Tehthu -1

[Ghazgkull]

So I have to vent a little bit, guys. I'm feeling really disappointed that Tehthu was brought back. Not just disappointed... after my brother told me about it, I don't even want to log in. I'm trying to understand why I feel this way, because my own reaction took me by surprise...

I am 100% behind bringing back DreamStruck player characters. People worked hard to build those characters and they were taken away by a simple evoking of an art. Lots of effort wiped away by a simple act. It makes sense all this time later to give those characters back.

But the Tehthu thing isn't the same. That character wasn't DreamStruck and wasn't removed by a simple evoking of an art. Months of roleplaying with dozens of characters went into that. It was a major storyline and became a notable part of the game lore. Bringing back DreamStruck PCs returned to people the fruits of their labor. Bringing back Tehthu takes it away.

I know as soon as I log in I'm gonna get approached IC about Tehthu's return. And I'm being honest... I just feel like I don't *want* to try to RP the fact that someone decided to throw out my character's greatest accomplishment.

I'm hoping the feeling blows over but in the meantime I just have to get it off my chest.

- Jared

[Ghazgkull]

Sorry, this is gonna turn into my own little therapy thread. I keep thinking about this and what a bad idea it was...

Tehthu was such a legendary enemy in the game. It was probably the single longest story arc after the HC/DOL feud. The GMs back in the Lyra days seemed to understand this and so they played Tehthu sparingly. He wasn't just a darkmare that ran around fighting people... because that's not scary. Instead, Tehthu was used as a roleplaying vehicle. And when it came time to finally wrap up that story arc, it was done well.

The Tehthu story was ended in epic fashion. It was a huge event involving dozens of players from all factions of the game, with tons of side stories, drama and intrigue that culminated in a memorable end.

And now... Peek a boo? He's back? Ugh. I don't know how to describe the feeling. It's like Michael Jordan coming out of retirement. Or George Lucas editing the new Anakin ghost into the end of Return of the Jedi. When something is finished well, it's better to just leave it alone.

- Jared

P.S. I totally recognize my massive personal bias in this, but I just gotta vent to try to get over it.

[Roleplayer]

I understand your sentiment as a player. Months went into RPS in SOT. The Dominion played out from Mydnight Suns prophecies and playing with a portal on Edgeward, to her death and unleashing demons, finally the Inbetween and the purge. Many players worked hard for months in the front IC up to the Gm's in the background to support it. Players worked hard to run those rps. Are suppose to forget in a blink of an eye? Some RPS should die, others will simmer slowly and dwindle out. In the meantime others will take rashes of shit for being requested to account for another versions history. Mind you the antagonistic RP last night was good till it turned into a three ring circus. Rping went out the window.. and insults were slung that is what bothers me the most.

[Gerroz]

I agree with ghaz here. If tehthu was to reappear, there should have been a major rp around it.

[Koi-Wish]

I understand your frustration with Tehthu, truly I do. Personally I didn't even want to drive him but to drive a brand new dark mare of unforeseen power. In retrospect quite honestly, I wouldn't have brought him back into the City - but he did strike fear into dreamers once upon a time and it was nice to insight that sort of reaction again. The RP value behind the storyline that we were playing out also made bringing back DMs from Lyra days such a tasty treat for the players. Your right Tehthu was an RP tool so if he was "gone" it closed a story book, to open it likely wasn't a good call. My initial thought process was very simple behind it - Tehthu's Oblivion simply didnt "kill" Tehthu but sort of put him in permanent isolation which was undone with the Clash of Dreams and now he would be struggling to regain his Generalship. But undoing that also undid years of Roleplaying. I concur in retrospect he should have just stayed there/gone. Unfortunately now, HE is here, and we can't simply say "ooops" and stop driving him. I am open to suggestions on where to go from here.

[Ghazgkull]

Wish, this is such a non-Lyra reply I don't know if my brain can process it. Don't you know you're supposed to fight as hard as you can to invalidate/discredit any negative feedback from players?

I appreciate an actual human response, though. It makes me at least feel like I'm not the only one in the "Now what?" boat. I still have no idea how to play it, though. And a big part of the problem is my bad memory. Prior to Tehthu reappearing, I've already talked to Starfall OOC and neither of us can remember most of the details of what went into killing Tehthu. It being so long ago and being such a "closed case", I don't have the background knowledge anymore to explain how it could have magically come undone or what my character should do about it.

Will continue trying to think of something. If I can muster some idea, I'll log back in.

- Jared

[Ghazgkull]

Hmm. Wish, your post actually just helped me realize why this whole thing has totally sapped my enthusiasm to play. It's not just the "George Lucas messing with our story" problem (though that's a big disappointment).

Because of my character's place in the story, I have the feeling that it's somehow on me to explain this In Character. And for whatever reason (the George Lucas effect? the trashing of my character's legacy?) I just don't want to. Now I think that's what has me feeling like I don't even want to log in. The feeling that it's somehow in my lap.

I told my wife about this (poor lady, has to listen to my stupid UL stories) and she actually came up with a few plausible explanations that could resolve themselves quickly and without undoing all of the previous storyline. She watches a lot of Sci-Fi.

- Jared

[Lunk]

I know as soon as I log in I'm gonna get approached IC about Tehthu's return. And I'm being honest... I just feel like I don't *want* to try to RP the fact that someone decided to throw out my character's greatest accomplishment.

I'm hoping the feeling blows over but in the meantime I just have to get it off my chest.

- Jared

I heard in character ( i dont know for sure since I'm supposed to be Idoalecean ) that Starfall also struck Tehthu ... I would say that was upsetting her also and that it does kind of go along with struck dreamers coming back to the dream... its a clash of dreams theme and so that would mean that some kind of cosmic collision of dreamers and yes even nightmares have collided, who's to say that after you get struck that some kind of Cosmic type thing might happen to bring you to a different varient? as far as in character reasons the SoT dreamers showing up in this city is extremely strange even as a Stand Alone thing. keep that in mind

[Starfall]

I'm going to second Ghaz on this, and I realize that's a reversal of what folks thought my opinion was. It's actually a reversal of what I thought my opinion was until last night. In beta when we were all goofing around it was really satisfying. Part of me was kind of looking forward to seeing him again for round two. But then when I found out Tehthu was out and about, I just felt a sinking feeling like what Ghaz said. Having to tack on "So I guess we didn't actually accomplish much" when talking about it was disconcerting.

It was at least 18 months of wrangling on my part and others to get those shards into the hands of people who would use them instead of horde the shards without reforging the blades. Finally brokering the last deal was a huge personal victory, since I was doing all the dealing as a free spirit. Being involved in the final striking was icing on the cake. It felt like a strange achievement to have taken back.

Wish, thanks for that reply. <3 It does mean a lot.

Lunk: So far IC, I think I've done my best to always cite Ghaz in that too. It happened simultaneously.

As far as suggestions. . . I've got a few. Hit me up on IRC sometime.

[Ghazgkull]

I've now heard a story I can get behind. I'm back in the saddle.

Thanks for the free therapy session, everyone.

[Koi-Drama]

I was waiting for the latest controller of Tehthu to chime in before I responded. I wanted to thank you all for your honest input and I assure you, no one will be penalized for speaking their mind in a civil manner. Some of the GMs will make from time to time, no one is perfect. We have some team members that are entirely brand new to the process and are learning as we go along while others are getting back into the swing of things.

I mentioned some time ago, this team will be a transparent one in most cases. When I was approach about bringing Tehthu back, my first response was "he's dead, how are we going to justify his return." We discussed the matter briefly and viola, Tehthu dreamt again. However, as one of my characters is fond of saying - things are never as they seem...

Stay tuned.

And as always, please remember to utilize roleplaying@koiware.com and keep the Kois up to date.

[Star Scream]

Completely understand everyone's input but lets not call dreamstriking characters in the game a minor deal. Myself and most of all GeRRoZ took years of heat and IC conflict due to striking people and now those people are welcome to return and we are all for it. As for Tehthu, I had a "calsified blade" and also lost dreamsoul when we were all in CoD for the epic final encounter with Tehthu so even though I wasn't on Ghaz or Starfalls level, I played part like many others did and at first I was excited about Tehthu coming back. I also lost an additional 10 dreamsoul to striking Tehthus army general Grudash and striking Avrax in a side story that Lyra had were Tehthu could have possessed Avraxs avatar. So, Tehthu is a HUGE part of the Star Scream storyline.

All that being said, now that Tehthu is back and doesn't seem as menacing, I am disappointed with it but see the turn in the storyline angle and like were it is NOW headed.

Just remember Jared, your one of the all time great rooleplayers of our community, you can always find a way to make Ghaz Tehthus eternal nemesis by finding a way IC to tell him, nice try buddy but hell no your dead and farther prove your legacy to the new players.

It always works out when you take contol IC and kick ass.

Al

[Sidious]

So far, in game, nobody really buys that it's actually Tehthu, and so I think that's something to play with. The mare isn't as powerful as we knew him, and Kruugaar said it's not him too, so it's easy enough to just play through it that way. I think it's set up nicely to explain it in a way that keeps Tehthu dead and have it mean something else entirely.