The Velvet Key Mod Team (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
velvetyhelpers) wrote2012-01-04 05:00 pm
velvetyhelpers) wrote2012-01-04 05:00 pm
Entry tags:
FAQ;
ARCANA, PERSONA, & SOCIAL LINKS;
»What happens to a character's supernatural abilities (aka: powers)?
Upon arriving in Prospero, they become completely human complete with losing all supernatural abilities. Skills that can be retained by memory are kept such as martial arts combat and higher intelligence levels. Examples of supernatural abilities lost are things like telepathy, magical blasts, the ability to transform one's skirt shorter, and flying. If your character needed those powers to survive, whatever ails them will be fixed. So if your character was a mute that only spoke through telepathy, you're free to allow them the ability to speak again. If you feel as though there are any complications with that, please contact one of our mods to discuss it further.
»What if my character isn't humanoid?
Characters will arrive in Prospero with a humanoid form if the character is a creature not found in nature. If your character was large or tiny in their canon, their size will adjust to a more "normal" one. If your character has non-humanoid physical features, they will appear only during the Dark Hour. This is left to player discretion. So if your character was originally a dragon, they will be a "nerfed" form of that state during the Dark Hour. It should be noted that their special abilities are still gone though. So no flying dragons.
»What if the Arcana I want to play from is locked? What if someone else has a Persona I think would be best for my character?
Then we ask you choose another Arcana or Persona. The Persona go on a 'first come, first serve basis' and will only be available when the character using it drops or changes their Persona. Arcana may be taken off the available list if we have too many characters apping in under it. Since the Arcana represent a person's journey through life, we are confident that another Arcana can be used as a suitable replacement.
»Can I create my own Persona?
Yes. Originally it was so long as the Persona was based off a mythological, religious, or folklore figure in any medium, but it has been modified to be less restrictive. So long as the custom Persona is reasonable, it will be accepted. Remember mods must approve any Persona before they can appear in game. Some Persona are restricted due to canon reasons, but their models/names can be used as custom Persona in certain cases.
»Are the Persona's powers only usable during the Dark Hour?
No, Persona can be summoned and used at any time you wish. However, Persona and their abilities are "invisible" to the normal citizens of the world. They will not react and any ability used on a natural citizen will always miss/fail to work. Any physical damage caused will be fixed by the next day and forgotten by the populace. Do note that using a Persona any time other than the Dark Hour is more taxing: abilities will cost more and generally wear out the character at a rapid rate.
»How does a character summon a Persona?
This has been done in a few ways. The most common is just to think of them or ask of their aid: they will come when summoned. Sometimes they might get disgruntled or be released upon a character wishing for some help in a dire situation.
»Can I change my Arcana or Persona?
You are free to change your Persona using this post, but it will come at a 20 level reduction. If your character doesn't have 20+ levels on them, then they can't change their Persona. Characters are only allowed to change their Arcana with mod permission and will have to contact one of the mods personally in order to initiate a change. This will only be permitted on very dire circumstances such as in-game events rapidly changing a character beyond their path.
»Where can I sign up for a Persona?
You can sign up for a Persona by visiting the Persona Registry post. Please try to pick a Persona quickly so that it can be added to the Taken Characters List.
»How does leveling work in this game?
Levels are kept track by the players and are reported in at every Activity Check for consistency's sake. How many levels your character's Persona gains depends on two different things: training and full moon events. The minimum a character can gain, regardless of level or training, is one. This means for every month they are in game, that character's Persona gains at least one level. The levels possible are as followed:
For the most part, all in-game events are related to the phases of the moon. Generally there will always be something for the days leading up to the Full Moon unless there's something larger going on. Events are planned based on player availability, which means during finals and other busy times, there will be smaller events. Regains are also rewarded through some events, so keep an eye out for that. During the Full Moon, there will be a boss event. It will be based on the Arcana of the Boss Shadow and will run anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Generally there will be enemy Shadows protecting the Boss Shadow: defeating those will cause it to die or run away. There may be an event in the future where characters will have to attack the post straight on. The logs posted will have several sections to it that include preparation before the boss (for parties to form), a general fighting thread, and an aftermath thread (for healing and other communication). Additionally, there may be a section for players to coordinate things or to handwave their character's participation if they feel they are lacking in time. These logs are run by the mods and may require some communication if a thread has been paused.
»What are these Social Links?
Every character has an Arcana and due to that, they have a social link that can be formed with another character. The wiki write-up for Social Links can be found offsite at the MT Wiki, but the general idea is that the higher a Social Link, the better benefits a character can receive. This means the more interaction a character has with another, the greater the chance of a rank up can occur. When two characters form a friendship or another form of a close bond, they are strengthened magically. The basic bonuses found for each Social Link and the level achieved can be found in the Social Link Compendium.
»How do you determine what level each Social Link should be?
Social Links are determined by players. It is advised you speak with the players of characters your own character is close to for a better idea of their understanding. Generally, the higher the number, the closer your character is with that person. Canon couples might show up with higher Social Link than they would have with someone they've just met. As the bonuses don't break the game too much, there's no restriction on it. However, if there are any signs of abuse with this feature, please report it to one of the mods so that we can handle it.
»What are broken or reversed Social Links?
These are two Social Link stages that don't provide any future benefit whatsoever. If a character had a Rank 8 Social Link with someone who dropped, they can still retain some significance of the bonuses, but are no longer able to strengthen it until they form a Social Link with another character of that Arcana. Broken Social Links can be determined in a number of ways: characters no longer being friends or dropped characters. A Reverse Social Link means something happened between the characters to make them dislike each other. There are currently no benefits rewarded to those with Reverse Social Links, although there may be something for them in the future. Please be cautious with what Social Links your character considers broken or reversed as it will take a significant amount of repair to fix those.
SETTING, DARK HOUR, & COMMUNICATION;
»Where does this game take place?
The game is set on a man made island off the eastern coast of the United States. The island, which consists of one large city, is known as Prospero. The island was created as a city-state over three decades ago by a former US Senator and once hosted a large business district. Most of the businesses disbanded or moved after an event just a few years after its establishment. The circumstances surrounding the creation of the island and the 'event' are shrouded in mystery as many of the records from that time have either gone missing or are unreleased to the public. Within the last decade people started moving back to the area and turned it into what it is today. While the city is large (the island is around 100 square miles), the population remains rather small. The populace doesn't notice the influx of strangers appearing to the island as they assume they are either travelers or have moved in intentionally from another part of the world.
»Where does my character appear when first brought into this world?
You can choose to have your character appear at any time in any place so long as it's on the island initially.
»What about my character's personal stuff?
Even if your character is from modern time, they will only arrive with what's on their person. It's possible to regain some of their belongings in the future through miscellaneous events. The regains post is here and can be used only when you've been informed your character has earned a regain. Additionally, your character has no official documentation related to them filed in this world.
»What can my character regain?
Mostly anything. All magical artifacts and items that have special abilities will be nerfed. Pets and familiars can be regained as well with certain nerfs too. All regains are mod-approved and are only granted through various events or special dungeon runs. Regains can be redeemed at this post. When a character drops, their regained items may remain in game if a player grants permission for it. Some regains may be confiscated by the government or other characters though!
»Where will my character live?
There is an old hotel that the characters are allowed to live at free of charge for as long as they wish. The hotel is owned by a unknown third party and is currently run by locals. Each character can get a few weeks worth of gift cards to various restaurants from the hotel staff. If questioned, the staff doesn't know anything about the owner or why the people are appearing. They only know they get paid to work here. Every character that lives at the hotel appears on the register there and their name will not be removed unless they officially check out. Characters are allowed to keep their rooms for personal purposes and still live elsewhere. Once the characters have earned enough money, they can move into homes, apartment buildings, and other places of residence around the city. School age characters can apply to live in dorms and will find their dorm fees mysteriously paid. However, characters living in dorms have a strict curfew and have to keep a C average in school. They cannot miss extended periods of school or keep pets. If they are found breaking rules, they may get kicked out!
»What about school or jobs?
There is an elementary, middle, and high school in the area along with a community college and a daycare center. Everything up to high school is free for characters to attend. There are plenty of jobs to be had - if it can be done in a modern setting, then assume your character can be employed. Characters can try to start their own businesses and hire others at their own discretion also. There are a few businesses that have hired a few characters already. They can be found at the locations page.
»What is the Dark Hour?
The Dark Hour is a special time of night that occurs at midnight. It serves as the 25th hour in the day and isn't recorded by any electronics as all of them are disabled save for character phones. The MT Wiki write-up has additional information. The Dark Hour is world-wide, but Shadows are thinned out the further away from the island. Regains appear during this time as well and are only unveiled to the character they are for. During this time, Shadows appear to attack characters and each unlockable block can be accessed. There's also a dungeon that characters can explore for additional training. As for the scenery, it's naturally dark with puddles of blood throughout the streets. The populace and any other non-playable characters are turned into coffins that can't be opened in any way. This occurrence also happens world-wide, so a character may find an entire city turned into coffins save for themselves if they are traveling.
»Can my character die?
Yes. Death isn't permanent here in Prospero. When a character dies, they are out of the game for at least a week unless an event indicates otherwise. Mod approval was required before, but that has been lessened due to the amount of murderers that have joined the cast. If your character is caught committing a murder by the police, they will be thrown into jail. Your character can break out of jail easily during the Dark Hour, but they will be sought out by the NPC's for a while (at least a month) before they forget and move on.
»What about canon updates/degrades?
You can update or downgrade your character's canon simply by visiting this page and filling out the information there. Once approved by the mods, you can decide for how long your character will be out. In the case of a downgrade, characters will be asked to come up with a reason for doing so. This could be explained in a number of ways, the easiest one being amnesia inflicted upon them with an error due to their Persona.
»Who are the NPC's?
A write-up of all NPC's can be found here. They are sometimes played by the mod team and are approachable should a character wish to speak with them. All NPC related threads should be approved by mods first so that they can be played out.
»Is there more information about the phones?
Upon arrival, characters will find a smart phone somewhere near their person. This phone is not only automatically updated with the numbers of each character in the game, but it does include their names if they are registered in the hotel or the student dorms. Additionally, it includes a bar with each name to indicate the level of Social Link they may have with that character. If they've never met or the rank is below 1, there will be no bar. There are a couple of applications on the phone that can't be deleted. They are:
»Are there any other methods characters can use to communicate?
Generally if they can do it in the modern world, they can do it here. Characters can leave letters, packages, and the like with each other through the mail service or with the receptionist at the hotel. They can use outdated radios or handheld transceivers to communicate through the 24 hours that aren't the Dark Hour. There are computers readily available in the library (although restricted) and player-made networks can be created. There are bulletin boards found throughout the dorms and hotel, as well as a PA system in the school. There isn't a PA system installed in the hotel. Players are encouraged to have IC contact posts, but they are permitted to make private posts in the community to these characters as well.
»What happens to a character's supernatural abilities (aka: powers)?
Upon arriving in Prospero, they become completely human complete with losing all supernatural abilities. Skills that can be retained by memory are kept such as martial arts combat and higher intelligence levels. Examples of supernatural abilities lost are things like telepathy, magical blasts, the ability to transform one's skirt shorter, and flying. If your character needed those powers to survive, whatever ails them will be fixed. So if your character was a mute that only spoke through telepathy, you're free to allow them the ability to speak again. If you feel as though there are any complications with that, please contact one of our mods to discuss it further.
»What if my character isn't humanoid?
Characters will arrive in Prospero with a humanoid form if the character is a creature not found in nature. If your character was large or tiny in their canon, their size will adjust to a more "normal" one. If your character has non-humanoid physical features, they will appear only during the Dark Hour. This is left to player discretion. So if your character was originally a dragon, they will be a "nerfed" form of that state during the Dark Hour. It should be noted that their special abilities are still gone though. So no flying dragons.
»What if the Arcana I want to play from is locked? What if someone else has a Persona I think would be best for my character?
Then we ask you choose another Arcana or Persona. The Persona go on a 'first come, first serve basis' and will only be available when the character using it drops or changes their Persona. Arcana may be taken off the available list if we have too many characters apping in under it. Since the Arcana represent a person's journey through life, we are confident that another Arcana can be used as a suitable replacement.
»Can I create my own Persona?
Yes. Originally it was so long as the Persona was based off a mythological, religious, or folklore figure in any medium, but it has been modified to be less restrictive. So long as the custom Persona is reasonable, it will be accepted. Remember mods must approve any Persona before they can appear in game. Some Persona are restricted due to canon reasons, but their models/names can be used as custom Persona in certain cases.
»Are the Persona's powers only usable during the Dark Hour?
No, Persona can be summoned and used at any time you wish. However, Persona and their abilities are "invisible" to the normal citizens of the world. They will not react and any ability used on a natural citizen will always miss/fail to work. Any physical damage caused will be fixed by the next day and forgotten by the populace. Do note that using a Persona any time other than the Dark Hour is more taxing: abilities will cost more and generally wear out the character at a rapid rate.
»How does a character summon a Persona?
This has been done in a few ways. The most common is just to think of them or ask of their aid: they will come when summoned. Sometimes they might get disgruntled or be released upon a character wishing for some help in a dire situation.
»Can I change my Arcana or Persona?
You are free to change your Persona using this post, but it will come at a 20 level reduction. If your character doesn't have 20+ levels on them, then they can't change their Persona. Characters are only allowed to change their Arcana with mod permission and will have to contact one of the mods personally in order to initiate a change. This will only be permitted on very dire circumstances such as in-game events rapidly changing a character beyond their path.
»Where can I sign up for a Persona?
You can sign up for a Persona by visiting the Persona Registry post. Please try to pick a Persona quickly so that it can be added to the Taken Characters List.
»How does leveling work in this game?
Levels are kept track by the players and are reported in at every Activity Check for consistency's sake. How many levels your character's Persona gains depends on two different things: training and full moon events. The minimum a character can gain, regardless of level or training, is one. This means for every month they are in game, that character's Persona gains at least one level. The levels possible are as followed:
Levels 1-39: Gains up to seven levels a month, depending on the amount of training/fighting done. Gains three levels from participating in Boss/Moon Events.»What about events?
Levels 40-69: Gains up to five levels a month, depending on the amount of training/fighting done. Gains two levels from participating in Boss/Moon Events.
Levels 70-100: Gains up to four levels a month, depending on the amount of training/fighting done. Gains one level from participating in Boss/Moon Events.
For the most part, all in-game events are related to the phases of the moon. Generally there will always be something for the days leading up to the Full Moon unless there's something larger going on. Events are planned based on player availability, which means during finals and other busy times, there will be smaller events. Regains are also rewarded through some events, so keep an eye out for that. During the Full Moon, there will be a boss event. It will be based on the Arcana of the Boss Shadow and will run anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Generally there will be enemy Shadows protecting the Boss Shadow: defeating those will cause it to die or run away. There may be an event in the future where characters will have to attack the post straight on. The logs posted will have several sections to it that include preparation before the boss (for parties to form), a general fighting thread, and an aftermath thread (for healing and other communication). Additionally, there may be a section for players to coordinate things or to handwave their character's participation if they feel they are lacking in time. These logs are run by the mods and may require some communication if a thread has been paused.
»What are these Social Links?
Every character has an Arcana and due to that, they have a social link that can be formed with another character. The wiki write-up for Social Links can be found offsite at the MT Wiki, but the general idea is that the higher a Social Link, the better benefits a character can receive. This means the more interaction a character has with another, the greater the chance of a rank up can occur. When two characters form a friendship or another form of a close bond, they are strengthened magically. The basic bonuses found for each Social Link and the level achieved can be found in the Social Link Compendium.
»How do you determine what level each Social Link should be?
Social Links are determined by players. It is advised you speak with the players of characters your own character is close to for a better idea of their understanding. Generally, the higher the number, the closer your character is with that person. Canon couples might show up with higher Social Link than they would have with someone they've just met. As the bonuses don't break the game too much, there's no restriction on it. However, if there are any signs of abuse with this feature, please report it to one of the mods so that we can handle it.
»What are broken or reversed Social Links?
These are two Social Link stages that don't provide any future benefit whatsoever. If a character had a Rank 8 Social Link with someone who dropped, they can still retain some significance of the bonuses, but are no longer able to strengthen it until they form a Social Link with another character of that Arcana. Broken Social Links can be determined in a number of ways: characters no longer being friends or dropped characters. A Reverse Social Link means something happened between the characters to make them dislike each other. There are currently no benefits rewarded to those with Reverse Social Links, although there may be something for them in the future. Please be cautious with what Social Links your character considers broken or reversed as it will take a significant amount of repair to fix those.
SETTING, DARK HOUR, & COMMUNICATION;
»Where does this game take place?
The game is set on a man made island off the eastern coast of the United States. The island, which consists of one large city, is known as Prospero. The island was created as a city-state over three decades ago by a former US Senator and once hosted a large business district. Most of the businesses disbanded or moved after an event just a few years after its establishment. The circumstances surrounding the creation of the island and the 'event' are shrouded in mystery as many of the records from that time have either gone missing or are unreleased to the public. Within the last decade people started moving back to the area and turned it into what it is today. While the city is large (the island is around 100 square miles), the population remains rather small. The populace doesn't notice the influx of strangers appearing to the island as they assume they are either travelers or have moved in intentionally from another part of the world.
»Where does my character appear when first brought into this world?
You can choose to have your character appear at any time in any place so long as it's on the island initially.
»What about my character's personal stuff?
Even if your character is from modern time, they will only arrive with what's on their person. It's possible to regain some of their belongings in the future through miscellaneous events. The regains post is here and can be used only when you've been informed your character has earned a regain. Additionally, your character has no official documentation related to them filed in this world.
»What can my character regain?
Mostly anything. All magical artifacts and items that have special abilities will be nerfed. Pets and familiars can be regained as well with certain nerfs too. All regains are mod-approved and are only granted through various events or special dungeon runs. Regains can be redeemed at this post. When a character drops, their regained items may remain in game if a player grants permission for it. Some regains may be confiscated by the government or other characters though!
»Where will my character live?
There is an old hotel that the characters are allowed to live at free of charge for as long as they wish. The hotel is owned by a unknown third party and is currently run by locals. Each character can get a few weeks worth of gift cards to various restaurants from the hotel staff. If questioned, the staff doesn't know anything about the owner or why the people are appearing. They only know they get paid to work here. Every character that lives at the hotel appears on the register there and their name will not be removed unless they officially check out. Characters are allowed to keep their rooms for personal purposes and still live elsewhere. Once the characters have earned enough money, they can move into homes, apartment buildings, and other places of residence around the city. School age characters can apply to live in dorms and will find their dorm fees mysteriously paid. However, characters living in dorms have a strict curfew and have to keep a C average in school. They cannot miss extended periods of school or keep pets. If they are found breaking rules, they may get kicked out!
»What about school or jobs?
There is an elementary, middle, and high school in the area along with a community college and a daycare center. Everything up to high school is free for characters to attend. There are plenty of jobs to be had - if it can be done in a modern setting, then assume your character can be employed. Characters can try to start their own businesses and hire others at their own discretion also. There are a few businesses that have hired a few characters already. They can be found at the locations page.
»What is the Dark Hour?
The Dark Hour is a special time of night that occurs at midnight. It serves as the 25th hour in the day and isn't recorded by any electronics as all of them are disabled save for character phones. The MT Wiki write-up has additional information. The Dark Hour is world-wide, but Shadows are thinned out the further away from the island. Regains appear during this time as well and are only unveiled to the character they are for. During this time, Shadows appear to attack characters and each unlockable block can be accessed. There's also a dungeon that characters can explore for additional training. As for the scenery, it's naturally dark with puddles of blood throughout the streets. The populace and any other non-playable characters are turned into coffins that can't be opened in any way. This occurrence also happens world-wide, so a character may find an entire city turned into coffins save for themselves if they are traveling.
»Can my character die?
Yes. Death isn't permanent here in Prospero. When a character dies, they are out of the game for at least a week unless an event indicates otherwise. Mod approval was required before, but that has been lessened due to the amount of murderers that have joined the cast. If your character is caught committing a murder by the police, they will be thrown into jail. Your character can break out of jail easily during the Dark Hour, but they will be sought out by the NPC's for a while (at least a month) before they forget and move on.
»What about canon updates/degrades?
You can update or downgrade your character's canon simply by visiting this page and filling out the information there. Once approved by the mods, you can decide for how long your character will be out. In the case of a downgrade, characters will be asked to come up with a reason for doing so. This could be explained in a number of ways, the easiest one being amnesia inflicted upon them with an error due to their Persona.
»Who are the NPC's?
A write-up of all NPC's can be found here. They are sometimes played by the mod team and are approachable should a character wish to speak with them. All NPC related threads should be approved by mods first so that they can be played out.
»Is there more information about the phones?
Upon arrival, characters will find a smart phone somewhere near their person. This phone is not only automatically updated with the numbers of each character in the game, but it does include their names if they are registered in the hotel or the student dorms. Additionally, it includes a bar with each name to indicate the level of Social Link they may have with that character. If they've never met or the rank is below 1, there will be no bar. There are a couple of applications on the phone that can't be deleted. They are:
Persona! - The latest app on the market, but strangely only available to characters. This means it has no reviews save for player-made ones. With this application, characters can view information about their Persona and the skills they have unlocked.Characters are free to create their own apps and share them among other characters should they have a high enough level. As for hacking the network - it is possible to do so should a character have the skill necessary, as well as a high spiritual level. These phones are linked not only to the Persona tied to the character, but the Velvet Room as well. There's also an anonymous feature, but those who are skilled enough are able to track the original source easily. These phones are capable of sending photos, video, audio, and text messages, as well as attachments of various sorts. By default, all calls are considered locked unless you ask a player if you can threadjack/overhear it. Skilled hackers may find ways to lock their messages, but may be decrypted due to those who are more spiritual.
Free Gift! - Just as the app indicates, this one helps keep track of regains. Any time a character can redeem one, there will be a number there. Upon accessing it, characters will be informed that they can wish for anything they had back home. If there are no regains available, the icon can't be accessed.
Scary Shadows! - All the information certain characters have been gathering on the Shadows is now available in neat app form. Every Shadow listed here can be viewed for in-depth information.
»Are there any other methods characters can use to communicate?
Generally if they can do it in the modern world, they can do it here. Characters can leave letters, packages, and the like with each other through the mail service or with the receptionist at the hotel. They can use outdated radios or handheld transceivers to communicate through the 24 hours that aren't the Dark Hour. There are computers readily available in the library (although restricted) and player-made networks can be created. There are bulletin boards found throughout the dorms and hotel, as well as a PA system in the school. There isn't a PA system installed in the hotel. Players are encouraged to have IC contact posts, but they are permitted to make private posts in the community to these characters as well.
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