The Wild West Roleplay: Part Three - The Outlaws

By Bixyl Shuftan

Since January, the Newser has been looking at the Wild West Roleplay. The region is a twenty-three sim area of varying terrains from desert to forest to mountain, but all are in the theme of the American Old West  Our first article was about getting started and making some cash. The second was about the Native American/Indian tribes. But while dealing with the Indians could be a little complex for the cowboys and settlers, there was no doubt about where they stood with another classic character of a Western story: the outlaw. Called by other names such as bandit and badman, he was out to rob you plain and simple.

In the Wild West Roleplay, there are some outlaw players. Some are in gangs. Others are usually alone, though may temporarily team up. One I ran into at a saloon was Spin (Spin Stooge). He had first heard about the Wild West Roleplay "'bout three 'n a half years ago. (I) started out in Tombstone (another western roleplay area), I was a lawman of some sorts as an Arizona ranger, then some outlaws from there asked me to come here and be a outlaw with them. So I did and been here ever since." Asking him about his character, he told me, "Well, I decided to be a preacher outlaw, using being a preacher as a front, my character is a conman and wears mask and robs banks. Being a traveling preacher, I can rob banks in every territory." The preacher act was purely just that, an act, "to earn peoples trust before I rob them, or their town I should say."

Spin knew another outlaw whom went about openly while planning robberies in secret, "We have another outlaw. Believe it or not he is a dress maker, and that's his front. He also starts a lot of conspiracy, he will use false documents and post it on mines and such claiming the mine belongs to him. He and I pull off a lot of bank jobs together. When there's a job that takes more then one person to do we team up (A) little of that. (A) little of conning people like selling them property to homestead that someone else already owns. I even tried selling a burning house once that belonged to the district attorney here in Bear River. ... we do 'bout anything to make coins. Then you have just the average scum of outlaws and gangs that ride in as a group and rob banks then return to their hideouts."

When I asked him about any close calls, Spin answered, "Oh I always get found out one way or another there is a witness, that's what makes the RP fun, and adds to it so others can roleplay, because then courts involved and judges, attorneys, and juries. (I) think when I first started here, I was fairy new to RP, and I shot a Federal judge. He wanted to kill his character off, so he decided to die. Then I had a posse of a marshal and five deputies come after me.We had a good shoot out. I got a couple of them, but at the end they shot me down, then healed me up in jail and was going to hang me. Then my old gang back then came and busted me out of jail before they could hang me. (I) think that was one the funnest." I asked what was the funny part. Spin answered, "Oh, I guess the fact they let the marshal and new judge almost hang me before they reacted to free me. They made me sweat it out a bit. (It) was one them last minute rescues. Was funny to them, but not funny at my end."

On another occasion, "I even had talked an Indian maiden into sneaking me a gun threw the jail house bars. She was sweet on me, and I asked her to get me a gun and she did." Other than these, he had never been caught, though there had been close calls, "Marshals and deputies and sheriffs had tried. But except for that one time they have never brought me in unless I let them so they could RP court for a minor charge. Like the time I was cleaning my gun and it discharged, and shot a fancy lady that just got off the stage for a lay over. But they decided it was a accident in court and charges was dismissed. Lady wasn't happy bout it , but so be it."

I asked if his character ever tried to justify his robberies, or just flat out admitted he was a bandit, Spin answered, "Oh when I steal from banks it's justified. I tell folks im just collecting donations from the bank to build a church. That basically that the Wells Fargo money bags on my saddle wasn't stoled they was donated. Just a little fib you know."

Spin concluded, "(I) just hope lot folks read your paper and can see the fun and humor in RPing on a Western sim. It's not always serious. We have lot fun, and hope more people will want come and try it out , and fill up these sims so we can have a lot more roleplay."

Earlier on, Goneigh, the equine owner of Titingham took me to see the "Whiskey Riders," a bandit gang. The one we talked to was Škÿlér (skylercloud), a woman in the gang whom appeared to us in a bunny mask, in front of the gang's hangout. "We mess around RP-ing capturing people and setting things on fire," she told us, saying the group had been around for five years, "I've been off and on here around five years too, and my friends are what keep me around. I love 'em, they family." When asked if while roleplaying she made friends and associates, she agreed, "and enemies (laughter). Rival gangs. We capture and steal from 'em." Leilyna Delvor (Leilyna Resident), whom overheard us from the building, added, "We also rob banks." "Looooots of money." Skyler told us.

I asked Skyler about her mask. She answered, "It's my gang mask, so (the) law can't tell who I am. But I also go by 'Bunny.'" Goneigh remarked he heard a story, "I think she had the name of her last boyfriend tattooed across her forehead. But after she killed him for cheating, she wears a mask to cover his name and her shame." Skyler burst out laughing, complementing the equine on his imagination, then saying "Well I'm adorable and so are bunnies."

As we were talking, the other two bandits inside the building, Harley Buu (HastaLaVista555 Resident) and Twist (sweetsiner99 Resident), had been talking. Suddenly Harley got down on one knee in front of the lady, "Twist, you are the most amazng woman I've ever met., and I want you badly. So....will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?" The woman was surprised, stammering a little in her answer, "Ummm, will you be faithful to me, catch me dinner, take care for my girls?" Harley answered, "Of course. You're all the woman I need." She then answered "Yes." Harley went, "Oh my God, I'm so happy." So there was more to being an outlaw than stealing cash, but also sometimes stealing hearts.

That's it for now about the Wild West Roleplay. Until next time, happy trails.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Colorado/190/105/944

Third picture credit: Shyshammie

Bixyl Shuftan

The Wild West Roleplay: Part Two - Meet The Natives

By Bixyl Shuftan

In January, the Newser wrote about the Wild West Roleplay, a twenty-three sim area of connected roleplay sims with Old West themes that ranged from desert to mountain to forested to town. There are a variety of roles one could play, from cowboy, to soldier, to outlaw, to American Indian. The first article dealt with getting started, getting the HUD and a few freebies at the starting point in Colorado, and how one can make a little RP cash by mining and smelting bars, and make a few basic items. But a roleplay is more than just making money and things, and there's more to the place than being a miner or a smith.

It was probably appropriate that the first people of the roleplay I came across after Goneigh, the owner of Titingham or "Indian Wilds," were representing the Old West's original inhabitants: American Indians. The first two people he introduced me to were Grey Wolf (Fairy Randt), and Ipa-Cik-Ala (Spiritkiss Snook) two shamen of the Ogllala Lakota village. They had moved to the sim this month, previously making their home area in the Oregon sim, having created their tribe two and a half years ago.

So what's life like in an Indian village. Usually it's peaceful enough, Ipa-Cik-Ala saying, "As shaman, I do my prayer morning and night. My husband like to go scouting, and I cook." But it turned out earlier things were not typical, "Today we had some action, a stupid pawnee like to make trouble and say bad things. My husband Tashunke Witka and war chief Lone Wolf captured him. We interrogated him and then he got away (TPed out). But I learned a lot. ... I had a feeling who he was." So what would they do next? Ipa-Cik-Ala answered, "The natives have a council every week. They are usually good to go to."

Ipa-Cik-Ala described typical council business as, "matter of events being planed, training, wedding, who is fighting who." I asked how many weddings happen around the place. She answered, "There was one last week in Sonora." Grey Wolf told, "I have done approximately seven weddings." Ipa-Cik-Ala commented, "(We) Oglala, we take our time. There is a ritual you have to go through." ?
"Same with tsa la gi (Cherokee)," Grey Wolf added. Asking what the ritual involved, I was told, by Ipa-Cik-Ala "The weddings are all alike, except the fast way where the chief blesses the wedding by there tepi. I was married in Cherokee, very magical. ... I like helping in the Cherokee way."

I asked about the trading of goods between the tribes. Ipa-Cik-Ala told me, "A Oglala warrior named truc. He travels to all the lands an' trades. He is the best at it. There are also G & S items here." When the question of how many tribes there were in the Wild West Roleplay came up, she answered "Five or six, I think." It turned out some of the tribes down south were what Goneigh called "German-speak" tribes, "It is a bit of a fad in Germany." Ipa-Cik-Ala added, "Yes, I began here with the Germans."

Talk turned to other things about the roleplay. Goneigh commented, "As an animal, I stand on a pasture to eat, and stand on a lake to drink,  and try not to get injured from wild predators." Among the hazards here were what Goneigh called "static predators, bison, boars, gators and rattle snakes..  and active RP predators , wolves, mountain lions, bobcats and jaguars. All things that were around in the wild west days. The HUD allows for health and damage control and the weapons used will register hits on your health. Animals can combat using their teeth and claws, and hooves." Ipa-Cik-Ala remarked, "The wolves respect Goneigh."

Goneigh went on, "The humans will need to mine minerals and gather wood and ingredients to make necessary things. Some things that they make take considerable time to build." "Traps are the hard job," Ipa-Cik-Ala added, "I make them for my husband. He traps an' gives me the meat."

Goneigh reminded, "This is not a shoot-em-up place. (The) roleplay must be consistent with genre. And random attacks are not allowed without some kind of RP first. Once a fight has started properly, it is actually a running shoot-em up. Not uncommon to see several soldiers and several Indians in a mass fight. ... If you register too much damage you fall unconscious for a preset time limit." Ipa-Cik-Ala added, "And you can be captured."Yeah. if you are unconscious, people, friends or foes, can drag you off. If you fall to a wolf pack, they can drag you to their den." "As a healer, I can sneak in an' drag off people to heal them."

Ipa-Cik-Ala went on to say some of the roleplayers were child avies, "There are about six active kids in camp, but some more than others." So how is camp life for the kids, Ipa-Cik-Ala smiled, "They love the family part. We are like a big family and watch out for each other." Grey Wolf spoke up, "It is time for learning and growing." Ipa-Cik-Ala told me, "Grey Wolf has story time here." Grey Wolf went on, "Each tribe raised dinyotli (children) in different ways based on culture. Usually the grandparents did a lot of (the) teaching, parents busy working do their jobs." "All the women were like Mother an' cooked for anyone hungry." "Dinyotli (children) would help depending on their ages." Goneigh added, "Some of the tribes even have story hour each week." "Stories an the elder tell lessons," Ipa-Cik-Ala told. "My daugther Feather, she had school and told native ways. She is on break, but when she comes back we will do school too. ... Many of the months have ceremonies. A good time to dance an' give thanks."

We soon parted ways, and later on Goneigh would take me to a couple American Indian roleplayers of the Cheyenne tribe, also in Indiana Wilds. They were Taigi (moonstonelust) and Uhaya, the chief. Uhaya was the one who would show me the mine area described in the first article. Besides mining, another way to make cash, Taigi explained, "you can shoot rabbits and sell the skins." One would need a knife of course, either making one, as explained in the first article, or purchasing one from an NPC merchant. Uhaya saying, "If you shoot a rabbit, you need a knife to get the flesh for meat. So you make a blade in the forge, then make a knife from it at the workbench. You need wood for the knife too. You gather wood, like outside of this trading post, then make a log out of it, then use the log plus the blade to make a knife. Because a knife has a handle of course, thus the wood. You can also make axes and traps for animals, and so on. You can get a boar with a trap, and get the meat from it. You can use the axe for melee fighting. So all the different things you gather and make sort of cross-reference each other in ways like that."

So where can one find wood?  Uhaya showed me a few places where wood pieces spawned just outside the trading post and a tree not far from it, "wait a few minutes and new wood will appear, which you can also pick up. So you can gather wood until you have 20 (pieces), then go make logs out of that, then come back and get more wood, and eventually you'll have both wood a logs full in your hud. ...  I like to keep my log and wood stores full. You need logs to make sawdust, which is also a component in dynamite, and other things. Some things take more time and effort than others. Other things are more simple."

There were other things near the trading post one could pic off the ground too, an apple, a tomato, some herbs, and, cannabis? Uhaya explained, "Yes, cannabis is used for some medicines and I think rope too." Further away was an apple tree, which more apples spawned at the bottom. There was also a spot in the water, where one could click a few times and eventually the HUD would show you as full.

Eventually, I would part ways with Chief Uhaya and Taigi, and rode off into the virtual sunset. So that's all for now from the Wild West Roleplay. Until next time, happy trails.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Colorado/190/105/944 

Bixyl Shuftan

The Wild West Roleplay: Part One - Getting Started

By Bixyl Shuftan

There's just something about the Old West that has a deep appeal to people, and not just to Americans. Here, a man could make a new start for himself, whether someone from a large family wanting his own farm, an immigrant wanting more than a factory job but his own home, former slaves and freedmen looking for new opportunities not available in their old home, prospectors looking to strike it rich, businessmen looking to make a buck, adventurers looking to make a name for themselves, lawmen trying to bring order and justice to the frontier, and more. But where there are people, there are always opportunists whom would rather rob or con others than work at making their money honestly, and so there were the outlaws or badmen. And the land wasn't empty. The place was the home of American Indian tribes, either whom had been here since the dawn of history or perhaps having moved here after being forced from the east. How to adapt to the changing times, and yet still preserve their traditions and culture?

Becky Shamen had originally wrote in 2016 about the twenty-three sim Wild-West themed roleplay area she simply called "The Wild West Roleplay Lands." I was recently approached by Goneigh, or "Gone" as his friends call him, who usually goes about in a feral horse avatar. He owns one of the sims of the place, Tittingham, or "Indiana Wilds." He told me he was just one of a number of sim owners there, some owning one, some two or three, whom had banded their locations together so their roleplayers had a huge place to roam around in, from the flat prairies of Oklahoma to the dry desert of western Texas and northern Mexico, to the Rockies. "One sim is nothing," Goneigh told me, "but 23 sims offers much adventure. We have green places, snowy places, and red-dirt places." The entire area combined had no official name, though "Wild West Roleplay" would do for now.

While you can find the RP HUD in most sims, it is recommended that new players start at the store area above the Colorado sim at (190/105/944). follow the gold arrows to a cavern. There you will find a few recommended items for purchase, and a few freebie outfits and weapons. Click the stagecoach, select "to join" and then teleport and go down a tunnel, which leads to a board where you can get the RP HUD, an observer tag, and a copy of the rules. Goneigh felt two rules deserved special notation. One was that this was a plot driven roleplay and not just a "shoot-em-up." Anyone whom just went around shooting people would be treated as a threat by everyone. Goneigh did say there were a few examples of attacks by such people that were later talked about "in character" as attacks by unknown lone badmen. Another rule was one that fans of nonhuman avatars would likely dislike. Like a number of other historical RPs, there's a rule about having to look like someone from the time and place, both in appearance and dress. So one is limited to human avatars, wearing styles of clothing that could be seen in the Old West, or feral animal avatars of domestic and North American animals, such as horses. So while furry avatars aren't within the rules, neither are obviously out of the time period styles of clothing such as punk rock outfits and hairstyles.

The HUD is in a box that has to be set down and opened, but fortunately you can do that in the entry area. It has a number of symbols on the top row, a red bar and a green bar in the middle, and more symbols on the bottom row. The red bar is the health meter, and starts out low when first activated, but soon builds up. When hit by bullets, weapons, or animal attacks, it goes down. When it reaches zero as the result of a fight, the player is considered "defeated," and must wait to recover, or be healed. The top buttons are for, food (such as apples and tomatoes), fluids (such as water), plants (such as herbs), tools, objects, components, and medicine. Two smaller bars under those are for hunger and thirst (okay at the start). On the bottom row, the first button brings up the players coins. The second button takes the player in and out of OOC mode. The third button is for putting the player in a melee position. The fifth button can also put the player in melee mode and toggles male/female sounds. The sixth button brings up webpages explaining some things about the game: meter usage, inventory usage, inventory description, and RP Object description. On the very bottom is a button showing how many coins the player has on hand. Over the player will be displayed the player's health and condition, red when low, orange when medium, and green when good.

In the part of the beginner's area where you get the HUD, you will find a list of some of the administrators. If you have some questions, feel free to answer some questions.

So how can one make money in the RP? At Tittingham, there is a mine in the north, center part of the sim. One can reach it, by going along the river next to the mountain, waliing into what at first looks like just a dent in the mountain wall, but turns out to be a hidden cave. There are spots where one can mine coal, iron, tin, copper, silver, and gold. To mine, get the pickaxe in the hand of one skeleton on the ground and wear it. Then sit on the spot you want to mine. Coal doesn't take long to mine, just 15 seconds to break off a chunk. But each metal takes longer, iron 30 seconds, tin 45, copper 60, silver 90, and gold 120. When ore is mined, it's recorded in your HUD.

There is a furnace nearby where you can smelt ores into bars, and forge the bars into items, such as blades and axeheads, and can also be used to make "blanks," which are used to help make certain other items. Items you make in the furnace are also counted in your HUD. There's also a couple tomatoes that spawn here, as well as some plants and a couple peices of wood.

Along the road in the western part of Tittingham, there are a couple shops. The one slightly further away from the road has some NPC merchants and workstations. NPC characters here will buy and sell certain items at a 50/100 percent cash value. For instance, the blacksmith will buy bronze bars you make from the cave furnace for 23 coins. But it takes 46 to buy one off of him. The merchant will buy your gold bars here for 43 coins. So you could make a little cash here as a miner. But you can also use the bars at the mine to forge items like blades and axeheads at a furnace, and use the workstation to make those items into knives and axes. You'll need wood, which besides in the mine spawns in a spot just outside the store. Five wood pieces can be combined into a log, of which you'll need one apiece to make items like knives, axes, and shovels, along with a "blank" which needs one bronze bar and a coal to make 10. Both items will raise your melee strength in a fight.

Should you meet anyone, remember that you're expected to act and behave like someone in the Old West. Any Out of Character chat is recommended to be in parentheses, or otherwise obvious that it is. These people may include cowboys, lawmen, American Indians, or possibly bandits. The latter may leave new players alone out of courtesy, though there's always the chance encountering them may lead to the player being demanded "Stand and deliver."

So there are a few details about getting started. Later on, we'll discuss more about some of the groups of people, and more. For now

"Gotta head out for now, pardners. Happy trails."

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Colorado/190/105/944

Bixyl Shuftan

New Sponsor: Indiana Wilds Wild West Roleplay

The Second Life Newser has a new sponsor, the Indiana Wilds Wild West Roleplay. The region consists of 23 sims representing various places of the late 1860s western US. One can play as a cowboy, lawman, trader, badman, American Indian, or one of the animals that makes the place their home, such as horses. We'll have an article about the place soon. If you can't wait to get there, head on over to Colorado (190/105/944) to learn more about the roleplay (and pick up a few freebie clothes, weapons, and combat and RP HUD).

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Colorado/190/105/944