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[ application: original characters ]
IMPORTANT! We are officially in endgame until August 31, 2020. Applications are on a rolling basis. There is a small "block" period from the 1st through the 4th of every month to allow a bulk of apps to be submitted, and then applications can be submitted at any time during the month. Notices will be sent out all at once after the first "block" period, and then between 24 hours to the end of the weekend depending on how many and our schedule. Applications are guaranteed to be processed during the weekends.
IMPORTANT: Only the following types of original characters are allowed to be applied for—
The following would not be allowed:
Before applying, please be sure to read the following:
We have compiled sample applications from our players to show what the mod team and the application moderators are looking for in terms of writing quality and depth. We hope you find these samples useful!
⌈ PLAYER SECTION ⌉
Player:
Contact: Journal/Plurk/AIM — anything to help identify since someone might share your name handle.
Age: You must be at least 13 years old to apply.
Current Characters: If a new player, just put "N/A"
⌈ CHARACTER SECTION ⌉
Character:
Age:
OC Type: Indicate whether this OC is a Pure, MMO, or Blank Protagonist type of OC. If it is a Blank Protagonist, indicate the canon here.
Point Taken: A sense of time when the character is taken. More applicable to MMO and Blank Protagonist OCs.
World Building:This is separate from the character's personal history. This section is to provide us with information about the character's “canon” in general. We will have no idea what kind of world that the character is coming from, and this is the only place we can learn about it. We don't want an encyclopedia, but we will need to know important details about it so that we can understand the culture the character is coming from and how that will affect how they think and behave. What countries are important? What kind of geography or political climate? Are there any social conflicts that would impact the character or would influence how they view others? For MMO and Blank Protagonist OCs, linking us to wikis will suffice, but feel free to add more to it.
Backstory: While we don't need a play-by-play, what we would like to see includes how the character lived, what choices they've made and why, what events occurred that developed them, and other important facts that will help us understand the character. For MMO OCs: Most MMORPGs will have a set storyline that the player character has the opportunity to play through. Keep in mind that rather there being a singular "Great Hero," all MMO OCs are to be seen as a part of a large group of heroes if you choose to follow the main storyline. Also keep in mind that all MMO OCs will have to follow their game’s canon lore. For example: A character could not save the NPC that canonly died, nor could a mission fail if it is set to succeed. However, your character could have died and or had difficulty fulfilling the mission. It is also possible that your character had no part in the overall game's story and had their own adventures in the world instead. Finally, there can be no romantic or familial relationships with named NPCs.
Personality: We're looking for how they think, why they act the way they do, their strengths, their weaknesses, their thought processes, their opinions, their conflicts, what makes them feel the way they do, their significant traits. When writing your character, be careful! We want to avoid characters that are the super invincible almighty hero that can do no wrong. The one who can charm anyone with a smile, can easily trick and deceive, has the power to bend wills with ease. All characters have flaws—no one is perfect. But more importantly, such infallible characters are not interesting to play and interact with. In short, the character should be realistic, balanced, and well thought out. If we feel that your character does not meet this standard, then we may ask for a revision or reject if it cannot be changed.
Abilities: If there are any particular abilities the character has supernatural or otherwise, list them here. Referencing to a wiki list is acceptable if applicable. However, if there are any particular abilities that need to be weakened or removed, note them here.
Alignment: Please refer to the Alignment entry to choose which alignment your character would most likely fall under. Include a brief (a couple of sentences max) just to help explain why you think your choice is the best fit.
Other: Anything else you'd like to mention.
⌈ SAMPLE SECTION ⌉
Sample: We have two sample requirements.
General Sample: We should see examples of the character's dialogue as well as some introspection or additional narrative to further show how you intend to write the character. This is the most important part of the sample and where most of the weight will be.
Emotion Sample: This is our "game setting" requirement. Essentially we want to ensure that you have a basic grasp of the game's premise, especially with the use of emotions. It can be a small scene, even incidental to the main sample. A reminder that apathetic characters will also create effects, such as loss of color, surface distortion, holes forming. This section doesn't have to be lengthy, but the effect must be clear for us to see.
The emotion sample can be part of the general character sample. If so, please link directly or directly quote that portion so that it's easier for us to quickly find it.
The samples can be "written" in three different ways and you can choose which one will work best for you:
Format wise, you can use either [ brackets ] OR narrative prose. We do require that the writing at least be coherent, have proper sentence structure, and is mostly grammatically correct (we realize that writing styles can be loose/creative in [ bracket ] form so we're giving a bit more leeway). One last suggestion we have is try to have the character interacting with the environment and try thinking of the sample less of a narrative piece but more like a post or thread prompt you might make in the game. That will help the sample show not only how you will write the character, but also how you will play them in practice.
Questions: If you have any questions, ask them here.
Clean copy and paste form here:
IMPORTANT: Only the following types of original characters are allowed to be applied for—
- Pure OC. These are the typical kind of OC that everyone is familiar with. They are characters that are the player's own creation with their own world that is also of the player's design. There is zero relation to any pre-existing canon.
- MMO OC. MMOs, or Massively Multiplayer Online games, particularly those with a lot of roleplay and character build-up, have existing world building and lore that they have to follow. These characters are created by the player and can have their own story, but they have to follow the rules of the game lore. We consider "main hero" characters as those who are one of many in a great group that influenced the storyline, rather than the singular Great Hero character. This is to help multiple MMO OCs from the same game to have stories that mesh well together. In the sake of fairness to current FFXIV OC players and consistency with previous mod teams' decisions, we do not currently allow FFXIV Warriors of Light.
- Blank Slate Canon Protagonists. For our criteria, these types of characters are those which you control throughout the game and essentially make the player the main character. They may have a name and a couple of personality traits, but everything else is up to the player to interpret. Examples of these are most of the main characters from Dragon Age, Skyrim, Pokémon, etc. Important: Please note that this category ONLY pertains to the protagonists of canons. This does not allow side characters or other support NPCs as they have set stories and personalities. This section has nothing to do with how much headcanon is used and is only about the purpose and design of the protagonist character.
The following would not be allowed:
- Fanon/AU OCs. Characters that are based off pre-existing canons or an alternate version of the canon. We would not allow these OCs not because we are against them on principle, but it could cause unwanted confusion and complications with current existing casts. This type of OC would have needed to be allowed from the very beginning so players would know what they were getting into.
- Game Native OCs. Currently the game is not ready for such a type of character, as it would introduce other complications and worldbuilding that the interested player would have to be aware of. In addition, it would require more close connection with us the mods than we are currently ready for.
Before applying, please be sure to read the following:
- Read the Rules and the Game Information.
- RETURNING PLAYERS! You only need to submit any old application. Does not matter how long ago, as long as it was accepted and you have good standing (ie, not banned), it will be valid.
- Suggestion: Find some character sheets that have questions directly related to character building. These will help flesh out your application and give some guidelines as to how to write about your character.
- Feel free to use the most recent test drive both for practice as well as to use for samples. IMPORTANT! If you submit threads as samples, you must submit the application with that character journal. This is the only way we can ensure that the samples are from you and not someone else.
- Linked samples must have been made within the past year.
- You may apply for up to two characters per cycle.
- Do not plagiarize. If we find that the information provided was directly taken by either another player or some other source material, the application will be rejected immediately. If we find this after processing the application, we will revoke the application and have you removed from the game with potential ban.
- Reusing your own applications from other games is allowed. We only ask any original written samples to conform to our game. That is, we don't want to read samples that are set specifically for another game's premise. Note: this does not apply to threads linked from other games used as samples.
- If you are rejected, you cannot reapply for the same character for two weeks. However, you can apply for a different character in that same period.
- Those accepted must fill out all of the required entries within a week to be considered part of the game. Otherwise, we will consider it a revocation of the application.
- Fill out the form and comment to this entry! All applications must be posted directly to this entry; no linked-in applications allowed.
We have compiled sample applications from our players to show what the mod team and the application moderators are looking for in terms of writing quality and depth. We hope you find these samples useful!
- Sun Wukong (RWBY)
- Luke Skywalker (Star Wars)
- Goro Akechi (Persona 5)
Player:
Contact: Journal/Plurk/AIM — anything to help identify since someone might share your name handle.
Age: You must be at least 13 years old to apply.
Current Characters: If a new player, just put "N/A"
Character:
Age:
OC Type: Indicate whether this OC is a Pure, MMO, or Blank Protagonist type of OC. If it is a Blank Protagonist, indicate the canon here.
Point Taken: A sense of time when the character is taken. More applicable to MMO and Blank Protagonist OCs.
World Building:This is separate from the character's personal history. This section is to provide us with information about the character's “canon” in general. We will have no idea what kind of world that the character is coming from, and this is the only place we can learn about it. We don't want an encyclopedia, but we will need to know important details about it so that we can understand the culture the character is coming from and how that will affect how they think and behave. What countries are important? What kind of geography or political climate? Are there any social conflicts that would impact the character or would influence how they view others? For MMO and Blank Protagonist OCs, linking us to wikis will suffice, but feel free to add more to it.
Backstory: While we don't need a play-by-play, what we would like to see includes how the character lived, what choices they've made and why, what events occurred that developed them, and other important facts that will help us understand the character. For MMO OCs: Most MMORPGs will have a set storyline that the player character has the opportunity to play through. Keep in mind that rather there being a singular "Great Hero," all MMO OCs are to be seen as a part of a large group of heroes if you choose to follow the main storyline. Also keep in mind that all MMO OCs will have to follow their game’s canon lore. For example: A character could not save the NPC that canonly died, nor could a mission fail if it is set to succeed. However, your character could have died and or had difficulty fulfilling the mission. It is also possible that your character had no part in the overall game's story and had their own adventures in the world instead. Finally, there can be no romantic or familial relationships with named NPCs.
Personality: We're looking for how they think, why they act the way they do, their strengths, their weaknesses, their thought processes, their opinions, their conflicts, what makes them feel the way they do, their significant traits. When writing your character, be careful! We want to avoid characters that are the super invincible almighty hero that can do no wrong. The one who can charm anyone with a smile, can easily trick and deceive, has the power to bend wills with ease. All characters have flaws—no one is perfect. But more importantly, such infallible characters are not interesting to play and interact with. In short, the character should be realistic, balanced, and well thought out. If we feel that your character does not meet this standard, then we may ask for a revision or reject if it cannot be changed.
Abilities: If there are any particular abilities the character has supernatural or otherwise, list them here. Referencing to a wiki list is acceptable if applicable. However, if there are any particular abilities that need to be weakened or removed, note them here.
Alignment: Please refer to the Alignment entry to choose which alignment your character would most likely fall under. Include a brief (a couple of sentences max) just to help explain why you think your choice is the best fit.
Other: Anything else you'd like to mention.
Sample: We have two sample requirements.
General Sample: We should see examples of the character's dialogue as well as some introspection or additional narrative to further show how you intend to write the character. This is the most important part of the sample and where most of the weight will be.
Emotion Sample: This is our "game setting" requirement. Essentially we want to ensure that you have a basic grasp of the game's premise, especially with the use of emotions. It can be a small scene, even incidental to the main sample. A reminder that apathetic characters will also create effects, such as loss of color, surface distortion, holes forming. This section doesn't have to be lengthy, but the effect must be clear for us to see.
The emotion sample can be part of the general character sample. If so, please link directly or directly quote that portion so that it's easier for us to quickly find it.
The samples can be "written" in three different ways and you can choose which one will work best for you:
- Test Drive. You can utilize our test drive to cover both requirements of the sample. So long as there is enough character portrayal and a scene with an emotional reaction, be it within the prompt or done during the thread, then it can be used for both.
- Link out + Written. You can link to threads/entries from other games, memes, or museboxes to show character portrayal, and then write an additional short scene for the emotion portion of the sample.
- Original Sample. You can write a complete sample that shows both character portrayal and a scene involving emotion use. This can be one sample or two separate samples. If you opt to write an original sample, you are welcome to use any prompts from any of our Test Drives, Intro Logs, Task Board, and even past events. You are also free to change things up and are not restricted to any of these prompts. They are just here to help offer ideas.
Format wise, you can use either [ brackets ] OR narrative prose. We do require that the writing at least be coherent, have proper sentence structure, and is mostly grammatically correct (we realize that writing styles can be loose/creative in [ bracket ] form so we're giving a bit more leeway). One last suggestion we have is try to have the character interacting with the environment and try thinking of the sample less of a narrative piece but more like a post or thread prompt you might make in the game. That will help the sample show not only how you will write the character, but also how you will play them in practice.
Questions: If you have any questions, ask them here.
Re: Clarification
(I wrote the backstory section with this game in mind. However, if there are any problems, I am willing to make changes as necessary. Alternately, I can use a different backstory in which she is a more independent adventurer if thay works better. My apologies for any confusion.)
Re: Clarification
So with that in mind, having her an independent adventurer may work better if it would fit your character more. If you go this way, then you must keep in mind that while her own adventures could run tangent to the WoL storyline, she wouldn't be able to experience any events that are specific to the WoL.
Revised Backstory
Backstory:
Merisia grew up in a family of bandits in the many caverns of Thanalan, stealing to survive. However, over time Merisia became a bit of a treasure hunter while out scavenging and thieving with her siblings. This led to a few nasty mishaps, and Merisia ended up being essentially grounded on a frequent basis. During one of her solo outings, Merisia happened upon adventurer bound for Thanalan, returning from a trip to Limsa Lominsa with a hefty bounty in tow and chatting with his party about their recent successful excursion. Merisia found herself more than a little envious of such freedom and rich rewards. Soon, Merisia left home and took up thaumaturgy magic, opting to be an adventurer rather than a thief (though she was not opposed to picking a few pockets to make ends meet from time to time). She immediately made for Ul'dah, familiarizing herself with the city while picking several rich pockets and even carrying out a few small-scale robberies of her own.
Eventually, her hand was caught. Although Merisia feared her time was done and she would be imprisoned, the man instead gave her an offer. He introduced himself as Emereck, claimed to be a practiced gladiator and member of the Adventurer's Guild, much like Merisia. Although still wary of him, Merisia agreed to keep in touch, if anything as thanks for not turning her in. Over time, the two grew to be good acquaintances, and eventually close friends (though Merisia was reluctant to admit it, even when Emereck teased her about it).
Several months later, Emereck and Merisia ended up on a request to check the roads for a lost caravan. Upon arriving on the scene, the cart was wrecked, the cart's chocobos all but fled, the cargo either damaged or ablaze, and the survivors were trembling in fear. Just as Merisia began approaching one of them, a vision of the past flooded her vision, showing the caravan being attacked by imperial soldiers, several of the survivors setting off with precious little cargo on the chocobos that once drew the cart while the rest attempted to fight off the soldiers. As the vision ended, Merisia heard Emereck cry out that they needed to return to Ul'dah immediately.
Merisia spent the next few days silent, reluctant to speak to anyone other than Emereck about the incident. Emereck explained that the phenomenon she had experienced was something known as the Echo, an ability that allowed her to see into the past. Emerek continued to explain that he'd heard that several adventurers seemed to be picking up this ability, advised that Merisia join the Path of Twelve with him to learn more about the Echo. Merisia, however, refused Emereck's offer, claiming that she wanted to be left alone and had no desire to join any organization. Emereck reluctantly (but respectfully) agreed, but advised that she keep this ability a secret to avoid trouble. Merisia had no qualms with this.
Before long, Merisia returned to her adventuring, albeit much more cautious this time. Soon, the whispers of Imperial activity became too great to ignore, and word of an imminent war began to break out. Emereck suggested that he and Merisia assist the Grand Companies in the battle. However, Merisia refused once again, confident in her strength as a mage but not interested in fighting in a war that was out of her league. "I hate the Empire just as much as anyone else, Emereck, but I'm not an idiot."
Days came and passed, and one day Merisia found that she was unable to contact Emereck over her linkpearl. Worried, she made her way to his home, only to find it vacant and his usual battle gear missing along with him. Merisia made haste for Mor Dhona, where the war was said to take place, swearing under her breath that she would scold Emereck for running off into battle so recklessly. She soon joined the fight alongside other adventurers, but was unable to find Emereck amidst the chaos.
The battle took an unexpected turn when the red moon Dalamud above them burst into pieces, out of which sprung Bahamut. Soldiers of both sides of the conflict fled while Bahamut laid waste to the battlefield. Knowing better than to risk her life in vain and putting her faith in Emereck that he'd escape safely, Merisia made a run for it, praying to the Twelve that Emereck would make it out alive. The escape was narrowly made. Once the devastation was finally over, however, Merisia was still unable to contact Emereck.
For some time, Merisia retreated in solitude, relieved that the realm survived to see another day, but shocked at the turn of events in Mor Dhona and Emereck's constant radio silence. After finally recovering a few years later, Merisia began seeking a new way of life in a new realm. Fortunately for her, the Arcanist's Guild was not only open, but accepting members. Deciding that it was a perfect opportunity for a fresh start, she joined the guild, and quickly rose through the ranks to become a formidable arcanist. In hopes of finding some clues to Emereck's disappearance (thus burying her denial that he'd possibly died in the battle), Merisia resumed her previous travels as an adventurer and "treasure hunter", hoping that perhaps by returning to her previous lifestyle, she'd run into him again just as she had the first time.
Soon enough, her travels took her to Thanalan, where she searched for her family to see if they escaped the Calamity's destruction, only to find her home completely destroyed. When Merisia questioned the inhabitants of one of the nearby camps about this, she began hearing rumors of repeated kidnappings in the area by beastmen. Merisia, taking it upon herself to investigate these rumors, found herself on the receiving end of an Amalj'aa ambush. Though a skilled arcanist, Merisia was outmatched, and wound up kidnapped herself. While in the holding cave, she found herself with a few other victims, one of whom claimed to attempt escaping previously but to no avail. In questioning the other prisoner about his escape attempt, Merisia received a vision of the past once again, this time showing the victim's attempting to flee the holding cavern leading to a river, only to be caught not long after he made it outside. Before Merisia could rally any of the victims to follow her, the Amalj'aa began rounding up prisoners to bring to Ifrit. Realizing that there was no time left, Merisia managed a narrow escape and fled the Amalj'aa encampment though the river flowing into the cavern.
While running a few errands in Ul'dah several weeks later, Merisia found herself being followed by a Miqo'te archer named Seda'li, whom had observed her escaping from the Amalj'aa encampment some time ago and wished for an explanation. Merisia expressed reluctance and attempted to brush him off, but Seda'li's persistence eventually wore Merisia down, and she quietly informed him of her escape from the Amalj'aa and her vision with one of the other victims. Seda'li informed her that this was possibly due to the Echo, and he offered to bring her with him to the headquarters of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn to learn more, as there were other members gifted with this ability.
Believing Seda'li's claims to be absurd, and bothered by the repeated mention of the Echo, Merisia refused, but did ask Seda'li if he knew anything about the Path of Twelve, another organization that had studied the Echo. Seda'li replied that it was roughly the same organization, albeit under a new name and in a new location. A glimmer of hope in sight, Merisia asked if Seda'li knew anyone named Emereck, and was relieved to know that he indeed was familiar with him...only to learn that Emereck was among the adventurers that had died in the Calamity.
For a time, Merisia remained silent on the offer to join the Scions, overcome with heartbreak that her only friend was lost to her forever. Perhaps had she listened to him, joined him sooner, aided him more, he would still be alive. She wouldn't be suffering this pain and none of this would have ever happened. Merisia resolved to never let such a thing happen again, not only in being more careful of not letting others come to harm, but also in not letting them too close.
Eventually, Merisia gave Seda'li a formal reply, in the form of several harsh words stating she refused to join, as she saw it infringing on her independence as an adventurer. Seda'li decided not to push the issue further, but offered to aid Merisia should she ever need his aid. Merisia reluctantly agreed, though she silently hoped she would not need it.
Seda'li ended up accompanying Merisia through various treasure hunting excursions through ruins and strongholds, and proved to be a formidable ally and slowly warmed up to Merisia as a friend (though she loathed to admit it). Though Merisia still did not wish to join the Scions, he told her what he knew of the Echo anyway. Merisia never directly thanked him for his aid until a successful hunt in Cutter's Cry. It was then that Merisia finally decided that perhaps she should join the Scions. Seda'li promised to meet her back at the Waking Sands once she was recovered from the excursion.
Upon arriving, however, Merisia learned that the Waking Sands had been attacked by imperial soldiers, with many Scions kidnapped and the rest inside killed. For those dead, a burial had recently taken place at the cathedral near Camp Horizon. Merisia hurried to the graveyard, and to her horror found one of the graves marked by Seda'li's broken bow. Angered and heartbroken again, Merisia swore vengeance against the empire. They had taken Emereck from her, they'd had a heavy hand in causing the Calamity, and apparently they wouldn't stop at murdering innocent people.
Accepted!
• Reply to this comment with the journal you will be joining with.
• We do require you to keep a copy of your application and/or an information post in your journal for easy player reference. In doing so, you are free to use one of our Profile Codes.
• Comment to the Taken list.
• When your journal is added by the mod journal, comment to the Player Contact list.
• Join
• Introduce yourself in our Player Intro post and start playing!
Optional:
• Review the Game Info, Emotions, Amulet, and Island information pages.
• Make sure you understand how the Network works. Remember, Empatheias uses telepathy as communication!
• Feel free to make a "Message Box" type post for any private messages that could be sent via messenger bird.
Thanks for the changes! We also recommend making a quick note about Merisia's role in terms of the WoL storyline somewhere visible in her information, so others can have a heads up.
Please use the Character Introduction Log for your character intro. If you have any questions at any time, feel free to contact us! Have fun :D
Accepted!