volunteer, and for a year or so it was like doing so was a curse because they'd fall off the face of the site within 3-6 months. But, me being the stubborn goofball that I am, I kept asking and folks kept enjoying the stories.
Fast forward a couple years and Isley's the proud father of a small country!
I'd ask someone if they'd want to make a Verdspawn, or someone would be seeking a parental for a backstory and I'd volunteer, and for a year or so it was like doing so was a curse because they'd fall off the face of the site within 3-6 months. But, me being the stubborn goofball that I am, I kept asking and folks kept enjoying the stories.
Fast forward a couple years and Isley's the proud father of a small country!
Silver Star
My failed arc is my attempt to leave Chaos.
In all seriousness, my old Jedi totally lost steam so I turned him into a villain instead lmao.
In all seriousness, my old Jedi totally lost steam so I turned him into a villain instead lmao.
Kitter Bitters
OOC Account
I've had a lot of characters fail. Mainly I'll start a fresh face and then lose interest in it. I think it's because I don't flesh the concept out enough and then I get frustrated writing what feels like a stranger. I also get overwhelmed with threads so I revert back to just a few characters at a time.
Dashiell Retrofit™
Oh, I’ve had a few characters over the years.
I tend to immerse myself deeply in a single character’s personality, often at the expense of my others. Because of this, I try to keep my number of sub-accounts low. I’ve experimented with side characters now and then, but most of them ended up being deleted — they just didn’t stick.
Most people knew me first off as Veiere Arenais, but my starting characters on Chaos were actually twin teenagers — one aligned with the Light Side, the other with the Dark. Neither got off the ground, and honestly, it’s been so long I don’t even remember their names.
After Veiere came Caedyn Arenais, who had a more complex and notorious storyline. He was heavily involved in the Silver Jedi Order, especially during the "Triumvirate" era (also called The Elder Pact), which aimed to form a coalition between the Silver Jedi Order, the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and The Sith Order. Unfortunately, that storyline was derailed by drama behind the scenes. I was the Major Faction Owner of the Silvers at the time, and the stress became too much, so I shut it down and took a six-month break from the site.
Caedyn also had a daughter with
Asaraa Vaashe
: Kristyl Arenais. I didn’t give her the attention she deserved — I was too focused on Caedyn — and ended up shelving her because I couldn’t juggle both characters effectively.
Then there was Jaitre Lanabre-Arenais, Caedyn’s adoptive son, a Zeltron empath who trained at the Svivren enclave. I really liked playing an empath, but again, the same issue arose: my attention was still centred on Caedyn, and I couldn’t commit to Jaitre long-term. His story eventually came to a close [link here].
I also created a Non-Force User — a smuggler and arms dealer named Arryn Jhanson, using Deacon St. John from Days Gone as the play-by. He was my first character involved with the Outer Rim Coalition, and honestly, he was pretty badass. He originally owned the Nomad Heavy Freighter, the same ship Balun Dashiell later found adrift in space. There was a corpse floating nearby… but I never said who it belonged to.
There have been others, some of which were created for factions and died with said factions. Above are the more significant ones worth mentioning.
I tend to immerse myself deeply in a single character’s personality, often at the expense of my others. Because of this, I try to keep my number of sub-accounts low. I’ve experimented with side characters now and then, but most of them ended up being deleted — they just didn’t stick.
Most people knew me first off as Veiere Arenais, but my starting characters on Chaos were actually twin teenagers — one aligned with the Light Side, the other with the Dark. Neither got off the ground, and honestly, it’s been so long I don’t even remember their names.
After Veiere came Caedyn Arenais, who had a more complex and notorious storyline. He was heavily involved in the Silver Jedi Order, especially during the "Triumvirate" era (also called The Elder Pact), which aimed to form a coalition between the Silver Jedi Order, the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and The Sith Order. Unfortunately, that storyline was derailed by drama behind the scenes. I was the Major Faction Owner of the Silvers at the time, and the stress became too much, so I shut it down and took a six-month break from the site.
Caedyn also had a daughter with
Asaraa Vaashe
: Kristyl Arenais. I didn’t give her the attention she deserved — I was too focused on Caedyn — and ended up shelving her because I couldn’t juggle both characters effectively.Then there was Jaitre Lanabre-Arenais, Caedyn’s adoptive son, a Zeltron empath who trained at the Svivren enclave. I really liked playing an empath, but again, the same issue arose: my attention was still centred on Caedyn, and I couldn’t commit to Jaitre long-term. His story eventually came to a close [link here].
I also created a Non-Force User — a smuggler and arms dealer named Arryn Jhanson, using Deacon St. John from Days Gone as the play-by. He was my first character involved with the Outer Rim Coalition, and honestly, he was pretty badass. He originally owned the Nomad Heavy Freighter, the same ship Balun Dashiell later found adrift in space. There was a corpse floating nearby… but I never said who it belonged to.
There have been others, some of which were created for factions and died with said factions. Above are the more significant ones worth mentioning.