Thank you, PTTG, for recognising that it's a game, and I am using a somewhat limited form of RP, as are a number of others. Malicus - I understand what you mean, that's part of the complications (which I've discussed in more detail below) and perhaps requires an official word on the subject. I think it may clear things up a bit if I explain that I use 'RP' in this sense to refer to the acceptable actions of a player in an RPG - something that must apply to everyone, otherwise there would be no game at all - and not so much about the hardcore RPing sense where the character and player are far more separate.
Detrevni - Thank you, as well, for taking it on as a challenge. I wouldn't say I'm not successful (at least, I do well in some areas), but there is definitely a little jealousy involved, good call. Not going to work? Maybe, maybe not. I look forward to however the game may go.
No, Errol, I wouldn't do something like this in real life, for many reasons. I would rather not go into a full rant here, though I may discuss it privately with someone who feels the need to know, but the summary of it would be that I am very happy with my place in life right now. Now, let's forget about RL and focus on the game. My character's place in life is at the top. He wants to be great. He's probably not going to be loved, but he can be strong, and maybe respected, even if only out of fear.
This is such an issue because of the confusing connection between character and player. For example, the whole reincarnation thing. I've apologized for using an alt whose existence clearly did not fit in a roleplaying way. A new character inherits stats from the old one, and I think it's fair to choose to inherit the old character's social aspects too (friends and enemies, personality traits, aims, etc.) even if these only truly exist in the mind of the player. Other external features affect things too. Some of you use an IRC channel and maybe other forms of communication that enable you to work together in a way that would require a lot more effort or be impossible using purely in-game means. Hell, your entire community in-game exists as a result of knowing each other from this forum - imagine if you'd all started the game without this connection, how many of you would have ever met? Now, if I declared you should all be forced to separate because of this, you'd think I was mad! Yet it seems that because my aims may be influenced by similar things, I'm nothing but scum to you. I take offence to being called a troll. It is clear that my presence here causes trouble, but it's not my aim to do so. The trouble being caused may be due to me not being a particularly good communicator and/or because of you being unwilling to try and understand my point of view,but neither changes the fact that I, honestly, am trying to settle things here.
As for that village by the sea, I am not particularly impressed with their efforts so far. They aren't worth my time, but I wish them luck in proving me wrong in the future.
(Some of this post may appear to contradict itself due to the confusing usage of the whole RP/player/character thing. If this is the case, please ask me to clarify something rather than using it as an opportunity to attack me.)