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I'm not familiar with Mistborn at all. What can you tell me about it to get up to speed?
The best way would be to read the books by Brandon Sanderson. They're great, and while they are long, they are fast-paced. Also, their endings are fantastic, as Brandon is known for. We highly encourage you to read them, because some of the articles on the site could contain fairly large spoilers which could ruin the enjoyment of the books. Please, go read them.
However, we have a great deal of information on the Mistborn world in articles around the site, which is a great reference for newcomers and people familiar with Mistborn alike. If you want to brush up on your Allomancy and the other magic systems, check out the article on the Three Metallic Arts. Want to learn about the various cultures of the Final Empire? Look no further than this article. And if you want to learn about the mists, the Ashmounts, or the enviroment and geography of the world? Go here.
Why a century before Final Empire, and what has changed from here to a century later?
Excellent question. The most interesting role-play time period in the Mistborn world is before the Lord Ruler's death (told you those spoilers would come quickly). There's all sorts of politicking with the nobility and the Ministry Cantons to draw from which make for interesting scenarios.
This campaign setting, however, deals with a skaa rebellion. For that, we didn't want to be locked into a timeline too close to the books, but we also wanted it to feel close to the setting we are familiar with. So most things, like the culture and the structure of the Final Empire, is nearly identical to the books.
For the sake of the RP, we also need to take some small liberties with the setting. There are probably more skaa Allomancers here than there may have been in the books (at least more than were in Kelsier's crew). Maybe there were a lot more Allomancers in Luthadel that just weren't discovered. Regardless, in this setting, there's a lot more of them now.
So, what's changed? Since we have some more skaa Allomancers around, enough to make a pretty good rebel force of them, the Ministry Soothing Stations in Luthadel were probably far less numerous, and perhaps didn't even contain Seekers at this time. We could attribute the great efficiency of the Steel Ministry's Soothing Stations, their harshness to nobility going to skaa brothels, and the infrequency of skaa Allomancers in the first book by saying those were all reactive measures from this rebellion's efforts.
What type of RP is this?
This is an open-form RP, which spans the entire forum. You post RP threads in the area of the city your character is in, though you are not limited to acting in one thread at a time, as that would slow down the pace of the game too much. If you would like to RP something that happened in your character's past, you may do so in our convenient flashbacks section.
How do you keep track of time in this RP?
We have the Universal Continuity Thread which keeps track of what threads happen when. So as long as you keep track of when your character is where, you are set. Our current method involves breaking down time into "cycles", or weeks, that last five days long. At the end of the fifth day, a Great House hosts a Ball, which is sort of the focal events for the RP.
What can't I do in this RP?
Well, the simple answer is that we--the "we" now referring to all the members on the site--are telling a collective story. The only thing you can't do is interfere with the sanctity of the story or interfere with other players. So, you can do practically anything, as long as you are kind, considerate, and you feel just as strongly about this story as the other players and the administrators.
More specifically, you cannot play as a character from the Mistborn novels, as we are a hundred years before that happened. Characters that would exist in the novels still, such as the Lord Ruler, Ruin and Preservation, are not prominent players in this campaign, and they are exclusively in the domain of the administrators so they don't break the game (However, if Ruin's voice is a character conflict, that can be acceptable, depending on the character). Don't be God Incarnate. Don't godmod. Don't break the rules. This shouldn't be a problem, because you guys are all intelligent people, right?
Where can I get a character application?
You can get one right here.
Why do I have to switch from different accounts when I want to post as a different character?
Good news! You don't! We've updated our forum software since we started using the multiple account system, which means we have a shiny new way to post as all of your characters, with their own signatures, avatars, and character groups, all conveniently from one main Out-of-Character account! Click here to see how it works!
I'd love to be in charge of my own Great House. How can I do that?
Unfortunately, all our Great House slots are full at the moment. You can, however, still create your own noble house to control. You'll find all the information and templates you need right here. Be sure to read about our rating and classification systems: the Diplomacy Rating System tells us how your house stands politically with the other houses in Luthadel (who their allies and enemies are, etc.), the House Classification System shows us how powerful your house is, and the Socioeconomic Rating System lets us know how rich (or poor) they are (don't worry, it's not as intimidating as the name sounds). If you wish to include another player's house in your diplomacy section, please remember to discuss it with the appropriate player first. You are also welcome to create NPC houses as needed to flesh out your own.
Can I create a character from another Dominance?
Absolutely! Members of noble houses from all over the Empire come to Luthadel for any number of reasons, or perhaps your skaa crewleader managed to stow away on a barge to get into town. All we ask is that your character have a valid reason to be in Luthadel.
For characters from Outer Dominances, however, you must consult an admin first. Some of our outer Dominances have some pretty heavy fanon worldbuilding, so we need to make sure that characters from these places make sense within the established setting. Think carefully if it's worth the extra work before creating one of these characters!
Why is the RP just set in Luthadel?
Luthadel is huge as it is. It's also an easily identifiable place in the Final Empire, as the other Dominances aren't as defined. Also, this way it keeps things centralized, so we don't have to worry about travel time in continuity. If there's demand or narrative need, we will adapt, of course. But right now, it feels like we've barely scratched the surface of the city.
What characters would you suggest creating?
You can check out our current list of wanted characters right here.
What happens to my characters/House if I leave for a long period of time?
Please, please let us know if you are going to be away for a long time. We'll discuss the situation and hopefully come to a reasonable solution.
If you don't let us know, we could be a lot harsher. Your characters might be seized by different members, or killed. Administrators will determine what course of action is the best for the story. Remember, the administrators have the ultimate authority in all matters, and we will not hesitate to defend the story. However, if your character didn't have a big role, we can most likely RP around this without going to any harsher actions.
Whatever happens, when you return to the site, don't be too freaked out. Talk to the admins, and we will come to an ideal solution.
Do you have any tips for good role-playing?
Write effectively. If you make your character likeable, people will want to game with you. Read other peoples' posts and make sure you play along. Don't ignore or outright contradict another player's choices. Imagine you are writing a book, and your character(s) are your only viewpoints.
What makes for a compelling character?
The most important thing in creating a character is to make that person feel like a real human being. There's a lot of different ways to do this, as you know from reading novels, different authors do it differently. The major key is to ensure the character doesn't become a one-note character. If they only have one defining trait, that character will feel shallow. Real people are more complex than that. You need to give your characters depth.
Don't make a character that the whole concept of the character is, "let's make a Mistborn!" That isn't a person. Magic only works when it enhances the real human that is already there. Your character is not defined by what they can do.
You should know your character's motivations, because everyone has them. You could focus on their likes and dislikes, and see if there is something interesting to play with there. You don't necessarily need to know what food they love or hate, for example, but hey, for all we know that food could be important. It doesn't have to be, but it could be relevant to a character.
When I make a character, I stick to conflicts, because when you're writing you need tension and conflict. Making a character with a neat conflict can carry a story for me. And real people don't just deal with one problem. Layer different conflicts upon the same character. There's plenty of conflicts available: internal conflict, interpersonal conflict, cultural conflict, religious conflict, and more. Pack a character full of conflict so he or she has a lot to deal with, and thus they will feel very round.
Have the character evoke different emotions at different times. Don't have them be predictable and shallow. Give them depth and let them shine.
Is there any system you use for combat?
There's no system, skill points, or dice that we use here. This site is really about interactive storytelling, and we feel it can bog down the story to have dice or skill points. In addition, keeping track of these numbers would be a heavy burden. Such things work better on a tabletop RPG than a forum-wide RP.
Thus, we place a great deal of faith in our players, because it's easy to abuse things when you don't have anything to keep you in check. You can do essentially anything in this RP. Such freedom is dangerous for people who abuse it. Let an administrator know when that happens and we will take care of it.
You can't honestly expect me to only be able to interact with other player characters, right? I don't want to overstep my bounds and control other characters to keep the story moving!
You're quite right. This is why we have a well-defined NPC System! When it comes to NPCs (non-player characters), you'll most likely be dealing with your own NPCs, which we call attached NPCs since they are attached to your specific character. Making an attached NPC is easy. All you need to do is write a quick bio and post it up as a topic like "Kelsier's Attached NPCs". When you have a new NPC you want to add, just add it to that topic.
In addition, there are unattached NPCs which can be utilized by everyone if necessary.
Why has my character not been accepted?
There could be many reasons, which we usually try and explain to you before locking the thread. You could be making a character which is too powerful for your skill as a writer--not everyone has the time or ability to play a Mistborn controlling a Great House. You could have broken some major tenets of the style guide, like making your RP sample in first person. The style guideline is a guide and you won't be banned for, say, improperly capitalizing things (like capitalizing the word "kandra"). It is, however, highly encouraged that you follow it.
You could have not given us enough detail in the character bio. Now, there are some small things and some big things on that character application. Personally, I'm not very concerned about the shape of someone's eyes, see above for my "Compelling character" notions. Concrete details like that are good, but what I really want is to feel like I know that character. Give enough detail in the history and the RP sample that your character isn't just a cardboard cut-out, but feels like a real person.
If we are on the edge about a character, the RP sample is king. Everyone does these differently. Some are short, some are long. If an RP sample is terrible beyond repair (like the base writing of it), we probably won't accept it. But, if we weren't sure you could pull off the character you wow us with an amazing sample, we will judge heavily in your favor. It's for this reason that my RP samples are really long. I treat them as a character introduction and almost like a chapter of a book, or a really short story. It has a beginning, middle, and end, as well as plenty of conflict. If you aren't sure what to write for your RP sample, you might want to try that method and just enjoy your character. If you have trouble writing a sample or you aren't thrilled about your character, you should make a different character.
When you love your characters, we will probably love them too. There may be cosmetic details that you need to fix, but those are easy. It's much harder to make a character with a compelling voice.
Why have you skipped over my character!!! It's just been sitting there waiting for a week and you've accepted other characters that were posted after mine!!
First, one exclamation mark at a time, dude.
Secondly, with some characters, we can't make an easy decision. If you don't follow the style guide and decide to write everything in first person, with all the text being a harsh yellow, we won't hesitate to deny the character almost outright. Some characters are perfect on the first go and have enthralling RP samples. Those are easy choices.
It's harder for us to accept or deny a character which has positive aspects, but doesn't feel quite right. There's a lot of grey area in between "terrible" and "amazing", and sometimes the problems with the characters aren't in the minor details. We tend to mull over a character more when it isn't an easy decision so we can give you a solid critique.
Of course, feel free to message or IM us if you wish to discuss the character application. We would be happy to help out.
Can my characters die?
Simple answer? Yeah, your characters can definitely die. The Final Empire and this campaign setting is quite violent.
The longer answer is more complicated. Allomancy is complex, and if your skaa Mistings are battling an Inquisitor, that will naturally be a tense scene. No one wants their character to die. A natural tendency is to bend the rules a bit to try and gain the upper hand in a fight. This, and all other forms of godmodding, is prohibited. If you see it happening, don't start bending the rules yourself; tell an administrator and we will deal with the issue.
The best case scenario is to talk with your opponent. Try to come to some mutual consensus on where you want the fight to go, and if a character is going to die. Player goodwill is one surefire way to avoid godmodding.
What should I do if a member is harrassing me or godmodding a thread?
You need to let one of the administrators know immediately. The quickest method would be to IM us, but not everyone has that, so you can always use the PM system. Do not confront the harrassing member yourself, and don't start yelling in the chat box. Let us handle it. Complaints to the admins are completely confidential, so don't worry about it.
What sort of process happens to abusive members once the administrators are notified?
We will verbally tell the member to cease the offensive actions. If we must resolve story-related issues, like if an Inquisitor unreasonably killed your character, we intervene and make it clear what truly happened in the continuity.
If the member continues to abuse privileges, most likely we will ban that person and all of his or her characters.
What is 17th Shard? Why are there links to that site? Are they like an affiliated site?
We're actually a subsidiary of 17th Shard. 17th Shard is the official Brandon Sanderson fansite. They host Brandon's official forums, a wiki, and more. On their forums, there is a section for RPs, and so we thought MBI would be an excellent fit for their site. So, they generously let us use their domain name. If you're passionate enough about his books, you're probably passionate enough to take part in the stuff at 17th Shard, so join the discussions at www.17thshard.com
Edited by Comatose, 04 December 2014 - 05:50 PM.
