I really didn't know where to put this, but since it was suggested I respond on the wiki, I'm putting it in suggestion box. I'll probably delete it later once those interested have a chance to read.
If I recall, what I am responding to is Len's comment that Mai need to start behaving like a damn harpy. And I think what was meant by that was that she should've actively attempted to find out when the salon was and be present there rather than doing other things.
I have a couple of explanations about why she did as she did, both in and out of character.
In character, the easiest explanation is Mai was preoccupied with various things. Like the fact that her coterie had a potent and apparently "open" magical object in their possession and that we were tasked by the prince to do something about it. I assumed then that the prince would know exactly where Mai was and not be concerned about her absense from the soiree. Furthermore, since there was still some contention about how to handle things, Mai wanted to be availabe, just in case we decided to do something blatantly politically fatal, to argue it. The other thing preoccupying Mai was finding Qasi (who she was pretty sure would be at the morgue at this point) before he was moved to some other location. This was unfortunately more important to her than pretty much anything else going on at the moment. Priorities screwy? Yes. But she is a toreador and she loves this particular ghoul.
The other in character explanation is that if Mai was ever required at a meeting, she's been told when and where it is. The fact that her sire is the Keeper of Elysium pretty much means he'll always know when and where it is and also whether it would look good for HIM if Mai shows up (which face it, is the whole reason she's a harpy)... and he would tell her, she assumed. Since she hadn't heard anything she assumed it was either not important or it was the next night.
The out of character reasons are a litte more important, actually.
The easiest out of character reason to explain is that Allie hates to split the scenes into more than two groups, for continuity and playtime's sake. It gets rough when we get all fractured into little groups to get anything at all accomplished and it leads to a less satisfying game. I didn't personally want that.
The most important out of character reason is harder to explain, and that is that Allie does not want Mai to become one of those characters with a title or status who has to start playing for the sake of everyone else and what everyone else expects over the fact that I'm at the game for myself. I've played characters like that before and it makes the game feel more like a chore. Your character gets wrapped into slow moving scenes in which none of the other characters partake (so there's no interaction with anyone except NP Cs?). Your character starts being expected to behave in a way she never has before just because now you have this title. Y Our? character starts being expected to answer for all the other actions of the other characters which seems to unbalance the game a bit as everyone else does as they like since they are no longer accountable, and you have this one person going "shit! Don't do that!" because she's the one who will be held accountable for the other character's actions. I just don't want to get into that situation again in a game. I wrote Mai in a certain way, a certain distance from her clan, with certain flaws, so as to avoid getting too far into that situation.
Why then did I write a Toreador? The choice I was given at the time I joined the game, because of other character's (who are now gone) ISSUES with certain clans, was between Toreador and Ventrue. Either would have been a political and social creature.
Why then did I accept being harpy? Well, in character, declining the position would be to slap the Mistress of Harpies in the face and at the same time deny my sire a promotion for which he would probably never forgive me. Aside from which, Mai viewed the promotion as purely ceremonial so as to reflect well on my sire. There are "harpies" and then there are Harpies. Mai figures at this moment she is a "harpy" and not a Harpy. In character, she doesn't want to get embroiled in politics. Out of character, Allie doesn't want to get embroiled in politics. Not to a certain point. So I'm walking a fine line, I guess, which will sometimes be crossed.
Bottom line is, I've played characters that I've ended up bringing to the table to play in a certain way that everyone expects of them rather than for my own fun and my own enrichment... and it's ruined games for me at times. I don't want to do that with Mai. Been there, done that, not fun. I guess what I would say in response to Len's concern that I'm not playing Mai the way he thinks I should play a harpy, is that if he (or anyone else) wants to bring it up in character to Mai, that would be fine. That might persuade her to behave in a certain way if she saw the benefit in it for both the group and herself. But the apparent out of character anger that I'm not meeting expectations of playing her in a certain way are beyond me. I don't ask that anyone else play their character in a certain way because ultimately it's up to that player. When I start coming to the table to play the character for everyone else rather than myself, I had might as well stop coming to the table. So obviously, the harpy is not going to conform most likely to how everyone else thinks she should be played... not if there are enough in character and out of character reasons preventing it, and not if it isn't fun for Allie, who ultimately has to bring her to the table.
I'm open to feedback, but not directives or anger about how I'm playing my own character (unless of course she's rampantly staking everyone or some other way harming your characters or you as players). That's where I have to draw the line. If there's a suggestion about how I might play her so we all enjoy the game more, that's great. But I will not change her or play her so that everyone else can enjoy her at my expense. Again, it isn't fun.
And that's why your harpy is not behaving like you think a harpy should behave.
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