i'm also a lotrips fan, and i found that so much of what you wrote above clicked very well with my experience. i love the fantasy of a dominant, sexually assertive karl character, too - - but i found he was so often written very one-dimensionally. bully, beefcake, even rapist. i was too crazy about him to settle for it and i found myself seeking out more thoughtful, thought-out characterizations. my all-time favorite lotrips karl is written by slashfairy, here (http://allfor1-1forall.livejournal.com/6052.html). it's a very real-feeling story of a three-way loving relationship with karl, orlando, and viggo and it's fabulous. she was kind enough to allow me to write a few small bits (http://adult-karl.livejournal.com/32909.html) in her universe as well. due to her stories more than any other, lotrips karl became a much more fully realized, in-depth character, with feelings and flaws and fears and still, yes, sexy as hell. :D

thanks for the great post!