Hello there, one and all. MPlease don’t be put off or think I'm some unapproachable jerk: I’m very laidback and receptive to others’ thoughts and ideas, but I've been a writer and RPer for 10+ years, so I have a keen understanding of what I do and do not want. As long as you don’t insist on involving any of my dealbreakers or act like a jackass in general, we’ll get along well. I promise.


1. RP Mediums & Timeliness
I’m only looking to RP over E-mail (it's been the most reliable, readily-accessible and comfortable overall). While replying every day isn't required, please be able to reply at least once or twice a week. Personal/work life getting crazy, too tired to write a quality reply, "just not feeling it"...I more than understand if you're going through those things, so just keep me informed. If eight days go by without any response (even if just to say you'll respond when time allows), I assume the RP’s done.



2. Writing Style
(Some rather lengthy writing samples are viewable on my Writing Samples page.)
I generally write two or three paragraphs per post (occasionally more, rarely less unless it’s purely dialogue or in the middle of a fast-paced scene) in the 3rd-person POV, past tense. If that seems a bit much for you, we wouldn't be compatible; I just don’t want to feel like I’m intimidating/outpacing someone or forcing them to keep up with a standard of length they personally find excessive or exhausting. Perfection isn't a requirement, but a solid grasp of spelling, honed sentence/language mechanics, good detail and description are.



3. On Pairings and Romance
In terms of orientations, I'm largely M/F. When it comes to character relationships—platonic, romantic and otherwise—I like the bond to be authentic and develop on its own, rather than starting out with a set-in-stone pairing that’s gonna be together no matter what Because The Plot Says So. It’s genuinely seeing the connection and relationship evolve and develop, being able to look at and go, “Yes, this pair seems to click” that is most satisfying. At the same time, just because a relationship is happy doesn’t mean things can’t get chaotic or exciting (though let’s avoid love octagons and forced/contrived soap-opera melodrama); a couple can have a harmonious bond, yet still have conflict and adventure at them. Or as writer GK Chesterton so beautifully put it, “The wise old fairy tales never were so silly as to say that the prince and the princess lived peacefully ever afterwards. The fairy tales said that the prince and princess lived happily ever afterwards: and so they did. They lived happily, although it is very likely that from time to time they threw the furniture at each other.”



4. On My Characters
I usually play male characters in a variety of established and original settings, and I'm looking to play opposite female characters. Despite their varying personalities and mindsets, they are usually in their 20s-30s and are all switches (they enjoy being the seducers [even if some are inept at it], but also appreciate a woman able and willing to take charge in the relationship [though not in a dom/sub fashion]).

 

By and large, my characters are rarely dark, brooding, tortured asshole anti-heroes with heavy emotional/psychological baggage. I’m not a fan of forcing constant personal melodrama onto someone for no good reason. The same can be said for “requiring” backstories filled with some childhood trauma, mental/emotional abuse and dead/raped/missing loved ones as angst fodder or an excuse to be a dick. All of this being said, my characters also aren't boringly invincible/infallible power fantasies looking to bite a canon character’s role or wish-fulfillment Gary Stus like this fucking guy. They all have their own backstories, personalities and stories to tell canon-independent; I just don't focus on having my characters be clearly "broken" and in dire need of fixing, or put primary thematic stress on their failings, traumas, vices and fuck-ups.



5. Desired RP Mood & Some Favored Fandoms
Call me soppy, silly, childish or whatever you wish, but noblebright’s the name of the game with me. Think high fantasy/"swords and sorcery" settings where dragons of all colors roam, knights and princesses (and knightly princesses) seek fame, every lonely mountain peak is prime real estate for an evil wizard, and magic is so common there are several different types of it. Give me modern-day superhero worlds--with a dash of Silver Age for flavor--that sincerely own the concept of superheroing and enjoy it, thus giving it true gravitas and depth. (In terms of mood and setting, consider the Order of the Stick webcomic, the Dragon Quest and Golden Sun JRPG series, and the Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Justice League cartoons.)

Think largely upbeat, lighthearted stories with action, humor/comedy, adventure, meaningful conflict and drama (not forced grimdark), slice-of-life moments amidst the chaos, character growth, great clashes/triumphs and, above all, hope. Likable protagonists that are genuinely compassionate and well-meaning—even if oddly or poorly demonstrated at times—and are capable of caring about things and cracking a fucking smile. Noble anti-heroes that may not play by the rulebook but haven’t tossed it out altogether and show restraint for their actions, maintaining an understandable edge while not using it as an excuse to be full-on psychotic. Ruthlessly moral badasses that have had rough lives and seen a great deal of suffering and violence, yet refuse to give up their steadfast decency and moral compass (even if they’ll use it to beat the shit out of someone). Compelling antagonists with personality (they own their villainy), admirable character traits, plausible/sympathetic motives, respectable goals (even if they’re a bit overzealous) and a freakin’ Off switch (they aren't mindlessly evil 24/7 and can be pragmatic). Endings where, to quote sci-fi/fantasy writer A. Lee Martinez, "the characters can make it to the other side without being broken and—if not completely satisfied—become better people for the experience". Bad things may happen and the story might end on a bittersweet note, but the tone is optimistic and uplifting overall; I'm just not looking for numbing, overly-dark material (see “Limits and Dealbreakers” below).

Some of my favored fandoms include Avatar the Last Airbender/The Legend of Korra, Tactics Ogre (The Knight of Lodis, Let Us Cling Together), Pokémon (anime more over games), Legend of Zelda, Mario, Final Fantasy Tactics, Golden Sun, Dragon Quest JRPG series, Yuyu Hakusho, Rokugan/Legend of the Five Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, and the DC Animated Universe.



6. On Smut and Sexual Content
I love RPs that are story-centric with character growth, where smut is proverbial icing on the RP cake rather than the main point. That said, I’m good with more smut-centric tales as well from time-to-time. (My full kink list can be viewed here.) Further, I'd prefer that we don't jump straight to the sex (unless we are doing an outright Porn Without Plot); better that it make sense in the plot and/or relationship.
 

On The “Sub or Dom?” Question: When it comes to diddling each other’s fancy, I have no interest in set-in-stone sexual binaries or the "sub/dom" setup. I’m looking to depict mutually enjoyable sex between equal parties; my characters won’t want to be dominated, and they won’t want to dominate yours.


7. Limits and Dealbreakers
Aside from the generally universal no-goes (characters under 18 years old, vore, gore, toiletplay, bestiality, etc.) and the Nos on my F-list, I'll pass on the following:

• Grimdark. Everyone has a tragic backstory full of abuse, trauma, brutality and treachery, making them so common that they lose all meaning. Rape and sexual abuse are used as window dressing, titillation, or cynical nods towards “gritty realism”. Everyone's an unsympathetic, emotionally-retarded reprobate with more issues than Sports Illustrated and more constant personal drama than a Jerry Springer episode. Relationships invariably end in either tragedy or betrayal. Every institution's deeply corrupt, wholly ineffectual, or outright sadistically evil. Doing the right thing and not being an amoral self-serving dick ensures you'll get a meaningless and pointless death. Life's a constant shitstorm where the worst outcome always happens and no one's ever happy for more than five seconds. You get the idea.

• Mary Sues/Gary Stus. One-dimensional, boringly invincible/infallible power fantasies that exist to be praised for their "amazing specialness". They're inconceivably brilliant at everything, must always be the center of attention, are ridiculously overpowered, and the narrative bends over backwards in justifying their every action (whatever they do is always painted as "the right thing", so they can act on their impulses). If you're looking to RP just to stroke your own ego, I'll pass.

• Rape/sexual abuse, romanticized abuse & degredation, racism/sexism/homophobia/discrimination as fetish or kink. This short essay "Why Are You Writing A Rape Scene?" by author Robert Jackson Bennett sums up my thoughts beautifully.

• Dumbasses-in-distress. Generally useless characters that are always endangering themselves and everyone around them due to their own unbelievably irresponsible, idiotic, deranged and/or self-centered behavior.

• Edgemasters. Overly ‘dark’ characters needlessly driven to impress everyone with how sad and tragic their backstories are ("CRAAAWLING IIIIIN MY SKIIIIIN, THESE WOOOUNDS THEY WIIILL NOT HEEEAAAL!") and how they're such hardcore "too cool to give a fuck" badasses ("I'm not an obnoxious and abrasive [asshole/bitch]; you just can't handle how edgy and strong I am!"). You know, characters that have the same (lack of) reaction towards finding a bleeding child or as they do being given free ice cream and are convinced a troubled past, some impressive feats and two "Aww, (s)he's not so bad!" moments absolves them of all personal responsibility for their awful/sociopathic behavior.

• Welfare submissives.