Polling the Community about Dead Threads: What Becomes of Our Hero Now?

[Lapin Chéri]

So here's my question for the Community of Ensnared.

Our hero charges into a Lair and gets into a battle.  Either the battle is ongoing, or he or she gets captured.  A month later... no more posts.

What happens to characters lost in a thread that will never be resolved.  Do we count them as MCIA, or should they be able to stagger back with some gaps in their memory when the people they started the thread with have abandoned that story?

For those of us who have spent time and energy on characters we wish exploited in every conceivable way.. (and perhaps even win occasionally, but that is a question for an entirely different thread)  how can we get our heroes back on track when they get stuck in Limbo?

Your thoughts please:

[DrgnmastrAlex]

Well, you pose a good question.  Personally, I think said heroes who fall and then wind up in dead threads or stories should have a second go.  I've only experienced this once or twice before, but its frustrating when you put up a hero in a mission, and then the mission sits in limbo for half a year.  In this case, I don't think anybody would blame you if you pulled that hero out (even after two months, or maybe even one) to use them somewhere else.  A hero needs to show off!

As for those who DM a mission or a thread (usually I consider those playing the Mistress DM'ing, due to the old D&D standby "the DM's out to kill you with monsters and traps"), it is frustrating when one of the heroes who's in the group doesn't post for three to four months (not naming names, they know who they are, but I don't blame them one bit).  In this case, I recommend an action I like to call "Using the DM Stick".  In other words, you use either authority as organizer of that particular thread, or group consensus (many times both) to make said hero "disappear" from the thread.  This saves the hero for that player to use later and keeps the thread going.

As for heroes captured, having some fun, then nothing, I think that's up to the ones with the captured hero and the one in charge of the mistress who captured them.  All of us are reasonable here, so most of the time things are left to be picked up for one-on-one RP through chat or a sandbox/lair thread.  The question is, what about those who don't actively do that?  What should be done?


Honestly, I'm asking you guys.  I've put my points, but on the last one, I've no clue.  Any thoughts?

[AC DF]

I'm pretty much word for word with Alex on this one. If you can't get ahold of the players involved and they haven't responded in say a week or so, then I say you're within your right to save your character.

[RyuForce]

Good point Lapin and good answer Alex. What more can be said? 

Still it should be case by case. Of course if a person says they will be gone for a long time then it's probably good not to pull them out. Now of course if there is no word or no clue and nothing was said between each person then it's safe to assume the rp is dead. Course keep in mind some people (me) are forgetful and reminding them may help.

[Omega]

Alex gave the best answer, but yeah be reasonable about things and nobody will mind. I think we've all gotten stuck in dead threads before and it's pretty frustrating. Nobody'd blame you for pulling your hero out.

[Slixer]

that answer pretty much answer everything.... ever... forever.

[Lapin Chéri]

Thankyou, that did answer my question.  It sounds like we have a general consensus on pulling characters who are stuck too long and just making something up.