Mod contact (screened)
May. 15th, 2014 09:43 amThis is the screened mod contact post. To leave unscreened comments, please go to the unscreened mod contact post.
| KIRA | HEAD MOD | |
TIME ZONE: CET | GMT+1 PLURK: AIM: janteslaw PM: ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small} narva |
|
| MARK | HELPER MOD | |
TASKS: AC and upkeep of lists; apps. TIME ZONE: CET | GMT+1 PLURK: AIM: marcuswolfrpg PM: marcuswolf828 |
|
| To get in touch with a mod, please use the above information. Contact to any of the mods, or the mods in their entirety, can also be made by commenting to this entry. Anon is enabled. Comments are screened. To leave unscreened comments, please go to the unscreened mod contact post. Please do not message the mod plurk. Playing NPCs is a group affair of all mods on an as-needed basis, as are applications. Please contact a head mod about them. | |
Mod contact (unscreened)
May. 14th, 2014 02:25 pmThis is the unscreened mod contact post. To leave screened comments, please go to the screened mod contact post.
| KIRA | HEAD MOD | |
TIME ZONE: CET | GMT+1 PLURK: AIM: janteslaw PM: narva |
|
| MARK | HELPER MOD | |
TASKS: AC and upkeep of lists; apps. TIME ZONE: CET | GMT+1 PLURK: AIM: marcuswolfrpg PM: marcuswolf828 |
|
| To get in touch with a mod, please use the above information. Contact to any of the mods, or the mods in their entirety, can also be made by commenting to this entry. Anon is enabled. Comments are unscreened. To leave screened comments, please go to the screened mod contact post. Please do not message the mod plurk. Playing NPCs is a group affair of all mods on an as-needed basis, as are applications. Please contact a head mod about them. | |
Echo Requests
Feb. 12th, 2014 06:40 pmPlease fill out this form when requesting an Echo, then post it to this entry. The request will be dealt with as soon as possible.
When requesting an Echo induced by a past-life parallel/recurrence, please demonstrate clearly the similarity between the events, as well as the relation between the events and what is returned.
As of September 2013, Tier 2 Echoes can be granted once a month per character. Take care to specify the limitations and/or level of detail to the Echo requested! If you are unsure, suggestions will be gladly offered.
As of November 2014, Characters who have had their echoes for over a year can cause echoes in other people This is involuntary, cannot be controlled by either character and doesn't require a recurrence. The receiving character must have 15 echoes or less; they must be physically close to the other character; only tier 1 echoes can be caused that way; one cannot give themselves echoes. Both players must, of course, have consented to this oocly. A character can receive echoes through this mechanic no more than 10 times, and only up to 3 times from the same character. If requesting one of these echoes, please indicate the character from which the echo was received.
Reason for Echo: What caused the Echo, whether it be by a plot-related trigger, a person or a canon recurrence. For the latter, this must be unusual enough to have been the first time the character has encountered it within Locke City, and strongly resemble a specific event from canon. Picking up a jug of milk from the store will not cause an Echo if it isn't any different than the times the character has done it before.
Type and tier: Physical change, power/ability, mental/memory, or item/creature. Tier 1 are the regular Echoes, and are typically a single memory/ability/item/etc. Tier 2 are essentially two regular Echoes rolled into one, such as an item and a memory or ability associated with it, or two directly-related memories, or so on. Currently only one Tier 2 Echo is allowed per month, so please be sure to note them somehow on your info posts.
What is returned: In the case of canon recurrences, these must be directly related to what has caused the Echo. Stronger recurrences = stronger Echoes.
When requesting an Echo induced by a past-life parallel/recurrence, please demonstrate clearly the similarity between the events, as well as the relation between the events and what is returned.
As of September 2013, Tier 2 Echoes can be granted once a month per character. Take care to specify the limitations and/or level of detail to the Echo requested! If you are unsure, suggestions will be gladly offered.
As of November 2014, Characters who have had their echoes for over a year can cause echoes in other people This is involuntary, cannot be controlled by either character and doesn't require a recurrence. The receiving character must have 15 echoes or less; they must be physically close to the other character; only tier 1 echoes can be caused that way; one cannot give themselves echoes. Both players must, of course, have consented to this oocly. A character can receive echoes through this mechanic no more than 10 times, and only up to 3 times from the same character. If requesting one of these echoes, please indicate the character from which the echo was received.
Reason for Echo: What caused the Echo, whether it be by a plot-related trigger, a person or a canon recurrence. For the latter, this must be unusual enough to have been the first time the character has encountered it within Locke City, and strongly resemble a specific event from canon. Picking up a jug of milk from the store will not cause an Echo if it isn't any different than the times the character has done it before.
Type and tier: Physical change, power/ability, mental/memory, or item/creature. Tier 1 are the regular Echoes, and are typically a single memory/ability/item/etc. Tier 2 are essentially two regular Echoes rolled into one, such as an item and a memory or ability associated with it, or two directly-related memories, or so on. Currently only one Tier 2 Echo is allowed per month, so please be sure to note them somehow on your info posts.
What is returned: In the case of canon recurrences, these must be directly related to what has caused the Echo. Stronger recurrences = stronger Echoes.
NPC DIRECTORY
Apr. 4th, 2013 11:44 pmThe game features a number of non-player characters that are nevertheless important to the plot. As they appear, they will be added to this list. Each one has a link to a post on their journal with some limited information. This will be updated as play continues.
( Under the cut. )
( Under the cut. )
INFO PAGE GUIDELINES
Apr. 4th, 2013 01:18 pmDue to the nature of the game, confusion about characters current status can easily arise. To alleviate this, all players are required to create and maintain an info page that outlines their reincarnated self and what Echoes they have (or if relevant, have not) received.
An info page must contain;
•The character's current name & previous name
•The character's age
•A link to the original application
•A complete list of their Echoes
It is suggested, but optional, to also contain;
•The character's occupation
•The character's appearance (especially if it differs from icons/canon appearance or it has changed from the original application)
•Any character notes of relevance
So long as the information is presented in a clear manner, players may arrange their info posts however they wish. However for convenience a basic form is available below.
An info page must contain;
•The character's current name & previous name
•The character's age
•A link to the original application
•A complete list of their Echoes
It is suggested, but optional, to also contain;
•The character's occupation
•The character's appearance (especially if it differs from icons/canon appearance or it has changed from the original application)
•Any character notes of relevance
So long as the information is presented in a clear manner, players may arrange their info posts however they wish. However for convenience a basic form is available below.
This is an out of character depository of information regarding creatures and entities that make an appearance. Each individual profile may be updated as time passes.
To explain
Name: A creature's species or model, or in an individual their codename.
Type: The creature's purpose.
Combat Level: How dangerous the creature is in direct combat without any other factors considered.
Threat Level: How dangerous the creature is to the Earth at large, considering their ability to make plans and command others.
Rank: The creature's rank in the enemy army.
Appearance: The creature's visual element.
Details: The creature's abilities and behaviour.
Initial Invaders
Name: Vermini, singular and plural the same.
Area: Locke City, Las Vegas
Type: Useful animal.
Combat Level: Weak insect level.
Threat Level: Below Human.
Rank: None; untameable animal.
Appearance: Vermini are tiny. About the same size as a Dandelion seed head, they bare a resemblance to the flower as well. A fluffy ball of black hair, underneath it all Vermini are scaled down humanoids about the size of flies. They're black from top to toe aside from having wide, white eyes with no iris.
Details: Vermini are by themselves pretty pathetic examples of life. They can be squashed just as easily as a bug their size, although they can be tricky to catch because by raising their hair they can roll about at speeds similar to cockroaches and crawl around on walls by walking on the hair tips.
They have two abilities that make them useful. Firstly, they capable of detecting minute distortions in reality such as those caused by reincarnated entities and are naturally attracted to them. The second is the power to infest living beings and alter the bodies of their hosts. An individual Vermini can only alter a creature of only 2lbs, meaning that unless they swarm they only alter beings as small as rats. When a Vermini leave their host, even in death, it reverts to normal. When Vermini themselves die, they turn into puffs of scalding hot steam. They cannot speak, but do chirp.
Name: Vermedi
Area: Locke City
Type: Useful Animal
Combat Level: Armed Military Personnel Level
Threat Level: Dangerous Human Level
Rank: None; untameable animal.
Appearance: Similar to the Vermini, a Vermedi is a humanoid creature covered in thick, black hair. Unlike the Vermini, the Vermedi is four foot tall being and the hair hangs in a thick carpet instead of being fluffy. Because of this, it bares no small resemblance to Cousin Itt. Under the hair, they resemble doll like human shapes with huge white eyes and no visible orifices or genitals. Their have no toes, but have exceptionally long needle like fingers.
Details:
Vermedi are the adolescent form of Vermini. Even under ideal conditions, only one in a hundred Vermini lives long enough to achieve the transformation to this form.
Their intelligence and strength has increased several-fold, giving them the reasoning and information retention of a five year old but with a distinctly vicious cunning. Like Vermini they can detect concentrations of altered reality and consider the sources to be a food supply despite their inability to eat. They are naturally cautious and patient, willing to spend a long time working out the best hunting method for a particular sort of prey. Like Vermini, they are uncooperative with attempts to tame them and work best when left to their own devices.
They differ from Vermini in that instead of infesting animals, they use their need fingers to inject a substance that causes transformations in the subject, be it animal, vegetable, mineral or machine. These transformations can be reversed by sufficiently damaging the target, at which point any memories of the events are erased. Vermedi are also capable of exerting limited control over Vermini.
Although still reliant on their transformed assistants, Vermedi are not as helpless as their infant forms. Despite having no weapons or training they are as dangerous as a fully armed and trained military operative. They are extremely agile and capable of using their hairs as tentacles or spikes to assist in moving over any terrain. They possess the strength to push a finger through a human body with relative ease.
They cannot talk, but their chirping is much more expressive than their infant forms.
Secondary Invaders
Name: Wolpertinger
Area: Neuschwanstein Area
Type: ???
Combat Level: They are as dangerous as their size and what animals are included suggest.
Threat Level: Below human.
Rank: Neutral.
Appearance: Wolpertinger vary greatly in size and shape. They are mixes of three or more earth animals that live in the alps region, one of which is always a swan. This means that between a bear and a mouse, a deer and a robin, everything can be a part of the wolpertinger. Their mix might be more or less functional and more or less dangerous.
Details: Wolpertinger are creatures from local folk tales. They are typically not aggressive, but drawn towards numbered. Overwhelmingly, they are solitary creatures, but sometimes little groups of wolpertingers that mainly consist of animals that live in groups will roam the area together.
They have no special abilities; if they are forced out of the echo boundaries (which they will do everything to avoid), their different parts fall apart and they die. This is exactly as gross as it sounds.
To explain
Name: A creature's species or model, or in an individual their codename.
Type: The creature's purpose.
Combat Level: How dangerous the creature is in direct combat without any other factors considered.
Threat Level: How dangerous the creature is to the Earth at large, considering their ability to make plans and command others.
Rank: The creature's rank in the enemy army.
Appearance: The creature's visual element.
Details: The creature's abilities and behaviour.
Initial Invaders
Name: Vermini, singular and plural the same.
Area: Locke City, Las Vegas
Type: Useful animal.
Combat Level: Weak insect level.
Threat Level: Below Human.
Rank: None; untameable animal.
Appearance: Vermini are tiny. About the same size as a Dandelion seed head, they bare a resemblance to the flower as well. A fluffy ball of black hair, underneath it all Vermini are scaled down humanoids about the size of flies. They're black from top to toe aside from having wide, white eyes with no iris.
Details: Vermini are by themselves pretty pathetic examples of life. They can be squashed just as easily as a bug their size, although they can be tricky to catch because by raising their hair they can roll about at speeds similar to cockroaches and crawl around on walls by walking on the hair tips.
They have two abilities that make them useful. Firstly, they capable of detecting minute distortions in reality such as those caused by reincarnated entities and are naturally attracted to them. The second is the power to infest living beings and alter the bodies of their hosts. An individual Vermini can only alter a creature of only 2lbs, meaning that unless they swarm they only alter beings as small as rats. When a Vermini leave their host, even in death, it reverts to normal. When Vermini themselves die, they turn into puffs of scalding hot steam. They cannot speak, but do chirp.
Name: Vermedi
Area: Locke City
Type: Useful Animal
Combat Level: Armed Military Personnel Level
Threat Level: Dangerous Human Level
Rank: None; untameable animal.
Appearance: Similar to the Vermini, a Vermedi is a humanoid creature covered in thick, black hair. Unlike the Vermini, the Vermedi is four foot tall being and the hair hangs in a thick carpet instead of being fluffy. Because of this, it bares no small resemblance to Cousin Itt. Under the hair, they resemble doll like human shapes with huge white eyes and no visible orifices or genitals. Their have no toes, but have exceptionally long needle like fingers.
Details:
Vermedi are the adolescent form of Vermini. Even under ideal conditions, only one in a hundred Vermini lives long enough to achieve the transformation to this form.
Their intelligence and strength has increased several-fold, giving them the reasoning and information retention of a five year old but with a distinctly vicious cunning. Like Vermini they can detect concentrations of altered reality and consider the sources to be a food supply despite their inability to eat. They are naturally cautious and patient, willing to spend a long time working out the best hunting method for a particular sort of prey. Like Vermini, they are uncooperative with attempts to tame them and work best when left to their own devices.
They differ from Vermini in that instead of infesting animals, they use their need fingers to inject a substance that causes transformations in the subject, be it animal, vegetable, mineral or machine. These transformations can be reversed by sufficiently damaging the target, at which point any memories of the events are erased. Vermedi are also capable of exerting limited control over Vermini.
Although still reliant on their transformed assistants, Vermedi are not as helpless as their infant forms. Despite having no weapons or training they are as dangerous as a fully armed and trained military operative. They are extremely agile and capable of using their hairs as tentacles or spikes to assist in moving over any terrain. They possess the strength to push a finger through a human body with relative ease.
They cannot talk, but their chirping is much more expressive than their infant forms.
Secondary Invaders
Name: Wolpertinger
Area: Neuschwanstein Area
Type: ???
Combat Level: They are as dangerous as their size and what animals are included suggest.
Threat Level: Below human.
Rank: Neutral.
Appearance: Wolpertinger vary greatly in size and shape. They are mixes of three or more earth animals that live in the alps region, one of which is always a swan. This means that between a bear and a mouse, a deer and a robin, everything can be a part of the wolpertinger. Their mix might be more or less functional and more or less dangerous.
Details: Wolpertinger are creatures from local folk tales. They are typically not aggressive, but drawn towards numbered. Overwhelmingly, they are solitary creatures, but sometimes little groups of wolpertingers that mainly consist of animals that live in groups will roam the area together.
They have no special abilities; if they are forced out of the echo boundaries (which they will do everything to avoid), their different parts fall apart and they die. This is exactly as gross as it sounds.
Old Mod Contact
Mar. 3rd, 2013 10:00 pmNew, unscreened mod contact post
New, screened mod contact post
Reservations
Mar. 2nd, 2013 11:16 pmReservations are CLOSED.
Here you may place a reservation as intent to apply for a character. Making a reservation is not mandatory, but will hold your place for up to one month to get your application ready and submitted.
( Current reservations and form )
Hiatus/Drop/Death Notification
Mar. 2nd, 2013 10:21 pmIn order for a hiatus to be considered a valid exemption from activity check, it must be listed on this post, before AC has started, and must be at least a week in length. Hiatuses are valid from the date on which the hiatus notice is posted at the earliest (on the 4th, you can place a hiatus starting on the 4th or on the 10th, but not on the 2nd). While you are free to post to the OOC community to notify other players, it will not be counted as a hiatus unless a notification is placed here. Please note that using a hiatus instead of providing enough activity to AC two months in a row will also result in a strike for that character, present for four months.
By default, characters on hiatus temporarily lose all their memories, abilities and items from Echo-related occurrences and once again become a completely normal person. Attempts to remind them fail and then they even forget those attempts. However, you are free to make other arrangements too, of course.
Previously dropped characters may be found here.
Please fill out the following form if you are taking a hiatus.
Dropped characters lose their Echoes and permanently turn back to normal unless applied for again by the same player. If you wish to perma-kill off your character, please use the next form.
Killing a character is the same as dropping them and is completely permanent; they can not be applied for again by the same player unless it is a new version. However, their Echoes - including any items/weapons/etc., may be allowed to stick around if the player wants.
By default, characters on hiatus temporarily lose all their memories, abilities and items from Echo-related occurrences and once again become a completely normal person. Attempts to remind them fail and then they even forget those attempts. However, you are free to make other arrangements too, of course.
Previously dropped characters may be found here.
Please fill out the following form if you are taking a hiatus.
Dropped characters lose their Echoes and permanently turn back to normal unless applied for again by the same player. If you wish to perma-kill off your character, please use the next form.
Killing a character is the same as dropping them and is completely permanent; they can not be applied for again by the same player unless it is a new version. However, their Echoes - including any items/weapons/etc., may be allowed to stick around if the player wants.
City Development
Mar. 1st, 2013 05:36 pmBASICS
The city does not have a predefined geography. It is instead primarily left indistinct for the purpose of allowing the players and the plot to add what they need when they need it. For a general idea of the current weather, please see Ocean City, NJ; however, again, this is not a strict rule and may be bent for the purposes of plotting.
If you add something to the city geography beyond the generic, just drop a small note of it here. It's only for the purpose of building up the city's contents and perhaps allowing players to coordinate elements together. For example, how many of the school age characters go to the same school? Does someone work at another's favourite pizza joint?
The city contains the obvious for a real world developed city in the USA. Within the surrounding area (and in range of the player characters) is an agricultural hub, taking advantage of a particularly fertile stretch of ground. Similarly a few large woods and forests are in range. Locations of note include:
TUNING TOWERS
The third tallest building in the USA at 1,350ft tall. The building is situated in the centre of the business district. Tuning Towers is known for its design that resembles a tuning fork, a combined base but split into two separate towers higher up. It was commissioned by the industrialist Harry Tunings, who had the design made to reference his name and not the other way round.
DEAD DISTRICT
Not officially known as such, the Dead District is the nickname for a large area of long abandoned buildings, that due to legal issues have been left standing to dilapidate. Although the expense is minimal in purchasing the land, every few years someone does and gives up on achieving anything with it quickly. The area spans several blocks and is inhabited by a small society of the homeless population. The name stuck after the then mayor claimed the entire district had dropped dead overnight.
FORT TURNER
A military installation just about in the range of the player characters. Fort Turner is a US Army base famous during the Revolutionary War for changing hands between the British and American forces an extremely high number of times. The base houses a small military museum within its boundaries, which is separated from the main installation.
LOCKE CITY UNIVERSITY
Abbreviated LCU, Locke City University is a moderately well-known and longstanding institution of higher learning with a considerable population of both full-time and part-time students. While the colleges and degree programs offered are varied, there is a particular focus on history, engineering, Asian studies, and a pretty decent medical program, complete with a teaching hospital adjacent to campus. Their school colors are red, green, and white, with a polar bear mascot named "Bliz" - a source of either embarrassment or fierce defensiveness depending on who you talk to, as well as various controversies over the years due to the claimed "Christmassy" theme in a place that's not even very North Pole-like.
The city does not have a predefined geography. It is instead primarily left indistinct for the purpose of allowing the players and the plot to add what they need when they need it. For a general idea of the current weather, please see Ocean City, NJ; however, again, this is not a strict rule and may be bent for the purposes of plotting.
If you add something to the city geography beyond the generic, just drop a small note of it here. It's only for the purpose of building up the city's contents and perhaps allowing players to coordinate elements together. For example, how many of the school age characters go to the same school? Does someone work at another's favourite pizza joint?
The city contains the obvious for a real world developed city in the USA. Within the surrounding area (and in range of the player characters) is an agricultural hub, taking advantage of a particularly fertile stretch of ground. Similarly a few large woods and forests are in range. Locations of note include:
TUNING TOWERS
The third tallest building in the USA at 1,350ft tall. The building is situated in the centre of the business district. Tuning Towers is known for its design that resembles a tuning fork, a combined base but split into two separate towers higher up. It was commissioned by the industrialist Harry Tunings, who had the design made to reference his name and not the other way round.
DEAD DISTRICT
Not officially known as such, the Dead District is the nickname for a large area of long abandoned buildings, that due to legal issues have been left standing to dilapidate. Although the expense is minimal in purchasing the land, every few years someone does and gives up on achieving anything with it quickly. The area spans several blocks and is inhabited by a small society of the homeless population. The name stuck after the then mayor claimed the entire district had dropped dead overnight.
FORT TURNER
A military installation just about in the range of the player characters. Fort Turner is a US Army base famous during the Revolutionary War for changing hands between the British and American forces an extremely high number of times. The base houses a small military museum within its boundaries, which is separated from the main installation.
LOCKE CITY UNIVERSITY
Abbreviated LCU, Locke City University is a moderately well-known and longstanding institution of higher learning with a considerable population of both full-time and part-time students. While the colleges and degree programs offered are varied, there is a particular focus on history, engineering, Asian studies, and a pretty decent medical program, complete with a teaching hospital adjacent to campus. Their school colors are red, green, and white, with a polar bear mascot named "Bliz" - a source of either embarrassment or fierce defensiveness depending on who you talk to, as well as various controversies over the years due to the claimed "Christmassy" theme in a place that's not even very North Pole-like.
MAINTAIN AN ENVIRONMENT OF RESPECT
It is expected for players to be civil to one another as well as to the mods. This includes following basic roleplay etiquette and respecting the comfort of others. Out of character harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. See our policy here. Players are encouraged to contact the mods, here or privately, if any issues arise.
REMAIN IN CHARACTER
Since this is a game that deals heavily with altered histories and personalities, this one may seem difficult to enforce. However, it is expected for players to keep their characters within the scope of the application the character was accepted with, with character development following a logical progression given events and Echoes they receive.
FOLLOW THE GAME DIRECTIVES
Each season will have some basic directives that are designed to preserve a certain setting. Some of these can be bent quite thoroughly but others are pretty important to stick to. Similarly, plot posts and other venues of game development information will contain directives regarding how to interact with the plot. These directives must be followed.
STAY TO A LIMIT OF TWO CHARACTERS PER CANON
You may apply for the reincarnations of up to two characters from the same canon. Given the advantage that castmate characters can potentially give each other in-game, we ask that any two such characters are not close in canon and won't be likely to specifically influence each other (such as by introducing Echo material that is especially relevant to both) in the game environment. If you're interested in apping a second character from a canon you're currently playing from in-game, please fill and post a request to the Applications page so that we can let you know ahead of time whether they're good to fly!
ALL PLAYER CHARACTERS MUST MAINTAIN AN INFO PAGE
Due to the nature of the game it could be quite confusing for players to try and keep track of the exact state of each character. To avoid this, all players are required to have an easy to find and up-to-date page on their journal that explains what Echoes they have (and if relevant, have not) received. It doesn't have to be especially in-depth, but it does have to be clear. There is a guide to info pages here.
BE OPEN TO COMMUNICATION AND FEEDBACK
As a game like this can hardly get anywhere without willingness to coordinate and communicate with plotting partners, and the ability to act within and follow the plot is important for all characters, please remain flexible and willing to accommodate and cooperate with the mods and with other players in plotting.
Additionally, we ask that all players keep constructive criticism/”HMD” posts that can be linked and commented to. They can be wherever and with whatever settings you like - one in each journal, on its own or combined with your info post, in a catch-all or musebox post, with or without anonymous commenting; again, whatever you like, as long as you have one which you can link to as in your Activity Check!
BE ACTIVE
An activity check will be made at the end of every month. In order to pass, each character will need to meet the following requirements:
DO NOT GODMODE/INFOMODE
No one player can control the actions of another player's character without that player's permission. Infomoding and basing decisions based on ooc knowledge rather than ic is also not allowed. If it is told oocly that something will happen in Belgium then do not magically have your character decide to go to Belgium purely based on the ooc knowledge.
IC ACTIONS = IC CONSEQUENCES
Be aware that any actions done will all have their consequences. Someone deciding to attempt to rob the mayor will result the police hunting them down and possibly arresting them for robbery, for example. Whether it be good action or bad action, a character will have to deal with the appropriate consequences of said actions.
It is expected for players to be civil to one another as well as to the mods. This includes following basic roleplay etiquette and respecting the comfort of others. Out of character harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. See our policy here. Players are encouraged to contact the mods, here or privately, if any issues arise.
REMAIN IN CHARACTER
Since this is a game that deals heavily with altered histories and personalities, this one may seem difficult to enforce. However, it is expected for players to keep their characters within the scope of the application the character was accepted with, with character development following a logical progression given events and Echoes they receive.
FOLLOW THE GAME DIRECTIVES
Each season will have some basic directives that are designed to preserve a certain setting. Some of these can be bent quite thoroughly but others are pretty important to stick to. Similarly, plot posts and other venues of game development information will contain directives regarding how to interact with the plot. These directives must be followed.
STAY TO A LIMIT OF TWO CHARACTERS PER CANON
You may apply for the reincarnations of up to two characters from the same canon. Given the advantage that castmate characters can potentially give each other in-game, we ask that any two such characters are not close in canon and won't be likely to specifically influence each other (such as by introducing Echo material that is especially relevant to both) in the game environment. If you're interested in apping a second character from a canon you're currently playing from in-game, please fill and post a request to the Applications page so that we can let you know ahead of time whether they're good to fly!
ALL PLAYER CHARACTERS MUST MAINTAIN AN INFO PAGE
Due to the nature of the game it could be quite confusing for players to try and keep track of the exact state of each character. To avoid this, all players are required to have an easy to find and up-to-date page on their journal that explains what Echoes they have (and if relevant, have not) received. It doesn't have to be especially in-depth, but it does have to be clear. There is a guide to info pages here.
BE OPEN TO COMMUNICATION AND FEEDBACK
As a game like this can hardly get anywhere without willingness to coordinate and communicate with plotting partners, and the ability to act within and follow the plot is important for all characters, please remain flexible and willing to accommodate and cooperate with the mods and with other players in plotting.
Additionally, we ask that all players keep constructive criticism/”HMD” posts that can be linked and commented to. They can be wherever and with whatever settings you like - one in each journal, on its own or combined with your info post, in a catch-all or musebox post, with or without anonymous commenting; again, whatever you like, as long as you have one which you can link to as in your Activity Check!
BE ACTIVE
An activity check will be made at the end of every month. In order to pass, each character will need to meet the following requirements:
- Participation in the ongoing plot. This can be anything big or small, from fighting bad guys to arguing with those who want to go fight the bad guys to reacting to the changes going on around or with the character and other characters.
- Interaction with other characters through at least three threads, with three or more different characters. While there is no length requirement, it must be clear that some thought was put into them; a short thread made up of longer comments may hold the same weight as a network thread made up of shorter comments.
- Possess an up-to-date info/Echoes post.
- Possess a linkable HMD post.
DO NOT GODMODE/INFOMODE
No one player can control the actions of another player's character without that player's permission. Infomoding and basing decisions based on ooc knowledge rather than ic is also not allowed. If it is told oocly that something will happen in Belgium then do not magically have your character decide to go to Belgium purely based on the ooc knowledge.
IC ACTIONS = IC CONSEQUENCES
Be aware that any actions done will all have their consequences. Someone deciding to attempt to rob the mayor will result the police hunting them down and possibly arresting them for robbery, for example. Whether it be good action or bad action, a character will have to deal with the appropriate consequences of said actions.
Echo Requests (retired)
Feb. 24th, 2013 05:59 pmPlease fill out this form when requesting an Echo, then post it to this entry. The request will be dealt with as soon as possible.
When requesting an Echo induced by a past-life parallel/recurrence, please demonstrate clearly the similarity between the events, as well as the relation between the events and what is returned.
As of September 2013, Tier 2 Echoes can be granted once a month per character. Take care to specify the limitations and/or level of detail to the Echo requested! If you are unsure, suggestions will be gladly offered.
Reason for Echo: What caused the Echo, whether it be by a plot-related trigger or a canon recurrence. For the latter, this must be unusual enough to have been the first time the character has encountered it within Locke City, and strongly resemble a specific event from canon. Picking up a jug of milk from the store will not cause an Echo if it isn't any different than the times the character has done it before.
Type and tier: Physical change, power/ability, mental/memory, or item/creature. Tier 1 are the regular Echoes, and are typically a single memory/ability/item/etc. Tier 2 are essentially two regular Echoes rolled into one, such as an item and a memory or ability associated with it, or two directly-related memories, or so on. Currently only one Tier 2 Echo is allowed per month, so please be sure to note them somehow on your info posts.
What is returned: In the case of canon recurrences, these must be directly related to what has caused the Echo. Stronger recurrences = stronger Echoes.
Applications
Feb. 23rd, 2013 11:29 pm
THIS APPLICATIONS PAGE IS NOW RETIRED. TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, GO HERE.
As of April 1st, 12:00CDT, applications have opened.
The Application Explained.
Please post the application to the character journal and post a link to this page. In addition, please check for spelling and grammar prior to submitting the application. Applications that are error-ridden to the point of severely affecting clarity may merit revisions or rejection.
OOC Information:
Name: Whatever handle you go by.
Are you over 15? If not, sorry but stop here.
Contact: Should we feel the need to contact you privately, what is your preferred method?
Current characters in the game: Include preincarnation's name and canon, or none if applicable - please do NOT delete this section entirely!
IC Information:
Name: If the names of the Preincarnation and Reincarnation are different, please specify. Remember that your character will have a human name.
Canon and Medium: Please note that only well-established (significant source material published, with viable translations available in English) canons are acceptable here; we do not accept self-published canons due to potential conflicts of interest.
Age: If the preincarnated age and the new life's age differs, please specify.
Preincarnation Species: Their original species, if known.
Preincarnation Appearance: A concise description or link to an image will do.
Any Differences: Remember that only a normal human appearance will be acceptable, except in cases when the character will begin as a terrestrial animal.
Starting Location: What Echo boundary is your character starting in? Current locations: 1) Locke City, NJ, USA. 2) Las Vegas, NV, USA.
Preincarnated History: What happened to your character in their canon? You don't need to explain the entire series to us, just the relevant parts in regards to the character's development, and some context to make sure it makes sense. Headcanon should be written in italics.
If you prefer you may write a bare-bones history and post a link to a wiki or resource that covers more details. If the character is an original character, please outline the world they live in as well.
Reincarnated History: What happened to your character that got them to this point in their normal, human life? While a lot of information isn't necessary here, please give us a clear picture of who they are now and where they'll be headed in the context of the game. If you're re-apping a character you previously played, please include their experiences in-game and what they've been doing in the mean time as well.
First Echo: What caused their first Echo, and what did it give them? Players may choose events from the timeline or a canon recurrence. Keep these Echoes simple, but meaningful, and keep in mind that returned effects/objects caused by canon recurrences must be directly related to the event giving them back. If re-apping, please include all of their previously-obtained Echoes.
Preincarnation Personality: What sort of person were they in their past life? Headcanon should be clearly marked in italics. This section is important, as it helps us gauge your grasp on the character, so spare no expense here.
Any Differences: You are encouraged to deviate from the original personality in three or four major ways, made to make their personality logical to the setting and their new history (which, by default, varies from their original life). If the personality does not differentiate significantly, or if the differences do not make sense given the rest of your app, revisions may be asked for.
Abilities: What abilities did your character's preincarnation have? To what extent were they used? Include any equipment they had access to and any skills they had. Headcanon should be indicated in italics, as before. You may write a brief synopsis and link to a more detailed resource if you wish. Favor conciseness here, and try to limit (or else otherwise elaborate upon) canon terminology to avoid confusion.
Roleplay Sample - Third Person: Some form of extended, third-person prose exhibiting strong voice and key behaviors of your character. If the voice is weak or the characterization appears to be off, revisions may be asked for.
Roleplay Sample - Network: Same as above, but in network-style format, using text, video, audio, etc. This MUST be on the network.
*Note: One of the samples (of your choice) must be done from the perspective of the reincarnated character, set within the game. Samples from the test drive community may be used for this purpose.
Any Questions? If you need to clear up any lingering questions or concerns, here's the place to do it.
Combo Applications Explained.
We allow applications for multiple characters that are deeply linked and will only count as one towards the player's character limit and activity, although to prevent disappointment, any combo apps must be requested beforehand. This is for characters that are deeply intertwined to the point that if they are ever apart, it's a moment worth noting, including characters that are physically incapable of being apart and ones that are so often together that being apart would affect their personality drastically. There is no upper limit to the number of characters that can be in a combo app, aside from as common sense dictates. Combo apps are opt in, so characters suitable for a combo app could also be played individually. Combo apps can be retroactively applied in these cases at request.
To request a combo app, please fill out this form.
OOC Information:
Name: Whatever handle you go by.
Are you over 15? If not, sorry but stop here.
Contact: Should we feel the need to contact you privately, what is your preferred method?
Current characters in the game: Include preincarnation's name and canon, or none if applicable - please do NOT delete this section entirely!
IC Information:
Names:
Canon and Medium:
Why should they be combined? What makes them suitable for a combo app? Be as detailed as you feel is necessary.
Once approved, you may fill out a single application with all the approved characters.
Note: Applications are dealt with as they are received, by a majority vote process among the mods. While we try to get to each app in a timely process, ultimately speed may depend on busyness and the need to discuss some apps before a decision is made. Regardless, if your app has not been seen to within a week of its submission, or if it's been three days since you answered a request for revisions, please feel free to drop us another line here or by some means of mod contact here!
Characters being re-apped: While you may use the same application as before, if you intend to have them be the same reincarnated character, please make sure that the application has not changed, and to include new information covering what happened to them in-game and what they have been up to since losing contact; if they are keeping their Echoes, please include them under the regular 'first echo' heading. Also note: characters who dropped or idled while having a strike can not be be reentered until their first strike has expired (four months past the activity check they failed). For example, a character who took a strike in the September AC must wait until February to be reapplied.
BASICS
Echoes are both integral to the plot and an important game mechanic. An Echo is the result of a character either being exposed to the influence of the threat against the planet or experiencing a "reminder" of their past life, "returning" or recreating a part of that past life for them be it in the form of a memory, piece of knowledge, physical mutation, or even a possession or other creature.
Their effects only exist within designated Echo boundaries - the main sites of plot conflict. If a character leaves an Echo boundary, they will revert back to their pre-game self from wherever their Echoes may have left their sense of identity.
Before March 9th, this also came with losing all items/physical changes/memories as well as memories of interactions with people that came about as a result of game plot.
As of March 9th, 2014, the effect of leaving an Echo boundary changed. Instead of completely losing all Echoes and Echo related memories, reincarnates will lose the potency of their Echoes.
Abilities will weaken considerably (to approximately 10% of their original capability).
Physical changes will be naught but a hint and may cause a case of phantom limbs. For example, if a character was originally 5'6" and Echoed a height of 6'0", upon leaving the city, they would shrink to either their original height (5'6") or retain a small amount of their Echoed height (5'7"-5'8") and feel like they should be taller.
Memories (Echoed and associated with Echoes) will be so fuzzy that the reincarnate will wonder if they truly did such and such or met so and so -- like they simultaneously remember and don't remember doing something Echo-related, or remember it in the way one remembers a dream.
In short, the reincarnate that passes the border will revert to almost the same as one who is Echo-less. They will, however, remember that they are part of a group ("the Network", "the Numbers Club", "the Numbered", or however that particular character regards the reincarnates).
Their Echoes will return at full strength when they re-enter an Echo boundary.
WHY?
To summarise the reason for Echoes, seen in slightly more detail on the setting page, they occur because player characters are not naturally of the Earth the game is set on. Instead their souls, alongside cosmic data attached, are immigrants from another universe, placed in the body of an ordinary native human at birth. As a result those dimensional travellers can recover elements of their past lives.
HOW?
Echoes triggers come in three types.
The first are plot Echoes - obtained by being involved in the interdimensional threat to Earth. These threats take on a variety of forms, and as long as the character has been involved in some way, they'll be eligible for at least one Echo. Immediately-available plot Echo opportunities are listed at the bottom of plot posts - and others may be provided or declared as they come as plots develop and leads are pursued! In general, a plot Echo may be used to obtain any effect that you like - any one can be used to obtain a mental, physical, item, or creature Echo unless otherwise stated, and what exactly is obtained does not need relevance to the situation or trigger.
The second are canon reoccurrences - experiences distinguishable as parallel or unconscious "reminders" of a character's previous life. Not every mundane thing which a character can do will trigger an Echo - both a potential Echo trigger and gain need to be of something significant enough to "stand out" or have stood out in the character's mind! Canon reoccurrence always causes an Echo related to the original experience, and as a general rule, the strength of the Echo depends on how direct or visceral the trigger is as a "reminder" of the experience. For example, if a character discovered that they had the ability to fly when they fell from a skyscraper in their canon, seeing someone else fall might trigger a memory of falling, but would not be likely to get them their own flight back. However, falling him/herself would -- as long as they'd never fallen from that high up before. Pieces of context for a scenario can, within reason, be used to support or affect the "strength" of an Echo.
A Echo effect will be triggered the first time a character experiences an event (for example, a character cannot obtain an Echo from watching a vampire movie if it wouldn't have been their first time doing so), and can only be triggered within designated Echo boundaries.
The third kind is only possible for characters with less than sixteen echoes. These echoes are triggered by physical proximity to a character who has been in game for longer than a year. Only tier 1 echoes can be triggered that way, and no character can trigger them in themselves. Both players must, of course, have consented to this oocly. A character can receive echoes through this mechanic no more than 10 times, and only up to 3 times from the same character.
This game mechanic is primarily meant to make it easier for newer players to gain echoes quickly, but also to give older characters something new to play with.
Echoes of either type must be approved before they are used in-game, with approval to be requested on this page.. Submit at any time you like and we'll any Echo request(s) you've got a look and stamp! Once approved, it's up to the player when a character actually receives an Echo's effect - right after encountering the trigger, after it's long passed, the next day. Or even a week afterwards. Or, in the case of certain larger Echoes, developing into fullness over several days or weeks.
WHAT?
Mental Echoes:
Mental Echoes return something of the preincarnation's mind. This can be a memory, a skill, a feeling, a sensation, even a personality trait. Be imaginative! Give them skill with an ability they don't have, or with a weapon they don't have access to. Abilities which rely on knowledge instead of an element of their physical make up fall under this.
Physical Echoes:
Physical Echoes return something of a preincarnation's body. A special ability, appearance, old wounds, degrees of strength in their abilities, muscles, better health, illness and so on. Abilities which are a part of physiology fall under this.
Item Echoes:
Item Echoes return an item which belonged to the preincarnation. A weapon, clothing, a vehicle, money, a childhood stuffed toy. Anything, really, as long as it belonged to them. Items may return in strange or incomplete forms, and require more than one Echo to be completely restored. For example, a sword which has special abilities originally may return as a normal sword, and then another Echo will restore a portion of its power.
Note: No items specifically from your character's canon exist on this Earth. This Earth has costume wizard hats, but you won't find the one your character used to wear. You may be able to find something similar enough to trigger an Echo, but it won't be exactly the same.
Creature Echoes:
Creature Echoes do not directly effect the character, but instead a related life form which associated with them in their past life. They operate as above but for another being, such as their preincarnated life's animal companion, mount or pet.
The only trait that is common to absolutely all Echoes is that when the process begins the one undergoing the change briefly feels as if they are completely hollow and a powerful noise as if from a particularly strong heartbeat resounds inside of them.
The process itself doesn't make it clear what's happening. There's the initial physical reaction and then they have to work out what has happened to them. Some might be more obvious (like suddenly having a tail as opposed to getting more sarcastic), but there's not an inbuilt understanding of what's going on. In cases where they receive a memory they'll experience it as a memory, not relive the moment.
FIRST ECHOES
First Echoes are something like warm ups, fairly small and with not too big an impact on the reincarnation. Something to ease the character into the concept, as opposed to being dropped in the deep end with something really life changing. It's not something I can have really hard and fast rules on, I don't think, but that's why I do apps the way I do, with quick replies first to let me collaborate with players.
When applying for a character, they'll have experienced their first Echo already. This Echo is quite weak, and will not have restored much at all, but it comes with a special, one time effect. It gave your character a string of numbers which they can never forget. Entering these numbers into any electronic device, or writing them down in any way, will connect the character to the private network. More information can be found here.
ADDITIONAL
A character's overall Echo process is meant to be a steady development. Any character is eligible to request one Tier 2 Echo a month, which can be used to either allow for a big development or change to take place at once or grant two separate but related Echo effects (such as two memories of one person, an item and a memory of how to use it, etc.), but otherwise, special powers will arrive in degrees and rarely all at once. The order and fashion of that power's return will, however, be up to the player. They might start with a basic ability that's simple to use, or an advanced ability that they haven't got a clue how to use properly or that takes up too much energy to be effective.
Abilities which rely on the player's soul or soul equivalent are no exception to this. During their reincarnation, the souls of the characters will have been converted into ordinary human (or animal) souls, and will regain their special properties via Echoes.
The method by which Echoes return something is entirely up the player. Maybe sometimes they'll instantly and painlessly gain something. Maybe over a course of weeks, they'll painfully mutate to accommodate a new appearance. Perhaps memories will return in a dream. In other words, whatever looks most interesting to you, go for it - feel free to mix it up and get creative!
ECHO FAQ
What happens if an echo is left behind?
How how often can I have my characters receive how many echoes?
Echoes are both integral to the plot and an important game mechanic. An Echo is the result of a character either being exposed to the influence of the threat against the planet or experiencing a "reminder" of their past life, "returning" or recreating a part of that past life for them be it in the form of a memory, piece of knowledge, physical mutation, or even a possession or other creature.
Their effects only exist within designated Echo boundaries - the main sites of plot conflict. If a character leaves an Echo boundary, they will revert back to their pre-game self from wherever their Echoes may have left their sense of identity.
Before March 9th, this also came with losing all items/physical changes/memories as well as memories of interactions with people that came about as a result of game plot.
As of March 9th, 2014, the effect of leaving an Echo boundary changed. Instead of completely losing all Echoes and Echo related memories, reincarnates will lose the potency of their Echoes.
Abilities will weaken considerably (to approximately 10% of their original capability).
Physical changes will be naught but a hint and may cause a case of phantom limbs. For example, if a character was originally 5'6" and Echoed a height of 6'0", upon leaving the city, they would shrink to either their original height (5'6") or retain a small amount of their Echoed height (5'7"-5'8") and feel like they should be taller.
Memories (Echoed and associated with Echoes) will be so fuzzy that the reincarnate will wonder if they truly did such and such or met so and so -- like they simultaneously remember and don't remember doing something Echo-related, or remember it in the way one remembers a dream.
In short, the reincarnate that passes the border will revert to almost the same as one who is Echo-less. They will, however, remember that they are part of a group ("the Network", "the Numbers Club", "the Numbered", or however that particular character regards the reincarnates).
Their Echoes will return at full strength when they re-enter an Echo boundary.
WHY?
To summarise the reason for Echoes, seen in slightly more detail on the setting page, they occur because player characters are not naturally of the Earth the game is set on. Instead their souls, alongside cosmic data attached, are immigrants from another universe, placed in the body of an ordinary native human at birth. As a result those dimensional travellers can recover elements of their past lives.
HOW?
Echoes triggers come in three types.
The first are plot Echoes - obtained by being involved in the interdimensional threat to Earth. These threats take on a variety of forms, and as long as the character has been involved in some way, they'll be eligible for at least one Echo. Immediately-available plot Echo opportunities are listed at the bottom of plot posts - and others may be provided or declared as they come as plots develop and leads are pursued! In general, a plot Echo may be used to obtain any effect that you like - any one can be used to obtain a mental, physical, item, or creature Echo unless otherwise stated, and what exactly is obtained does not need relevance to the situation or trigger.
The second are canon reoccurrences - experiences distinguishable as parallel or unconscious "reminders" of a character's previous life. Not every mundane thing which a character can do will trigger an Echo - both a potential Echo trigger and gain need to be of something significant enough to "stand out" or have stood out in the character's mind! Canon reoccurrence always causes an Echo related to the original experience, and as a general rule, the strength of the Echo depends on how direct or visceral the trigger is as a "reminder" of the experience. For example, if a character discovered that they had the ability to fly when they fell from a skyscraper in their canon, seeing someone else fall might trigger a memory of falling, but would not be likely to get them their own flight back. However, falling him/herself would -- as long as they'd never fallen from that high up before. Pieces of context for a scenario can, within reason, be used to support or affect the "strength" of an Echo.
A Echo effect will be triggered the first time a character experiences an event (for example, a character cannot obtain an Echo from watching a vampire movie if it wouldn't have been their first time doing so), and can only be triggered within designated Echo boundaries.
The third kind is only possible for characters with less than sixteen echoes. These echoes are triggered by physical proximity to a character who has been in game for longer than a year. Only tier 1 echoes can be triggered that way, and no character can trigger them in themselves. Both players must, of course, have consented to this oocly. A character can receive echoes through this mechanic no more than 10 times, and only up to 3 times from the same character.
This game mechanic is primarily meant to make it easier for newer players to gain echoes quickly, but also to give older characters something new to play with.
Echoes of either type must be approved before they are used in-game, with approval to be requested on this page.. Submit at any time you like and we'll any Echo request(s) you've got a look and stamp! Once approved, it's up to the player when a character actually receives an Echo's effect - right after encountering the trigger, after it's long passed, the next day. Or even a week afterwards. Or, in the case of certain larger Echoes, developing into fullness over several days or weeks.
WHAT?
Mental Echoes:
Mental Echoes return something of the preincarnation's mind. This can be a memory, a skill, a feeling, a sensation, even a personality trait. Be imaginative! Give them skill with an ability they don't have, or with a weapon they don't have access to. Abilities which rely on knowledge instead of an element of their physical make up fall under this.
Physical Echoes:
Physical Echoes return something of a preincarnation's body. A special ability, appearance, old wounds, degrees of strength in their abilities, muscles, better health, illness and so on. Abilities which are a part of physiology fall under this.
Item Echoes:
Item Echoes return an item which belonged to the preincarnation. A weapon, clothing, a vehicle, money, a childhood stuffed toy. Anything, really, as long as it belonged to them. Items may return in strange or incomplete forms, and require more than one Echo to be completely restored. For example, a sword which has special abilities originally may return as a normal sword, and then another Echo will restore a portion of its power.
Note: No items specifically from your character's canon exist on this Earth. This Earth has costume wizard hats, but you won't find the one your character used to wear. You may be able to find something similar enough to trigger an Echo, but it won't be exactly the same.
Creature Echoes:
Creature Echoes do not directly effect the character, but instead a related life form which associated with them in their past life. They operate as above but for another being, such as their preincarnated life's animal companion, mount or pet.
The only trait that is common to absolutely all Echoes is that when the process begins the one undergoing the change briefly feels as if they are completely hollow and a powerful noise as if from a particularly strong heartbeat resounds inside of them.
The process itself doesn't make it clear what's happening. There's the initial physical reaction and then they have to work out what has happened to them. Some might be more obvious (like suddenly having a tail as opposed to getting more sarcastic), but there's not an inbuilt understanding of what's going on. In cases where they receive a memory they'll experience it as a memory, not relive the moment.
FIRST ECHOES
First Echoes are something like warm ups, fairly small and with not too big an impact on the reincarnation. Something to ease the character into the concept, as opposed to being dropped in the deep end with something really life changing. It's not something I can have really hard and fast rules on, I don't think, but that's why I do apps the way I do, with quick replies first to let me collaborate with players.
When applying for a character, they'll have experienced their first Echo already. This Echo is quite weak, and will not have restored much at all, but it comes with a special, one time effect. It gave your character a string of numbers which they can never forget. Entering these numbers into any electronic device, or writing them down in any way, will connect the character to the private network. More information can be found here.
ADDITIONAL
A character's overall Echo process is meant to be a steady development. Any character is eligible to request one Tier 2 Echo a month, which can be used to either allow for a big development or change to take place at once or grant two separate but related Echo effects (such as two memories of one person, an item and a memory of how to use it, etc.), but otherwise, special powers will arrive in degrees and rarely all at once. The order and fashion of that power's return will, however, be up to the player. They might start with a basic ability that's simple to use, or an advanced ability that they haven't got a clue how to use properly or that takes up too much energy to be effective.
Abilities which rely on the player's soul or soul equivalent are no exception to this. During their reincarnation, the souls of the characters will have been converted into ordinary human (or animal) souls, and will regain their special properties via Echoes.
The method by which Echoes return something is entirely up the player. Maybe sometimes they'll instantly and painlessly gain something. Maybe over a course of weeks, they'll painfully mutate to accommodate a new appearance. Perhaps memories will return in a dream. In other words, whatever looks most interesting to you, go for it - feel free to mix it up and get creative!
ECHO FAQ
What happens if an echo is left behind?
How how often can I have my characters receive how many echoes?
SETTING
The game's location is ordinary and familiar, planet Earth in the year 2014. The world's human history will be completely identical to the real world with the exception of game events and the existence of the city which acts as the early focal point of gameplay. As time progresses, the setting will expand to a completely global setting and characters will be allowed (and plot will encourage) them to go elsewhere. Nothing supernatural exists, although certainly lots of the unusual. It's a place which contains all the things that make up a world. Nature, mankind, peace, war, love, hate. But it has nothing special. It's just the same as the real 21st century Earth.
With just two differences. The first is that the planet itself is alive and sentient, a cosmic entity that guides the development of life on Earth very loosely by deciding which soul to place in which body. The second is that a mysterious entity that appears to be from another reality attempted to encroach on the planet in its ancient past. The sentient life force of the planet realised it was in danger and had no adequate form of defence. In response it used the breach the entity created to gather the 'souls' of dead beings from destroyed universes and implanted them into new born lifeforms. Now when dangerous breaches occur, these people are slowly reformatted to match their old lives in an attempt to act as the world's guardians, whenever they get involved in the unfolding conflict. However, their souls were not chosen for reincarnation by any method further than being from dimensions beyond; the people they might find themselves becoming may not be the most obvious choices for the Earth's protectors.
The characters won't know this for a long time. They will probably be more focused on keeping themselves alive, as the game will have a lot of dangerous events that will largely revolve around the previously mentioned entity attempting to take a foothold in this reality through a series of schemes. There will be no self resolving events. Players will have to be proactive in dealing with what is occurring.
The story begins in Locke City. It's a particularly massive city on the coast of New Jersey, USA, and contains everything you'd expect a city to contain: slums, business and industrial districts, suburbs, hotels, schools. The city has a very strong multicultural make-up, and features an equivalent to a 'Little Italy' or 'China Town' for every culture you can think of. The exact contents of the city and its surroundings are left to the players and the requirements of the plot. In other words, world building is a community effort. To add to the city's geography and to see the contributions of others, go to the City Development Page. For current weather, Ocean City, NJ can be used as a guide.
Whilst it has already been decided the game will undergo 'seasons' where when one ends the setting changes drastically, much of what will occur with the plot will be a response to the player's actions. Some things players will be asked to stick to (such as for at least the first 'season,' they will need to hide the truth from the public), but otherwise a lot of what happens will be reactions to what they do. The only NPCs will be normal humans and the enemy (and their minions) with no untouchable NPCs that are in control of the setting.
Something like a memory loss game and something like an AU game, the idea is that you do not play your character but their reincarnation from their canon in this game's setting. They will have lived their whole life there as an ordinary human being, with the player creating an AU history and personality. Players will be allowed a few major deviations (and lots of minor deviations) from the canon character's personality to make them logically fit into their AU life, but as they spend time in game they will have parts of their previous life returned to them as memories, personality traits, powers, appearance changes and be given items etc. that link them to their past selves. This process is called an Echo. For more detail on Echoes, see this page.
First season events will mostly be based giving clues to the mystery that the players are already privy to, the emergence of supernatural beings and the character's attempts to deal with them. Each time a character is involved in one of these events (which will be chaotically distributed instead of at regular intervals) they will receive an Echo.
A timeline of in-game events can be found here.
THE NETWORK
When a character receives their first Echo they become unable to forget a long string of numbers. This number is used to connect to an otherworldly communication network, which does not exist on the internet or in any physical form. Ordinary humans cannot perceive the the network at all. They will only be able to sense the original string of numbers.
Almost anything can be used to establish a connection, so long as the number can be applied to it. A piece of paper, phone, computer, reflective surface, etc. Be imaginative.
Using one's own number connects to the general network which is available for all to see. Using someone else's number sends the message directly to that person, but they still need to connect to the network themselves and therefore an ordinary phone would be better for emergencies. This also means accidental posts are nearly impossible.
As a note, due to the way "private" lines are established, posts can not be filtered to or away from a certain group; as soon as the original character puts in their own number and then that of another, it opens a line directly to that other character. If one wants to send a particular message to a number of people, it must be done one by one and the messages will not be visible to anyone else except the two the connection is between.
More information on IC- mechanics of network posts can be found here.
When posting, both the initial poster and repliers' tags are to be formatted as CANON: Character's Canon Name. Additionally, the tags for +location, for type of post (#action or #network), and if applicable the !open tag should be applied.
Please also specify how the post was made in the subject line, such as if it was from a phone, computer, written in blood on the floor, etc.
The game's location is ordinary and familiar, planet Earth in the year 2014. The world's human history will be completely identical to the real world with the exception of game events and the existence of the city which acts as the early focal point of gameplay. As time progresses, the setting will expand to a completely global setting and characters will be allowed (and plot will encourage) them to go elsewhere. Nothing supernatural exists, although certainly lots of the unusual. It's a place which contains all the things that make up a world. Nature, mankind, peace, war, love, hate. But it has nothing special. It's just the same as the real 21st century Earth.
With just two differences. The first is that the planet itself is alive and sentient, a cosmic entity that guides the development of life on Earth very loosely by deciding which soul to place in which body. The second is that a mysterious entity that appears to be from another reality attempted to encroach on the planet in its ancient past. The sentient life force of the planet realised it was in danger and had no adequate form of defence. In response it used the breach the entity created to gather the 'souls' of dead beings from destroyed universes and implanted them into new born lifeforms. Now when dangerous breaches occur, these people are slowly reformatted to match their old lives in an attempt to act as the world's guardians, whenever they get involved in the unfolding conflict. However, their souls were not chosen for reincarnation by any method further than being from dimensions beyond; the people they might find themselves becoming may not be the most obvious choices for the Earth's protectors.
The characters won't know this for a long time. They will probably be more focused on keeping themselves alive, as the game will have a lot of dangerous events that will largely revolve around the previously mentioned entity attempting to take a foothold in this reality through a series of schemes. There will be no self resolving events. Players will have to be proactive in dealing with what is occurring.
The story begins in Locke City. It's a particularly massive city on the coast of New Jersey, USA, and contains everything you'd expect a city to contain: slums, business and industrial districts, suburbs, hotels, schools. The city has a very strong multicultural make-up, and features an equivalent to a 'Little Italy' or 'China Town' for every culture you can think of. The exact contents of the city and its surroundings are left to the players and the requirements of the plot. In other words, world building is a community effort. To add to the city's geography and to see the contributions of others, go to the City Development Page. For current weather, Ocean City, NJ can be used as a guide.
Whilst it has already been decided the game will undergo 'seasons' where when one ends the setting changes drastically, much of what will occur with the plot will be a response to the player's actions. Some things players will be asked to stick to (such as for at least the first 'season,' they will need to hide the truth from the public), but otherwise a lot of what happens will be reactions to what they do. The only NPCs will be normal humans and the enemy (and their minions) with no untouchable NPCs that are in control of the setting.
Something like a memory loss game and something like an AU game, the idea is that you do not play your character but their reincarnation from their canon in this game's setting. They will have lived their whole life there as an ordinary human being, with the player creating an AU history and personality. Players will be allowed a few major deviations (and lots of minor deviations) from the canon character's personality to make them logically fit into their AU life, but as they spend time in game they will have parts of their previous life returned to them as memories, personality traits, powers, appearance changes and be given items etc. that link them to their past selves. This process is called an Echo. For more detail on Echoes, see this page.
First season events will mostly be based giving clues to the mystery that the players are already privy to, the emergence of supernatural beings and the character's attempts to deal with them. Each time a character is involved in one of these events (which will be chaotically distributed instead of at regular intervals) they will receive an Echo.
A timeline of in-game events can be found here.
THE NETWORK
When a character receives their first Echo they become unable to forget a long string of numbers. This number is used to connect to an otherworldly communication network, which does not exist on the internet or in any physical form. Ordinary humans cannot perceive the the network at all. They will only be able to sense the original string of numbers.
Almost anything can be used to establish a connection, so long as the number can be applied to it. A piece of paper, phone, computer, reflective surface, etc. Be imaginative.
Using one's own number connects to the general network which is available for all to see. Using someone else's number sends the message directly to that person, but they still need to connect to the network themselves and therefore an ordinary phone would be better for emergencies. This also means accidental posts are nearly impossible.
As a note, due to the way "private" lines are established, posts can not be filtered to or away from a certain group; as soon as the original character puts in their own number and then that of another, it opens a line directly to that other character. If one wants to send a particular message to a number of people, it must be done one by one and the messages will not be visible to anyone else except the two the connection is between.
More information on IC- mechanics of network posts can be found here.
When posting, both the initial poster and repliers' tags are to be formatted as CANON: Character's Canon Name. Additionally, the tags for +location, for type of post (#action or #network), and if applicable the !open tag should be applied.
Please also specify how the post was made in the subject line, such as if it was from a phone, computer, written in blood on the floor, etc.
