Communism - Discussion Thread

[Marigold Gamgee]

Ala really liked it and told me to do what I will, so I've started a thread for my little idea.... Here's how it goes... I've been thinking about this for some time, and I was considering writing a story about it. Then I realised that I might not be able to do it to best advantage alone, and that it'd make a great RPG. So, of course, my friends the Rivendellers would be best to share it with me. But it's kind of creepy. The story is as follows:

It's basically a bureaucracy in junior high/high school. It's sort of science-fictiony, and is based upon the class system in junior high, mostly.... the rigid social structures based upon race, friends, and grades... So it would be a story of life in, say, eighth grade. Eighth is good because we've all been in eighth, and in my experience that seems to be where this sort of thing is at its height. So... when someone enters the school, the counselor would call in the leaders of the various social groups, and they would review openings for positions and place the incoming student in a certain category and position. For instance, there might be openings in the social structure for one geek, two important goths, one less-important prep, and three weird kids... Or something like that. And the person would be helped in choosing a position, and made to stick with it and conform. "Helped" is a bit of a euphemism, actually... the leaders would choose. Basically a form of communism. It could be a fascinating social study, I think.

So, we would probably need the following characters.... (and gender doesn't really matter, but I think of them all as females, and we might as well all play girls if we want to....)

~A girl who's new at the school, and has to be put in a certain group, and struggles to fit in. She might rebel against her allocation. - Mari

~A girl who's in one group and wants to be in another, so she's trying to rid herself of one company and attach herself to another. - Elbie

(These two would be the main characters, most likely).

~The leader of the preps. - Firi

~The leaders of the goths. - Ala and Takua (Saphie): they both wanted to be the goth leader, so they're co-leaders.

~The leader of the geeks (optional). - Lëo

~A floater, someone who isn't particularly a member of any group and has acquantances everywhere. There's only really room for one or two of these in each school. - Mip

I think six characters will be enough, but there's probably room for one or two more. We'd also want to showcase the hostility between the groups, especially preps and goths. I realise that several of us have homeschooled all their lives, and may know almost nothing about this. In that case, they can use what they do know, and those of us who've experienced it can always explain and give advice...

EDIT: It would be modern, and I don't have a name yet.... A Study in Social Groupings? Life in a Rigid Class Environment? Grades and Groups? Death and Taxes?

[Amarië]

I'll type up a character as soon as I'm allowed to be on..

[Marigold Gamgee]

Ahh, spiff. Thank'ee. You suggested "Life in Communism," Ala, and I think I'll just stick with "Communism".... because I've thought of some additions that will make it fit even better.

What if it's in a boarding school? An all-girls boarding school, but then all boarding schools only admit one gender, right? Then we could all play girls (which would make things easier, because I imagine most of us know more about the social structures and tendencies of females), and the environment would be more hostile. If you don't have any friends at boarding school, you're all alone. So things could get interesting.

Now, I don't want to take the best character, or one that anyone else wanted, or anything like that, but is it alright if I play the new girl? I think that would be a fun role, and I've been in that position often enough myself....

[Lëowen]

Scnifty idea....can I play the leader o' the geeks? Woo!
Please? ^^

I can type up a character bio in a bit..but someone has commanded me to go post in other threads first...*shifty look*


Edit:
Here you go. I might add some more to the history tomorrow.

Name: Aine Fletcher (woo, creative last name ^^)

Age: 14

Social Group: Geeks

Ranking: Leader

Description: Aine is average height, with short dark brown hair and thick-rimmed black glasses. She usually wears long sleeved collared shirts, a plaid tie, and pocket protectors to keep up appearances. Her only jewelry is the One Ring on a silver chain.

Bio: Quiet and calculating, Aine can be pretty e-vile at times, though not in conventional ways. She hates the Preps, and she normally stays out of the Goths’ way. Fluent in both Quenya and Klingon, rumour has it that she reads the encyclopedia for fun. She can be really freaky when she wants to be, and is scarily creative, especially when it comes to devising methods of torture involving calculus and the like. She’s usually found lurking in the library.

History: Aine was sent to the boarding school when she was eleven, and worked her way through the Geeks’ ranks slowly, only becoming leader last year. She's into manga and anime, too, and before boarding school she used to cosplay in the mall, which she misses. She's German, and can speak it, but her parents moved from Germany to the US before she was born. She'd love to see Germany, but, alas, has never had the chance.

[Marigold Gamgee]

Ooh... I think I would get along with Aine! Huzzah for thee! I was right in my 'prediction'! ;D ;D ;D

Accepted, o' course! And thank'ee muchly for thy contribution! You'll add to the history? Hmm... Someone with a history... Spiff.

Aww... everyone likes my idea.. I feel so loved.

By the way, remember that a boarding school would have uniforms. Aine's attire fits in, but it would have to be a fairly lenient school... the shirts are perfect, a variation on uniform, and I'm not sure whether she'd be allowed to wear the rest during class.... We'll just say she can. Heh.

One more thing.... You'll probably want to include your rank or status in your character form, as Lëo did... and the reason you got sent to boarding school is something you may wish to include in your history.

[Lëowen]

Ah yes, one other thing that Mari wished for me to say.
Boarding schools usually have uniforms, but since that would interfere with there being goths and preps, each group has its own uniforms. Like, the geeks' uniform is what Aine wears, and the goth uniform is different, as is the preps'.

I suppose the leader of the group gets to decide the uniform, but I'm not sure.
Mari?

[Marigold Gamgee]

Sure, sure, just make it... uniformy.

[elberethvarda]

Name: Lydia Arnwen

Age: 14

Social Group: The Wanting-to-be transfered girl ;-D

‘Ranking’: Low, very low

Description: Lydia has black, wavy shoulder-length hair. Her skin is a cinnimon-y color, owing to her Indian bacround. She is rather short, only 5' 2", and is average in the weight area.

Personality: Lydia is very much of a do-er. If she wants something done she will do everything in her power to do it, without any regard for anyone, thing or rule that might get in her way. She's very sarcastic, and when you talk to her, it's very hard to tell when she's actually being serious. She openly voices her opinion, and isn't afraid of speaking out against someone. Lydia loves to sing, but you never hear her do so in front of someone.

History: Lydia's parents separated when she was ten. She has lived with her mother ever since, but grew so bitter against both her parents that her mom finally had enough and sent her to boarding school.

EDIT: Is making her have an ethnic backround okay? If not, I can change it.

[Mippin]

voot! I'm only at school, so I'm just not here yet. Soo.. sorry about the icons not working. They'll work soon.

I'd love to be the floater. ^^

Name: Paige Dagmar
Nickname: Dagger (call me anything and I'll bludgeon ya)
Age:14
Social Group: Floater
Ranking: I'm my own person. Bwahahaa.
Description: Dagger is rather tall and fairly fit. She's got medium lengthed black hair layered...a lot. And has flaming green eyes. She usually wears black, but isn't a goth. She also wears a tie with the british flag on it. Not to mention she's got a lovely English accent.

Sorry, I'm being run off now. I'll be back on Tuesday! Farewell for now.

[Marigold Gamgee]

Huzzah that ye could make it for that little bit o' time, at least! ;D I'm sure Lëo's the one who told you about this so that you came here... But then again, p'raps not.

Both character forms accepted! Huzzah! And Lëo was right after all... I'm sensing something. You can't be always right and psychic. It's just not fair! Well, no, wait. Firi's always right and people have to do what she says. Fine. You can be always right and psychic as well. *pouts* Just you wait until I get a Scientific Principle!

*ahem* Yes, so anyway, I don't see anything wrong with giving her an ethnic background, Elbie. I assume you mean Indian as in the country? If you were asking in reference to how her race would affect social relations, I don't think there would be a great deal of problem there. In my experience, if there were more than one or two other girls of Indian heritage, then she would most likely spend all her time with them and not with the majority. But if Lydia is the only Indian girl, or if there are only one or two others, I think she'd blend quite well. Unless, since you said that her rank was very low, you want to introduce racial tension as well. She could be very low because the leader of whatever group she's in is prejudiced... whatever you want. Oh, and you may want to note which group she's in and which group she wants to transfer to. If you haven't decided, that's fine, though.

One more thing: When we start, the new girl will have to have a conference with the counselor and the leaders of the groups (Paige might be there as well). The counselor doesn't really need to be a developed character, so everyone can just go ahead and use her in your posts when necessary. I suppose she'll just be one of those characters that gets taken along with the story and written by anyone who needs to write her.

Firi has ordered me to just post the form for the new girl, and Lëo thinks I should, too. I don't have time now, but I'll edit this post with the character form later. Now I wish I still had that book of Celtic names...

[elberethvarda]

Are the Goths, Preps, and Geeks the only groups we have? If so... I'm not sure..

[Marigold Gamgee]

They're the only groups we have, yes. They're pretty much the basic social groups in this sort of setting. If there is a group I've overlooked that's completely independent of these three, please tell me.

[Amarië]

Name: Lora Artapel
Age: 14
Social Group: Goths
‘Ranking’: Co-leader
Description: Lora doesn't care what people think of her. She does whatever she wants and that attitude has gotten her on top. She doesn't always wear black, but that is her usual colour of attire. She has several bracelet bands that she wears on both arms along with, same with necklaces.
Bio: Mainly keeps to herself unless provoked, in which she will most likely react. She strongly dislikes the preppy people, and stays out of their way, though if they annoy her too much she will react by breaking several school rules.
History: Her parents never got along and would fight a lot when she lived with them, so she was sent to foster care when she was eight. Her foster parents sent her to the boarding school when she was ten, where she made her way up the rankings and became co-leader of the Goths along with, Ravyn Bishop, whom she is close friends with but throughout the friendship has had been uncertain how true of friends they were.

---

TigSignItTog: uh...make it ironic, name her a prep name...like Ashley

hahaha... *falls over*

is this going to be all a game of back stabbing? *takes out dagger*

[Amarië]

You can't be always right and psychic

ah, but if your psychic, you can know the answer, and be right! I think..

ah.. wow.. theres some things I need to edit about mine... but I'm not sure if I should do so... will get to it later... 'cos I'm supposed to be off now... hopefully no one will notice.. shhh..

they both wanted to be the goth leader, so they're co-leaders

no... I never said I wanted it.. you said it was the only one left!

[Lëowen]

no... I never said I wanted it.. you said it was the only one left!

Silence. You want it now! No more complications for you. *shifty look*