Cookie Roleplay Tropes

Here's some rare and stimulating insight into my cosmic fabulosity!

(Bette Midler'd.)

Ten years ago, when I was in the seventh grade, my best friend and I did a sort of pencil n' paper roleplay that we lovingly dubbed "comics." We'd pass sketchbooks back and forth, usually drawing the character's face (sometimes adding hand gestures or full poses), and writing the text of their speech beside them. It was great, it passed the time, and we actually developed a sort of cult following of classmates who wanted to read them as soon as we finished a sketchbook.

From these "comics" sprang the original Alluvial character. Those many eons ago, Alluvial was not at all unlike the original incarnation of Evka (a character that I roleplay in Darien City). Young, naive, and a bit scared of the world, Alluvial also suffered from severe amnesia. Shockingly original, I was. I know.

Now, in one of our comics, she came across a person named Reme (dear God Kati, I couldn't remember how to spell her name, so I hope it's right. It's... been a while). Alluvial was in a dark forest, and this complete stranger offered her a chocolate chip cookie.

As a roleplayer, it was obvious to me that this was a recipe for rape or kidnapping. It probably should have been obvious to the character as well, even naive as she was. I think I even acknowledged her hesitance... but you know what? I had her take the cookie.

Why?

It advanced the plot. It may have been a terrible idea ICly, but it sparked a whole series of events that kept the Alluvial comic alive for several years after that. By allowing one very bad thing to happen to the character that would eventually help to forge an aspect of my identity, I actually increased her longevity in the story.

Sometimes, you just have to take the damn cookie.

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Now, within the Take The Cookie school of thought, there are dangers. You can run the risk of becoming a Cookie Monster - that is, taking entirely too many cookies. It becomes less a plot device, and more of a shtick. Dangers become less impressive or relevant because the character has been through more trauma than is humanly possible.

That happens a lot in various roleplay continuities, and I know I've been a Cookie Monster on more than one occasion. Some of us are gluttons for punishment - literally, in this sense.

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So where do you draw the line between the occasional indulgence and the sweet tooth?

For me, personally, I find that you have to give them time to digest in between. If you're going to take the cookie, let the character have time to process it before you start stuffing your face with even more. Then you're just a cookie hog, and it becomes all about you.

To avoid becoming the Cookie Monster, you can also share! Sharing the cookies is the best way to find a balance. Not only does it mean everyone gets some attention, but everyone gets the enjoyment of more character development.

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Cookie Thieves are an especially irksome danger that you face when you surround yourself with baked good plot metaphor.

Let's say I've baked up a fresh batch of cookies for person A, but then person B comes along and says, "What a coincidence! I was just craving oatmeal raisin!" Person B scarfs down all of Person A's cookies, leaving them with crumbs. Oatmeal crumbs.

Well, that's just downright rude!

When you're the baker, be mindful of where you leave the cookie jar. When you're the hungry person, be it A or B, make sure you know who those cookies are intended for before you snag a few. Stealing cookies is a quick way to step on toes and piss people off.

Nobody wants to see someone else step in and steal the limelight after they've worked so hard to prepare something for others to enjoy.

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The best plot devices have chocolate chips and are numerous enough for everyone to get a bit.

So go bake some damn cookies. I may be a woman, but I'm getting sick of slaving over a hot oven in the kitchen all the time.

/rant