RPing childbirth.

[Betheny]

Is it just me, or is this a really gross and kind of disturbing trend?

[CrystalTears]

Do you mean the actual childbirth, or just the pregnancy in general?

I never understood the want to roleplay either, but then again, I don't get the fascination with roleplaying true relationships either.. both are really difficult as it is, I don't see the fun in roleplaying it.

But hey! If that's what creams your twinkie, have at it!

[Betheny]

I've heard of people actually RPing it out. The gushing amniotic fluid, the screaming, the blood, the whole having an empath midwife there and everything.

I can see RPing a relationship, companionship can be fun at times. But isn't roleplaying sex, along with the consequences of sex, kind of taking it too far?

[CrystalTears]

Oh I don't mean roleplaying relationships in general since they can be fun. I've just run across too many people that want to roleplay a "real" relationship that includes having a house together, hunting and being together ALL the time and getting jealous for just talking to someone of the opposite sex. Lighten up!

However roleplaying childbirth? That's just... gross. If people want to roleplay having sex in these relationships, knock yourself out, but going as far making all parts of life THAT realistic. Seems way too much.

[GSLeloo]

Um... I could see like roleplaying the being pregnancy but the actual childbirth? Gross!

[Betheny]

I recall a married couple discussing what sort of birth control they should use once...

[GSLeloo]

Did they even have contraception back then? Or would it be like the lining of a sheeps intestines?

[Betheny]

They were talking spirit barrier 102, don't ask me how.

[GSLeloo]

Wow, what a bunch of idiots. I'm sorry, be creative in your roleplaying all you want, that's just stupid.

[Adhara]

Let me start by saying that I don't see myself ever wanting to roleplay that part of a pregnancy but I don't necessarily find it gross. It's a part of life and while there's a lot of blood and pain on the surface, a miracle is really happening. I'm guessing that's why some people might want to RP it. After all it IS the most intense (and magical, on a spiritual level) moment of the entire child bearing/raising.

If the session takes place in a locked room like a private house I see no problem with it. However I wouldn't approve of it being done in a publicly accessible room where some unsuspecting adventurers could walk in and see something they find offensive.

[GSLeloo]

Actually I think that would be cool. Like if they offered people that had God weddings and a home a chance to also have a child. Homes really need more features to truly make them worth having. I have one but it's pretty pointless, you can have the same thing at a table.
Like if you could grow your own garden or maybe have a kitchen where you could actually cook, just more stuff. That'd be cool.

[Souzy]

How the hell in God's name do you RP child birth? Is someone in that room yelling, "Bare it down!!!!"

[Hips]

Originally posted by GSLeloo
Actually I think that would be cool. Like if they offered people that had God weddings and a home a chance to also have a child. Homes really need more features to truly make them worth having. I have one but it's pretty pointless, you can have the same thing at a table.
Like if you could grow your own garden or maybe have a kitchen where you could actually cook, just more stuff. That'd be cool.


Yes yes yes yes yes! Michi needs a Halfling baby that isn't adopted. And... the garden would be cool too. :thumbsup:

[JustMe]

Kids are okay, RPing a family is great, but RPing childbirth? I'll pass. As magical and mystical as it is in the end, it really, really, REALLY sucks during.

[GSLeloo]

Has anyone ever played Sims? It's actually fun to play cause you can actually do shit in the house. You can build a garden, cook, decorate, have kids, actually do something. The houses in GS truly have no point to them because you can't do anything in them except have a pet and even then, the pet is almost pointless.

[Vesi]

Originally posted by Lady Daina
I just think it's kind of silly since we can't have 'kids' in GS. I mean, you RP a pregnancy, fine. You RP the birth itself... ok, kinda creepy to me, but still fine. But it gets *really* weird when all of a sudden you have an adult child.

Maybe they should make it so that Homeowners could have a child, much the same as a pet (mechanically speaking only, don't throw the rotten fruit at me!) You know, a way to show that you have a child, without having it ever be in any kind of danger.

Then again, maybe it's just the alcohol talking. ::giggle::

Soandso summons their offspring. A baby elf comes through the door and lies at your feet.

tickle elf

You roll around the floor tickling your baby elf.

I just don't see it. There are a few things that should be left in the real world I think.

I know some have roleplayed being pregnant and then always say someone is home taking care of the child, or they send it off to a monastary for schooling, a lord's palace to be brought up as a lady or gentleman, whatever. As long as you don't show up with an adult child after roleplaying a pregnacy.

As for actually roleplaying having the baby... umm... not for me.

Vesi

[Solkern]

Belenai Rped it all was quite funny

[Vesi]

Originally posted by GSLeloo
Has anyone ever played Sims? It's actually fun to play cause you can actually do shit in the house. You can build a garden, cook, decorate, have kids, actually do something. The houses in GS truly have no point to them because you can't do anything in them except have a pet and even then, the pet is almost pointless.

My sister had her Sims baby taken away by child welfare. <snickers>

Vesi

[Ilvane]

heh, I mean..no. I just don't understand why you would want to roleplay it..but I guess it's thier choice to do so.

-A

[GSLeloo]

lol, I had mine taken away once. But it was before i knew how to play. I never had the actual child taken away. And it would be kind of cool to have a baby. And like say you could actually take it out of the house and it cried and shit (always wanted to play house).

[Red Devil]

Originally posted by GSLeloo
Did they even have contraception back then? Or would it be like the lining of a sheeps intestines?

egyptians used crocodile shit as a contraceptic lmfao

[Kia]

Maimara (I'd call you by your first name, but I dunno if you want me to!), I've got something to tell you.

.
.
.
.
.

I'm having your baby!


KIA.

[StrayRogue]

I have seen it done well ONCE, and butchered a good few times. Its the teen sensations like Atheana who think it would be "neat" to have a little baby and then totally fuck it up. If its RPed well though, near enough anything is possible, in an fantasy environment.

[Xcalibur]

Yeah it's gross and as it was said in an other topic, just the fact to be pregnant and hunting is totaly stupid and imaginary

Some people take gemstone too seriously

[Stinkypants]

http://elfonlyinn.keenspace.com/d/20030106.html

[Myshel]

Having children in rl, I have no desire to have them in GS. As far as roleplaying pregnancy, I've seen it done well, (the woman was preggers in rl and brought her experience to her character) but thought the whole thing pointless. Its kind of like the experience in school life classes where the kids wear the pads and then have the mechanical baby for awhile. Its a learning experience but you give it back and like any rp exp. the babies become a memory after awhile.

[ElvenRangeress]

Originally posted by StrayRogue
I have seen it done well ONCE, and butchered a good few times. Its the teen sensations like Atheana who think it would be "neat" to have a little baby and then totally fuck it up. If its RPed well though, near enough anything is possible, in an fantasy environment.

Man you really need to stop putting my name into everything you do! Your starting to scare me :thumbsdown:

[Betheny]

She's a sensation now?

[ElvenRangeress]

Lleonie and Jolena are currently RPing having babies, and they are really doing good at it! ;o)

[Xcalibur]

How do you know they are really doing good at it?

[ElvenRangeress]

Well they haven't had the babies yet, but they are roleplaying being pregnant. They are doing good ... morning sickness etc.!

[Betheny]

I get morning sickness every time I use 130.

[StrayRogue]

Gee, thats the whole gamut of pregnancy isn't it?

[Betheny]

To each his or her own. I guess I'd rather see people RPing pregnancy and childbirth in a fantasy world than doing it for real. Well, unless they want the kid and all of that noise.

[ElvenRangeress]

Some people have some really good ideas. One of my friends are going to use a baby blanket and say theres a baby in it once she has it.

[Betheny]

Hopefully we won't see her putting it in her cloak or backpack or anything like that. Heh.

I wonder if you could get a backpack made into a papoose or something. Then again, papoose would be one of those things some people think is out of character.

[ElvenRangeress]

I actually saw a maternity gown ... Marietta was selling it for 3mil a year ago.

[Betheny]

I think Maimara should squirt out an army of darkness. Yeah!

[Adhara]

There's already been a thread on RPing pregnancies but I feel the need to state again that any woman pregnant and still hunting is not "doing it well."

I've heard all the excuses. "If empaths can heal me they can heal my baby" yeah yeah. Well maybe they can but the fact that you choose to put the baby's life at risk just because you know if can be mended later speaks volumes about what kind of sweet loving mother you'll be.

Sorry if I was a bit off-topic but the whole pregnancy roleplay gets on my nerves to no end. At least the childbirth roleplay can be done in only one session.

[CrystalTears]

Originally posted by ElvenRangeress
Some people have some really good ideas. One of my friends are going to use a baby blanket and say theres a baby in it once she has it.

Yeah I've seen people use those to imply the baby inside of it. I'm not sure if the boutique still has it since I don't hang out in the landing much, but it used to have a baby room and sold blankets, little booties, baby gowns and such. I guess Simu was all for the pregnancy and children thing if they were selling those. Never understood it though.

[GSLeloo]

Aw.. booties! I think they should get that room back again.

[Caramia]

Here's my opinion: Women think if they have babies in GS, it somehow solidifies or permantizes their relationship with their man in the game. Those who have never had a child in real life are probably the ones attempting to roleplay what they learn on TV. Men might find the idea of the love of his life bearing his child a great ego boost or empowering. But when they get tired of their formerly sexy babe's whining about being sick, her aching back, her tired feet, and failure to sit or lie down comfortably, they're ready to look for some slinky babe to slither around with.

You think morning sickness is the epitome of pregnancy? Get a clue. I'll agree with Adhara here, hunting women that get severely wounded or even die, aren't roleplaying pregnancy well. Pregnant women don't knowingly endanger the fetus unless they're complete morons or users. And morning sickness usually only happens during the first trimester, until your body adjusts to all the hormones. So if they're "showing" and puking, they're idiots.

[Pallon]

Originally posted by Lady Daina
I think if they gave a papoose a less Native American sounding name it'd be fine. I mean, I'm sure they had slings or some sort of carrier for babies back then... especially if they had to ride a horse. Might be worth looking up info on if someone was really interested in the idea. :)

You are wearing a reinforced iron-banded war harness with a squalling infant secured to it

[ElanthianSiren]

Originally posted by Caramia
You think morning sickness is the epitome of pregnancy? Get a clue. I'll agree with Adhara here, hunting women that get severely wounded or even die, aren't roleplaying pregnancy well. Pregnant women don't knowingly endanger the fetus unless they're complete morons or users. And morning sickness usually only happens during the first trimester, until your body adjusts to all the hormones. So if they're "showing" and puking, they're idiots.


What she said. My PC had kids, but I RP'd them as being adopted. In the game, it got to the point where there were very few I'd associate with. You don't need to RP the whole bit in my opinion just because of the thematic framework that GS gives you: You're an adventurer in a strange land. That being said, the family my PC did adopt was close enough to fight and die for. Blood is not thicker than water. Emotion is.


-Melissa

[Myshel]

I think the only way to realistically rp having a baby is do the preggers thing and then the blanket thing for awhile .. then roll up a character to rp with, keep them young for awhile and dependant. After awhile they can go off and do their thing.. grow up fast!

[Warriorbird]

I think it's corny in general, but can be done well with effort. One of those "deep" RP stunts to do in a MUD, like having multiple personalities or RPing a possession.

[SpunGirl]

I've seen it done well. I'd like to think I know the difference.

RPing PREGNANCY and CHILDBIRTH is one thing. Rolling up a "kid" walking around with a shield and falchion ten seconds after their birth is just idiotic.

So, your character has a kid, what do you do with it? Shove it in a blanket and carry it around all day, OK. One girl I know leaves hers in the house and says her "nursemaid" is tending to it.

Then there's always the ever-popular medeival option of sending them away for fostering for nine or ten years. The pregnancy isn't the issue, it's the kids that don't make any sense.

-K

[The Cat In The Hat]

Originally posted by Lady Daina
I just think it's kind of silly since we can't have 'kids' in GS. I mean, you RP a pregnancy, fine. You RP the birth itself... ok, kinda creepy to me, but still fine. But it gets *really* weird when all of a sudden you have an adult child.

Maybe they should make it so that Homeowners could have a child, much the same as a pet (mechanically speaking only, don't throw the rotten fruit at me!) You know, a way to show that you have a child, without having it ever be in any kind of danger.

Then again, maybe it's just the alcohol talking. ::giggle::

Like the sims! haaha! Have a baby for three days then its going to school!

-Cat

[ElvenRangeress]

Hehehe so true!

[Warriorbird]

:shrugs: Just an extension of playing dolls, I suppose.

[ElvenRangeress]

Thanks for reminding me of the sims, think I'm gonna go download the halloween items for them, and play the game *laugh*

[Edited on 10-2-2003 by ElvenRangeress]

[Warriorbird]

My little sister's eerie playing that. She turned my parents into her "kids" and then drowned them. I suppose I'd take all the pregnancies more seriously if they seriously had things at stake....I think those characters who play things out as seriously at stake in a pregnancy do it better. In addition, the families who are dark elves and Giantkin and spontaneously have REAL Halfling children just don't do it for me.

[ElvenRangeress]

Originally posted by Warriorbird
My little sister's eerie playing that. She turned my parents into her "kids" and then drowned them. I suppose I'd take all the pregnancies more seriously if they seriously had things at stake....I think those characters who play things out as seriously at stake in a pregnancy do it better. In addition, the families who are dark elves and Giantkin and spontaneously have REAL Halfling children just don't do it for me.

Lol! She's just like me! :lol:

[Artha]

I think it'd end the first time the mother got hit in the stomach or died.

[Vesi]

The boutique doesn't have the baby stuff anymore. I used to buy baby booties and when I ran across snerts that stayed snerts my character would get out a pair of booties and say... These seem more fitting footwear for you. Then I'd drop them and walk off.

Vesi

[Caramia]

I think it's corny in general, but can be done well with effort. One of those "deep" RP stunts to do in a MUD, like having multiple personalities or RPing a possession.

::coughattentionwhorecough::
That's what I think about people that have multiple personalities or act out being possessed. Being a sylvan amazon isn't enough materical to work with?

[SpunGirl]

Originally posted by Caramia

I think it's corny in general, but can be done well with effort. One of those "deep" RP stunts to do in a MUD, like having multiple personalities or RPing a possession.

::coughattentionwhorecough::
That's what I think about people that have multiple personalities or act out being possessed. Being a sylvan amazon isn't enough materical to work with?

Well. You can always RP having a daily life crisis of two of Elanthia's most powerful arkati constantly doing battle for your worship.... y'know, if it's attention you seek. ::smiles toothily::

-K

[Jolena]

Originally posted by Caramia
Here's my opinion: Women think if they have babies in GS, it somehow solidifies or permantizes their relationship with their man in the game. Those who have never had a child in real life are probably the ones attempting to roleplay what they learn on TV. Men might find the idea of the love of his life bearing his child a great ego boost or empowering. But when they get tired of their formerly sexy babe's whining about being sick, her aching back, her tired feet, and failure to sit or lie down comfortably, they're ready to look for some slinky babe to slither around with.

You think morning sickness is the epitome of pregnancy? Get a clue. I'll agree with Adhara here, hunting women that get severely wounded or even die, aren't roleplaying pregnancy well. Pregnant women don't knowingly endanger the fetus unless they're complete morons or users. And morning sickness usually only happens during the first trimester, until your body adjusts to all the hormones. So if they're "showing" and puking, they're idiots.

Okay.. I am currently RPing my pregnancy with Stunseed. Yes for the 2nd and 3rd month I played out the morning sickness. I even took herbs to help with that. I played out the fatigure as well. I currently am 'not' hunting.. only picking boxes and doing minor guild work. When our 'child' is born I am not sure if we will rp out the empath midwife or not..I'm thinking no.. to be honest. However, we will NOT have an adult child suddenly. We have already worked it out with someone who we are close to who is going to roll up and play our child once he/she is old enough to legitimately come out into public as a young adult. Also.. I am a bit offended. I probably should not be.. since I don't know any of you really..however I personally have three children and 1 of them is medically disabled. I have had 2 c'sections and 1 natural birth. I know completely without a doubt what it is like to have a child even in the most horrific scenarios as far as health can go. I know for a fact that Stun is not doing this to make his ego boost.. that is just insane. And even if people do not care for this type of RP we don't push it in their faces. I have maternity clothing and am working on getting a few alters done to a blanket and a few other items to go with our RP so that it is memorable for us, our friends and our family in the time to come after the baby is born. I do feel that if it is done correctly it can be a nice experience. However, that is just MHO. *shrugs*

[Caramia]

Oh please. The ego boost part wasn't in any way talking about real life pregnancies. Draw the line! There's a big difference between a 16 year old player thinking it would be swell to have her character be preggers and adults making responsible choices in real life.

[Jolena]

Originally posted by Caramia
Oh please. The ego boost part wasn't in any way talking about real life pregnancies. Draw the line! There's a big difference between a 16 year old player thinking it would be swell to have her character be preggers and adults making responsible choices in real life.

Okay maybe I didn't word this correctly when I responded. Stun and I are having a in game pregnancy.. we are RPing it out. When you said in your post that men in game are having babies for an ego boost that is where I responded by saying it wasn't that at all for him. We didn't need to solidify our relationship that way. That is all I meant. Sorry if I misread your words but I took it as you saying that all women who RP a pregnancy in game are doing it in a poor manner and don't know anything about RL pregnancies. That is how I took it. My apologies.

[Adhara]

Just out of curiosity Jolena, how are you going to handle the kid? You say you have it worked out, that a friend will roll up a char to play the kid when he's old enough. I'm curious how that can make sense with the current age system.

Under the old aging system, when we aged one year per training, waiting 20 trainings or so for the kid to show up made some sense. But under the current system, we only age once every real time year. In my head, if a character is pregnant now, the only way it could make sense would be for a 20 year old (if we're talking human) to show up in 20 real time years. Needless to say it's even harder with elves.

So I'm wondering, what's your plan? A temporal rift or some such?

[SpunGirl]

That's why pregnancies make sense but children don't, Adhara. I think we're in agreement there.

Until (and IF) GS implements a system for "children" to be running around, kids just won't make any sense. Hence the fostering option.

-K

[Bestatte]

I wrote this for another game, but it's modified to fit the gemstone genre:

So, you wanna be an Elanthian breed-mare?

So here's some advice for people whose characters spawn:

1) Roleplay the pregnancy. Your character will go through a phase of morning sickness, and not always in the morning. If you have a combat-oriented character, consider that during this phase, and decide if it's realistic for your character to go out on a hunt while puking her brains out on a daily basis.

2) It doesn't have to be 9 real-life months, or even 9 game-months. But try to keep the pregnancy within the general scope of your character race's gestation period.

3) If your character is logged in during the delivery, remember we don't have epidurals. Your birthing will -not- be painless, even if you're falling-down drunk.

4) Newborns are filthy messy smelly horrible wrinkly ugly nasty. You also lose control of your bowels after the baby comes out, so YOU will be filthy messy smelly horrible ugly nasty, if not wrinkly, as well. So will the surface upon which you deliver.

5) While men -are- capable of lactating in real life and probably in Elanthia as well, they cannot produce enough to feed a baby on any regular basis. Unless your character is rich enough to afford a wetnurse, be prepared to whip out a filthy, dust-and-sweat-encrusted, stretch-marked tit every hour to feed your newly spawned whelp, for at least the first two years of its life. Remember, a wetnurse in Elanthia is probably a slave. Can your character afford to own a slave?

6) We don't have breast cream in Elanthia, or vitamin E. Once you have taken on the enormous task of breastfeeding, they will -not- be perky anymore. Don't RP a fuck-me character with perfect womany globes if, realistically, your character's tits are sagging to your bellybutton.

7) If your character is not employed with a GOOD regular income or otherwise unable to produce enough 'sids for a nanny AND a wet-nurse, say goodbye to hanging out at Helga's or sitting on a park bench with the gang until your child is old enough to get his own job.

8) If you do decide to bring your adorable cooing giggly baby to the square or tavern, expect him to hurl projectile vomit in the nearest noble's or Dhe'nar's or Gryphon's or whatever's face at random intervals.

9) Pampers do NOT exist, and *someone* needs to wash those liquid-shit-drenched diapers. Linen ain't cheap.

10) Don't stop roleplaying the fact that you have a child, just because you feel like getting another level or running off to a merchant or whatever. Motherhood gets no days off.

Above all, do not expect to mix one species of sentient being with another, and expect the egg to grow. Halflings and giants, elves and dwarves - these are different species, not just races. It would be like crossing a dog with a cat and expecting to come up with some sort of mutant.

In addition, remember that your baby is not a 20-something-year-old adult, capable of wearing armor and wielding a weapon and hunting. Please - PLEASE - do not give birth to someone else's character. It's just plain stupid. If you want to RP having a baby and leaving it with a nanny or sending it to private school for a realistic period of time...and then your friend shows up as your child, then awesome and I applaud you for it.

[Halfsilver]

nice. :thumbsup:

-grays/d

[Stunseed]

All of those issues are under consideration, and much more, Bestatte. Jolena didn't just decide to do this, we've talked and planned about as much as I even play anymore. She RP's it quite well, I've even been barfed on. Nothing like a dive in an ice lake to end the night to clean yourself off.

[Bestatte]

That's awesome, Stunseed! And hats off to Jolana for taking the virtual world of Elanthia - and all its nuances - into consideration. You gotta do the projectile vomiting thing though. Nothing like an adorable little giggly belching infant blowing chow on the constable's nose to set plotlines in motion.

[Stunseed]

Yeah, I wanna see our child puke on the statue in Mule. Wonder if the stomach acid will melt it? Sounds like a nice experiment. Maybe have an alchemist mix it in to Imbed Major Acid. That would be priceless.

Love you Jolena!

[Betheny]

Heh.

I find it amusing that your name is 'stunseed', and your woman is pregnant. (In GS.)

I'm just imagining like... something really bad.

...You are stunned for 10 rounds!

You get the idea.

[Halfsilver]

ROFL!

Gross, Maimara!

[Betheny]

Originally posted by Halfsilver
ROFL!

Gross, Maimara!

I KNOW, but I had to say it. I've been thinking it for like 3 days!

[Caramia]

Originally posted by Jolena
Okay maybe I didn't word this correctly when I responded. Stun and I are having a in game pregnancy.. we are RPing it out. When you said in your post that men in game are having babies for an ego boost that is where I responded by saying it wasn't that at all for him. We didn't need to solidify our relationship that way. That is all I meant. Sorry if I misread your words but I took it as you saying that all women who RP a pregnancy in game are doing it in a poor manner and don't know anything about RL pregnancies. That is how I took it. My apologies.

Not once did I ever say ALL women or ALL men, that would make my comment a generalization. It's pretty silly to generalize about a whole gender.

[Stunseed]

Originally posted by Maimara

I find it amusing that your name is 'stunseed', and your woman is pregnant. (In GS.)

I'm just imagining like... something really bad.

...You are stunned for 10 rounds!

You get the idea.

Gotta love the ironic things in life.

[Jolena]

*Not once did I ever say ALL women or ALL men, that would make my comment a generalization. It's pretty silly to generalize about a whole gender*

As I said, my apologies then. I misread it I spose. :)

And Adhara, we haven't quite figured out yet how to have the kid come around when they are 20 years of age. We are both human so I believe the youngest we can have a human character at is 20 dunno though. And no, I don't think it's fesible to have the child be gone for 20 RL years either lol I think we will probably have to work on that.. for right now, we have just been working on the actual RP of the pregnancy and all it's glories and odd situations. which takes a lot of work as well hehe. I am pretty sure however, that until it is feasible for the child to come around as a teenager we will most likely RP that she/he is off in school, apprenticing etc. as so many have suggested. Either way, I plan to make this as realistic as I can so that it's not a stupid storyline and rp. Stun and I are both very committed to making this doable and a good RP. Any suggestions are much appreciated.

*Edited to add in 'I love you too Stun!"*

[Edited on 10-7-2003 by Jolena]

[Bestatte]

Possible suggestions:

Remember the world of Elanthia doesn't exist only of PCs and NPCs. It's filled with what's called VNPCs, or virtual NPCs. The ones that aren't coded to exist, but exist anyway.

Such as the "crowd" in town square central. If you're the only PC there, and the flower girl hasn't shown up, it's still crowded. The locksmith probably has several employees. Moot Hall (or its equivalent in other cities) likely has hundreds of employees. There are virtual schools all over the place. We don't know what the societal norm is for children, because the docs never bothered mentioning it. So you could assume that once a child is old enough for school (say maybe, five or six?) they are sent off to live-in school. Maybe humans are sent to live-in school for half their school years, and then are sent to a military school for their later school years.

The Dhe'nar had excellent documentation on "family life" regarding its kids, but now that the Dhe'nar is a choosable race, I don't know if it still applies. I swear that was such a stupid move. They should've remained a player-run group, possibly with GM approval, but that's about it. Oh well - in any case, your little tyke could be taken care of, virtually, by a nanny in your home. When you get home, you could dismiss your virtual nanny and have fun playing with your virtual child until he's ready for sleep. Then call your virtual nanny back, since you wouldn't leave the kid alone while you leave for whatever.

Come up with interesting stories to tell people about your kid. Like, the time he and the girl down the block wanted to see what was in the pretty blue pouch in the clothier's shop. And so they unceremoniously ripped the pouch open and got blue dye all over the Mayor, who was picking up his laundry.

Or maybe a fun little story about how Jollie Junior chased a little lizard right into your house, and you didn't know about it til late at night when you thought hubby was wiggling for you under the blanket. <grin>

And remember one last thing - despite what some people (including some of the staff) will try and tell you, GS was intended to be a roleplaying game. If you want to have a virtual infant in your arms while out in public, and interact (using the act verb) with your virtual infant, DO IT. Just because you don't have a baby "object" doesn't mean the kid doesn't exist. However, don't try and put him on the floor, where someone walking in won't be capable of seeing it. Keep the kid on your lap, in your arms, pass it back and forth to other people who recognize its existence.

[Jolena]

Thanks those are really good suggestions, and something I had planned to do actually as far as stories go and a virtual nanny and then schooling. My family tends to be more military oriented but we aren't sure we would like our child to go into that same area. The girl rping our child will be free to rp her as she wishes with the exception of a few guidelines we have set up for her. And shes' a good friend of ours so she agreed to them. But those are definately nice ideas. The main thing I am concerned with is the 'aging' factor since the way we age has changed in gem. But I will think of something! thanks though!

[Adhara]

Well for a kid of 6-10, the age description of "very young" would fit. If you want your kid played by someone you know, a character could be created (I suggest you create the char before the in-game delivery... would be silly to give him/her a name and then later someone with a slightly different name comes and claims to be your child) so yes anyway, a "very young" char dressed in kids clothes and roleplayed like a kid would be ok. However, this character should be for RP only and never ever be seen hunting or healing or carrying a weapon and shield (unless daddy is teaching him sure, but not against a real beast!).

That's all nice and cute but I still can't explain the missing first 6 years or so...

[Betheny]

The best thing I've seen in a situation like that is this...

The child was sent to stay with a character's brother/sister/mother etc. When the character was logged out, and came back, she'd Rp that she went and was taking care of the kid.

[Jolena]

Yeah, we plan to more than likely send him/her off to visit and be taken care of by a relative for a while.. once they get past the age of around 3 or so. At first I will be RPing having the baby in my arms most likely from time to time as I carry him/her around town (that will be rare however) and I think I am going to incorporate the suggestions of telling stories of his/her antics from time to time as well so that the missing 'child' wont' be so odd and then eventually he/she will come out into public with kid clothing, very young or maybe immature as a age until he/she can hunt effectively. Thanks everyone for the suggestions! we are really trying to RP this in a manner that is acceptable to all who will be involved.